托福阅读句子简化题深度解析
句子简化题是托福阅读中不可忽视的一类题型,它考察学生对长难句的理解和同义替换能力的掌握,而这些技能在学生未来的海外求学生涯中都极为重要。下面我们就以真题为例,给大家深入解析一下句子简化题的应对策略,希望有助于各位的托福阅读备考。
托福阅读句子简化题深度解析
对于句子简化题,有一些题目如果句子不长,我们做题的基本原则就是:同义替换。
找到原句中的关键的词在选项当中进行同义替换。例如In evolutionary history, the development of language set humans apart fromthe rest of the animal kingdom.
Which sentence below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
A. Humans evolved as the most powerful species after they are developed language.
B. The creation of human language has its origins in the language of animals.
C. The emergence of language distinguished early humans from other animals.
D. Humans and animals developed completed different systems of communication.
先来看题干:Which sentence below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
该题要求从选项中选择一个能够表达原文阴影句子核心信息的句子。很多同学采用翻译的方法做题,即首先翻译原句,然后逐个翻译四个选项。这种做法不仅浪费时间,而且对我们的读句子的能力要求极高。更好的做法是,首先判断句子的核心信息。这是考题当中为数不多的原句比较简单的句子释义题,原句的核心概念在于强调区分(apart from)。因此找到同义替换,即是C项当中的distinguished。但是大多数题目的原文不会是一个简单句,多数是带有逻辑关系的复杂句。那么简单的同义替换技巧就无法操作了。如何快速解决这种题型呢?我们主要分两个部分来解析。
其实,我们在读原句的时候并不需要完整的彻底的摄取信息,相反,我们通过快速浏览,只需要关注两个关键点:一是原句当中的表示程度,频率的词,二是原句当中的逻辑关系。并不需要吸收所有信息,只需要快速浏览将所关注的信息点抓住即可,这样便节省了大量的时间。
The extreme seriousness of desertification results from the vast areas of land and the tremendous numbers of people affected, as well as from the great difficulty of reversing or even slowing the process.
Which sentence below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
A. Desertification is a significant problem because it is so hard to reverse and affects large areas of land and great numbers of people.
B. Slowing down the process of desertification is difficult because of population growth.
C. The spread of deserts is considered a very serious problem that can be solved only if large numbers of people in various countries are involved in the effort.
D. Desertification is extremely hard to reverse unless the population is reduced in the vast areas affected.
解题思路:
句子中最核心的信息首先就是该句的逻辑关系。原句的逻辑关系可以由result from 来判断,为因果关系。借此我们就可以缩小选项范围,首先排除掉C,D选项。剩下的A,B两个选项均包含因果的逻辑关系。接下来我们可以根据句子的第二种核心信息:主语,来判断。原句的主语是Desertification沙漠化,而B项的主语是Slowing down the process of desertification减缓沙漠化进程。所以排除掉B选项,A为正确答案。
将通过程度词解题和借助逻辑关系解题结合起来,对于解答带有逻辑关系的复杂句的释义题很有帮助。我们看一下下面这道题目:
It is one of the most important sensations because it is translated into a negative reaction, such as withdrawal from danger.
