主旨大意题
(一)确定主题句，锁定主旨
(2015·北京·D)
Technological change is everywhere and affects every aspect of life，mostly for the better.However，social changes that are brought about by new technology are often mistaken for a change in attitudes.
An example at hand is the involvement of parents in the lives of their children who are attending college.Surveys(调查) on this topic suggest that parents today continue to be “very” or “somewhat” overlyprotective even after their children move into college dormitories.The same surveys also indicate that the rate of parental involvement is greater today than it was a generation ago.This is usually interpreted as a sign that today's parents are trying to manage their children's lives past the point where this behavior is appropriate.
However，greater parental involvement does not necessarily indicate that parents are failing to let go of their “adult” children.
In the context(背景)of this discussion，it seems valuable to first find out the cause of change in the case of parents' involvement with their grown children.If parents of earlier generations had wanted to be in touch with their collegeage children frequently，would this have been possible？Probably not.On the other hand，does the possibility of frequent communication today mean that the urge to do so wasn't present a generation ago？Many studies show that older parents—today's grandparents—would have called their children more often if the means and cost of doing so had not been a barrier.
Furthermore，studies show that finances are the most frequent subject of communication between parents and their college children.The fact that college students are financially dependent on their parents is nothing new；nor are requests for more money to be sent from home.This phenomenon is neither good nor bad；it is a fact of college life，today and in the past.
Thanks to the advanced technology，we live in an age of bettered communication.This has many implications well beyond the role that parents seem to play in the lives of their children who have left for college.But it is useful to bear in mind that all such changes come from the technology and not some imagined desire by parents to keep their children under their wings.
文章大意：科学的发展总是带来好的变化吗？其实不然。本文作者说明了与过去相比，现在的父母对孩子更加保护，这不只是因为父母的态度变化了，技术的发展也起到了推波助澜的作用。
1．The surveys inform us of________.
A．the development of technology
B．the changes of adult children's behavior
C．the parents' overprotection of their college children
D．the means and expenses of students' communication
答案：C 细节理解题。根据第二段第二句Surveys on this topic suggest that parents today continue to be “very” or “somewhat” overlyprotective even after their children move into college dormitories.可知，现在的父母对于已经上了大学的孩子过度保护，这也是文章主要讨论的问题。故选C项。
2．The writer believes that________.
A．parents today are more protective than those in the past
B．the disadvantages of new technology outweigh its advantages
C．technology explains greater parental involvement with their children
D．parents' changed attitudes lead to college children's delayed independence
答案：C 推理判断题。根据文章第四段内容可知，父母对孩子的过分保护与新技术的发展是有关的。故选C项。
3．What is the best title for the passage?
A．Technology or Attitude
B．Dependence or Independence
C．Family Influences or Social Changes
D．College Management or Communication Advancement
答案：A 主旨大意题。第一段是文章的中心段，点出文章的主题：导致人们行为变化的是科学的发展还是人们态度的改变。从第二段起，作者就从父母与孩子关系的今昔不同加以说明，结论是科技让一些父母对孩子过度呵护成为可能。故选A项。
(二)据篇章结构，归纳主旨
(2015·安徽·E)
Food serves as a form of communication in two fundamental ways.Sharing bread or other foods is a common human tradition that can promote unity and trust.Food can also have a specific meaning，and play a significant role in a family or culture's celebrations or traditions.The foods we eat—and when and how we eat them—are often unique to a particular culture or may even differ between rural (农村的) and urban areas within one country.
Sharing bread，whether during a special occasion (时刻) or at the family dinner table，is a common symbol of togetherness.Many cultures also celebrate birthdays and marriages with cakes that are cut and shared among the guests.Early forms of cake were simply a kind of bread，so this tradition has its roots in the custom of sharing bread.
Food also plays an important role in many New Year celebrations.In the southern United States，pieces of corn bread represent blocks of gold for prosperity (兴旺) in the New Year.In Greece，people share a special cake called vasilopita.A coin is put into the cake，which signifies (预示) success in the New Year for the person who receives it.
Many cultures have ceremonies to celebrate the birth of a child，and food can play a significant role.In China，when a baby is one month old，families name and welcome their child in a celebration that includes giving redcolored eggs to guests.In many cultures，round foods such as grapes，bread，and moon cakes are eaten at welcome celebrations to represent family unity.
Nutrition is necessary for life，so it is not surprising that food is such an important part of different cultures around the world.
文章大意：文章讲述了食物在不同文化中的作用。食物的意义主要体现在两个方面——增进团结和信任以及在传统佳节和重要仪式中扮演着重要角色。
4．According to the passage，sharing bread________.
