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Contents

Subject

What is STEP ?

LC (Listening

Comprehension)

RC (Reading

Comprehension)

ST (Structure)

CA

(Compositional

Analysis)

An introduction

■ Background Based on growing international needs for the English language, several academic

and non-academic institutions have approached the National Center for Assessment

in Higher Education calling for the development of an English test that could

measure the proficiency of their applicants. Consequently the Center formed a

committee consisting of specialists in the fields of English and Psychological

Measurement. The Committee looked first into available international, regional and

local test experiences and practices. It also visited and consulted institutions

specialized in standardized language testing. After this survey the Committee

reached a conclusion on the need and formation of the test.

■ What is STEP? STEP is an acronym for Standardized Test of English Proficiency. It is designed to

be an objective and unbiased test of a person’s level of proficiency in the use of

English. The test is made up of the following four components:

1. Reading Comprehension (RC – 40%),

2. Structure (ST – 30%),

3. Listening Comprehension (LC – 20%),

4. Compositional Analysis (CA – 10%).

The Committee chose these four components and their respective weights after

consultation and research into the approach of both regional and international bodies

responsible for the production of similar English tests and feedback provided by

national organizations requesting such a test. Contingent on statistical analysis and

feedback on STEP results, the weighting of the four components may be subject to

revision to meet the needs of the Arab Gulf region. It should be added that STEP is

uniquely designed by English language professors and experts native to the region

and therefore knowledgeable of the abilities and the needs locally. This drastically

lowers the possibility of cultural, social and regional bias and provides a more

appropriate tool for objective assessment.

■ The STEP should be used for those who are seeking:

■ admission at a University or College as an undergraduate.

■ admission to a Graduate Program.

■ exemption from certain courses.

■ teacher certification.

■ employment in the private sector.

■ a report of English proficiency for private use.

■

RC (Reading Comprehension)

Reading 1

Robots

A robot is a machine. But it is not just any machine. It is a special kind of machine. It is a

machine that moves. It follows instructions. The instructions come from a computer. Because

it is a machine, it does not make mistakes. And it does not get tired. And it never complains.

Unless you tell it to.

Robots are all around us. Some robots are used to make things. For example, robots can help

make cars. Some robots are used to explore dangerous places. For example, robots can help

explore volcanoes. Some robots are used to clean things. These robots can help vacuum your

house. Some robots can even recognize words. They can be used to help answer telephone

calls. Some robots look like humans. But most robots do not. Most robots just look like

machines.

Long ago, people imagined robots. Over 2,000 years ago, a famous poet imagined robots. The

poet’s name was Homer. His robots were made of gold. They cleaned things and they made

things. But they were not real. They were imaginary. Nobody was able to make a real robot.

The first real robot was made in 1961. It was called Unimate. It was used to help make cars. It

looked like a giant arm

In the future, we will have even more robots. They will do things that we can’t do. Or they

will do things that we don’t want to do. Or they will do things that are too dangerous for us.

Robots will help us fight fires. They will help us fight wars. They will help us fight sickness.

They will help us discover things. They will help make life better

-Questions:

1)As used in paragraph 1, we can understand that something special is NOT

A. normal B. expensive C. perfect D. tired

2)According to the author, robots may be used to

I. make cars II. explore volcanoes III. answer telephone calls

A. I only B. I and II only C. II and III only D. I, II, and III

3)What is the main purpose of paragraph 2

A. to show how easy it is to make a robot B. to tell what a robot is

C. to describe the things a robot can do D. to explain the difference between a robot and a machine

4)According to the passage, when was the first real robot made?

A. 1961 B. 1900 C. 2003 D. 2000 years ago

5)Which of these gives the best use of a robot?

A. to help make a sandwich B. to help tie shoes C. to help read a book D. to help explore Mars

6)How does the author of this passage most likely feel about robots?

