節(jié)選自胡敏編著《考研英語(yǔ)閱讀理解高分寶典》

閱讀理解題命題原則與應(yīng)試對(duì)策考生在復(fù)習(xí)備考時(shí)，會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)研究生英語(yǔ)試卷的

閱讀理解部分雖只有20道題，分?jǐn)?shù)值卻占總分的40%，而這一部分正是考生的難

點(diǎn)所在，所以能否在閱讀理解這一部分取得理想的成績(jī)，就成為考研英語(yǔ)成功

的關(guān)鍵所在。如何突破閱讀難關(guān)?怎樣迅速提高閱讀水平?能否找到一些切實(shí)可

行的應(yīng)試規(guī)律?面對(duì)考生提出的這些迫切的問題，筆者仔細(xì)研究了歷年考題，結(jié)

合自己多年的教學(xué)經(jīng)驗(yàn)，針對(duì)考研考試大綱所考核閱讀理解能力的八條要求，

并分析回顧歷年考研閱讀理解題目的大致規(guī)律，總結(jié)歸納出考研閱讀理解應(yīng)試

的十二大原則，希望能為正在求學(xué)之路上辛苦求索的學(xué)子們助一臂之力。

《英語(yǔ)考試大綱》在閱讀部分要求考生能夠讀懂不同類型的文字材料（生詞量

不超過所讀材料總詞匯量的3％），包括信函、書刊和雜志上的文章，還應(yīng)能讀

懂與本人學(xué)習(xí)或工作有關(guān)的文獻(xiàn)、技術(shù)說明和產(chǎn)品介紹等。根據(jù)所讀材料，考

生應(yīng)能：

1．     理解主旨要義；

2．     理解文中的具體信息；

3．     理解文中的概念性含義；

4．     進(jìn)行有關(guān)的判斷、推理和引申；

5．     根據(jù)上下文推測(cè)生詞的詞義；

6．     理解文章的總體結(jié)構(gòu)以及單句之間、段落之間的關(guān)系；

7．     理解作者的意圖、觀點(diǎn)或態(tài)度；

8．     區(qū)分論點(diǎn)和論據(jù)。

基于對(duì)歷年考題閱讀部分的總體分析和對(duì)2005年考試閱讀部分的預(yù)測(cè)，筆者建

議考生在復(fù)習(xí)時(shí)注意把握以下幾點(diǎn)：

1.注重從總體把握文章，掌握作者的主要論點(diǎn)，把握文中的重要信息。拿到一

篇文章，不要急于做題，而是要先判斷文章的體裁和內(nèi)容，從而縮小理解范

圍。例如議論文中，作者一定會(huì)提出自己的觀點(diǎn)并加以解釋和說明，考生就應(yīng)

準(zhǔn)備去理解作者如何闡述觀點(diǎn)。把握文章大意，可以從理解段落大意著手，找

到段落的主題句，主題句一般位于段首或段尾。文章的作者一般都會(huì)直接或間

接地表達(dá)自己的觀點(diǎn)和傾向，許多作者會(huì)通過主題句來(lái)表達(dá)自己的論點(diǎn)，或是

間接地把自己的觀點(diǎn)在關(guān)鍵詞或行文的字里行間體現(xiàn)出來(lái)，考生要有意訓(xùn)練自

己在這方面的能力。

2.注重了解句與句、段與段之間的關(guān)系，特別是文章中的轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系，學(xué)會(huì)利用

