在考博英语阅读中,我们能够很容易识别出词汇题这一题型,其提问方式通常为The word/phrase ______ in the passage is closest in meaning to…。 这类词汇题所考查的词汇通常以动词和形容词为主,其难度为大学英语六级以上难度的词汇,而且词汇题中并不涉及话题词汇的考查,都是一些在听说读写四项中都会高频用到的非专业性词汇。 通常情况下这类词汇题所考查的是某个具体单词的基本含义,但偶尔也会考查它们在特定的语境中相对生僻的含义,也就是所谓的熟词僻意。 对于这类考博英语词汇题的备考策略而言,考生在备考阶段应以背单词为主要突破口,同时辅以根据上下文的逻辑关系来猜测词义的方法。除此之外,在平时的阅读中还要关注并积累一些常见的熟词僻意,以更全面地了解单词的含义。下面就从这三个方面进行详细的分析。 一、针对词汇题有效地背单词 通常情况下英语词汇题所考查的是指定单词的基本含义,只要考生能够认识所考查的单词,就能轻而易举地得出正确答案。因此,对单词的记忆则是解答词汇题最重要的方法。那么,到底应该如何有效地背单词呢? 首先,考生应走出单词速记或速成的误区,最好选择一本释义得当并且带有例句的词汇书来记忆。在记单词的过程中考生还要注意“循环反复”的原则,即在第二天背单词之前,还要把前一天记过的单词再复习一遍。 在记忆过程中,重点关注动词和形容词的释义及用法,并穿插以词根词缀的方法来辅助记单词。例如在中南大学2019年阅读真题第四篇中出现恐龙(dinosaur),翼龙(pterosaur),霸王龙(tyrannosaur)这一组词,因此考生可以先认知-saur(蜥蜴)这个词根,然后将上面三个词放在一起进行记忆。同时,掌握一些常见词根词缀还可以帮助考生对一些单词有依据的进行猜测。
例题分析: The partial transfer of legislative powers from Westminster, implemented by Tony Blair, was designed to give the other members of the club-Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales-a bigger say and to counter centrifugal forces that seemed to threaten the very idea of the union.(gt;2017年同济大学考博英语真题Passage 2)
The word “centrifugal” in the second paragraph means ______.
二、根据上下文的逻辑关系猜测词义 除了集中强化地背单词之外,考生还应学会根据单词所在的上下文语境利用逻辑关系来推测单词的含义。在考试过程中,考生可以利用到的逻辑关系有并列关系,举例关系和转折关系。下面将依次举例进行说明。 1. 利用并列关系猜测词义 如果两个句子成分之间是并列的关系,则它们的感情色彩应该相近,所描述的内容性质也相近。常见的表示并列关系的信号词有:and, or, both…and, as well as, also, similarly, equally, likewise等。
例题分析: Joy and sadness are experienced by people in all cultures around the world, but how can we tell when other people are happy or despondent? It turns out that the expression of many emotions may be universal. Smiling is apparently a universal sign of friendliness and approval.(2018年北京师范大学考博英语真题passage 6)
The word despondent in the passage is closest in meaning to
curious
unhappy
thoughtful
uncertain
解析:由句子中的or可知,or前后的词happy和despondent为并列关系,happy意为“快乐” 对应句首的joy,and也表并列,因此可以推测despondent应当对应句首的sadness,curious意为“好奇的”,unhappy意为“不快乐的”,thoughtful意为“深思的;体贴的”,uncertain意为“不确定的”,因此可推测出答案为B选项。 2. 利用举例关系猜测词义 举例是对前面的观点进行论证和解释,因此例子与其论证对象的特质相一致。表示举例关系的信号词有for example/instance, such as, like, including等。
例题分析: People decide whether they will act aggressively or not on the basis of factors such as their experiences with aggression and their interpretation of other people’s motives. Supporting evidence comes from research showing that aggressive people often distort other people’s motives. For example, they assume that other people mean them harm when they do not.
The word “distort” in the passage is closest in meaning to
mistrust
misinterpret
criticize
resent
解析:后句中看到信号词for example, 则是举例子来论证前面的观点。后句意思为“他们认为别人想伤害自己,而事实并非如此”,可以看出是误解了别人的想法,那么前句的观点应当是“有攻击性的人经常误解别人的动机”,由此可以推测出distort为“误解,曲解”类似的含义,则选出正确答案B。 3. 利用转折/对比关系猜测词义 一个句子中出现了转折或对比关系时,则转折词前后的内容相反。表示转折关系的信号词有although, despite, in spite of, instead (of), while, on the contrary, conversely, rather than, however, but, whereas等。
例题分析: But when a new area is fueled by rain, the mammals migrate toward it in a set order to exploit it. The larger, less fastidious feeders, the zebras, move in first; the choosier, smaller wildebeests come later; and the smallest species of all, Thomson’s gazelle, arrives last.
The word fastidious in the passage is closest in meaning to
rapid
determined
flexible
demanding
解析:本句中虽然没有明确的出现表对比的信号词,但是考生很容易发现the larger, less fastidious feeders, the zebras, move in first; the choosier, smaller wildebeests come later; 前后两句形成对比关系,其中larger与smaller互为反义词,则可推测出less fastidious与choosier同样互为反义词,则进一步推出fastidious与choosier应为近义词,choosier为“挑剔的”意思,所以选出正确答案D。