【导语】“揪一把菜菜”通过精心收集,向本站投稿了6篇该如何攻克GRE长阅读,下面是小编为大家准备的该如何攻克GRE长阅读,欢迎阅读借鉴。
篇1:该如何攻克GRE长阅读
该如何攻克GRE长阅读
道:练习GRE阅读之前的精神文明建设
我在课上喜欢把背单词和练阅读放在一起对比。背单词本质上是一种知识积累,是可以呈线性增长的。今天背一个单词就能记住一个,背两个单词就能记住两个,立竿见影,付出就有回报。但是GRE阅读不考察知识(GRE阅读考的单词难度远低于GRE填空),考察能力,包括长难句、逻辑、做题能力等等。能力的习得是很典型的“量变到质变”的过程。阅读的训练是存在平台期的。一开始你读了100篇文章,可能觉得分数一点都没涨。但是读到101篇的时候,会发现自己突然有了很大的长进。
词汇、填空,比较适合追求即时满足的人来练习。即时满足运用的登峰造极的就是抖音,每个视频15秒,每15秒你就爽一次。背一个单词30,每30秒你就可以爽一次。秒这是中国传统农耕文明留下的习惯。农耕文明就是种豆得豆,种瓜得瓜,这和本单词没啥区别。中国人不喜欢做阅读,因为阅读考察的是延迟满足。这一点比较符合西方的价值观。西方文明起源与海洋文明。你可以想象一下,一个古希腊先哲,穿着一身长衣走在海边,突然迎面驶来一艘航船,他就上船了,至于这艘船驶向何方,他根本不care。这就跟练习阅读一样,我就是一直读一直读,读10篇没有进步,就读100篇,总有一天阅读成绩就会提高。
GRE阅读的“道”,一言以蔽之:Just read it!读就完事了。
法:练习GRE阅读要遵循的基本原则
记住四个字——常看常新。这是GRE相比于其他考试独具魅力的一点。填空也好,阅读也好。每一道题都会常做常新。我课上讲的每一道阅读题都已经讲了几百遍了,但是每一遍都会稍有不同。
当然,作为考生,不可能要求你每篇文章练好几百遍,我们取一个折中值:一篇文章至少练3遍。
论:GRE阅读的方法论
这个要详细展开就是一门课了。在这里只做简单表述。详细的视频讲解以及具体例子,请参阅《GRE阅读白皮书》方法论部分。
GRE阅读的方法分成两大块:读懂文章、做对题目。
读懂文章,只需掌握两招:“3秒版本”和“句间关系”。
3s版本:
一篇文章每句话、每段话、每篇文章,读完之后都要总结出其核心大意,此之谓“3s版本”。这一招解决的是“读啥忘啥”的问题。关于阅读中的遗忘现象,有一个科学理论可以解释:记忆的形成依赖神经突触的建立。如果你读到一段内容,不假思索,直接读一下就过去了,这无法形成神经突触。要想形成突触,必须把你读到的内容真正在脑子里过一遍才可以。养成总结3s版本的习惯就是一个很好的“过脑子”的办法。
对于一句话来说,尤其是文章首句,因为这句话缺少上下文,所以其3s版本往往是主干。如果这句话是观点,那么3s版本是观点内容的主干。但是对于文章中间的句子,因为有了上下文,这时候其3s版本不见得就是主干,取决于这句话是例子还是观点。例子的3s版本是其服务于的观点,而观点的3s版本是观点自己的主干。
文章的3s版本取决于其结构。GRE阅读常见的结构有:总分、“老-批判-新”的对立性结构、“老-批判”的驳论文结构、看不出观点对错的“引用不同观点”类结构等。
总分结构标志:文章开头会提出问题。如果你发现一篇文章开头出现了“问题”,那么这个问题本身就是文章的核心,文章一定是总分结构。
“老-批判-新”:文章开头往往出现表示“过去”的时间,或者“大多数人”的观点。根据GRE阅读“喜新厌旧,标新立异”的原则,老观点或大多数人持有的观点在后面往往会被干掉,而干掉后,又往往提出新观点。这时候,文章3s版本就是新观点。
驳论文:和上面的对立结构差不多,差别在于驳论文只负责干掉老观点,不负责提出新观点。
引用不同观点类:这类文章在读完之后看不出哪个观点是对的,哪个观点是错的。这时候文章的3s版本就是“引用不同观点”。
句间关系:
句间关系指的是任何连续两句话之间的关系,有两种:同、反。
所谓“同”,指的是后一句是对前一句的展开说明,要不然讲的内容和前一句一样,要不然比前一句讲的更深刻,但是方向上一定和前一句一样。
“反”:后一句和前一句之间出现了“But Yet However”等取反逻辑词,那么后一句在方向上会和前一句取反。
句间关系的作用是【加快阅读速度】。为什么?因为有了句间关系,我就可以预知后一句的大致方向,带着这种“预判”,文章读起来就会非常顺畅,例如,有人提前给你剧透了“复联4”,你再去看这部电影,就算剧情多么的玄学,全英文台词还没有中文字幕,这部电影也能看懂。但是如果没有剧透,可能要3刷+看无数影评才能想明白这部电影讲了什么事。
要注意的是,并不是利用句间关系对后文做了预判,后面的句子就不用读了。预判的只是方向,最终的内容还得靠你自己的阅读。但是因为有了预判,后面读起来会更轻松。
总结:3s版本解决【记不住】的问题,句间关系解决【读的慢】的问题。
术:如何练习GRE阅读
接下来是如何练的问题。
首先我们要明确一点:“练习”和“考试”是两码事。虽然我们平日里的练习是为了考试,但是并不能只练习考试的方法。这就类似于篮球运动员平常会练习俯卧撑,但是没有人在赛场上俯卧撑。
很多人在用过上面“3s版本”“句间关系”之后,觉得阅读速度反而更慢了,考场上哪有时间去分析句间关系总结3s版本?
如果你觉得考场上没时间用这些方法,只能说明练得还不够。练多了,这些方法就和你融为一体了。
当然,对于高手来说,考试是没有什么方法的,有的,只是【实力】。那该如何提升阅读实力呢?很多。逐字逐句做翻译,可以提升阅读实力;通篇文章背诵,可以提升实力;当然,总结3s版本、句间关系的过程中,阅读实力也得到了提升。
一切的阅读方法,都是“轨道”。上考场前,你有大量的时间进行练习,安稳地跑在在跑道上。上课考场,时间紧张,没有轨道了,你脱轨了。这时候,你的阅读成绩取决于你脱轨之后冲出去的距离。而这,又取决于你之前在轨道上的速度。所以,阅读方法在考场上未必能用到,但是运用方法过程中所锻炼的能力,这是考试制胜的观点。
每天练多少?【练习阶段】和【冲刺阶段】是不一样的。
练习阶段:在精不在多,每天4篇足矣,但是要求每篇文章分析的细之又细。何为“细之又细”?首先,文章和题目里没有不认识的词句;然后,句间关系3s版本都能以书面的形式沉淀下来;最后,每个选项为什么对为什么错,都能说出个所以然来。这一套真要做下来,一篇文章至少1小时。
冲刺阶段:大量刷题,养成做题惯性,彻底解决“文章能读懂,题目做不对”的问题。每天15篇是起步价,上不封顶。做题时间严格按照考试标准限制:短文章3.5min,中文章5.5min,长文章8.5min,逻辑题2min。
器:用什么材料
1.《GRE阅读白皮书》:共204篇老GRE阅读文章全解析,适合阅读能力弱的同学,在刚开始准备GRE阅读时练习基本的3s版本和句间关系。虽然是老G,但是行文思路和新G别无二致。是官方出版物,可以某宝某东自行购买。
2.《GRE语文高频题目精练精析(金皮书)》:共40篇新G阅读真题解析,包括例题解析,适合用于考前一周冲刺使用。是官方出版物,可以某宝某东自行购买。
3.“GRE真题阅读170篇+逻辑80题”:要考高分,必须做的材料。这套“170+80”汇总了市面上所有的新GRE阅读真题机经。本人亲自排版、纠错、校审,是市面上GRE阅读机经里错误率最低的版本。
针对“170+80”的全部解析正在出版过程中,计划于暑假和大家见面,欢迎大家多多关注,开花~
(链接里面有两个材料,一个是“170+80”真题,还有一个是针对这套材料做的附录,包含每篇文章的3s版本、难度、题型、题目难度等)
.面上其他的真题材料,包括“200篇”、“240篇”、“260篇”等等,都是阅读+逻辑,因此上述“170+80”=250篇。这也是市面上流出去的GRE考试真题的最大值,至于所谓“260篇”里多出来的10篇,来源不明。
4.ETS官方材料——《GRE语文官方指南》:共包含170道填空+阅读以及若干篇AW范文,质量尚可,可以买来一看。
5.ETS官方模考系统——PPO。其中的题目已经包含在“170+80”当中了,但是如果想要体会正版的模考,可以在ETS官网花$39.95体验一下。
美:登峰造极,感受GRE阅读之美
最后一步,感受GRE阅读之美
科学始于哲学,终于美学。如果能脱离GRE阅读的语言、逻辑、题型、规律,而上升到去欣赏GRE阅读的美学层面,这便是站在了GRE阅读这座高山之巅。这就好比在一家公司里,职位越低的人,做的事情越具体,而职位越高的人,做的事情就越接近“玄学”。如果做对GRE阅读题目对你来说已经不算太难了,可以开始尝试去感受GRE阅读的美。做完这一步,GRE这门考试在你面前呈现的便是一幅新的格局。
GRE阅读之美:简洁之美
GRE阅读是浓缩的学术文章,浓缩到多一个字少一个字,都会使得一篇文章“不美”。GRE文章充分地践行了奥卡姆剃刀——如无必要勿增实体。
例1:
The great objection to the Martian origin of shergottites (一种无球粒陨石) is the absence of lunar meteorites on Earth. An impact capable of ejecting a fragment of the Martian surface into an Earth-intersecting orbit is even less probable than such an event on the Moon, in view of the Moon’s smaller size and closer proximity to Earth.
上面这两句,大意是:shergottites并非起源于火星,因为在地球上无法找到起源于月亮的陨石。从火星表面弹射出陨石到达地球的概率小于月亮,因为月亮更小并且更靠近地球。
其实上面两句话就是为了说明S陨石并非起源于火星。可是为了证明这一点,作者非要说在地球上找不到月亮陨石。这和火星有个毛关系?注意,GRE阅读永远没有废话。这个月亮在这里有大用途。要想真正理解这两句话的意思,其实需要借助两个背景知识:行星越小,引力常数越小,所以越容易弹射出陨石;行星离地球越近,越容易将陨石弹射到地球上。
因此,作者之所以提及月亮,是因为月亮比火星更小以及更靠近地球,所以有更大几率将陨石弹射到地球。可以第一句说了,地球上没有月亮陨石。月亮条件这么好,都弹不出陨石,更何况火星?于是火星是起源的这一观点就被反驳了。
所以你看,对于上面两句英文,要是用中文解释起来,可要麻烦多了。
原文需要把那两个背景知识告诉你吗?其实并不需要。因为文章早已告诉你,火星不是起源,而这一点可以通过月亮来证明。因此文章不仅不需要告诉你背景知识,而且还可以出推断题反过来问你:行星越大越容易弹出陨石,还是越小越容易弹出陨石?你是可以推断出这个问题的答案的。
例2:
Scientists have for a long time assumed that interglacials--warm interludes between ice ages--were as mild and uniform as the Holocene, the present interglacial But new research in Greenland has put this assumption into question. Greenland’s findings have confirmed what scientists already knew-- climate during the last ice age fluctuated rapidly.
这一段容易产生疑问的地方是,在第二句中,Greenland的研究已经批判了老观点,可以第三句中,老观点和新观点反而是达成了共识。为何会有这种矛盾?其实是因为第二句新老观点有分歧的地方,和第三句里新老观点达成共识的地方,是不一样的。前两句讨论的是interglacial(间冰期),而第三句讨论的是ice age(冰河时期)。为什么这两个时期不一样?因为第一句的“interglacials--warm interludes between ice ages”。因为间冰期是冰河时代之间的温暖间隔,因此间冰期和冰河时代不是一回事。
你看,通过一个破折号,便暗示了间冰期和冰河时代的关系,因此写到第三句的时候,作者就不需要多费口舌的解释为什么在这里新老观点达成了共识。
例3:
The editors of the essay collection Romantic Biography tell us repeatedly that biography is an invention of the Romantic period in British literature (late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries), yet we are never shown that process of invention in motion. Hazlitt, the most prominent example of the Romantic biographer, is almost invisible.
第一句:yet之前认为传记起源于浪漫主义时期,那么yet取反之后就是在说浪漫主义不是起源。如何理解“we are never shown that process of invention in motion”?试想,如果某个东西起源于这一时期,那么它是否必然会经历从无到有,从落后到发达,从零到一的过程?既然“我们没见证过这一发明的动态过程”,也就意味着传记并非起源于浪漫主义时期。当然这句话没有刻意体现GRE的简洁之美,只是将一个很简单的事情用比较难以理解的语言表达了一下,算是考验思维逻辑的句子。真正体现简洁之美的是下一句。
第二句:这句话可以得到两个信息:1.传记起源于浪漫主义之前;2.传记在浪漫主义时期已经极其发达。
为什么可以得出这两点?首先,这句说H这个人是浪漫主义传记作家。这说明浪漫主义已经有传记了。加上第一句我们知道的浪漫主义不是起源,那么传记只能起源于浪漫主义之前。
最难理解的是“invisible”。这个“不可见的”是什么意思?不是说H瞎了,而是,即使H是最杰出的浪漫主义作家,都无法被看到,也就是说,浪漫主义时期,传记作家已经烂大街了,即使H很优秀,依然无法被看到。
看吧,一个“invisible”轻松概括了这么充实的一段内容。
这便是GRE阅读的简洁美。打一个不恰当的比方,断臂维纳斯之所以美,就是因为不论你给这座雕塑加上什么样的胳膊,都不如它现在这样。GRE阅读也是如此,尽管这种极致的简洁使得文章阅读难度增加,使得做题的时候因为过分简洁而导致可以参考的信息过少。但是你不得不承认,这种简洁就是那么的恰到好处,这种简洁造就了独有的GRE文章。不是所有学术文章都是GRE文章,也不是随便什么人都能改写GRE文章。
举个例子:
However, finds from the lower section of GISP 2 do not confirm those of GRIP. According to a GISP 2 scientist, the weight of flowing glacial ice above has stressed the lower sections of both cores. This may have deformed the lower ice, disrupting its annual layers and thereby causing the discrepancy between the records. Still, some climatologists believe GRIP’s record may be the more reliable of the two. It was drilled closer to a location called the ice divide, where stresses would have been lower, they say.
这是一个节选段落。结合前面未选取的内容,这一段的论证如下:
在前文中,GRIP认为是气候的变化导致记录的不一致。本段第一句However取反,GISP2反驳GRIP。二三两句都是在解释这种反驳:是因为冰的重量对记录进行了破坏,导致记录不一致。在这里,句间关系是GISP2反驳GRIP,在逻辑的角度里,是寻找他因削弱GRIP。之后,Still取反,气象学家还是支持GRIP,因为GRIP的采样点更轻,这就意味着不可能是冰的重量破坏了记录,因此这句话又“排除他因”,排除了重量的因素,进而加强了GRIP的观点。短短一段,既有削弱题,又有加强题。
写到这里,就会有同学问了,体会GRE阅读之美有用吗?要想感受到这种美,得把文章分析得无比透彻才行,可是考试考不了这么细致,这不是浪费时间吗?