上下文進(jìn)行必要的判斷、推理和引申。只有掌握句段之間的關(guān)系，才能摸清作

者深層思路上的邏輯關(guān)系。從句子與句子，段落與段落之間的過渡可以讀出作

者整個(gè)的思路及論證過程，才能做出正確的推理、判斷或引申。平時(shí)訓(xùn)練時(shí)，

考生應(yīng)多注意一些過渡詞。

3.積極擴(kuò)展詞匯量，注意動(dòng)詞和名詞，訓(xùn)練理解一些難句、復(fù)雜句。擴(kuò)展詞匯

量的目的是避免詞匯的欠缺造成理解的失誤。動(dòng)詞作為語(yǔ)句結(jié)構(gòu)的樞紐，意義

重大，可以幫助考生理解作者的思想意圖，而名詞常常是關(guān)于事實(shí)的，細(xì)節(jié)題

�？嫉膬�(nèi)容多與名詞有關(guān)。難句和復(fù)雜句多是具有深層含義的，學(xué)會(huì)解讀難

句、復(fù)雜句須從其結(jié)構(gòu)入手。考生應(yīng)抓住難句、復(fù)雜句的主干，找出主要信息

和深層含義。

4.閱讀時(shí)注意速度和解題順序。建議考生先快后慢、先易后難，先略讀文章，

總體上把握，再細(xì)讀搜尋答案，先解決容易的事實(shí)題再做較難的考深層含義的

題。

5.多閱讀時(shí)效性比較強(qiáng)的英美報(bào)刊文章。在歷年的考研閱讀文章中，時(shí)文占到

相當(dāng)大的比例。在備考初期就應(yīng)當(dāng)注意擴(kuò)大知識(shí)面，并熟悉此類文章的內(nèi)容、

語(yǔ)言風(fēng)格和篇章結(jié)構(gòu)。

一、 應(yīng)試總則

翻開考研英語(yǔ)試卷的閱讀部分，考生首先應(yīng)當(dāng)掌握的比較基本的應(yīng)試總則可以概

括為12個(gè)字：文章思路、圈點(diǎn)到位、重疊原文。事實(shí)上這12個(gè)字已經(jīng)概括了閱

讀解題的全部過程。

第一步“文章思路”是指考生首先應(yīng)對(duì)文章總體的思路和結(jié)構(gòu)有一個(gè)大概的了

解，先不要急于去讀題目，而是應(yīng)當(dāng)將文章從頭到尾看一遍，弄清楚文章的中

心意思，這一遍閱讀的目的并不是要立即找到答題所需要的信息點(diǎn)。在閱讀的

時(shí)候還要有主次之分，文章的第一段是文章的靈魂和核心，也應(yīng)當(dāng)是第一遍閱

讀的重點(diǎn)所在�？忌�要盡量將第一段的每一句話都理解透徹，因?yàn)檎莆樟说谝?/FONT>

段，就已經(jīng)基本了解掌握了整篇文章的內(nèi)容，至于其他的段落可以加快速度，

看得懂就看，看不懂就暫時(shí)跳過去，在不懂的地方做出記號(hào)，留待以后解決。

讀完文章并理清思路后就可以接著閱讀試題，命題專家在設(shè)計(jì)考卷時(shí)，題目排

列的次序與文章的布局基本是相吻合的，也就是說題目所需要的信息點(diǎn)在文章

中應(yīng)當(dāng)是按順序出現(xiàn)的，這一點(diǎn)對(duì)于基礎(chǔ)差的考生相當(dāng)重要，因?yàn)榭忌�完全�?/FONT>

以根據(jù)每篇文章題目的題干來(lái)推測(cè)文章大致的內(nèi)容和思路。     有些考生在把

握文章思路時(shí)常常會(huì)陷入困境，他們雖然也從頭到尾把文章讀了一遍，但還是

搞不清文章到底在講什么。如何掃清閱讀理解中出現(xiàn)的盲點(diǎn)?筆者建議考生在第

一遍閱讀時(shí)注意以下幾點(diǎn)：

1.      文章中有些信息可以忽略，例如有關(guān)職務(wù)、頭銜、社會(huì)地位等補(bǔ)充性

說明；

2.      第一遍閱讀時(shí)，可暫時(shí)不管句中破折號(hào)后所提供的旁支信息；

3.      復(fù)雜的難句看清主、謂、賓即可，其他輔助信息除非與解題有關(guān)，否

則亦可暫時(shí)不管；

4.      上下文中平行對(duì)稱的地方經(jīng)常內(nèi)容相同，所以這些互相對(duì)照的內(nèi)容也

可幫助考生消除盲點(diǎn)；

5.      做題時(shí)應(yīng)注意：因?yàn)槊�題時(shí)要求選項(xiàng)部分的語(yǔ)言難度要低于文章語(yǔ)言

的難度，所以讀懂選項(xiàng)的語(yǔ)言常會(huì)幫助考生正確理解文章的內(nèi)容。

第二步“圈點(diǎn)到位”，是就審題而言，實(shí)質(zhì)上就是要求考生審題到位，弄清楚

題目針對(duì)文章的什么內(nèi)容提問�？忌�在讀完題目后通常會(huì)返回到文章里去尋找

答案，這時(shí)又會(huì)出現(xiàn)另一種情況，有些考生文章都看懂了，可就是找不到答案

在哪里。出現(xiàn)這種情況的根本原因是考生沒有審清題意，沒有弄清楚題目要求

考生在文章中尋找什么信息，因?yàn)榻^大部分題目是針對(duì)文章的具體內(nèi)容提問。

所以只要考生審題到位，返回原文搜索答案時(shí)，即可圈點(diǎn)出相應(yīng)的內(nèi)容，從而

縮小尋找范圍，大大提高正確率。2000年考研試題的20道閱讀題中只有4道題目

(3道主旨題，1道判斷題)無(wú)法依據(jù)題干語(yǔ)言在原文中圈點(diǎn)，其他的16道題目均

可根據(jù)題干命題語(yǔ)言在文中圈點(diǎn)出相應(yīng)的內(nèi)容，答案基本就在所圈語(yǔ)句的附

近。所以只要能在掌握文章思路的基礎(chǔ)上做到“圈點(diǎn)到位”，基本上所有的閱

讀題目都可以迎刃而解，特別是具體的細(xì)節(jié)題，可以說是手到擒來(lái)。

第三步“重疊原文”，即完成題目之后檢查所找到的答案是否正確。設(shè)計(jì)閱讀

題時(shí)，選項(xiàng)通常是這樣四種情況，假設(shè)選項(xiàng)內(nèi)容是一個(gè)圓，文章內(nèi)容也是一個(gè)

