This paper is a report of an empirical study of the 'washback' effects of CET-4 on College English teaching and learning in three ordinary teachers' colleges. The results of the study show that, in the first three and half terms, college English teachers can basically develop students' competence in listening, speaking, reading and writing under the guidance of College English Curriculum Requirements (2004), and the influence of CET-4 on College English teaching is not very great; that, in test preparation classes, the skills trained, activities conducted and materials used are solely consistent with those required in CET-4 and the normal teaching is broken; that the nature of the impact of CET-4 on a variety of aspects of College English teaching and learning is both positive and negative, but there are more positive than negative effects; that CET-4 can, to some degree, promote the teaching and learning of College English; and that, according to the implementation of College English Curriculum Requirements (2004) and CET reform, there is an obvious increase in the time spent on listening, speaking, reading and writing in classes, especially listening and speaking.
