1、中級口譯考試閱讀試題答題技巧詞匯大突破在參加許多英語考試時，不少考生認為詞匯量是決定成敗的關鍵，如果自己不曾拿本詞匯書狂背上一遍兩遍，走進考場時也會惴惴不安；反之，如果囫圇吞棗地瀏覽過一遍，哪怕背多少忘多少，也就吃了定心丸，反正“不求天長地久，只要曾經擁有”。在答閱讀部分試題時，詞匯量的多少到底重不重要？筆者認為：肯定重要！但是，是不是一遇到生詞就要發慌，就讀不下去也做不了題，筆者倒不以為然。面對考官所設的種種詞匯障礙，怎樣才能調用你所積累的相關英語知識和判斷能力從而輕松應對呢？愿下文對你有所參考。對策：通過確定該生詞在上下文中是positive抑或negative來進行判斷。例一：2001年

2、9月試題第23題：23. The word "gimmicks" in this passage is closest in meaning to _.(A) services(B) extras(C) tricks(D) games請看原文：So how can you make the most of your new power as a consumer? Here are rules to help you find your way.1 Never pay list price.2 Refuse gimmicks.As competition heats up

3、and pushes prices down, businesses scramble to boost their profits by heaping on extras: rustproofing your car, service contracts on your appliances, prepaid gasoline for your rental car. These gimmicks are devised to make you pay more at the last minute and probably aren't a good deal.3 Don'

4、;t buy on impulse.4 Say no to platinum prices.5 Switch-or threaten to.以上是原文的大體框架，從加下劃線的第一句我們可以看出，在這篇文章中作者將給消費者提出建議，希望消費者能夠防止上狡猾商家的當而多掏腰包。作者希望消費者能做到這5點，所以可以判斷出第2點中緊跟refuse的詞應該是貶義的或者說負面的。我們直譯一下陰影部分的內容：商家設計這些gimmicks是為了讓你消費者在最后一刻多掏腰包，恐怕可不是什么讓你占廉價的啊。再看四個選項中A,B和D都無貶義，只有C表示“花招，伎倆”之意，故正確答案為C。看來不必非要知其意才能答對題

5、，開動你的腦筋，通過判斷詞的褒貶義也可攻破難關。順便說一下，如果題目問第4點中platinum prices為何意，應該也很好突破，“say no to"后面肯定不是什么好東西，這種價格站在消費者的角度來說肯定是天價。所以即使你不知道platinum鉑金，一種貴重金屬, 由其制成的首飾上往往有Pt標志也即platinum的縮寫為何意恐怕也能猜出三分吧。例二：1999年9月試題第21題：21. The word "hindrance" in line 2 is closest in meaning to _.(A) encouragement (B) assista

6、nce(C) procedure (D) interference請看原文：Experiments have shown that in selecting personnel for a job, interviewing is at best a hindrance, and may even cause harm.盡管"hindrance"這個詞對大多數考生而言并不是什么生詞，但從答題技巧來說我們同樣可以通過正面/負面的方法解題。原句中even cause harm說明進行面試會造成不利影響，所以hindrance一詞肯定是負面的。回到選項中A,B都是positive

7、, 而C. procedure程序，手續則是中性的，所以只有D.interference (干擾、干預為負面意義，故答案為D.例三：2000年9月試題第8題：8. The word "jeopardize" (paragraph 2) is closest in meaning to _.(A) endeavor(B) endanger(C) endorse(D)endow請看原文：What could be disastrous, however, is that we should press too quickly towards this goal, sacrifi

8、cing sleep only to gain more time in which to jeopardize our civilization by actions and decisions made weak by fatigue.出題者想通過形似的單詞四個選項都是end開頭給考生制造模糊印象，其實我們大可不必驚慌。從上下文來看，"jeopardize"肯定是動詞，因此四個選項中應該選相應的動詞替換。恰巧選項都是動詞，因而增加了答題難度。讓我們再分析一下上下文。請注意原文中這幾個詞：disastrous， too quickly，sacrificing sleep

9、only to gain和weak，fatigue, 我們是否可以看出作者的態度是反對sacrifice sleep的呢？既然如此，通過犧牲睡眠而獲得時間似乎也不是什么好事，因為在身體疲倦的狀況下做出的決策和行動往往會欠妥，從而對文明的發展不利，所以jeopardize our civilization肯定是對文明造成負面影響的。A.endeavor大家應該不陌生，表努力，盡力之意。C.endorse表示write one's name on the back of a check,即背書，由此引申出認可，贊同之意。當然，如果說Your driving licence has been