圓，第一種情況是兩者相距甚遠(yuǎn)，根本沒有相交的地方，內(nèi)容完全不一樣，這

種選項(xiàng)很容易就被排除掉；第二種情況是這兩個(gè)圓相切，即只有很小一部分互

相聯(lián)系，但會(huì)有一部分考生選這個(gè)選項(xiàng)，因?yàn)檫x項(xiàng)的內(nèi)容文中有所提及，有一

定的迷惑性；第三種情況是這兩個(gè)圓相交，有大部分內(nèi)容重疊，考生往往會(huì)選

擇這種選項(xiàng)。較之前者，這種情況的迷惑性更大，也是比較危險(xiǎn)的干擾項(xiàng)；但只

有符合第四種情況，即兩個(gè)圓完全重合、內(nèi)容完全相符的選項(xiàng)才是正確答案。

因此在檢查時(shí)，考生要做的就是把所選的選項(xiàng)與文章中相應(yīng)的內(nèi)容做比較，看

其是否能與原文重疊。

在判斷選項(xiàng)是否能重疊原文時(shí)，考生常常也會(huì)感到迷惑，無(wú)法判斷選項(xiàng)是否與

原文內(nèi)容完全重疊，這是因?yàn)槊�題專家在設(shè)計(jì)考題時(shí)會(huì)使用一些語(yǔ)言來(lái)迷惑考

生，從而測(cè)試考生的英語(yǔ)水平和閱讀能力。一般說來(lái)，事實(shí)上命題專家比較常用

的有四種方式：“語(yǔ)言簡(jiǎn)化”、“反話正說”、“正話反說”和“關(guān)鍵詞替

換”。

“語(yǔ)言簡(jiǎn)化”是命題專家命題使用語(yǔ)言時(shí)所必須遵守的總則。在設(shè)置選項(xiàng)時(shí)，

四個(gè)選項(xiàng)的長(zhǎng)度及句法不應(yīng)有太大差異，而選項(xiàng)所使用的語(yǔ)言難度必須低于文

章本身的難度。這一點(diǎn)對(duì)考生大有幫助，因?yàn)榭忌�可以利用選項(xiàng)來(lái)理解文章。

這一原則幾乎在所有的閱讀試題中都有所體現(xiàn)，故此筆者在這里就不再列舉。

“反話正說”的命題方式是指選項(xiàng)用肯定的方式來(lái)表述文中用否定方式所表述

的內(nèi)容。僅在2000年的考研試卷中，就有四道題目采用了這種命題方式。

例

“Few Americans attribute this solely to such obvious causes as a 

devalued dollar or the turning of the business cycle.”

The author seems to believe the revival of the U.S. economy in the 

1990s can be attributed to the.

［A］ turning of the business cycle

［B］ restructuring of industry

［C］ improved business management

［D］ success in education［2000年54題］

A［正確答案］

第三種常用的命題方式“正話反說”，是指文中用肯定方式表述，而選項(xiàng)用否

定方式表述，兩者意義相吻合。這一命題方式在近年的試卷中也可找到例證。

例

How many men would have considered the possibility of an apple 

falling up into the tree? Newton did because he was not trying to 

predict anything. He was just wondering. His mind was ready for the 

unpredictable. Unpredictability is part of the essential nature of 

research. If you don't have unpredictable things, you don't have 

research. Scientists tend to forget this when writing their cut and 

dried reports for the technical journals, but history is filled with 

examples of it.

The author asserts that scientists.

［A］shouldn't replace “scientific method” with imaginative thought

［B］shouldn't neglect to speculate on unpredictable things

［C］should write more concise reports for technical journals

［D］should be confident about their research findings［1999年第68

題］

B［正確答案］

“關(guān)鍵詞替換”是出現(xiàn)比較頻繁的命題方式，幾乎每年都有一些用這種方式設(shè)置

的題目。

例

This speeding up of life, says the Futurist, receives a new form of 

expression. 

Futurists claim that we must.

［A］ increase the production of literature

［B］ use poetry to relieve modern stress

［C］ develop new modes of expression

［D］ avoid using adjectives and verbs［2000年61題］

C［正確答案］

命題專家常常采用“語(yǔ)言簡(jiǎn)化”、“反話正說”、“正話反說”、“關(guān)鍵詞替

換”這四種方式設(shè)置考題，對(duì)考生進(jìn)行干擾�？忌�在了解這些方式后，就可以

反其道而行之，利用這四種命題方式來(lái)檢查所選選項(xiàng)是否與原文重疊。

總則中筆者介紹了考研閱讀理解應(yīng)試的基本步驟，下面將就具體題型提出相應(yīng)

的應(yīng)試原則。

二、 主題原則

主旨題型又叫主題原則，主要針對(duì)文章主題設(shè)問，考查考生對(duì)通篇文章的理解

和把握，但是要特別注意和下面這種題型區(qū)分開來(lái)。

筆者建議考生在做主題題型時(shí)遵循這樣的原則：因?yàn)榇祟愵}干擾性比較大，難度

也比較大，考生須讀完全文才能準(zhǔn)確把握文章主題。所以考生拿到這種題時(shí)，不

要急于去找答案，不論其出現(xiàn)在什么位置都把它作為比較后一道題來(lái)做，因?yàn)樵?/FONT>

做另外三道題時(shí)，無(wú)疑有助于加深對(duì)整個(gè)文章的理解。而且，事實(shí)上，首先做

主旨題，考生往往還會(huì)回過頭來(lái)核查答案，這樣耗時(shí)間，做題效率低。

主題題型分為以下兩種。

1.明確的主題題型

此類題型位置較為固定，一般是第一個(gè)問題或比較后一個(gè)問題，要求考生為文章

選擇合適的標(biāo)題或是總結(jié)文章的中心思想。此類題型相對(duì)難度較小。

例

If you intend using humor in your talk to make people smile, you 

must know how to identify shared experiences and problems. Your 

humor must be relevant to the audience and should help to show them 

that you are one of them or that you understand their situation and 

are in sympathy with their point of view. Depending on whom you are 

addressing, the problems will be different. If you are talking to a 

group of managers, you may refer to the disorganized methods of 

their secretaries; alternatively if you are addressing secretaries, 

you may want to comment on their disorganized bosses.

Here is an example, which I heard at a nurses' convention, of a 

story which works well because the audience all shared the same view 

of doctors. A man arrives in heaven and is being shown around by St. 

