Dialogue

Vocabulary

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Lesson Notes

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Lesson Transcript

Intro

Michael: What are some common Turkish proficiency tests?
Dilek: And how do I choose the right one for me?
Michael: At TurkishClass101.com, we hear these questions often. Imagine the following scenario: Emma, a college student, is talking to Jack about her attempts to motivate herself to study Turkish harder. She says, "I am taking the TYS soon."
Emma Elmas: Yakında TYS'ye gireceğim.
Dialogue
Emma Elmas: Yakında TYS'ye gireceğim.
Jack Jones: Türkçe Yeterlilik Sınavı?
Michael: Once more with the English translation.
Emma Elmas: Yakında TYS'ye gireceğim.
Michael: "I am taking the TYS soon."
Jack Jones: Türkçe Yeterlilik Sınavı?
Michael: "The Turkish Proficiency Exam?"

Lesson focus

Michael: The Ethnologue language reference lists Turkish as the 17th most-spoken language in the world in 2019 with more than 85 million speakers. This makes it a very significant language and one that's worth your time to learn. If you're studying Turkish right now, you may have several reasons for it. Perhaps you want to study or work in Turkey, or maybe you've been dreaming of visiting Turkey for a long time. Regardless of the reason, obtaining proof of your proficiency in the language can be an advantage. And if there's one way to measure your proficiency in the Turkish language, it's by taking the Turkish Proficiency Exam.
[Recall 1]
Michael: Let's take a closer look at the dialogue.
Do you remember how Emma Elmas says "I am taking the TYS soon?"
(pause 4 seconds)
Dilek as Emma Elmas: Yakında TYS'ye gireceğim.
Michael: Now let's take a look at our second sentence.
Do you remember how Jack Jones says "The Turkish Proficiency Exam?"
(pause 4 seconds)
Dilek as Jack Jones: Türkçe Yeterlilik Sınavı?
Michael: The Turkish Proficiency Exam, or
Dilek: Türkçe Yeterlik Sınavı
Michael: is an internationally-recognized language proficiency exam based on standards of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. It was developed by the Yunus Emre Institute Exam Center as a way to measure a person's proficiency in Turkish as a foreign language, or
Dilek: Yabancı Dil
Michael: Passing the exam will give you the opportunity to study at any university in Turkey. It will also give you a competitive advantage if you wish to work in Turkey. The first time the exam was administered was in May 2013, and, since then, it has been given three times a year. Let's see how the exam is currently organized. The TYS consists of four parts. The first part includes the reading,
Dilek: Okuma
Michael: and listening tests.
Dilek: Dinleme
Michael: This part lasts for 105 minutes. The reading test has a total of six texts, and the examinee is required to answer 40 multiple-choice questions. The listening test includes six passages, plus 30 multiple-choice questions. You will be given a 15-minute break before the next part, which is the writing test, or
Dilek: yazı
Michael: For this part, you will be given two tasks. For the first task, you will be required to complete a text or fill out a form, as well as write a petition or a summary of a text. For the second task, you may have to interpret an image, a table, or a graph. This part lasts 20 minutes. You will be given another 15-minute break after this. For the third session, you will be dealing with speaking, or
Dilek: Konuşuyorum
Michael: For this part, you will also be given two tasks. The first one is the independent speaking part, where you will be given five minutes to talk about a particular subject that will be assigned to you. Don't worry, as you are allowed to prepare your ideas for three minutes. The second task is the dialogue part, or
Dilek: Diyalog
Michael: Here, you will answer questions about a given subject in the form of a conversation with an examiner. You have a total of ten minutes to complete this task.
If you are successful, you will be given a Turkish Proficiency Certificate depending on your total score. To pass the test, you will need to succeed by at least fifty percent in each of the sections. You can get a B2 certificate if you achieve a score between 55 and 70, a C1 certificate for a score between 71 and 88, and a C2 certificate for a score between 89 and 100.
[Summary]
Michael: In this lesson, we had a look at the Turkish Proficiency Exam, or
Dilek: Türkçe Yeterlik Sınavı
Michael: The TYS website will be linked in the lesson notes so you can find additional information and up to date details about it. Keep in mind that some universities or workplaces in Turkey might ask you to take language proficiency tests other than the TYS, but, in most cases, taking the TYS should be enough. Once you have your certificate, you will be exempted from taking Turkish preparatory classes when enrolled in college in Turkey. The TYS is also your test of choice if you desire to teach the Turkish language or work as an official translator.
Cultural Insight
Michael: Did you know that the Yunus Emre Institute was named after a 14th-century poet? The institute is a worldwide non-profit organization established by the Turkish government in 2007. Its primary aim is to promote the Turkish language and culture throughout the globe. The poet, named
Dilek: Derviş Yunus,
Michael: was a popular Turkish poet and Sufi mystic who's had a huge influence over the Turkish culture. He wrote in Old Anatolian Turkish, and his poems were mainly about divine love and human destiny. Because of his life and works, the UNESCO General Conference passed a resolution declaring 1991 as the International Yunus Emre Year, which celebrated the 750th anniversary of the Sufi's birth.

Outro

Michael: Do you have any more questions? We're here to answer them!
Dilek: Hoşçakalın!
Michael: See you soon!

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