新托福考试最大的变化是什么
S: Would you please share with us your personal experience of learning English? What textbooks were used then? Did you have any special approach?
请您讲讲您个人学习英语的经历好吗？当时使用的是怎样的教材？您有什么自己独特的方法吗？
L: Generally, I learned English on a self-learning basis. In 1980’s, I used textbooks 1-4 by Xu Guozhang. I don’t think what teachers tell you can compare to what you should know. So I believe it mainly depends on you own to achieve English proficiency. Everyone has his own method of learning and every learning method is shaped up by individual’s features. Therefore, there is no “the best” method in theory, but the “proper” method in practice.
我的英语几乎都是自学的，在八十年的时候，使用的教材是许国璋一至四册。我认为学英语主要还是要靠自己，老师讲的相对你应该知道的来说毕竟较少。我说的都是大白话，每个人都有自己的学习方法，每个人的学习方法都是根据自己的特性决定的。所以说，没有理论意义上的“最好”的学习方法，只有现实经验中的“适合”的学习方法。
S: what other languages do you speak?
您还讲什么其他语言？
L:（笑）还讲得一口标准而流利的中文，这是我最挚爱的，并且一直让我引以为豪的语言。
(Laugh) Standard and very fluent Chinese. It is my favorite and it is what I am proud of.
S: What does the ETS have changes in TOFEL for?
您觉得ETS在托福上作的修改是出于什么目的？
L: Its goals are very clear---to help Chinese students gain language competence through natural learning approach and to change their previous mechanical method of learning. In China, the real English learning environment is limited though.
美国人的目的很明确，就是要帮助中国学生锻炼自然学习英语的能力，改变以前的机械式的学习英语的方式。但是，毕竟是在中国，学习英语的现实环境是有限的。
S: You’ve been training TOFEL test for over 15 years. What have been the biggest changes over the years? Tell us your early experience of training TOFEL test.
您培训托福考试已经超过15年了。这些年来，该考试最大的变化是什么？能说说看您早期的一些从事托福考试培训的经历吗？
L: The largest change is that ETS has been making its tests more and more practical. For instance, new section of speaking and lectures in listening section. Flexible and diversified dialogues push Chinese students to do plenty of practices of speaking and listening because it won’t work anymore to just rely on test-prep tricks.
In my previous training experience, what I taught the most is test-prep tricks which are not appropriate anymore. I’d like to talk about my experience in TOEFL iBT training. One real experience is that the top-scorer (103) in the first TOEFL iBT test in China is from our TOEFL iBT training system. Our TOEFL iBT training system falls into 3 categories: Tide TOEFL iBT simulated testing, Tide TOEFL iBT teacher and student training and Tide TOEFL iBT textbooks. After using our textbooks and taking our complete simulated test, the above mentioned student achieved good score in the real test.
最大的变化是美国教育考试中心（ETS）把考试变得越来越实用化。例如，口语考试的增加，听力增加的Lecture，灵活的谈话使中国学生不得不进行大量的口语、听力的练习，光靠应试技巧是行不通的了。
早期培训的时候讲的最多的都是应试技巧，而现在这些经验已经不完全适用了，我还是讲讲针对新托福的培训经历吧。我只举一个例子，第一次托福网考的103分状元就是出自我们的托福网考培训体系。我们的托福网考体系包括三大块：泰德时代新托福模拟考试体系、泰德时代新托福教师与学生培训体系、泰德时代新托福教材体系。这名考生用的是我们的教材，做了我们的全套模测题，最后取得了让人羡慕的好成绩。
S: Tell us the numbers of the students who have taken the TOFEL test over the last five years. Will any big increase in number occur in the following years?
近5年来，参加托福考试的人数如何？接下来，人数上会出现大的增长吗？
L: From 2003 to 2005, the number of TOEFL test-takers declined generally. More people took TOEFL test this year. And 2007 will be a new beginning of TOEFL iBT with fast growth in test-taker number.
2003至2005年，参加托福考试的人数总体呈下降趋势。今年的考试人数增加，07年将会是托福网考高潮的开端，报考人数会飞快增长。
刘兰老师谈在学生时代对英语的学习态度
S: Were you passionate about language test as a student back in school? Have you ever felt tired of training TOFEL test? How do you adjust yourself?
您在做学生的时候对语言考试是否也十分热衷呢？您是否厌倦过托福考试培训？您如何调整自己的？
L: I hated English when I was a student. Grammar particularly was a headache to me. I felt like I could never understand the grammar thoroughly because I was not fond of rules in general. However, I have never got tired of TOEFL. I have gained more and more sense of responsibilities in the process of training. Someone may say that “training is for profit rather than a cause” and I disagree with it. In my training, I sincerely hoped that every student could gain something from it. No matter what the background the students have, I hope they gain something linguistic, academic or something in their attitude. Maybe the saying “teacher has a parental heart” can better explain my feeling. The care for students is just spontaneous.
