简介:WiththeeverincreasingpopularityofinternationalstandardizedEnglishproficiencytests,thetesttakers’crazeforthemhasneverbeengreater.However,theissueoftheinequitywhichcomesfromthelegitimateknowledgewhichdecidesatest-taker’sscorehasn’tbeenfullyexposed.ThetheoreticalstudyofthisissueinthispaperhelpsexplorethelegitimateknowledgetestedininternationalEnglishproficiencytests.ByexaminingthelegitimateknowledgeinthesampletestsofIELTSandTOEFL,thestudyrevealstheunderlyingbiaswhichconstitutesadecentscoreforthetesttakers.Intheend,thestudyproposesamorebalancedassessmentmodelfordiscussion.