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英语阅读综合

EDM阅读理解及口语交际讲解及练习资料

Aspects of Reading Comprehension

阅读理解测试的语言基础和阅读技能

语言基础：

1)丰富的词汇基础，即词汇量，词义及词的搭配关系

2) 扎实的语法知识

3) 充分的语篇知识(能在语篇层面上把握文章结构，段落之间的逻辑关系和句子之间的逻辑关系，语体风格，

作者的观点和态度等)。

阅读技能：

1) 掌握文章的主旨和大意的方法和能力；

2) 辨别说明主旨和大意的事实和细节的能力和方法；

3) 既理解字面意思，也能根据材料进行初步的判断和推理的方法和能力；

4) 既理解个别句子的意思，也能理解上下文的逻辑关系的方法和能力；

阅读理解测试的重点在于：

1)掌握文章的主旨和大意；(very important)

2)把握与主旨和大意相关的事实和细节；

3)依据事实和细节做出合理推断；

4)根据上下文判断词汇、句子含义；

一、如何找准中心议题

常见的有关文章中心思想的问题有：

1) This passage is about _____.

2) The main idea/subject/topic of the passage is ______.

3) The purpose of this passage is ______.

4) The best title for this passage is ______.

5) The passage mainly discusses ______.

6) The passage is primarily concerned with ______.

请看下例：

例一

The human skin does not ?breathe‘. The pores of the epidermis (表皮) serve as outlets for perspiration (汗) and oil from the glands (腺体). The public is bombarded with misinformation about skin, sometimes merely for the purpose of selling lotions (洗涤剂), potions (药水) and all sorts of supposedly magical preparations. Breathing is a function of the respiratory system and not of the skin. Beware of cosmetics that purportedly (有意图地) aid the skin in breathing.

A) The human skin does not ?breathe‘.

B) Lotions can aid the skin in breathing.

C) The pores of the skin serve as outlets for perspiration and oil from glands.

D) The skin is a part of the respiratory system.

答案解释：

此题正确答案应为A)。本段的中心议题是’the skin’。作者想阐述的中心是the skin doesn’t ‘breathe’。本段的第一句是文章的主题句。B)是作者提醒读者要注意的错误信息。C)是支撑主题的细节。D)显然是错误的。

例二

The popular idea of snow is that it consists of frozen raindrops. This is not the case. It is true that sometimes raindrops freeze in

their passage from the mother cloud to the earth. Such frozen raindrops are called sleet (冻雨) or hail. But snow is something different. It is made up of water vapor (水蒸汽) particles that have been transformed into crystals (晶体)，without first passing through the liquid state. Such crystals can form only when the dew point is below 0 Celsius.

A) Snow is a popular idea according to Celsius.

B) Snow is made up of frozen raindrops.

C) Snow is water vapor particles that have been transformed into crystals without first passing through the liquid sate.

D) Raindrops freeze in their passage from the mother cloud to the earth.

答案解释：

正确答案应为C)。本段的中心议题是―snow‖作者在驳斥了对―snow‖的错误观点后，提出了正确的看法，这便是作者想要讲述的中心思想：?Snow is water vapor particles that have been transformed into crystals without first passing through the liquid state.‘这一主题可在文章中的第五句找到。A)和B)是错误的。D)讲的是与?sleet‘和?hail‘相关的信息，与?snow‘无关。

例三

Since the beginning of the twentieth century, the world population has more than tripled. While most of the phenomenal (非凡的) growth is attributed to modern medicine, better famine relief, and more sanitary living conditions, one factor is usually ignored. There has been more food because during most of the twentieth century, and between 1935~1965 in particular, the farmers of the world have enjoyed a uniquely favorable warm, wet, and stable climate.

A) World population has increased more than three times.

B) We should not ignore the important factor.

C) World population has tripled in the 20th Century due to modern medicine, better famine relief, more sanitary living conditions,

and more available food.

D) During most of the 20th century the farmers of the world have enjoyed a uniquely favorable warm, wet, and stable climate.

答案解释：

正确答案为C)。短文的中心议题是‘world population‘，文中论述了世界人口迅速增长及其原因，但文中并无直接说明中心思想的主题句。选择项C)较好地总结了文章的大意；A)仅是大意的一部分；B)项含义模糊不清；D)是支撑文章主题的细节内容。

注意：

1．要注意区分文章中那些最根本和最具有概括力的信息，这种信息应包括其它信息的共性。

2．中心议题应恰如其分地概括内容，不能太窄，也不能太宽。如：My Student‘s Life; On Students.

3．要从全文结构来寻找答案。找出主题句(概括性强，结构简单，多数不是长句、难句)。

4．方法：避开细节，难词，放在最后做。

Exercise ：Choose the most general sentence.

1. (A) The speaker related a number of amusing stories, which were well told as well as intrinsically (内在的) comical.

