歷年考研英語試題命題特點及規(guī)律(知識運用部分)

　　(三)語篇分析

　　語篇分析能力是英語知識運用測試的另一個考查重點。在英語知識運用試題中主要考查考生能否理清文章的語意結(jié)構(gòu)和語意邏輯關(guān)系。

　　語篇就是通過一定的銜接手段將一些意義相關(guān)的句子按照邏輯組織在一起的語意整體。由詞組句，由句成篇。在這一過程中，詞語的使用和邏輯關(guān)系起了重要作用。我們把它們分別稱為“詞匯紐帶”和“邏輯紐帶”。如果我們能夠迅速、準(zhǔn)確地找出文章的“詞匯紐帶”和“邏輯紐帶”，也就能夠準(zhǔn)確地理解文章大意，把握作者思路。

　　1�� 詞匯紐帶

　　詞匯紐帶主要指在一個語篇當(dāng)中同義詞、反義詞的使用和關(guān)鍵詞的重復(fù)。因為當(dāng)作者圍繞一個話題論述時，表達的意義都是相關(guān)的，所以不可避免地要使用同義詞、反義詞和重復(fù)關(guān)鍵詞以保持文章的線索。知道了語篇的這一特點，我們在做英語知識運用試題時，恰當(dāng)?shù)剡\用這一技巧將有助于迅速找出文章主題，并為解題提供了寶貴線索。

　　我們以2001年全國研究生入學(xué)考試英語試卷中的短文為例，列出該文各段的主題詞，以便于考生掌握利用詞匯紐帶找出文章主題的技巧。

　　government，ban，payments to witnesses，newspapers，buy up，people involved in，cases;

　　legal controls over the press，bill，payments to witnesses，control the amount;

　　self regulation，sufficient control;

　　media，privacy controls，legislation，judges;

　　the Human Rights Bill，privacy，public figures，protect;

　　Press freedoms, judges;

　　Witness payments，witnesses，received payments，telling stories to newspapers，exaggerate their stories, guilty verdicts。

　　根據(jù)以上詞語，文章的主題一目了然：政府對媒體炒作干擾司法公正進行立法限制。同時,文章的結(jié)構(gòu)也很清楚了。

　　下面我們結(jié)合兩個例題分析這類試題的答題思路。

　　Example 1

　　Manpower Inc, with 560 000 workers, is the world’s largest temporary employment agency. Every morning, its people ’s work for a day’s pay. (1997年第41題)into the offices and factories of America, seeking a day

　　[A]swarm [B]stride [C]separate [D]slip

　　此題的答案是A。提供線索的關(guān)鍵詞是with 560 000 workers和 largest。第二句又提到了這些臨時工人到各個公司和工廠上班的情況�？梢韵胂�56萬工人每天早晨上班的情形——人們涌入各個公司和工廠。Swarm一詞正好描述了這樣一個場面。其他的詞都不準(zhǔn)確。

　　Example 2

　　At the beginning of the century, medical scientists made a surprising discovery: that we are

　　1 not just of flesh and blood but also of time. They were able to 2 that we all have an internal “body clock” which 3 the rise and fall of our body energies, making us different from one day to the 4 . These forces became known as biorhythms; they create the 5 in our everyday life.

　　1��*[A]built [B]shaped [C]molded [D]grown

　　2��*[A]demonstrate [B]illustrate [C]present [D]propose

　　3�� [A]designates [B]fluctuates [C]calculates *[D]regulates

　　4�� [A]second [B]latter *[C]other [D]next

　　5�� [A]“ups” and “downs” [B]“goods” and “bads”

　　[C]“pros” and “cons” [D]“highs” and “l(fā)ows”

　　在解答第5題時，考生應(yīng)注意上下文的提示，特別是同義表述。這一段的主要內(nèi)容是人體生物鐘(body clock)的發(fā)現(xiàn)，及生物鐘對人體的影響。如果我們注意到上文中的the rise and fall of our body energies，就可得知生物鐘影響人體的能量節(jié)律的起落。這樣第5題空格處應(yīng)選一個與“起落”有關(guān)的詞。而A選項通常用于描述人生的沉浮。正確答案D選項恰當(dāng)?shù)孛枋隽诉@一高低變化。the rise and fall of our body energies和“highs” and “l(fā)ows” in our everyday life正好是一對同義表述。