Peter. He sees wonderful accommodations, beautiful gardens, sunny 

weather, and so on. Everyone is very peaceful, polite and friendly 

until, waiting in a line for lunch, the new arrival is suddenly 

pushed aside by a man in a white coat, who rushes to the head of the 

line, grabs his food and stomps over to a table by himself. “Who is 

that?” the new arrival asked St. Peter. “Oh, that's God” came the 

reply, “but sometimes he thinks he's a doctor.”

If you are part of the group which you are addressing, you will be 

in a position to know the experiences and problems which are common 

to all of you and it'll be appropriate for you to make a passing 

remark about the inedible canteen food or the chairman's notorious 

bad taste in ties. With other audiences you mustn't attempt to cut 

in with humor as they will resent an outsider making disparaging 

remarks about their canteen or their chairman. You will be on safer 

ground if you stick to scapegoat like the Post Office or the 

telephone system.

If you feel awkward being humorous, you must practice so that it 

becomes more natural. Include a few casual and apparently 

off_the_cuff remarks which you can deliver in a relaxed and unforced 

manner. Often it's the delivery which causes the audience to smile, 

so speak slowly and remember that a raised eyebrow or an unbelieving 

look may help to show that you are making a lighthearted remark.

Look for the humor. It often comes from the unexpected. A twist on a 

familiar quote “If at first you don't succeed, give up” or a play 

on words or on a situation. Search for exaggeration and 

understatements. Look at your talk and pick out a few words or 

sentences which you can turn about and inject with humor.

The best title for the text may be .

［A］ Use Humor Effectively

［B］ Various Kinds of Humor

［C］ Add Humor to Speech

［D］ Different Humor Strategies［2002年45題］

A［正確答案］

2.隱蔽的主題題型

這類題型在設(shè)問時(shí)較為隱蔽，不像明確的主題題型會(huì)直接問“文章的主題是什

么”，而且位置也很隨意，不會(huì)固定在第一道或比較后一道。下列例題即為隱蔽

的主題題型經(jīng)常出現(xiàn)的形式，考生應(yīng)熟悉此類題型的語(yǔ)言形式，以利于審題時(shí)

準(zhǔn)確判斷題型。

例

When it comes to the slowing economy, Ellen Spero isn't biting her 

nails just yet. But the 47_year_old manicurist isn't cutting, filing 

or polishing as many nails as she'd like to, either. Most of her 

clients spend $12 to $50 weekly, but last month two longtime 

customers suddenly stopped showing up. Spero blames the softening 

economy. “I'm a good economic indicator,” she says, “I provide a 

service that people can do without when they're concerned about 

saving some dollars.” So Spero is downscaling, shopping at 

middle_brow Dillard's department store near her suburban Cleveland 

home, instead of Neiman Marcus. “I don't know if other clients are 

going to abandon me, too.” She says.

Even before Alan Greenspan's admission that America's red_hot 

economy is cooling, lots of working folks had already seen signs of 

the slowdown themselves. From car dealerships to Gap outlets, sales 

have been lagging for months as shoppers temper their spending. For 

retailers, who last year took in 24 percent of their revenue between 

Thanksgiving and Christmas, the cautious approach is coming at a 

crucial time. Already, experts say, holiday sales are off 7 percent 

from last year's pace. But don't sound any alarms just yet. 

Consumers seem only mildly concerned, not panicked, and many say 

they remain optimistic about the economy's long_term prospects even 

as they do some modest belt_tightening.

Consumers say they're not in despair because, despite the dreadful 

headlines, their own fortunes still feel pretty good. Home prices 

are holding steady in most regions. In Manhattan, “there's a new 

gold rush happening in the $4 million to $10 million range, 

predominantly fed by Wall Street bonuses,” says broker Barbara 

Corcoran. In San Francisco, prices are still rising even as frenzied 

overbidding quiets. “Instead of 20 to 30 offers, now maybe you only 

get two or three," says John Tealdi, a Bay Area real_estate broker. 

And most folks still feel pretty comfortable about their ability to 

find and keep a job.

Many folks see silver linings to this slowdown. Potential home 

buyers would cheer for lower interest rates. Employers wouldn't mind 

a litter fewer bubbles in the job market. Many consumers seem to 

have been influenced by stock_market swings, which investors now 

view as a necessary ingredient to a sustained boom. Diners might see 

an upside, too.  Getting a table at Manhattan's hot new Alain 

Ducasses restaurant used to be impossible. Not anymore. For that, 

Greenspan&Co. may still be worth toasting.

To which of the following is the author likely to agree?

［A］ A new boom, on the horizon.

［B］ Tighten the belt, the single remedy.

［C］ Caution all right, panic not.

［D］ The more ventures, the more chance.［2004年55題］

C［正確答案］

三、態(tài)度原則

命題專家命題時(shí)，為了驗(yàn)證考生到底有沒有讀懂文章，會(huì)就整個(gè)文章或某個(gè)語(yǔ)

言區(qū)域相對(duì)較為主觀的態(tài)度設(shè)問。作者態(tài)度題有兩種題型：

1.      文章作者態(tài)度題

這種題目對(duì)考生而言難度較大，迷惑性也較強(qiáng)，因?yàn)槊�題專家是針對(duì)整篇文章

設(shè)問，考生很難找到具體對(duì)應(yīng)的語(yǔ)言點(diǎn)，所以要把握整篇文章。例如作者在談

一件事時(shí)是用反諷的口氣，還是贊成的語(yǔ)氣，此類題所給的答案選項(xiàng)一般是四

個(gè)形容詞，考生應(yīng)在審題時(shí)就把握好這四個(gè)形容詞所表達(dá)的意思，然后返回文

章去尋找感覺。特別提醒考生要牢記所遇到的構(gòu)成作者態(tài)度題選項(xiàng)的每一個(gè)形

容詞。

做文章作者態(tài)度題時(shí)，千萬(wàn)不要把考生自己的態(tài)度揉進(jìn)文章中，同時(shí)要注意區(qū)

分作者本人的態(tài)度與作者引用的觀點(diǎn)態(tài)度。文章作者態(tài)度是作者說話的口氣

(tone)，不是考某一個(gè)語(yǔ)言點(diǎn)，而是文章中數(shù)個(gè)語(yǔ)言點(diǎn)串起來(lái)的一根線給讀者

的整體感覺。

例

Could the bad old days of economic decline be about to return? Since 

OPEC agreed to supply_cuts in March, the price of crude oil has 

jumped to almost $26 a barrel, up from less than $10 last December. 