A．indicates a lack of food
B．can help to develop unity
C．is a custom unique to rural areas
D．has its roots in birthday celebrations
答案：B 细节理解题。题干中的sharing bread是关键信息词。根据文章第一段第二句Sharing bread or other foods is a common human tradition that can promote unity and trust.可知，分享面包或其他食物是一个平常的传统，它能增进团结和信任。故选B项。
5．What does the coin in vasilopita signify for its receiver in the New Year?
A．Trust. B．Success.
C．Health. D．Togetherness.
答案：B 细节理解题。由题干中的关键信息词vasilopita定位到文章第三段的最后两句．..people share a special cake called vasilopita. A coin is put into the cake，which signifies success...可知，人们在新年收到有硬币的蛋糕预示着成功。故选B项。
6．The author explains the role of food in celebrations by ______.
A．using examples B．making comparisons
C．analyzing causes D．describing processes
答案：A 推理判断题。作者在文章的第三、四段中介绍食物的作用时，提到了美国南部、希腊、中国等不同地方的饮食文化，由此可知作者使用的是举例说明的写作手法。故选A项。
7．What is the passage mainly about?
A．The custom of sharing food.
B．The specific meaning of food.
C．The role of food in ceremonies.
D．The importance of food in culture.
答案：D 主旨大意题。文章按照总—分—总的结构展开，首段开篇明义——请客吃饭是一种交际形式，有两种基本的表现方式。中间部分分别阐述两种不同的作用，最后一段总结全文，再次阐释食物在不同文化中的重要性。故选D项。
(三)挖隐含信息，概括主旨
(2015·四川·E)
No one is sure how the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids near Cairo.But a new study suggests they used a little rock‘n’roll.Longago builders could have attached wooden poles to the stones and rolled them across the sand, the scientists say.
“Technically, I think what they're proposing is possible，” physicist Daniel Bonn said.
People have long puzzled over how the Egyptians moved such huge rocks.And there's no obvious answer.On average, each of the two million big stones weighed about as much as a large pickup truck.The Egyptians somehow moved the stone blocks to the pyramid site from about one kilometer away.
The most popular view is that Egyptian workers slid the blocks along smooth paths.Many scientists suspect workers first would have put the blocks on sleds(滑板)．Then they would have dragged them along paths.To make the work easier, workers may have lubricated_the_paths either with wet clay or with the fat from cattle.Bonn has now tested this idea by building small sleds and dragging heavy objects over sand.
Evidence from the sand supports this idea.Researchers found small amounts of fat, as well as a large amount of stone and the remains of paths.
However, physicist Joseph West thinks there might have been a simpler way，who led the new study.West said，“I was inspired while watching a television program showing how sleds might have helped with pyramid construction.I thought，‘Why don't they just try rolling the things? ’” A square could be turned into a rough sort of wheel by attaching wooden poles to its sides, he realized.That, he notes, should make a block of stone “a lot easier to roll than a square”．
So he tried it.
He and his students tied some poles to each of four sides of a 30kilogram stone block.That action turned the block into somewhat a wheel.Then they placed the block on the ground.
They wrapped one end of a rope around the block and pulled.The researchers found they could easily roll the block along different kinds of paths.They calculated that rolling the block required about as much force as moving it along a slippery(滑的)path.
West hasn't tested his idea on larger blocks，but he thinks rolling has clear advantages over sliding.At least，workers wouldn't have needed to carry cattle fat or water to smooth the paths.
文章大意：本文讲述的是对金字塔石块运输方式的研究。大多数研究人员认为古埃及人可能是把石块放在滑板上滑至目的地。现在还有人认为古埃及人还有可能是在巨石四周捆绑木棒，然后将石块滚至目的地。
8．It's widely believed that the stone blocks were moved to the pyramid site by ________.
A．rolling them on roads
B．pushing them over the sand
C．sliding them on smooth paths
D．dragging them on some poles
答案：C 细节理解题。根据第四段中的The most popular view is that Egyptian workers slid the blocks along smooth paths.可知选C项。
9．The underlined part “lubricated the paths” in Paragraph 4 means________.
A．made the paths wet B．made the paths hard
C．made the paths wide D．made the paths slippery
答案：D 词义猜测题。该段首句说了要在光滑的道路上操作，画线词后提到的湿沙和牛油都有润滑作用，故选D项(使道路光滑)。
10．What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 7 refer to?
A．Rolling the blocks with poles attached.
B．Rolling the blocks on wooden wheels.
C．Rolling poles to move the blocks.
D．Rolling the blocks with fat.
