口譯考試閱讀理解答題技巧
在答閱讀部分試題時,詞彙量的多少到底重不重要?這個問題始終爭議很大。接下來,小編給大家準備了,歡迎大家參考與借鑑。
對策①:通過確定該生詞在上下文中是positive抑或negative來進行判斷。
例一:
23. The word "gimmicks" in this passage is closest in meaning to ________.
***A*** services ***B*** extras ***C*** tricks ***D*** games
請看原文:
So how can you make the most of your new power as a consumer? Here are rules to help you find your way.
1 Never pay list price.
2 Refuse gimmicks.
As competition heats up and pushes prices down, businesses scramble to boost their profits by heaping on extras: rustproofing your car, service contracts on your appliances, prepaid gasoline for your rental car. These gimmicks are devised to make you pay more at the last minute and probably aren't a good deal.
3 Don't buy on impulse.
4 Say no to platinum prices.
5 Switch-or threaten to.
以上是原文的大體框架,從加下劃線的第一句我們可以看出,在這篇文章中作者將給消費者提出建議,希望消費者能夠避免上狡猾商家的當而多掏腰包。作者希望消費者能做到這5點,所以可以判斷出第2點中緊跟refuse的詞應該是貶義的或者說負面的。我們直譯一下陰影部分的內容:***商家***設計這些gimmicks是為了讓你***消費者***在最後一刻多掏腰包,恐怕可不是什麼讓你佔便宜的啊。再看四個選項中A,B和D都無貶義,只有C表示“花招,伎倆”之意,故正確答案為C。
看來不必非要知其意才能答對題,開動你的腦筋,通過判斷詞的褒貶義也可攻破難關。順便說一下,如果題目問第4點中platinum prices為何意,應該也很好突破,“say no to"後面肯定不是什麼好東西,這種價格站在消費者的角度來說肯定是天價。所以即使你不知道platinum***鉑金,一種貴重金屬, 由其製成的首飾上往往有Pt標誌也即platinum的縮寫***為何意恐怕也能猜出三分吧。
例二:
21. The word "hindrance" in line 2 is closest in meaning to _______.
***A*** encouragement ***B*** assistance ***C*** procedure ***D*** interference
請看原文:
Experiments have shown that in selecting personnel for a job, interviewing is at best a hindrance, and may even cause harm.
儘管"hindrance"這個詞對大多數考生而言並不是什麼生詞,但從答題技巧來說我們同樣可以通過正面/負面的方法解題。原句中even cause harm說明進行面試會造成不利影響,所以hindrance一詞肯定是負面的。回到選項中A,B都是positive, 而C. procedure***程式,手續***則是中性的,所以只有D.interference ***干擾、干涉***為負面意義,故答案為D.
例三:
8. The word "jeopardize" ***paragraph 2*** is closest in meaning to __________.
***A*** endeavor ***B*** endanger ***C*** endorse ***D***endow
請看原文:
What could be disastrous, however, is that we should press too quickly towards this goal, sacrificing sleep only to gain more time in which to jeopardize our civilization by actions and decisions made weak by fatigue.
出題者想通過形似的單詞***四個選項都是end開頭***給考生製造模糊印象,其實我們大可不必驚慌。從上下文來看,"jeopardize"肯定是動詞,因此四個選項中應該選相應的動詞替換。恰巧選項都是動詞,因而增加了答題難度。讓我們再分析一下上下文。請注意原文中這幾個詞:disastrous, too quickly, sacrificing sleep only to gain和weak, fatigue, 我們是否可以看出作者的態度是反對sacrifice sleep的呢?既然如此,通過犧牲睡眠而獲得時間似乎也不是什麼好事,因為在身體疲倦的狀況下做出的決策和行動往往會欠妥,從而對文明的發展不利,所以jeopardize our civilization肯定是對文明造成負面影響的。A.endeavor大家應該不陌生,表努力,盡力之意。C.endorse表示write one's name on the back of a check, 即背書,由此引申出認可,贊同之意。當然,如果說Your driving licence has been endorsed.那你的駕照可就有違規記錄,你得當心嘍!而D表示捐贈金錢、財產等,發善心做善事。看來只有B. endanger ***使處於危險中***才有負面之意,也才合題意。
對策②:通過構詞法,觀察單詞的字首、字尾及詞根等構成進行判斷。
例一:2000年9月試題第16題:
16. The word "anthropologist" ***line 1*** means someone who _______.
***A*** studies the nature of man ***B*** arranges wedding ceremonies ***C*** keeps account for newly weds
***D*** records local events
請看原文:
An anthropologist recorded the expenses for ceremonies he attended in a village in Thailand. The following chart provides information on the bahts ***Thai currency*** spent for a wedding.