D. Robots are old C. Robots are confusing B. Robots are helpfulA. Robots

are dangerous

Reading 2

Materials

A material is what something is made of. There are 5 basic materials. Most things are made with these

materials. Some things are made of metal. Some things are made of glass. Some things are made of wood.

Some things are made of cloth. And some things are made of plastic. There are some other materials But

they are not used as much as these 5 materials

Let’s talk about metal first. Metal is very heavy. And it is very hard and strong. It usually feels cool if

you touch it. We use metal to make lots of things. We use it for forks and knives. We use it for keys. We use

it for cars. We use it for these things because it is very strong.

Next, let’s talk about glass. Glass is very smooth. It feels cool to touch. It is not as heavy as metal It is

hard. But it is not strong. It breaks very easily! Then why do we use it? We use it because it is clear! You can

see through glass! That’s why we use it for windows. That’s also why we use it for glasses.

Now, let’s talk about wood. Wood is lighter than metal and glass. It is not as strong as metal. But it is

much stronger than glass. We use wood to make lots of things. Things made from wood are usually light and

hard and strong. Chairs and tables are made from wood. Pencils are made from wood.

Now let’s talk about cloth. Cloth is very light. It is much lighter than wood. And it is very soft. We

use cloth to make lots of things. For example, it is used to make clothing. And it is used to make blankets.

Last, let’s talk about plastic. Plastic is also very light. But it is different from cloth. Sometimes it is

soft. And sometimes it is hard. Plastic can be used to make thin plastic bags. These are light, soft, and strong.

But plastic can also be used to make bicycle helmets. These are light, hard, and strong. A helmet and a bag

seem different. But they are both made from plastic.

-Questions :

1)Which sentence from the passage best describes the main idea?

B. "We use cloth to make lots of things A. "Metal is very heavy

C. "There are 5 basic materials D. "A helmet and a bag seem different

2)According to the passage, which of these things is a material?

A. chairs B. clothing C. windows D. wood

3)According to the passage, how does glass feel?

A. smooth and cool B. warm and soft C. light and hard D. sharp and heavy

4)In paragraph 4, the passage says, “Wood is lighter than metal and glass.” What is the main

purpose of this sentence?

A. to explain something B. to recommend something

C. to compare something D. to demonstrate something

5)Which material would you use if you wanted to make something that was strong and very light

A. plastic B. wood C. metal D. glass

Reading 3

Today, Mike and his mom are going to the library. Mike wants to find a book to read. His mom wants to use a

computer there.

When they get to the library, Mike finds a book about detectives. He also finds a book with chapters about a

friendly ghost. Finally, he finds a book about a man who lives in the woods without food or water. He puts

the books on the front desk and waits for his mom

Mike's mom sits at one of the computers in the library. She checks her email and looks at pictures of flowers

on the internet. Then she reads a news article on a website

Mike's mom leaves the computer and walks over to Mike, holding up something out for him. Mike looks at

. It takes him a moment to recognize what she is holding. “I got that movie for us to watch quizzicallyher

tonight," says Mike's mom. “Are you ready to leave?

Sure," Mike says, now holding the movie out in front of him. He reads the cover while walking back to the

. A librarian stands behind check outlibrary entrance. He puts his books and the movie on the front desk to

the counter holding an electronic scanner. "How long can we keep them?" Mike asks her Three weeks," says

the librarian Cool," says Mike

Suddenly, Mike is surprised. His mother is checking out something else that is too big to put on the desk. It’s a

picture of the ocean What is that for?" Mike asks To put on our wall at home," says Mike's mom You can do

that?" Mike asks Mike's mom smiles at the librarian. "Yes," she says, "but we have to return it in three

months

1)Based on the books Mike finds to check out, we can tell that he is interested in

A. science B. nature C. mystery D. adventure

2)While at the computer, Mike's mom?

II. looks at pictures III. reads an articleI. checks her mail

A. I only B. I and II only C. II and III only D. I, II, and III

3)According to the passage, how long can Mike and his mother use the books and the movie

before they must return them to the library?