This near_tripling of oil prices calls up scary memories of the 1973 

oil shock, when prices quadrupled, and 1979―1980, when they also 

almost tripled. Both previous shocks resulted in double_digit 

inflation and global economic decline. So where are the headlines 

warning of gloom and doom this time?

The oil price was given another push up this week when Iraq 

suspended oil exports. Strengthening economic growth, at the same 

time as winter grips the northern hemisphere, could push the price 

higher still in the short term.

Yet there are good reasons to expect the economic consequences now 

to be less severe than in the 1970s. In most countries the cost of 

crude oil now accounts for a smaller share of the price of petrol 

than it did in the 1970s. In Europe, taxes account for up to 

four_fifths of the retail price, so even quite big changes in the 

price of crude have a more muted effect on pump prices than in the 

past.

Rich economies are also less dependent on oil than they were, and so 

less sensitive to swings in the oil price. Energy conservation, a 

shift to other fuels and a decline in the importance of heavy, 

energy_intensive industries have reduced oil consumption. Software, 

consultancy and mobile telephones use far less oil than steel or car 

production. For each dollar of GDP (in constant prices) rich 

economies now use nearly 50% less oil than in 1973. The OECD 

estimates in its latest Economic Outlook that, if oil prices average 

$22 a barrel for a full year, compared with $13 in 1998, this would 

increase the oil import bill in rich economies by only 0.25%-0.5% of 

GDP. That is less than one_quarter of the income loss in 1974 or 

1980. On the other hand, oil_importing emerging economies―to which 

heavy industry has shifted―have become more energy_intensive, and 

so could be more seriously squeezed.

One more reason not to lose sleep over the rise in oil prices is 

that, unlike the rises in the 1970s, it has not occurred against the 

backbone of general commodity_price inflation and global excess 

demand. A sizable portion of the world is only just emerging from 

economic decline. The Economist's commodity price index is broadly 

unchanging from a year ago. In 1973 commodity prices jumped by 70%, 

and in 1979 by almost 30%.

From the text we can see that the writer seems .

［A］ optimistic

［B］ sensitive

［C］ gloomy

［D］ scared［2002年55題］

A［正確答案］

2.      局部作者態(tài)度題

此類題目考查考生對(duì)局部細(xì)節(jié)所體現(xiàn)出的作者態(tài)度的理解，因此做此類題時(shí)，

考生不能再像前一種態(tài)度題一樣去找“感覺”，而應(yīng)當(dāng)回到文章局部上，落到

實(shí)處。

例

In the last half of the nineteenth century, “capital” and 

“l(fā)abour” were enlarging and perfecting their rival organisations 

on modern lines. Many an old firm was replaced by a limited 

liability company with a bureaucracy of salaried managers. The 

change met the technical requirements of the new age by engaging a 

large professional element and prevented the decline in efficiency 

that so commonly spoiled the fortunes of family firms in the second 

and third generation after the energetic founders. It was moreover a 

step away from individual initiative, towards collectivism and 

municipal and state_owned business. The railway companies, though 

still private business managed for the benefit of shareholders, were 

very unlike old family business!At the same time the great 

municipalities went into business to supply lighting, trams and 

other services to the taxpayers.

The growth of the limited liability company and municipal business 

had important consequences. Such large, impersonal manipulation of 

capital and industry greatly increased the numbers and importance of 

shareholders as a class, an element in national life representing 

irresponsible wealth detached from the land and the duties of the 

landowners; and almost equally detached from the responsible 

management of business. All through the nineteenth century, America, 

Africa, India, Australia and parts of Europe were being developed by 

British capital, and British shareholders were thus enriched by the 

world's movement towards  industrialisation. Towns like Bournemouth 

and Eastbourne sprang up to house large “comfortable” classes who 

had retired on their incomes, and who had no relation to the rest of 

the community except that of drawing dividends and occasionally 

attending a shareholders' meeting to dictate their orders to the 

management. On the other hand “shareholding” meant leisure and 

freedom which was used by many of the later Victorians for the 

highest purpose of a great civilisation.

The “shareholders” as such had no knowledge of the lives, thoughts 

or needs of the workmen employed by the company in which they held 

shares, and their influence on the relations of capital and labour 

was not good. The paid manager acting for the company was in more 

direct relation with the men and their demands, but even he had 

seldom that familiar personal knowledge of the workmen which the 

employer had often had under the more patriarchal system of the old 

family business now passing away. Indeed the mere size of operations 

and the numbers of workmen involved rendered such personal relations 

impossible. Fortunately, however, the increasing power and 

organisation of the trade unions, at least in all skilled trades, 

enabled the workmen to meet on equal terms the managers of the 

companies who employed them. The cruel discipline of the strike and 

lockout taught the two parties to respect each other's strength and 

understand the value of fair negotiation.

The author is most critical of .

