一、关注首句，领会大意
通过首句可以明确文章话题，了解篇章结构，预测全文内容。尾句往往是作者的点睛之笔，通过尾句一般可以更加真实、确切地体会到作者的写作意图、对待事件的真实态度等核心内容。
例：
From my second grade on，there was one event I feared every year：the piano recital(独奏会)和尾句的With his first recital，my father taught me more about courage and determination than all the words he used those 30plus years ago.表明了文章的主旨：作者本来很反感弹钢琴，但是父亲的行为感动了自己。作者认为他的实际行动比30多年以前说的话更有感染力。
二、注重语境，理清行文逻辑
夹叙夹议文以叙述为主，绝大部分篇幅是在描述事件，而作者的观点及态度往往隐含在叙述中，这就要求考生增强语篇意识，抓住文章的叙事线索，弄清文章的内在逻辑关系，根据上下文内容做出选择，并适当进行逻辑推理是解题的关键。
三、找准标志词，弄清故事发展模式
夹叙夹议文通常使用对比、强调、让步、举例、结论、顺序和对照等手段。考生应注意观察文章的结构特点，根据表达这些手段的衔接词来正确理解故事情节。
常见标志词有：(1)并列关系：and，not only...but also，that is to say等；(2)因果关系：because，for，so that，in order that，due to，thanks to，thus，therefore，so等；(3)对比关系：while，whereas，as，rather than，instead of等；(4)转折关系：although，though，even if，nevertheless，despite，but，yet，however，on the contrary等；(5)递进关系：also，then，besides，in addition，furthermore，what’s more等；(6)顺序关系：first，then，on the one hand等；(7)转变话题：by the way，what I really mean...等。
One of the easiest things in the world is to become a faultfinder.However，life can be 36 when you are not busy finding fault with it. Several years ago I 37 a letter from seventeenyearold Kerry，who described herself as a worldclass faultfinder，almost always 38 by things.People were always doing things that annoyed her，and 39 was ever good enough.She was highly selfcritical and also found fault with her friends.She became a really 40 person.
【语篇解读】本文是一篇夹叙夹议文。Kerry本来是一个事事挑剔、苛刻的女孩，但通过她最好的朋友遭遇了车祸这件事，她变得对一切不再那么刻薄了。这篇文章旨在告诉我们：不要用一种挑剔的眼光去看世界，要心胸开阔一些。当我们养成这种习惯的时候，就能重拾生活中的热情，而且心中会充满爱。
36.A.lonely B.great C.quiet D.uneasy
句意：世界上最简单的事情之一就是成为一个吹毛求疵的人。然而，当你不是忙着找茬时，生活可能是________。由however表示的转折关系可知，本空应选great，表示＂生活可能是美好的＂。lonely孤独的，寂寞的；great伟大的，极好的；quiet安静的，寂静的；uneasy不安的，不确定的。
【答案】B
37.A.received B.answered C.expected D.rejected
由固定搭配可知，＂收到来信＂动词用receive，故答案为A项。前文没有提到Kerry给作者写信，所以不能选answered(回复)。
【答案】A
38.A.threatened B.interrupted C.bothered D.spoiled
由后句的People were always doing things that annoyed her可知，她经常因为人们做的事而感到＂烦恼＂。threaten威胁，恐吓；interrupt打断，插嘴；bother打扰，烦恼；spoil娇惯，宠坏。故本空应选bothered。
【答案】C
39.A.anything B.everything C.something D.nothing
由前句People were always doing things that annoyed her可知，Kerry对一切都觉得不满意，没有什么是足够好的。故选nothing。
【答案】D
40.A.caring B.boring C.interesting D.surprising
由前文可知，Kerry对一切都非常挑剔，她不但对自己苛刻，而且也找朋友的茬。由此可知Kerry是一个令人烦的人，故选boring。caring关心他人的；interesting有趣的；surprising令人惊奇的。
【答案】B
Unfortunately，it took a horrible accident to change her 41 .Her best friend was seriously hurt in a car crash.What made it almost 42 to deal with was that the day before the 43 ，Kerry had visited her friend and had spent the whole time criticizing her 44 of boyfriends，the way she was living，the way she related to her mother，and various other things she felt she needed to 45.It wasn't until her friend was badly hurt that Kerry became 46 her habit of finding fault.Very quickly，she learned to appreciate life rather than to 47 everything so harshly (刻薄).She was able to transfer her new wisdom to other parts of her 48 as well.
41.A.attitude B.plan C.measure D.explanation
根据后文中的It wasn't until her friend was badly hurt that Kerry became 46 her habit of finding fault.Very quickly，she learned to appreciate life rather than to 47
everything so harshly(刻薄).可知，在她最好的朋友经历了一次可怕的事故后，Kerry对事情的＂态度(attitude)＂发生了改变，故本空应选attitude。plan计划；measure措施；explanation解释。
42.A.urgent B.unnecessary C.certain D.impossible
既然这件事能让这么一个挑剔的姑娘改变对生活的态度，那么这件事一定不同寻常，也就是说她感到＂不可能＂发生，所以应选impossible。urgent急迫的，催促的；unnecessary不必要的，多余的；certain必然的，确定的。
【答案】D
43.A.occasion B.event C.accident D.adventure
根据前面提到的a horrible accident可知此处应选accident。
【答案】C
44.A.memory B.noticeC.evidence D.choice
根据语境并结合四个选项的含义可知，此处指对男朋友的＂选择(choice)＂。memory记忆；notice通知；evidence证据。
【答案】D
46.A.aware of B.afraid of C.curious about D.confused about
根据后文中的Very quickly，she learned to appreciate life可知Kerry对待生活的态度变了，之所以会有这种变化是因为她＂意识到(became aware of)＂了自己挑剔的习惯，所以选择A项。(be)afraid of害怕，担心；(be)curious about对……感到好奇；(be)confused about对……感到困惑。
【答案】A
47.A.discuss B.realize C.judge D.settle
由rather than(而不是)可知，后面表达的意思应该与appreciate life(欣赏生活)表达的意思相反。discuss讨论，商讨；realize意识到，实现；judge评判，断定；settle解决，安排。结合四个选项的含义可知，应是如此刻薄地＂评判(judge)＂每一件事，故选C项。
【答案】C
48.A.family B.life C.career D.education
由前文可知，Kerry对待生活其他方面的态度也发生了转变，故本空应选life(生活)。family家庭；career职业；education教育。
【答案】B
Perhaps most of us aren't as extreme at faultfinding，49 when we're honest，we can be sharply 50 of the world.I'm not suggesting you51 problems，or that you pretend things are 52 than they are，but simply that you learn to allow things to be as they are —53 most of the time，and especially when it's not a really big 54 . Train yourself to ＂bite your tongue＂，and with a little 55 ，you'll get really good at letting things go.And when you do，you'll get back your enthusiasm and love for life.