特殊句式、复杂句处
复杂句包括各种插入语、长句、从句、不定式等,命题者主要考查考生对句子之间的指代关系、文章段落的理解等等。解答这类阅读题时,考生一定要注意弄清复杂句的层次逻辑关系。复杂句(尤其是表示条件或让步的主从复合句中)也常暗含着作者的观点和态度;特殊句型(如not … but … 等)或特殊句式及虚拟语气也以不同一般陈述句的方式,预示着所说内容的重要,这部分内容一般是与作者的观点态度有着密切的关系。
【例3】Nowadays, a great deal has changed. In a large number of cases factory workers earn as much, if not more, than their middle-class supervisors. Social security and laws to improve job-security, combined with a general rise in the standard of living since the mid-fifties of the 20th century, have made it less necessary than before to worry about “tomorrow”. Working-class people seem slowly to be losing the feeling of inferiority they had in the past… (2006年Text B )
89. Working-class people’s sense of security increased as a result of all the following factors EXCEPT________.
[A] better social security
[B] more job opportunities
[C] higher living standard
[D] better legal protection
【解析】选[B]。复杂句处设题。本题题干线索词sense of security为上述段落第二句中made it less necessary to worry about “tomorrow”的同义转述,因此解答本题的关键是要正确理解该句。该句提到,social security,laws to improve job security,rise in the standard of living,这些因素都降低了工人阶级的人们对“未来”的担心;因此,只有[B]文中没提到,故为答案。
四、因果关系处
表示因果关系的句子也是命题者所青睐的出题来源,因为因果句阐述了两个事件或者事实之间的内在联系,是作者进行分析或者得出结论的地方。出题者为了考查考生的阅读能力和逻辑分析能力,经常会把含有因果关系的句子倒过来考,因此选项中因变成了果、果变成了因,考生需要注意辨别实际的因果关系,防止受到迷惑。
表示因果关系的词语有:because, because of, so, for, since, as, thus, therefore, consequently, in consequence, as a result; result from, result in, cause, originate from, lead to, attribute to, derive from; base, basis, reason, result, consequence等。有时候文章中虽然没有出现表示因果关系的标志性词语,但是在逻辑上也存在着因果关系,这个时候考生就需要自己进行判断和推理。
【例4】Public speaking fills most people with dread. Humiliation is the greatest fear; self-exposure and failing to appeal to the audience come a close second. Women hate it most, since girls are pressurized from an early age to be concerned with appearances of all kinds.
(2008年Text B)
95. Women hate public speaking most mainly because of .
[A] their upbringing very early on.
[B] their inability to appeal to the audience.
[C] their sense of greater public pressure.
[D] their sense of greater humiliation.
【解析】选[A]。因果关系处设题。从表因果关系的主从复合句可知,女性最恨公众演讲的原因是他们从小就受到外界压力,要注意自己各方面的言行。因此[A]正确。
五、代词照应
在阅读文章中,为避免重复罗嗦,通常会用代词替代前面提到过的人或物。在上文谈论的人或物不止一个的情况下,代词的指代内容就变得不易辨别。因此解题的关键就在于找到该代词的前指,弄清句子中的语义关系和逻辑意义。
【例5】Public speaking fills most people with dread…Women hate it most, since girls are pressurized from an early age to be concerned with appearances of all kinds.
Most people have plenty of insecurities, and this seems like a situation that will bring them out. If you were under pressure to be perfect, you are terrified of falling in the most public of ways.(2008年Text D )
96. “This” in Paragraph Two refers to _____.
[A] insecurity.
[B] sense of failure.
[C] public speaking.
[D] pressure.
【解析】选[C]。本题考查代词指代处。第二段首句谈到,大部分人都有很多不安全感,“this”是将这些不安全感全都显现出来的一种情况。联系上下文,极易被[A]干扰,但仔细阅读,发现该句中的them指代的才是insecurities;this指的是上文已出现过的public speaking,故[C]正确。