ETS Premieres World's First Internet-Based English-Proficiency Test; New TOEFL Test Reflects Real-World University English; Adds Speaking Component to Listening, Reading And Writing

TOEFL iBT is the newest version of ETS's English proficiency testdesigned to assess English-language skills in academic settings. Thetest is recognized by more than 5,200 colleges and universitiesworldwide, and is widely known as the leading academic Englishassessment.

The new test stresses integrated communications skills andcommunicative competence. ETS created such enhancements as a newspeaking section at the request of educators and admissions officialswho worked closely with ETS and Thomson Prometric to develop the newtest. The changes are expected to have a great impact on how Englishis taught.

Since it was introduced in 1964, the TOEFL test has dramaticallyincreased in stature among students and institutions worldwide. Morethan 17.5 million people have taken the TOEFL test, including nearly750,000 last year alone.

Unlike other English-proficiency tests, TOEFL iBT does not treatthe English-communication process as consisting of separate tasks. Thetest measures all four language skills and, most importantly, it usesan integrated-skills approach in which test takers need to:

-- read, listen, and then speak in response to a question

-- listen and then speak in response to a question

-- read, listen, and then write in response to a question

Today students can take the exam at Thomson Prometric test centersand at other Internet-based university and educational settings. Thepremiere of TOEFL iBT in the U.S. will be followed by administrationsin Canada, France, Germany and Italy on Oct. 22. (See Note to theeditor for other planned international launch dates).

"This test is a breakthrough in English-language assessment," saysKurt Landgraf, ETS President and CEO. "It is the only test that usesInternet-based technology on such a global scale to measure Englishproficiency. It also helps ETS expand its testing to thousands oflocations worldwide, greatly improving access for the test takers weserve."

"Equally important is that for the first time, the TOEFL testintegrates all four components of language skills - listening,reading, writing and speaking, to help learners build the skills andconfidence needed to communicate effectively in academic environments.University admissions officials and educators asked for this, and withtheir help, ETS's research and development experts have delivered it."

"This new test is the successful culmination of a multi-yeareffort, combining a new test delivered using new technology andenhanced services through a significantly expanded set of testingcenters worldwide," says Michael Brannick, President of ThomsonPrometric, a part of The Thomson Corporation (NYSE:TOC; TSX:TOC). "Weare committed to our collaboration with ETS to ensure effective andefficient testing operations for this increasingly important test.Thanks to our collective efforts, more testing candidates than everbefore will have access to the TOEFL test worldwide."

"With the new TOEFL iBT test takers are presented with questionsthat truly reflect how language is used in an academic setting," notesMari Pearlman, Senior Vice President of Higher Education at ETS."Admission officials, in turn, gain a better idea of how wellprospective students will interact at their universities."

"Unlike other English-language tests, we do not use face-to-faceinterviews for the speaking section of the test," Pearlman adds. "Theinterview method may add bias to a test depending on the rapportbetween the test taker and interviewer. TOEFL test takers record theirspoken English. Instead of relying upon one person's impression, ETShas between three and six highly trained raters review test takerresponses. It's fairer for students and more accurate foruniversities."

Pearlman says ETS has also expanded the writing section. Inaddition to the essay section in the current test, the new testincludes another writing task. Test takers will read a short passage,listen to a lecture, and then type their response on the computerscreen. Test takers are allowed up to four hours to complete the test,and all sections can be completed on the same day, adding a new levelof convenience for test takers.

Because the TOEFL iBT measures all four English skills, andincludes independent and integrated tasks, ETS officials believe itwill help English instructors link teaching and learning with testingto better help their students perform in academic settings.

Other features of the new test include helpful performancefeedback on score reports and score results provided online within 15business days of testing. A free practice test is also available atTOEFL Practice Online at www.ets.org/toeflpractice.

The new test will be administered on fixed dates in the ETS globalnetwork of Internet-based test centers and through Thomson Prometric,the world's largest computer-based testing network.

