邵晨
在高考英语试题中,四选一阅读是所有阅读题型中篇幅最长、难度最大、分值最高、区分度最明显的一种题型。四选一阅读理解题主要考查学生理解主旨要义、理解细节信息、推理判断以及归纳概括的能力,这些能力通过细节理解题、猜测词义(句意)题,推理判断题、大意概括题、标题选择题等不同题型进行综合性考查。
传统的四选一阅读答题策略可以概括为:一找、二读、三对比。“一找”是指阅读题干找到关键词,比如数字、人名、地名、机构名、项目名等,以借助其定位答案出处。“二读”是指精读通过关键词定位到的关键段落及关键语句。“三对比”是指将四个选项与原文进行一一比对,进而选出最优答案。以上这种传统的解题方法虽然在步骤和逻辑上无懈可击,但并不适用于所有同学,尤其是单词总量不过关、长难句理解有困难的基础薄弱生,比如艺术体育类考生。为了帮助这些英语后进生在短时间内提高四选一阅读的正答率,本文将介绍基于选项分析的逻辑推断法,助力学生秒杀四选一阅读。
根据国家教育考试院的命题要求,选择题的题干应围绕一个中心并且和选项的关系保持一致。此外,干扰项的有效性和迷惑性应能反映考生的典型错误,各选项的结构和语言长度应大体一致。已有学者研究表明,四选一阅读中四个选项的命制并不是随机无序的,而是按照不同类别进行逻辑分类的,不同类别的组合比例通常为2 : 2或者3 : 1,如果考生能够仔细分析四个选项的逻辑类别,就能够缩小选择范围,甚至可以做到在读不懂文章的情况下,秒杀出正确答案。
那么,如何针对四个选项进行逻辑分析,并秒杀出正确答案呢?下面我们以近三年高考真题及各个地市的优质模拟题为例进行展示。
一、借助褒贬意分类,推断正确选项
推理判断题是四选一阅读的必考题型之一,常常涉及对人、事、物等的观点判断,该题型中的选项常为形容词,我们可以按照褒贬语义场将其分类,进而缩小选择范围,具体推理过程阐释如下。
[例] 2023年深圳一模(阅读理解B)
From cottages surrounded by impressive gardens to days spent exploring sandy beaches and deep woods filled with wildlife , in My Family and Other Animals , English writer Gerald Durrell provided a vivid account of his familys time on the Greek island of Corfu in the 1930s.
24. Which word best describes Durrells life in Corfu?
A. Risky. B. Busy. C. Tough. D. Diverse.
正确答案:D
逻辑推断步骤:
第一步: 归纳选项,得出猜想。
通过翻译四个单词的意思,我们发现A. Risky(危险的)B. Busy(忙碌的)C. Tough(困難的)都是负面评价的词汇,且在这三个负向词中,A和C选项有语义重叠的部分,只有D. Diverse(多样的)是正面评价词汇。因此,答案很有可能就是D选项,接着进行第二步,验证猜想。
第二步: 扫读原文,验证猜想。
按照题文同序以及关键词锁定策略,我们可以确定这一题的答案在第一段。为了节省时间,我们并不推荐所有同学按照传统解题方法,精读第一段,总结归纳出答案。相反地,我们只需要扫描第一段中的关键词,就会发现一些简单词汇如gardens、beaches、woods、wildlife等,这些词能够勾勒出一幅海岛生活的优美画卷,体现出海岛生活的多样性(diverse),因此,第一步的猜想得到验证,正确答案为D。
小结: 以上基于选项分析的逻辑判断法,能够帮助词汇量不足、长难句读不懂的英语后进生找到解题的突破口,提高解题效率,提升自信心。再配合关键词扫描法,进一步验证答案,即可确保逻辑推理的准确性。这种先猜想再验证的方法,打破了需读懂题目和原文才能够选出正确答案的壁垒,既能够为英语先进生节约宝贵的考试时间,又能够帮助知识储备不足的英语后进生秒杀答案。
二、借助上下义分类,推断正确选项
1.主旨大意题
主旨大意题作为四选一阅读的高阶必考题型,不管是文章大意还是段落大意,都是很多同学难以攻克的难关,因为选出正确答案一般要以理解文章内涵和把握作者意图为前提。然而,借助对选项的逻辑分类,可以大大减少思维负担,在该题型上实现弯道超车。根据语义场理论,上义词是对事物的概括性、抽象性说明,而下义词是事物的具体表现形式或更为具体的说明。借助上下义分类,有时可以秒杀出正确答案,具体推理过程阐释如下。
[例1] 标题概括题
2023年教育部新课标高考适应性四省联考(阅读理解B)
As a young girl growing up in France, Sarah Toumi dreamed of becoming a leader who could make the world a better place. Her passion to help others was awakened when, from the age of nine, she accompanied her Tunisian father to his birthplace in the east of the country during holidays. There she organized homework clubs and activities for children.
