雅思阅读词汇的“活猜”-信号词汇

在篇中提到， 所谓“活猜”，顾名思义，就是利用英语语言的语境，通过标点符号，前后衔接的逻辑词汇，行文的信号词汇，定义法，或者仅仅是根据学员的常识，所猜测、推断出来的词汇意义。 下面让我们来看下“活猜”的二种方法。

（二）根据信号词汇

1 、解释关系

（ 1 ）解释说明法

解释说明法是在论证过程中，常见的论据方式之一，通常用来解释说明其前面较为概括和抽象的论点，也可以猜测论证或者论点句中的某些生词的意义。常用的衔接词有： in other words ， that is ， that is to say ， i.e. ， to put it in another way ， I mean …， by that I mean …， what is meant by this is that …， namely ， or other ，。

= 1 \* GB3 ① The latest idea suggests that play has evolved to build big brains . In other words playing makes you intelligent . （ C4T2P3 ）

解析：根据前后之间的语言关系，可以知道 intelligent 即指前文中的 build big brains ，脑袋大就是“聪明”。

= 2 \* GB3 ② …some are entirely synthetic , that is, chemically engineered from the constituents of coal or oil . （ C5T2P1 ）

解析： synthetic 是指“从煤炭或石油的成分中，用化学的方式提出” = 合成。

（ 2 ）举例说明法

同解释说明法一样，举例说明法也是常见的论证方式之一，它是用具体的方式支持论点。常见的信号词如： like ， including ， covering ， for example ， especially ， in particular ， say ， for instance ， such as ， to name/mention but a few 等。

= 1 \* GB3 ① Small loans are provided initially for purchasing fixed assets such as bicycles, shoe shine kits and basic building materials for a market stall . （ C4T3P1 ）

解析： fixed assets 就是指后面的诸多物品，且是总称“固定资产”。即使猜不出具体意义，感觉总会有的吧。

= 2 \* GB3 ② … the non-verbal behaviour of the participants, and about the context in general. A facial expression, for example can dramatically alter the meaning of what is said. （ C4T3P3 ）

解析： non- 是否定前缀，那么 non-verbal “非言语的”，就是诸如面部表情这种无须语言即可传达的意义。

（ 3 ）同位语或定语从句解释法

= 1 \* GB3 ① One of the most important methodologies is biomechanics , the study of the body in motion. （ C4T4P1 ）

解析： biomechanics ，即研究肢体运动的学科，成为“生物力学”。

= 2 \* GB3 ② Bamboos are perennial grasses t hat remain in a vegetative state for many years and then suddenly flower, fruit and die . （ C5T4P3 ）

解析： perennial grasses ，即“多年生植物”，是后面从句中所说的“这种可以生长许多年，然后才开花、结果、凋零的植物”。

= 3 \* GB3 ③ The second reason light is important to organi*s is that it is essential for photosynthesis . This is the process by which pla nts use energy from the sun to convert carbon from soil or water into organic material for growth. （ C5T4P3 ）

解析： photosynthesis ，即“光合作用”，是后面句中 by which 从句所解释的“植物利用光把土壤或水中的碳转化成生长所需要的有机物”。

2 、让步与转折关系

让步和转折指有让步或者转折词汇的前后两个句子之间存在着对立关系，表现在词汇上亦然。

（ 1 ） Similarly, although at least some cetaceans have taste buds , the nerves serving these have degenerated or rudimentary . （ C4T1P2 ）

解析：根据让步状语从句中的表述，主句中的 degenerated or rudimentary 应该是贬义“退化的或根本的”。

（ 2 ） So despite linguists’ best efforts , many language will disappear over the next century. （ C4T2P1 ）

解析：根据 despite 前半句艳阳高照的意思，可知后面许多语言的下场肯定很惨淡。

（ 3 ） Baekeland’s invention, although treated with distain in its early years, went on to enjoy an unparalleled popularity… . （ C5T2P1 ）

