GMAT语法考试包括在语文部分(Verbal Section)之中,与逻辑(Critical Reasoning)、阅读(Reading Comprehension)一并作为中国考生最担心、花精力最多的考查科目之一。
GMAT考试语法部分号称是世界上最难的英语语法考试。说它难,是因为 GMAT对语法的要求,与国内的英语水平考试(比如四六级、高考等)对语法的有很大不同。就其考查形式而言,语法部分通过选择题的形式考查:即给出一个完整的句子,在这个句子里面会有划线的部分,长度从一个词到整个句子不等。在句子下面,会有5个选项,给考生提供5种选对原句划线部分的可行的改写版本。其中,A选项是跟原句划线部分一模一样的,这也就意味着如果考生判断原句是正确的,就选择A;如果觉得原句不正确,那就在B、C、D、E四个改写里选择一个相对正确的选项。虽然号称语法考试,但从它的名称(Sentence Correction)来看,实际上它应该称为“句子改错”更为确切。
就题目数量来说,语文部分(Verbal Section)一共41道题,其中语法部分是整个Verbal部分里面题目数量最多的一科,一共16道题、阅读部分14题、逻辑则占11题。作为一个计时考试,GMAT会要求考生们在规定的时间内答完所有的题目。虽然语法部分的句子比较长,但相对于逻辑题目本身、阅读文章相比,相对还是比较短小;再加上题目数量占整个语文部分最多,所以如果考生能够快速、准确的完成语法部分的选择,那么会为语文部分其它科目赢得相对更多的时间。
GMAT语法有什么特点?
GMAT官方指南上对语法的要求是这么写的:“(GMAT语法)考察的是对严格的书面英语”的掌握。这就意味着在GMAT语法考试当中不仅是要考察考生对英语语言规则的正确运用,更要考查是否能够掌握严格规范的书面英语表达规则。正是“严格”、“书面”这两个小词,突出了GMAT语法与其它英语考试对语法要求的不同点。很多时候,考生们会发现有些题目里有2个、甚至3个选项都是符合语法规则的,感到选择起来很困难。考生们在一开始复习的时候,就应该清楚的了解GMAT考试语法部分的这种特殊要求。
GMAT语法例题简析
下面给大家简单的举一个例子:(摘自OG第12版659页第6题)
In late 1997, the chambers inside the pyramid of the Pharaoh Menkaure at Giza were closed to visitors for cleaning and repair due to moisture exhaled by tourists, which raised its humidity to such levels so that salt from the stone was crystalizing and fungus was growing on the walls.
(A) due to moisture exhaled by tourists, which raised its humidity to such levels so that salt from the stone was crystalizing
(B) due to moisture that tourists had exhaled, thereby raising its humidity to such levels that salt from the stone would crystalize
(C) because tourists were exhaling moisture, which had raised the humidity within them to levels
(D) because of moisture that was exhaled by tourists raising the humidity with them to levels so high as to make the salt from the stone crystalize
(E) because moisture exhaled by tourists had raised the humidity within them to such levels that salt from the stone was crystalizing
这道题目单从长短上来说,并不能算是语法考试中最长的题目,但很多考生乍一看,就觉得很吓人。我们一起简单的分析一下这个题目。首先,拿到任何一道题,如果你单纯的读完题干、读完每个选项是很难发现任何问题的。我们就以B选项为例:(B) due to moisture that tourists had exhaled, thereby raising its humidity to such levels that salt from the stone would crystalize. 顺着读完,考生基本是找不出来他们所熟悉的语法问题:比如单复数一致、比如时态问题。这也就意味着,读选项的时候一定要把每个选项带回原文去。