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在高等教育院校中，阅读理解是一个重要的技能和学习目标，根据2000年国家教育部发布的基本要求，阅读能力是学生能否通过考试的最关键因素，然而，然而,高等院校学生的英语阅读理解水平普遍较低。在与传统有别的教学环境下,学习者不能培养学生的自主性。因此,学生不能掌握正确的阅读策略,尤其是元认知策略。阅读不仅是获取知识的方法，也是掌握丰富信息的工具，比如文化、历史、政治、等。如果学生有意识地培养良好的阅读习惯,并通过掌握阅读能力进步等一系列的阅读技巧掌握元认知策略,他/她就能成为学习的主人，自助的解决问题。

Chapter 1 Introduction第一章引言

Reading comprehension is an important skill and goal in vocational college students’ English learning. According to Basic Requirements of English Education in Higher Vocational Colleges promulgated by National Ministry of Education in 2000, reading ability is the key factor to determine whether students pass examinations. However, vocational college students’ English reading comprehension level is generally low. Under the traditional grammar-translation teaching environment, learner autonomy of students can not be cultivated. Therefore, students don’t master proper reading strategies, particularly metacognitive strategy.

1.1 Research Background

Reading is not only a method to get knowledge of target language, but also a rich source to get more useful information such as culture, history, politics, ect,. If a student cultivates good reading habit consciously, and advances reading ability through mastering a series of reading skills such as grasp metacognitive strategy, s/he would solve problems autonomously occurred in studying process, and finally becomes the master of study.

1.1.1 The requirements of reading ability in VC inChina

Recently, the vocational education develops rapidly. English, as a basic and required course, is the key element to determine whether students finally get diplomas. InChina, students in Vocational Colleges (VC) are compulsorily required to pass the Practical English Test for Colleges (PRETCO) before they leave school, or else, they can not get diplomas. When a student passes the PRETCO, s/he would studies more diligently to pass the College English Text 4/6 (CET4/6) for searching a better job.

In PRETCO, reading counts for 35 points of the total score. In CET4, reading counts for about 40%. So, we can easily come to a conclusion that reading ability directly affects the final score students get.

Known by exam outlines of PRETCO and CET4/6 formulated by national examination committee in 2006, students are required to master the reading abilities as following according to PRETCO and CET4:

(1) To understand the main idea, find the theme of every paragraph and the whole passage;

(2) To master the main plot and actuality of the passage;

(3) To understand the logical relations and guess the conclusion of the passage;

(4) To guess the meaning of the new words from the context according to your existing vocabulary;

(5) To comprehend goal, attitude, and view of the writer;

(6) To understand the passage with the help of reference books and proper reading skills;

1.1.2 The actuality of reading ability in VC.

Whether in PRETCO or CET4/6, reading comprehension takes a great part. However in recent years, many educators represent the importance of metacognitive strategy in reading activity, reading ability of students in vocational colleges is generally low. On one side, students’ English abi