閱讀理解中涉及數字的細節題

數據在英語閱讀理解中常常出現，比如以時間順序寫作的記敘文中往往會出現比較多的年份、日期等，這些年份日期對于我們理解事件發生的時間順序非常有幫助;又如在英語閱讀的說明文(包括社科文和科技文)中，特別是調查研究類的文章，作者也往往運用大量的數據使文章更加可信可靠。正是因為這些數據在文章中起到了一個舉足輕重的作用，設題者也往往針對這些數據設題考查考生對此的理解是否正確無誤。一般來說，數據考查題都是細節題，只要找到原文出處，考生可以很容易找出正確答案，但是設題者往往會采取偷換概念，變更細節等手段設置迷惑項，考生若沒有經過仔細思考和比較而僅憑模糊印象做題，很容易就會失分。如，在我校的一次月考的閱讀理解中出現一道細節題，很多同學做錯了。題目如下:

In Western countries people have been using the installment plan since the first half of the twentieth century. Today，a large number of families in Great Britain buy furniture，household goods and cars by installments. In the U.S.，the figure is much higher than in Great Britain， and people there spend over 10 percent of their income on the installment plan.41. Which of the following is NOT true about the installment plan?

A. A lot of British families use the installment plan.

B. More than 10 percent American families buy things on installments.

C. Americans depend more on installment than British people do.

D. Americans spend one tenth of their income on installment buying.

本題要求考生選與短文內容不符的選項，很多同學“輕而易舉”地發現文章的第一段與選項B句子很相似，而且都出現了10 percent這個數據以及“installment”這個關鍵詞，于是就毫不猶豫地首先排除B，但實際上這道題的正確答案卻恰恰是B。那么B選項的陳述與原文哪里不相符呢?只要我們細心一點，就可以發現，原文的10 percent的中心詞是income，而B選項10 percent的中心詞則變為American families，這就是偷換概念了。

又如以下的這道題目:

With birds，the main problem is climate related damage to important areas at either end of the travels of at resting places along the way.About one—fifth of migrating birds are now in danger because of climate related changes including rising sea levels， land loss and more violent storms，the report concludes.

54 Which of the following is mentioned as a consequence of rising temperatures?

A .More storms will affect the ability of whales to find their feeding grounds.

B. 20 percent of all birds are likely to die out because of land loss.

C. Migrating animals are likely to start adapting to the changes more quickly.

D. Warmer oceans will increase the competition between different kinds of dolphins.

考生可以在文章中找到一個跟B選項相關的句子，并且可以發現文中的one-fifth與B選項中的20 percent是相符合的，于是就滿懷信心地選擇了B。但是B選項是錯的，因為原為中的one fifth 的中心詞是migrating birds(候鳥)，請注意migrating這個修飾詞，而選項中20 percent的中心詞是all birds，修飾詞是all，所以選項B是錯誤的。

因為科普文中的數據題容易出現“偷換概念”“范圍過寬或過窄”等問題，所以考生容易失分，而記敘文的數據題相對而言更容易，往往被視為“送分題”，但是由于考生沒有通讀全文，僅憑印象選擇，也容易發生錯誤。如以下這道題目:

Last night was the last game for my eight-year-old son’s soccer team. It was the final quarter. The score was two to one， my son’s team in the lead. Parents surrounded the playground， offering encouragement.

With less than ten seconds remaining， the ball suddenly rolled in front of my son’s teammate， Mickey O’Donnel. With shouts of “Kick it!” echoing (回響) across the playground， Mickey turned around and gave it everything he had. All around me the crowd erupted (沸騰). O’Donnel had scored!

Then there was silence. Mickey had scored all right， but in the wrong goal， ending the game in a tie. For a moment there was a total hush. You see， Mickey has Down Syndrome (綜合癥) and for him there is no such thing as a wrong goal. All goals were celebrated by a joyous hug from Mickey. He had even been known to hug the opposing players when they scored.

43. What was the score of the soccer match?

A. Two to two， equal to both the teams.

B. Three to one in Mickey’s team’s favor.

C. Two to one in the opposite team’s favor.

D. One to one， everybody won because of Mickey’s goal.

在這道題中，如果考生看到第一段的 “The score was two to one.”后就馬上就選擇C， 那就錯了，因為這并不是比賽的結果，而且也不是”in the opposite team’s favor”， 而是”my son’s team in the lead”， 比賽的結果是第三段的 “Mickey had scored all right， but in the wrong goal， ending the game in a tie”(由于Mickey入錯球，最后結果是平手)。因此，考生要通讀全文，理解故事發展的順序，才能選擇正確的答案A。

總而言之，要做對閱讀理解中的數據題并不困難，但是考生必須理解文章的結構，寫作順序，并且細心分析，避免掉入設題者“偷換概念”等陷阱中，就能選出正確的選項了。

責任編校蔣小青