今年六级考试刚刚结束,由于从去年开始四六级考试实行了多题多卷制度,笔者就其中一套试卷的仔细阅读部分做一个分析。(注:两篇内容分别为触碰对于购物的作用和新闻媒体为了吸引读者而过度叙述事实)
阅读部分
综观今年的四级快速阅读,较去年12月相比难度有所降低,没有太多的长难句,句式结构以简单句为主,话题是学习类,关于电子书能否真正取代纸质书。题干的线索词较明确,如一些公司名词,人名之类,只要考生能够按照题干中的关键词去文章中寻找,都可以顺利的找到与之对应的主题句,然后再同义转换就可以选出正确答案。而填空题部分则需要考生能够看懂句子结构,并去判断和文章中原句做出比较,如第8题是one of the challenges to do sth. Is that…, 根据这个表语从句去文中寻找。今年的仔细阅读总体也比较容易,第一篇是关于垃圾食品、酗酒和肥胖等不健康生活方式,整篇文章几乎没有难词和生僻词,句子结构简单,考生只要抓住文章主旨便可以很好的理解文章意思。第二篇是关于柯达破产的文章,除标注出的词汇外几乎没有难词和生词。提问方式也是中规中矩,细节主旨较容易把握。
(一) 文章结构
就这两篇文章而言,结构都是四六级非常高频出现的类型。首先第一篇开头出现一个例子作为引子,在二段开头引出主题触碰对于购物的重要性。接着为了论证主题,作者去做了一个实验,但实验得出的结果一定就是前文的主题。最后的独句段是文章中心意思的高度概括。第二篇文章依然首先阐述一个社会现象,即极端的天气容易引发极端的报道以吸引眼球,接着是对于这个社会现象进行了正反对比,运用的依然是四六级高频出现的大众观点和作者观点的强对比,最后一段作者摆出自身观点进行总结。
针对不同的结构我们需要掌握阅读的重点,才能以最快的速度在最短的时间内完成阅读理解,以第一篇为例,我们简单分析一下:
In 2011, many shoppers chose to avoid the frantic crowds and do their holiday shopping from the comfort of their computer. Sales at online retailers gained by more than 15%, making it the biggest season ever. But people are also returning those purchases at record rates, up 8% from last year.(数字对比是细节阐述,引子)
What went wrong? (开头问题,问题不是主题,原因才是主题)Is the lingering shadow of the global financial crisis making it harder to accept extravagant indulgences? Or that people shop more impulsively-and therefore make bad decisions-when online? Both arguments are plausible. However, there is a third factor: a question of touch. (强转折,作者真正的原因)We can love the look but, in an online environment, we cannot feel the quality of a texture, the shape of the fit, the fall of a fold or, for that matter, the weight of an earring. And physically interacting with an object makes you more committed to your purchase.
When my most recent book Brandwashed was released, I teamed up with a local bookstore to conduct an experiment (实验类型文章,重点关注实验目的和实验结果即可,中间细节均可以忽略。因为四六级考试只要出现相类似的文章,考点基本就是目的或者结论,中间成为考点的可能性不大。在开头找to do表示目的;结尾处找结果结论。)about the difference between the online and offline shopping experience.(实验目的) I carefully instructed a group of volunteers to promote my book in two different ways. The first was a fairly hands-off approach. Whenever a customer would inquire about my book, the volunteer would take them over to the shelf and point to it. Out of 20 such requests, six customers proceeded with the purchase.
The second option also involved going over to the shelf but, this time, removing the book and them subtly holding onto it for just an extra moment before placing it in the customer's hands. Of the 20 people who were handed the book, 13 ended up buying it. Just physically passing the book showed a big difference in sales. Why? We feel something similar to a sense of ownership when we hold things in our hand. That's why we establish or reestablish connection by greeting strangers and friends with a handshake. In this case, having to then let go of the book after holding it might generate a subtle sense of loss, and motivate us to make the purchase even more.(实验结果结论)
A recent study also revealed the power of touch, in this case when it came to conventional mail.(also并列平行,即表达内容和上一段基本一致。本段再举了一个例子而已) A deeper and longer-lasting impression of a message was formed when delivered in a letter, as opposed to receiving the same message online. Brain imaging showed that, on touching the paper, the emotional center of the brain was activated, thus forming a stronger bond. The study also indicated that once touch becomes part of the process, it could translate into a sense of possession.