B. two weeks C. three weeks D. four weeks A. one week

4)Based on its use in paragraph 4, it can understood that quizzically belongs to which of the

following word groups?

B. casually, carelessly, indifferentlyA. abnormally, strangely, weirdly

D. inquisitively, questioningly, curiouslyC. passionately, keenly, intensely

5)As used in paragraph 5, the phrase "check out" most nearly means

B. to rent C. to find D. to buyA. to see

6)What does Mike's mom want to do with the picture of the ocean

B. She wants to hang it on her wallA. She wants to buy it

D. She wants to donate it to the libraryC. She wants to give it to her friend as a gift

Reading 4

ack-O-Lanterns

Story By: Andrew Frinkle

Veronica loved the Fall. It was her favorite season. There were many good things about Fall.

She loved the smells, the apples, the changing leaves, and the cool breezes. There were apple

cider drinks and apple cider donuts. You could jump in piles of old leaves you raked up. She

liked all of these things, but most of all, the thing she loved most about Fall was pumpkins.

Pumpkins made great pies. They made great decorations, too. She liked big round, orange

pumpkins, though she’d seen yellow and white ones before, too. The little ones that mom

called gourds were cute. During Fall, grandpa grew a lot of gourds and used them as

decorations, along with Indian corn and hay bales. Veronica liked carving pumpkins into

jack-o-lanterns more than anything else, more than making pumpkin pie even. It was always

fun to carve off the top and then scoop out the insides of the pumpkin. It smelled funny inside

pumpkins and the sound of her spoon scraping out stringy stuff and seeds always made her

laugh. Some of the stuff inside was so slimy, but the seeds were delicious if mom baked them.

Then she could carve a face into the pumpkin. Triangles were easy to use since other shapes

could be hard, even with a sharp knife. She always did the mouth last, after the nose and eyes.

Finally, she’d put a candle in the pumpkin light it, put it outside on the porch, and stand back

to look at her work. Finished jack-o-lanterns were so pretty, but very spooky at times! What

do you think?

Use the information in the story to answer the questions below

1)What is Veronica’s favorite season?

A. Spring B. Summer C. Fall D. Winter

2)Which of these is NOT something Veronica likes about Fall?

A. cookies B. donuts C. leaves D. breezes

3)What is Veronica’s favorite thing about Fall?

A. leaves B. parties C. pumpkins D. weather

4)What does Veronica MOST like to do with pumpkins

A. smash them B. carve them C. eat them D. sell them

5)How does Veronica feel about jack-o-lanterns?

A. They’re pretty but spooky B. They’re pretty but ugly

C. They’re spooky and ugly D. They’re smelly and cut

Reading

Fire is to blame for countless lives and billions of dollars each and every year.

Firefighters help protect people and their property from injury and damage.

Firefighters put their life on the line every time they respond to a call. While on

duty, firefighters must be ready to respond in a matter of minutes to just about any

disaster that may occur. At every fire scene, a superior fire officer takes command

and dictates the jobs of all the personnel at the scene. Some personnel man hose

lines to hydrants. Others manually operate the pumps to send water to the hoses.

Teams of firefighters also operate ladders used to reach distances high in the air. ANSWER THE QUESTIONS:

1. How many dollars are spent each year to repair the damage of fire?

a. thousands

b. hundred-thousands

c. millions

d. billions 2. Which is not true about firefighters?

a. they are brave

b. they put their life danger often

c. they never put their life danger

d. they are highly trained 3. How long does a firefighter have to prepare for a fire?

a. minutes

b. hours

c. days

d. weeks 4. Which of the following is not operated by a firefighter at the scene of a

fire?

a. hoses

b. cars

c. pumps

d. ladders

Reading 6

The living room does not look good. It looks bad without a carpet. Mary and Dan want to buy a carpet.

They want to buy a carpet for their living room. They go to the store. They look at the carpets. There are

many colors. There are many sizes. Some have patterns. Some are plain Mary likes a pink and purple carpet.