Toumi witnessed first-hand the destructive effect of desertification. “Within 10 years rich farmers became worse off, and in 10 years from now they will be poor. I wanted to stop the Sahara Desert in its tracks.” A decrease in average rainfall and an increase in the severity of droughts ( 干旱 ) have led to an estimated 75 percent of Tunisias agricultural lands being threatened by desertification.
Toumi recognized that farming practices needed to change. She is confident that small land areas can bring large returns if farmers are able to adapt by planting sustainable crops, using new technologies for water treatment and focusing on natural products and fertilisers (肥料) rather than chemicals.
In 2012, Toumi consolidated her dream to fight the desert. She moved to Tunisia, and set up a programme named Acacias for All to put her sustainable farming philosophy into action. “I want to show young people in rural areas that they can create opportunities where they are. Nobody is better able to understand the impact of desertification and climate change than somebody who is living with no access to water.”
By September 2016, more than 130 ,000 acacia trees had been planted on 20 pilot farms, with farmers recording a 60 percent survival rate. Toumi estimates that some 3 million acacia trees are needed to protect Tunisias farmland. She expects to plant 1 million trees by 2018. In the next couple of years, Toumi hopes to extend the programme to Algeria and Morocco.
27.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
1.Saving Water in Tunisia
2.Planting Trees of Native Species
3.Holding back the Sahara
4.Fighting Poverty in North Africa
正确答案:C
逻辑推断步骤:
第一步: 归纳选项,得出猜想。
通过翻译四个选项的意思,我们发现A. Saving Water(节约用水)B. Planting Trees(种树)D. Fighting Poverty(对抗贫穷)都是包含具体行动的下义词组,只有C. Holding back(抑制)是抽象的上义词组。本题要求选出最佳标题,而标题通常都是带有概括及归纳性质的上义词,因此,答案很有可能是C选项,接着进行第二步,验证猜想。
第二步: 扫读原文,验证猜想。
这里并不要求学生逐字逐句通读文章、理解句意。相反地,学生只需要扫视全文,就会发现Toumi 这个人名是一个高频复现词。因此,这篇文章必定是围绕Toumi这个人物展开叙述的,再结合第一段划横线的句子“Sarah Toumi dreamed of becoming a leader who could make the world a better place”,我们可以推断出这篇文章是围绕Toumi 的好人好事展开叙述的,那Toumi 究竟做了哪些好事?采取了什么行动让世界变得更好呢?我们继续扫描第二段的“干旱”以及第四段的 “to fight the desert”,即可推断出Sarah的主要贡献是对抗干旱和治理沙漠化。此时,结合第一步的选项分析,我们可以确定A、B、D选项都是Toumi为了治理沙漠化采取的具体行动,不足以作为文章标题统领全文。因此,第一步的猜想得以驗证,正确答案为C。
小结: 若以传统的解题方法来做本题,学生需要在通读全文的基础上,把握文章内涵,然后将四个选项与文章内涵一一比对,进而选出最佳答案,整个过程难度大、耗时久且正确率低。很多语言基础薄弱的同学因阅读能力不足,难以把握文章内涵和作者意图。因此,在面对标题概括类的阅读题时,会有一种上山打虎般的为难情绪,很多时候只能胡乱蒙一个答案,草草了事。而本文介绍的逻辑推断法能够巧妙地帮助考生将看似很难的标题归纳题由“真老虎”变成“纸老虎”,大大节约了考试时间,提升了做题效率。
[例2] 文章大意题
2022年全国甲卷(阅读理解C)
As Ginni Bazlinton reached Antarctica, she found herself greeted by a group of little Gentoo penguins(企鹅) longing to say hello. These gentle, lovely gatekeepers welcomed her and kick-started what was to be a trip Ginni would never forget .
……
The realization that this is a precious land, to be respected by humans, was one of the biggest things that hit home to Ginni.
31.What is the text mainly about?