答案：A 词义猜测题。上段提出了一种新的想法，这里是说这个物理学家尝试了这个想法。根据下文的He and his students tied some poles to each of four sides of a 30kilogram stone block.可知画线词it指的是滚动附加了木棒的石块，故选A项。
11．Why is rolling better than sliding according to West?
A．Because more force is needed for sliding.
B．Because rolling work can be done by fewer cattle.
C．Because sliding on smooth roads is more dangerous.
D．Because less preparation on paths is needed for rolling.
答案：D 细节理解题。根据文章最后一句At least，workers wouldn't have needed to carry cattle fat or water to smooth the paths.可知利用木棒将巨石滚至目的地的方法可以省去工人们的准备工作。故选D项。
12．What is the text mainly about?
A．An experiment on ways of moving blocks to the pyramid site.
B．An application of the method of moving blocks to the pyramid site.
C．An argument about different methods of moving blocks to the pyramid site.
D．An introduction to a possible new way of moving blocks to the pyramid site.
答案：D 主旨大意题。根据文章第一段可知文章提出了一种新的可能搬运金字塔石块方法。故选D项。
(四)由文章内容，挖掘主旨
(2015·重庆·A)
At thirteen，I was diagnosed (诊断) with a kind of attention disorder.It made school difficult for me.When everyone else in the class was focusing on tasks，I could not.
In my first literature class，Mrs.Smith asked us to read a story and then write on it，all within 45 minutes.I raised my hand right away and said，“Mrs.Smith，you see，the doctor said I have attention problems.I might not be able to do it.”
She glanced down at me through her glasses，“You are no different from your classmates，young man.”
I tried，but I didn't finish the reading when the bell rang.I had to take it home.
In the quietness of my bedroom，the story suddenly all became clear to me.It was about a blind person，Louis Braille.He lived in a time when the blind couldn't get much education.But Louis didn't give up.Instead，he invented a reading system of raised dots (点)，which opened up a whole new world of knowledge to the blind.
Wasn't I the
“blind” in my class，being made to learn like the “sighted”students？My thoughts spilled out
and my pen started to dance.I completed the task within 40 minutes.Indeed，I was no different from others；I just needed a quieter place.If Louis could find his way out of his problems，why should I ever give up?
I didn't expect anything when I handed in my paper to Mrs.Smith，so it was quite a surprise when it came back to me the next day—with an “A” on it.At the bottom of the paper were these words：“See what you can do when you keep trying？”
文章大意：本文讲述了作者上学时的个人经历。作者有注意力不集中的问题，但在老师的鼓励下，受到盲人故事的激励，作者最终克服了自己的问题。由此告诉我们一个人可以通过努力克服自己的缺陷。
13．The author didn't finish the reading in class because ______.
A．he was new to the class
B．he was tired of literature
C．he had an attention disorder
D．he wanted to take the task home
答案：C 细节理解题。此题为直接信息题，带着题干回到原文搜寻信息，定位第一段At thirteen，I was diagnosed (诊断) with a kind of attention disorder.It made school difficult for me.When everyone else in the class was focusing on tasks，I could not.可知作者不能完成老师布置的任务是因为患有一种注意力障碍症。C项中had an attention disorder与文中信息一致，故选C项。
14．What do we know about Louis Braille from the passage?
A．He had good sight.
B．He made a great invention.
C．He gave up reading.
D．He learned a lot from school.
答案：B 细节理解题。根据文章第五段最后两句But Louis didn't give up.Instead，he invented a reading system of raised dots, which opened up a whole new world of knowledge to the blind.可知他发明了一个阅读系统，给盲人打开了一个全新的知识的世界。故选B项。
15．What was Mrs.Smith's attitude to the author at the end of the story?
A．Angry. B．Impatient.
C．Sympathetic. D．Encouraging.
答案：D 推理判断题。此题考查对观点态度的推理。史密斯老师给作者打了“A”，并且写了批语。See what you can do when you keep trying？形式上为问句，实则是对作者鼓励的话语，她是在鼓励作者只要不懈努力就一定能战胜困难取得成功。因此选择D项。
16．What is the main idea of the passage?
A．The disabled should be treated with respect.
B．A teacher can open up a new world to students.
C．One can find his way out of difficulties with efforts.
D．Everyone needs a hand when faced with challenges.
答案：C 主旨大意题。本文主要讲述作者是一个有注意力障碍症的学生，在老师的激励下，克服困难的故事。说明只要不懈努力就一定能战胜困难取得成功。文章强调的是不懈努力的重要性而不是对残疾人的尊重、老师对学生的作用或困难中的帮助，故选C项。