Which sentence below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
A. Escaping from danger is a negative reaction, but it is the most important thing an individual learns.
B. The ability to sense pain is extremely important because pain signals the body to respond to a threat.
C. Experiencing pain is one type of reaction to a negative stimulus; another type is avoiding danger.
D. We experience a lot of sensations, and the most important ones are translated into appropriate actions.
浏览原句,从because可以看出逻辑关系为因果关系,并且原句当中有绝对化词汇most。仅仅凭借most这个程度很强的词汇我们可以排除C选项。因为原文当中带有绝对化词汇而选项中没有,那么这个选项为必错选项。接下来利用逻辑关系排除A项,A中为转折关系。而B恰恰有because 这个词,此外B中的extremely可以作为most的同义替换。正确答案为B。
几乎每一篇文章后面都会有一道释义题,因此考生应加强练习。平时在阅读文章,或者报刊杂志的时候不仅仅要把注意力放在读懂原文上,还应该注意原文的逻辑关系,培养根据逻辑关系思考的习惯。另外,一些程度词的存在也会影响我们对原文的精确理解,平时阅读的时候应当多加关注。
托福词汇之10种著名小吃的英语说法
羊肉泡馍
01. Flatbread in mutton soup (yangrou paomo) – Yangrou paomo is the most iconic [标志性的] dish in the Xi’an foodscape. The ritual [例行公事] before eating a paomo – tearing the bread into small pieces yourself before letting the chef turn it into a stew [炖的食物] – is as enjoyable as the dish itself.
带有汤汁的饭菜通常用in + 汤汁这个公式来表达,如红烧肉就是diced pork stewed in brown sauce。
肉夹馍
02. Xi’an meat burger (roujiamo) – Roujiamo is the city’s favorite burger. A delicious roujiamo is composed of [由……组成] two key elements – juicy shredded [切成碎片的] braised pork [炖猪肉] and a crispy baked bread.
肉夹馍其实是馍夹肉__但不管怎样,肉夹馍和西方的汉堡包很类似,只不过肉夹馍用的是饼,汉堡包用的是面包。顺便说一下,驴肉火烧可以翻译为donkey burger。
凉皮
03. Cold noodles (liangpi) – Rice noodles are cooked, cooled and thinly sliced. The noodles are often served in a sauce made of chili oil [辣椒油], pepper powder, vinegar and diced garlic [切成丁的大蒜]. Then it’s garnished with [配有] bean sprouts [豆芽] and sliced cucumber [黄瓜].
提到noodle的时候,通常都是复数noodles,因为我们不可能就吃一根吧!方便面叫instant noodles。
biangbiang面
04. Biangbiang noodles – commonly described as resembling a belt, biangbiang noodles are wide, thick and long. One string of noodles can easily fill you up.
酸汤水饺
05. Hot and sour soup dumpling (suantang shuijiao) – Who can resist a bowl of dumplings swimming in hot and sour soup with sesame seeds [芝麻], minced leek [葱花] and cilantro [香菜]? Suantang shuijiao is flavorful and refreshing with a lingering (and pleasant) aftertaste [回味无穷].
汤圆一般翻译为sweet dumpling,如果要告诉外国人饺子和汤圆的区别,恐怕得进一步解释一下。
粉蒸肉
06. Steamed beef and wheat powder (fenzhengrou) – This unassuming-looking [其貌不扬的] dish packs 23 herbs, spices and seasonings into one serving and requires seven hours to cook.
馒头可以翻译为steamed bun,包子就是有馅的馒头,可以说成steamed stuffed bun,但有些地方包子馒头都用steamed bun。
串儿
07. Kabob (chuan’er) – coated with chili [辣椒] and cumin [孜然] powder, it’s a highly addictive [使人上瘾的] midnight snack for Xi’an residents. It’s not unusual for locals to order 100 of them in one go.
穿肉串的签子叫skewer。
石榴汁儿
08. Pomegranate juice – Pomegranates are a local specialty product. Pomegranate juice stands pop up around town every fall.
我中学大学的时候会说的水果很少,撑死5个:apple, banana, pear, orange, grape。有一天我去菜市场,立志要把所有常见水果的英文说法学会。
甑糕
09. Glutinous rice and date cake (zenggao) – Cooked overnight in a zeng – a traditional earthen utensil [泥做的器皿] – most vendors [商贩] only prepare one batch [一炉] of zenggao (glutinous rice [糯米] and date [枣子] layered cake) a day.
glutinous rice也可以简单说成sticky rice。我们传统的英语课堂上通常是不会教这些词汇的,因为考试不考,看到人名地名,老师也会跳过(基本不会教人名地名的发音),因为考试不考,这就导致我们中的绝大多数出了学校就像从来没有学过英语一样,因为只会用排除法做选择题。凡是我们经常看到的,听到的,想到的,都应该设法用英语说出来,这样才会有成就感,才不会觉得枯燥,才不会放弃!
