一个问题，解答多变

余可佳　朱杏菊

一般来说，读者的阅读理解过程可分为四个层次，即表层理解、深层理解、评价性理解和欣赏性理解。目前高考英语阅读主要考查表层理解和深层理解。

表层理解是对文章字面意思的理解。主旨大意、事实细节、逻辑顺序、语义猜测和结构分析等均属于表层理解。深层理解是理解文中隐含的意思。推理判断、体裁出处、扩展应用、态度分析和前后文内容的补充等都属于深层理解的范畴。

英语高考阅读理解中有这样一类问题：

What can we learn about ... from ...？

What can be learnt from ...？

We can learn from ... that .

According to ...， we can learn .

What is ... according to ...？

许多人认为这类题是细节理解题。事实上在高考英语阅读理解的这类题中有一部分的确是细节理解。

例1 （2015新课标Ⅰ卷） Disappointed by many a broken， vine-ripened （蔓上成熟的） promise， Ive refused to buy winter tomatoes for years. No matter how attractive they look in the store， once I get them home theyre unfailingly dry， hard， and tasteless. But I homed in， with uncertainty， on one particular table at the Browns Grove Farms stand， full of fresh and soft tomatoes the size of my fist. These were the real deal—and at that moment， I realized that the best part of Sarasota in winter was going to be eating things that back home in New York I wouldnt be experiencing again for months.

26. What can we learn about tomatoes sold in New York in winter？

A. They are soft. B. They look nice.

C. They taste great. D. They are juicy.

解析 B。从文章的第3段第2句No matter how attractive they look in the store， once I get them home theyre unfailingly dry， hard， and tasteless.可知，紐约冬季出售的西红柿只是看起来不错，但是干、硬，而且无味，所以此题答案是B。

例2 （2015陕西卷） Both locally and globally， the continued spread of full-sun coffee plantations （种植园） could mean the destruction of the rainforest ecology. The loss of shade trees is already causing a slight change in the worlds climate， and studies show that loss of oxygen-giving trees also leads to air pollution and global warming. Moreover， the new growing techniques are contributing to acidic （酸性的） soil conditions.

54. What can we learn about full-sun coffee production from Paragraph 4？

A. It limits the spread of new growing techniques.

B. It leads to air pollution and global warming.

C. It slows down the loss of shade trees.

D. It improves local soil conditions.

解析 全文分析了咖啡豆的新种植技术带来利润的同时也给我们带来很多危害，影响到我们生活的各个方面。此段中间的一句告诉我们此题答案是B，说明咖啡豆的新种植技术带来了空气污染和温室效应。文章中有很明显的直接信息。

这类What can we learn ...？式细节理解题属于表层理解的范畴，可以通过先读题目，后到文章中寻找出与正确选项相同或相似的句子来解答。

例3 （2015天津卷） Boldness—a willingness to extend yourself to the extreme—is not one that can be acquired overnight. But it can be taught to children and developed in adults. Confidence builds up. Surely， there will be setbacks （挫折） and disappointments in life； boldness in itself is no guarantee of success. But the person who tries to do something and fails is a lot better off than the person who tries to do nothing and succeeds.

54. What can be learned from Paragraph 5？

A. Confidence grows more rapidly in adults.

B. Trying without success is meaningless.

C. Repeated failure creates a better life.

D. Boldness can be gained little by little.

解析 D。本段意思是膽魄是一种使自己的潜能发挥到极致的意愿，不是一夜间能够获得的，但可以对孩子进行这方面的教育，也可以对成年人进行这方面的开发，以此来增强信心。由此可知，胆魄是一点一点地获得的。

这类What can we learn ...？推理判断题属于深层理解的范畴，在文章中不能直接找到答案。深层理解题要通过整体理解加上个人分析才能得出答案。

还有一类用What can we learn ...？提问的题，它们介于细节理解和推理判断之间。

例4 （2015重庆卷） The values of artistic works， according to cultural relativism （相对主义）， are simply reflections of local social and economic conditions. Such a view， however， fails to explain the ability of some works of art to excite the human mind across cultures and through centuries.

52. According to the passage， what do we know about cultural relativism？

A. It introduces different cultural values.

B. It explains the history of artistic works.

C. It relates artistic values to local conditions.

D. It excites the human mind throughout the world.

解析 C。文章的第一句的意思是：文化相对主义认为，艺术作品的价值在于能够反映当地的社会经济状况。由此可以推断出文化相对主义认为艺术作品的价值与社会经济状况息息相关。

例5 （2015天津卷） The Jibo robot， arranged to ship later this year， is designed to be a personalized assistant. You can talk to the robot， ask it questions， and make requests for it to perform different tasks. The robot doesnt just deliver general answers to questions； it responds based on what it learns about each individual in the household. It can do things such as reminding an elderly family member to take medicine or taking family photos.

44. We can learn from the last paragraph that social robots will .

A. train employees

B. be our workmates

C. improve technologies

D. take the place of workers

解析 B。文章的第一段说机器人将会普遍地应用于工作和生活之中。第二段说明家务机器人和社会机器人的差异。第三段涉及机器人的使用，与第44题有直接关系：你可以与机器人谈话，可以对机器人提问，并要求机器人完成不同的任务。由此可见机器人可以协同人工作。既然可以协同工作，机器人就可以成为“我们的”同事。如此看来，这是一道推断题。然而我们不难发现文中有a personalized assistant这一说法，assistant就是workmate的一种，所以此题也能看作细节理解题。

综上所述，就What can we learn ...？这一问题的性质而言，它可能是细节理解题，也可能是推理判断题，也可能游离于表层理解和深层理解之间。对题目性质的区分不是我们的最终目的，关键在于正确作答的方法。必须指出的是把所有What can we learn ...？的问题视为细节理解题的观点是错误的。问题是一旦不是细节理解题，考生就在文章中找不出相同或相似的词句，纠结于此就会浪费许多时间，结果不能正确作答。所以一旦在文章中找不出相同或相似的词句，考生就应想到它可能是推理判断题，要在整体理解的基础上挖掘字里行间的意思，运用常识和逻辑去推测其话外之音。