這個單詞乍一看挺嚇人,又臭又長。其實定睛一看並不是不可的。也許知道anthrop***o***這個字首是跟“man"***人,人類***有關的同學不是太多,從而對由此衍生出的單詞不認識也就不足為怪了,如:anthropoid a.***猿***似人的,類人猿的;anthropology n. 人類學;anthropophagous a. 吃人的,食人肉的***《參考訊息》最近還報道了科學家發現歷史上人吃人的確鑿證據,令人毛骨悚然!***;philanthropist n.慈善家***phil愛,anthrop 人,愛天下之人,具有博愛情懷的人難道不是慈善家麼?***但是,我們初中就學過,scientist, biologist, 我們是否可以聯想一下原文中"anthropologist"這個詞類似於biologist,是與研究某學科有關的人。答案A. studies the nature of man似乎最合意。
例二:
23. The word "xenophobia" ***para.2*** means "__________".
***A*** partiality ***B*** arbitrariness ***C*** discrimination ***D*** antipathy
請看原文:
The Campaign Against Racism and Fascism ***CARF***, a London based group, tells me tha
對策③:不拘泥於詞或短語的本義,而從其引申義來考慮。
例一:
23. The phrase "take off ***paragraph 4*** means _________.
***A*** transfer to another vessel ***B*** cause to lose weight
***C*** begin to develop markedly ***D*** cause to leave the ground
請看原文:
Over here, in Britain, Computertowns have taken off in a big way, and there are now about 40 scattered over the country. David Tebbutt thinks they are most successful when tied to a computer club.
take off本義為***飛機***起飛或物體離開地面,選項D即為take off的本義,但是把D帶到原文中解釋不通,可見,出題者並不是想考我們take off的本義,而是在文中的引申義。請注意原文中緊跟take off的方式狀語in a big way,後面指出已有約40個之多的Computertown散佈在全國各地,後面successful一詞進一步說明Computertown是朝著positive方向發展的, 所以答案明顯為表示快速發展的C。
例二:
11. The word "wasteland" ***para.1*** is used to describe ________.
***A*** western badlands ***B*** average television programs
***C*** TV film studios ***D*** theatrical plays
請看原文:
When the television is good, nothing-not the theatre, not the magazines, or newspapers-nothing is better. But when television is bad, nothing is worse. I invite you to sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there without a book, magazine, newspaper, or anything else to distract you and keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that you will observe a vast wasteland. You will see a procession of game shows, violence, audience-participation shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, more violence, sadism, murder, Western badmen, Western goodmen, private eyes, gangster, still more violence, and cartoons. And endlessly, commercials that scream and cajole and offend. And most of all, boredom. True, you will see a few things you will enjoy. But they will be very, very few. And if you think I exaggerate, try it.
wasteland本義為land that is desolate, barren, or ravaged,即荒地,廢地。A中badland即為wasteland的本義,帶到原文中等於同義替代,並沒有作出解釋,顯然不是出題者的意圖所在。而從wasteland後面的內容可以看出電視節目中充斥著暴力、血腥、謀殺、俗套的喜劇種種格調不高的內容,總之無聊透頂,所以答案不言自明,選B。
作者採用了metaphor***暗喻***的手法,對令人失望的電視節目大加諷刺,從另一個側面反映了西方社會精神食糧的匱乏和作者在看似調侃的語調中對電視文化流露出的失望和憤慨。順便賞析一下陰影部分,難道你不覺得作者這樣寫很風趣幽默嗎?我們是否在寫作時也可模仿一下,比如:When money is good, nothing is better. But when money is bad, nothing is worse. If you thank I exaggerate, try it. 你覺得如何呢?
