比如:a.I own a car;b.Owning a car often presents many problems;
显然,a不是一个有效的主题句,因为它没有起到任何指示、概括文章内容的作用。而b句却明确地向读者指示该文章的内容将围绕汽车带来的种种问题,读者可以预知接下去的句子必是具体讨论这些问题。所以,b是一个好的主题句。知道了英文主题句的特点之后,我们在阅读完型填空文章的第一句话时,就不应该只是读懂其字面中文意思,而是要透过首句来预测文章的中心内容,为接下来做题把准方向。比如1994年考题的首句是:
The first and smallest unit that can be discussed in relation to language is the word.
这就是一句非常有效的主题句。据此,我们可以大胆地预测文章的主题是讨论"词汇(word)"与"语言表达(language)"的关系。作者的态度通过"first and smallest"就说明作者认为"词汇"对于"语言"的重要意义。实际上,该篇文章的确是围绕"词汇"与"语言"的关系展开的。文章的第一段从正反两方面阐述了"词汇的选择(choice of words)"与语言表达的关系。第二段阐述了"措词不准确(inaccurate words)"对于语言表达的影响。由此可见,精读第一句对于理解和把握整个文章的中心意义和作者的行文的脉络是非常有效的。这就为我们往下做题指明了方向!
The purpose of non-REM sleep is even more __43__. The new experiments, such as those described for the first time at a recent meeting of the Society for Sleep Research in Minneapolis, suggest fascinating explanations __45__ of non-REM sleep. (95)
43. A. subtle B. obvious C. mysterious D. doubtful
45. A. in the light B. by virtue C. with the exception D. for the purpose
答案:43. C正确;45. D正确。
分析:只要细心寻找即可发现,文章开头说的"the purpose of non-REM sleep"和结尾的"____ of non-REM sleep."遥相呼应。所以45填D。而在后文的fascinating就指示43应填与其同义的次,故43题C选项mysterious正确,因为两者都表示"神秘的、为之着迷"的意思。
三、借助语法知识
主要是针对上文提到的语法题。再比如:
They do not provide energy, ____ do they construct or build any part of the body. (96)
A. either B. so C. nor D. never
答案:C.
分析:这是一常见的否定倒装结构。
四、把握文章组织结构
主要是针对语篇题。
做题时,要把准文章作者发展脉络,文章的起承转合,要注意段落与段落之间,句与句之间的内在逻辑联系,领悟暗示,选对答案。
Comparisons were drawn between the development of television in the 20th century and the diffusion of printing in the 15th and 16th centuries. Yet much had happened __21__. As was discussed before, it was not __22__ the 19th century that the newspaper became the dominant pre-electronic __23__. (2002)
21. A. between B. before C. since D. later
22. A. after B. by C. during D. until
23. A. means B. method C. medium D. measure
答案:21. A. 22. D. 23. C
分析:我们注意到文章讲了两个时间:20世纪和15、16世纪,而19世纪显然是处在两者之间,故21填between。22题是一语法结构题,固定结构:It was not until---that---。23题属于前面介绍的"信息词"题。上文中出现的:television, printing, newspaper均说明该题应填medium。