3. 根據(jù)上下文判斷某些詞匯和短語(yǔ)的意義
在閱讀理解測(cè)試中必然要考查對(duì)詞或詞組的意思的理解。這也是測(cè)試考生閱讀能力的一種方法。在完整的語(yǔ)篇中，單詞和詞組的意義總是受特定的情景、上下文所限制的，因此可以根據(jù)上下文，并利用所掌握的句法、構(gòu)詞法和詞匯等知識(shí)確定它們的意義。掌握這一基本技能不僅能幫助讀者從詞或詞組的多種義項(xiàng)中選擇符合上下文的解釋?zhuān)彝€能推測(cè)某些生詞的大致意思。常見(jiàn)的這類(lèi)題型有：
1. The word "..." in line ... refers to ______.
2. The expression "..." (line paragraph ...) is closest in meaning to
3. In line.., the word "..." most probably means ________
4. In line.., the word "..." could best be replaced by _________
5. By “...” the author means _________
6. The word "...", as used by the author, most nearly means ________
7. In this passage, the word "..." means
8. "..." in the context of the passage refers to _________
9. “...”, as used in the passage, can best be defined as _________
例1
Perhaps the most merciless robber of sleep, researchers say, is the complexity of the day. Whenever pressures from work, family, friends and community mount, many people consider sleep the least expensive item on his program. "In our society, you're considered dynamic if you say you only need 5.5 hours' sleep. If you've got to get 8.5 hours, people think you lack drive and ambition."
To determine the consequences of sleep deficit, researchers have put subjects through a set of psychological and performance tests requiring them, for instance, to add columns of numbers or recall a passage read to them only minutes earlier. "We've found that if you're in sleep deficit, performance suffers," says Dr. David. "Short-term memory is weakened, as are abilities to make decisions and to concentrate."
1. The word "subjects" in line 6 refers to ________.
A. the performance tests used in the study of sleep deficit
B. special branches of knowledge that are being studied
C. people whose behavior or reactions are being studied
D. the psychological consequences of sleep deficit
本題考了一個(gè)熟悉的詞subject。它是一個(gè)多義詞，可以表示“題目”、“科目”等。但這些義項(xiàng)在這里都不合適。要確定它的意思，最關(guān)鍵的是要準(zhǔn)確弄清它所在句子前后部分的意思和關(guān)系。這句話前一部分說(shuō)，要確定睡眠不足引起的后果，研究人員讓subjects通過(guò)一系列的心理和能力的測(cè)驗(yàn)，要求them將幾欄數(shù)字加起來(lái)或回憶幾分鐘前所聽(tīng)到過(guò)的文章。所以，這里subjects是人，是“正在被研究的對(duì)象”。選項(xiàng)C是正確答案。
例2
Labor's concern over automation arises from uncertainty about the effects on employment, and fears of major changes in jobs. In the main, labor has taken the view that resistance to technical change is unfruitful. Eventually, the result of automation may well be an increase in employment, since it is expected that vast industries will grow up around manufacturing, maintaining, and repairing automation equipment. The interest of labor lies in bringing about the transition with a minimum of inconvenience and distress to the workers involved. Also, union spokesmen emphasize that the benefit of the increased production and lower costs made possible by automation should be shared by workers in the form of higher wages, more leisure, and improved living standards.
To protect the interests of their members in the era of automation, unions have adopted a number of new policies. One of these is the promotion of supplementary unemployment benefit plans. It is emphasized that since the employer involved in such a plan has a direct financial interest in preventing unemployment, he will have a strong drive for planning new installations so as to cause the least possible problems in jobs and job assignments. Some unions are working for dismissal pay agreements, requiring that permanently dismissed workers be paid a sum of money based on length of service. Another approach is the idea of the "improvement factor", which calls for wage increases based on increases in productivity. It is possible, however, that labor will rely mainly on reduction in working hours in order to gain a full share in the fruits of automation.