［A］ family firm owners

［B］ landowners

［C］ managers

［D］ shareholders［1996年62題］

D［正確答案］

在談到family firm owners 時(shí)，作者只是說：“通過雇用一大批專業(yè)人員，這

一變化適應(yīng)了新時(shí)代的技術(shù)要求，防止了效率的下降。而效率的下降通常是家

族公司在精力充沛的創(chuàng)立者之后的第二三代破產(chǎn)的原因�！边@是很客觀的表

述，在談到landowners時(shí)說：“對(duì)資本與企業(yè)的如此大規(guī)模的非個(gè)人運(yùn)作大大

增加了作為一個(gè)階層的持股人的數(shù)量及地位的重要性。

國(guó)民生活中這一現(xiàn)象的出現(xiàn)代表了不由個(gè)人負(fù)責(zé)的財(cái)富與土地及土地所有者的

義務(wù)的分離，這也在同樣程度上意味著（不由個(gè)人負(fù)責(zé)的財(cái)富）與經(jīng)營(yíng)管理責(zé)

任的分離。”也是很客觀的表述，沒有表明自己的態(tài)度。C選項(xiàng)在原文中有兩處

提及，但都是指帶薪經(jīng)理，對(duì)經(jīng)理并沒有進(jìn)行任何批評(píng)性評(píng)論，因而也不符合

題意。只有D選項(xiàng)對(duì)應(yīng)原文中The “shareholders” as such had no 

knowledge of the lives, thoughts or needs of the workmen employed by 

the company in which he held shares, and his influence on the 

relations of capital and labour was not good.“像這樣的‘持股人’對(duì)所

持股票公司雇用的工人的生活，思想和需求一無(wú)所知，他對(duì)資本與勞工關(guān)系沒

有什么好的影響。”顯然，作者對(duì)這種“持股人”持批判的態(tài)度，所以D是正確

答案。實(shí)際上，1996年第62題命題也可以直接以下面的形式出現(xiàn)：

The author's attitude towards shareholders is.

［A］ biased［B］ positive［C］ sympathetic［D］ critical

四、首段原則

首段原則應(yīng)用于根據(jù)首段內(nèi)容所設(shè)置的題目，它包括兩種形式：首句原則和末

句原則。

1.首句原則

回顧近幾年的考研閱讀題，細(xì)心的考生會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)歷年考研試卷中都有題目針對(duì)首

段第一句話設(shè)問，為什么會(huì)出現(xiàn)這種情況？原因很簡(jiǎn)單，考研閱讀所選的文章

均是議論文和說明文，此類文章的文體要求在首段提出觀點(diǎn)、突出中心，因此

第一段就好像全篇文章的一個(gè)總綱，確定了文章的主要內(nèi)容，而第一句話常常

是一個(gè)自然段的主題句，首段首句自然就成為�？记冶乜嫉囊粋�(gè)考點(diǎn)。

例

It is said that in England death is pressing, in Canada inevitable 

and in California optional. Small wonder. Americans' life expectancy 

has nearly doubled over the past century. Failing hips can be 

replaced, clinical depression controlled, cataracts removed in a 

30_minute surgical procedure. Such advances offer the aging 

population a quality of life that was unimaginable when I entered 

medicine 50 years ago. But not even a great health_care system can 

cure death―and our failure to confront that reality now threatens 

this greatness of ours.

What is implied in the first sentence?

［A］ Americans are better prepared for death than other people.

［B］ Americans enjoy a higher life quality than ever before.

［C］ Americans are over_confident of their medical technology.

［D］ Americans take a vain pride in their long life expectancy.

［2003年56題］

C［正確答案］

2.末句原則

有時(shí)一個(gè)自然段的主題句也會(huì)出現(xiàn)在段末，因此考點(diǎn)也相應(yīng)轉(zhuǎn)向末句。

例

Technically, any substance other than food that alters our bodily or 

mental functioning is a drug. Many people mistakenly believe the 

term drug refers only to some sort of medicine or an illegal 

chemical taken by drug addicts. They don't realize that familiar 

substances such as alcohol and tobacco are also drugs. This is why 

the more neutral term substance is now used by many physicians and 

psychologists. The phrase “substance abuse” is often used instead 

of “drug abuse” to make clear that substances such as alcohol and 

tobacco can be just as harmfully misused as heroin and cocaine.

“Substance abuse”is preferable to “drug abuse” in that.

［A］ substance can alter our bodily or mental functioning if 

illegally used

［B］ “drug abuse” is only related to a limited number or drug 

takers

［C］ alcohol and tobacco are as fatal as heroin and cocaine

［D］ many substances other than heroin or cocaine can also be 

poisonous［1997年59題］

D［正確答案］

五、段落原則

段落推斷原則考查考生對(duì)段落內(nèi)容的理解，分為兩類題型：段落首句推斷和段

落中句子推斷。針對(duì)這兩種具體題型的原則為：先看首句，如與選項(xiàng)符合即可

選擇，不必再浪費(fèi)時(shí)間看完整個(gè)段落，如首句不能與選項(xiàng)吻合時(shí)再將整個(gè)段落

讀完以尋找符合的選項(xiàng)。

1. 段落首句推斷

例

 Straitford president George Friedman says he sees the online world 

as a kind of mutually reinforcing tool for both information 

collection and distribution, a spymaster's dream. Last week his firm 

was busy vacuuming up data bits from the far corners of the world 

and predicting a crisis in Ukraine. “As soon as that report runs, 

we'll suddenly get 500 new Internet sign_ups from Ukraine,” says 

Friedman, a former political science professor. “And we'll hear 

back from some of them.” Open_source spying does have its risks, of 

course, since it can be difficult to tell good information from bad. 

