iBT阅读词汇题指的是从语言环境(简称语境)中理解词汇。语境在这里又称上下文。英语单词常常是一词多义,词汇题除了考察考生是否具备一定单词量以外,还测试考生在一定语境下准确理解词义的能力。词汇题是
词汇题常见题目形式:
The word/phrase…in the passage is closest in meaning to…
The word/phrase…in the passage means…
The word/phrase… in paragraph…
Refers to… what is…?
或许,很多同学会说我的词汇量非常有限,在考试中遇到这种词汇题,如果不认识就无计可施,只能靠第六感了。其实,托福阅读中涉及到的词汇题还是有一定的解题规律的,以下将分两种类型进行讲解:
一、熟悉的词汇
当所考词汇是你认识的词时,分两步:直接在所给的四个选项中找出相近词;将选定的选项代入考察词汇所在的原文语境中,验证是否符合句意,以防止一词多义的情况。
例如:TPO-5中的一篇文章Minerals and Plants中的第二题:
2. The word "exhibit" in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. fight off
B. show
C. cause
D. spread
解题过程:这是一道词汇题。所考词汇exhibit是高频词汇,它的基本意思是“展示、显示”。因此,选项B
show是exhibit的同义词;将其代入exhibit所在的语境中进行验证,原句“Nitrogen-deficient plants exhibit many
of the symptoms just described.” 可提取主干(Plants exhibit
symptoms),将选项B代入即“植物显示症状”符合语境,因此,选项B正确。
#p#副标题#e#
二、不认识的词汇
遇到不认识的词汇,千万不要归因于自己词汇量不足,无计可施进而放弃。托福阅读中的词汇题存在一定的推理规律,这时候要采取以下措施:找到考察词汇所在的句子,寻找推理线索(95%的词汇题都暗含线索),由线索得出的关联信息,分析句意或主干进行推理判断及排除。
例如:TPO-3中第三篇文章 The Long-term Stability of Ecosystems中的第八题:
8. The word "guarantee" in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. increase
B. ensure
C. favor
D. complicate
解题过程:这是一道词汇题。考察词汇guarantee很多学生可能不太认识,这时候千万不要依靠第六感去猜,要回到原句中,查找线索。原句“Mathematical
models of ecosystems likewise suggest that diversity does not guarantee
ecosystem stability—just the opposite, in fact.” 存在两处线索:1. suggest
that(表明)…可见此that句为观点结论句;2.
likewise指“也、同样”。由以上两点线索可知:上一句肯定出现过相似的观点结论句,只有这样,此句才会说“同样表明…”。此句的上一句为“In general,
diversity, by itself, does not ensure stability.” 由in
general可知这是典型的结论句,主干为“diversity does not ensure stability.”而考察句的结论为“diversity
does not guarantee ecosystem stability.” 由此推理可得出,选项B正确。
例二:本篇文章中第十题:
10. The word “pales” in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. increases proportionally
B. differs
C. loses significance
D. is common
解题过程:这是一道词汇题。回到原句中,查找线索。原句“The destruction caused by the volcanic explosion
of Mount St. Helens, in the northwestern United States, for example, pales in
comparison to the destruction caused by humans.” 存在两处线索:1. for
example表明此句是具体的实例,它的作用通常是用来进一步解释证明作者的观点;2. 由in comparison
to可知:此句存在对比关系,即自然因素造成的破坏与人类活动的破坏进行比较。作者的观点句,即前一句为“Ecologists are especially
interested to know what factors contribute to the resilience of communities
because climax communities all over the world are being severely damaged or
destroyed by human activities.”
由because后半句可知:人类活动造成的破坏极其严重。所以,考察句所举的实例中,自然因素造成的破坏与人类活动的破坏相比较,应该是“不如、逊色”这样的负向信息。因此,选项C中lose同样显示出了减弱、不如的负向信息,因此选项C正确。