朗阁海外考试研究中心 吴艳

 

    对于SAT阅读部分的考试，题型的难易是有差别的。在SAT的众多题型中，比较容易把握住的题型是词汇word meaning、写作基调tone、作者态度attitude、作者评论comment这几类。在本篇讲解中，我们先来看这样几类题型，帮助大家把容易拿到分数的题型先熟悉并且解决，这样，就可以在阅读考试中增加正确率，也可以提高做题的速度。

 

    一、词汇题Word meaning

 

    对于此类题目，我们需要把选项中的词汇带回原文，选择适合原文语境的选项，也就是说，同义词的选项不一定是绝对正确的选项。值得注意的是，在寻找原文的语境时，不可只看题干词汇所在的那一句或是半句，而是要结合上下文，至少是题干词汇所在位置前后的2-3句话。

 

    我们来看下面的例子：

 

    In line 43, “fair” most nearly means

 

    A. right

 

    B. attractive

 

    C. impartial

 

    D. adequate

 

    E. moderate

 

    原文：Finally, I felt the sullen rage of one whose suggestions have been systematically rejected and I exploded. “Why don’t you stop? It’s not fair to look at people and then not stop!”

 

    在这个例子中，我们可以发现，文章要表现对于“父亲”不停车的事实表示愤怒，所以划线部分应该选择“合理”、“正确”之意，贴近于题干同义词的选项是A和C, 我们把每个选项带回原文中，发现A项是正确的。

 

    再来看下面的例子：

 

    In line 74, “homely” most nearly means

 

    A. simple

 

    B. ugly

 

    C. domestic

 

    D. secure

 

    E. comfortable

 

    原文：She encouraged me to listen carefully to what country people called mother wit. That in those homely sayings was couched the collective wisdom of generations.

 

    在这个例子中，我们可以找到homely所在句子的前后有对比的含义，也就是说“在homely的语录中蕴含着几代人的智慧”。因此，我们要找的含义为“简单”、“单调”等等，与homely同义的选项有A和B项，正确的答案为A。

 

    还有一个明显偏离同义选项的例子：

 

    In context, the word “visited” (line 35) most nearly means

 

    A. called on

 

    B. shared an experience with

 

    C. resided temporarily with

 

    D. haunted

 

    E. afflicted

 

    原文：This was a hard thing to bear, but this was nothing. I had not advanced another two hundred yards, when, to my inexpressible terror, amazement, and indignation, I again beheld Trabb’s boy approaching. He was coming round a narrow corner. His blue bag was slung over his shoulder, honest industry beamed in his eyes, a determination to proceed to Trabb’s with cheerful briskness was indicated in his gait. With a shock he became aware of me, and was severely visited as before; but this time his motion was rotatory, and he staggered round and round me with knees more afflicted, and ...

 

    在这个例子中，visited的同义选项为A项，但是根据原文的意思，不应该选择“被拜访的”含义，根据本句及上文的内容，*排除法可以判断出，选择的是E项。

 

    二、写作基调tone

 

    对于写作基调的题目，我们可以概括地讲，比例略大一些的题目是选择比较消极的基调，比如讽刺、后悔、难过等等，其他的题目涉及的基调则种类比较多样，比如坚定、欣赏、分析、乐观等等。这种题的做题方法是在原文中寻找带有明显感情色彩的词汇或句子，或者看原文的句式及标志性的词汇，根据这些提示性的内容判断文章的基调。我们来看下面的例子：

 

    Overall, the narrator’s tone in the passage is best described as

 

    A. celebratory

 

    B. reverent

 

    C. confident

 

    D. condescending

 

    E. regretful

 

    原文：

 

    I had sold out.

 

    I hadn’t played square with my myth.

 

    I had betrayed that order.

 

    It was no good soothing myself with...

 

    在上面的句子中，*sold out/ hadn’t played square/betrayed/no good soothing首先可以判断出，选择消极的基调，然后根据含义，选择E项。

 

    再来看下面的例子：

 

    The tone of the opening sentence of each passage is best described as

 

    A. pensive

 

    B. ironic

 

    C. hyperbolic

 

    D. assured

 

    E. reverent

 

    原文：

 

    Variable work schedules are an inexpensive way for employers to offer their workers greater flexibility.

 

    Fusion of home and work will bring an end to weekends.

 

    在原文的两个句子中，我们可以分析出，句子为陈述句，而且为下定义的语气，因此答案选择D项。

 

    第三个例子：

 

    The author’s tone in the final paragraph is best described as

 

    A. impatient

 

    B. anxious

 

    C. apologetic

 

    D. optimistic

 

    E. emotional

 

    原文：Perhaps my brown rice needs packaging, a frame that links the natural food community with a Japanese American sensibility. I imagine a type of brown rice sushi, with the rice encased within nori seaweed, a literal and symbolic wrapping within Japanese tradition. Brown rice then would no longer substitute for white rice on a dinner plate but rather be a creative, alternative form of making and serving food.

 

    划线的部分出现了比较多的积极、预测的含义，因此，根据原文含义，我们可以选择D项。