The assumptions behind secondary school literature course tests--whether asking students to recall aspects of literary works, to relate literary works to each other, or to analyze unfamiliar literary works--are open to question. They fail to acknowledge some of the most important aspects of literature which, if properly taught, should provide a broad experience of domestic and foreign cultures, create a literate populace, develop student comprehension of and response to events, and cultivate an articulate and informed taste. With several specific behavioral objectives as testing guides, both objective and essay tests may be formulated--deftly and carefully-- which would include questions concerning comprhension, perception of literary forms, emotional response and its articulation, aesthetic judgment, and the value to the student of literary experiences. (JM)