第四講 猜測(cè)詞義題
在閱讀中我們經(jīng)常會(huì)遇到許多生詞。這時(shí)許多同學(xué)立即翻閱詞典，查找詞義。這樣做不但費(fèi)時(shí)費(fèi)力，而且影響閱讀速度、影響對(duì)語篇的整體把握。事實(shí)上，閱讀材料中的每個(gè)詞與它前后的詞語或句子甚至段落都有聯(lián)系。我們可以利用語境（各種已知信息）推測(cè)、判斷某些生詞的詞義。近年來全國統(tǒng)一高考中加大了對(duì)考生猜詞義能力的考查，因此，掌握一定的猜詞技巧，對(duì)突破高考閱讀理解、提高我們的英語語言能力都有非常重要的意義。
常見的題干有：
1) Which of the following is the closest in meaning to the word？
2) The word... could best be replaced by.
3) In the... paragraph, the word... means (refers to).
4) According to the passage,... probably means.
5) The author uses the word... to mean.
猜測(cè)詞義時(shí)，一般可利用以下四個(gè)方面的線索：
一是針對(duì)性的解釋
針對(duì)性解釋是作者為了更好的表達(dá)思想，在文章中對(duì)一些重要的概念、難懂的術(shù)語或高深的詞匯等所做的通俗化的解釋。這些解釋提供的信息明確具體，所使用的語言通俗易懂，利用它們來猜測(cè)詞義就非常簡單。
1.根據(jù)定義（definition）猜測(cè)詞義
如果生詞有一個(gè)句子（定語從句或是同位語<同位語前常有 or, similarly, that is to say, in other words, namely, or other, say, i.g. 等>或是同位語從句）或段落來定義,或使用破折號(hào)，冒號(hào)，分號(hào)后的內(nèi)容和引號(hào)括號(hào)中的內(nèi)容加以解釋和定義，那么理解這個(gè)句子或段落本身就是推斷詞義。定義常用的謂語動(dòng)詞多為：be, mean, deal with, be considered, to be, be called, define, represent, refer to, signify 等。
例1.Do you know what a “territory” is ? A territory is an area that an animal ,usually the male, claims（聲稱）as its own.（2005年湖北卷）
[分析]由定義可推知，這里territory指的是：“動(dòng)物的地盤”。
例2.In fact, only about 80 ocelots, an endangered wild cat, exist in the U.S. today．（2005年浙江卷）
[分析]由同位語an endangered wild cat我們很快猜出生詞ocelots的義域：一種瀕臨滅絕野貓。
例3. Here is The Pines ,whose cook has developed a special way of mixing foreign food such as caribou ,wild boar ,and reindeer with surprising sauces . （2004年福建卷）
According to the passage ,The Pines is a .
A．place in which you can see many mobile homes
B．mountain where you can get a good view of the valley
C．town which happens to be near the Banff National Park
D．restaurant where you can ask for some special kinds of food
[分析]通過whose引導(dǎo)的定語從句，我們可以推測(cè)到：The Pines 是一家餐館的名字，由此不難推出理解題的答案為：D。
2.根據(jù)舉例猜測(cè)詞義
恰當(dāng)?shù)呐e例能夠提供猜測(cè)生詞的重要線索。
例4. The course gives you chances to know great power polities between nation states. It will provide more space to study particular issues such as relationship among countries in the European Union, third world debt, local and international disagreement, and the work of such international bodies as the United Nations, the European Union, NATO, and the World Bank.（2004年遼寧卷）
[分析]根據(jù)such as 后面列舉的一系列例子，我們應(yīng)該能推斷出句中的issue 是指“議題”。
二是內(nèi)在邏輯關(guān)系
根據(jù)內(nèi)在邏輯關(guān)系推測(cè)詞義是指應(yīng)用語言知識(shí)分析和判斷相關(guān)信息之間存在的邏輯關(guān)系，然后根據(jù)邏輯聯(lián)系推斷生詞詞義或大致義域。
1.根據(jù)對(duì)比、比較關(guān)系猜測(cè)詞義
在一個(gè)句子或段落中，有對(duì)兩個(gè)事物或現(xiàn)象進(jìn)行對(duì)比性的描述，我們可以根據(jù)生詞的反義詞猜測(cè)其詞義。表示對(duì)比關(guān)系的詞匯和短語主要有：unlike, not, but, however, despite, in spite of, in contrast 等。表示對(duì)比關(guān)系的句子結(jié)構(gòu)：while 引導(dǎo)的并列句。同對(duì)比關(guān)系相反，比較關(guān)系表示意義上的相似關(guān)系。表示比較關(guān)系的詞和短語主要有：similarly, like, just as, also, as well as 等。
例5.A child’s birthday party doesn’t have to be a hassle; it can be a basket of fun.
