基于Coh-Metrix-TEA的TEM4阅读理解(2014-2019年)语篇易读性分析

Reading Comprehension (2014-2019) Readability Analysis of Test for English Majors Grade Four Based on Coh-Metrix-TEA

为研究2014-2019年TEM4阅读理解语篇易读性是否有显著差异,使用Coh-Metrix-TEA对每篇阅读理解的语篇特性,如叙事性、句法简约型、词汇具体度、指称衔接、深层衔接、弗莱士金凯德年级水平等六项参数,进行三种对比:2016年试题改革前后语篇易读性的对比、2014-2019年阅读理解试题语篇易读性平均值对比和同一位置阅读理解试题语篇易读性对比。结果显示,2014-2019年TEM4阅读理解语篇的易读性基本具备一致性和可信度,在教学过程中历年专业四级真题都可作为教师检测英语专业学生阅读能力的有效参考。

This paper aims to study whether there is a significant difference of the Reading Comprehension text readability in the Test for English Majors Grade Four from 2014 to 2019. The study compares the readability parameters in three aspects by adopting parameters generated by Coh-MetrixTEA(text accessibility assessor): the comparison of text readability before and after the exam reform in 2016, the yearly text readability mean comparison and its text readability of same location in the exam among the year 2014 to 2019. The six text readability parameters include narrative, syntactic simplicity, lexical concreteness, referential cohesion, deep cohesion and Fleisckincaid grade level. The results show that the text readability for Reading Comprehension from 2014 to 2019 is consistent and reliable,so all the official examinations of TEM4 can be used as an effective reference for teachers to test English major students’ reading ability in the teaching process. At the same time, corresponding suggestions are put forward.