我只想说,请对GRE阅读怀有敬畏之心。
市面上总有些老师说自己是学渣,他也看不懂GRE阅读,但是这不影响做题,所以读懂跟做对是两码事,GRE阅读是有技巧的、有公式的,我会教你文章不读,也能做对题目的妙招,云云。
文章读不懂,能不能做对题?当然能。这一点在前文已经有了专门论述。做老师的,该不该讲技巧,让学生能快速提分?当然应该。可是,这就是全部了吗?总有人认为,不应该在考试上花费太多时间,用一些技巧,甚至是旁门左道和非法手段,赶紧拿下得了,人生不值得浪费在考试上。这个观点,如果放在考研政治,我举双手赞同。但是对于GRE这门考试,恕我不能苟同。
GRE考试起源于上世纪四十年代,比共和国的年纪还要大。经过70多年的发展,这门考试已经被世界多国的大学当成衡量学术潜力的工具,甚至是很多大公司的招聘笔试题。一门考试要想平等地考察不同文化、不同人种、不同社会地位的人的学术能力,其背后的设计一定是极其科学的,一定是不需要借助任何既有知识的。这和中国的考研有本质区别,中国的高考和考研,本质上考察一个人的知识量。GRE不考知识,考察的是思维品质和意志品质。GRE是你这辈子难得一遇的真正考察【能力】的考试。在互联网时代,能力远比知识重要。
如果把GRE考试培训搞得像国内考试培训,讲解X大题型X大技巧X种情况X种规律,而不时让学生去感受GRE最底层的逻辑,去感受GRE各个题型之间的逻辑自洽和体系之美,那么这种培训是违背GRE考试的初衷的,培养出来的学生在能力上必然是欠缺的。
当然,我相信更多人是因为看不到这么深,所以才讲不了。
所以,如果哪位考生可以像上文所述,将GRE各个科目之间打通,分析其最底层逻辑,那么,你已经登峰造极了。
GRE阅读之美:体系之美
GRE考逻辑,但是这种逻辑并不是智商测试里面那种图形推理、数字推理之类的,而是非常简单的“取同”和“取反”之间的逻辑。“取同”,表示对观点的支持,“取反”,表示对观点的反对。既考虑到支持,也考虑到反对,这便是critical thinking。
但是,别小看这么简单的取同取反。为了考察清楚这种取同和取反,ETS发明了以单词测试为基础的填空题,以句间关系为基础的阅读题,以论证手法为基础的逻辑单题和分析性写作。而以上所有题型,都可以通过GRE阅读连接起来。这便是GRE阅读的体系之美。
一道填空题,寥寥几句,根据句子内部的逻辑关系(句内关系),填出合适的单词。这是最基本的考察“取同取反”的方式。
若干句填空题的句子有机组合,便得到了阅读。GRE阅读通过句子之间的取同取反,来达到考察逻辑的目的。同时,GRE阅读通过其题目,分别从宏观(主旨题)、中观(目的题)、微观(细节题)三方面考察了读者是否真的看懂文章信息了。而要理解文章的论证方法,这必须借助逻辑单题的思想。
逻辑题是所有GRE阅读和写作的基础,这也解释了为什么一场考试逻辑题只有两道,因为所有的阅读和写作根本上都是在考逻辑。逻辑题一共有7大题型:削弱、假设、加强、评价、解释、结论、Boldface。在阅读中,后一句对前一句取反,那么后一句有可能对前一句做了削弱题或者解释题;后一句对前一句取同,那么可能存在加强题和假设题。而评价题则是对文章客观的从削弱和加强两个角度分别进行评价。结论题本质上是阅读里的infer题,而Boldface则对应GRE阅读的句子功能题和结构主旨题。在Argument写作中,有四大题型(Assumption、Question、Evidence、Explanation)。Argument的本质就是按照题型要求去对原文进行评价,所以只要你在写Argument,就一定会用到逻辑题中的评价、削弱、加强、解释和假设。而一篇优秀的Argument作文,又一定可以当成一篇GRE阅读去理顺。
GRE阅读题之科学家的新发现
In laboratories, healthy adult human brain neuronstypically live no more than a few hours, makingextensive research impossible. Furthermore,scientists' inability to reproduce healthy neuronshas prevented the use of neurons in experimentaltreatments of severe neurological disorders.
However, two researchers at the Johns HopkinsUniversity School of Medicine have successfully maintained mature, human brain neurons inlong-term cultures by using cells obtained during surgery on an 18-month-old victim ofunilateral megalencephaly. The rare disorder, in which one side of the brain grows substantiallylarger than the other, occurs when neurons in the abnormal hemisphere undergo too manycell divisions before they mature. The neuronal imbalance in the brain of the infant causedseizures, prompting surgeons to remove the enlarged hemisphere---a treatment that hasproven successful in similar cases. The researchers then took neurons from the excised brainmatter and placed them in a blood-rich culture medium. After days, many of the cells had died,but a few continued to grow and divide. Nineteen months later, the team had subculturedcolonies of neurons onto new culture plates more than 20 times, with no significant changes incellular appearance or growth characteristics.
Scientists still don't know what triggers the proliferation of neurons in unilateralmegalencephaly. The neurons cultivated at Johns Hopkins---unlike those culled from tumorsare not cancerous, and accordingly are much more valuable as research tools. Finally, theexperiment presents the possibility that such neurons could be used in experimentaltreatments that currently use fetal brain cells, sidestepping an uncomfortable ethical issue.
Which sentence in the second paragraph, in which the author makes a conclusion, isnot supported with any factual or anecdotal evidence?
A.will allow researchers to expand their knowledge of neurological workings
B.is necessary to cure unilateral megalencephaly
C.is a viable medical procedure in some cases
D.is usually performed on infants who suffer from unilateral megalencephaly
E.is a rare procedure that is performed as a last resort
The passage supplies information to answer which of the following questions?
A.How old is the average unilateral megalencephaly patient?
B.Can fetal brain cells be used to treat unilateral megalencephaly?
C.Have scientists found a way to allow cells from victims of unilateral megalencephaly to existoutside of the body?
D.How long can neurons culled from tumors be sustained outside the body?
E.Will scientists find further experimental uses for neurons culled from unilateralmegalencephaly victims?
In the second paragraph, select the sentence in which a term is introduced thatrequires elucidation in a later sentence.
正确答案
1C
2C
GRE阅读题之美国社会的困境
每日一练
Cash-strapped American cities are finding it harder tomaintain social services that their citizens and civicleaders alike once took for granted. Populationexplosions, compounded by the flight of affluenttaxpayers to the suburbs, have drained urbanresources and forced many cities to make difficult,often painful, choices. Public hospitals, boons to thepoor and still a distinguishing feature of the American medical industry, are among thoseinstitutions under threat of the budgetary ax. Hospitals are as expensive to run as medical careis costly to the consumer. The return of tuberculosis and the spread of newer epidemicsamong urban populations have pushed hospital resources to their limits. Many in governmentare looking to another American institution, the free-enterprise system, for succor. Theprivatization of public hospitals is becoming a popular alternative to propping up strugglingtaxpayer-supported hospitals.
Public hospitals are not, however, the only urban institutions under fire. Schools---long thetargets of criticism and in palpable decline in most American cities---also drain as much as abillion dollars from municipal treasuries nationwide. Complete privatization of schools is probablynot on the horizon, as public schools have been a part of American life since colonial times, butmany different uses of government education resources are under serious consideration. Thefirst is school autonomy, which consists of breaking the links within school systems andpermitting individual schools to draw up their own budgets. Another solution is the so-calledvoucher system. Under a voucher system, cities would provide tuition credit to individualstudents, who would then attend whichever school they wished, public or private. Presumably,better schools would receive more applicants, making public schools as competitive as privateschools are today.
While privatization has succeeded in the manufacturing sector, many critics point out that whileprivatizing a phone company may produce dramatic financial benefits, doing the same withhospitals or schools may hurt more people than it helps. They worry that the poor anduninsured will no longer have a reliable source of health care as private hospitals turn awaythose who cannot pay. Parents worry that their children may not gain acceptance to selectiveprivate schools and be shunted into substandard programs. Advocates respond to suchcriticism by pointing out that an efficient, private hospital or school would eventually havesufficient resources to accommodate even the neediest customers.
1. According to the passage, which of the following has contributed to the decline ofpublic hospitals?
A.The emergence of serious, widespread disease
B.The unwillingness of governments to expand their health care budgets
C.Taxpayer objections to skyrocketing health-care costs
D.The increase in private hospitals
E.An increase in the population of affluent citizens
2. According to the passage, all of the following are arguments in favor of theprivatization of hospitals and schools EXCEPT
A.the expense involved in transforming private institutions to public institutions
B.the belief that privatization fosters competition
C.the expense to taxpayers that public institutions present
D.the benefits that the poor would derive from efficient private institutions
E.the success of privatization in other public services such as public utilities
3. Select the sentence in the second paragraph in which the author cautions against anunlikely result.
正确答案
1. A
2. A
3. Complete privatization of schoolsis probably not on the horizon, as public schoolshave been a part of American life since colonialtimes, but many different uses of governmenteducation resources are under serious consideration.
篇2:如何攻克GRE长阅读
如何攻克GRE长阅读
我花了一个半月时间一次性通过GRE。并不是传说中的学霸,可是非常善于标准化考试。我觉得在出国道路中,最容易克服的障碍就是标准化考试,通过合理的学习方式,是可以以较少的时间投入获得好成绩的。
而无论是GRE长阅读或者其他标准化考试的阅读,其实都是有一定“套路”摸索的,如果可以总结利用起来,那么就可以从容面对任何标准化考试。
高分要点
重视基准分
GRE 共有 5 个部分,其中第一部分测试考生基准,即定基准分。如果考生第一部分做得很好,那第二部分就会比较难,但同时基准分也较高。同样,如果第一部分做得不太好,那即使第二部分做得不错,加分也不会很大。
因此,如果做第二部分时感觉比较难,你反而应该感到放松,因为这说明你已经到了比较高的分数段了。GRE想要拿高分,那就把基础做好,后面再练几道题,整个分数就很漂亮了。
值得注意的是,当第二部分难度提高时,题目会比市面上大多数练习难度要高。当时我感到比较慌。因而我想强调一下,在平时做练习时,难度和强度都应该比考试要略微大一些。
正确率与速度
想要在阅读部分拿高分,要注意正确率和速度问题。GRE一个部分30分钟,填空和阅读各十道题,因而做题速度基本上是一分钟一道题,留三分钟检查和思考不会的题目。
简单题目要很快,为复杂、难懂、词汇无法辨清的题目留出时间(考试时花时间分析仍然做不出的难题直接放弃)。
阅读题目较简单,时间要卡得很紧。
对于读文章,我的原则是:
一两句话一分钟内读完,短文章两到三分钟读完,长文章四到六分钟。
读文章非常重要。
有的人说,文章很长,直接看题再带到原文找。但我自己亲身体验后发现并不对。GRE 不同于托福考试,更侧重于逻辑把握。托福考察段落意味,可以通过定位的方式快速做题,GRE 则需要上下文分析推断。反复带到上下文寻到,不仅浪费时间,还很容易做错。
ETS 出题的 GRE,有一个典型特征就是正确答案可以在原文中找到同义替换,这是检查正误的重要手段。
阅读材料
推荐材料:
1、GRE 的官方指南( Official Guide, OG)。
讲述 GRE 每年的出题思路。GRE 每年思路都在变化,建议买当年的官方指南。譬如我参加 15 年的考试,涉及大量逻辑题,在以往考试中并不这样,但这一变化可以在官方指南中读出。
注意:OG 的难度很低,是用于上手的。
2、GRE 36 套。
当时我只做了这一本。认真的做好、做完就足够了。有的人非常热衷于做题,但真题是有限的,做完了就没有了。最大限度地利用好资料更关键。
3、杨鹏长难句。
初做 GRE,会觉得语法非常奇怪,找不到主语、谓语等,而杨鹏长难句就分析了这是什么样的结构,比如先倒装、再省略,还有状语从句。
还分析这个复杂的句子如何转变为我们熟悉的形式。我认为这个语法分析是很有必要的。看多了之后,再见到长难句,一是不慌,二是能很快分析出来。
关于辅助阅读
推荐花儿阅读。
尤其是第二第三章编写得很好,分别讲将文章类型和考察题型。另附高频词组和专业词汇,这些都很重要。
Manhattan LSAT Reading Comprehension Strategy Guide.
我认为这本书是以非常客观的角度分析了该怎么阅读、怎么理解。另外,由于 LAST 也是一个逻辑性考试,且难度高于 GRE,风格也相近。
如果时间充裕,比如有一年时间准备,那么可以看看这个,锻炼逻辑思维等。但如果只有最后一次机会了,还是全心全意放在 GRE 就好。
材料使用方法
这些材料该怎么用呢?我建议头两天用 OG 上手,看看填空、阅读考察什么,并做做题目。题目很简单。全做对了不要骄傲,因为真正的考试比这个难多了;做得不好也不要伤心,因为才刚刚开始。
OG 看完之后,建议花一天时间看看花儿阅读的第二章和第三章,掌握文章类型和重点题型。
重点训练
用的资料是 GRE 36 套。
每天做完练习后,都需要分析结果、分析文章结构,根据杨鹏长难句,找出做过的文章里出现的长难句,去想你当时看懂了没有、哪里没看懂、为什么没看懂。
我们在阅读时,不管是否念出来,都会发现自己在一个词一个词的看。这也并非是能力高低的问题,即使是母语,在听人说话时,往往也会稍作一段时间才能反应过来。不过一个词一个词的看,有点消耗时间。
意群
是意思相近或作用相近的一组词,可能是一个词,也可能是五个词。一个意群一个意群的看,速度会大大提高。
在刚开始练习时,不要急躁,可以读杨鹏长难句来分析判断意群。但不要太快,避免回式阅读。
36 套应该分为两个阶段
第一阶段是适应性训练:1~17 套。
适应性训练是指每个练习完成后休息,重在熟悉题目,分析重点,适应考试。不在乎时间和速度。
每天做四套练习,每套都要计时。
一开始阅读可以在 30 分钟左右,配合杨鹏长难句训练,逐渐提高速度,后来就往适合考试的 17 分钟方向努力。如果做一套题花了 40 分钟,做了十套题还是这样,那说明这是词汇量的问题。
基础不够,整体是很难提前的。我当时也是词汇基础不够,做得很慢,后来 3000 单词反复背,加强强度背单词。
第二阶段是速度和耐力练习。
每天 4~8 套练习。建议四个练习为一组,一组一组的练习,即一次两个小时强度的耐力训练。
常常做到第三个练习就看不下去了,非常折磨,但 GRE 本身也是时间、精力、金钱都消耗很大的考试,耐力训练不够,考试时中途放弃或者随意应付都是很不好的。
速度和耐力练习同样要计时和分析。
练习分析方法
有个生词本,记录阅读里出现的生词。阅读里生词不多,主要是学科专业词汇。考试时可以通过猜词的方式用语法分析,但平时也可以积累。弄懂句子之间的关系,这一点非常重要。
分析的时间至少是做题一样长的时间,譬如花了 40 分钟完成练习,那也要至少花 40 分钟分析每篇文章。这样以后做题的时候,你会越来越清楚其中的“套路”,从而大大节约时间。包括有:
1. 分析论点与论点之间的关系。
2. 句子作用和首句转折句中的核心词。
3. 题目在原文中的定位及定位的特点。正确选项在原文中的对应,以及选项出错的原因。
4. 推荐一个错题本。
因为错误经常反复犯,可以用来记录一下错题和原因。做 GRE 要去体会 ETS 的逻辑,并把自己的逻辑往这边靠。
如果一套题做第二遍时,发现仍然选刚开始的选项时,那就说明自己还没有理解这道题背后的逻辑;如果不一样,即使仍没有选择正确,仍然进步了。如果不能理解答案,可以和其他同学沟通一下,稍微交流就可以发现问题所在。
GRE阅读题之演员的过去该追究吗
每日一练
Should we really care for the greatest actors of the past could we have them before us? Should we findthem too different from our accent of thought, offeeling, of speech, in a thousand minute particularswhich are of the essence of all three? Dr. Doran'slong and interesting records of the triumphs ofGarrick, and other less familiar, but in their dayhardly less astonishing, players, do not relieve one of the doubt. Garrick himself, assometimes happens with people who have been the subject of much anecdote and otherconversation, here as elsewhere, bears no very distinct figure. One hardly sees the wood forthe trees. On the other hand, the account of Betterton, “perhaps the greatest of Englishactors,” is delightfully fresh. That intimate friend of Dryden, Tillatson, Pope, who executed acopy of the actor's portrait by Kneller which is still extant, was worthy of their friendship; hiscareer brings out the best elements in stage life. The stage in these volumes presents itselfindeed not merely as a mirror of life, but as an illustration of the utmost intensity of life, inthe fortunes and characters of the players. Ups and downs, generosity, dark fates, the mostdelicate goodness, have nowhere been more prominent than in the private existence of thosedevoted to the public mimicry of men and women. Contact with the stage, almost throughoutits history, presents itself as a kind of touchstone, to bring out the bizarrerie, the theatricaltricks and contrasts, of the actual world.
