GRE阅读一向被中国的GRE考生视为畏途。这一现象完全在情理之中。GRE阅读文章涉及的词汇量大,包含较多的专业词汇。句子长而复杂,找出全句的主干耗时费力。加上陌生的概念与背景知识,令GRE学习者谈阅读而色变。所幸考试中无须将文章完全理解也能做对大部分题,甚至是所有的题,因为文章后的很多问题涉及文章的主题、结构、套路与作者态度等需要从宏观上把握的题,真正繁难的细节题并不多。从宏观上把握文章,抓住文章的“主体结构”是关键。 GRE阅读文章的常见“主体结构”有三种:
$ Z3 q2 i3 d" z3 L0 ] 1. 结论-解释型(也叫论点-解释型)
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2. 新老观点对比型2 Z5 c2 B9 l e: w
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3. 现象解释型(包含问题-解决方案型)
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首先是“结论-解释型”文章。这类文章在开始有一个判断句,一般是文章的结论,也是文章的主题。这个判断句的谓语部分通常包含系动词(is, remain, prove, turn out, appear等)或情态动词(can, may, should, must等),而且含有表示态度的词汇(如形容词等)。例如,# I! J. o, O! j/ z1 `! D& ]
3 Z& M/ P: [" w& \" G2 _ l Because of its accuracy in outlining the Earth's subsurface, the seismic-reflection method remains the most important tool in the search for petroleum reserves. In field practice, a subsurface is mapped by arranging a series of wave-train sources, such as small dynamite explosions, in a grid pattern…: e; ^! s& S" W) r
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文章首句指出:“由于‘地震反射法’(sr)在勾划地球的地下层面这方面的准确性,该方法一直是探寻石油储备的最重要的工具。”这是一个判断句,为结论。其中remains为系动词,而most important为态度词,表示作者对“地震反射法”持非常正面的评价。后文应解释“地震反射法”的具体过程。 第二句话对解释进行总的说明:“在实地作业中,通过将一系列波列源,诸如小规模炸药爆炸,排列成一个网格模式,从而将地下层面标绘出来。”接下来是“地震反射法”的详细过程。
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GRE阅读文章的第二种常见结构是“新老观点对比型”。 这类文章在开始提出老观点,然后提出新观点并进行论述。通常新观点是文章的主题。老观点出现的标志词有:" C5 \9 F! j' e, Q6 c2 c/ }3 _: d6 i f
6 ~4 e, D3 m) s8 O* D 1. 传统观点: has been, traditionally, until recently等
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2. 大众观点:frequently, widely, many等! v! _9 G5 @8 i" m
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新观点出现的标志词有:however, recently, now等。
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1 D$ Y& O& y! T- M2 n, b1 J 例如,
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Traditionally, pollination by wind has been viewed as a reproductive process marked by random events in which the vagaries of the wind are compensated for by the generation of vast quantities of pollen, so that the ultimate production of new seeds is assured at the expense of producing much more pollen than is actually used.
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) ?" `6 a" k% I' ^/ W' `3 ^ However, a number of features that are characteristic of wind-pollinated plants reduce pollen waste…+ R8 P( ^7 _# l+ N
! K0 J, x6 F/ x; F 文章首句指出:“传统上,风媒授粉过程一直被视为是一个以随机事件为标志的繁殖过程,其中风的不确定性通过产生大量花粉而得以补偿,因此,新种子的最终繁殖得以保证,而此举的代价是所需产生的花粉要远远超过实际的使用量。”由第一个词traditionally可知文章首句为老观点(由于风的不确定性,风媒植物要产生大量花粉补偿),那么本文的结构是“新老观点对比型”。% q0 |* l% o/ T# S
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第二段首句出现了GRE阅读中的标志性转折词however,说明这句话就是新观点:“但是,风媒植物所独有的一系列特征可减少花粉浪费。”这说明风媒植物除了可以产生大量花粉加以补偿的消极策略之外,还可以通过一些积极机制减少花粉损失,不一定需要产生大量花粉。
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& ] d6 Z7 t# N" s GRE阅读文章的第三种常见结构是“现象解释型”。文章开始提出一个现象,然后解释现象。解释是主题。有多个解释时,作者一般对前面的解释持负面评价,对最后的解释持正面评价。提出现象时的标志词有:phenomenon, fact; problem, difficulty, puzzle, question等。例如," M8 C8 z8 A: C" X& N: Z
3 c4 j& V0 d. }9 ?3 f/ W& c What causes a helix in nature to appear with either a dextral ("right-handed,"or clockwise) twist or a sinistral ("left-handed," or counterclockwise') twist is one of the most intriguing puzzles in the science of form…What mechanisms, control handedness and keep left-handedness rare?& L: P6 z7 `* a, I- j6 p3 C& B) J
& N6 Y. y! Z- T$ |6 v" p1 d It would seem unlikely that evolution should discriminate against sinistral snails if sinistral and dextral snails are exact mirror images, for any disadvantage that a sinistral twist in itself could confer on its possessor is almost inconceivable. But left- and right-handed snails are not actually true mirror images of one another…3 K4 v z# _3 B1 e' }
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But this evolutionary mechanism combining dissymmetry, anatomy, and chance does not provide an adequate explanation of why right-handedness should have become predominant…! E4 \& g; y% }: d! W
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Here, the evolutionary theory must defer to a theory based on an explicit developmental mechanism that can favor either right- or left-handedness…Thus, the path to a solution to the puzzle of handedness in all snails appears to be as twisted as the helix itself。
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是什么样的原因致使自然界中的螺旋体呈现出右旋(“右向旋转的”,或顺时针的)或左旋(“左向旋转的,”或反时针的)?这是形态科学中一个最引人入胜的不解之谜....。。究竟是一些什么样的机制控制着旋转方向,并使左旋的比例为数稀少呢? |