1. The idea of the "improvement factor" ( line 7, paragraph 2) implies roughly______.
A. wages should be paid on the basis of length of service
B. the benefit of the increased production and lower costs should be shared by workers
C. supplementary unemployment benefit plans should be promoted
D. the transition to automation should be brought about with the minimum of inconvenience and distress to workers
本題要求學(xué)生根據(jù)上下文理解improvement factor(增值因素)的含義。在文章的第二段第七行，提出“增值因素”是要求隨著生產(chǎn)率的提高，工資也要相應(yīng)地提高；而生產(chǎn)率的提高就是增加生產(chǎn)降低成本(第一段最后一句)。因而選項(xiàng)B是正確答案。選項(xiàng)A，把解雇金協(xié)議(dismissal pay agreements)，即根據(jù)服務(wù)期長(zhǎng)短給長(zhǎng)期解雇者一筆錢(qián)(第二段第四句)，與“增值因素”的內(nèi)容混淆起來(lái)，說(shuō)明有時(shí)文章和題目并不難，但粗心大意會(huì)使你答錯(cuò)題。選項(xiàng)C是講另一種勞工利益保護(hù)措施的，即失業(yè)者補(bǔ)助金計(jì)劃；而選項(xiàng)D是講工人們對(duì)自動(dòng)化帶來(lái)的種種影響所關(guān)切的問(wèn)題 (第一段第六行)。
例3
Before the nineteenth century, scientists with an interest in the sea were few and far between. Certainly Newton considered some theoretical aspects of it in his writings, but he was reluctant to go to sea to further his work.
For most people the sea was remote, and with the exception of early intercontinental travelers or others who earned a living from the sea, there was little reason to ask many questions about it, let alone to ask what lay beneath the surface. The first time that the question "What is at the bottom of the oceans?" had to be answered with any commercial consequence was when the laying of a telegraph cable from Europe to America was proposed. The engineers had to know the depth profile of the route to estimate the length of cable that had to be manufactured.
It was to Maury of the US Navy that the Atlantic Telegraph Company turned, in 1853, for information on this matter. In the 1840s, Maury had been responsible for encouraging voyages during which soundings were taken to investigate the depths of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Later, some of his findings aroused much popular interest in his book The Physical Geography of the Sea.
The cable was laid, but not until 1866 was the connection made permanent and reliable. At the early attempts, the cable failed and when it was taken out for repairs it was found to be covered in living growths, a fact which defied contemporary scientific opinion that there was no life in the deeper parts of the sea.
1．“Defied” in the last sentence probably means ________.
A. "doubted" B. "9ave proof to"
C. "challenged" D. "agreed to"
本題考查的是根據(jù)上下文進(jìn)行詞義猜測(cè)的能力。defied是defy的過(guò)去式，根據(jù)最后一句可以推測(cè)它的詞義，但必須完全讀懂defied前后部分的意思：前一部分是說(shuō)從海底撈出的電纜上覆蓋著各種各樣的生物，后一部分是當(dāng)時(shí)的科學(xué)觀點(diǎn)認(rèn)為海底深處是沒(méi)有生命的。由此可見(jiàn)，前一部分的“事實(shí)’’(…，a fact which…)是“批駁”后一部分的“觀點(diǎn)”。所以，答案是選項(xiàng)C，“challenged”。這個(gè)詞的原意是“向……挑戰(zhàn)”，因而有“對(duì)……持異議”、“反對(duì)”的意思，其賓語(yǔ)常常是針對(duì)某種意見(jiàn)、觀點(diǎn)或權(quán)威。
例4
We find that bright children are rarely held back by mixed-ability teaching．On the contrary， both their knowledge and experience are enriched．We feel that there are many disadvantages in streaming pupils．It does not take into account the fact that children develop at different rates．It can have a bad effect on both the bright and the not—SO-bright child．After all，it Can be quite discouraging to be at the bottom of the top grade!