That's where Straitford earns its keep.

It can be learned from paragraph 4 that.

［A］ Straitford's prediction about Ukraine has proved true

［B］ Straitford's guarantees the truthfulness of its information

［C］ Straitford's business is characterized by unpredictability

［D］ Straitford is able to provide fairly reliable information［2003

年44題］

D［正確答案］

2.段落中句子推斷

例

But it is hardly inevitable that companies on the web will need to 

resort to push strategies to make money. The examples of Virtual 

Vineyards, Amazon.com, and other pioneers show that a Web site 

selling the right kind of products with the right mix of 

interactivity, hospitality, and security will attract online 

customers. And the cost of computing power continues to free fall, 

which is a good sign for any enterprise setting up shop in silicon. 

People looking back 5 or 10 years from now may well wonder why so 

few companies took the online plunge.

Ｗe learn from the last paragraph that .

［A］pushing information on the Web is essential to Internet commerce

［B］interactivity, hospitality and security are important to online 

customers

［C］leading companies began to take the online plunge decades ago

［D］setting up shops in silicon is independent of the cost of 

computing power［1999年58題］

B［正確答案］

六、轉(zhuǎn)折/對(duì)比原則

議論文和說明文都強(qiáng)調(diào)邏輯的嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)性，而轉(zhuǎn)折和對(duì)比常�？梢杂脕�(lái)測(cè)試考生在

這一方面的閱讀理解能力，所以考生對(duì)文中的轉(zhuǎn)折和對(duì)比關(guān)系應(yīng)高度重視，只

要看到標(biāo)明轉(zhuǎn)折或?qū)Ρ鹊年P(guān)系詞如but, however等，就應(yīng)當(dāng)立即在原文上進(jìn)行

圈點(diǎn)。一般說來(lái)轉(zhuǎn)折后的內(nèi)容多與上文所表達(dá)的意思相反，而對(duì)比往往是強(qiáng)調(diào)

其中的一方。

1.首段的轉(zhuǎn)折/對(duì)比

只要首段中出現(xiàn)一對(duì)處于對(duì)比狀況的概念，命題專家通常都會(huì)就此設(shè)置考題，

考生應(yīng)掌握這一規(guī)律，在看到文章首段出現(xiàn)轉(zhuǎn)折對(duì)比的內(nèi)容時(shí)，應(yīng)當(dāng)立即集中

注意力，同時(shí)還要明白，第一段出現(xiàn)轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系時(shí)，轉(zhuǎn)折后所表述的一定是文章

的中心議題，而在首段出現(xiàn)的對(duì)照或?qū)Ρ鹊膬?nèi)容將在下文中進(jìn)行具體的議論，

并在文章比較后得出結(jié)論。

例

Few creations of big technology capture the imagination like giant 

dams. Perhaps it is human kind's long suffering at the mercy of 

flood and drought that makes the ideal of forcing the waters to do 

our bidding so fascinating. But to be fascinated is also, sometimes, 

to be blind. Several giant dam projects threaten to do more harm 

than good.

The third sentence of paragraph 1 implies that .（轉(zhuǎn)折）

［A］ people would be happy if they shut their eyes to reality

［B］ the blind could be happier than the sighted

［C］ over_excited people tend to neglect vital things

［D］ fascination makes people lose their eyesight［1998年51題］

C［正確答案］

2. 文中的轉(zhuǎn)折

例

It is a remarkable record, stretching back over 70 years―yet the 

BBC's future is now in doubt.

The world famous BBC now faces .

［A］ the problem of new coverage［B］ an uncertain prospect

［C］ inquiries by the general public［D］ shrinkage of audience

［1996年55題］

B［正確答案］

七、復(fù)指原則

在歷年的考題中，應(yīng)用復(fù)指原則設(shè)問的題目較多，此類題目的考點(diǎn)是復(fù)指代詞

或與復(fù)指副詞作用相同的詞。1994年、1995年時(shí)此類題目大多是直接問考生文

章某句中的“it”或“that”等代詞指代什么。近幾年此類題目的問法開始轉(zhuǎn)

向隱蔽，但無(wú)論題目用何種方式設(shè)問，考生都應(yīng)當(dāng)記住，此類題目的答案的位

置必定在復(fù)指詞的上文中。因此，此類題目的解答只需返回原文，在復(fù)指詞上

方掃描即可找到正確答案。如果按閱讀習(xí)慣接著讀下面的句子或段落，無(wú)論看

多少遍也找不到答案。

例

For a long period of time and in many parts of the country, a 

traveler was a welcome break in an otherwise dull existence. 

Dullness and loneliness were common problems of the families who 

generally lived distant from one another. Strangers and travelers 

were welcome sources of diversion, and brought news of the outside 

world.

The harsh realities of the frontier also shaped this tradition of 

hospitality. Someone traveling alone, if hungry, injured, or ill, 

often had nowhere to turn except to the nearest cabin or settlement. 

It was not a matter of choice for the traveler or merely a 

charitable impulse on the part of the settlers. It reflected the 

harshness of daily life: if you didn't take in the stranger and take 

care of him, there was no one else who would. And someday, remember, 

you might be in the same situation.

Families in frontier settlements used to entertain strangers .

