研究生英语入学考试系列谈（四）

This year, 50 percent of the 910, 000 people who suffer from cancer will survive at least five years. In the year 2000, the National Cancer Institute estimates that figure will be 75percent. For some skin cancers, the five-year survival rate is as high as 90percent. But other survival statistics are still discouraging – 13 percent for lung cancer, and 2 percent for cancer of the pancreas（胰腺）.
Question: The author implies that by the year 2000, .
A.there will be a drastic rise in the five – year survival survival of skin cancer patients.
B.90 percent of the skin – cancer patients today will still be living.
C.the survival statistics will be fairly even among patients with various cancers.
D.there won’t be a drastic increase of survival rate of all cancer patients.
本题的正确选项是D项。但有53.2%的考生选了A项。这说明考还没有抓住本段的中心思想。如果我们注意到了本段的后半部分“But other survival statistics are still discouraging – 13 percent for lung cancer, and 2 percent for cancer of the pancreas（胰腺）.”，就不会有这么多考生选A项。而选正确项D项的只有24%，这说明段落概括力也是一个难点。
（3）推理能力：
…People have generally viewed personal growth as an external result or product that can easily be identified and measured.…
Question: A person is generally believed to achieve personal growth then .
A he has given up his smoking habit
B he has made great efforts in his work
C he is keen on learning anything new
D he has tried to determine where he is on his journey
本题的正确答案是A项。但有45%的考生选了B项。原句说：人们通常将个人的成长看作是易于辨认衡量的外在结果或成果。而B项说的还是一个过程而非结果，这说明考生的推力能力还需要加强。
4．复习方法：
（1）对于主旨题来讲，主要是看主题句。但在大多数情况下，篇章是没有主题句的。这主要从段落的主题句入手。段落主题句判断方法是看一段的第二句或第三句。如果第二句和第三句是对第一句话进行说明或阐述，那么第一句是主题句。如果第三句对第二句进行阐述，那么第二句是主题句。当然，也有段落主题句在段末的情况。但是，当我们遇到主旨题时，不一定非要找主题句不可。我们不妨先做其他题，等到把其他题做完后，对篇章有了进一步的了解，做主旨题就较为简单了。
（2）对于阅读理解中的词汇，我们决不能用“前辍”和“后辍”的方法去做题。这种词汇题本身是要求“根据上下文”理解的。例如，上下文中的“untaught mind”不能根据前后辍望文生义选“a person who has no education”。
（3）对于细节问题我们要从词义和语法着手，包括词义转换、句际关系和语篇理解。
（4）对于推理题，要注意联系自己掌握的知识进行推理，因为这种题是在理解的基础上考作者与考生之间的shared knowledge，属于应用题型。
（5）对于“观点”和“态度”题，要注意语篇中的修辞。