1．By “held back”(1ine l)the author means“________”．
A. made to remain in the same class
B. forced to study in the lower class
C. drawn to their studies
D. prevented from advancing
本題考的是對(duì)詞組holdback的理解。根據(jù)上下文，它的意思是“阻擋，阻礙”，選項(xiàng)D是答案。當(dāng)然holdback還可以表示(1)“猶豫”，如：I have noticed that you do not holdback in our discussion．(我發(fā)覺(jué)你在討論時(shí)并不猶豫)；(2) “控制”，如：The dam was not strong enough to hold back the flood waters．(大壩不夠堅(jiān)固，擋不住洪水)；(3)“保留、不公布”，如： I think he’s holding something back；he knows more than he admits．(我認(rèn)為他還隱瞞了一些事情，他知道的比他承認(rèn)的多)。對(duì)照上下文，選項(xiàng)A、B、C都不能表達(dá)hold back的意義。
例5
In the workplace，men have long had well—defined precedents and role models for achieving Success．It has been otherwise for women．A good many women in the business world are uncertain about the appropriate mixture of "masculine" and "feminine" attributes they should convey by their professional clothing．The variety of clothing alternatives to women has also been greater than that available for men．Male administrators tend to judge women more favorably for managerial positions when the women display less "feminine" grooming—shorter hair．moderate use of make—up，and plain tailored clothing．As one male administrator confessed，"An attractive woman is definitely going to get a longer interview，but she won’t get a job.”
1．The word “precedents” in line l probably refers to __________.
A. early acts for men to follow as examples
B. particular places for men to occupy especially because of their importance
C. things that men should agree upon
D. men's belief that everything in the world has already been decided
本題要求考生推測(cè)precedents的意思。這個(gè)題目比較難，需要構(gòu)詞法的知識(shí)并通過(guò)上下文的幫助，才能答對(duì)。從第一、二句可以看出，precedents在意義上與role models是并列的。而且，它的前綴pre- 有“先”，“前”的意思，實(shí)際上它是precede(先行、)加后綴-ent構(gòu)成的，意思是“先例，慣例”。所以只有選項(xiàng)A才是正確答案。
在閱讀理解測(cè)試中必然要考查對(duì)詞或詞組的意思的理解。這也是測(cè)試考生閱讀能力的一種方法。在完整的語(yǔ)篇中，單詞和詞組的意義總是受特定的情景、上下文所限制的，因此可以根據(jù)上下文，并利用所掌握的句法、構(gòu)詞法和詞匯等知識(shí)確定它們的意義。掌握這一基本技能不僅能幫助讀者從詞或詞組的多種義項(xiàng)中選擇符合上下文的解釋?zhuān)彝€能推測(cè)某些生詞的大致意思。常見(jiàn)的這類(lèi)題型有：
1. The word "..." in line ... refers to ______.
2. The expression "..." (line paragraph ...) is closest in meaning to
3. In line.., the word "..." most probably means ________
4. In line.., the word "..." could best be replaced by _________
5. By “...” the author means _________
6. The word "...", as used by the author, most nearly means ________
7. In this passage, the word "..." means
8. "..." in the context of the passage refers to _________
9. “...”, as used in the passage, can best be defined as _________
例1
Perhaps the most merciless robber of sleep, researchers say, is the complexity of the day. Whenever pressures from work, family, friends and community mount, many people consider sleep the least expensive item on his program. "In our society, you're considered dynamic if you say you only need 5.5 hours' sleep. If you've got to get 8.5 hours, people think you lack drive and ambition."
To determine the consequences of sleep deficit, researchers have put subjects through a set of psychological and performance tests requiring them, for instance, to add columns of numbers or recall a passage read to them only minutes earlier. "We've found that if you're in sleep deficit, performance suffers," says Dr. David. "Short-term memory is weakened, as are abilities to make decisions and to concentrate."
