Question

谈大学英语四级考试仔细阅读部分主旨题的解法（二）

Answer 1

本文讲述的是我们可以通过面部特征、行为方式和语言方式等来描述人或识别人。其中，首段谈到了面部特征在描述或识别一个人的过程当中的重要性;第二段紧接着谈到了行为方式在这方面的作用;第三段和第四段分别谈到了用语言方式来对一个人进行描述;最后一段说人们总是根据一个人的面部特征和行为方式将人划分为不同的类型。
　　划线部分就是需要阅读的句子，黑体字部分是重点标志性词汇。其中，第一段的两句话根据标点符号，采用了跳读。其余各段中举例等细节部分信息也跳过不读。

　　通过阅读主题信息，我们发现，这篇文章的每一段都谈到了描述或识别人的一个方面，全文的主旨需要把各段的主题综合起来，经过总结概括而形成。这种结构模式我们称之为综合型结构。这样，考查各段主题，我们可以得出正确答案应该是 B。

　　2、开门见山型

　　Most episodes of absent-mindedness—forgetting where you left something or wondering why you just entered a room-are caused by a simple lack of attention, says Schacter. “You’re supposed to remember something, but you haven’t encoded it deeply.”

　　Encoding, Schacter explains, is a special way of paying attention to an event that has a major impact on recalling it later. Failure to encode properly can create annoying situations. If you put your mobile phone in a pocket, for example, and don’t pay attention to what you did because you’re involved in a conversation, you’ll probably forget that the phone is in the jacket now hanging in your wardrobe (衣柜). “Your memory itself isn’t failing you.” says Schacter. “Rather, you didn’t give your memory system the information it needed.”

　　Lack of interest can also lead to absent-mindedness. “A man who can recite sports statistics from 30 years ago.” says Zelinski, “may not remember to drop a letter in the mailbox.” Women have slightly better memories than men, possibly because they pay more attention to their environment, and memory relies on just that.

　　Visual cues can help prevent absent-mindedness says Schacter. “But be sure the cue is clear and available.” he cautions. If you want to remember to take a medication (药物) with lunch, put the pill bottle on the kitchen table—don’t leave it in the medicine chest and write yourself a note that you keep in a pocket.

　　Another common episode of absent-mindedness: walking into a room and wondering why you’re there. Most likely, you were thinking about something else. “Everyone does this from time to time.” says Zelinski. The best thing to do is to return to where you were before entering the room, and you’ll likely remember. (2002年6月四级真题)

　　30. What is the passage mainly about?
　　A) The process of gradual memory loss.
　　B) The causes of absent-mindedness.
　　C) The impact of the environment on memory.
　　D) A way of encoding and recalling.

　　本文讲述的是心不在焉这种心理现象形成的原因——缺乏注意力。首段即提出了这个主题，其余四段分别从几个具体的方面来印证这个主题：第二段谈的是没有给记忆系统提供其所需的信息而导致心不在焉;第三段谈到了缺乏兴趣也可以导致心不在焉;第三段说视觉提示也可以防止心不在焉;最后一段通过一个具体的例子来说明，如果将注意力集中到一个方面，便会忽略其它方面。划线部分即为要读的主题信息，一些标点符号处、举例论证处、引用论证处等都跳过不读。

　　我们看到，这篇文章开篇即提出这篇文章的主旨，后面几段是对这个主旨的分述，全文构成总分结构模式，这种模式便是开门见山型的结构。由此，我们很容易选出 B 为正确答案。

　　3、对比型(C)

　　Americans are proud of their variety and individuality, yet they love and respect few things more than a uniform, whether it is the uniform of an elevator operator or the uniform of a five-star general. Why are uniforms so popular in the United States?

　　Among the arguments for uniforms, one of the first is that in the eyes of most people they look more professional than civilian (百姓的) Clothes. People have become conditioned to expect superior quality from a man who wears a uniform. The television repairman who wears a uniform tends to inspire more trust than one who appears in civilian clothes. Faith in the skill of a garage mechanic is increased by a uniform. What easier way is there for a nurse, a policeman, a barber, or a waiter to lose professional identity(身份) than to step out of uniform?

　　Uniforms also have many practical benefits. They save on other clothes. They save on laundry bills. They are tax-deductible(可减税的). They are often more comfortable and more durable than civilian clothes.

　　Primary among the arguments against uniforms is their lack of variety and the consequent loss of individuality experienced by people who must wear them. Though there are many types of uniforms, the wearer of any particular type is generally stuck with it, without change, until retirement. When people look alike, they tend to think, speak, and act similarly, on the job at least.

　　Uniforms also give rise to some practical problems. Though they are long-lasting, often their initial expense is greater than the cost of civilian clothes. Some uniforms are also expensive to maintain, requiring professional dry cleaning rather than the home laundering possible with many types of civilian clothes.(2000年6月四级真题)

　　35. The best title for this passage would be _______.
　　A) Uniforms and Society
　　B) The Importance of Wearing a Uniform
　　C) Practical Benefits of Wearing a Uniform
　　D) Advantages and Disadvantages of Uniforms

　　本文的结构模式十分清晰。首段提出全文主题：美国人如何看待制服的问题;第二段和第三段讲到了制服的优点;最后两段讲制服的缺点。很显然，后四段提出两种相反的观点，形成对比型的结构模式。划线部分是要读的主题信息，黑体字是重要的标志性词语，中间举例论证等细节部分采用了跳读。

　　对比型的结构模式中总是会出现截然相反的两种观点，全文的主旨则是两种观点的综合，由此，我们不难选出正确答案D。