Assessing reading comprehension in CET-4: a cross-sectional case study

ABSTRACT

Testing reading has always been indispensable in language tests. The present study aims to evaluate three parallel reading tests from the National College English Test Band Four (CET-4) in June 2021 in terms of reading ability orientations, text readability and its correlations with reading performances. The quantitative analysis reveals: (1) in Banked Cloze (BC), lexical items designed and examined were largely confined to an intrasentential level. Meanwhile, an either-or situation was found in each test on adverbs; (2) Matching prioritized the skill of scanning for explicit details; (3) Reading in Depth (RD) focused on comprehension of facts and details while seldom involved testing gists at textual levels; (4) text readability in the same question type among the three target tests was short of an expected internal consistency and (5) the correlation between test results and text readability in CET-4 reading comprehension (RC) was not absolute but dependent on question types. Based on findings derived, this study would hopefully offer some vital clues to a more scientific design and assessment of CET reading tests in both theory and practice. And it is also expected to shed some light on evaluating text readability from new perspectives.

KEYWORDS:

• Reading comprehension
• CET-4
• ability orientations
• readability
• correlation

Acknowledgements

First of all, the author would like to thank all the participants involved in the experiment for their great willingness and cooperation. Besides, he wants to show his gratitude to CST for providing the high-level computer laboratory and a ready hand throughout the experiment. Finally, he is grateful for every piece of suggestion and encouragement received concerning the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Chunbao Huang

Chunbao Huang is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Science and Technology, Three Gorges University. His research focuses on EFL/ESL teaching, acquisition and testing.