胡明華

《普通高等學校招生全國統(tǒng)一考試說明》對高考英語閱讀理解做出了明確的規(guī)定，其中要求考生能夠根據(jù)上下文提供的線索推測生詞的詞義，本文將討論高考英語閱讀理解中猜測詞義題的解題方法，希望能幫助考生熟悉該題型，掌握解題策略和技巧。

一、破解詞匯本身的意義

如何破解詞本身的意義呢？方法之一是掌握構(gòu)詞法的基本知識。不僅平時可以用這個方法記憶大綱中的詞匯，考試時也可以用這個方法推測詞匯意義。假如對英語詞匯中包含的前綴、后綴和詞根的含義或功能比較了解，就能較準確地推測出它們相互組合形成的整體詞義。對于這類題型，我們要關(guān)注劃線部分上下文中出現(xiàn)的詞形變化，根據(jù)詞形變化，順藤摸瓜，我們也就能夠找到正確答案。

The researchers created a test that's designed to determined whether children of depressive parents will also suffer from depression. So the researchers took children of depressed mothers and showed them pictures of people expressing different emotions. Based on previous research， Binghamton University psychology researcher Brandon Gibb and his colleagues believe that children whose pupils（瞳孔） dilate when they see a sad face are more likely to depress. Thats because pupil expansion is an empathy（移情作用） response.

What does the underlined word “dilate” mean？

A. Expand B. Brighten C. Reduce D. Darken

根據(jù)劃線詞后面一句話中的pupil expansion is an empathy response， expansion是expand的名詞形式，可知dilate的意思應該是A. Expand.

二、利用上下文線索

除了以構(gòu)詞法破解詞匯的意義以外，做詞義題用得更多的方法是根據(jù)上下文所提供的線索猜測詞義。這里的上下文指該詞所在的句子本身，也包括這個句子的上下句或更遠的上下文。一般而言，上下文線索所提示的意義與所考詞匯的關(guān)系要么為同義關(guān)系，要么為反義關(guān)系。假如二者為同義關(guān)系，那么所考詞匯的意思就是線索提示詞的意思；假如二者為反義關(guān)系，所考詞匯的意思就是線索提示詞的反義。

Some 2，500 years ago Greece discovered freedom. Before that there was no freedom. There were great civilizations， splendid empires， but no freedom anywhere. Egypt and Babylon were both tyrannies， one very powerful man ruling over helpless masses.（2015年江蘇卷）

What does the underlined word“tyrannies”in Paragraph 2 refer to？

A. Countries where their people need help.

B. Powerful states with higher civilization.

C. Splendid empires where people enjoy freedom.

D. Governments ruled with absolute power.

劃線詞tyrannies對于我們來說是陌生的，但根據(jù)劃線詞所在句子后半句“one very powerful man ruling over helpless masses”，這是一個獨立主格結(jié)構(gòu)，是對劃線詞的進一步解釋，據(jù)此我們可以得出結(jié)論：tyrannies是指擁有絕對統(tǒng)治權(quán)的政府，正確答案為D。

She suggested two avenues for improving the situation： increasing vocational（職業(yè)的）-technical training programs and taking a page from Europes focus on early education rather than post-secondary learning.“The European countries put a little more attention to getting people prepared in the primary grades，”she said.“Then they have a higher bar for whoever goes to college—but once you get into college， youre more likely to be highly subsidized（資助）.”（2015揚州中學4月檢測）

What does the underlined part “taking a page from” mean？

A. Hearing from. B. Changing from.

C. Differing from. D. Learning from.

根據(jù)劃線短語的賓語“Europes focus on early education rather than post-secondary learning”，其譯義為“歐洲專注于小學教育而不是后中學教育”，再結(jié)合四個選項，可以判斷，這句話的意思是我們應該學習歐洲的這一作法。短語的意思為“向……學習”，應該選D。

Margenthaler said about 20 to 25 percent of breast cancer patients who have lumps removed require a second surgery because current technology doesn't adequately show the extent of the disease during the first operation."Our hope is that this new technology will reduce or ideally eliminate the need for a second surgery，" she said.（2015鹽城三模）

The underlined word “eliminate”in Paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to __________.

A. meet B. remove C. feel D. resist

根據(jù)劃線詞前面的敘述“Margenthaler said about 20 to 25 percent of breast cancer patients who have lumps removed require a second surgery”，再結(jié)合劃線詞前的近義詞reduce，可知希望新技術(shù)將會減少或者完全消除第二次手術(shù)的必要，答案是remove就確定無疑了。

三、根據(jù)背景知識和常識

Today，more and more Amish are looking for alternative ways of making a living since raising cows and sheep is simply no longer enough to survive. Theyre starting to open up small businesses， like producing furniture.Some have even started Internet-based shops， which is a far cry from the typical Amish traditions.

The underlined words“a far cry from”in Paragraph 4 can best be replaced by “_________”.

A.very helpful to B. in control of C. quite similar to D. very different from

文中介紹了阿曼門諾派教徒生活方式的一些改變，再聯(lián)系譯林牛津英語M7U1 Project板塊中有關(guān)阿曼門諾派的介紹：說來也許令人難以置信，在美國這樣一個社會、經(jīng)濟高度發(fā)達的國家里，還有些人遠離現(xiàn)代文明，遺世獨立。他們頗似桃花源中人，“不知有漢，無論魏晉”。這便是阿曼門諾派，俗稱為阿米什人。他們不用電話、電燈，不看電視、錄相，不開汽車而駕馬車。由此可見，劃線部分意思是：一些阿曼門諾派人甚至開了網(wǎng)店，這和典型的阿曼門諾派傳統(tǒng)大相徑庭。由此判斷正確選項為D。

四、 擴大詞匯量，掌握一詞多義和熟詞生意

I suspect that we all experience small miracles in our lives every day. Sometimes we have the wisdom and the courage to recognize them for what they are. In the moments when we don't， that's okay as well. It seems that our miracles have a way of coming back to us again and again. And each time they do， they become a little less subtle， until we can't possibly miss the message that they bring to our lives！

Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “subtle” in Paragraph 7？

A. Apparent B. Delicat C. Precise D. Sufficient

這類題涉及的劃線部分和選項的詞匯都有難度，既要求我們理解文章上下文，還需要對選項有一定的認知。先對文章劃線部分進行理解：每一次奇跡反復出現(xiàn)，它們變得不那么細微直到我們不可能錯過它們給我們的生活帶來的訊息。然后看選項，A. Apparent明顯的B. Delicate除了我們熟悉的“精致的；纖細的；微妙的”等含義，還有“細微的，難以覺察的”意思C. Precise精準的；D. Sufficient足夠的。只有上下文和選項意義都明確了，問題才能明朗化，最后得出結(jié)論：B才是正確選擇。

綜上所述，要掌握英語閱讀理解中猜測詞義題解題技巧并非易事，只要我們努力拓寬知識面，學習一些相關(guān)構(gòu)詞法，擴大英語詞匯量，并從上下文中尋找蛛絲馬跡，猜測詞義題就能柳暗花明。

（作者單位：昆山震川高級中學）