A. Childhood dream. B. An unforgettable experience.
C. Sailing around the world.
D. Meeting animals in Antarctica.
正确答案:B
邏辑推断步骤:
第一步: 归纳选项,得出猜想。
通过翻译四个选项的意思,我们发现C. Sailing around the world.(环球航行)D. Meeting animals in Antarctica(遇见南极动物)都是包含具体行动的下义词组,B. An unforgettable experience(难忘经历)是可以统领C和D的上义词组。A. Childhood dream(童年梦想)是独立于B、C、D语义场的冗杂信息。因此,答案很可能是更具有概括功能的上义选项B,接着进行第二步,验证猜想。
第二步: 扫读原文,验证猜想。
根据语篇结构知识,文章大意通常会在首尾段遥相呼应,因此,我们可以扫描一下首段或者尾段。不难发现,首段中的关键词“a trip Ginni would never forget”是与B选项相互照应的,进而验证猜想。
小结:与传统解题策略不同,这种先猜想后验证的思路,就像找到了撬动地球的支点一样,可以帮助考生在紧张的考试中获得事半功倍的效果,同时也给英语后进生提高分数带来了希望与信心。
[例3] 段落大意题
2022年6月全国甲卷 (阅读理解D篇)
Sometime in the early 1960s, a significant thing happened in Sydney, Australia. The city discovered its harbor. Then, one after another, Sydney discovered lots of things that were just sort of there — broad parks, superb beaches, and a culturally diverse population. But it is the harbor that makes the city.
32.What is the first paragraph mainly about?
A. Sydneys striking architecture.
B. The cultural diversity of Sydney.
C. The key to Sydneys development.
D. Sydneys tourist attractions in the 1960s.
正确答案:C
逻辑推断步骤:
第一步: 分析选项,归纳类别。
通过翻译四个选项中关键词的意思,我们发现A. architecture(建筑)和D. tourist attractions(旅游景点)都是包含于B. cultural diversity(文化)的下义词。而选项C. development(城市发展)又是高于B(文化多样性)的更上义的词汇。因此,答案很有可能是C,接着进行第二步,验证猜想。
第二步: 扫读原文,验证答案。
扫读第一段,我们会发现重要逻辑词“but”,因此,我们只需要关注but后面的这句话:“But it is the harbor that makes the city”,可翻译为“是港口造就了这个城市”,对应D选项中的“development”(发展),因此,第一步的猜想得以验证。
小结: 使用基于选项的逻辑推断法只是我们做题的敲门砖,它能够允许英语基础比较薄弱的同学也有做对题目的机会。但是,对于英语优等生来说,想要确保答案万无一失,还要回溯原文,进一步验证答案。需要注意的是,阅读原文并不需要逐字逐句阅读,而是要借助语篇结构和语篇连接词,快速找到阅读的重点,其中转折词是考生尤其需要关注的,在阅读中,常见的转折词有:but,however,nevertheless,while,in fact,actually,yet,though,on the contrary,in contrast等,我们要特别关注这些词后面的内容,它们才是作者想要传达的重要信息,也是重要的命题点。
2.细节理解题
在四选一阅读中,细节理解题的比例占到三分之二以上,该题型主要考查学生定位、解读、归纳及概括信息的能力,很多同学难以读懂原文,更难以从众多细节信息中搜寻并解读与问题相对应的相关信息。然而,基于选项分析的逻辑推理法能有效解决这一难题,具体推理过程示例如下。
\[例\] 2023年3月广州一模(阅读理解C篇)
Swallow Ponds 2023 project will restore proper water depth and improve wildlife habitat without creating problems for the path. The balancing act continues.
31.What is the theme of Swallow Ponds 2023 project?
A.Biological diversity.
