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Corpus-Based Analysis of Reading Text Selection Criteria in the National Matriculation English Test

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DOI: 10.23977/curtm.2025.080907 | Downloads: 1 | Views: 81

Author(s)

Dandan Qin 1

Affiliation(s)

1 Hubei Business College, Wuhan, China

Corresponding Author

Dandan Qin

ABSTRACT

As China's most influential large-scale high-stakes assessment, the National Matriculation English Test (NMET) has garnered extensive attention. This study investigates the principles of text selection for the reading component of NMET. Based on a corpus analysis of 30 reading texts in the NMET Volume I (2016-2025) and interviews with 10 experienced teachers, the findings reveal a consistent sourcing of texts from authentic English-language media. These texts are further characterized by close alignment with the high school curriculum in both thematic scope and lexical demand, ensuring pedagogical coherence. The study provides practical insights for instructional material selection and test design refinement.

KEYWORDS

Corpus; language testing; text selection; mixed methods

CITE THIS PAPER

Dandan Qin, Corpus-Based Analysis of Reading Text Selection Criteria in the National Matriculation English Test. Curriculum and Teaching Methodology (2025) Vol. 8: 42-48. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/curtm.2025.080907.

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