In the expression “One hardly sees the wood for the trees”, the author apparentlyintends the word trees to be analogous to
A.features of Doran's language style
B.details learned from oral sources
C.personality of a famous actor
D.detail's of Garrick's life
E.stage triumphs of an astonishing player
The doubt referred to in line 7 concerns whether
A.the stage personalities of the past would appeal on a personal level to people like the author
B.their contemporaries would have understood famous actors
C.the acting of famous stage personalities would appeal to us today
D.Garrick was as great as he is portrayed
E.historical records can reveal personality
Information supplied in the passage is sufficient to answer which of the followingquestions?(Select ALL answer choices that apply)
A.Who did Doran think was probably the best English actor?
B.What did Doran think of Garrick?
C.Would the author give a definite answer to the first question posed in the passage?
正确答案
A B A
GRE阅读题之鸟类和哺乳动物正在走向灭亡
每日一练
A sanctuary may be defined as a place where Manis passive and the rest of Nature active. Till quiterecently Nature had her own sanctuaries, where maneither did not go at all or only as a tool-using animalin comparatively small numbers. But now, in thismachinery age, there is no place left where mancannot go with overwhelming forces at hiscommand. He can strangle to death all the nobler wild life in the world to-day. To-morrow hecertainly will have done so, unless he exercises due foresight and self-control in the meantime.
There is not the slightest doubt that birds and mammals are now being killed off much fasterthan they can breed. And it is always the largest and noblest forms of life that suffer most. Thewhales and elephants, lions and eagles, go. The rats and flies, and all mean parasites, remain.This is inevitable in certain cases. But it is wanton killing off that I am speaking of to-night.Civilized man begins by destroying the very forms of wild life he learns to appreciate mostwhen he becomes still more civilized. The obvious remedy is to begin conservation at anearlier stage, when it is easier and better in every way, by enforcing laws for close seasons,game preserves, the selective protection of certain species, and sanctuaries.
I have just defined a sanctuary as a place where man is passive and the rest of Nature active.But this general definition is too absolute for any special case. The mere fact that man has toprotect a sanctuary does away with his purely passive attitude. Then, he can be beneficiallyactive by destroying pests and parasites, like bot-flies or mosquitoes, and by finding antidotesfor diseases like the epidemic which periodically kills off the rabbits and thus starves many ofthe carnivora to death. But, except in cases where experiment has proved his intervention tobe beneficial, the less he upsets the balance of Nature the better, even when he tries to be anearthly Providence.
It can be inferred that the passage is
A.part of an article in a scientific journal
B.extracted from the minutes of a nature club
C.part of a speech delivered to an educated audience
D.a speech delivered in a court of law
E.from a polemical article published in a magazine
正确答案
C
GRE阅读题之美国国旗严禁伪造
每日一练
Any United States flag manufactured outside theUnited States should be banned from importation,since some foreign manufacturers superimposeimages on the United States flag and sell suchproducts with relative impunity. United Statesmanufacturers, on the other hand, would facepenalties for such violations of the United States flagcode.
Which of the following is the best criticism of the argument above?
A.The argument reiterates its conclusion instead of providing a reason for it.
B.The argument makes an irrelevant distinction between foreign and United Statesmanufacturers.
C.The reason given for the ban undermines rather than supports the conclusion.
D.The reason given for the ban does not explain why images superimposed on the UnitedStates flag are offensive.
E.The reason given for the ban applies only to a part of the group of manufacturers whose flagsare included in the ban, not necessarily to all.
正确答案
1E
篇3:怎样攻克GRE长阅读
想攻克GRE长阅读,我么首先要知道长阅读难在哪里
1. 分析GRE长阅读的难点(对比托福、四六级、SAT)
想攻克GRE长阅读,我么首先要知道长阅读难在哪里。我在研究生一年级的时候曾经在ETS打零工,我的supervisor告诉我一个所有阅读考试的设计中的重要概念,对于我如何解锁GRE的长阅读产生了革命性的影响。 这个概念就是 input-output sophistication ratio(直译大概就是就是- 输入输出精密度比率)。
要想全面说明这个概念的外延和内核可能需要不少篇幅,我长话短说解释一下:出题人在设计阅读考试时,要考虑整体难度的平衡。阅读正文本质上是一种input(输入),信息进入你的大脑;而到了做题目环节,本质是一种output(输出)。虽然形式上你并没有用嘴说,用笔写,但其实你的大脑对原文进行了加工之后,已经做了一次无声的输出。 你所输出信息的精密度、灵活度,直接决定了你和正确答案的缘分。
那么出题人要考虑的是,输入和输出哪个更难呢?输入难度高,输出的难度要适当降低些;反之亦然。不然整体的难度变得浮动很大,就违反了标化考试一致性的原则。
GRE长阅读的相对难点,毫无疑问是输入部分(即阅读正文),而不是输出部分(即做题目)。 原因有二: 第一,GRE的句子长度、词语难度、句式的复杂度很多其他考试无出其右;第二,也是至关重要的一点是,GRE阅读的题目是乱序模式,出题顺序和文章顺序没有关系,即, 第一题可能对应文章最后一段,而最后一题可能对应文章第一段,很没有规律。因此托福和四六级可以采取逐段阅读做题的方法,而GRE则行不通,必须先读完全文。
先读完全文,对于短阅读来说还好,信息量不大,我们的大脑内存hold的住;但是长阅读的信息量,我们的大脑就过载了,hold不住了,就会出现宕机。
所以,我们要解决的问题很简单:如何在大脑内存有限的情况下阅读大量信息+如何提升大脑内存。
解决方法:脑内存有限怎么hold住大量信息。 很简单,我们对于重点信息要着重读,对于非重点一带而过。很多同学读文章的时候并不会刻意的区分信息的重要性,导致在阅读的时候读不懂的地方反复读,感觉读得懂的地方一带而过。殊不知,读不懂的地方可能是个不重要的细节,题目可能根本不考;而感觉读得懂的地方可能是个主要观点,但因为你一带而过导致最后其实也只懂了个大概,并没有达到全面而深刻的理解。
那么什么是重点信息?主要两个:框架信息和考点信息。
我们先说第一个:框架信息。
定义:框架信息,即用一个框架把文章个部分内容定性提炼出来,而不去过分关注每部分内容的各种海量细节。
其实在生活中,我们所有人都在潜意识的运用这种方法记住大量信息,只是我们自己没意识到而已。 举个例子,在学校里,我们可能会遇到上百个同学,你见到之后脑子里都能对上号,怎么做到的?你可能并不了解这些人每个人的所有信息,但是你会用一种简单的方式去给他们进行定性。 比如“帅哥”“典雅型帅哥”“”“肌肉男”“单眼皮男生”“眼睛仔”等等,我们在记住人的信息时,脑子里会储存一些特定的特质、特征、标签去定性我们生活中遇到的人,这就避免了我们记住各种琐碎细节产生信息过载了。
如何快速准确的把握一篇文章的框架信息呢? 我们分成三个步骤给大家拆解。第一步-学会信息定性;第二步-判断信息方向;第三步-了解主要框架。
从思维规律来说,这三个步骤的关系是这样的
掌握信息的定性和方向是前提,最终目的是提炼出文章的框架。
2. 信息定性:
GRE文章的信息,我们可以分为四种属性:他人观点、作者观点、事实、问题。
“他人观点”就是作者以外别人(其他学者、专家、民众、传统人士)的看法
比如: Du Bois believed that Spencerian sociologists failed in their attempts to gain greater understanding of human deeds because their work examined not deeds but theories and because they gathered data not to affect social progress but merely to theorize.
(这句说主要说的是Du Bois这个人对于Spencerian sociologists的研究的评价,是他人观点)
“作者观点”就是作者自己的看法
比如: This view, which reflects a common tendency to regard African American artists’ imagery as unmediated documentation of direct experience, overlooks Johnson’s interpretive thinking.
(这句话体现了作者对于一种观点的负面态度,认为这种观点忽视了一些东西)
“事实”就是客观描述既成事实;
比如: When wolves returned, grazers and browsers resumed normal patterns of behaviors, preferring safer, open areas over the dense cover and streamsides where carnivores can lurk.
(这句话客观描述了狼和食草类动物之间的互动关系,是客观事实)
“问题”往往是描述一个令人感到疑惑、困难、矛盾、难以解释、难以解决的局面和状况。
Although many hypotheses have been proposed to explain why some plant communities are more susceptible than others to invasion by nonnative species, results from field studies have been inconsistent and no general theory of invasibility has yet emerged.
(这句话告诉我们不同实验结果之间的矛盾,这是一个难以解释的状况,即问题)
“他人观点”特征是比较明显的,作者一般会说“什么人”有“什么看法”;
“问题”的特征也较明显,一般会出现一些形容词、副词、名词、动词来表示一件事情比较麻烦、棘手、意外、困扰等特征,比如 unfortunately\\ surprisingly\\ trouble\\ confusing\\ hard to explain\\ inconsistent 等等。
比较容易搞混的是 “事实”和“作者观点”这两种信息属性。毕竟,我们很多人在看电视、看新闻的时候也会有分不清事实和观点的时候,很多商家也经常把观点混淆为事实来诱骗消费者上当。没错,GRE的阅读设计的一个目的,就是看你是不是脑子清醒,能够看到这两者的区别。
我们可以从两个角度入手: 动词形态 和 真实性评估难度。
从动词形态这个角度来说,记住,“作者观点 ”会使用主观性强的情态动词,如 could、should、must、may等等;而“事实”一般使用动词 过去时、过去完成时、现在完成时、一般现在时等表示既成事实或客观状态的时态。
我们可以体会一下这两种语气的不同。
India was a powerful kingdom in 18th century.(印度在18世纪是个强大的国家)-事实
India may have been a powerful kingdom in 18th century. (印度在十八世纪可能是个强大的国家)-作者观点
(不可否认,在现实世界中,很多文案的作者为了达到洗脑受众的目的,故意把观点中的情态动词略去,说成事实的样子,比如一些鸡汤文。当然,GRE的文章都是严谨的学术性文章,不会出现这种下三滥的手段)
正确性评估
并不是所有信息都有动词形态的差异,这时候我们要看的更深一步,判断评价一个信息正确性的难易。
一般来说, 一个信息的正确性越容易判定,则为客观性事实;一个信息的正确性越难评估,则为主观性观点。
比如:
小明身高185cm.(我们很容易判定这句话正误,因为身高很容易测量出来,可以认为这是客观信息)
小明是一个伟大的人。 (我们很难判定这句话正误,因为“伟大”是一个很主观的概念,没有什么具体指标来加以衡量)
来看两个GRE真题中的句子:
例1:
But the solutions that Matisse arrives at are always idiosyncratic and tend to be unrelated to any system of ideas:intuition is his only system.
这句话中的“idiosyncratic”(怪癖怪异)和“unrelated”(无关)这两个特质都是偏主观、抽象的,不太容易衡量,因此应该是主观的观点。
例2:
Human impacts on the natural environment during the later part of the Holocene (beginning about 4,000 years ago) complicate investigations into environmental change during that period because the signals produced by human-and climate-induced change are sometimes difficult to separate.
这句话主体说的是“人类影响复杂化了针对环境变化的调查”,我们可以通过观察这些调查所研究的参数、因素的数量来衡量是否“复杂化了”,这就是一个较容易评估正确性的句子,即客观事实。
掌握信息定性,首先是为了之后能够快速提炼出文章的框架(文章框架如果是座楼的话,那么信息定性就是组成楼的砖瓦);同时,信息定性也能更好的帮助我们在做题时进行定位,题目一般会告诉我们,出题是想知道他人观点,还是客观事实,抑或作者观点,我们只要结合之前的定性按图索骥即可。
3. 判断信息方向
很多同学觉得大段文字难懂难记的原因,是按照句子为单位(甚至单词为单位)来理解信息,这样做信息的数量自然就被放大了!如何简化一大段文字?我们应该向公司的老板们多学学。
一家公司的老板要管理500人的员工,他能做到所有人都管吗?累死他!所以他会把500人拆分成5个部门,他只要管理5个部门经理就可以了。
同样,一篇100多句的文章,如果把每个句子比喻成一名员工,我们只需要把这100多个员工拆成几个“部门”,每个“部门”用一句话概括下,我们脑子就hold的住这一大篇文章了。
如何知道哪些句子应该划分到同一个“部门”呢?这就需要我们快速判定信息方向了。 如果一个句子的方向相对上一句没变,就划分到同一个“部门”里;如果方向变了,说明出现新的话题了,那就新设立一个“部门”。
我们来看一个例子,看看这种方法如何操作。
如何判断信息有无转向?我们分成两部分来探讨:基本判定(方向词)和高级判定(主体转换)。
3.1 基本判定:方向词
在方向的判定上,我们主要通过判断正负来判断句间的关系。原则上来说,只要两句话之间没有明显的负向词,就默认关系为正向。 这种意识可以有助于我们调控阅读的节奏,即,只要前后句的方向上没有变化,我们可以按照之前理解的意思进行快速浏览,不需要每句话的意思都咀嚼清楚。
我们看一下下面这段话。
The main exception to primate researchers’ general pattern has been the study of male care among monogamous primates. It has been known for over 200 years, ever since a zoologist- illustrator named George Edwards decided to watch the behavior of pet marmosets in a London garden, that among certain species of New World monkeys males contributed direct care for infants that equaled or exceeded that given by females. Mothers among marmosets and tamarins typically give birth to twins, as often as twice a year, and to court the female in her staggering reproductive burden the male carries the infant at all times except when the mother is actually suckling it. It was assumed by Kleiman that monogamy and male confidence of paternity were essential to the evolution of such care, and at the same time, it was assumed by Symons and others that monogamy among primates must be fairly rare.
这段话看似眼花缭乱,但是整个段落没有任何明显表示方向转换的标志,因此默认信息方向一直不变。第一句话提到了研究者研究的一个例外是灵长类动物中的male care(雄性养育),因此后面的句子无非是针对“male care”讲更多的信息,可以快速浏览。
那么,如何判定信息的方向发生转换呢? 我们主要通过两类词:连词、副词、动词。
3.1.1 连词
连词体现的句内关系,主要分为两种:并列连词和从属连词。
并列连词包括: for and nor but or yet so
并列连词连接的两句话逻辑上同等重要,因此出现表示转折的并列连词,则为负关系,信息出现转向。
Tom is a kind man. He always helps people, but sometimes he can be selfish.
but之前一直在说Tom好的方面,but之后说Tom自私,信息出现转向。
在并列连词中,能表示转折的词为 but和 yet. 因此这两个词出现之后 一般来说,信息会出现转向。
当然,也有例外情况。比如下面这句话。
Tom never enjoyed visiting museum. He admits that museums have certain charms, but he fees the time spent at museums is not rewarding.
从属连词包括: when while although because if since whereas once
从属连词引导的句子在逻辑上属于从属地位,句子的主体在于另外一句话。
比如
Although Tom is smart, he failed the test. (句子主体是后半句:he failed the test)
The program was forced to stop, because the weather was hot. (句子主体是前半句: The program was forced to stop.)
表示转折关系的从属连词包括:although 和 while。因为从属连词引导的句子不是整句话的主体,因此不影响信息的方向。 所以although 和while并不影响信息的方向。
注: while 可以表示(1)转折(2)同时 (3)对比 三种逻辑关系,注意根据语境的实际意思进行灵活区分。
在判断方向词的时候,要特别注意并列连词和从属连词的区别,前者往往体现信息方向改变的节点,之后的信息都在说新的话题了;而后者只是体现句子内部一个小小的波折,整体信息没有转向,之后的句子还继续说旧的话题。
3.1.2 副词
副词体现的是句间关系,因此是句子之间转换方向的专业利器。
yet 和 but既可以是连词也可以是副词,外加 however、nevertheless、nonetheless,这几个词语出现,都标志着信息方向的转变。
3.1.3 动词
很多负向动词,比如 disagree、refute、dismiss、contradict
Conventional wisdom holds that people tend to measure the value of gifts in proportion to their prices. Thomas disagree with such point by arguing that more expensive gifts do not necessarily bring about gratitude.
3.1.4 介词
Despite/ in spite of这样的介词也表示转折关系,但是由于和从属连词一样,它们也表示句内的逻辑关系,因此也不会导致信息转向。
3.2 高级判定: 主体转换
3.2.1 观点主体转换
如果前一句说A的观点,后一句说B的观点,如果没有特别强调两者观点相似或相同,我们默认观点不同或相反,前后为负向关系。
Jefferson, in his most famous work Ulysses, put a big amount of value on the intake of literature in adolescence. Scholars of more recent period tend to show less respect for literature eduction at such early stage.
