中级口译阅读主题.doc

如有侵权，请联系网站删除，仅供学习与交流中级口译阅读主题【精品文档】第 6 页中级口译阅读复习要点 来源： 作者： 发布时间：2007-03-09 三个月讲一口流利英语，100%保证！ 1.全面掌握基本语法点，重点记住各个项目中的“偏，特，难”点；2.掌握常用习惯用法和词组；3.注意在阅读中培养语感，因为在语篇层次上培养的语感往往可以直接帮助答题；4.研究以往考试试题，适当做些练习记住典型题例；5.练习时应快速阅读文章本体，速度大约为200 字/分钟。重点是掌握文章大意及每一段大概，仔细阅读第一段和每一段的首句；6.做题的关键是每一题必须能从原文中找到出处，也就是能够证明这道题正确答案的部分，千万不要凭印象。 在阅读过程中，抓文章的主题思想，是对文中具体内容理解的关键。 主题思想（the Main Idea）是作者在文章中要表达的核心内容，也是作者自始至终要说明的问题。能否抓住一篇文章的主题思想，体现了读者总结、概括和归纳事物的能力。可以说，找出主题思想是一项十分重要的阅读技能。一、抓主题思想，我们首先要学会识别文章中那些最根本、最具有概括力的信息。这种 信息应能归纳和概括文中其他信息所具有的共性。例一：Directions：Choose the most general sentence.A.The hotel offers complimentary coffee from 7to 10a.m.daily.B.There are many reasons why guests feel at home at the Glorietta Bay Inn.C.The coin-operated laundry room has an ironing board.D.There are a number of extra services at the Glorietta Bay Inn including baby-sitting.A、C、D 都是从不同的侧面说明旅馆的服务情况，相互间并无联系。而B 却概括了A、C、D 的共性的东西，即：为什么旅客住在这家旅馆里有宾至如归的感觉。因此，B 符合题意，倘若在一段文章中包含了以上A、B、C、D 几条信息，那么，B 就是该段的中心思想。 出于同样的道理，如果在一篇文章中，作者分段叙述几方面的内容，那么，这些段落所围绕和要说明的问题就是该文的中心思想。例二：Directions：Choose the main idea of the article.（Following are the topic sentences of anarticle.）1）A mounting body of evidence suggests that fighting violence with violence rarely deters acrime in progress and greatly increases the chances of changing a robbery into a violent attack on the victim.2）One report shows that at least 100 thousand handguns are stolen from private owners eachyear，the vast majority during burglaries.3）Moreover，a study of robberies in eight American cities states that in less than 4 percent of the crimes did the victim have the opportunity to use a weapon.Which of the following best reflects the main idea of the article？A. What happens to the victims of crime？B. Is your family safe？C. Should you arm yourself against crime？ 第一段和第三段提到了victims（受害者），第二段提到了入室行窃，但是第三段说明的共同问题是人们是否应拥有自卫武器来反对犯罪行为。因此只有选项C 才能概括这三段所共同说明的问题，也就是此文的中心思想。二、主题思想应能恰如其分地概括文中所阐述的内容。 面不能太窄，即：不足以概括全部内容；但是面也不能太宽，即：包含了文中没有阐述的内容。例三：There is a simple economic principle used to determine prices. It is called the law of supply and demand. Supply means the amount of，or access to，certain goods. Demand represents the number of people who want those goods. If there are more goods than wanted，the price of them falls. On the other hand，if the demand for those goods is much greater than the supply， then the price rises. Of course，manufacturers prefer to sell more goods at increased price.A. Economic Principles B. Law of Supply and DemandC.M ore Goods，Lower Prices D. Fewer Goods，Higher Prices 该问题，A 泛指经济规律，面过宽；C 和D 只是供需规则的二个单独的方面，不能包含全部，面太窄。正确的答案是B，因为这正是该短文自始至终谈论的主题。三、一段文章的中心思想常常由主题句（Topic Sentence）表达。主题句常常位于段首或段尾处，间或出现在段落中间。同样，一篇文章的中心思想也常常在开始或结尾段点出。 因此在阅读中，我们要特别注意文章的开头或结尾。例四：English is clearly an international language. It is spoken by pilots and airport control operators on all the airways of the world. Over 70 percent of the worlds radio programs are in English. 本段主题句为首句，其后的内容句均说明首句。例五：Some students prefer a strict teacher who tells them exactly what to do. Others prefer to work on their own. Still others like a democratic discussion type of class. No one teaching method can be devised to satisfy all students at the same time. 本段中心思想在结尾句得到体现，它是此段内容的结论。例六：For adults a cold is not that serious. However，this is not the case for children. Cold symptoms in children may be signs of more serious diseases and should be given prompt medical attention. 本段主题句为第二句，因为在however 后面才是作者真正的看法，并在下文中进一步作了说明。 然而，我们也常常发现，有的主题思想并非直接由一、二个句子表述，而是在文中间接暗示着。