解析：根据主句中，此人发明遇到前所未有欢迎，说明其在发明之处，遭受 distain 冷遇“鄙视”。

3 、并列关系表示列举的并列连词

（ 1 ）表示列举的并列连词 and

= 1 \* GB3 ① “Your brain and mine are different from the brain of someone who speaks French, for instance,” Pagel says, and this could affect our thoughts and perceptions . （ C4T2P2 ）

解析：前后意义相同，“思想和看法”。

= 2 \* GB3 ② However, we believe that credit must be extended in association with other types of support that help participants develop critical skills as well as productive business . （ C4T3P1 ）

解析： 前后意义相同，“重要的技能”和“多产的业务”。

（ 2 ）表示转折的并列连词 but

= 1 \* GB3 ① Video recordings avoid these problems to a large extent, but even they have limitations . （ C4T3P3 ）

解析：前后两个词汇是近义关系。“问题” = “局限性”。

= 2 \* GB3 ② …that recognizes the importance of the written word , but in no way lessens the importance of the useful information contained in oral histories . （ C4T4P1 ）

解析：前后之间是反义关系，前者“书面词汇”，后者“口头史”。

= 3 \* GB3 ③ …and therefore best cured not by restricting economic growth, but by accelerating it. （ C5T1P3 ）

解析：前后之间是反义关系，前者“限制”，后者“加速”。

（ 3 ）表示选择的并列连词 or

= 1 \* GB3 ① Quite often, governments try to kill off a minority language by banning its use in public or discouraging its use in schools , all to promote national unity. （ C4T2P1 ）

解析： banning 和 discouraging 意义相近，是“禁止”，“阻止”的意思。

= 2 \* GB3 ② In a 1983 national health survey, 1.9% of people said they had contacted a chiropractor, naturopath, osteopath, acupuncturist or herbalist in the two weeks prior to the survey. （ C4T2P2 ）

解析：这众多的词汇，我可以根据后两个“针灸师，草药师”猜出前面三个也是某种特定的医师。

= 3 \* GB3 ③ This contact may help to maintain order within a group, and stroking or touching are part of the courtship ritual in most species. （ C4T1P2 ）

解析： touching 知道是“触摸”， stroking 与之同义，“抚摸”。

= 4 \* GB3 ④ There are tremendous advantages to involving parents or guardians in the program, where such relationship exists. （ C4T2P3 ）

解析： parents 认识， guardians 肯定是与长一样具有监护作用的人，即“监护人”。

（ 4 ） 句子结构的并列

According to Australia Journal of Public Health , 18% of patients visiting alternative therapists do so because they suffer from muscuo-skeletal complaints ; 12% suffer from digestive problems , which is only 1% more than those suffering from emotional problems . Those suffering from respiratory complaints represent 7% of their patients, and candida sufferers represent an equal percentage. Headache sufferers and those complaining of general ill health represent 6% and 5% of patients respectively, and a further 4% see therapists for general health maintenance . （ C4T2P2 ）

解析：以上大段落，讲述的是平行句，每个句子中都含有某种疾病的表述方式。考中，这类词汇即便不认识也不会影响大做题。

4 、因果关系 Cause — and — effect

（ 1 ） However, the position of the eyes so restricts the field of vision in baleen whales that they probably do not have stereoscopic vision . （ C4T1P2 ）

解析：前句有个 restricts “局限”，说明结果状语从句中的 stereoscopic vision 应该是一种较为高的视觉方式，即“立体视觉”。

（ 2 ） The problem of how health-care resources should be allocated or apportioned , so that they are distributed in both the most just and most efficient way, is not a new one. （ C4T4P3 ）

解析：根据前后之间的因果关系，可知，三个词汇意义相同，都是“分配”的意思。

5 、对比与比较关系 Contrast and comparison

Americans made more visits to alternative therapist than to orthodox doctors in 1990, and… . （ C4T2P2 ）

解析：前后之间对比关系，应该是相同的对象才有可比性，所以，如果 alternative therapist 是“替代 / 另类药剂师”，那么 orthodox doctors 应该是指“正统的医生”。