It has dots. It has pink and purple dots. Dan says no. He does not like the colors. He does not like the pattern.

He does not like the size. The pink and purple carpet is too big. Dan likes a green and red carpet. It has

stripes. It has green and red stripes. Mary says no! She does not like the colors. She does not like the pattern.

She does not like the size. The green and red carpet is too small. Mary and Dan see a tan carpet. It does not

have dots. It does not have stripes. It is plain. It is tan and plain. Dan likes the tan carpet. Mary likes the tan

carpet. They both like the color. They both like the size. They both say yes Mary and Dan buy the tan

carpet. They put the carpet in the living room. The living room looks wonderful with the new carpet.

Questions

1)According to the passage, Mary and Dan want to put the new carpet in their……..

a-bedroom b- dining room c- living room d-bathroom

2)According to the passage, the pink and purple carpet………………………

a-has dots b- has stripes c-is too small d- is too plain

3)According to the passage, the green and red carpet………………

a- is plain b-has dots c- is too big d- is too small

4)Mary and Dan went to the …………………… to buy a new carpet.

a- supermarket b- bookshop c- store d- restaurant

5) At last, they bought the …………… carpet.

a- green b- red c- tan d- pink

6) They bought the last carpet because ……………………..

a- They both liked the size

b- They both liked the color

c- It doesn't have stripes and plain

d- All the above

7- According to the passage, with the carpet the room looks…………………….

a-wonderful b- bad c-happy d- new

Reading 7

Going On a Picnic

Savannah and Charlotte worked real hard all summer to prepare for the end of summer picnic. Savannah

grew tomatoes and green peppers in her garden. Charlotte lives on a farm and since the spring she has been

growing corn, lettuce and grapes.

A week before the picnic both girls harvested and packed their produce. They decided that all of their hard

work deserved a reward. They charged others for their produce. Savannah charged one dollar for one tomato

or green pepper. Charlotte charged one dollar for a head of lettuce, fifty cents for an ear of corn, and five

cents for a grape

:ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

1)Savannah grew ________ for the end of summer picnic

a-. tomatoes b-. corn

c- lettuce d-. apples

2)Charlotte grew ________ for the end of summer picnic

a- tomatoes b- corn

c- lettuce d- both b & c

3)Where does Charlotte live?

a- Mattydale b-. on a farm

c- in the circus d- on a boat

4)If you were to go to the picnic and purchase 3 tomatoes and 3 ears of corn from the girls, how much would

it cost?

a-. $1.50 b-. $3.50

c- $4.00 d- $4.50

5)If you were to go to the picnic and purchase 1 tomato, 1 pepper, 2 ears of corn, and 4 grapes from the girls,

how much would it cost

a- $2.20 b-. $2.50

c- $3.20 d- $3.50

6) Savannah and Charlotte worked hard all ………………………..

a- winter b- spring c- autumn d- summer

Reading 8

Firehouse Field Trip

loved to look at the fire trucks and even ring the bell. His Uncle Frank was one of the fireman Justin was

getting excited because his class was taking a field trip to the firehouse. Justin and arranged for his class to

visit. Uncle Frank would be in charge of the tour for the class. The next day, Justin’s class left for the

firehouse and waited for Uncle Frank to come and start their tour. They began by looking at the huge fire

trucks. Uncle Frank told the class how they hook up the hoses to get water and also showed the class where

they keep their gear. “Being a fireman is a tough job,” said Uncle Frank. “You need to be in good shape and

get plenty of rest.” The kids got to try on some fire hats and climbed on the truck looking at the dials and

gages. “Do you have a dog here with all those spots?” asked Jeannie. “You mean a Dalmatian?” “We sure

do,” said Uncle Frank "One of the men named him Flame.” Flame was asleep inside the firehouse near the

lockers. After looking at all the trucks, the class headed inside, and Uncle Frank showed them where they

stay when they are not fighting a fire. It looked almost like a house with a kitchen and an area where the men