汤包
10. Soup dumpling (tangbao) – Shanghai’s xiaolongbao? Wrong. It is Xi’an’s own version of soup dumplings. Instead of pork, tangbao in Xi’an is mutton meat and soup packed into a paper-thin wrapper.
这里把汤包翻译为soup dumpling其实也可以理解,因为汤包和饺子也没有绝对的区别。总之,中文和英文是两种截然不同的语言,词汇不可能完全对应,需要我们不断揣摩和体会,这也许就是语言的魅力吧。加油!
托福词汇之"雨夹雪"用英语怎么说?
首先,“雨夹雪”是sleet,MacMillan English Dictionary – American对它的解释是:
1. a mixture of snow and rain
2. if it is sleeting, sleet is falling from the sky
也就是说,sleet既可以作名词,又可以作动词,作动词时是“下雨夹雪”的意思。
其实,部分以字母组合sl-开头的单词与“滑”有关,如:
1. sleet 雨夹雪-导致地面湿滑。
2. sleek 光滑而有光泽。如sleek black hair就是洗发水广告中经常出现的“乌黑顺滑的头发”。
3. sleigh 雪橇-雪橇是用来滑的。著名圣诞歌曲Jingle Bells里有一句歌词是Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh。
4. slide 滑动;滑梯。sliding door是滑动门,也就是开关的时候是往左右两侧滑动的门,与转动的合页门对应。
5. slip 滑(倒)
6. slippery 湿滑的;狡猾的。Caution Slippery Floor(小心地滑)在很多公共场所可见。
7. slippers 拖鞋-后跟拖着在地上滑动,发出嚓嚓的响声。拖鞋是一双,所以要用复数slippers。
8. slope 斜坡;斜面-东西放上去容易往下滑。还记得物理课上的斜面吗?上面放一个长方体,问斜面与地面的夹角大于多少度时长方体会往下滑动。
托福词汇之"老司机"用英语怎么说?
林丹出轨事件继续发酵升温。据某媒体爆料,林丹居然是出轨“老司机”。今天我们来看看“老司机”用英语怎么说。
林丹曾经拍摄的一则公益广告,前几天被网友“挖坟”了。
广告词“人生不能越界,底线必须坚守”,惨遭打脸。
林丹到底是不是老司机不重要,我们今天来讨论一下“老司机”到底怎么翻译。
“老司机”的直译是experienced driver,也就是说,这里的“老”并不一定指年纪大,而是“有经验的”。中文里的“老”意思很多,“老鼠”、“老外”中的“老”跟年纪也不相关。
【例】He is a very experienced driver who has worked with us for 13 years. 他是一名经验丰富的司机,和我们工作了13年了。
但是,如今网络上流行的“老司机”跟司机其实没有什么关系了,百度是这样解释的(愤青们,其实百度解释中文还是比较精确的,别喷):“老司机,网络名词。意为行业老手,对各种规则、内容以及技术、玩法经验老道的人。”也就是说,“老司机”并不非得是泡妞专家或情场老手,只要在一个行业混得比较久的经验比较丰富的人,都可以叫“老司机”,相当于“老手”或“老江湖”。
其实非常巧,英文中正好有一个词叫old hand和中文的“老手”精确对应,当然也可以对应“老司机”。Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's Dictionary 5th Edition是这样解释old hand的:If someone is an old hand at something, they are very skilled at it because they have been doing it for a long time。
【例】An old hand at photography, Tim has been shooting wildlife as a hobby for the last 13 years. 提姆是一名资深的摄影师,他的爱好是拍摄野生动物,这一爱好已经持续了13年。
(来源:Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's Dictionary 5th Edition)
既然词典说了veteran是old hand的同义词,那么“老司机”还可以说成veteran。既然词典又说了novice是old hand的反义词,那么novice就对应于我们常说的“菜鸟”。
总结一下:
old hand/ veteran /ˋv?t?r?n/ 老司机
novice /ˋnɑv?s/ 菜鸟
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