如何查找主要事实特定细节

　　在文章中, 作者总是要通过许多具体内容来说明、解释、证明、或分析文章的主题思想。在通读全文、掌握了文章主题思想的基础上, 读者还应该能抓住阐述和发展主题思想的主要事实, 或者按要求找出特定细节。

　　在通读全文的过程中, 我们要特别注意涉及who, what, when, where, how和why等问题的内容。在有关此类内容的地方要作一标记, 以便在回答问题时迅速查找。

　　一般来说, 阅读理解测试中要求找出主要事实或特定细节的问题, 在文章中均可找到回答。但是, 需要注意的是, 这些问题的表述常常不是采用文章中的原话, 而是使用同义的词语来进行提问。因此, 在回答此类问题时, 首先要认真审题, 看清问题提问的究竟是什么。然后, 根据所涉及到的问题, 快速扫视到文章中相应的部分, 找到与答题内容相关的关键词或短语, 再细读一、两遍。在确信理解了原文的基础上, 来确定正确答案。在查到的关键词句下面应划线, 以引起注意, 便于参考与复查。此外, 如果回答此类问题需要读者具有一定的背景知识, 那也只是最基本的常识。因此, 切勿脱离文中内容而根据自己的主观想像或其它来源的知识来选择答案。

　　在回答此类问题时, 应注意以下几个问题：

　　1. 当问及时间、距离以及其它用数字表示的细节时, 有时需要进行计算方能得出答案。此时要把计算过程简单列出, 不可随意心算一下即确定答案。

　　例1： The Flag of the U. S. ------ The Stars and Stripes The history of the flag of the U. S. has become so cluttered by myth that hardly any facts can be established. One thing all agree on is that the Stars and Stripes originated as the result of a resolution adopted by Congress June 14, 1777. It read:

　　Resolved: that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternated red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.

　　The flag of 1777 was used until 1795. Then, on the admission of Vermont and Kentucky to the Union, Congress passed an act that after May 1, 1795, the flag should have 15 stripes and 15 stars.

　　When new states were admitted it became evident that the flag would become burdened with stripes. Congress thereupon ordered that after July 4, 1818, the flag should have 13 stripes, symbolizing the 13 original states; that the union have 20 stars, and that when ever a new state was admitted a new star should be added on the July 4 following the admission.

　　The 50-star flag of the United States was raised for the first time officially on July 4,1960, at Fort McHenry in Baltimore. The 50th star had been added for Hawaii, a year earlier the 49th, for 接(2)Alaska. Before that, no star had been added since 1912, when New Mexico and Arizona were admitted to the Union.

　　1) Since 1777, the U. S. Flag has changed its design _____.

　　A) twice B) 3 times C) 5 times D) more than 5 times

　　2) In 1912, before July 4, the U. S. flag had _____.

　　A) 15 stars B) 20 stars C) 46 stars D) 48 stars

　　3) The 49th and 50th states to join the U.S.A. were, in their correct order, _____.

　　A) Alaska and Hawaii. B) Hawaii and Alaska

　　C) New Mexico and Arizona D) Arizona and New Mexico

　　4) Congress decided in 1818 that the U. S. flag should have 13 stripes because ______.

　　A) since 1777 it had always had 13 stripes.

　　B) since 1777 it had always had more than 13 stripes.

　　C) in 1818 there were only 13 states in the Union of the U. S. A.

　　D) at the founding of the Union of the U. S. A. there had been only 13 states.

　　问题要求回答美国国旗图案自1777年以来变化了几次。回答这样的题目须把文中所有提及1777以年来美国国旗变更次数的关键词语划出：1795; July 4,1818; since 1912; a year earlier the 49th;July 4,1960

　　文中似乎只提及5处, 但是文内又提到1818年时为20颗星, 以后每加入一个州增加一颗星。从文中又可看出1912年增加的是第47和48颗星,从第20颗星到47颗星之间必然还有若干次变动, 因此答案应为D。

　　问题提问的是1912年7月4日以前的情况。由于新墨西哥和亚里桑那于1912年7月4日加入联邦, 国旗上星的数目增至48颗。因此。1912年7月4日以前国旗上的星数应为46颗。正确答案为C。

　　问题的答案为A。 其根据为了The 50th star had been added for Hawaii, a year earlier the 49th, for A1aska.

　　问题的答案为D。 其根据是symbolizing the l3 original states.

　　2. 当问题要求对某一事实作出正误判断或询问文中是否提到某一事实时, 我们应先把所给的选择项大体上看一下, 做到心中有数。然后, 根据选择项中提供的线索, 迅速找到文章中相应的部分, 细读一下有关内容。与文中内容一致的即可肯定, 不一致的即可否定。注意, 在回答Not True之类问题时, 必须逐项找出须肯定的内容, 方可确定要否定的内容。回答这类问题时, 也必须以文章的中心思想为前提, 与中心思想一致的可能是正确答案, 反之可能是错误答案。

　　例2： One word that sums up our age better than any other - whether our age is the technological age of western countries or the modernizing age of China - is the word CHANGE

　　But has change not always been present True, but never before at such a breakneck speed. Today it is more than just change. It is unprecedented change. In such a world, reading provides the best tool we have for keeping up and for avoiding future shock in a world continually being remade.

　　Which of the following is NOT true

　　A) Western countries and China are being remade.

　　B) Reading will help understand our age.

　　C) The present age and future world are continually changing.

　　D) Reading is the best tool provided by our age.

　　A, B, C项均与文章中的意义一致,D不符。因为文中说的是： Reading serves as the best tool for us.而不是如选择项D所表示的那样：Reading is the best tool provided by our age.。所以, 我们答案为 D.