这就需要读者根据文中细节进行概括与归纳，找出主题思想。例七：Its no wonder that we have so many rejections for physical reasons in our Selective Service. Since October of 1948，some six million young men have been examined for military duty. Of these，more than a million were rejected as physically unfit for military service. To get two men today，the United States Army must call seven men. Of the five rejected three are turned down for physical reasons and two for mental problems. To get the 196thousand additional men we needed for Berlin，the government had to call up 750 thousand men. And the rejection rate is increasing each year. The reason for this problem is that we are underexercised as a nation. We look，instead of play. We ride，instead of walk. The way we live prevents us from being healthy. 本段中找不到某一句作为主题。根据文中的内容进行归纳，可找出主题思想，即：“The militarys rejection rate for physical reason is increasing because this nations lack of exercise is leading to poor health.” 在确定一篇文章的中心思想时，我们通常用快读的方法，从头至尾将全文浏览一遍，注意不要被个别词、句难住而停下来。要从上下文的连贯意思上来理解全文，看看全文谈论的是什么主题（Subject）、作者是从哪几个方面（Aspects）来进行阐述的、有关这个主题我们了解了些什么。这样，就可以比较有把握地概括出中心思想了。对于中级口译的考生而言，在阅读部分抓住一个段落，乃至全文的主题句至关重要。首先，主旨题是考试的重点题型之一，细数历年考题，每次考试6篇文章30道题目中必定会出现36个题直接考察文章的主题，如What is the main idea/concern /purpose of the passage? 便是常见的主旨题；其次，辨识主题句之后意味着段落中的其他内容可以略读（scan）或者跳读（skim），可以大大节约时间。再次，部分细节题考查的往往是细节对于主题的支持，这种情况下细节的内容并不一定需要深究，选对了主题便可顺便选出正确答案。最后，文章中的难词往往出现在细节内容中，如果可以在全面理解文章的前提下跳读难词的话，对于考生紧张情绪的平抑也将大有裨益。可见，把握主题不仅可以加快阅读速度，也可以提高正确率，可谓阅读理解考试的“必杀技”。下文将重点剖析段落中主题句的典型特征及全文主题句的分布规律。一、主题句特征“必杀技”：中口的文章虽然内容庞杂，涵盖政治、经济、社会、法律、天文、地理、自然科学、社会科学、人类学、心理学、美学、生物、医学和生活常识等内容，但是主题句的“样子”却不外乎“强”、“新”、“奇”、“真”、“并”五种。之所以会具有这些特征，是和中口文章最常见的体裁（议论文和说明文）及其出处（英美报刊及专业文献）分不开的。1、“必杀技”之一：“强”字诀！“强”，顾名思义是段落中强调的部分，体现了作者强烈的感情或倾向，这样的词句怎能不重视？(1)“强”调单词：A. huge、great、monumental等表示“伟大”意义的词汇出现在说明文中，该句极有可能成为主题句。中口文章往往来自报刊文献或专业杂志，作者的用词往往比较中立客观，如果用了这类“强”词，下文势必会花笔墨进行一番细细分析。例如：(2000年3月中口阅读第一篇)A Japanese constitution company plans to build a huge independent city-state, akin to the legendary Atlantis, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The city, dubbed “Marinnation”, would have about one million inhabitant, two airports, and possibly even a spaceport. Marinnation, if built, would be a separate country but could serve as a home for international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank.评析：不难看出第二句话和第三句话是对第一句中huge一词的进一步说明，抓住这条主线就可以提高阅读该段的速度，而不受个别难词，如“marinnation”的干扰。Bmust、only、solely 等表示强调意义的单词及形容词、副词最高级带有作者鲜明的态度和主观色彩，往往会成为后文的中心。例如：（2003年3月第四篇）Perhaps the most notable block in the vicinity was Queen Annes Mansions. Partly designed by E. R. Robinson in 1884 and recently demolished. For many years, this was a Londons loftiest building and had strong claims to be the ugliest. The block was begun as a wild speculation modeled on the American skyscraper, and was nearly 200 feet high. The cliff-like walls of dingy brick completely overshaded the modest thoroughfare nearby评析：看到most notable之后应该立刻预测到下文论述的焦点应该就是Queen Annes Mansions，可直接跳至下段，段中其它枝节可暂时不予深究。(2)“强”调转折：however、but和yet后转折的内容是任何人都不应该忽略的，而且这类词出现的位置越靠前越有可能是主题句。例如：（1997年9月第一篇）Most people picture sharks as huge, powerful, frightened predators, ready at any moment to use their sharp teeth to attack unwary swimmers without provocation. There are numerous fallacies, however, in this conception of shark. FirstA second fallacy concernsFinally评析： 首句描述一般人对于鲨鱼的错误看法，第二句用however引出作者自己的观点，鲨鱼并非像人们想象的那样。下文光看三个段首就可以肯定是分别描述了三方面的谬误。