The Content Validity on Reading Comprehensions of National Versions of National Matriculation English Test in 2020 — Based on Bachman and Palmer Test Task Characteristics Theory

Abstract

Bachman and Palmer constructed a framework based on their test task characteristics theory, and designed five parts in the framework, which furnished the validity testing research with theoretical support. Based on their framework, this paper’s research objects are the national versions of National Matriculation English Test (NMET) in 2020, as well as it tests the content validity of expected answers and text input of reading comprehension in the national versions I, II, and III. The results show that the overall quality of reading comprehension of these three papers is high, which meets the requirements of the curriculum standards and examination syllabus. However, there are shortcomings in the length, difficulty, text types and reading skills evaluation. Therefore, the article length distribution should be more reasonable, the article difficulty should be more moderate, the text types should be more diversified, and the assessment of reading skills should be more comprehensive and balanced in the future, so as to further improve and perfect the content validity of the reading comprehension of NMET.