B. Harmonious coexistence.
C. Prevention of natural disasters.
D. Preservation of wildlife habitat.
正确答案:B
逻辑推断步骤:
第一步: 归纳选项,得出猜想。
通过翻译四个选项的意思,我们发现A. Biological diversity(生物多樣性)、C. Prevention of natural disasters.(阻止自然灾难)、D. Preservation of wildlife habitat(栖息地保护)都是有明确指向性的下义词组,而B. Harmonious coexistence(和谐共存)是两者抽象关系的概括。因此,答案很可能是更具有概括功能的上义选项B,接着进行第二步,验证猜想。
第二步: 扫读原文,验证猜想。
按照题文同序以及关键词锁定策略,我们可以确定这一题的答案在最后一段。接着我们再用关键词扫描法,扫描到最后一段的关键词“and”和“balance”,通过这两个词我们可以推断出该项目是为了平衡(balance)两个对象(and)之间的关系。因此,第一步的猜想得到验证,正确答案为B。
小结:与传统解题策略不同,这种先猜想后验证的思路,可以帮助学生有效规避长难句的阅读,绕开了词汇量不足带来的阅读障碍,比如这一题,学生只需要抓住“and”和“balance”这两个简单词就可以验证答案。
三、借助高频复现词,推断正确选项
根据语篇学常识,文章中高频复现的词语,一定是该文章论述的核心内容。在标题概括题中,如果选项中的关键词与文中的高频复现词重合,那该选项很有可能就是文章的最佳标题,示例如下。
\[例\] 2020年全国II (阅读理解D篇)
I have a special place in my heart for libraries . I have for as long as I can remember. I was always an enthusiastic reader, sometimes reading up to three books a day as a child. Stories were like air to me and while other kids played ball or went to parties, I lived out adventures through the books I checked out from the library .
My first job was working at the Ukiah Library when I was 16 years old. It was a dream job and I did everything from shelving books to reading to the children for story time.
As I grew older and became a mother, the library took on a new place and an added meaning in my life. I had several children and books were our main source(来源) of entertainment. It was a big deal for us to load up and go to the local library , where my kids could pick out books to read or books they wanted me to read to them.
I always read ,using different voices, as though I were acting out the stories with my voice and they loved it! It was a special time to bond with my children and it filled them with the wonderment of books .
Now,I see my children taking their children to the library and I love that the excitement of going to the library lives on from generation to generation.
As a novelist,Ive found a new relationship with libraries . I encourage readers to go to their local library when they cant afford to purchase a book. I see libraries as a safe haven(避风港) for readers and writers, a bridge that helps put together a reader with a book. Libraries , in their own way, help fight book piracy (盜版行为) and I think all writers should support libraries in a significant way when they can. Encourage readers to use the library . Share library announcements on your social media. Frequent them and talk about them when you can.
34. What does the author call on other writers to do?
A. Sponsor book fairs. B. Write for social media.
C. Support libraries. D. Purchase her novels.
正确答案:C
逻辑推断步骤:
第一步: 分析选项,识别关键词。
通过分析不难发现四个选项的关键词分别是A. book fairs(书展)B. social media(社交媒体)C. libraries(图书馆)以及D. novels(小说),究竟哪个关键词才是作者想要论述的重点?只需要回溯原文,扫描原文关键词即可。
第二步: 扫读原文,搜索关键词。
快速扫描原文,不难发现library及libraries作为文章的高频复现词一共出现了14次(原文划横线的词),该词与C选项相对应,因此,答案呼之欲出,C即为正解。
小结: 此题为推理判断题,从传统做题角度而言,该题对学生词汇和思维的要求都很高,学生需要在细节理解的基础上,综合全文去推断作者的观点态度,难度很大。但如果运用了选项分析和关键词扫描法,就能避开很多长难句和生难词的理解,快速锁定正确答案。
35. Which can be a suitable title for the text?
A. Reading: A Source of Knowledge
B. My Idea about Writing
C. Library: A Heaven for the Young
D. My Love of the Library
正确答案:D
逻辑推断步骤:
第一步: 分析选项,识别关键词。
通过分析不难发现四个选项的关键词分别是A. Reading(阅读)B. Writing(写作)C. Library(图书馆)以及D. Library(图书馆),图书馆在选项中出现了两次,可见其重要性。因此,最佳标题很可能是从C或者D中二选一。接下来要考虑,图书馆与年轻人的关系(C选项),图书馆与“我”的关系(D选项),哪个才是本文的论述重点?只需扫读原文关键词,即可验证答案.
第二步:扫读原文,搜索关键词。
快速扫描原文,不难发现除了图书馆(library)这个高频复现词外,“I”作为句子主语反复出现,根据主位推进理论,句子的主语通常可以作为句子的主位,将语篇信息依据作者的写作意图及其文章的主题思想串联起来。本题D选项“My love”与文中语篇主题关键词“I”相关联,因此,答案锁定为D。
小结:此题为标题概括题,从传统做题角度而言,该题对学生词汇和思维的要求都很高,学生需要在细节理解的基础上,综合全文选择最佳标题,因而难度很大。但如果运用了选项分析和关键词扫描法,就能避开很多长难句和生难词的理解,快速锁定正确答案。
四、借助语篇知识,推断正确选项
语篇不是由单词及语句堆砌起来的集合体,而是通过显性或隐性的衔接手段串联起来的意义单位。掌握常用的语篇衔接手段如逻辑词和语篇组织模式可以帮助我们快速排除冗杂信息,提高解题效率。具体推理过程阐释如下。
\[例1\] 2021年1月浙江卷 (阅读理解B篇)
At the start of the 20th century, an American engineer named John Elfreth Watkins made predictions about life today. His predictions about slowing population growth, mobile phones and increasing height were close to the mark. But he was wrong in one prediction: that everybody would walk 10 miles a day.