　　2�� 邏輯紐帶

　　邏輯紐帶包括表示轉(zhuǎn)折、引申、列舉、因果、對比等邏輯關(guān)系的過渡詞，通常是連詞、連接性副詞和詞組。英語知識運用部分很注重考查考生的語篇意識，因此正確運用表示邏輯關(guān)系的過渡詞是歷年來的一個重要的考查內(nèi)容。下面列舉出常見的邏輯關(guān)系過渡詞：

　　轉(zhuǎn)折however(2002年第29題、1998年第47題、2007年第9題、2008年第14題), yet, but, anyhow, anyway, nevertheless, while(2005年第1題), whereas (1997年第48題,2005年第9題)，instead, instead of( 2000年第41題);

　　遞進besides, further, moreover, most important, in addition, furthermore, too, also(2005年第16題), and then, again, indeed(2006年第1題);

　　條件、讓步if, only if(2000年第42題),in spite of, despite, though, although(2002年第31題,2006年第7題), even so, even though (1997年第44題), rather, after all, regardless, while(2006年第14題);

　　原因、 結(jié)果because(2004年第22題,2003年第24題), since, as (1997年第42題), for, due to, so, therefore, thus, hence, in that , accordingly, consequently, as a result, as a consequence, so that (2003年第35題), to this end;

　　比較、對比likewise, at the same time, in the same way, in comparison, in contrast, like, as, just as, conversely, on the contrary (2003年第38題)，while(2007年第12題);

　　列舉、舉例first, second, in the first place, in the second place, next, another, finally, still, namely, that is, for instance(2009年第14題), for example(2003年第28題), as an example, specifically, in particular;

　　時間關(guān)系before(2001年第36題),after, until, till，meanwhile，subsequently。

　　強調(diào)certainly, indeed, above all(2009年第18題)，surely, most important, in fact, no doubt, truly, obviously

　　以上這些連詞、連接性副詞和詞組能夠顯示出作者的思路及文章意義重心的變換。因此，掌握邏輯過渡詞，是把握作者思維脈絡(luò)和篇章結(jié)構(gòu)的重要手段。

　　下面我們舉一個例子簡單地說明一下。

　　Example 3

　　It can, of course, be argued that though the vast majority of people contribute to the funds of social security equally, working-class persons are more likely to receive social security benefits than upper-class persons. This is true for those benefits which can be classed as being for forms of diswelfare, to use Titmusss term, i.e. a form of monetary compensation for the hardship they suffer through the operation of the social and economic system-benefits for industrial disability, unemployment and illness as well as supplementary benefits. It is not, 1 , true of retirement pensions and they after all account for at least half the expenditure of social security widely defined. Since retirement pensions are paid to all who have paid the necessary number of contributions they involve a negative form of vertical redistribution of income—from the poor to the rich— 2 retired persons of higher income groups live longer than those of lower income groups.

　　1. [A] furthermore [B] therefore [C] however [D] otherwise

　　2. [A] though [B] if [C] because [D] while

　　第1題是一個比較典型的邏輯關(guān)系題�？忌�只有把握上文和下文的內(nèi)容，弄清上下文之間的語義關(guān)系，才能選出正確答案。這段選文主要是講社會保障金在不同收入人群中的分配所引起的爭議——低收入人群比高收入人群更有可能得到社會保障金。第2句This is true for those benefits which...和第3句It is not, 1 , true of...分別陳述了兩種情況。而第3句在內(nèi)容上與第2句構(gòu)成了一種轉(zhuǎn)折的語義關(guān)系。所以此題選C. however。而furthermore表示遞進，therefore表示因果，otherwise表示補充，這三個選項顯然都不合適。

　　我們再來看第2題。此題也需要對上下文有一個總體的把握才能做對。前面一句是說退休金發(fā)給所有已經(jīng)繳納一定款額的人，這樣收入低的人們就陷入了一種消極的收入垂直再分配——從低收入人群流向高收入人群。我們再看空格后的一句，高收入的退休者比低收入的退休者活得長。很顯然，后一句是前一句的原因，它們之間是因果關(guān)系。所以C. because為正確選項。

　　3�� 段落主題句的作用

　　在解題時可以利用短文第一句和最后一句把握文章主題，找出答題線索。通過對近十年英語知識運用短文首尾兩句話的分析與總結(jié)發(fā)現(xiàn)，雖然只是短短的兩句，卻包含著非常豐富的信息。