What does the underlined word “hassle” (paragraph 1) probably mean? （2002年NMET）
A.a party designed by specialists B.a plan requiring careful thought
C.a situation causing difficulty or trouble D.a demand made by guests
[分析]根據(jù)對(duì)比關(guān)系，這里hassle 和 a basket of fun 是相反的意義，很容易判斷理解題的答案為C。
例6.Green loves to talk, and his brothers are similarly loquacious.
該句中副詞similarly表明短語loves to talk和loquacious 之間的比較關(guān)系，其意義相近。由此我們可推斷出loquacious的意思是“健談的”。
2.根據(jù)因果關(guān)系猜測(cè)詞義
在句子或段落中，若兩個(gè)事物現(xiàn)象之間構(gòu)成因果關(guān)系，我們可以根據(jù)這種邏輯關(guān)系推測(cè)生詞詞義。
例7.feel that since you are my superior , it would be presumptuous of me to tell you what to do .”
�。�2005年上海卷）
The word “presumptuous” in the middle of the passage is closest in meaning to “ ” .
A．full of respect B．too confident and rude C．lacking in experience D．too shy and quiet
[分析]根據(jù)since 引導(dǎo)的原因狀語從句的內(nèi)容（“既然你是我的上司”），我們可以推斷這里presumptuous的意思是：“冒失的，放肆的”意思，后半句的意思是：我告訴你怎么做會(huì)是一種放肆/冒失的行為。對(duì)應(yīng)的理解題答案為：B。
例8.Pruning is important because it encourages the growth of tender shoots,or young leaves.（2005年江西卷）
根據(jù)原因狀語從句的內(nèi)容，我們可以判斷Pruning的意思是：“修剪（樹枝等）”的意思。
3.根據(jù)說明、并列、同等同義近義、、反義等關(guān)系猜測(cè)詞義
在句子或段落中，我們可以利用熟悉的詞語，根據(jù)語言環(huán)境所表面的關(guān)系猜測(cè)詞義。
例9.William Shakespeare said. “The web of our life is of a mingled yarn（紗線），good and ill together.” （2005年江蘇卷）
The underlined word “mingled” in the last paragraph most probably means .
A．simple B．mixed C．sad D．happy
[分析]句中g(shù)ood and ill together 更具體地說明了a mingled yarn的意義，據(jù)此我們不難推測(cè)mingled的意思是：“混合的，交織的”。
例10.Is it possible to beat high blood pressure without drugs ? The answer is “yes”, according to the researchers at Johns Hopkins and three other medical centers. （2004年湖北卷）
[分析]根據(jù)and three other medical centers 這種并列關(guān)系，我們很容易推斷出：Johns Hopkins是一家醫(yī)療中心。
例11.There is no reason to insult and defame the man simply because you do not agree with him.
[分析]根據(jù)與insult“侮辱”的同等關(guān)系猜測(cè)defame為“詆毀” ，“中傷”或“誹謗”
例12.The game Americans call soccer is known around the world as football.
[分析]運(yùn)用與football的同義關(guān)系推斷為“足球”。
例13.The house stood at the end of a quiet neat street. The little dwelling,however,looked neglected and cheerless.
[分析]運(yùn)用與The house近義關(guān)系可以推斷dwelling與住所有關(guān)
例14.Most women in China ---educated and illiterated, urban and rural, the young and old-----work to earn an income in addition to maintaining their roles as housewives and mothers.
[分析]后面的urban and rural, the young and old之間都有反義關(guān)系，運(yùn)用這個(gè)關(guān)系可以推斷illiterated為“未接受過教育的，即文盲”
三是通過構(gòu)詞法
在猜測(cè)詞義過程中，我們還可以依靠構(gòu)詞法方面的知識(shí)，從生詞本身猜測(cè)詞義。
1.根據(jù)前綴猜測(cè)詞義
例15.Do you have any strong opinion on co-educational or single-sex schools?
