梁霏：托福阅读句子简化题三种特殊情况

　　文/ 梁霏

　　在托福阅读的十大题型中，只要一提到句子简化题，许多考生常常心生惧意。究其原因，一是由于同学阅读长难句的能力尚未过关，而出题的句子又是出奇的长，因此无法正确的把握句义。二是由于一些同学不能准确理解出题人的命题思路，这些同学往往能够准确的读懂原文的意思，但是就是无法选对正确选项。 种情况，涉及英语基本功的问题，非短短几行字能够说清，也不是一朝一夕就能有质的飞跃，因此不作过多讨论。本文的重点，在于阐明这种题目出题者的出题思路，总结其特征，为考生提供参考。

　　首先我们来回顾一下这种题的具体形式。

　　这种题目一般会在文章中出现一个涂有阴影的句子， 而题目的提问方式如下Which sentence below best expresses the essential me a n i n g i n t h e h i g h l i g h t e d sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

　　对于这种题目，一些老师认为虽然各个选项中的句子会将原句进行同义词改写或是归纳概括，但原句的逻辑关系，会比较稳定，往往与正确答案的逻辑关系一致。于是他们习惯于采取以下的一种处理方式：从逻辑到语义，即在选项中找出与原文逻辑关系相对应的句子，再从找出的句子当中挑出与原文语义对应的句子。

　　比如说：

　　He r e f u s e d t o d e v e l o p projection technology, reasoning that if he made and sold projectors, then exhibitors would purchase only one machine-a projector-from him instead of several.

　　○ Edison was more interested in developing a variety of machines than in developing a technology based on only one.

　　○ Edison refused to work on projection technology because he did not think exhibitors would replace their projectors with newer machines.

　　○ Edison did not want to develop projection technology because it limited the number of machines he could sell.

　　○ Edison would not develop projection technology unless exhibitors agreed to purchase more than one projector from him.

　　在原句中 reasoning 一词后是一个原因状语从句，因此原文的主要逻辑关系被判断为因果，紧接着在选项中我们可以挑出选项2 和选项3 具有因果关系，在从语义上分析选项3 中的limited the number of machines 对应原句中only one machine...instead of several，并且 he could sell 对应原句中 exhibitors would purchase，所以3 为正确选项。

　　这种传统方法对于解决部分句子简化题还是比较有效的，但是从TPO 的题目中，我们却看到了以下几种情况，很难用这种方法处理：

　　一、逻辑词与原文一致，但内容有误。

　　例如：

　　Though it may be difficult to imagine from a later perspective, 来源：北京新航道托福培训a strain of critical opinion in the 1920s predicted that sound film would be a technical novelty that would soon fade from sight, just as had many previous attempts, dating well back before the First World War, to link images with recorded sound.

　　○ It was difficult for some critics in the 1920s to imagine why the idea of sound film had faded from sight well before the First World War.

　　○ As surprising as it seems today, some critics in the 1920s believed that the new attempts at sound films would fade just as quickly as the attempts made before the First World War.

　　○ Though some ear ly cr i t ics thought that sound film would fade, its popularity during the First World War proved that it was not simply a technical novelty.

　　○ Although some critics predicted well before the First World War that sound film would be an important technical innovation, it was not attempted until the 1920s.

　　在原文的句子当中一个明显的逻辑关系是让步，但是在选项中有让步关系的选项3 和选项4 都不是正确选项，正确答案为选项2。若按逻辑方法解，可能误入歧途。

　　二、四个选项逻辑关系皆与原句逻辑关系一致。

　　例如：

　　Wind velocity also increases with altitude and may cause serious stress for trees, as is made evident by the deformed shapes at high altitudes

　　○ Because of their deformed shapes at high altitudes, trees are not likely to be seriously harmed by the strong winds typical of those altitudes.

　　○ As altitude increases, the velocity of winds increase, leading to a serious decrease in the number of trees found at high altitudes.

　　○ The deformed shapes of trees at high altitudes show that wind velocity, which increase with altitude, can cause serious hardship for trees.

　　○ Increased wind velocity at high altitudes deforms the shapes of trees, and this may cause serious stress for trees.

　　原句的主要逻辑关系为因果，但是四个选项中皆有因果关系词：选项1 为 because, 选项2 为 lead to, 选项3 和4 为cause，因而无法从逻辑入手。

　　三、原句本身没有特别明显的逻辑关系词

　　In the wake of the Roman Empire's conquest of Britain in the first century A.D., a large number of troops stayed in the new province, and these troops had a considerable impact on Britain with their camps, fortifications, and participation in the local economy.

　　该句中，并没有特别好的逻辑关系词可以利用，传统的做题方法自然也无法发挥其效用。

　　以上这些问题，如果还按照以前的方式，后果只可能是耽误做题时间，甚至会被误导选错误选项。

    分析了情况接下来就是要解决问题了，我们将在下一篇文章中分析：梁菲：语义错误排除法攻克句子简化题。敬请关注。

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