(B) The talk covered every aspect of the subject and included examples from other related fields.

(D) The lecture was wide-ranging, amusing, and informative.

2. (A) Undoubtedly, the most important decision was the one concerning the rebuilding of the Otter Creek bridge.

(B) There was some opposition to the proposal to increase the budget for law enforcement, but it eventually passed.

(D) A few members wanted to earmark (指定用途) extra funds for next year‘s town festival, but a majority felt that the limited

resources available should be used for other, more pressing needs.

二、如何抓住阐述主旨的事实和细节

事实和细节主要指阐述文章主旨的具体事例。只有通过仔细阅读某些段落，才能获得这些具体的事实和细节。这部分既

涉及对单词、短语的准确理解，也关系到对整句、整段和全文的综合理解。理解的质量取决于考生的语言知识的深度和广度。具体地讲，它涉及到英语阅读技能的三个基本要素(即词汇、理解、速度)所达到的程度。

涉及事实或细节类的问题，一般都是针对某个特定的事实或细节，常常含有what, where, why, when, which, who, how 等以w/h-开头的疑问词，此类题型多种多样，几乎没有固定的模式。

在文章中，作者总是要通过许多具体内容(Details)来说明、解释、证明或分析文章的主题思想。在通读全文、掌握了文章主题思想的基础上，读者还应该能抓住阐述和发展主题思想的主要事实，或者按要求找出特定细节。这是通过阅读获取信息的重要能力。

在通读全文的过程中，我们要特别注意涉及who, what, when, where, how 和why 等问题的内容。在有此类内容的地方要作一标记，以便在回答问题时迅速查找。

一般来说，阅读理解测试中要求找出主要事实或特定细节的问题，在文章中均可找到回答。但是，需要注意的是，这些问题的表述常常不是采用文章中的原话，而是使用同义的词语来进行提问。因此，在回答此类问题时，首先要认真审题，看清问题提问的究竟是什么。然后，根据所涉及到的问题，快速扫视到文章中相应的部分，找到与答题内容相关的关键词或短语，再细读一、两遍。在确信理解了原文的基础上，来确定正确答案。在查到关键句下面应划线，以引起注意，便于参考与复查。此外，如果回答此类问题需要读者具有一定的背景知识，那也只是最基本的常识。因此，切勿脱离文中内容而根据自己的主观想像或其它来源的知识来选择答案。

在回答此类问题时，应注意以下几个问题：

一、当问及时间、距离以及其它用数字表示的细节时，需要进行计算方能得出答案。此时要把计算过程简单列出，不可随

意心算一下即确定答案。

例一：

The 50-star flag of the United States was raised for the first time officially on July 4,1960, at Fort McHenry in Baltimore. The 50th star had been added for Hawaii, a year earlier the 49th, for Alaska. Before that, no star had been added since 1912, when New Mexico and Arizona were admitted to the Union.

Question: In 1912, before July 4, the U.S. flag had _______.

A) 47 stars B) 20 stars C) 46 stars D) 48 stars

答案解释：

问题提问的是1921年7月4日以前的情况。由于新墨西哥和和亚里桑那于1912年7月4日加入联邦，国旗上星的数目正确答案为(C)。

二、当问题要求对某一事实作出正误判断或询问文中是否提到某一事实时，我们应先把所给的选择项大体上看一下，做到心中有数。然后，根据选择项中提供的线索，迅速找到文章相应的部分，细读一下有关内容。与文中内容一致的即可肯定，不一致的即可否定。注意，在回答Not True之类问题时，必须逐项找出须肯定的内容，方可确定要否定的内容。切勿一遇到自己认为不正确的内容，便匆忙答题，不再去考虑其它选择项，这样常常会导致错误。

尽管这类问题涉及的是细节，我们也不可忽视文章的主要观点。正确的答案与文章的中心思想往往吻合一致。因此，回答这类问题时，也必须以文章的中心为前提，与中心思想一致的可能是正确答案，反之可能是错误答案。

例二：

One word that sums up our age better than any other---whether ―our age‖ is ―the technological age‖ of western countries or the ―modernizing age‖of China—is the word CHNGE. But has change not always been present? More than just change. It is unprecedented change. In such a world, reading provides the best tool we have for keeping up and for avoiding future shock in a world continually being remade.

Which of the following is NOT true?

(A) Western countries and China are being remade.

(B) Reading will help us understand our age.

(D) Reading is the best tool provided by our age.

答案解释：

(A), (B), (C) 项均与文章中心的意义一致，(D) 不符。因为文章中说的是：―Reading serves as the best tool for us.‖ (对我们来

说，阅读可以作为一个最好的工具。)；而不是如选择项(D)所表示的那样：‖Reading is the best tool provided by our age.‖阅读是由我们时代所提供的最好的工具。)。所以，我们将答案确定为(D)。

三、文章中，为避免重复提及某些词或短语，作者常常用代词(Reference Words)来代替。在寻找细节时，读者须准确一致关系以及语义关系等确定所指代的内容。

例三：

The basketball team never lacked vociferous supporters, but they rarely responded to this show of enthusiasm.

