大学英语之阅读理解解题指导——含义题

含义题可具体分为词义猜测题和句意理解题，题干中常见 the underlined word / phrase / possibly mean / closest in meaning to 等字眼。

1. 技巧点拨

词义猜测题

(1)根据上下文解释进行猜测(关注特殊标点符号，如破折号、冒号等);

(2)根据近义词或反义词关系猜测;

(3)根据构词法(合成、派生、转化等)进行猜测;

(4)根据因果、转折、对比、并列等逻辑关系进行猜测。



句意理解题

(1)准确理解划线句子的意思及其与上下文的联系;

(2)注意选项句子与原句中单词的同义替换;

(3)此类题型常见引用处出题。

2. 典例示范

【Example 1】

Para. 1: Are some people born clever, and others born stupid? Or is intelligence developed by our

environment and our experiences? Strangely enough, the answer to both these questions is yes. To some extent our intelligence is given to us at birth, and no amount of special education can make a genius out of a child born with low intelligence. On the other hand, a child who lives in a boring environment will develop his intelligence less than one who lives in rich and varied surroundings.

Q: In Paragraph 1, the underlined word “surroundings” means ______.

A. intelligence

B. life

C. environment

D. housing

【答案】C。解析：词义猜测题。根据被猜测词定位至第一段最后一句话 a child who lives in a boring environment will develop his intelligence less than one who lives in rich and varied surroundings.，由句中的 less than 可知前后作比较，in a boring environment 和 in rich and varied surroundings 是对等关系，即 surroundings 和 environment 同义，故选 C。

【Example 2】

Para. 2: Scientists have found that all kinds of plants give out VOCs (volatile organic compounds) when being attacked. It’s a plant’s way of crying out. But is anyone listening? Apparently. Because we can watch the neighbors react.

Para.3: Some plants pump out smelly chemicals to keep insects away. But others do double duty. They pump out perfumes designed to attract different insects who are natural enemies to the attackers. Once they arrive, the tables are turned. The attacker who was lunching now becomes lunch.

Q: What does the author mean by “the tables are turned” in Paragraph 3?

A. The attackers get attacked.

B. The insects gather under the table.

C. The plants get ready to fight back.

D. The perfumes attract natural enemies.

【答案】A。解析：句意理解题。根据题干定位到原文“Once they arrive, the tables are turned.(他们一旦到达，……)”。仅理解该句话无法判断出划线句要表达的意思，需要联系前后文。前面一句话说一些植物会散发出特殊气味来驱赶攻击者，还有一些植物则会吸引攻击者的天敌来。根据代词指代的就近原则，这句话中的“they”指的应该是攻击者的天敌。原本，攻击者是强势的主动方，植物是弱势的被动方，但是，攻击者的天敌来了，局面会发生变化，原本的攻击者就会变成被动的一方。A 项“攻击者受到攻击”，与原文表述一致，故正确。table 在此处不表示“桌子”，B 项中的“under the table(在桌子下方)”可以直接排除。植物散发化学物质驱赶攻击者是一种自卫方式，C 项“植物准备还击”符合原文意思，但并不是对划线句子意思的理解，可排除。香味是为了驱赶攻击者或者吸引攻击者的天敌，D 项“香味吸引天敌”表意不明，可排除。故选 A。