根據(jù)詞根educational （教育的），結(jié)合前綴co-（共同，一起），我們便可以猜出co-educational的意思是：“男女同校教育的”意思。（2005年江西卷）
2.根據(jù)后綴猜測(cè)詞義
例16. It's a quiet, comfortable hotel overlooking (俯瞰) the bay in an uncommercialized Cornish fishing village on England's most southerly point．（2005年廣東卷）
后綴 -ise/ize意思是“使成為…；使…化”，結(jié)合詞根commercial（商業(yè)的），不難猜出 uncommercialized 的意思是：“未被商業(yè)化的”。
3.根據(jù)復(fù)合詞的各部分猜測(cè)詞義
例17.Good tool design is important in the prevention of overuse injuries. Well – designed tools and equipment will require less force to operate them and prevent awkward（別扭的）hand positions.（2005年北京卷）
Well-designed 或許是個(gè)生詞，但我們分析該詞的結(jié)構(gòu)后，就能推測(cè)出其含義。它由well （好，優(yōu)秀）和design （設(shè)計(jì)）兩部分組成，合在一起便是“設(shè)計(jì)精巧的”意思。
例18. We live in a technological society where most goods are mass-produced by unskilled labor. Because of this, most people that craft (手藝) no longer exists. （2004年浙江卷）
根據(jù)合成詞中的mass （大量的）和produce （生產(chǎn)），我們可以推測(cè) mass-produce的意思是：“大批量生產(chǎn)；規(guī)模生產(chǎn)”的意思。
4.猜測(cè)詞性變換新詞含義
例19.The other teams, disappointed, were on the bus heading home. （2004年山東卷）
head本為名詞，表頭。由the bus和home的語境邏輯可以推斷，該句head為動(dòng)詞，表方向，結(jié)合全句可譯為“開往、駛向”。
例20.I had first known she was wrong, that her anxiety had clouded her judgment. （2004全國卷Ⅱ）
cloud本為名詞，表云。分析語境邏輯可知，憂慮會(huì)影響一個(gè)人的判斷，因此該句clouded應(yīng)譯為使難以……。
四是根據(jù)生活常識(shí)
運(yùn)用自身的生活經(jīng)驗(yàn)及生活常識(shí)，根據(jù)上下文能讀懂的部分，可以正確猜出詞義。下面文字中劃線單詞的詞義你能猜出來嗎？
例21.Birds fly with their wings, and they pick up their foods, and then eat them with their beaks and they use their claws for tearing, seizing, pulling or holding objects.
例22.Most of the roses are beginning to wither because of the cold.
句子的已知部分和我們的常識(shí)告訴我們：beaks是“喙”；claws是“爪子”；wither表示“枯萎”。
結(jié)合以上指導(dǎo)解下列兩道閱讀理解題
A
Ever since news of widespread food recalls caused by a carcinogenic dye broke, there has been confusion（混淆） over possible links to the country of the same name, but Sudan officials say there is no connection whatever.
Sudan?1 is a red industrial dye that has been found in some chilli powder, but was banned in food products across the European Union (EU) in July 2003.
Since the ban was put in place, EU officials have been striving to remove some food products from the shelves. So far 580 products have been recalled.
Last week Sudan’s Embassy in the United Kingdom asked the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for clarification of the origin of the dye’s name.
Omaima Mahmoud Al Sharief, a press official at Sudan’s Embassy in China, explained the purpose of the inquiry was to clear up any misunderstanding over links between the country and the poisonous dye.
"We want to keep an eye on every detail and avoid any misunderstanding there," she said. "Our embassy to Britain asked them how the dye got that name and whether the dye had something to do with our country. But they told us there was no relationship."
The FSA, an independent food security watchdog in Britain, received a letter from the Sudanese embassy last week.
"They asked us why the dye is named Sudan, however, we also do not know how it got the name," she said. "People found the dye in 1883 and gave it the name. Nobody knows the reason, and we cannot give any explanation before we find out."
Sudan dyes, which include Sudan?1 to 4, are red dyes（顏料） used for colouring solvents（溶劑）, oils, waxes, petrol, and shoe and floor polishes. They are classified as carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
1. What does the underlined word mean in paragraph one?
A. Causing cancer. B. Having side effect. C. Containing poison. D.Poisonous.
2. How did the Sudan?1 get its name?
A. The dye is often produced in Sudan.
B. The dye has something to do with the country named Sudan.
C. Nobody is sure of the origin of the name.
D. Many foods produced in Sudan contain the dye.
3. We can infer from the passage that.
A. the Sudan government is paying much attention to the food safety
B. Sudan?1 is often used to be added to the food
C. people didn’t realize the danger of Sudan?1 until 2003
D. many food shops will be closed down
4. Which of the following is the best title?
A. Keep away from Sudan?1
B. No Sudan?1 dye links to the country
C. How Sudan?1 dye got its name?
D. Pay attention to the food safety
B
The Man of Many Secrets — Harry Houdini — was one of the greatest American entertainers in the theater this century. He was a man famous for his escapes — from prison cells, from wooden boxes floating in rivers, from locked tanks full of water. He appeared in theaters all over Europe and America. Crowds came to see the great Houdini and his “magic” tricks.