Most test centers will offer 30 to 40 TOEFL iBT administrations ayear. The number may vary, based on the number of test takers andtest-center capacity. The testing fee in 2005 will be US$140.

For the latest information about TOEFL iBT, visitwww.ets.org/toefl. Test takers can e-mail toefl@ets.org or call1-877-863-3546 (toll free in the United States, U.S. territories, andCanada) or 1-609-771-7100.

About ETS

ETS is a nonprofit institution with the mission to advance qualityand equity in education by providing fair and valid assessments,research, and related services for all people worldwide. In servingindividuals, educational institutions and government agencies aroundthe world, ETS customizes solutions to meet the need for teacherprofessional development products and services, classroom andend-of-course assessments, and research-based teaching and learningtools. Founded in 1947, ETS today develops, administers and scoresmore than 24 million tests annually in more than 180 countries, atover 9,000 locations worldwide. Additional information is available atwww.ets.org.

About Thomson Prometric

The Thomson Corporation, www.thomson.com, is a global leader inproviding integrated information solutions to business andprofessional customers. With operational headquarters in Stamford,Conn., Thomson (NYSE:TOC; TSX:TOC) has approximately 38,000 employeesand provides services in approximately 180 countries.

Thomson Prometric, www.prometric.com, is the recognized globalleader in technology-enabled assessment services, providingpaper-and-pencil, Internet and computer-based testing solutions. Itoffers a fully integrated testing system that includes testdevelopment, test delivery, and data management capabilities. Onbehalf of 600 current clients in the academic, professional,government, corporate and information technology markets, ThomsonPrometric develops and/or delivers assessments through a globalnetwork of testing centers as well as directly to candidates via theWeb.

TOEFL(R) iBT
WORLDWIDE INTRODUCTION SCHEDULE

Below is the anticipated schedule for worldwide introduction of the
TOEFL(R) Internet-based test--the TOEFL iBT. The information below
indicates the earliest possible administration date for each country
or region, and is subject to change. The introduction dates for some
countries have not yet been determined and this list will be updated
on a regular basis as dates are finalized. Visit the Learners and Test
Takers section of the TOEFL Web site at www.ets.org/toefl for the
latest information, or consult your local educational advising center.

Registration opens two months in advance of the first administration
in each country.

The Test of Spoken English(TM) (TSE(R)) will no longer be offered as a
stand-alone test after June 2006 except in countries where TOEFL iBT
has not yet been introduced.

September 2005

AMERICAS
United States (excluding U.S. territories)

October 2005

AMERICAS
Canada

EUROPE
France, Germany, Italy

November 2005

AMERICAS
Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands

PACIFIC REGION
American Samoa

March 2006

AFRICA
Benin, Cameroon, Cote D'Ivoire, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana,
Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Nigeria, Reunion,
Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

AMERICAS
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda,
Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Honduras,
Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua,
Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

EUROPE AND EURASIA
Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland,
Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan

MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA
Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco,
Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, West Bank

PACIFIC REGION
Guam

April 2006

ASIA
Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri
Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

PACIFIC REGION
Australia, Fiji, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Northern Mariana
Islands, Pohnpei

May 2006

ASIA
China, Japan, Republic of Korea

TOEFL iBT introduction dates have not yet been set for the countries
listed below. When these countries are ready to implement TOEFL iBT,
ETS will announce the dates on the TOEFL Web site and via educational
advising centers.

To provide continued access for TOEFL and TSE test takers in these
areas, ETS will offer the paper-based TOEFL test and the TSE until
TOEFL iBT can be delivered.

AMERICAS
Belize, Haiti, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago

ASIA
Bangladesh, Bhutan

PACIFIC REGION
Tahiti

MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA
Afghanistan, Gaza, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen

AFRICA
Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Chad, Democratic
Republic of the Congo (Zaire), Djibouti, Gambia, Kenya, Liberia,
Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Republic of Congo, Rwanda,
Sierra Leone, Swaziland

EUROPE AND EURASIA
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Malta,
Tajikistan