24.Why does the author mention Watkins predictions in the first paragraph?
A. To make comparisons. B. To introduce the topic.
C. To support her argument. D. To provide examples.
正确答案:B
逻辑推断步骤:
第一步: 分析选项,依据语篇,得出猜想。
首先,我们翻译一下四个选项的意思,A. To make comparisons.(做对比)B. To introduce the topic.(引入話题) C. To support her argument.(支持论点)D. To provide examples.(举例子)。根据语篇常识,第一段的语篇功能常为提出观点、话题引入等,据此我们可以初步猜想答案为B。接着进行第二步,验证猜想。
第二步: 扫描原文,验证猜想。
扫描第一段我们可以发现逻辑词but,根据语篇常识,but后的内容才是作者想要论述的重点,即“But he was wrong in one prediction: that everybody would walk 10 miles a day. ”(他有一个预言是错误的:每个人每天都能走10公里),由此可知,上文提到的Watkins的预言,仅仅是为了引入“人们走路锻炼”这个话题,故第一步的猜想得以验证,答案为B。
小结: 语篇的组织模式不是随机无序的,而是依据不同的体裁按照特定的模式推进和展开的,常用的语篇模式有问题解决模式、一般特殊模式、提问回答模式、原因结果模式等。熟悉并掌握这些语篇组织模式,能够帮助我们快速理清语篇框架,获取文章大意,感悟作者的写作意图,最终达到深度理解文章,精准做题的目的。
\[例2\] 2016年全国II(阅读理解C篇)
Reading can be a social activity. Think of the people who belong to book groups. They choose books to read and then meet to discuss them. Now, the website BookCrossing com turns the page on the traditional idea of a book group.
Members go on the site and register the books they own and would like to share. BookCrossing provides an identification number to stick inside the book. Then the person leaves it in a public place, hoping that the book will have an adventure, traveling far and wide with each new reader who finds it.
Bruce Pederson, the managing director of BookCrossing , says, “The two things that change your life are the people you meet and books you read. BookCrossing combines both.”
Members leave books on park benches and buses, in train stations and coffee shops. Whoever finds their book will go to the site and record where they found it.
People who find a book can also leave a journal entry describing what they thought of it. E-mails are then sent to the BookCrossing to keep them updated about where their books have been found. Bruce Pederson says the idea is for people not to be selfish by keeping a book to gather dust on a shelf at home.
BookCrossing is part of a trend among people who want to get back to the “real” and not the virtual(虚拟). The site now has more than one million members in more than one hundred thirty-five countries.
27.Why does the author mention book groups in the first paragraph?
A.To explain what they are.
B.To introduce BookCrossing .
C.To stress the importance of reading.
D.To encourage readers to share their ideas.
正确答案:B
逻辑推断步骤:
第一步: 分析选项,依据语篇,得出猜想。
首先,我们翻译一下四个选项关键词的意思,A. To explain(解释)B. To introduce(引入) C. To stress(强调)D. To encourage(鼓励)。根据语篇常识,第一段的语篇功能常为提出观点、话题引入等,据此我们可以初步猜想答案为B。接着进行第二步,验证猜想。
第二步: 扫描原文,验证猜想。
扫描全文我们可以发现BookCrossing一词在文中出现了六次,依据语篇知识,文章中高频复现的词语,一定是作者论述的重点。因此,我们可以确定本文是以BookCrossing为关键词展开论述的,故作者在第一段以book groups这一概念引入BookCrossing这一话题。综上所述,第一步猜想正确,答案为B。
小结:在说明性语篇中,作者通常需要在第一段引入说明对象,然后在接下来的主体段落中展开阐释。此外,被说明的对象会在文中反复多次出现,以串联起语篇的主线,凸显说明对象。掌握这些语篇知识是同学们能够大胆猜想并快速验证答案的基础。
【本文系2022年广东省教育研究院中小学英语教育专项研究课题“深度学习视域下基于单元大观念的高中英语词汇教学探究与实践”(立项编号GDJY-2022-A-yyb81)阶段性研究成果】
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