词汇广度和句法知识对二语阅读理解的预测

The Relative Significance of Vocabulary Breadth and Syntactic Knowledge in the Prediction of Reading Comprehension Test Performance

基于阅读组合模式的理论框架、Nation提出的词汇广度测试构念和结构语言学家对于句法知识的界定,考察词汇广度和句法知识对二语阅读理解测试成绩的预测,以了解此预测是否受二语水平的调节作用。实验结果表明:受试的词汇广度和句法知识都与其阅读理解测试成绩存在线性相关关系;无论对于高水平受试还是低水平受试,句法知识对阅读理解测试成绩的预测能力都大于词汇广度对其的预测。

Based on componential model of reading,Nation＇s construct of vocabulary breadth test and structuralists＇ view of syntactic knowledge,this paper attempts to investigate the relative significance of vocabulary breadth and syntactic knowledge in the prediction of Chinese EFL learners＇ reading comprehension test performance and whether the relative significance is moderated by the learners＇ different L2 proficiency.An experiment including three tests was carried out with 68 sophomores in a university.The findings show that：1）there is a positive linear correlation between the learners＇ vocabulary breadth and their performance on reading comprehension test,with the correlation coefficient-r being 0.441;the students＇ syntactic knowledge also positively correlates with their reading comprehension,with r being 0.491;thus syntactic knowledge outperforms vocabulary breadth in predictive power and emerges as the stronger predictor of reading comprehension test performance;2）the relative significance of syntactic knowledge over vocabulary breadth in the prediction of reading comprehension does not change with the EFL learners＇ different L2 proficiency.The findings of this paper provide some implications for reading instruction.