纵观雅思阅读题型，大致可分为五类，即判断题、选择题、搭配题、填空题和要旨题。其中前四类为细节信息题，即考生解题时需要定位原文具体参考句。而后一类要旨题则需要考生通读整段文字，理解段落大意，把握段落主脉。对此，笔者将浅谈一下此类问题的解题技巧。
首先看一段文字实例：
Choose the correct heading for paragraph A-C from the list of headings below.
List of Headings
i The destruction of the library
ii Collection methods
iii Replacing lost books
iv The library’s original purpose
v Storage methods
1. Paragraph A
2. Paragraph B
The Old Library of Alexandria
A
The ancient library of Alexandria, which served as the intellectual and cultural hub of Egypt for 250 years, was tragically destroyed in 43 BC. Now there is widespread speculation about its true beginnings. The most popular theory is that Ptolemy I Soter (who ruled from 304 to 282 BC) gathered a vast selection of books on kingship, ruling and the world’s people, so he might better understand trade terms and how to lead his subjects.
B
Ptolemy I belong to possess all the literature in the world. The manuscripts took the form of scrolls kept in pigeonholes, the best of them wrapped in jackets of leather or linen. They are likely to have remained in the groups in which they were acquired, rather than being properly categorised. Parchment wasn’t used until later, when the first books began to be written and kept in wooden chests in Roman times.
解题方法一：段落主旨句定位法
通过对比中西方人思维模式，可以得出一个广泛的共识是欧美人在做学术报告时愿意选择演绎法，即行文组织上呈现总分结构，这迎合了他们先抽象后具体的思维习惯。所以档考生面对一段学术材料时，先不急于逐行扫读，应先划分一下义群，即数清本段文字是由几个完整句构成的。接下来通过掌握各句主题大意进而思考句与句的关系。他们是总分说明关系、分总概括关系、先抑后扬关系、并排罗列关系等。因为这样做可以帮助考生定位此段的主旨句，避免被生僻的词汇、模糊的实证分析所累，从而直击问题的关键，即把要旨题变成跟细节题一样的同义转换。
上段文字材料中的A段共有三句话。在考生理解之前可以有个大略的猜想。如果后两句话是对第一句话的例证说明，则首句为主旨句。如果最后一句话是对前两句话的概括，则末句是主旨句。如果末句是对中间一句的阐释说明，而首句则是一种背景描述，则中间一句是主旨句。
通过这种猜想，结合A段具体材料：“there is widespread speculation about its true beginnings. The most popular theory is that…”发现“The most popular theory”是针对前文“speculation about its true beginnings”而言的，即末句是对中间一句的阐释。所以中间一句为主旨句。备选项“iv. The library’s original purpose”中的“original purpose”实际上就是“true beginnings”的等价代换，所以A段的要职为iv。
解题方法二：语义关联词概括法
但有时段落主旨句定位法不一定都凑效，考生苦于还是定位不到主旨句。此时还有一种方法就是“语义关联词概括法”。此种方法是在段落文字中顺序定位出语义相关联的一套具体词汇，并在备选项中观察是否有一个词或词组能够概括这一套词汇系列，从而得出结果。
例如上段文字的B段中无法定位主旨句，但通过观察找到一组动词系列“possess 、took the form of 、kept 、wrapped 、remained 、 kept”，这一类动词均是表达了书籍的收藏储存方式，故而“v. Storage methods”便是B段的答案。