(3)“强”调结构：段落中出现not only A, but also B和not A but B时用来强调后者，而出现A as well as B、A rather/other than B、 A instead of B或A more than B的结构时则与之相反，强调前者。这些结构有助于确定话题（topic），考生务必把此类结构背得烂熟于胸。(请参见“必杀技”之三的例题)(4)“强”调句型：出现次数虽不及其他“强”类语汇频繁，但是只要一出现，无一不是主题句。2、“必杀技”之二：“新”字诀带有new、latest、contemporary等词的句子往往会是关于新科技，新发明或者新事物的议论文的主题句所在，这些类型的文章在中口中的比重一直颇高。值得注意的是，这个特点在高级口译的文章中更是体现得淋漓尽致。例如：（2001年3月第一篇）Some children do not like school. So what is new? But in Japan that familiar aversion has reached alarming proportions. About 50,000 unhappy youngsters a year (out of a total school-age population of 20 million) suffer what Japanese behavior experts call school phobia评析：new引出主题，即日本学生患恐学症的人数已到警戒线。后文果然就围绕这个新现象展开了论述，用举例子、列数字、下定义等方法来支持主题。3、“必杀技” 之三：“奇”字诀unusual、extraordinary、exceptional、strange、unique、striking这类词出现在新闻评论类文章是几乎都和主题脱不了干系。新闻的使命是挖掘有新闻价值的事，称得上“奇”的必然值得报道和探究。例如：（2003年9月第四篇）The strange fact is that the last hundred years have seen not only the dehumanizing of manual work with the introduction of mass-production method and scientific management and a consequent reduction in the satisfaction which an individual can derive from the performance of a skilled craft, but also universal acceptance of the idea that everyone ought to work，even though they may have no absolute economic necessity to do so评析：此句是中口历年考题中较长的一句话，考生若逐字翻译咀嚼，则生词恐怕马上会成为妨碍理解的拦路虎。可是，只要结合“强”字诀中的“强”调结构，我们不难找到主题。首先strange预示着这个问题的本质值得探讨，而当not only A，but also B结构映入眼帘的时候则眼前顿时豁然开朗，主题已昭然若揭：人人应该工作的观念为什么会那么深入人心？这就是作者在后文要探究的“奇”事4、“必杀技”之四：“真”字诀(1)“真”发现：中口文章往往会谈到科研成果，所以出现researches/ survey / interview等研究工作show / reveal / demonstrate或者 expert / specialists / professor / doctor这样的专业人士find / say / argue / suggest等词，往往预示着新发现或真道理，考生也应该格外留意。(2)“真”观点：议论文有“先破后立”的写法，作者会先批判错误观点，继而用indeed、in fact、actually等副词或real 、true等形容词来揭示主题。例如：（1997年3月第六篇）One of the most difficult questions to answer is how much a job is worthAnother factor we must take into account is now socially useful a mans work isIndeed, this whole question of just reward can be turned in its head. You can argue that a man who does a job which brings him personal satisfaction is already receiving part of his reward in the form of a so-called “psychic wage”评析：首段主题由most difficult question引出，可见其后的内容都是围绕工资展开。第二段的主题句也很明显，显然就是对影响工资的另一个因素的讨论。而第三段indeed后面引出的才是作者真正的观点，即人的工资的有一部分是“精神工资”，只有算上这部分工资，才能衡量一个人真正应得的报酬。5、“必杀技”之五：“并”字诀从最近两年的考题来看，中口文章似乎迷上“并”字诀，即作者在文章的前3段内提出主题句，后面的段落少则3段、多则6段，段段并列，分别谈论这个主题的方方面面。例七：（2000年9月第二篇）There must be few questions on which responsible opinion is so utterly divided as on that of how much sleep we ought to have. There are some who think we can leave the body to regulate these matters for itselfOther people feel sure that the present trend is toward too little sleepThen, to complete the picture, there are those who believe that most people are prepared to sleep too much评析：首句提出人们对于睡眠时间长短问题众说纷纭，后面的三段分别描述some、other people 和there are those who believe that most people are prepared to sleep too much三种人三种不同的观点。依照“并”字诀，只需读懂这四句话，就可轻易的拿下主题题，而细节题的定位也会十分明确。值得注意的是，这类文章往往较长，多达五六百字，专业性较强（如2003年3月关于环保材料、伦敦的购物环境、电子图书馆，2003年7月关于美国经济发展及对消费者的建议、前美军基地现状、2004年3月关于英国公寓建筑发展史等文章），句子也相对难懂，往往涉及很多专业词汇，但是只要找到了主题句，后文可以暂且不看，直接去看题目中问的到底是哪些相关细节即可。毕竟，那么多的并列段落，不可能段段考到，按平均每篇文章考23道细节题计算，不值得读的远远比值得读的多得多。二、主题句的分布规律：有了段落的主题句，我们就可以轻易的找到全文的主题句了。从上面的例子我们不难发现，主题句在段落的首句末句和第二句出现的频率非常高。另外，中口阅读文章多数的结构呈“倒金字塔”结构，即全文的主题句往往出现在文章前三分之一的篇幅中，掌握这个特点也可以节约大量时间。总而言之，对于中级口译的考生来说，只要把握了主题句，就把握了作者的写作目的，有时甚至会提示后文的脉络走向；而对于细节内容的阅读则不急于一时，可先行跳过，待题目中出现细节题时，可以在文中定位题目中的关键词。得主题者得天下，这是我们在阅读中最简洁而且行之有效的阅读方法。当然，主题的辨识是一个积累的过程，只有经过反复实践才能把这些技巧融会贯通。