slept. Uncle Frank showed them the alarm that rings when there is a fire. Just as he finished showing them

the alarm, it rang! All the men ran to get ready to leave for the fire. “I am sorry,” said Uncle Frank to the

class. “We need to leave now, but Mr. Martin will finish the tour.” “Wow,” said Tommy. “We got to see

how the firemen leave when there is a real fire.” The class watched as the men hurried out to the fire trucks

and left the station with the sirens on. Mr. Martin finished the tour inside the station, and Flame finally woke

up after hearing the alarms go off. “Ruff, ruff,” barked Flame That night Justin told his mom and dad about

the great trip to the firehouse. “Uncle Frank showed us a lot of important things about preventing fires and

what to do if our house ever had a fire,” said Justin. “It sounds like you learned a lot of good information,”

said dad We sure did,” Justin said. “I think I’m going to be a fireman when I grow up.” “Uncle Frank said it

is a hard job, but it is a job I would like to try.” “He said you need to be in good shape and get plenty of

rest,” said Justin. Mom said, “Then I guess you need to eat your broccoli and get to bed early tonight.” Justin

smiled and so did dad. “I like broccoli,” said Justin. That night Justin did go to bed early and dreamed of

being a fire se the information in the story to answer the questions below

1)Who arranged for the tour of the firehouse?

C. Uncle Frank D. Aunt Terri B. Uncle JoeA. Uncle Jim

2)What dog was at the firehouse?

D. A collie B. A Dalmatian C. A hound dogA. A poodle

3)What happened after the class was shown the fire alarm?

B. The dog ran away C. It rained D. The alarm rang for a real fireA. The class ate a snack

4)Who finished the tour?

C. Miss Roberts D. Miss Gray B. Mr. JohnsonA. Mr. Martin

5)How did Justin feel about his trip to the firehouse?

D. Bore man B. Happy C. DisappointedA. Sad

Reading 9

It is a frigid January day in York, Pennsylvania. The temperature is below freezing. Snow is starting to fall. Dr. James turns on the television to check the weather. He must leave for his work at the hospital soon. “Today is going to be very cold,” says the TV weatherman. “Be sure to wear very warm clothes when you go outside. Also, be careful driving on the roads. Snowfall will make them slippery. In fact, if you can stay home today, do it!” Dr. James cannot stay home. Very sick people are waiting to see him at the hospital. He goes to his closet. He takes out the warmest clothes he has. He puts on a sweater, jacket, gloves, socks, boots, and a hat. He opens his front door to go to work. A gust of cold air blows inside. “Wow, it is very cold outside,” Dr. James says. He is from Miami and is not used to the cold. “The weatherman was right!” Before he can drive to work, Dr. James must clear the snow off his car. He does this very fast. He hops in the car. He shivers. His neck feels especially cold. Dr. James drives slowly to work. Everyone else is driving slowly, too. There is a lot of traffic on the road. There are cars in front of and behind him. Suddenly, the cars in front of Dr. James come to a stop. There has been an accident! Dr. James hurries from his car to check on the driver of the car that has swerved off the road. “Is everyone okay?” Dr. James asks. “Yes, yes, we are fine. We slipped on a patch of ice,” the driver says. “This would have been a good day to stay home in bed.”

2)) If the weather is frigid, it is very A. cold B. rainy C. windy D. slippery

1)) In what city does this story take place? A. Florida B. Miami C. Pennsylvania D. York

4)) Dr. James doesn’t stay home because A. There are sick people waiting for him. B. He listens to the weatherman. C. He has to clear snow off his car. D. He must help the people in the accident.

3)) What could Dr. James have put on his neck to keep it warm? A. gloves B. a scarf C. another hat D. a jacket

6)) What does Dr. James do before he leaves for work? I. He dresses warmly. II. He checks the weather on TV. III. He clears snow from his car. A. I only B. I and II C. II and III D. I, II, and III

5) Given what is said in the story, what is probably true about Miami? A. It is a warm place. B. It is a rainy place. C. It is a windy place. D. People drive slowly there.