第一句话Jefferson比较重视青少年时期的文学教育,第二句话转而说其他学者的看法,观点出现不同,后者不赞同太早让孩子接受文学教育。
但是需要说明的是,作者如果想说明两个观点相同,会特意使用一些标志词。
比如
Tom likes bananas. Jack also likes it.
第二句话中的also,就是为了特意说明两个人的喜好是一致的。
类似这样的标志词还有: by the same token, similarly, as well 等等。
3.2.2 描述主体转换
什么是描述主体转换?比如这句话
Tom is very hard-working. Jack is kind of lazy.
第一句话描述的是Tom,说他很勤奋;第二句话转而描述Jack,描述的特征正好相反,说他比较懒惰。
一般来说,描述主体转化的时候,除非有特别说明两个人相似,一般默认信息转向,出现相反或不同的特质。
3.2.3 时间主体转换
一般来说,如果针对同一个话题出现了不同的时间对于这个话题的看法,除非特别说明这两个时间的看法一致,则我们可以默认出现了信息的转向。
我们来看这句话。
Before 19th century, people tend to regard Roman history as purely heroic. Recently, such mindset begins to change.
第一个时间点是 19世纪之前,人们认为罗马历史是具有英雄主义色彩的。 第二个时间点是最近,人们改变了看法。再没有特别说明观点一致的情况下,自然出现的信息方向的扭转。
到目前为止,我们讲解了信息的定性,我们了解了如何判定信息的方向,这两个知识结合在一起,我们在阅读中就可以做到如何判定一段文字的某几句话属于什么性质,我们可以略读某些句子,同时简化记忆某些句子,从而做到在大脑内存不足的情况下,hold住大量的信息。但不要忘了,我们了解这些知识和技能点的最终目标,是提炼出文章的框架。
接下来,我们将讲解GRE的框架类型及其特征,以及在文章中需要格外关注的考点信息。
4. GRE阅读框架类型及其特征
GRE阅读文章涉及内容颇为广泛,题材各异,内容类型也不尽相同,要把它们尽数分类,囊括于一些框框中,实在是难上加难。但是我还是依据前人的经验和自己的一点总结,斗胆将其中大部分文章的结构寻其规律,分为大致5种类型:
1)介绍客观事实
2)展示/评价一个核心观点
3)新旧主体对比(观点/研究)
4)解释针对问题型
5)混合结构型(以3+4居多)
尽管还有很多文章的结构不能严格地套人这五种类型中,但是在它们的局部,也难免不反映出这五种结构组成形式的影子。那么我们为什么要将文章分成这几类呢?每一种类型的文章,作者都有一套固定的谋篇布局的方法,文章的脉络、段落的安排也都有相对固定的格式。这样,在判断出文章的结构类型以后,读者就可以根据作者成文的固定套路,顺利地推测出下文将要写什么,作者写作的中心意图是什么,这对读者理解文章内容有很大的帮助;此外,有一种类型的题日-主旨题,它的出题和答案直指文章的结构或全文的中心,故只要判断出文章的结构类型和作者的主要意图,这类题目就可以轻松做答了。
我们首先来看看每种框架类型下构成文章脉络的核心因素
4.1 介绍客观事实
这种文章其实不需要多做说明。整体来说就像是我们之前接触过的说明文、科普文,就是普及一些知识。
判断方法:文章中的信息都是“事实”,几乎不会出现“他人观点”,更不用说“作者观点”了。
4.2 展示/评价一个核心观点
这类文章一般是作者在文章第一段就展示一个明确的结论,即阐述某一个“他人观点”。下文全是对此观点做出的解释说明和论证,都是顺承关系的支持性文字,要么从其用途、功能、原理、结构、特征、起源等方面来进一步阐述,要么举出具体的例子来深化说明,要么引出其他事物作为比较来继续论述 。总之这种文章的上下文内容可以概括为一句话:全文观点一致,深人探讨。并且一般来讲,各段首句就是本段的大意。有些文章在末段或者结尾处,作者针对之前的观点给出一个评价,说这个观点有道理,或不正确,或整体不错但有缺陷。当然作者的评价可以有,也可能没有。
判断方法:首段阐述了一个“他人观点”(很多时候是一个判断句'/强调句,句中作者冠以表明肯定或否定态度的词),首段出现观点之后和二段首句均没有对此观点进行转折。 4.3 新旧主体对比(观点/研究)
这种文章的特点是,刚开始针对某个话题给出旧的观点,或者是旧的研究方法、视角或结论,然后后面给出新的观点或研究方法等等。 作者有可能会支持新的观点,这种情况下,旧的观点会被放弃和批判;但作者可能像个局外人一样一言不发,坐山观虎斗,只是单纯的罗列新旧不同的观点。
判断方法:
1) 首段给出一个话题和一个“他人观点”(旧主体),这个观点是过去发生的、大多数人认同的、传统的,可能是作者反对的(也可能不是)
a)首句有表示过去的时间词、或动词的完成时态,例如initially,long maintained, It has long been known that,by1950, once thought to be
b)有表示多数人、一般人看法的词:often、usually, traditionally, typically, regularly, some historians, the dominant view, the common belief/claim, it is a popular view that..., Many assumed that…, many people believe that, it is frequently assumed that等。
比如以下这样的句子:
例1: Until about five years ago, the very idea that peptide hormones might be made anywhere in the brain besides the hypothalamu was astounding.
例2: The historian Frederick. Tumner wrote in the1890' s that the agrarian discontent that had been developing steadily in the United States since about 1870 had been precipitated by the closing of the internal frontier-that is, the depletion of available new land needed for further expansion of the American farming system. Not only was Turner's thesis influential at the time, it was later adopted and elaborated by other scholars, such as John D. Hicknin The Populist Revolt(1931).
例3: It has long been known that the rate oxidative metabolism the process that uses oxygen to convert food into energy) in any animal has a profound effect on its living patterns.
例4: Many theories have been formulated to explain the role of grazers such as zooplankton in controlling the amount of planktonic algae( phytoplankton) in lakes. The first theories of such grazer control were merely based on observations of negative correlations between algal and zooplankton numbers.(many体现出了旧观点的特征, merely体现出了旧观点的局限)
2)第二段或第三段出现转折之后,引出另一个“他人观点”(新主体),文章最后可能会有“作者观点”。
二段首句以 however为特征词,对前面的观点进行了转折,提出旧观点的缺陷,即“naow”,之后又以new为特征词,提出新观点,即作者支持的观点,也就是主旨句,至此,文章的结构已然完整,之后则是对新观点的阐述。新观点推翻旧观点型的文章,主旨题正确答案一般不出两个着眼点,即:“新观点”,或者“推翻”,也就是说正确答案要么是对新观点的叙述,要么是对怎样杏定旧观点的叙述。new, recent, challenge, refute等词是这些答案的标志词。
4.4 解释针对问题型
这类文章通常是首段先给出一个有待解释的现象(通常不合常规)、有待解决的任务、问题,首段后半部分或者二段首句开始针对前文的问题进行解释,可能给出一个解释也可能给出多个解释,并对这些解释的有效性进行评价。
判断方法:
1)首段有一个古怪的现象或者矛盾,句子中常有 puzzle, task, problem,phenomenon, dilemma, difficulty, paradox, controversy等标志词,或者有以 however连接的反映前后矛盾的句子。
2)首段的后半部分或者二段首句有表示“解释”的词汇,例如; one possible explanation is that.., to test this hypothesis, researchers offer sensible explanations.. researchers now know that.. . Cressy finds that...
主旨句的位置
1)作者给出正评价的解释处,即有效的解释处(通常是多个解释中居后面的解释)
2)如果没有任何有效的解释, 现象、问题本身就是主旨句。
当然,如果细分,这类文章有时候是一个解释针对一个问题,有时候是多个解释针对个问题,也有个别时候是多个解释针对多个问题,但是基本思路和文章框架的判别方法是一样的。
解释可以有很多个,评价也随之有很多。但是有效的解释只有一个,一般是全文最后一个解释。看到这个解释和作者对其的正评价,全文结构就完整了。读者在判断了文章为这类结构以后要边读边寻找以上几个部分,以确保将文章的有叙述都读到。
4.5 混合结构型(以3+4居多)
这类文章多数为类型3和类型4的混合。比如,先以第三类文章类型开始,一个新观点推翻了一个旧观点然后跟着第三类文章类型,即对新观点提出问题并在后文对其进行多种解释;或者,先以第四类文章开始,提出一个怪异的现象,为了解释这个现象,给出旧的传统观点,再给出一个最新的观点来推翻旧的观点。
当然,还是会有少数文章在上述文章结构类型之外。比如有些文章首段只是叙述了一个文化背景,没有新、旧观点,也没有有待解释的问题,在首段末句开始引入全文的fcus,段才进入论证正文,这样的文章通常二段以后仍结构完整,可套入某种结构类型之中;再比如,有些文章全文都是一些介绍性的文字,没有鲜明的观点或者态度,遇到这些文章读者只需关注一些通常出现的考点就可以了,题目也不会对文章结构进行提问的。
不同类型的文章,也有可能在某段或者文章的某个局部出现别的结构类型的影子,常常是你中有我我中有你。所以读者练习阅读不必拘泥于机械的类型划分,它只是一种帮助你理解的手段,并不是目的。读文章的最终目的,是要抓住文章的focus,读观点,读作者意图,只有这些,才是真正可以超越结构分类的、永远值得关注的东西。
GRE考试阅读模拟练习题
Aedes albopictus, a variety of mosquito that has recently established itself in the southeastern United States, is less widespread than the indigenous swamp mosquito. Both the swamp mosquito and A. albopictus can carry viruses that are sometimes fatal to humans, but A. albopictus is a greater danger to public health. Each of the following, if true, provides additional information that strengthens the judgment given about the danger to public health EXCEPT:
(A) Unlike the swamp mosquito, A. albopictus originated in Asia, and larvae of it were not observed in the United States before the mid-1980's.
(B) Unlike the swamp mosquito, A. albopictus tends to spend most of its adult life near human habitation.
(C) Unlike swamp mosquito larvae, A. albopictus larvae survive in flower pots, tin cans, and many small household objects that hold a little water.
(D) In comparison with the swamp mosquito, A. albopictus hosts a much wider variety of viruses known to cause serious diseases in humans.
(E) A. albopictus seeks out a much wider range of animal hosts than does the swamp mosq-uito, and it is more likely to bite humans.
答案:A
1. 分析GRE长阅读的难点(对比托福、四六级、SAT)
想攻克GRE长阅读,我么首先要知道长阅读难在哪里。我在研究生一年级的时候曾经在ETS打零工,我的supervisor告诉我一个所有阅读考试的设计中的重要概念,对于我如何解锁GRE的长阅读产生了革命性的影响。 这个概念就是 input-output sophistication ratio(直译大概就是就是- 输入输出精密度比率)。
要想全面说明这个概念的外延和内核可能需要不少篇幅,我长话短说解释一下:出题人在设计阅读考试时,要考虑整体难度的平衡。阅读正文本质上是一种input(输入),信息进入你的大脑;而到了做题目环节,本质是一种output(输出)。虽然形式上你并没有用嘴说,用笔写,但其实你的大脑对原文进行了加工之后,已经做了一次无声的输出。 你所输出信息的精密度、灵活度,直接决定了你和正确答案的缘分。
那么出题人要考虑的是,输入和输出哪个更难呢?输入难度高,输出的难度要适当降低些;反之亦然。不然整体的难度变得浮动很大,就违反了标化考试一致性的原则。
GRE长阅读的相对难点,毫无疑问是输入部分(即阅读正文),而不是输出部分(即做题目)。 原因有二: 第一,GRE的句子长度、词语难度、句式的复杂度很多其他考试无出其右;第二,也是至关重要的一点是,GRE阅读的题目是乱序模式,出题顺序和文章顺序没有关系,即, 第一题可能对应文章最后一段,而最后一题可能对应文章第一段,很没有规律。因此托福和四六级可以采取逐段阅读做题的方法,而GRE则行不通,必须先读完全文。
先读完全文,对于短阅读来说还好,信息量不大,我们的大脑内存hold的住;但是长阅读的信息量,我们的大脑就过载了,hold不住了,就会出现宕机。
所以,我们要解决的问题很简单:如何在大脑内存有限的情况下阅读大量信息+如何提升大脑内存。
解决方法:脑内存有限怎么hold住大量信息。 很简单,我们对于重点信息要着重读,对于非重点一带而过。很多同学读文章的时候并不会刻意的区分信息的重要性,导致在阅读的时候读不懂的地方反复读,感觉读得懂的地方一带而过。殊不知,读不懂的地方可能是个不重要的细节,题目可能根本不考;而感觉读得懂的地方可能是个主要观点,但因为你一带而过导致最后其实也只懂了个大概,并没有达到全面而深刻的理解。
那么什么是重点信息?主要两个:框架信息和考点信息。
我们先说第一个:框架信息。
定义:框架信息,即用一个框架把文章个部分内容定性提炼出来,而不去过分关注每部分内容的各种海量细节。
其实在生活中,我们所有人都在潜意识的运用这种方法记住大量信息,只是我们自己没意识到而已。 举个例子,在学校里,我们可能会遇到上百个同学,你见到之后脑子里都能对上号,怎么做到的?你可能并不了解这些人每个人的所有信息,但是你会用一种简单的方式去给他们进行定性。 比如“帅哥”“典雅型帅哥”“”“肌肉男”“单眼皮男生”“眼睛仔”等等,我们在记住人的信息时,脑子里会储存一些特定的特质、特征、标签去定性我们生活中遇到的人,这就避免了我们记住各种琐碎细节产生信息过载了。
如何快速准确的把握一篇文章的框架信息呢? 我们分成三个步骤给大家拆解。第一步-学会信息定性;第二步-判断信息方向;第三步-了解主要框架。
从思维规律来说,这三个步骤的关系是这样的
掌握信息的定性和方向是前提,最终目的是提炼出文章的框架。
2. 信息定性:
GRE文章的信息,我们可以分为四种属性:他人观点、作者观点、事实、问题。
“他人观点”就是作者以外别人(其他学者、专家、民众、传统人士)的看法
比如: Du Bois believed that Spencerian sociologists failed in their attempts to gain greater understanding of human deeds because their work examined not deeds but theories and because they gathered data not to affect social progress but merely to theorize.
(这句说主要说的是Du Bois这个人对于Spencerian sociologists的研究的评价,是他人观点)
“作者观点”就是作者自己的看法
比如: This view, which reflects a common tendency to regard African American artists’ imagery as unmediated documentation of direct experience, overlooks Johnson’s interpretive thinking.
(这句话体现了作者对于一种观点的负面态度,认为这种观点忽视了一些东西)
“事实”就是客观描述既成事实;
比如: When wolves returned, grazers and browsers resumed normal patterns of behaviors, preferring safer, open areas over the dense cover and streamsides where carnivores can lurk.
(这句话客观描述了狼和食草类动物之间的互动关系,是客观事实)
“问题”往往是描述一个令人感到疑惑、困难、矛盾、难以解释、难以解决的局面和状况。
Although many hypotheses have been proposed to explain why some plant communities are more susceptible than others to invasion by nonnative species, results from field studies have been inconsistent and no general theory of invasibility has yet emerged.
(这句话告诉我们不同实验结果之间的矛盾,这是一个难以解释的状况,即问题)
“他人观点”特征是比较明显的,作者一般会说“什么人”有“什么看法”;
“问题”的特征也较明显,一般会出现一些形容词、副词、名词、动词来表示一件事情比较麻烦、棘手、意外、困扰等特征,比如 unfortunately\\ surprisingly\\ trouble\\ confusing\\ hard to explain\\ inconsistent 等等。
比较容易搞混的是 “事实”和“作者观点”这两种信息属性。毕竟,我们很多人在看电视、看新闻的时候也会有分不清事实和观点的时候,很多商家也经常把观点混淆为事实来诱骗消费者上当。没错,GRE的阅读设计的一个目的,就是看你是不是脑子清醒,能够看到这两者的区别。
我们可以从两个角度入手: 动词形态 和 真实性评估难度。
从动词形态这个角度来说,记住,“作者观点 ”会使用主观性强的情态动词,如 could、should、must、may等等;而“事实”一般使用动词 过去时、过去完成时、现在完成时、一般现在时等表示既成事实或客观状态的时态。
我们可以体会一下这两种语气的不同。
India was a powerful kingdom in 18th century.(印度在18世纪是个强大的国家)-事实
India may have been a powerful kingdom in 18th century. (印度在十八世纪可能是个强大的国家)-作者观点
(不可否认,在现实世界中,很多文案的作者为了达到洗脑受众的目的,故意把观点中的情态动词略去,说成事实的样子,比如一些鸡汤文。当然,GRE的文章都是严谨的学术性文章,不会出现这种下三滥的手段)
正确性评估
并不是所有信息都有动词形态的差异,这时候我们要看的更深一步,判断评价一个信息正确性的难易。
一般来说, 一个信息的正确性越容易判定,则为客观性事实;一个信息的正确性越难评估,则为主观性观点。
比如:
小明身高185cm.(我们很容易判定这句话正误,因为身高很容易测量出来,可以认为这是客观信息)
小明是一个伟大的人。 (我们很难判定这句话正误,因为“伟大”是一个很主观的概念,没有什么具体指标来加以衡量)
来看两个GRE真题中的句子:
例1:
But the solutions that Matisse arrives at are always idiosyncratic and tend to be unrelated to any system of ideas:intuition is his only system.