［A］ to improve their hard life

［B］ in view of their long_distance travel

［C］ to add some flavor to their own daily life

［D］ out of a charitable impulse［1997年57題］

C［正確答案］

八、類比原則

議論文和說明文在論證說明事理的時(shí)候均很抽象，為了讓讀者更形象地理解一

些抽象的內(nèi)容，文章常會(huì)采用類比的手法。形象的類比不僅有助于將抽象的道

理闡釋清楚，更可以讓讀者加深印象。類比在文中有兩種體現(xiàn)方式，一是明

喻，即A像B一樣；二是暗喻，說A是B，由于暗喻更加隱蔽，近年來(lái)命題專家也

越來(lái)越趨向于在暗喻內(nèi)容上設(shè)問。

例

The mechanic should sit down among levers, screws, wedges, wheels, 

etc., like a poet among the letters of the alphabet, considering 

them as an exhibition of his thoughts, in which a new arrangement 

transmits a new idea.

A technologist can be compared to an artist because .(明喻)

［A］ they are both winners of awards

［B］ they are both experts in spatial thinking

［C］ they both abandon verbal description

［D］ they both use various instruments［1996年65題］

B［正確答案］

九、例證原則

讓事實(shí)說話往往是比較有效的論證方式之一，命題專家在設(shè)置題目時(shí)往往也會(huì)針

對(duì)文中的事例設(shè)問，考查考生對(duì)局部結(jié)構(gòu)的理解。例證題1994年第一次出現(xiàn)在

考研試卷上，共兩道題，占4分。但在1995年至1998年間，沒有出現(xiàn)過一道例證

題，1999年再次出現(xiàn)，一樣是兩道題，占4分。之后，幾乎每年的考題都有一至

兩道例證題，這就說明考研命題的一大特點(diǎn)，命題規(guī)則總是不斷重復(fù)的。

考生們?cè)趹?yīng)用例證原則解題時(shí)還應(yīng)注意常用的例證方式有兩種：一是先提出觀

點(diǎn)，后舉例說明；二是先列舉事例再做出結(jié)論�？忌鷳�(yīng)當(dāng)學(xué)會(huì)舉一反三，不要

被各種原則的變化形式所迷惑。

例

Now the tide appears to be turning. As personal injury claims 

continue as before, some courts are beginning to side with 

defendants, especially in cases where a warning label probably 

wouldn't have changed anything.In May, Julie Nimmons, president of 

Schutt Sports in Illinois, successfully fought a lawsuit involving a 

football player who was paralyzed in a game while wearing a Schutt 

helmet. “We're really sorry he has become paralyzed, but helmets 

aren't designed to prevent those kinds of injuries,” says Nimmons. 

The jury agreed that the nature of the game, not the helmet, was the 

reason for the athlete's injury. At the same time, the American Law 

Institute―a group of judges, lawyers, and academics whose 

recommendations carry substantial weight―issued new guidelines for 

tort law stating that companies need not warn customers of obvious 

dangers or bombard them with a lengthy list of possible ones.

“Important information can get buried in a sea of trivialities,” 

says a law professor at Cornell Law School who helped draft the new 

guidelines. If the moderate end of the legal community has its way, 

the information on products might actually be provided for the 

benefit of customers and not as protection against legal liability.

The case of Schutt helmet demonstrated that .

［A］some injury claims were no longer supported by law

［B］helmets were not designed to prevent injuries

［C］product labels would eventually be discarded

［D］some sports games might lose popularity with athletes［1999年53

題］

A［正確答案］

十、句子理解原則

這種題型旨在考查文中某一句話的內(nèi)涵。因此在解題時(shí)，考生要牢牢抓住這句

話本身，弄清楚它的每個(gè)單詞、每個(gè)表達(dá)及整個(gè)句子所傳遞的信息，可以借助

周邊的句子來(lái)幫助理解，但不要跑得太遠(yuǎn)。

例

In the US and Canada,where the right_to_die movement is gathering 

strength, observers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling.

When the author says that “observers are waiting for the dominoes 

to start falling”, he means .

［A］ observers are taking a wait_and_see attitude towards the 

future of euthanasia

［B］ similar bills are likely to be passed in the US, Canada and 

other countries

［C］ observers are waiting to see the result of the game of dominoes

［D］ the effect_taking process of the passed bill may finally come 

to a stop［1997年52題］

B［正確答案］

十一、詞匯原則

閱讀中的詞匯題通常會(huì)有兩種情況，一種是考生一看到所考的單詞立刻心跳加

速：“完了，這個(gè)詞不認(rèn)識(shí)，大綱上也沒有�！边�有就是一看到單詞，立刻欣

喜不已：“哈哈，這么容易的單詞�！钡谝环N情況下考生往往會(huì)隨便猜一個(gè)選

項(xiàng)，錯(cuò)誤率很高。而第二種情況下，考生往往落入命題專家的陷阱，不知不覺

地失了分，原因是考生并沒有掌握閱讀詞匯題的基本命題原則。

在閱讀部分的詞匯題要考的并不是考生認(rèn)不認(rèn)識(shí)題中所考的單詞，否則便是命

題失效。此處要考的是考生閱讀中的推斷能力，也就是說題中所考單詞的詞義

必定能根據(jù)上下文推斷出來(lái)。所以考生在遇到閱讀中的詞匯題時(shí)，一定要冷

靜，去上下文中細(xì)找，推斷出詞義后，可將詞義代入原文看是否通暢。

例1

Railroads justify rate discrimination against captive shippers on 

the grounds that in the long run it reduces everyone's cost. If 

railroads charged all customers the same average rate, they argue, 

shippers who have the option of switching to trucks or other forms 

of transportation would do so, leaving remaining customers to 

shoulder the cost of keeping up the line. It's a theory to which 

many economists subscribe, but in practice it often leaves railroads 

in the position of determining which compan