Abstract: The modern literature reading sections in the new National College Entrance Examination are guided by the revised curriculum standards for Chinese language, reflecting the key features of the new National College Entrance Examination and the new curriculum reform. Modern literature reading is the main teaching content for enhancing students' modern language ability and aesthetic appreciation, and has been a main constituent section of Chinese language reading test in the National College Entrance Examination for many years. The analysis of the characteristics of the modern literature reading sections in the new National College Entrance Examination provides a basis for improving the quality of the test, and offers reliable evidence for enhancing the level of basic Chinese language education. From the perspective of items materials and task features, the proportion of modern literature reading in the Chinese language test of the new National College Entrance Examination in China has remained stable at 16-18 points for the past four years. The focus of the modern literature reading items is on "appreciation and evaluation", and the emphasis on assessing candidate's ability to analyse the text is gradually increasing. This article suggests that the test paper of the modern literature reading sections in the Chinese National College Entrance Examination should have a more diverse range of text types (genres) and enhance the exemplarity of the texts. This could guide basic Chinese language education to pay more attention to the learning of different text types (genres), and to improve the reliability and validity of the test.

Keywords: new National College Entrance Examination, modern literature reading, test features

Abstract: Based on language surveys on trilingual usage in Hong Kong conducted in 2019 and 2024, this paper employs statistical analysis methods including independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and non-parametric independent samples tests to explore the usage patterns and changing trends of Putonghua and English among Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong residents. The research finds that in 2024 the frequency of Putonghua and English usage in workplace settings has increased compared to 2019 and is significantly higher than in non-workplace settings. Key factors influencing language use include educational level, professional rank, and industry characteristics. Specifically, secondary education serves as a dividing point for Mandarin usage, while post-secondary education marks the watershed for English proficiency; higherranking professional groups use Putonghua and English at work significantly more frequently than lower-ranking groups. In addition, language usage varies considerably across different industries, with service industries requiring more Putonghua and technical fields requiring more English. These findings reflect the close relationship between language proficiency and educational level, career development, and industry demands. The paper concludes by suggesting that when implementing the established "biliteracy and trilingualism" language policy, the government could develop more practical language planning objectives based on the actual language usage patterns in Hong Kong society, optimise promotion strategies and support directions, and ensure more effective allocation of educational resources.

Keywords: Hong Kong, "biliteracy and trilingualism" language policy, Cantonese-speaking residents, Putonghua, English

Abstract: Idioms are the essence of Chinese language and culture. As the cradle of Chinese civilization, Shaanxi Province boasts a long history and profound cultural connotation, making it an important birthplace of Chinese language and cultural resources. The historical sites and traditional cultural resources in Shaanxi not only provide valuable materials for academic research but also play an important role in understanding the spiritual context and cultural foundation of the Chinese nation. There are a large number of local idioms with diverse themes and rich regional cultural characteristics in Shaanxi. This paper discusses the definition, classification, historical and cultural causes of Shaanxi native idioms and their linguistic and cultural values. Under the background of the new era, we should continuously explore the historical value and practical significance of Shaanxi native idioms to support international Chinese education and inject new vitality into the inheritance and development of Chinese culture.

Keywords: history and culture, local idioms, Shaanxi Province, international Chinese language education, cultural value

Abstract: The Waxiang dialect, also known as Xianghua, is a highly endangered Chinese dialect primarily found in Yuanling and Luxi Counties of western Hunan Province, China. An outstanding representative of this dialect is the one that is spoken by natives of Maxipu in Yuanling County. The dialect has received widespread attention within the academic community, and yet research on its lexicon remains relatively underdeveloped. This study employs fieldwork to collect linguistic data on-site and analyses the lexical morphology of the dialect as used in Maxipu from the three perspectives of language attributes, rhetorics, and culture features. The findings reveal that the Maxipu version of the Waxiang dialect contains a significant number of image-based words, retains many ancient Chinese terms, and includes a small number of ethnic-cultural terms. The strong lexical motivation in the Maxipu version of the Waxiang dialect provide insights into teaching Chinese vocabulary to non-native speakers, i.e., putting more emphasis on linguistic motivation, cultivating metaphorical thinking skills, and integrating Chinese culture.

Keywords: Maxipu version of the Waxiang dialect, lexical motivation, modes of thinking, cultural connotations, teaching Chinese to non-native speakers

Abstract: In recent years, the theory of contextual learning has gained increasing attention from educational researchers. The construction of language use situation plays a key role in students' integration of language knowledge, creation of language learning field and development of language proficiency. As the main carrier of knowledge transfer and teaching, teaching materials construct language use situations from three aspects: designing language learning themes, describing language knowledge production process and enhancing cultural identity. According to the relevant prompts of textbooks, teachers should focus on the hierarchy of the content, the intersubjectivity of the activity and the multi-dimensional aspects of evaluation in teaching, so as to promote the effective implementation and complete construction of the context of language application.

Keywords: context of language application, Chinese practical activities, Chinese textbook, Chinese teaching