这句话中的“idiosyncratic”(怪癖怪异)和“unrelated”(无关)这两个特质都是偏主观、抽象的,不太容易衡量,因此应该是主观的观点。
例2:
Human impacts on the natural environment during the later part of the Holocene (beginning about 4,000 years ago) complicate investigations into environmental change during that period because the signals produced by human-and climate-induced change are sometimes difficult to separate.
这句话主体说的是“人类影响复杂化了针对环境变化的调查”,我们可以通过观察这些调查所研究的参数、因素的数量来衡量是否“复杂化了”,这就是一个较容易评估正确性的句子,即客观事实。
掌握信息定性,首先是为了之后能够快速提炼出文章的框架(文章框架如果是座楼的话,那么信息定性就是组成楼的砖瓦);同时,信息定性也能更好的帮助我们在做题时进行定位,题目一般会告诉我们,出题是想知道他人观点,还是客观事实,抑或作者观点,我们只要结合之前的定性按图索骥即可。
3. 判断信息方向
很多同学觉得大段文字难懂难记的原因,是按照句子为单位(甚至单词为单位)来理解信息,这样做信息的数量自然就被放大了!如何简化一大段文字?我们应该向公司的老板们多学学。
一家公司的老板要管理500人的员工,他能做到所有人都管吗?累死他!所以他会把500人拆分成5个部门,他只要管理5个部门经理就可以了。
同样,一篇100多句的文章,如果把每个句子比喻成一名员工,我们只需要把这100多个员工拆成几个“部门”,每个“部门”用一句话概括下,我们脑子就hold的住这一大篇文章了。
如何知道哪些句子应该划分到同一个“部门”呢?这就需要我们快速判定信息方向了。 如果一个句子的方向相对上一句没变,就划分到同一个“部门”里;如果方向变了,说明出现新的话题了,那就新设立一个“部门”。
我们来看一个例子,看看这种方法如何操作。
如何判断信息有无转向?我们分成两部分来探讨:基本判定(方向词)和高级判定(主体转换)。
3.1 基本判定:方向词
在方向的判定上,我们主要通过判断正负来判断句间的关系。原则上来说,只要两句话之间没有明显的负向词,就默认关系为正向。 这种意识可以有助于我们调控阅读的节奏,即,只要前后句的方向上没有变化,我们可以按照之前理解的意思进行快速浏览,不需要每句话的意思都咀嚼清楚。
我们看一下下面这段话。
The main exception to primate researchers’ general pattern has been the study of male care among monogamous primates. It has been known for over 200 years, ever since a zoologist- illustrator named George Edwards decided to watch the behavior of pet marmosets in a London garden, that among certain species of New World monkeys males contributed direct care for infants that equaled or exceeded that given by females. Mothers among marmosets and tamarins typically give birth to twins, as often as twice a year, and to court the female in her staggering reproductive burden the male carries the infant at all times except when the mother is actually suckling it. It was assumed by Kleiman that monogamy and male confidence of paternity were essential to the evolution of such care, and at the same time, it was assumed by Symons and others that monogamy among primates must be fairly rare.
这段话看似眼花缭乱,但是整个段落没有任何明显表示方向转换的标志,因此默认信息方向一直不变。第一句话提到了研究者研究的一个例外是灵长类动物中的male care(雄性养育),因此后面的句子无非是针对“male care”讲更多的信息,可以快速浏览。
那么,如何判定信息的方向发生转换呢? 我们主要通过两类词:连词、副词、动词。
3.1.1 连词
连词体现的句内关系,主要分为两种:并列连词和从属连词。
并列连词包括: for and nor but or yet so
并列连词连接的两句话逻辑上同等重要,因此出现表示转折的并列连词,则为负关系,信息出现转向。
Tom is a kind man. He always helps people, but sometimes he can be selfish.
but之前一直在说Tom好的方面,but之后说Tom自私,信息出现转向。
在并列连词中,能表示转折的词为 but和 yet. 因此这两个词出现之后 一般来说,信息会出现转向。
当然,也有例外情况。比如下面这句话。
Tom never enjoyed visiting museum. He admits that museums have certain charms, but he fees the time spent at museums is not rewarding.
从属连词包括: when while although because if since whereas once
从属连词引导的句子在逻辑上属于从属地位,句子的主体在于另外一句话。
比如
Although Tom is smart, he failed the test. (句子主体是后半句:he failed the test)
The program was forced to stop, because the weather was hot. (句子主体是前半句: The program was forced to stop.)
表示转折关系的从属连词包括:although 和 while。因为从属连词引导的句子不是整句话的主体,因此不影响信息的方向。 所以although 和while并不影响信息的方向。
注: while 可以表示(1)转折(2)同时 (3)对比 三种逻辑关系,注意根据语境的实际意思进行灵活区分。
在判断方向词的时候,要特别注意并列连词和从属连词的区别,前者往往体现信息方向改变的节点,之后的信息都在说新的话题了;而后者只是体现句子内部一个小小的波折,整体信息没有转向,之后的句子还继续说旧的话题。
3.1.2 副词
副词体现的是句间关系,因此是句子之间转换方向的专业利器。
yet 和 but既可以是连词也可以是副词,外加 however、nevertheless、nonetheless,这几个词语出现,都标志着信息方向的转变。
3.1.3 动词
很多负向动词,比如 disagree、refute、dismiss、contradict
Conventional wisdom holds that people tend to measure the value of gifts in proportion to their prices. Thomas disagree with such point by arguing that more expensive gifts do not necessarily bring about gratitude.
3.1.4 介词
Despite/ in spite of这样的介词也表示转折关系,但是由于和从属连词一样,它们也表示句内的逻辑关系,因此也不会导致信息转向。
3.2 高级判定: 主体转换
3.2.1 观点主体转换
如果前一句说A的观点,后一句说B的观点,如果没有特别强调两者观点相似或相同,我们默认观点不同或相反,前后为负向关系。
Jefferson, in his most famous work Ulysses, put a big amount of value on the intake of literature in adolescence. Scholars of more recent period tend to show less respect for literature eduction at such early stage.
第一句话Jefferson比较重视青少年时期的文学教育,第二句话转而说其他学者的看法,观点出现不同,后者不赞同太早让孩子接受文学教育。
但是需要说明的是,作者如果想说明两个观点相同,会特意使用一些标志词。
比如
Tom likes bananas. Jack also likes it.
第二句话中的also,就是为了特意说明两个人的喜好是一致的。
类似这样的标志词还有: by the same token, similarly, as well 等等。
3.2.2 描述主体转换
什么是描述主体转换?比如这句话
Tom is very hard-working. Jack is kind of lazy.
第一句话描述的是Tom,说他很勤奋;第二句话转而描述Jack,描述的特征正好相反,说他比较懒惰。
一般来说,描述主体转化的时候,除非有特别说明两个人相似,一般默认信息转向,出现相反或不同的特质。
3.2.3 时间主体转换
一般来说,如果针对同一个话题出现了不同的时间对于这个话题的看法,除非特别说明这两个时间的看法一致,则我们可以默认出现了信息的转向。
我们来看这句话。
Before 19th century, people tend to regard Roman history as purely heroic. Recently, such mindset begins to change.
第一个时间点是 19世纪之前,人们认为罗马历史是具有英雄主义色彩的。 第二个时间点是最近,人们改变了看法。再没有特别说明观点一致的情况下,自然出现的信息方向的扭转。
到目前为止,我们讲解了信息的定性,我们了解了如何判定信息的方向,这两个知识结合在一起,我们在阅读中就可以做到如何判定一段文字的某几句话属于什么性质,我们可以略读某些句子,同时简化记忆某些句子,从而做到在大脑内存不足的情况下,hold住大量的信息。但不要忘了,我们了解这些知识和技能点的最终目标,是提炼出文章的框架。
接下来,我们将讲解GRE的框架类型及其特征,以及在文章中需要格外关注的考点信息。
4. GRE阅读框架类型及其特征
GRE阅读文章涉及内容颇为广泛,题材各异,内容类型也不尽相同,要把它们尽数分类,囊括于一些框框中,实在是难上加难。但是我还是依据前人的经验和自己的一点总结,斗胆将其中大部分文章的结构寻其规律,分为大致5种类型:
1)介绍客观事实
2)展示/评价一个核心观点
3)新旧主体对比(观点/研究)
4)解释针对问题型
5)混合结构型(以3+4居多)
尽管还有很多文章的结构不能严格地套人这五种类型中,但是在它们的局部,也难免不反映出这五种结构组成形式的影子。那么我们为什么要将文章分成这几类呢?每一种类型的文章,作者都有一套固定的谋篇布局的方法,文章的脉络、段落的安排也都有相对固定的格式。这样,在判断出文章的结构类型以后,读者就可以根据作者成文的固定套路,顺利地推测出下文将要写什么,作者写作的中心意图是什么,这对读者理解文章内容有很大的帮助;此外,有一种类型的题日-主旨题,它的出题和答案直指文章的结构或全文的中心,故只要判断出文章的结构类型和作者的主要意图,这类题目就可以轻松做答了。
我们首先来看看每种框架类型下构成文章脉络的核心因素
4.1 介绍客观事实
这种文章其实不需要多做说明。整体来说就像是我们之前接触过的说明文、科普文,就是普及一些知识。
判断方法:文章中的信息都是“事实”,几乎不会出现“他人观点”,更不用说“作者观点”了。
4.2 展示/评价一个核心观点
这类文章一般是作者在文章第一段就展示一个明确的结论,即阐述某一个“他人观点”。下文全是对此观点做出的解释说明和论证,都是顺承关系的支持性文字,要么从其用途、功能、原理、结构、特征、起源等方面来进一步阐述,要么举出具体的例子来深化说明,要么引出其他事物作为比较来继续论述 。总之这种文章的上下文内容可以概括为一句话:全文观点一致,深人探讨。并且一般来讲,各段首句就是本段的大意。有些文章在末段或者结尾处,作者针对之前的观点给出一个评价,说这个观点有道理,或不正确,或整体不错但有缺陷。当然作者的评价可以有,也可能没有。
判断方法:首段阐述了一个“他人观点”(很多时候是一个判断句'/强调句,句中作者冠以表明肯定或否定态度的词),首段出现观点之后和二段首句均没有对此观点进行转折。 4.3 新旧主体对比(观点/研究)
这种文章的特点是,刚开始针对某个话题给出旧的观点,或者是旧的研究方法、视角或结论,然后后面给出新的观点或研究方法等等。 作者有可能会支持新的观点,这种情况下,旧的观点会被放弃和批判;但作者可能像个局外人一样一言不发,坐山观虎斗,只是单纯的罗列新旧不同的观点。
判断方法:
1) 首段给出一个话题和一个“他人观点”(旧主体),这个观点是过去发生的、大多数人认同的、传统的,可能是作者反对的(也可能不是)
a)首句有表示过去的时间词、或动词的完成时态,例如initially,long maintained, It has long been known that,by1950, once thought to be
b)有表示多数人、一般人看法的词:often、usually, traditionally, typically, regularly, some historians, the dominant view, the common belief/claim, it is a popular view that..., Many assumed that…, many people believe that, it is frequently assumed that等。
比如以下这样的句子:
例1: Until about five years ago, the very idea that peptide hormones might be made anywhere in the brain besides the hypothalamu was astounding.
例2: The historian Frederick. Tumner wrote in the1890' s that the agrarian discontent that had been developing steadily in the United States since about 1870 had been precipitated by the closing of the internal frontier-that is, the depletion of available new land needed for further expansion of the American farming system. Not only was Turner's thesis influential at the time, it was later adopted and elaborated by other scholars, such as John D. Hicknin The Populist Revolt(1931).
例3: It has long been known that the rate oxidative metabolism the process that uses oxygen to convert food into energy) in any animal has a profound effect on its living patterns.
例4: Many theories have been formulated to explain the role of grazers such as zooplankton in controlling the amount of planktonic algae( phytoplankton) in lakes. The first theories of such grazer control were merely based on observations of negative correlations between algal and zooplankton numbers.(many体现出了旧观点的特征, merely体现出了旧观点的局限)
2)第二段或第三段出现转折之后,引出另一个“他人观点”(新主体),文章最后可能会有“作者观点”。
二段首句以 however为特征词,对前面的观点进行了转折,提出旧观点的缺陷,即“naow”,之后又以new为特征词,提出新观点,即作者支持的观点,也就是主旨句,至此,文章的结构已然完整,之后则是对新观点的阐述。新观点推翻旧观点型的文章,主旨题正确答案一般不出两个着眼点,即:“新观点”,或者“推翻”,也就是说正确答案要么是对新观点的叙述,要么是对怎样杏定旧观点的叙述。new, recent, challenge, refute等词是这些答案的标志词。
4.4 解释针对问题型
这类文章通常是首段先给出一个有待解释的现象(通常不合常规)、有待解决的任务、问题,首段后半部分或者二段首句开始针对前文的问题进行解释,可能给出一个解释也可能给出多个解释,并对这些解释的有效性进行评价。
判断方法:
1)首段有一个古怪的现象或者矛盾,句子中常有 puzzle, task, problem,phenomenon, dilemma, difficulty, paradox, controversy等标志词,或者有以 however连接的反映前后矛盾的句子。
2)首段的后半部分或者二段首句有表示“解释”的词汇,例如; one possible explanation is that.., to test this hypothesis, researchers offer sensible explanations.. researchers now know that.. . Cressy finds that...
主旨句的位置
1)作者给出正评价的解释处,即有效的解释处(通常是多个解释中居后面的解释)
2)如果没有任何有效的解释, 现象、问题本身就是主旨句。
当然,如果细分,这类文章有时候是一个解释针对一个问题,有时候是多个解释针对个问题,也有个别时候是多个解释针对多个问题,但是基本思路和文章框架的判别方法是一样的。
解释可以有很多个,评价也随之有很多。但是有效的解释只有一个,一般是全文最后一个解释。看到这个解释和作者对其的正评价,全文结构就完整了。读者在判断了文章为这类结构以后要边读边寻找以上几个部分,以确保将文章的有叙述都读到。
4.5 混合结构型(以3+4居多)
这类文章多数为类型3和类型4的混合。比如,先以第三类文章类型开始,一个新观点推翻了一个旧观点然后跟着第三类文章类型,即对新观点提出问题并在后文对其进行多种解释;或者,先以第四类文章开始,提出一个怪异的现象,为了解释这个现象,给出旧的传统观点,再给出一个最新的观点来推翻旧的观点。
当然,还是会有少数文章在上述文章结构类型之外。比如有些文章首段只是叙述了一个文化背景,没有新、旧观点,也没有有待解释的问题,在首段末句开始引入全文的fcus,段才进入论证正文,这样的文章通常二段以后仍结构完整,可套入某种结构类型之中;再比如,有些文章全文都是一些介绍性的文字,没有鲜明的观点或者态度,遇到这些文章读者只需关注一些通常出现的考点就可以了,题目也不会对文章结构进行提问的。
不同类型的文章,也有可能在某段或者文章的某个局部出现别的结构类型的影子,常常是你中有我我中有你。所以读者练习阅读不必拘泥于机械的类型划分,它只是一种帮助你理解的手段,并不是目的。读文章的最终目的,是要抓住文章的focus,读观点,读作者意图,只有这些,才是真正可以超越结构分类的、永远值得关注的东西。
GRE考试阅读模拟练习题
Aedes albopictus, a variety of mosquito that has recently established itself in the southeastern United States, is less widespread than the indigenous swamp mosquito. Both the swamp mosquito and A. albopictus can carry viruses that are sometimes fatal to humans, but A. albopictus is a greater danger to public health. Each of the following, if true, provides additional information that strengthens the judgment given about the danger to public health EXCEPT:
(A) Unlike the swamp mosquito, A. albopictus originated in Asia, and larvae of it were not observed in the United States before the mid-1980's.
