The simulated oral proficiency interview (SOPI) is a semi-direct speaking test that models the format of the oral proficiency interview (OPI). The OPI is a method of assessing general speaking proficiency in a second language. The SOPI is a tape-recorded test consisting of six parts: simple personal background questions posed in a simulated initial encounter with a native speaker, and five parts designed to elicit language similar to that elicited during the level check and probe phases of the OPI. Three of these parts use pictures in a test booklet to assess the speaker's ability to perform intermediate and advanced level functions. The last two parts require the examinee to tailor his discourse strategies to selected topics and real-life situations. The tape is scored by a trained rater using a standard scale. In five studies involving different test development teams and different languages, the SOPI has been shown to be a valid and reliable surrogate of the OPI. The SOPI offers certain practical and psychometric advantages over the OPI, including administration without a trained interviewer, simultaneous administration to a group by a single administrator, and reduced cost. (MSE)