The NLM Listening measure evaluates a student's ability to perceive and generate sophisticated language reflective of written language. Students are instructed to listen to a brief tale and then retell it. The teacher rates the students' performance on a scale from 1 to 5. NLM Reading measures a student's ability to comprehend written language at its most complex level. Students are asked to read short stories and answer questions about them. They are also given open-ended tasks such as "Summarize what the author wants the reader to understand about...". Teachers rate students' performances on a scale from 1 to 5. NLM Writing measures a student's ability to produce clear, coherent writing that follows standard English grammar rules. Students are given an essay question that requires them to analyze information and express their views on it. They are also given open-ended tasks such as "Write an essay that explains how __________ affects you". NLM Spelling measures a student's knowledge of the English language vocabulary. Students are shown a word list and are asked to identify the letters that make up each word. They are also given open-ended tasks such as "Write an essay in which you use the dictionary to find the meaning of a new word".