(B) Unlike the swamp mosquito, A. albopictus tends to spend most of its adult life near human habitation.
(C) Unlike swamp mosquito larvae, A. albopictus larvae survive in flower pots, tin cans, and many small household objects that hold a little water.
(D) In comparison with the swamp mosquito, A. albopictus hosts a much wider variety of viruses known to cause serious diseases in humans.
(E) A. albopictus seeks out a much wider range of animal hosts than does the swamp mosq-uito, and it is more likely to bite humans.
答案:A
学霸教你如何攻克GRE长阅读
篇4:gre阅读长难句如何攻克
gre阅读长难句如何攻克
新GRE阅读长难句例题
Islamic law is a phenomenon so different from all other forms of law---notwithstanding, of course, a considerable and inevitable number of coincidences with one or the other of them as far as subject matter and positive enactment are concerned---that its study is indispensable in order to appreciate adequately the full range of possible legal phenomena。
新GRE考试阅读长难句解析
初步读完这句话我们发现这个句子的难句类型是:复杂修饰+插入语+抽象词,其中插入语是理解这个句子的关键。
(1)Islamic law (2)is a (3)phenomenon (4)so different from all other forms of law---notwithstanding, of course,(5)(it has) (6)a considerable and inevitable number of coincidences with one or the other of them /(7)as far as subject matter and positive enactment are concerned/---(8)that its study is indispensable (9)in order to appreciate adequately the full range of possible legal phenomena。
对句子标记后我们可以逐一分析各个成分:
Step1:找主谓
1. 不难发现整个句子的主语就是Islamic law,即伊斯兰法
2. is为整个句子的谓语
3. phenomenon作为整个句子的宾语
从1、2、3我们可以分析出:
1+2+3=句子的主干:伊斯兰的法律是一个法律现象:Islamic law is a phenomenon
Step2:分析句子中的插入语
4. 我们需要注意的是notwithstanding这个词,句子中的插入语之所以比较难懂的主要一个原因在于对notwithstanding的理解,notwithstanding作为介词,相当于in spite of(不管,不顾,尽管),这对于大多数考生来说是陌生的。
5. 这里加上省略的it has使得句子更加清楚易懂
6. 这一部分是对主语Islamic law的解释说明,即“伊斯兰法与其他的某些法律存在着大量的和必然的一致之处。
7. as far as表示“至于,就.。.而言”
8. 整句话中贯穿了so...that句型
9. in order to appreciate adequately the full range of possible legal phenomena。这句话中包含一个倒装,正常语序的appreciate the full range of possible legal phenomena adequately中的副词adequately被提到appreciate的宾语之前。
Step3:对整句话有个大概的中文翻译的印象
译文:
伊斯兰法是一个与其他所有形式的法律都如此之不同的法律现象---尽管,当然,/从其涉及的内容和实际实施的角度来看/,伊斯兰法与其他的某些法律存在着大量的和必然的一致之处---以至于对于它的研究是不可缺少的,这样才能充分地理解所有可能的法律现象的全部范围。
新GRE阅读长难句结
从分析结果来看插入语的内容对理解文章基本没有什么作用,其实这句话中的插入语根本不用读,也可以根据插入语前后的内容猜出其意思:插入语前后的内容是伊斯兰法与其他法律不同,插入部分以notwithstanding开头,又有of course,可见插入部分一定是让步语气,因此可以对前后的内容取非,猜出插入部分一定是在说伊斯兰法与其他法律有相同之处。所以,如果遇到很长的插入语最好跳过,看懂前后的内容再回头来看插入语。
GRE阅读的固定思路
1.做题第一步是审题,看出题意。
首先记住,先文后题。道理很简单,你直接读题,根本读不懂。所以很重要的是搞明白两个问题,这个题目对应文章哪个层次?考的是观点还是例子?题型很重要,意义在于告诉你正确选项的特征的如何定位。
2.如何处理GRE文章
GRE阅读考试只有13-15分钟做题,文章不是用来读懂的,对待长难句最好的办法是考虑怎么不读,少读,而不是分析。
GRE阅读中学术文章特点就是规范,层次清晰,主题明确。
3.一定要读出思路
尤其是文章观点的数量,这个直接关系到主题题怎么出。要把每段的层次的连词标记出来,我们还要知道每个层次的主题词是什么,周围有没有否定词(改善题),有没有褒贬的词(态度题,应用题)。
4.例子可少读
至于例子,也可以考虑不读或者少读,因为GRE阅读重点考观点,例子是事实,事实记得越多,混淆信息越多,做题越慢,准确率越低。对于例子,只要记住位置就可以,题目考到再看,不考坚决不看。以观点记例子,以观点分层次,以观点分逻辑关系。
新GRE阅读向来是难度较大的,在做题时一定要掌握一些新GRE阅读方法,注意文章观念的数量,分清层次明确主题,掌握新GRE阅读中的长难句分析能力,并通过大量做题来将方法熟记于心。
GRE阅读和国外文化的关系
像那种长阅读,说的好像是什么impressionist(印象派)和modernist(现实主义)的东东。由于对这方面毫无了解,所以读这篇文章毫无感觉。我不是要大家去补习美国文化的知识,这工程量太大。
网上都说平时要多看什么economist什么的,试问有几个人会真正为了GRE去看?我的建议就是,大家可以抽一点时间,利用相关资料(比如 wikipedia),多去了解一下GRE社科类阅读爱考的知识。以往年经验来看,GRE社科类阅读非常喜欢考黑人文学Black literature,黑人音乐Black music(尤其是Jazz),妇女(包括妇女地位的改变,妇女文学),艺术类包括impressionist、modernist等。
另外,GRE考试阅读务必多留意一下上述知识的代表人物!比如Ragtime就是Jazz的代表人物及一种风格。并不是要求大家知道这个人物做了什么,只需要混个眼熟,考试的时候万一碰到一大串人名,能对其中一两个有点眼熟,能大概猜测出来是关于什么的就行!等到时候文章做得比较熟了,那时往往你自己也大概了解了社科类的阅读喜欢考哪些领域了。
GRE阅读文章内容以外国文化背景为主要的,所以大家在复习的时候尽量进行这类的GRE阅读文章,不要为了考试而考试,如果平时养成看英文报、英文期刊的习惯,到时候考试中的阅读题一定能拿高分。
篇5:手把手教你攻克GRE长阅读
深入熟悉阅读文章的内部的结构与逻辑关系,攻克GRE长阅读
官方真题例3.1:
建议考生先自己阅读下面的文章,阅读完后再看后面我们给出的分析。
Notable as important nineteenth-century
novels by women, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Emily Bronte’s Wuthering
Heights treat women very differently. Shelley produced a “masculine” text in
which the fates of subordinate female characters seem entirely dependent on the
actions of male heroes or anti-heroes. Bronte produced a more realistic
narrative, portraying a world where men battle for the favors of apparently
high-spirited, independent women. Nevertheless, these two novels are alike in
several crucial ways. Many readers are convinced that the compelling mysteries
of each plot conceal elaborate structures of allusion and fierce, though
shadowy, moral ambitions that seem to indicate metaphysical intentions, though
efforts by critics to articulate these intentions have generated much
controversy. Both novelists use a storytelling method that emphasizes ironic
disjunctions between different perspectives on the same events as well as
ironic tensions that inhere in the relationship between surface drama and
concealed authorial intention, a method I call an evidentiary narrative
technique.
分析:
Notable
as important nineteenth-century novels by women, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
and Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights treat women very differently. Shelley produced a “masculine” text in which the fates of
subordinate female characters seem entirely dependent on the actions of male
heroes or anti-heroes. Bronte produced a more realistic narrative, portraying a
world where men battle for the favors of apparently high-spirited, independent
women. Nevertheless, these two
novels are alike
in several crucial ways. Many readers are convinced that the compelling
mysteries of each plot conceal elaborate structures of allusion and fierce,
though shadowy, moral ambitions that seem to indicate metaphysical intentions,
though efforts by critics to articulate these intentions have generated much
controversy. Both novelists use a storytelling method that emphasizes ironic
disjunctions between different perspectives on the same events as well as ironic
tensions that inhere in the relationship between surface drama and concealed
authorial intention, a method I call an evidentiary narrative technique.
首先,该篇文章的主题句分别为第1句和第4句。
从结构的角度而言,
第1层结构为文章提到的2个作者在各自的作品中对待女性的不同点。接着用2个句子分别来具体描写它们的不同之处。
第2层结构为文章提到的2个作者在各自的作品中对待女性的相同点。接着还是用2个句子分别来具体描写它们的相同之处。
从逻辑的角度而言,
differently为对比逻辑关系里的不同逻辑。
alike为对比逻辑关系里的相同逻辑。
Nevertheless,为转折(也即是广义的相反)逻辑。需要提醒的是,考生要注意到nevertheless转折的并非是其最前面的那一句,而是该篇文章的第1层逻辑的不同点,也就是第一句。笔者这样说只是想时刻提醒读者,阅读的精髓本质并非是简单地对原文的中文翻译,而是看到句子与句子的结构、逻辑关系和联系、文章的主旨与细节。
下面一起来题目:
例题:
The
primary purpose of the passage is to
A. defend a
controversial interpretation of two novels
B. explain
the source of widely recognized responses to two novels
C. delineate
broad differences between two novels
D.compareand contrast two novels
E. criticize
and evaluate two novels
解析:
该题很明显为主旨题目。直接从刚才我们对文章的结构和逻辑分析不难得出,该篇文章主要的逻辑是对比逻辑。因此考生在看选项的时候,切记要先看动词。很快我们可以得出答案为D选项。
例题2:
According
the passage, Frankenstein differs from Wuthering Heights in its
A use of multiple narrators
B method of disguising the
author’s real purposes
C portrayal of men as
determiners of the novel’s action
D creation of a realistic story
E controversial effect on
readers
解析:
该题为细节中的不同逻辑关系的题目。具体而言就是问Frankenstein 和 Wuthering
Heights这2本小说不同之处在于Frankenstein(题目用代词its表示)的什么。
考生这时候应该思考一下,该题的答案应该定位到原文哪一层结构?没错,就在第1层。因为只有第1层才说的是不同之处。而题目更加详细地问我们是Frankenstein这本小说怎样。于是回到原文对应的地方:“Shelley produced a “masculine” text in which the fates of
subordinate female characters seem entirely dependent on the actions of male
heroes or anti-heroes.”
我们不难得出,该句的大意是在说:Frankenstein这本小说描写的是女性角色的命运完全依赖于男性的行为。从逻辑关系的角度而言,就是女性角色和男性角色的行为的逻辑关系。那么答案也必然是对该逻辑关系的同义替换。所以答案不难得出是C选项。有意思的是,原文的表达是:女性角色的命运完全依赖男性的行为;而正确答案的表达为:男性决定女性角色。由于篇幅的关系,更全面的逻辑关系和原文对正确选项的替换类型,我们会在课堂上或者后面出版的阅读书籍中详细阐述。
官方真题例3.2:
建议考生先自己阅读下面的文章,阅读完后再看后面我们给出的分析。
Although scientists observe that an
organism’s behavior falls into rhythmic patterns, they disagree about how these
patterns are affected when the organism is transported to a new environment. One
experimenter, Brown, brought oysters from Connecticut waters to Illinois
waters. She noted that the oysters initially opened their shells widest when it
was high tide in Connecticut, but that after fourteen days their rhythms had
adapted to the tide schedule in Illinois. Although she could not posit an
unequivocal causal relationship between behavior and environmental change,
Brown concluded that a change in tide schedule is one of several possible
exogenous influences (those outside the organism) on the oysters’ rhythms. Another
experimenter, Hamner, however, discovered that hamsters from California
maintain their original rhythms even at the South Pole. He concluded that
endogenous influences (those inside the organism) seem to affect an organism’s
rhythmic behavior
解析:
Although scientists observe that an organism’s behavior
falls into rhythmic patterns, they disagree about how these patterns are
affected when the organism is transported to a new environment.One experimenter, Brown, brought oysters from Connecticut waters to Illinois
waters. She noted that the oysters initially opened their shells widest when it
was high tide in Connecticut, but that after fourteen days their rhythms had
adapted to the tide schedule in Illinois. Although she could not posit an
unequivocal causal relationship between behavior and environmental change,
Brown concluded that a change in tide schedule is one of several possible
exogenous influences (those outside the organism) on the oysters’ rhythms.
Another experimenter,
Hamner, however, discovered that hamsters from California maintain their
original rhythms even at the South Pole. He concluded that endogenous
influences (those inside the organism) seem to affect an organism’s rhythmic
behavior
该篇文章的主旨为第1句。由第1句中的disagree一词可以预判文章后面应该会出现关于disagree后面的部分的内容的不同的观点。
文章的结构于是不难得出可以分为2层。
第1层即是第一句,为该篇文章主题句。
第2层中分为2小点。第1点为one部分的内容,也即是Brown的实验的具体内容和发现的结果以及结论。第2点为Hamner的具体的实验的内容和结论。
需要提醒考生的是,文章中主题和细节的重复的部分。也就是当考生看完主旨句的时候,就应该意识到,scientists, organism’s behavior, environment都是抽象词,文章后面会不断具体重复这几个主题抽象词。
例如:
scientists=Brown
+ Hamner
organism= oysters+ hamsters
environment= Connecticut+ Illinois+ California
behavior= opened their shells widest + adapted to +
maintain their original rhythms
官方真题例3.3:
A Marxist sociologist has argued that
racism stems from the class struggle that is unique to the capitalist
system—that racial prejudice is generated by capitalists as a means of
controlling workers. His thesis works relatively well when applied to discrimination
against Blacks in the United States, but his definition of racial prejudice as
“racially-based negative prejudgments against a group generally accepted as a
race in any given region of ethnic competition,” can be interpreted as also
including hostility toward such ethnic groups as the Chinese in California and
the Jews in medieval Europe. However, since prejudice against these latter
peoples was not inspired by capitalists, he has to reason that such antagonisms
were not really based on race. He disposes thusly (albeit unconvincingly) of
both the intolerance faced by Jews before the rise of capitalism and the early
twentieth-century discrimination against Oriental people in California, which,
inconveniently, was instigated by workers.
分析:
A Marxist sociologist has argued that racism stems from the class struggle that is unique to the capitalist system—that racial prejudice is generated by capitalists
as a means of controlling workers. His thesis works
relatively well when applied to discrimination againstBlacks in
the United States, but his definition of racial prejudice as “racially-based negative prejudgmentsagainst a
group generally accepted as a race in any given region of ethnic competition,” can be interpreted as also including hostilitytoward such
ethnic groups as the Chinese in California and the Jews in medieval Europe.
However, since prejudice against these latter peoples was not inspired by capitalists,
he has to reason that such antagonisms were not really based
on race. He disposes thusly (albeit unconvincingly) of both the intolerance
faced by Jews before the rise of capitalism
and the early twentieth-century discriminationagainst Oriental people in
California, which, inconveniently, was instigated by workers.
上面的不同的颜色或者符号标记,代表该GRE文章中大量的---同义替换。
如下:
1, racism—racial
prejudice—discrimination—racial prejudice—racially-based negative
prejudgments---hostility—antagonisms—intolerance--discrimination
2, stems
form---generated by---inspired by ---based on—instigated by ---provoked by
3, capitalist system---- capitalists---- capitalism
4, A Marxist sociologist--- His---- He
5, class struggle----a means of controlling workers
6,
against—toward—against….(很多很多的against)…
7, Chinese---- Oriental people
那么大家思考过没有,文章在后面展开过程中,为啥不断地同义替换那几个词?也就是大家如果在看文章第一句:A Marxist sociologist has argued that racism stems from the class struggle
that is unique to the capitalist system—that racial prejudice is generated by
capitalists as a means of controlling workers.的时候,应该想到什么?其实,如果对GRE阅读熟悉的话,就应该清楚,很多文章的写作意图是反驳别人的观点。那么我们思考一下,后面作者会怎么反驳那个马克思学家?对,应该是从如下两点:
1、在某某情况下,也存在racism,可是不是由于class
struggle.