This sense of ownership is simply not part of the equation in the online shopping experience.(最后总结)
我们发现,只要把文章主体把握清楚,一篇文章并不需要考生读n多句子,其实文中所有的细节都可以忽略不看。
(二) 考点分布
本次考试题型依然以细节事实题为主,而考点的位置和历年真题还是高度吻合。例如:
1) 因果关系:因果关系是四六级的高频考点,即在题干中明显出现why, because, reason这类表达因果关系的小词。考生需要返回原文同时定位因果关系,如果该句没有直接找到原因,则往上或者往下各找一句,接着进行同义替换即可。本次考试第一篇52题,53题;第二篇文章的59题均为此类题目,笔者以52题为例进行简单解析:
52. Why do people prefer shopping online according to the author?
A) It is more comfortable and convenient.
B) It saves them a lot of money and time.
C) It offers them a lot more options and bargains.
D) It gives them more time to think about their purchase.
根据题干中的喜欢网上购物我们能迅速定位到原文的首句"In 2011, many shoppers chose to avoid the frantic crowds and do their holiday shopping from the comfort of their computer." 我们可以得知消费者选择网络购物是因为避免人群以及网络的购物的舒适性,轻松得出争取答案为选项A。
2)全文末句:自2000年以后,全文末句经常会成为考点,因为最后一句很有可能是文章的主题再现或者是作者观点的阐述,考生应特别予以关注。特别是在最后一题没有什么方向的时候,多可以看看全文的末句。本次考试的56题,61题针对的都是原文的末句。笔者以61题为例进行简单解析:
61. What does the author think of the exaggerated claims in the media about global warming?
A) They are strategies to raise public awareness.
B) They do a disservice to addressing the problem.
C) They aggravate public distrust about science.
D) They create confusion about climate change.
根据题干作者对媒体夸大全球变暖的态度?作者观点往往在最后出现,我们定位到原文末句"That is unfortunate, because global warming is a real problem, and we do need to address it.那真是不幸,因为全球变暖是一个真实的问题,我们需要重视他"末句中的that是指代词,指代前段末句的"Exaggerated claims merely fuel public distrust and disengagement.夸大的报道会加剧公众的不信任和不参与"。由此得知,作者认为公众应该关注全球变暖问题,而媒体夸大的描述则会起到相反作用。轻松得出选项B为正确答案。
3)绝对化:文章中出现绝对化概念的词,经常会成为考点。因为我们所有的考题的答案都必须是唯一的确定的答案,而只有绝对化才能做到这一点。文章中绝对化不仅包括all, never, none, only这类词,还包括最高级the most; 分类列举的最后一个(finally, last);一些副词和形容词(chiefly, prime, major)。本次考试的53题,57题都是针对原文绝对化的概述而出的考题。笔者以57题为例进行简单分析:
57. In what way do the media benefit from extreme weather?
A) They can attract people's attention to their reports.
B) They can choose from a greater variety of topics.
C) They can make themselves better known.
D) They can give voice to different views.
根据题干媒体从极端天气中在那个方面获益,我们返回原文定位在首段末句"And, while many interests are at work, one of the players that benefits the most from this story are the media: the notion of "extreme" climate simply makes for more compelling news."出现了the most的最高级阐述,得知他们能缔造很多引人注目的新闻,从而轻松得到答案为A。
其实四六级考试的规律性是非常强的,考生只要多做历年真题,掌握文章结构,出题思路,就一定能在考试中立于不败之地。
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