　　3. 在文章中, 为避免重复提及某一词或短语, 作者常常使用指代词来代替。在寻找细节时, 读者须准确理解被指代的对象。通常, 我们可根据上下文的句子结构、主谓一致关系以及语义关系等来确定所指代的内容。

　　例3： The basketball team never lacked vociferous supporters, but they rarely responded to this show of enthusiasm.

　　文中的黑体字they若是指高声呼叫的支持者, 则与后面的意思(对这种热情很少作出响应)不合。因此, they只能指球队球员。

　　例4： Scott Fitzgerald, who first introduced him to a publisher, was one of the few contemporary writers that Hemingway did not turn against.

　　文中黑体字him若指的是主语Scot Fitsgerald, 则应该用反身代词himself, 而不能用him, 因此, 这里指后文的Hemingway。

　　4. 注意文章的结构安排

　　在考试中遇到的一个突出问题是, 文章读过一遍后, 对一些具体细节在答题时又需花许多时间回头去找。在前一节中我们提到, 在寻找确定文章的中心意思时可采用浏览的方法, 在浏览过程中, 还应该注意文章的结构安排, 注意段与段, 细节与细节之间的关系。这样浏览一遍之后即可确定文章的主题, 同时对各细节的部位也能大致做到心中有数, 在做识别重要细节的题目时, 只要找文章相应的部位就可以了, 而不必从头到尾再读一遍文章。说明主题的细节通常采取以下几种方式排列：) A. 简单列举;

　　B. 按事件重要性排列;

　　C. 时间顺序;

　　D. 空间关系;

　　E. 因果关系;

　　F. 对比关系。

　　阅读时注意细节的安排方式，就可以迅速在相应的位置找到题的答案。做这类题时最好先阅读题目、弄清题的具体要求, 再有针对性地查阅文章, 跳过那些与题无关的细节, 迅速找到有关的细节, 最后与选择项一一对比, 找出正确答案。

　　例5： In 776 BC the first Olympic Games were held at the foot of Mount Olympus to honor the Greeks chief god, Zeus. The Greeks emphasized physical fitness and strength in their education of youth. Therefore, contests in running, jumping, discus and javelin throwing, boxing, and horse and chariot racing were held in individual cities, and the winners competed every four years at Mount Olympus. Winners were greatly honored by having olive wreaths(橄榄枝叶圈)placed on their heads and having poems sung about their deeds. Originally these were held as games of friendship, and any wars in progress were halted to allow the games to take place.

　　The Greeks attached so much importance to these games that they calculated time in four-year cycles called Olympiads dating from 776 BC.

　　1. Approximately how many years ago did these games originate

　　A) 776 years B) 2, 277 years

　　C) 1, 205 years D) 2, 766 years

　　2. Which of the following is not true

　　A) Winners placed olive wreaths on their own heads.

　　B) The games were held in Greece every four years.

　　C) Battles were interrupted to participate in the games.

　　D) Poems glorified the winners in song.

　　第一题问的是奥林匹克运动会的起源, 是个时间问题。在文中迅速查找, 发现一个日期：776 B.C.与选择项一一对比根据题目的要求, 做一个简单推算。得出答案D. 第二题略为复杂, 询问四个选择项中的各细节哪一个与原文不符。A中的主要内容与Winners有关, 迅速在文中查找与winners有关的句子, 文中说到：winners were greatly honored by having 01ive Wreaths placed on their heads..., 也就是说, 他人为获胜者戴上橄榄枝叶圈, 并不是获胜者自己为自己戴上, 由此可以断定A is not true.

　　例6：1991年6月的四级试题,第31题,) According to the passage the Jarvik-7 artificial heart proved to be_____

　　A) a technical failure

　　B) a technical wonder

　　C) a good life-saver

　　D) an effective means to treat heart disease

　　本题是一道考核学生辨认重要事实的题目,问的是本文论述的人造心脏Jarvik-7到底性能和效果如何 文章一开始就说人造心脏Javik-7是一大技术成就。但用的是过去时, 也就是说曾经被看成是一大技术成就。接着文章第又提到：...the U.S. Food and Drug Administration concluded that the machine was doing more to endanger lives than save them和Last week the agency cancelled its earlier approval, effectively banning the device。 另外, 根据对上下文的全面理解进行正确判断, 可以知道全文的意思是说人造心脏Javik-7其实是一大失败, 作者甚至对要不要生产人造心脏都提出了质疑。可见阅读时要仔细, 答题时尤其不能凭常识想当然地猜测。

　　练习

　　Stealing salt was considered a major crime during some eras of history. In the 18th century, for instance, if a person was caught stealing salt, he could be put in jail. History records that about ten thousand people were put in jail during that century for stealing salt. About 150 years before, in the year 1553, taking more salt than one mouth was entitled to be punished as a crime. The offenders ear was cut off.

　　Salt was an important item on the table of royalty. It was traditionally placed in front of the king when he sat down to eat. Important guests at the kings table were seated near the salt. Less important guests were given seats away from it.

　　1. In the 18th century if a person stole salt, he might be ______.

　　A) killed B) imprisoned C) fined D) caught

　　2. The salt item was placed in front of the king when he sat down to eat because ________.

　　A) the king liked to eat salt

　　B) the salt was considered precious

　　C) the king could entertain his guests with salt

　　D) it was the traditional custom in the palace

　　这两个段落的主题思想都是用具体例子来加以说明的, 根据所给例子的细节, 上述两个问题的答案都应为B。

　　在阅读理解中, 要求查找主要事实和特定细节的问题常有以下几种形式：

　　1. Which of the following statements is true

　　2. Which of the following is not mentioned in the text

　　3. All of the following are true except ...

　　4. The author states that ...

　　5. According to the passage, when (where, why, how, who, what, which, etc