我本人做学生的时候是非常讨厌英语的，尤其是语法，看了就觉得头大，永远都搞不清楚，因为我本人就是个讨厌规则的人，至今那段经历都让我耿耿于怀。
但是，我从来没有厌倦过托福考试培训，而且做的时间越长越有责任感。有人说 “搞培训的人只认钱不做实事”，我觉得这种说法是不对的，在我的培训过程中，我真心地希望每个学生都有收获，无论是在语言上、学习上、甚至人生观上，不论他们本来的基础是怎样的。也许 “师者父母心”这句话更适合我现在的心境，对学生的关爱是发自内心的，是不需要刻意调整的。
S: What do you really care about, language test or language itself?
您真正关心的是什么？是语言考试，还是语言本身？
L: What I ultimately care is what the trainees or test-takers can achieve through the training experience.
我真正关心的是每个参加语言培训或者语言考试的人通过这段经历能给自己留下什么。
推荐中国学生在美国选择的专业
S: What majors in American universities do you recommend to Chinese students? Why?
您推荐中国学生在美国选择什么专业？为什么？
L: Major is the topic I want to address the most. In fact, what is more important is if and how you are going to apply what you have learned in the major to your future work. Major and work don’t always match. It is up to individuals to seize opportunities. What can be learned in university is limited anyway. In the case, you are not sure about which major to choose, pick what you like rather than pick something for future job searching. And later, you will realize you have made a right choice. Don’t try to make a life plan by choosing majors.
“专业”是我最想说的问题。其实，学什么专业并不重要，重要的是能在将来的工作中把从专业学习中掌握的能力发挥出来。不是学什么就一定要做什么，机遇是靠自己把握的。毕竟大学中学的东西是有限的，所以如果没有把握选哪个专业好，就干脆找个简单的或者自己喜欢的，而不是为了找工作而选。
以后，你会越来越发现自己的选择是正确的。
不要通过一个专业的选择来决定一生的命运。
S: What do you think is so fascinating about America?
您认为美国最吸引人的地方是什么？
L: Openness, liberty, humanity and no request to recite political theories of Marxism or Mao. (Laugh)
开放、自由、人性化，不用被迫背马列、毛概。（笑）
S: How much percentage of Chinese students come back from the states after graduation?
在美国学习的中国学生中，有百分之多少在毕业后回国？
L: Not sure about the exact percentage. Fact is more and more people are back and even more will be.
具体的百分比我说不好，但越来越多的人回来了，以后会更多。
S: What do the students who stay in the states usually do?
那些留在美国的学生都在做什么？
L: Interesting question. I think they are just like us, living.
这个问题有点意思，我想和我们在中国的人一样：活着、生活着。
S: Personally, did you ever have any difficulty in getting a visa before? What did you do about it? Has the situation been improved?
就您个人而言，您是否曾经在办签证时遇到过困难？您当时是怎么做的？现在情形有所改观吗？
L: Yes, my first visa application was turned down. At that time, I did not understand why they supposed I would stay in US since I did have career and money in China. Now I have a better understanding of the visa officers and I know that you must express yourself in your language naturally rather than repeating something with a framework.
有，我第一次办签证的时候就惨遭拒签。当时很不理解，我在国内有事业、有钱，他们凭什么认为我想留在美国？现在理解了签证官了，要用自己的语言、普通的语言表达自己，不要背课文、模版。
S: What do you usually do to help students get full scholarships?
您通常是怎样帮助学生拿到全额奖学金的？
L: Scholarship is mainly merit-based. In the case of graduate school application, transcript is NO. 1 consideration. Personal background is the next.
奖学金的申请主要看成绩，尤其是申请硕士、博士学位，成绩是第一位的，然后才是个人背景。
评价新托福考在中国的第一次考试
S: Would you please say something about the potential tendency of Chinese students’ going to the states, after new TOFEL test is practiced in China?
您能说说新托福考试启用后，中国学生赴美的潜在趋势吗？
L: There will be a peak in TOEFL iBT and application to US universities. I assume there will be an approach of decline in IELTS test-taker number.
从明年开始，考托福赴美留学将出现前所未有的高潮，雅思会呈下降趋势。
S: Will the popularization of new TOFEL test be hindered by imperfection of software systems or computer systems in China?
新托福考试的普及是否会受到软件系统或电脑系统不完善的影响？
L: Yes.
是的。
S: What do you say to the first new TOFEL test?
您如何评价新托福考在中国的第一次考试？
L: Some students might feel more tension while taking their first TOEFL ibt test. So I would like to suggest students do the simulated tests of Tide at least 3 times.
It may seem that I am trying to do the promotion. The fact is that the development of Tide’s simulated tests initiated in 2002 with the support of EST’s core technology and resource. These tests have been proven since Sep. 2006 as equivalent to the real test in format and difficulties. Some questions are even more difficult than those in the real test. Test takers will feel more relaxed in the real test after completion of 3 simulated tests.
第一次考试的时候，一些学生惊慌无助，失去了考旧托福时的镇定。所以，在这里我提醒考生：考前至少做三次泰德的模测题。
有人会认为我是在推销自己的模测题，但是事实是：泰德的托福网考模测试题是从2002年开始研发的，完全是在ETS的核心技术和核心资源支持下做的。从今年9月的托福网考至今，验证了我们的模测界面与真题难度非常吻合，甚至难于真题。做了三套这样的模测题，真考的时候就会从容不迫。