10、 endorsed.那你的駕照可就有違規記錄，你得留神嘍！而D表示捐贈金錢、財產等，發善心做善事。看來只有B. endanger (使.處于危險中才有負面之意，也才合題意。對策：通過構詞法，觀察單詞的前綴、后綴及詞根等構成進行判斷。例一：2000年9月試題第16題：16. The word "anthropologist" (line 1) means someone who _.(A) studies the nature of man(B) arranges wedding ceremonies(C) keeps account for newly weds(D) re

11、cords local events請看原文：An anthropologist recorded the expenses for ceremonies he attended in a village in Thailand. The following chart provides information on the bahts (Thai currency) spent for a wedding.這個單詞乍一看挺嚇人，又臭又長。其實定睛一看并不是不可破解的。也許知道anthrop(o)這個前綴是跟“man"人，人類有關的同學不是太多，從而對由此衍生出的單詞不認識也就不足為

12、怪了，如：anthropoid a.猿似人的，類人猿的；anthropology n. 人類學；anthropophagous a. 吃人的，食人肉的參考消息最近還報道了科學家發現歷史上人吃人確實鑿證據，令人毛骨悚然！；philanthropist n.慈善家phil愛，anthrop 人，愛天下之人，具有博愛情懷的人難道不是慈善家么？但是，我們初中就學過，scientist, biologist, 我們是否可以聯想一下原文中"anthropologist"這個詞類似于biologist，是與研究某學科有關的人。答案A. studies the nature of man似

13、乎最合意。例二：2001年3月試題第23題：23. The word "xenophobia" (para.2) means "_".(A) partiality(B) arbitrariness(C) discrimination(D) antipathy請看原文：The Campaign Against Racism and Fascism (CARF), a London based group, tells me that there is little doubt that, with the massive upsurge of xenoph

14、obia against asylum-seekers too, the fallout is affecting anyone perceived to be foreign or different, decent attacks on black people have a ferocity that appalls police and community organizers alike.此題中要注意"xenophobia"一詞后面的介詞against以及前面的upsurge (情緒的激起，洶涌)。首先可推斷出xenophobia是一種情緒，這種情緒對asylum

15、-seekers尋求政治避難的人是不利的。由于這種情緒的興起，給所有異族的或不同膚色的人帶來災難性的后果，比方對黑人的攻擊異常殘忍以致震驚了警方。A. partiality可聯想到partial一詞，指有偏袒，偏愛，顯然與原文語境不符。B任意，專斷，不合語意。C似乎比較接近，對.有偏見，有歧視，而且discrimination后也往往跟介詞against。但是，如果我們把xenophobia剖開，phobia是指dislike, aversion(反感，厭惡)，xeno是指strange, foreign, different, 而D項中pathy與feeling有關，如sympathy, e

16、mpathy(美學中的移情作用，telepathy(tele遠距離的，距離遙遠卻心心相映，即心靈感應)，而anti則是我們最熟悉的前綴，意即against, oppose, 如anti-dumping, antisocial等。那么antipathy=dislike, aversion, 故答案為D。順便說一下，fallout這個詞原義是核裝置引爆后的放射性塵埃污染，后果嚴重不堪設想。此處借代一般用語“影響”、“余波”、“后遺癥”。因為形象恐怖，所以起到的修飾效果十分鮮明有力。我們平時在閱讀外刊的過程中要注意積累一些形象生動的表達，包括常用修辭手法的運用實例，這樣考試時才能做到游刃有余。對策：

17、不拘泥于詞或短語的本義，而從其引申義來考慮。例一：2000年9月試題第23題23. The phrase "take off (paragraph 4) means _.(A) transfer to another vessel (B) cause to lose weight(C) begin to develop markedly (D) cause to leave the ground請看原文：Over here, in Britain, Computertowns have taken off in a big way, and there are now about 4

18、0 scattered over the country. David Tebbutt thinks they are most successful when tied to a computer club.take off本義為飛機起飛或物體離開地面，選項D即為take off的本義，但是把D帶到原文中解釋不通，可見，出題者并不是想考我們take off的本義，而是在文中的引申義。請注意原文中緊跟take off的方式狀語in a big way，后面指出已有約40個之多的Computertown散布在全國各地，后面successful一詞進一步說明Computertown是朝著posit