1. The word "subjects" in line 6 refers to ________.
A. the performance tests used in the study of sleep deficit
B. special branches of knowledge that are being studied
C. people whose behavior or reactions are being studied
D. the psychological consequences of sleep deficit
本題考了一個(gè)熟悉的詞subject。它是一個(gè)多義詞，可以表示“題目”、“科目”等。但這些義項(xiàng)在這里都不合適。要確定它的意思，最關(guān)鍵的是要準(zhǔn)確弄清它所在句子前后部分的意思和關(guān)系。這句話前一部分說(shuō)，要確定睡眠不足引起的后果，研究人員讓subjects通過(guò)一系列的心理和能力的測(cè)驗(yàn)，要求them將幾欄數(shù)字加起來(lái)或回憶幾分鐘前所聽(tīng)到過(guò)的文章。所以，這里subjects是人，是“正在被研究的對(duì)象”。選項(xiàng)C是正確答案。
例2
Labor's concern over automation arises from uncertainty about the effects on employment, and fears of major changes in jobs. In the main, labor has taken the view that resistance to technical change is unfruitful. Eventually, the result of automation may well be an increase in employment, since it is expected that vast industries will grow up around manufacturing, maintaining, and repairing automation equipment. The interest of labor lies in bringing about the transition with a minimum of inconvenience and distress to the workers involved. Also, union spokesmen emphasize that the benefit of the increased production and lower costs made possible by automation should be shared by workers in the form of higher wages, more leisure, and improved living standards.
To protect the interests of their members in the era of automation, unions have adopted a number of new policies. One of these is the promotion of supplementary unemployment benefit plans. It is emphasized that since the employer involved in such a plan has a direct financial interest in preventing unemployment, he will have a strong drive for planning new installations so as to cause the least possible problems in jobs and job assignments. Some unions are working for dismissal pay agreements, requiring that permanently dismissed workers be paid a sum of money based on length of service. Another approach is the idea of the "improvement factor", which calls for wage increases based on increases in productivity. It is possible, however, that labor will rely mainly on reduction in working hours in order to gain a full share in the fruits of automation.
1. The idea of the "improvement factor" ( line 7, paragraph 2) implies roughly______.
A. wages should be paid on the basis of length of service
B. the benefit of the increased production and lower costs should be shared by workers
C. supplementary unemployment benefit plans should be promoted
D. the transition to automation should be brought about with the minimum of inconvenience and distress to workers
本題要求學(xué)生根據(jù)上下文理解improvement factor(增值因素)的含義。在文章的第二段第七行，提出“增值因素”是要求隨著生產(chǎn)率的提高，工資也要相應(yīng)地提高；而生產(chǎn)率的提高就是增加生產(chǎn)降低成本(第一段最后一句)。因而選項(xiàng)B是正確答案。選項(xiàng)A，把解雇金協(xié)議(dismissal pay agreements)，即根據(jù)服務(wù)期長(zhǎng)短給長(zhǎng)期解雇者一筆錢(qián)(第二段第四句)，與“增值因素”的內(nèi)容混淆起來(lái)，說(shuō)明有時(shí)文章和題目并不難，但粗心大意會(huì)使你答錯(cuò)題。選項(xiàng)C是講另一種勞工利益保護(hù)措施的，即失業(yè)者補(bǔ)助金計(jì)劃；而選項(xiàng)D是講工人們對(duì)自動(dòng)化帶來(lái)的種種影響所關(guān)切的問(wèn)題 (第一段第六行)。
例3
Before the nineteenth century, scientists with an interest in the sea were few and far between. Certainly Newton considered some theoretical aspects of it in his writings, but he was reluctant to go to sea to further his work.
For most people the sea was remote, and with the exception of early intercontinental travelers or others who earned a living from the sea, there was little reason to ask many questions about it, let alone to ask what lay beneath the surface. The first time that the question "What is at the bottom of the oceans?" had to be answered with any commercial consequence was when the laying of a telegraph cable from Europe to America was proposed. The engineers had to know the depth profile of the route to estimate the length of cable that had to be manufactured.