2、在某某情况下,也存在racism,可是那时候,还没有capitalist
system.
也就是我们在后文的不断的反驳中,不得不去重复这几个概念:偏见、来自于、资本主义
第一点反驳:在某某情况下,你得说也存在这种偏见。
第二点反驳:同样,你也得说,在某某情况下,也存在偏见,可是那时候还没有资本主义。
试想一下,如果我们在看文章的时候,在脑海里,把刚才那些所有的同义替换的单词,都理解为同一个概念,或者说idea,那么我们看文章的时候,就可以把前面看到的概念和后面看到的“联系”起来。这样,就不会像大多数的中国考生那样,看到后面的intolerance, antagonisms 的时候,就开始绞尽脑汁地回想那些单词的中文意思。
那么,大家再思考一下,如果我们能够有这种“deliberate oversimplification”---在看文章的时候,有意的把那些相同的概念的单词联系起来,脑海里出现同一个“概念”,而不是每个单词的对应的中文翻译。那么,看起文章来,就够快,而且,最重要的是,你可以把整篇文章串起来!这样,在考场上看文章的时候,才可以在规定的时间里,看完文章并且做完题目。以上所探讨的问题,也是考生在备考的时候,应该注意到并且熟悉的一点。
小结:
从上面笔者对阅读文章的分析,读者不难发现,真正对阅读文章的理解远远不是简单的翻译即可,而是要深入熟悉阅读文章的内部的结构与逻辑关系。备考的时候,只要考生对GRE阅读文章的结构、逻辑关系以及出题规律的无比熟悉,而并非简单的记忆词汇和进行题海战术,那么对的阅读的攻破也将唾手可得。
GRE考试阅读模拟练习题
1.In Bassaria a group of that country's most senior judges has criticized the uniform mandatory sentences recently introduced for certain specific crimes.The judges argue that such sentences, by depriving them of all discretion in setting sentences, make it impos-sible for them to consider either aggravating or exten-uating circumstances and so make it impossible to achieve true justice―the fitting of the severity of the punishment to the gravity of the particular crime.
Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest evidence for the claim that in Bassaria the newly introduced mandatory sentences are not necessarily a change for the worse with respect to achieving true justice as defined in the argument?
(A)Before mandatory sentencing, judges in eastern Bassaria imposed strikingly different sentences from those in western Bassaria for equally grave instances of the same kind of offense.
(B)In Bassaria the frequency of crimes that have been made subject to mandatory sentences is lower now than it was just prior to the intro-duction of mandatory sentencing.
(C)The law introducing mandatory sentences was passed in the legislature of Bassaria by a large majority and is unlikely to be repealed in the foreseeable future.
(D)There used to be a wide difference between the minimum and the maximum sentences allowed by law in cases of crimes now subject to man-datory sentences.
(E)In Bassaria judges are appointed for life and are thus not easily influenced by political pressure groups.
2.Each of two particular inspection systems that are based on different principles would detect all product flaws but would also erroneously reject three percent of flawless products.Assuming there is no overlap between the products erroneously rejected by the two systems and also no interference between the systems if both operate,using both systems and rejecting only those products found flawed by both would be a way of avoiding all erroneous rejections.
Which of the following most precisely characterizes the reasoning in the argument?
(A)The reasoning is conclusive, that is, the conclusion cannot be false if the statements offered in its support are true.
(B)The reasoning is strong but not conclusive, if the statements offered in support of the conclusion are true, they provide good grounds for that conclu-sion, though it is possible that additional infor-mation might weaken the argument.
(C)The reasoning is weak; the statements offered in support of the conclusion, though relevant to it,by themselves provide at best inadequate grounds for the conclusion.
(D)The reasoning is flawed in that the conclusion is no more than a paraphrase of one of the pieces of evidence offered in its support.
(E)The reasoning is flawed in that the argument treats evidence that a factor is necessary to bring about an event as if it were evidence that the factor is sufficient to bring about that event.
3. In recent years, there has been a dramatic decline in the population of the shrike, a predatory bird that inhabits flat land, such as farms and pastures. Some ornithologists hypothesize that this decline is due to the introduction of new, more effective pesticides to control the insect species on which shrikes prey.
The answer to which of the following questions is NOT relevant to evaluating the ornithologists' hypothesis?
(A) Was there a decline in the shrike population before the new pesticides were first used?
(B) Have shrike populations declined significantly in those habitats where the new pesticides have not been used?
(C) Have the new pesticides more significantly reduced the population of insect species on which shrikes prey than did the pesticides previously used?
(D) Are insects that have consumed the new pesti-cides more toxic to the shrikes that eat those insects than were insects that consumed the less effective pesticides?
(E) Are the new pesticides considered by most people to be less harmful to the environment than the old pesticides were considered to be?
参考答案:
AAE
GRE考试阅读模拟练习题
1.It has long been thought that high levels of the hor-mone testosterone contribute to the onset of heart disease in men.However, this view cannot be correct,since men who have heart disease typically show significantly lower levels of testosterone than do men who have not had heart disease.
The argument above assumes which of the following?
(A)Many men who have never had heart disease have unusually low levels of testosterone.
(B)Having heart disease does not significantly lower the level of testosterone in men.
(C)Levels of hormones other than testosterone significantly affect the likelihood that a man will develop heart disease.
(D)Heart disease and lowered testosterone levels in men are the effects of a single common cause.
(E)High levels of testosterone have never been thought to contribute to a serious disease other than heart disease.
2.People who engage in scuba diving are healthier, on average, than people who do not engage in this activity.Therefore, scuba diving tends to promote improved health.
The argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it
(A)presupposes that everyone who takes up scuba diving does so solely for health reasons
(B)leads to a further and falsifiable conclusion that no one can achieve good health without engaging in scuba diving
(C)fails to point out that a small number of people are seriously injured in scuba diving accidents each year
(D)treats a precondition for improving one's health as though it were something that by itself could ensure good health
(E)overlooks the possibility that people generally do not take up scuba diving unless they are in good health
3.Which of the following most logically completes the argument below?In recent years, the proportion of car buyers who buy new cars rather than used cars has declined.Some consumers have attributed this change to an increase in new-car prices.As evidence of the price increase,they cite figures that show that, even adjusting for inflation, the price that the buyer of a new car pays,on average, is far higher now than a few years ago.
This evidence is unpersuasive, however, because
(A)the value of a car that is bought new declines much more rapidly than does the value of a car that is bought used
(B)after someone has bought a car, it might be several years before that person next buys a car
(C)a decline in the proportion of car buyers who buy new cars must necessarily mean that the proportion who buy used cars has increased
(D)the relative increase in used-car sales might be explained by the decisions of only a small proportion of all car buyers
(E)the change in the average price paid for a new car could result solely from more people's rejecting inexpensive new cars in favor of used cars.
参考答案:
BEE
篇6:该如何突破GRE长阅读
该如何突破GRE长阅读呢
1. 你知道 GRE 的阅读文章都是怎么来的吗?
GRE 阅读文章来源是已经发布的论文,所以体裁上都是「议论文」,符合议论文三要素特点,包含论点、论据和论证。只不过这些原始的论文篇幅都很长(几千甚至上万词),ETS 的出题者们需要对其进行加工,浓缩成 100-400 词的文章。论文的篇幅短了,但其中的逻辑关系得以保留,而且还有可能通过句式的转换变得更复杂。
针对上述出题改写文章的过程和想要达到的目的,ETS 官方发布的一篇研究报告(“Electronic Sources as Input to GRE Reading Comprehension Item Development: Source Finder Prototype Evaluation”)中有具体说明:
Reading comprehension passages generally rely on some kind of “tension” to give them difficulty. A discussion or argument that develops in a linear fashion toward a conclusion is usually too simple to support challenging items. The requisite tension can take various forms: a conflict between different or opposing arguments about something, an unexpected finding that challenges previously established ways of understanding something, a disagreement about what evidence is relevant to the solution of a particular problem, etc. But disagreement or contrast or opposition is not in itself enough to provide the tension: a passage that merely states or describes opposing positions, without discussing in much detail the reasoning behind them, will not support very many or very complex items. For example, instead of saying that Brown believed X and Smith believed Y, a passage might tell us that Brown, heavily influenced by such-and-such school of thought, tended to assume A, and therefore believed X. Smith, on the other hand, had access to information that Brown did not have, namely B and C, and this information led Smith to conclude Y. However, Smith interpreted B in such a way that it seemed logical to conclude Y, when in fact this interpretation was ill founded. The more interdependent details, the more logical twists and turns, the better. Naturally, a passage containing this kind of density can only be created from a source that provides the requisite information, and such sources are not easy to find.
我们重点看加粗的内容:
GRE 阅读文章内在有一种“张力”(tension),体现在观点的对立、对已有观点/研究方法的挑战、对已有解决方案的质疑等。
GRE 阅读文章追求观点的多样和其中关系的复杂,所有元素都是相互关联的,不存在独立的个体。为了解释这个特点,上文中还举了一个例子:GRE 阅读文章不会简单地罗列「Brown 相信 X,Smith 相信 Y」,这样的线性关系太简单了。相反,文章可能会说「Brown 以 A 为前提,得出结论 X;Smith 借助 B 和 C,得出结论 Y,但事实上 Smith 由 B 推 Y 是错误的」。通过这个例子中的对比我们可以看出,GRE 阅读文章中的元素不仅多,而且关系复杂,我们不仅要知道这些元素是什么,还要搞清楚它们相互间的关联。
2. GRE 阅读到底在考我们什么能力?
针对这个问题,官方也有一段说明非常经典:
Reading Comprehension questions are designed to test a wide range of abilities that are required in order to read and understand the kinds of prose commonly encountered in graduate school… reading and understanding a piece of text requires far more than a passive understanding of the words and sentences it contains; it requires active engagement with the text, asking questions, formulating and evaluating hypotheses and reflecting on the relationship of the particular text to other texts and information.
这段文字涵盖了 GRE 阅读考查的两项能力:
读句子的能力:即单词认识,基本语法也知道,能够读懂基本的句子含义。
理关系的能力:在读文章的过程中,能够梳理出句子之间的逻辑关系(如因果、对比、递进等),而且能够对下文内容作出预测,并且不断修正自己的预测,从而形成对文章整体结构的把握。
这样问题就逐渐明晰了,想要读懂一篇 GRE 文章,仅仅能看懂句子的语义是不够的,更重要的是能够梳理出句间逻辑关系,从而把握文章的逻辑主线。如果做不到第二点,在具体做题目的时候,就算我们能够根据关键词定位到原文,但如果搞不清楚其中的逻辑关系,依然做不对题,这个后面会结合真题具体展开说。
3. 到底怎么读文章最有效?
想要为接下来做题做好准备,在一开始读文章的时候,要遵循四个原则:
提取核心概念
梳理逻辑关系
判断论点视角
预测下文要点
我们结合一篇真题文章给大家做具体说明。在看讲解之前,建议你先读一下这篇文章,然后自己试着梳理下其中的逻辑主线。(建议用时 1 分钟)
Many critics of Emily Bront?’s novel Wuthering Heights see its second part as a counterpoint that comments on, if it does not reverse, the first part, where a romantic reading receives more confirmation. Seeing the two parts as a whole is encouraged by the novel’s sophisticated structure, revealed in its complex use of narrators and time shifts. Granted that the presence of these elements need not argue for an authorial awareness of novelistic construction comparable to that of Henry James, their presence does encourage attempts to unify the novel’s heterogeneous parts. However, any interpretation that seeks to unify all of the novel’s diverse elements is bound to be somewhat unconvincing. This is not because such an interpretation necessarily stiffens into a thesis (although rigidity in any interpretation of this or of any novel is always a danger), but because Wuthering Heights has recalcitrant elements of undeniable power that, ultimately, resist inclusion in an all-encompassing interpretation. In this respect, Wuthering Heights shares a feature of Hamlet.
读完了吗?
如果没有经过系统的训练,相信大多数人读完这篇文章后,印象最深的是专有名词和自己不认识的单词,也就是下面这些加粗的内容。
Many critics of Emily Bront?’s novel Wuthering Heights see its second part as a counterpoint that comments on, if it does not reverse, the first part, where a romantic reading receives more confirmation. Seeing the two parts as a whole is encouraged by the novel’s sophisticated structure, revealed in its complex use of narrators and time shifts. Granted that the presence of these elements need not argue for an authorial awareness of novelistic construction comparable to that of Henry James, their presence does encourage attempts to unify the novel’s heterogeneous parts. However, any interpretation that seeks to unify all of the novel’s diverse elements is bound to be somewhat unconvincing. This is not because such an interpretation necessarily stiffens into a thesis (although rigidity in any interpretation of this or of any novel is always a danger), but because Wuthering Heights has recalcitrant elements of undeniable power that, ultimately, resist inclusion in an all-encompassing interpretation. In this respect, Wuthering Heights shares a feature of Hamlet.
这些内容都是散的,对于抓取文章逻辑主线一点用处也没有,你可能还会因为有生词影响语义理解而大惊失色。这里插一句,其实 GRE 阅读是允许有 5% 的生词的,这就意味着一篇 100 词的文章有 5 个生词是很正常的,千万不要因为有生词而心慌。当然了,退一步讲,词汇量越大、生词越少当然是好事,只是不要将这个目标作为攻克 GRE 阅读的关键。关键还应该是对「文章逻辑主线」的把握,我们一句句解读。
1 Many critics of Emily Bront?’s novel Wuthering Heights see its second part as a counterpoint that comments on, if it does not reverse, the first part, where a romantic reading receives more confirmation.
critic 认为,WH 前后两部分不一样(第一部分可以从浪漫主义角度解读)
读完第 1 句,我们要敏感的捕捉到上述核心概念。就算 Emily Bront?、WH 你不知道是什么也没关系(其实后面有说 WH 是一本小说)。掌握了核心概念,进一步的话,你还可以推断第二部分肯定不是浪漫主义的解读,至于到底是什么我们不知道,下文可能会解释。这样就对下文内容有了预测。
2 Seeing the two parts as a whole is encouraged by the novel’s sophisticated structure, revealed in its complex use of narrators and time shifts.
因为结构,所以把小说的两部分看作一个整体。
这句话中存在因果逻辑关系,小说的 structure 让人将小说看作是 whole。至于 sophisticated 这个单词,如果不认识其实关系不大,因为它是修饰 structure 的,不影响对句子核心的把握。同样的道理,后面的 complex use of narrators and time shifts 属于文学领域的专业概念,不知道是什么意思也没关系,只要知道这也是修饰 structure 的就可以。
3 Granted that the presence of these elements need not argue for an authorial awareness of novelistic construction comparable to that of Henry James, their presence does encourage attempts to unify the novel’s heterogeneous parts.
结构和 HJ 的创作类似。
这句话在逻辑线上没有向前推进,还是在说小说的结构可以将不同的部分看作一个整体。但要注意,核心概念的英文表达有更新,本句的 construction 对应前文的 structure,unify 对应前文的 whole,在这个语境中,这两组属于逻辑上的同义词。(GRE 阅读文章中永远存在这种在逻辑上同义的情况,如果你能识别出来,这样就算你只认识其中一个单词,也能根据逻辑推断出另一个的含义。例如这句话中的 heterogeneous 这个单词,相信大多数人都不认识。但我们知道它是修饰 parts 的,这样就对应到前面的 two parts,进而推断出 heterogeneous 还是在说“不同的”部分。)
至于 authorial awareness 到底从专业上是什么意思,HJ 到底是谁其实并不重要,只要我们知道这句话的核心是说结构和 HJ 的创作类似,结构让我们可以将小说不同部分看作整体。
4 However, any interpretation that seeks to unify all of the novel’s diverse elements is bound to be somewhat unconvincing.
但是整体的解读不让人信服。
在 GRE 阅读中,however 是最关键的逻辑关系标志词,没有之一。它表明前后内容存在对比,且后面的内容是重心。(此外,这句话的观点发生转折,但没有明说观点的视角是谁,这种情况都默认是作者本人,所有的 GRE 阅读文章都适应。)读完这句话,我们就可以推测,既然作者反对「整体」的解读方式,那后面很有可能会给出持这一观点的依据。
elements 和前面的 parts 是逻辑上的同义词,diverse 和前面的 heterogeneous、two 也是逻辑上的同义词。
5 This is not because such an interpretation necessarily stiffens into a thesis (although rigidity in any interpretation of this or of any novel is always a danger), but because Wuthering Heights has recalcitrant elements of undeniable power that, ultimately, resist inclusion in an all-encompassing interpretation. In this respect, Wuthering Heights shares a feature of Hamlet.
