| The Test for English Majors Band8(TEM-8), as the highest achievement test for English majors in China, is a nation-wide standardized English achievement test. The paper takes reading comprehension in TEM-8to evaluate the content validity of the test in order to gain some insights into the English teaching programs in China.Combining the framework of task characteristics proposed by Bachman and some researches in the similar field, the analysis takes a reformed framework of task characteristics, to analyze the reading test in terms of setting, rubrics, characteristic of input and expected response along with detailed comparison and analysis of certain features of reading comprehension tests in TEM-8in2010and2011. Meanwhile, the validation is carried out in light of the Teaching Syllabus for English Majors and Testing syllabus for TEM-8.As the study results show, in terms of input, the reading comprehension of TEM-8in2010and2011are rather consistent with the teaching syllabus and testing syllabus and valid reading tests by content analysis. The main study results are listed as follows:1. In terms of length, length of passage in2010and2011meets the requirement of the syllabi. In2010, the total length of the passage is3071words, slightly exceeding the stipulation of3,000in the testing syllabus. In2011, the passage length is maintained at2,809within the range of3,000. Through comparison, it is clear that the total words of2010and2011have increased significantly.2. Secondly, in terms of difficulty, the layout of sentence length is maintained within balance. The average sentence length in2010reached27.5, with the maximum of33.4in Passage C, and the minimum of23.1in Passage B. In2011, the average sentence length reached17.7, a distinct decrease even compared with the average sentence length in2005of19.08. Difficulty of reading texts is well-balanced in each year.3. In terms of reading speed, the syllabus requires test takers to be able to read accurately and at the speed of about150words per minute. The reading texts of2010and2011have also shown a trend of enhanced difficulty.4. In terms of readability, the results of reading ease scores are maintained within the range of50-60, falling into the category of "rather difficult" to "standard" Balanced choice of test difficulties is distributed.5. While in terms of genre, the paper finds that the distribution of narration, description, exposition, and argumentation is well balanced, with the proportion of exposition accounting for the largest part, while the genre of advertisement, instruction and charts and graphs makes no appearance in the latest tests.6. New words, an important index of difficulty of a text in maintained within1%, which is within the stipulation of2%in the syllabus. Meanwhile, this paper also finds that the distribution of TEM-4lexicon still accounts for a great part in TEM-8tests.7. In terms of reading skill requirements, the study finds that TEM-8reading comprehension examines the test takers’ reading ability in a balanced stretch.In the end, the paper will put forward some recommendations and suggestions from both theoretical and practical perspectives. As the study shows that in recent years, the requirements of reading difficulty and reading speed have increased its strength. While the reading materials selected in the TEM-8exams should widen it choice in accordance with the stipulation of the testing syllabus. As for students preparing for TEM-8test, it is important to master the "basic" lexicon of TEM-4, and to read various materials so as to enrich one’s knowledge and assist the future possess of reading comprehension. Due to limited time and resource, the study only analyzes the reading materials of TEM-8tests, without providing an overall analysis of the TEM-8tests. Meanwhile, without the specific test results of the students, it is hard to determine the index of difficulty of each item in the tests. |
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