National Matriculation English Test in China: Its Past, Present and Future

Abstract

The National Matriculation English Test in China is the most high-stake exam with the largest number of test-takers in the world. This paper explores the past, present and future of this test. Because of the specific social and political circumstances, this test started to take forms in 1977. Based on the analysis of the format and question types of all the test papers, we find that this test has gone three stages. Each stage has its own characteristics and was influenced by different educational theories. In 2014, the State Council launched a radical reform, which was considered as a new starting point for this test and will definitely exert wide-spread impacts on related parties. By reviewing the history, analyzing the present and forecasting the future, we can have a better understanding of the matriculation test.