WH 有某种力量,所以不能从整体去解读。
undeniable 是修饰力量(power)的,不认识不用在意。recalcitrant 修饰 elements,所以和前面的 diverse、heterogeneous、two 是逻辑上的同义词。这种力量“反对”(resist)all-encompassing 的解读方式,说明 all-encompassing 就是前面所说的“看作整体”的解读方式,这样就算这个单词不认识也知道其含义,这就是理清逻辑关系的魅力。
另外这句话还有两个核心概念之外的信息:1)整体的解读对所有小说都是有害的;2)WH 有某种力量拒绝整体解读,这一点和 Hamlet 类似。
结合上面的讲解,我们读完一篇文章之后,就能够提炼出下述核心概念和逻辑关系:
Many critics of Emily Bront?’s novel Wuthering Heights see its second part as a counterpoint that comments on, if it does not reverse, the first part, where a romantic reading receives more confirmation. Seeing the two parts as a whole is encouraged by the novel’s sophisticated structure, revealed in its complex use of narrators and time shifts. Granted that the presence of these elements need not argue for an authorial awareness of novelistic construction comparable to that of Henry James, their presence does encourage attempts to unify the novel’s heterogeneous parts. However, any interpretation that seeks to unify all of the novel’s diverse elements is bound to be somewhat unconvincing. This is not because such an interpretation necessarily stiffens into a thesis (although rigidity in any interpretation of this or of any novel is always a danger), but because Wuthering Heights has recalcitrant elements of undeniable power that, ultimately, resist inclusion in an all-encompassing interpretation. In this respect, Wuthering Heights shares a feature of Hamlet.
由此可知,这篇文章的逻辑主线是:就 WH 这本小说的不同部分能不能看作一个整体,批评家和作者观点对立,且各有依据(structure vs power)。
怎么做对题?
1. 所谓题型是个伪命题
很多人会将 GRE 阅读的题目划分成不同的题型:主旨题、细节题、推断题、结构题、态度题、词汇题……这种划分虽然有一定道理,但并不实用,因为考场上时间宝贵,难道做题时先要判断题目类型吗?难道不同的题目类型对应不同的解法吗?
GRE 阅读要求考生根据已有信息做选择或简单推理(evidence-based reading),始终保持客观,不能主观发散,所有的题目(不管什么题型),都要遵循这个基本逻辑。在这个基础上,能够针对所有题型的、简单有效的通用解题步骤如下:
读题:提炼题干关键词。
定位:根据题干关键词定位到原文。
预测:根据原文内容预测答案方向。
比较:挨个读选项,选出和预测内容最接近的选项。
切记做题不要凭印象,一定要回归原文,明确选择依据后再做选择。我们做一下前面已经讲解过的文章的配套题目。还是建议自己先做一做,有选择后再看后面的解析。(每题建议用时 1 分钟)
Question 1
According to the passage, which of the following is a true statement about the first and second parts of Wuthering Heights?
A The second part has received more attention from critics.
B The second part has little relation to the first part.
C The second part annuls the force of the first part.
D The second part provides less substantiation for a romantic reading.
E The second part is better because it is more realistic.
读题:对 WH 两部分的描述。
定位:原文第一句,Many critics of Emily Bront?’s novel Wuthering Heights see its second part as a counterpoint that comments on, if it does not reverse, the first part, where a romantic reading receives more confirmation. 这句提到两件事:1)WH 前后两部分不一样;2)第一部分可以从浪漫主义角度解读。
预测:正确选项要符合上述两件事,或者能够根据上述两件事做出推理。
比较:
A 选项:批评家的“关注”(attention)在原文没有提到,不选。
B 选项:两部分“没有关系”(little 表示否定含义)和原文不符,原文说的是两部分不一样(counterpart),是对比关系不是没有关系,不选。
C 选项:第二部分“削弱”(annuls)第一部分的力量,在原文没有依据,不选。
D 选项:第二部分不能从浪漫主义角度解读,和原文一致,正确选项。其实做到这里,就可以非常自信的选出答案,最后一个选项可以不看,考场时间就是这么节省下来的。只要文章读懂了,做题目应该有这个自信,不管正确选项出现在 D 位置还是 A 位置。但如果心里没底,剩下选项也可以看看,不过时间肯定是需要的,这是个权衡取舍的问题,要自己拿捏。
E 选项:第二部分可以从“现实主义”(realistic)角度解读,根据原文我们只能推出第二部分不可以从浪漫主义解读,而除了浪漫主义还有很多其他的文学流派(如现实主义、现代主义、古典主义、超验主义、自然主义……),不能判断出一定是现实主义,所以不选。
不只是阅读,所有 GRE 科目都需要考生拥有「收敛逻辑」。
例如,“喜欢”的反义词不是“讨厌”而是“不喜欢”(包含“讨厌”和“没感觉”两种状态)。
再如,根据 B>A,我们只能推导出 A
Question 2
The author of the passage would be most likely to agree that an interpretation of a novel should
A not try to unite heterogeneous elements in the novel
B not be inflexible in its treatment of the elements in the novel
C not argue that the complex use of narrators or of time shifts indicates a sophisticated structure
D concentrate on those recalcitrant elements of the novel that are outside the novel’s main structure
E primarily consider those elements of novelistic construction of which the author of the novel was aware
读题:作者认可哪种读小说的方式。(注意题干中说的是 a novel,说针对所有小说的通用方式,没有特指 WH。)
定位:既然观点视角是 author,对应原文就应该是从 however 开始的后半部分内容。而且题干说的是对小说的通用解读方式,对应到最后一句前半部分 ...such an interpretation necessarily stiffens into a thesis (although rigidity in any interpretation of this or of any novel is always a danger)... 即不管是什么小说,作者都反对“僵化”(stiffens/rigidity)的解读方式。
预测:作者反对僵化的解读,选项应和这个说法一致。
比较:只有 B 选项“不要死板”(not be inflexible )符合预测,为正确选项。A 选项虽然是作者的观点,但只是针对 WH 这一本小说说的,不符合题干问法。CDE 三个选项侧重“结构”(structure/construction,和批评家的观点相关,和作者无关,所以不选。
判断观点的视角对于快速准确做题非常重要。就像这道题,CDE 三个选项就算说法正确,在原文能找到依据,但都属于批评家的观点,而题干问的是作者的观点,所以可以直接排除。
Question 3
The author of the passage suggests which of the following about Hamlet?
A Hamlet has usually attracted critical interpretations that tend to stiffen into theses.
B Hamlet has elements that are not amenable to an all-encompassing critical interpretation.
C Hamlet is less open to an all-encompassing critical interpretation than is Wuthering Heights.
三个选项的题目属于不定项选择题,正确答案数量不定,可能一个,可能两个,也可能三个都对,所以选项必须都读,挨个判断。
读题:作者对 H 的态度。
定位:原文最后一句:...Wuthering Heights has recalcitrant elements of undeniable power that, ultimately, resist inclusion in an all-encompassing interpretation. In this respect, Wuthering Heights shares a feature of Hamlet. 这句话是说 WH 的某种力量拒绝整体解读,这一点和 H 一样。
预测:H 也有某种力量拒绝整体解读,正确选项必须包含这层含义。
比较:
A 选项:评论家对 H 的解读是僵化的。原文中只说了评论家对 WH 的解读,没有说对 H 的解读,所以不选。
B 选项:H 不能被整体解读,和预测一致,正确选项。
C 选项:H 和 WH 相比,更不能被整体解读。原文提到 H 和 WH 是“类比关系”,两者都不能被整体解读,而不是“比较关系”,没有比较孰多孰少、孰优孰劣,所以不选。
2. 正确和错误选项特点
了解选项特点可以帮我们更快速做判断。
常见正确选项特点:
直接引用原文:例如上面第 3 题的 B 选项,an all-encompassing critical interpretation 属于原文表达。
同义改写原文:例如上面第 2 题的 B 选项,inflexible 和原文 stiffens/rigidity 属于逻辑上的同义词,意思一致。
总结概括原文:例如上面第 1 题的 D 选项,The second part provides less substantiation for a romantic reading 就是对原文第一句话的总结。
常见错误选项特点:
无中生有:即原文没有提到相关概念。例如上面第 1 题的 A 选项,批评家的“关注”(attention)在原文没有依据。
曲解原文:即选项内容在原文中有提到,但意思和原文不完全一致,被移花接木了。例如上面第 3 题的 C 选项,原文有提到对 H 的解读,但 H 和 WH 是“类比关系”,两者都不能被整体解读,而不是“比较关系”。
有极端词:常见的极端词有 all, only, always, little 等,把话说死了的选项都有慎重。例如上面第 1 题的 B 选项,The second part has little relation to the first part,认为两部分“没有关系”(little 表示否定含义),而原文说的是两部分不一样(counterpart),是对比关系不是没有关系。
背景知识重要吗?
先说结论:背景知识不能「雪中送炭」,但可以「锦上添花」。
ETS 明确说 GRE 不考专业知识,只考读句子、理关系的能力,所以即使没有专业知识也是可以做对题目的。但要注意“专业知识”不同于“背景知识”,以历史为例,诸如美国独立战争的起因经过结果、其中颁布的各种法案文献、涉及的历史人物和贡献等等,对于美国考生来说是通识,是他们从小就学就会的,但对于我们国际考生来说,就是深深的文化隔阂了。所以如果能够打破这层隔阂,自然有助于我们做对题目。
那么,应该补哪些背景知识呢?严格来说没有限制,多多益善。不过考虑到中国的 GRE 考生以理工科为主,文科类的背景知识(特别是美国历史和英美文学)是软肋,所以可以多侧重这两方面补补。
1. 美国历史
美国历史 300 多年,其实也挺复杂,如果你有时间有兴趣能够通读一遍美国历史自然是好。除了读书,也可以看视频,前几年美国政府出资拍摄了一部美国历史纪录片,名字叫做《美国:我们的故事》(America: The Story of Us),一共 12 集,制作精良,值得一看。(美国历史纪录片百度云盘链接,密码:dqxz)
如果时间紧张,可以侧重美国历史的这三条主线:
政府与公民权:特别是美国建国阶段,美国建国之父们是怎么争取美国殖民地独立的,颁布了哪些建国文档。
黑人民权运动:从 19 世纪美国内战,到林肯颁布《解放黑人奴隶宣言》,再到 20 世纪马丁·路德·金的民权运动反对种族歧视和种族隔离。
女性平权运动:从 19 世纪末争取选举权和被选举权,到 20 世纪反对性骚扰和性暴力,再到 21 世纪争取同工同酬。
2. 英美文学
文学主题就不限于美国了,英国的也很多,可以一起看看。要注意 GRE 阅读不直接考文学文本,而是对文本的研究,也就是“文学批评”(literary critic)。英语文学历史悠久,学习的思路可以侧重时间推移下不同文学流派的变迁,知道这些流派产生的历史背景、核心诉求和代表作家作品。重点关注下面几个流派:
文艺复兴(Renaissance)
浪漫主义(Romanticism)
现实主义(Realism)
超验主义(Transcendentalism)
自然主义(Naturalism)
现代主义(Modernism)
我们上面举得 Wuthering Height 的例子,这其实是英国作家勃朗特三姐妹中的老二——艾米丽·勃朗特——的代表作《呼啸山庄》,是英语文学中的代表作品,对于英美考生算是耳熟能详。第一题就涉及 romanticism 和 realism 两个概念,我们前面解析说到,原文说小说的第二部分不能从 romanticism 的角度解读,但选项就生硬的说要从要从 realism 的角度解读,如果你对这些文学流派有所了解,知道不只有 romanticism 和 realism 两种解读方式,自然更容易做出判断
GRE双语阅读:英国戏剧痴迷社会阶层主题
Class on stage——Charlie and the aspiration factory
社会舞台上的社会阶层:查理和巧克力工厂
Why British theatre is obsessed with social mobility
为何英国戏剧如此痴迷社会流动性主题
THERE are several ways of retelling “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. In 2005 Hollywood focused on Willy Wonka, the factory's owner, portraying him as a purple-gloved man-child. A new musical production of Roald Dahl's children's story at the Theatre Royal in London concentrates on the up-from-poverty fortune of Charlie Bucket, the boy who finds the golden ticket. Mr. Wonka lurks in beggar's dress at the side of the stage, as if selecting a specimen for a social experiment.
《查理和巧克力工厂》有好多个复述版本。2005年的好莱坞版从工厂主威利·王卡下手,剧中他是一位带着紫色手套,充满孩子气的男子。伦敦皇家剧院新上演的罗尔德·达尔儿童故事音乐剧则侧重于表现穷孩子查理发现金券,脱贫的经历。在该剧中,王卡衣着褴褛如乞丐隐藏着自己的身份,好似要选一个标本做社会实验。
Tales of upward social mobility attempted or achieved are crowding the London stage. “Billy Elliott”, the story of a miner's son who contends with bereavement, strikes and the north-south divide to make it as a ballet dancer, recently celebrated its four-millionth visitor. “Port”, an account of a Stockport girl's attempts to escape her grim origins, was a success at the National Theatre this spring. Last year “In Basildon” depicted strivers in the quintessential upwardly-mobile Essex town.
伦敦舞台上充斥着各种尝试或成功转为上流社会的故事。舞动人生,最近刚迎来它四百万访问者,它讲述的是一个关于一个矿工儿子不顾家人的反对,社会罢工及南北的分裂,毅然选择成为芭蕾舞者的故事。Port,关于一个斯托克波特女孩试图摆脱其悲惨出身的故事,在国家剧院热映取得巨大成功。去年上映的《在巴斯尔顿》描述的是一群奋斗者在埃塞克斯镇—一个典型的向上爬人群的小镇。
It is a venerable theatrical (and literary) theme, but it is being handled in a different way. John Osborne's 1956 play “Look Back in Anger” showed a working-class man's fury at the middle class he had married into. By the 1970s and 1980s writers were looking down their noses at social climbers, in plays like “Top Girls” and “Abigail's Party”, in which a middle-class arriviste serves cheesy nibbles and the wrong kind of wine.
这是个可敬的戏剧艺术主题,它却以不同的方式呈现出来。约翰·奥斯本的1956年的剧本《愤怒中回顾》呈现的是一个通过婚姻,一个工人阶级转变为中产阶级,处于中产阶级他的不满与愤怒。20世纪七八十年代,作家们着眼于眼前的向上爬的社会群体,戏剧《巅峰女孩》,《阿比盖尔的政党》中产阶级暴发户就像低劣的老鼠,不合时宜的红酒。
Social mobility receded as a topic for a while, as playwrights like David Hare turned to scrutinizing the state of the nation. Now it has returned—and is depicted much more sympathetically. Dominic Cooke, who directed “In Basildon” at the Royal Court Theatre, says this may be a delayed reaction to the collapse of state socialism in Europe. Left-wing writers can no longer look to an alternative ideal. Instead they focus on how people navigate British society.
当剧作家诸如戴维海尔等转身开始审视国情,向上层社会爬的话题才稍微退热。而今,这个话题又成为热议,并且现在更多地是表现出一种同情。在皇家宫廷剧院上演的戏剧《在巴斯尔顿》的导演多米尼克这样说道,这也许是国家社会主义在欧洲崩溃的延迟效应。左派作家无法寻求到另一个理想,于是他们将目光投向人们如何操纵英国社会。
A possible reason for the sympathetic tone is that upward mobility can no longer be taken for granted. In 2011 researchers at the London School of Economics concluded that intergenerational social mobility, assessed by income for children born between 1970 and2000, had stalled. Another study, by Essex University academics, found matters had not improved during the slump.
也许出现这种同情的语调还有另一个原因,那就是向上层社会爬不再是种理所当然的想法。2011年,伦敦经济学院的调查人员通过评估1970至2000年为孩子存储的收入,总结道:两代人的社会流动性停滞不前。另一项由埃塞克斯大学学者进行的研究发现各项问题并没有在经济衰退期得到改善。
So it is fantastic fun to see people make it. Charlie Bucket does so spectacularly. At the end of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” he is a pint-size entrepreneur, with an immigrant workforce of Oompa-Loompas to ensure he does not tumble back down the social ladder.
所以看看人们演绎它也很有趣。查理令人啼笑皆非。 在“查理和巧克力工厂”的结局,他是一个小型的企业家,有一群奥古伦伯人在巧克力工厂工作,以确保他永远不会从社会的楼梯中跌落下来。
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