雅思閱讀題會設置很多的同義詞轉(zhuǎn)換,尋找答案的難度就提高了一個level,怎么辦,這時候文章中的信號詞變成了救命稻草,一起來了解一下如何尋找雅思閱讀中的信號詞吧。
雅思閱讀信號詞之特殊信號詞
特殊的信號詞,一般都比較容易識別,如果遇到題目中涉及到,一般大寫字母開頭的人名,地名,專有名詞,以及特殊印刷體和黑體,這些詞在英語文章中顯得尤為突出,往往也是題干中關(guān)鍵詞的原詞定位。
例 如 'the US Congress voted NASA $10 million per year for ten years to conduct a thorough search for the extra-terrestrial life' 這句話,出現(xiàn)了US Congress, NASA 專有名詞信號詞,極有可能成為定位的訊息。的確,判斷題型中有一題‘the NASA project attracted criticism from some members of Congress.' 就是根據(jù)這兩個信號詞精確地回到原文定位。
雅思閱讀信號詞之普通信號詞
雅思閱讀作為一項專業(yè)的語言水平測試,當然不能只依靠容易識別的特殊信號詞,文章中的普通信號詞對于解題可謂是功不可沒。
1)信號詞之原因
例 如reason, cause, since, in that, as, because, thanks to, owing to, 解釋說明某一事物或事件,往往會蘊含重要信息。如'since the lifetime of a planet like ours is several billion years, we can expect that…' 該句是之后簡答題'what is the life expectancy of Earth' 的答案信息來源,如果考生只定位Earth, 那就很有可能失分,因為原句對Earth 做了同義替換的表述,而since這個信號詞則提示了答案所在的地方。
2)信號詞之結(jié)論
例 如 thus, therefore, so, hence, consequently, as a result, 這些詞往往是對前面所論述的總結(jié)歸納,例如 'Tortoises therefore represent a remarkable double return’, 該句出現(xiàn)在整篇文章的末段首句,很明顯是對前文的總結(jié)概括,高度濃縮了信息。最后的主旨選擇題,就是對該句的改寫:‘they have made the transition from sea to land more than once’。
3)信號詞之轉(zhuǎn)折
例 如however, but, by comparison, nonetheless, nevertheless,這些詞往往表示文章觀點或方向的重大轉(zhuǎn)變,重點應該關(guān)注信號詞后面的內(nèi)容。如‘this definition implies that iconoclasts are different from other people, but more precisely, it is their brains that are different in three distinct ways’, 前半句指出iconoclasts異于常人,用but轉(zhuǎn)折詞,強調(diào)指出區(qū)別的關(guān)鍵地方。這也是選擇題‘iconoclasts are distinctive because…' 的出題方向。
4)信號詞之讓步
例 如although, though, while, whereas, whilst等連接的句子,后半句才是引出的話題和強調(diào)內(nèi)容。如'He accurately predicted that Venus would cross the face of the Sun in both 1761 and 1769--though he didn't survive to see either’, 前半句講述他精確預測金星跨越太陽的兩次時間,后半句用though引出讓步內(nèi)容,他沒有看到任何一次。判斷題中‘Halley observed one transit of the planet Venus’主要就是以原文定位句的后半句為判斷依據(jù)。
5)信號詞之舉例
例 如for example, for instance, that is to say, such as, include, 后面引出具體事物的詳細例子,同時原文中破折號和冒號也有異曲同工之妙,對前面的內(nèi)容補充說明。如‘in other worlds, the life form we are looking for may well have two green heads and seven fingers, but it will nevertheless resemble us in that it should communicate with its fellows, be interested in the Universe, live on a planet orbiting a star like our Sun, and perhaps most restrictively, have a chemistry, like us, based on carbon and water.' 整句話都在解釋說明該段的第二個假設'we are looking for a life form that is pretty well like us’,所舉的例子也是判斷題‘SETI scientists are trying to find a life form that resembles humans in many ways' 的判斷依據(jù)。
6)信號詞之順序
例 如first, second, finally, eventually, later, then, next等,體現(xiàn)出文章內(nèi)容的邏輯性與發(fā)展性。如'In discussing whether we are alone, most SETI scientists adopt two ground rules. First,…Second…’, 使用first 和second這兩個序數(shù)詞,清晰邏輯地講述了兩個重要的假設。這兩個信號詞,也是這篇文章heading題型段落大意的重點提示。
7)信號詞之比較級
例 如more, most, -est, best, better,exclusively, extremely, superior, preferable,表示事物之間的比較,也是文章要強調(diào)的地方。如‘one part is a targeted search using the world's largest radio telescopes, the American-operated telescope’, 該句的the world's largest radio telescopes 對應了題目中the world's most powerful radio telescopes,答案信息就在這里。