8)) How are people driving today? A. badly B. slowly C. very fast D. like they do not care

7) As described in the beginning of the story, what does it mean if the roads are slippery? A. The roads are full of cars. B. The roads are easy to slide on. C. The roads are very long and curvy. D. The roads lead to a place with lots of

CA (Compositional Analysis)

1. Her name is Sara. Sara is twenty four years old.

The best way to combine these two sentences is:

D )Her name Sara and her is twenty four years old.

Which one of the underlined words or phrases in the following is

INCORRECT?

When I saw the man with an umbrella, it reminded me that I need to buying

one. We don’t have much rain in my city, but London gets a lot of rain.

A (4), (5), (1), (3), (2) B (3), (4), (1), (2), (5)

C (3), (5), (2), (1), (4) D (4), (3), (5), (1), (2)

4-In which of the following sentences is the capitalization correct? A) Khalid can never convince people here in Saudi arabia that he is originally from New York

City because he speaks Hejazi Arabic so well.

B) Khalid can never convince people here in Saudi Arabia that he is originally from New York

city because he speaks hejazi Arabic so well.

C) Khalid can never convince people here in Saudi Arabia that he is originally from New York

City because he speaks Hejazi Arabic so well.

D) Khalid can never convince people here in Saudi Arabia that he is originally from New York

City because he speaks Hejazi arabic so well.

5. In which of the following sentences is the punctuation correct? A) Although I was late arriving at the office I was able to finish my duties: I may arrive late

sometimes, but my work is always done on time.

B) Although I was late arriving at the office, I was able to finish my duties; I may arrive late

sometimes but, my work is always done on time.

C) Although I was late arriving at the office, I was able to finish my duties; I may arrive late,

sometimes but my work is always done on time.

D) Although I was late arriving at the office, I was able to finish my duties; I may arrive late sometimes,

but my work is always done on time

6-Select the correctly punctuated sentence.

) Spain is a beautiful country; the beache's are warm, sandy and spotlessly clean.

b) Spain is a beautiful country: the beaches are warm, sandy and spotlessly clean.

c) Spain is a beautiful country, the beaches are warm, sandy and spotlessly clean.

d) Spain is a beautiful country; the beaches are warm, sandy and spotlessly clean.

-Create a coherent paragraph by arranging the sentences in logical

order. In these rural areas 70 percent of the available agricultural land suffers from dryness and lack of

irrigation.

2-As a result, the crops are usually marginal with hardly enough production to feed the farmer's family.

3-The first fact to consider is that over 60 percent of the population live in rural communities.

4-In my country, one of the most urgent problems facing the government today relates to agriculture.

5-And without irrigation, agricultural production is wholly dependent on the uncertain rainfall.

6-To understand the nature of this problem one has to look at some of the facts.

7. Select the correctly punctuated sentence in this group.

My first job in a factory involved the manufacture of escalator handles and ketchup bottle lids.

My first job in a factory involved the manufacture of escalator handles, and ketchup bottle lids. 8. Select the correctly punctuated sentence in this group.

Ms. Espinoza has offered to coach the team this year, however, the competition for the job is intense.

Ms. Espinoza has offered to coach the team this year, however the competition for the job is intense.

Ms. Espinoza has offered to coach the team this year; however, the competition for the job is intense.

9 Select the correctly punctuated sentence in this group.

Three major cities Hartford Bridgeport and Stamford make up the crucial voting blocks of Connecticut.

Three major cities, Hartford, Bridgeport, and Stamford, make up the crucial voting blocks of

Connecticut.

Three major cities -- Hartford, Bridgeport, and Stamford -- make up the crucial voting blocks of

Connecticut.

10. Select the correctly punctuated sentence in this group.

My favorite teacher, who just happens to be my uncle, retired from the university last summer.

My favorite teacher who just happens to be my uncle, retired from the university last summer.

My favorite teacher, who just happens to be my uncle retired from the university last summer.