　　文章開頭一句(有時是主題句，有時不是主題句)往往會或多或少地包含以下信息：

　　what→涉及的事件/事物及其狀況或特征

　　where→地點

　　when→時間

　　who→相關(guān)的人物

　　why→相關(guān)原因

　　how→有關(guān)的論點

　　下面是1999年～2008年研究生入學(xué)考試英語試卷中使用過的短文的首句，我們把其中分別包含的信息整理如下：

　　Research on animal intelligence always makes me wonder just how smart humans are.(2009年 what，how)

　　The idea that some groups of people may be more intelligent than others is one of those hypotheses that dare not speak its name. (2008年 what，how);

　　By 1830 the former Spanish and Portuguese colonies had become independent nations.(2007年 when,who, how);

　　The homeless make up a growing percentage of America’s population.(2006年who ,how);

　　The human nose is an underrated tool.(2005年what,how);

　　Many theories concerning the causes of juvenile delinguency(crimes committed by young people)focus either on the individual or on society as the major contributing influence. (2004年what,how);

　　Teachers need to be aware of the emotional, intellectual, and physical changes that young adults experience. (2003年who，how);

　　Comparisons were drawn between the development of television in the 20th century and the diffusion of printing in the 15th and 16th centuries. (2002年what， how， when);

　　The government is to ban payments to witnesses by newspapers seeking to buy up people involved in prominent cases 1 the trial of Rosemary West. (2001年who，what，how);

　　If a farmer wishes to succeed, he must try to keep a wide gap between his consumption and his production. (2000年who，why，how);

　　Industrial safety does not just happen. (1999年what，how);

　　從第一句話，我們就能知道這篇短文大概要談?wù)摰膬?nèi)容。

　　我們再來看看這十篇短文末尾一句的特點。作為全文最后一句，作者通常會把自己的觀點加以總結(jié)或強化，構(gòu)成首尾呼應(yīng)。這樣一來，文章保持了一致和連貫，同時也為解題提供了依據(jù)。

　　尾句通常包含以下信息：

　　conclusion→結(jié)論

　　suggestion→建議或提示

　　summary→對全文的概括或總結(jié)

　　result→事件發(fā)展的結(jié)果

　　influence→事情的影響或后果

　　下面是歷年研究生入學(xué)考試英語試卷中使用過的短文的最后一句：

　　_20 the results are inconclusive.(2009年influence)

　　His argument is that the unusual history of these people has 19 (2008年 condusion) them to unique evolutionary pressures that have resulted in this 20 state of affairs.

　　Egalitarian sentiments were often tempered by fears that the mass of the population was 20 self-rule and democracy.(2007年 condusion)

　　As Edward Blotkowsk... puts it, “There has to be 20 of programs. What we need is a package deal.”(2006年conclusion)

　　The brain finds it best to keep smell receptors 19 for unfamiliar and emergency signals 20 年 conclusion)the smell of smoke,which might indicate the danger of fire.(2005

　　All these conditions tend to increase the probability of a child committing a criminal act, 20 a direct causal relationship has not yet been established. (2004年 conclusion,summary)

　　38 they can help students acquire a sense of commitment by 39 (2003年 suggestion) for roles that are within their 40 and their attention spans and by having clearly stated rules.

　　And generalizations have proved difficult. (2002年conclusion )

　　Concerns were raised 19 (2001年 result) witnesses might be encouraged to exaggerate their stories in court to 20 guilty verdicts.

　　Naturally he will try to borrow money at a low 9 (2000年result，suggestion) of interest, but loans of this kind are not 10 obtainable.

　　This may mean the difference between operating at 10 (1999年 influence，suggestion) or at a loss.

　　由此可見，抓住首尾兩句是對文章從語篇層面進行總體把握的關(guān)鍵。

　　綜上所述，考生在做英語知識運用題時應(yīng)有一個整體意識，對全文內(nèi)容進行總體把握。英語知識運用是對運用英語的能力進行綜合考查，其對語法知識、詞匯運用和語篇能力的考查是交織在一起的。我們遇到一道考題，有時不能簡單地說，它是考語法或是考詞匯的，往往需要我們運用語法和詞匯兩方面的知識才能夠解答。因此，做好英語知識運用題是建立在能夠熟練運用、融會貫通語法、詞匯和語篇知識的基礎(chǔ)之上的。