Of course, his secret was not magic or supernatural powers. It was simply strength. He had the ability to move his toes as well as he moved his fingers. He could move his body into almost any position he wanted.
Houdini started working in the entertainment world when he was 17, in 1891. He and his brother Theo performed card tricks in club in New York. They called themselves the Houdini Brothers. When Harry married in 1894, he and his wife Bess worked together as magician and assistant. But for a long time they were not very successful. Then Harry performed his first prison escape, in Chicago in 1898. Harry persuaded a detective to let him try to escape from the prison, and he invited the local newspapermen to watch.
It was the publicity(宣傳) that came from this that started Harry Houdini’s success. Harry had fingers trained to escape from handcuffs and toes trained to escape ankle chins. But his biggest secret was how he unlocked the prison doors. Every time he went into the prison cell, Bess gave him a kiss for good luck — and a small skeleton key, which is a key that fits many locks, pass quickly from her mouth to his.
Harry used these prison escapes to build his fame. He arranged to escape from the local prison of every town he visited. In the afternoon, the people of the town would read about it in their local newspapers, and in the evening every seat in the local theater would be full. What was the result? World-wild fame, and a name remembered today.
5. According to the passage, Houdini’s success in prison escapes depends on _______.
A. his special tricks and supernatural powers B. his unusual ability and a skeleton key
C. his magic tricks and unhuman powers D. his wisdom and magic tricks
6. In the fourth paragraph, the underlined word “this” refers to _______.
A. his first prison escape B. the year 1898 C. the publicity D. Harry Houdini’s success
7. It can be inferred from the passage that Houdini became famous _______.
A. in 1894 B. before he married C. at the age of 17 D. when he was about 24
8. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. A Skeleton Key B. A Man of Many Secrets
C. World-wild Fame D. Great Escape
A篇【答案與解析】
1. A詞義猜測(cè)題。根據(jù)They are classified as carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. 可知這個(gè)詞與癌癥有關(guān)，故可推出carcinogenic意為"致癌的"。
2. C細(xì)節(jié)題。根據(jù)People found the dye in 1883 and gave it the name. Nobody knows the reason, and we cannot give any explanation before we find out.可知還沒有人知道"蘇丹紅"名稱的由來。
3. B推斷題。根據(jù)EU officials have been striving to remove some food products from the shelves. So far 580 products have been recalled.可知某些食品因含有"蘇丹紅"而被召回。故可推斷"蘇丹紅"經(jīng)常用作食品添加劑。
4. B主旨大意題。根據(jù)there has been confusion over possible links to the country of the same name, but Sudan officials say there is no connection whatever. 可知本文主要講"蘇丹紅"與蘇丹這個(gè)國家是否有聯(lián)系的問題，故B最佳。
B篇【答案與解析】本文介紹了Harry Houdini特技成功的經(jīng)歷和方法。
5. B。細(xì)節(jié)題。根據(jù)第4段第2句：Harry把手、腳都訓(xùn)練得很靈活來擺脫手鏈腳銬及第4句后半部分：妻子通過接吻傳給他萬能鑰匙，可推知此題答案為B。
6. A。單詞理解題。根據(jù)語境，this指上文所表演的事情：第一次越獄成功。由此可推知此題答案為A。
7. D。推斷題。第3段第1句：他步入娛樂圈時(shí)是1891年，17歲；倒數(shù)第2句：第一次成功是1898年，時(shí)隔七年，應(yīng)是24歲，可推知此題答案為D
8. D。主旨題。由文章第1段第2句：He was a man famous for his escapes — from prison cells, from wooden boxes floating in rivers, from locked tanks full of water，可知Harry 因逃脫出名，后面列舉的例子談的是他從監(jiān)獄成功地逃出，所以答案為D。
本文來自：逍遙右腦記憶 http://yy-art.cn/waiyu/yingyuxuexi/11777.html
相關(guān)閱讀：英語聽力訓(xùn)練要講究策略
“談情說愛”英語篇
句子比單詞重要
高中英語不定式和分詞表原因的區(qū)別
實(shí)用英語寫作技巧6 如何寫好段落（Ⅰ）