新GRE阅读：从情境模拟到技能考核

　　通过对旧有GRE考题和两次改革后的样题比较，我们可以很清楚的发现，GRE阅读的文字内容，复杂程度有所降低。而逻辑复杂程度持续增加。这反映了ETS对于影响研究生阶段学术成功的基本能力的更为深入的把握。实际上现行GRE考试阅读文章难度，略高于北美研究生所需阅读文章难度，采用这种形式的文章，主要目的是模拟较高难度下研究生阅读的情景，以期能够测出学生的潜力，这个思路有点类似于我们常说的压力面试。而ETS在多年的跟踪研究后，也意识到，恰当准确把握文章内部的复杂逻辑的能力，同研究生阶段的成绩关系更大些。加之旧有的`文章形式命题难度大，劳民伤财，所以ETS开始推出新的GRE阅读考试。

　　下面，我们以一篇样题为例看一下ETS是如何考察文章内部的复杂逻辑：

　　Policymakers must confront the dilemma that fossil fuels continue to be an indispensable source of energy even though burning them produces atmospheric accumulations of carbon dioxide that increase the likelihood of potentially disastrous global climate change. Currently, technology that would capture carbon dioxide emitted by power plants and sequester it harmlessly underground or undersea instead of releasing it into the atmosphere might double the cost of generating electricity. But because sequestration does not affect the cost of electricity transmission and distribution, delivered prices will rise less, by no more than 50 percent. Research into better technologies for capturing carbon dioxide will undoubtedly lead to lowered costs.

　　1. The passage implies which of the following about the current cost of generating electricity?

　　It is higher than it would be if better technologies for capturing carbon dioxide were available.

　　It is somewhat less than the cost of electricity transmission and distribution.

　　It constitutes at most half of the delivered price of electricity.

　　It is dwelt on by policymakers to the exclusion of other costs associated with electricity delivery.

　　It is not fully recovered by the prices charged directly to electricity consumers.

　　对黑色部分文字的逻辑进行提炼我们发现，得出这样一个逻辑推理链条。

　　环保技术增加一倍发电成本。环保技术不改变传输成本。最终价格增加不超过50%。

　　最终价格=发电成本+传输成本使用环保技术后，发电成本增加了原来的一倍，但是最终价格增长不超过50%，可以得出结论，发电成本，最多占最终价格的50%。

　　以上GRE阅读同传统GRE考试文章比起来，语言难度不大。难度来自于逻辑复杂，尤其是在有较大的时间压力的情况下，能够快速清晰的得出结论，并不容易。考生们应加强训练。