Abstract
To coherently comprehend a narrative, readers need to infer implicit relationships between a goal (e.g., a character's aim during the narrative) and other information (e.g., actions and outcomes). Previous studies have revealed that readers generate on-line goal inferences, which are related to connecting a goal with other information during reading. This process contributes to the coherent comprehension of a narrative. However, few studies have investigated EFL readers' on-line goal inference generation and related cognitive factors in EFL reading. Thus, the present study examined whether or not EFL readers make the inference and how working memory capacity (WMC) affects these inferences. A group of 42 Japanese undergraduates read narratives and perfored recognition task, in which they recognized goal information as a target probe. Results of correct response rates and response times showed that EFL readers generated goal inferences despite cognitive constraints, and EFL readers who had greater WMC automatically generated on-line goal inferences. These results suggested that EFL learners' WMC should be considered when teachers select materials and instruct narrative reading.