It was to Maury of the US Navy that the Atlantic Telegraph Company turned, in 1853, for information on this matter. In the 1840s, Maury had been responsible for encouraging voyages during which soundings were taken to investigate the depths of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Later, some of his findings aroused much popular interest in his book The Physical Geography of the Sea.
The cable was laid, but not until 1866 was the connection made permanent and reliable. At the early attempts, the cable failed and when it was taken out for repairs it was found to be covered in living growths, a fact which defied contemporary scientific opinion that there was no life in the deeper parts of the sea.
1．“Defied” in the last sentence probably means ________.
A. "doubted" B. "9ave proof to"
C. "challenged" D. "agreed to"
本題考查的是根據(jù)上下文進(jìn)行詞義猜測(cè)的能力。defied是defy的過(guò)去式，根據(jù)最后一句可以推測(cè)它的詞義，但必須完全讀懂defied前后部分的意思：前一部分是說(shuō)從海底撈出的電纜上覆蓋著各種各樣的生物，后一部分是當(dāng)時(shí)的科學(xué)觀點(diǎn)認(rèn)為海底深處是沒(méi)有生命的。由此可見(jiàn)，前一部分的“事實(shí)’’(…，a fact which…)是“批駁”后一部分的“觀點(diǎn)”。所以，答案是選項(xiàng)C，“challenged”。這個(gè)詞的原意是“向……挑戰(zhàn)”，因而有“對(duì)……持異議”、“反對(duì)”的意思，其賓語(yǔ)常常是針對(duì)某種意見(jiàn)、觀點(diǎn)或權(quán)威。
例4
We find that bright children are rarely held back by mixed-ability teaching．On the contrary， both their knowledge and experience are enriched．We feel that there are many disadvantages in streaming pupils．It does not take into account the fact that children develop at different rates．It can have a bad effect on both the bright and the not—SO-bright child．After all，it Can be quite discouraging to be at the bottom of the top grade!
1．By “held back”(1ine l)the author means“________”．
A. made to remain in the same class
B. forced to study in the lower class
C. drawn to their studies
D. prevented from advancing
本題考的是對(duì)詞組holdback的理解。根據(jù)上下文，它的意思是“阻擋，阻礙”，選項(xiàng)D是答案。當(dāng)然holdback還可以表示(1)“猶豫”，如：I have noticed that you do not holdback in our discussion．(我發(fā)覺(jué)你在討論時(shí)并不猶豫)；(2) “控制”，如：The dam was not strong enough to hold back the flood waters．(大壩不夠堅(jiān)固，擋不住洪水)；(3)“保留、不公布”，如： I think he’s holding something back；he knows more than he admits．(我認(rèn)為他還隱瞞了一些事情，他知道的比他承認(rèn)的多)。對(duì)照上下文，選項(xiàng)A、B、C都不能表達(dá)hold back的意義。
例5
In the workplace，men have long had well—defined precedents and role models for achieving Success．It has been otherwise for women．A good many women in the business world are uncertain about the appropriate mixture of "masculine" and "feminine" attributes they should convey by their professional clothing．The variety of clothing alternatives to women has also been greater than that available for men．Male administrators tend to judge women more favorably for managerial positions when the women display less "feminine" grooming—shorter hair．moderate use of make—up，and plain tailored clothing．As one male administrator confessed，"An attractive woman is definitely going to get a longer interview，but she won’t get a job.”
1．The word “precedents” in line l probably refers to __________.
A. early acts for men to follow as examples
B. particular places for men to occupy especially because of their importance
C. things that men should agree upon
D. men's belief that everything in the world has already been decided
本題要求考生推測(cè)precedents的意思。這個(gè)題目比較難，需要構(gòu)詞法的知識(shí)并通過(guò)上下文的幫助，才能答對(duì)。從第一、二句可以看出，precedents在意義上與role models是并列的。而且，它的前綴pre- 有“先”，“前”的意思，實(shí)際上它是precede(先行、)加后綴-ent構(gòu)成的，意思是“先例，慣例”。所以只有選項(xiàng)A才是正確答案。