Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the difficulty level of reading comprehension passages in the Grade 9 National Civil Service English Exam (CSEE) from 2019 to 2023, focusing on AI-based CEFR levels and readability levels. The overall results of the study are as follows: Firstly, in terms of CEFR levels derived from vocabulary, verb forms, and sentence structures, a high proportion of passages were included at the C1 level and above. Secondly, considering that CEFR levels are most influenced by vocabulary, the Grade 9 CSEE still contained a significant number of difficult words. Thirdly, in terms of readability, a considerable proportion of passages were analyzed at or above the college level, indicating high difficulty not only in terms of vocabulary but also at the sentence level. These findings suggest that the Grade 9 CSEE remains challenging. Based on the results of this study, it provides suggestions that could aid in adjusting the difficulty level of future Grade 9 CSEE and improving its validity and authenticity. Moreover, it presents the potential utilization of AI-based programs in the field of English assessment.
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