本研究主要目的在於分析外語教室中的學生是否因不同能力差異，而有不同程度的英語學習動機。434 名樣本依其GEPT 聽力與閱讀測驗結果，被編入四個不同能力等級的大一新生。統計方法的使用旨在探究下列研究問題：（1）不同能力等級學生的 外語學習動機是否有著顯著的差異？（2）不同性別學生的外語學習動機是否有著顯著的差異？（3）是何性別，學生的外語學習動機是否因不同能力等級而有顯著的差異?（4）對其自我外語能力的評價是否對其語言學習動機有顯著的影響？研究結果顯示不同語言能力的學生，無論是基於GEPT 測驗的結果或學生自我的評價，會有不同的外語學習動機。較低與中等語言能力等級的學生學習動機並無顯著差異，但比起中高級及高級班的學生都要顯著的低，高能力等級學生的外語學習動機是最高的。此外，能力等級與性別並無顯著的交互作用，無論是何種等級，女性學生都比男性有較高的學習動機。無論是何性別，高能力等級的學生比其它任何能力等級的學生有較高的學習動機。

The major purpose of this study is to investigate motivation differences in students of different levels of English proficiency in the foreign language classroom. Measured against the performance scores of the GEPT listening and reading tests, four classes of 434 college freshmen with different ability levels were directed for the statistical analysis to the following questions: (1) Do students of varying language proficiency levels have significantly different motivation in learning English? (2) Do students of different gender significantly differ in their English learning motivation? (3) Is motivation among students of different proficiency levels significantly different within each gender group? (4) Does students’ self-evaluation of language proficiency bear any significant impacts on their motivation in language learning? The study reveals that motivation for the students to learn a foreign language shows a different spectrum, even based either on GEPT competence ratings or on students’ own self-evaluation. As a contrast to the lower and intermediate level classes showing almost the same scores, students in the advanced level have been highly motivated in the learning, and there is no significant interaction between proficiency level and gender. Among participants sampled from different proficiency levels, female students are more motivated to learn than their male counterparts. Within each gender group, advanced-level students have in general higher reached motivation scores than those of other proficiency levels.