態(tài)度相反原則,即選項所述主題與原文正好相反或態(tài)度不一致,可立即排除。
2010年6月的四級考試閱讀理解題目中,有一道題困擾了很多考生--Passage 2 Q64: What does the author mean by "… you're just underlining his faults" (Line 4, Para. 3)?
原文相關句:If you tell your dim friend that he has the potential of an Einstein, you're just underlining his faults.
題目選項: A) You are not taking his mistakes seriously enough.
B) You are pointing out the errors he has committed.
C) You are emphasizing the fact that his is not intelligent.
D) You are trying to make him feel better about his faults.
這道題目很多同學會因為faults一詞而誤選了選項D)。我們嚴格應用排除法來做題目,則可避免這一錯誤。原文相關句主題 underline one's faults,意為"強調某人的錯誤",先來關注各選項動詞:A) not take … seriously沒有嚴肅認真的對待,與原文相反,排除;B)point out指出錯誤,保留;C) emphasize強調,保留;D) try to make sb. feel better讓某人感覺更好,與強調錯誤這一主題相反,排除。在此基礎上,再應用主題相關原則做排除,B)選項提及指出某人所犯的錯誤(errors),C)選項說強調他不聰明(not intelligent),原文表述he has the potential of an Einstein(有愛因斯坦先生的潛質),沒有提到犯錯誤,因此正確答案為C)。
排除法二:排除與原文相關句主題不一致的選項
主題一致性,是排除法的第一要義。很多題目,僅僅通過主題不一致原則就可以排除得出正確答案。
句子主題,通常體現(xiàn)在名詞或動詞上。因此審題和排除選項時,首先要關注句子中的核心名詞和動詞,找尋題目與選項的一致性。
例如上文提及的2011年12月Passage2 Q63:What does the author mean by saying 'money is known… to bring a relationship to its knees' (Line 1 Para.2)?
原文相關句:Since money is known to be one of the things most likely to bring a relationship to its knees, we should be grateful.
題目選項: A) Money is considered to be the root of all evils.
B) Some people sacrifice their dignity for money.
C) Few people can resist the temptation of money.
D) Disputes over money may ruin a relationship.
原文相關句主題為money和relationship之間的關系。據此來考察各個選項:A) 提到money和evil(邪惡)之間的關系,主題不一致,排除。B) 提到人們的尊嚴(dignity)的問題,主題不一致,排除。C) 提到抵擋(resist)錢的誘惑(temptation),主題不一致,排除。只有D) 選項提到了money和relationship的關系,保留為正確答案。
難度稍大些的題目,可以多次疊加應用"主題相關"原則做排除。如2011年12月Passage2 Q65:What does Kim Stephenson believe?
本題目利用Kim Stephenson回原文找尋相關句,為第三段落首句:Kim Stephenson, an occupational psychologist, believes money is such a big deal because of what it symbolizes, which may be different things to men and women. 原文相關句可提取出如下主題:a big deal, symbolize, different things to men and women。
題目選項: A) Money is often a symbol of a person's status.
B) Money means a great deal to both men and women.
C) Men and women spend money on different things.
D) Men and women view money in different ways.
通讀選項發(fā)現(xiàn),A)含有symbol,B)提到a great deal,C)和D)都提及了different things/ways。因此,必須利用選項中其他主題詞做第二輪排除:A)選項提到person's status(社會地位),原文原句并未提及任何個人背景問題,排除;B)選項both men and women與原文所述different things to men and women不同,排除;C)提及spend money,原文未提到,排除。因此,最終答案為D)。D)選項中view money in different ways含義為"用不同的方式看待錢",原文句義為"錢對于男人和女人所代表的(symbolize)的東西是不同的"。可見,兩句雖轉換了描述方式,但基本含義是相同的。
排除法三:排除用語過于極端或負面的選項
四級閱讀文章來源多為學術性的報紙期刊,其語言的一大特征是客觀性和嚴謹性,因此鮮少出現(xiàn)極端或過于負面信息的表達。如果題目選項中出現(xiàn)明顯的極端選項,可以直接排除。例如上文提到的2011年12月Passage2 Q63中的A)、C)兩個選項也可以利用極端原則直接排除:A)選項Money is considered to be the root of all evils.(錢是萬惡之源),C)選項Few people can resist the temptation of money.(沒人能抵擋得住錢的誘惑),都是過于極端和負面的信息。
再如2012年6月四級考試Passage 1 Q61:What can be inferred from the last paragraph? 本文依然討論的是經濟衰退給家庭關系帶來的問題。
題目選項為: A) The economic recovery will see a higher divorce rate.
B) Few couple can stand the test of economic hardships.
C) A stable family is the best protection against poverty.
D) Money is the foundation of many a happy marriage.
精讀選項發(fā)現(xiàn),B) 幾乎沒有那個家庭可以經歷經濟困難的考驗,過于極端和負面,排除;D) 錢才是很多幸?;橐龅幕^于負面,與積極陽光的普世價值相左,排除;C) 穩(wěn)定的家庭是抵御貧困的最好的保護,雖然該選項是正面信息,但是best一詞的判斷力度未免太過強烈。因此,初步分析,選項A) 似乎更加靠譜。而回歸原文驗證后發(fā)現(xiàn),文章末段結尾句恰恰表達了選項A) 對應的含義:So it's only when the economy is healthy again that we'll begin to see just how many broken families have been created. 只有當經濟復蘇之后,我們才能夠看出到底有多少家庭破裂了。選項A) 意為"經濟的復蘇將見證離婚率的上升"。二者為簡單的同義改寫。