對策④:解釋法。
例:
29. Breeding the hybrid offspring to fix desirable traits is called _________.
***A*** naturally selecting ***B*** inbreeding
***C*** pedigree breeding ***D*** pure-breeding
30. A farmer imported several fine long wool Tomney sheep from Australia to breed with his Debouittet sheep in hopes of increasing the value of the flock's wool. This is an example of _________.
***A*** pure-breeding ***B*** crossbreeding
***C*** reproducing ***D*** cloning
請看原文:
Individual specimens with the desired traits are crossbred. The hybrid offspring are then inbred to preserve and fix the desirable characteristics and eliminate unfavorable characteristics from the stock.
29題基本是對原文中inbred***原形inbreed,表近親交配,同系繁殖***的釋義,採用直接下定義法。關鍵是文中此句The hybrid offspring are then inbred to preserve and fix the desirable characteristics與題幹吻合,故答案為B。
30題通過具體例子旨在考查考生對文中提到的幾個術語是否理解,當然並非從專業角度,而是從英語構詞法的角度來考查的。某農民進口優質長毛羊的目的最終是為了增加收入,這也印證了文中的一句話:The traits usually are selected for convenience, pleasure, or financial gain of individuals.而進口羊同農民家另一品種羊交配從而fix the desirable characteristics的過程當然叫做crossbreed了。從構詞法來看,pure-breed應該是純種繁殖之意,而crossbreed由於cross有交叉之意,故為雜交繁殖,而reproduce字首re=again, 應為複製,再生之意,而clone則是近幾年來高科技發展的產物,意即無性繁殖,通常音譯為“克隆”。所以30題答案應為B。
對策⑤:大膽跳過。事實上,大多數生詞並不影響你對整篇文章意思的理解。
例一:The deathwatch beetle is thought of as the devil's pest in churches and old houses, but in natural habitats it infests a wide range of decaying hardwoods. It has been found in hornbeam, sweet chestnut, hawthorn, beech, ash, blackpoplar, elm, larch, spruce and yew, but the two most commonly infested species in Britain are oak and willow.
首先,如果讀者不是學昆蟲學的話,恐怕很難描述出這種deathwatch beetle是什麼樣子,但至少我們知道它是一種甲蟲,而且我們通過原文還知道它生活在教堂建築物,老房子或者枯朽的硬木上,此外還可以在種種植物上找到它,至於這些植物***劃線部分***具體叫什麼名字我們根本可以不去追究,完全可以大膽跳過。那麼請思考:出題者可能考我們什麼呢?是不是很有可能考我們方框裡的內容呢?
例二:
School phobia is distinguished from other common childhood and adolescent psychological and emotional disorders by the patient's reaction to, and fear of, the idea of going to school. Typically, it begins with fever, sweating, headaches, and diarrhea; it often progresses to complete physical inertia, depression, and even autism.
文章對school phobia進行了釋義,然後列舉了種種“症狀”表現。其實當我們看到headaches時,後面的內容可以快速瀏覽過去,不必在意是否認識其中的醫學術語,總之我們知道敘述的是具有厭學情緒孩子的種種表現,完全可以大膽跳過。
例三:
NEW YORK-Pythagoras had his theorems, Einstein his theories and Murphy his laws. I have developed the maxim of inverse reciprocals.
如果你不知道Pythagoras 和Murphy是誰,但是你肯定知道Einstein和他著名的相對論。由此可以推斷Pythagoras 和Murphy也是兩名科學家。實際上,前者為畢達哥拉斯,古希臘哲學家、數學家,後者為墨菲,美國法學家。而且theorem***數學***定理,法則,maxim***格言,座右銘***和 law也是跟theory近似的含義。
可見,在做閱讀理解時並不是每個單詞我們都要理解才能看懂文章,關鍵是把握資訊點,即作者想要傳達的主要思想,同時我們也要摸清出題者的意圖,並不是要當我們成為某個領域的專家之後才能讀懂文章,專業問題,而是充分利用已有的對英語語言的把握和生活常識來答題。現在你還用為詞彙障礙痛苦嗎?