19、ive方向發展的, 所以答案明顯為表示快速發展的C。例二：2001年3月試題第11題11. The word "wasteland" (para.1) is used to describe _.(A) western badlands(B) average television programs(C) TV film studios(D) theatrical plays請看原文：When the television is good, nothing-not the theatre, not the magazines, or newspapers-nothing is

20、 better. But when television is bad, nothing is worse. I invite you to sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there without a book, magazine, newspaper, or anything else to distract you and keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I c

21、an assure you that you will observe a vast wasteland. You will see a procession of game shows, violence, audience-participation shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, more violence, sadism, murder, Western badmen, Western goodmen, private eyes, gangst

22、er, still more violence, and cartoons. And endlessly, commercials that scream and cajole and offend. And most of all, boredom. True, you will see a few things you will enjoy. But they will be very, very few. And if you think I exaggerate, try it.wasteland本義為land that is desolate, barren, or ravaged,

23、即荒地，廢地。A中badland即為wasteland的本義，帶到原文中等于同義替代，并沒有作出解釋，顯然不是出題者的意圖所在。而從wasteland后面的內容可以看出電視節目中充滿著暴力、血腥、謀殺、俗套的喜劇種種風格不高的內容，總之無聊透頂，所以答案不言自明，B是也。作者采用了metaphor(暗喻的手法，對令人失望的電視節目大加挖苦，從另一個側面反映了西方社會精神食糧的匱乏和作者在看似調侃的語調中對電視文化流露出的失望和憤慨。順便賞析一下陰影部分，難道你不覺得作者這樣寫很幽默幽默嗎？我們是否在寫作時也可模仿一下，比方：When money is good, nothing is bett

24、er. But when money is bad, nothing is worse. If you thank I exaggerate, try it. 你覺得如何呢？對策：解釋法。例：2000年9月試題第29和30題29. Breeding the hybrid offspring to fix desirable traits is called _.(A) naturally selecting (B) inbreeding(C) pedigree breeding (D) pure-breeding30. A farmer imported several fine long w

25、ool Tomney sheep from Australia to breed with his Debouittet sheep in hopes of increasing the value of the flock's wool. This is an example of _.(A) pure-breeding (B) crossbreeding(C) reproducing (D) cloning請看原文：Individual specimens with the desired traits are crossbred. The hybrid offspring are

26、 then inbred to preserve and fix the desirable characteristics and eliminate unfavorable characteristics from the stock.29題基本是對原文中inbred(原形inbreed，表近親交配，同系繁殖的釋義，采用直接下定義法。關鍵是文中此句The hybrid offspring are then inbred to preserve and fix the desirable characteristics與題干吻合，故答案為B。30題通過具體例子旨在考查考生對文中提到的幾個術語

27、是否理解，當然并非從專業角度，而是從英語構詞法的角度來考查的。某農民進口優質長毛羊的目的最終是為了增加收入，這也印證了文中的一句話：The traits usually are selected for convenience, pleasure, or financial gain of individuals.而進口羊同農民家另一品種羊交配從而fix the desirable characteristics的過程當然叫做crossbreed了。從構詞法來看，pure-breed應該是純種繁殖之意，而crossbreed由于cross有交叉之意，故為雜交繁殖，而reproduce前綴re=

28、again, 應為復制，再生之意，而clone則是近幾年來高科技發展的產物，意即無性繁殖，通常音譯為“克隆”。所以30題答案應為B。對策：大膽跳過。事實上，大多數生詞并不影響你對整篇文章意思的理解。例一：The deathwatch beetle is thought of as the devil's pest in churches and old houses, but in natural habitats it infests a wide range of decaying hardwoods. It has been found in hornbeam, sweet ch

29、estnut, hawthorn, beech, ash, blackpoplar, elm, larch, spruce and yew, but the two most commonly infested species in Britain are oak and willow.首先，如果讀者不是學昆蟲學的話，恐怕很難描述出這種deathwatch beetle是什么樣子，但至少我們知道它是一種甲蟲，而且我們通過原文還知道它生活在教堂建筑物，老房子或者枯朽的硬木上，此外還可以在種種植物上找到它，至于這些植物劃線部分具體叫什么名字我們根本可以不去追究，完全可以大膽跳過。那么請思考：出題者可能考我們什么呢？是不是很有可能考我們方框里的內容