文中黑体词they 若是指高声呼叫的支持者，则与后面的意思(对这种热情很少作出响应)不合。因此they 只能指环境球队队员。

例四：

Scott Fitzgerald, who first introduced him to a publisher, was one of the few contemporary writers that Hemingway did not turn against.

文中黑体him 若指的是主语Scot Fitsgerald, 则应该用反身代词himself, 而不能用him，因此这里只能指后文的Hemingway.

三、如何推理与判断

在阅读中，人们首先理解的是语言的字面意义。然而，语言所表达的内容常常超过其字面意义。这就需要我们掌握逻辑判断和推理的方法，根据事物发展的自然规律以及语言本身的内在联系，从一定的文字符号中获得尽可能多的信息。

有时，作者在文中并未把需要读者理解的所有意思直接表达出来，而期待读者能领悟文章的内在含义，即从字里行间来体会他想表达的意思。由于有的意思文中没有直接说明，读者必须根据文中所陈述内容的逻辑发展，上下文的联贯以及文中有关部分的暗示，作出判断或进行推理。

在阅读中，有时要求我们对文章中阐述的事实或细节，按照逻辑发展的规律，进行分析和概括，并以此为依据得出合手逻辑的结论。我们将这个过程称作―判断‖。为了对所读材料作出正确的判断，以得出合乎逻辑的结论，我们必须仔细地阅读，准确地掌握事实，并对其进行认真的分析和思考。

一、推理一般可分为简单推理和复杂推理

简单推理：

The salesman put the key in the ignition, but the engine would not start. He had to be in the air in half an hour in order to arrive in time for the meeting. His bonus would be lowered if he lost this account.

1) It can be inferred from the passage that the man was ______.

A) in his office B) in the factory

C) in the car D) in the warehouse

2) What was the man going to do in half an hour?

A) To meet his customer. B) To catch a bus.

C) To attend a meeting. D) To catch a plane

复杂推理

我们可以从以下几方面入手：

1. 了解文章的主旨；

2. 分辨文章表达的主要思想和次要思想；

3. 寻找文章的逻辑思路；

4. 核对问题中各项选择与文章中有关词句的联系。

例一：

The male and female mosquitoes make an odd couple. The female is a vampire and lives on blood. The male is a vegetarian that sips nectar and plant juices. Females of different species choose different hosts on which to dine. Some feed exclusively on cattle, horses, birds, and other warm-blooded creatures. Some favor cold-blooded animals. Still others prefer man.

While the females‘ menu varies, her bite remains the same. She drives her sharp tubular snout through the skin, injects a fluid to keep the blood from thickening, and drinks her fill, which takes a minute or less. It is the fluid she injects that carries disease. After her blood meal, she rests while her eggs develop. She then looks for a moist or flooded place to lay them.

根据文中the male is a vegetarian that sips nectar and plant juice 我们可以得出结论：雄蚊相结地说对人类无害。根据文中

The female is a vampire and lives on blood. Some feed on warm-blooded creatures. Some favour cold-blooded animals. Still others prefer man. 我们可以得出结论：雌蚊对多数动物构成威胁。纵观全文，我们可以作出判断：―蚊子应该被消灭。‖

二、推理就是以已知的事实为依据，来获得不知的信息。在阅读中，我们要善于利用文章中明确表示的内容，进行正确的推理，以挖掘作者的隐含意思。要求进行推理的问题，在文中均找不到直接答案。如果问题要求理解某句或段的含蓄意义，我们必须在文中找到所涉及的关键词语，仔细阅读一至两遍，吃透意思，并以此为根据，进行推理判断的内容涉及全文，则必须在理解通篇中心思想、掌握全文逻辑发展过程的基础，才能进行正确的推理判断。答题时，还应认真审题，特别要注意原文中的意思在题目中的表达形式，准确理解题意和要求。

例二：

The telephone rang and I picked it up and the voice said, ―Black party tonight.‖ Right then, I knew summer had arrived. There is nobody who enjoys summer more than North Dakotans, possibly because it takes such a long time getting here. We emerge from our cocoons into the sun and ready to go. We take to summer like a chorus girl takes to diamonds. We flood to the parks and the swimming pools and the golf courses and the hiking trails and the lakes. You ask a dozen North Dakotans what summer means to them and you will get a dozen different answers.

根据文中Right then I knew summer had arrived, 我们可以推断the block party 通常是夏季举行的活动,这表明‘夏天来临了‘。根据文中…there is nobody who enjoys summer more than the North Dakotans. Summer takes such a long time getting here. 我们可以推断出这里的冬天是漫长而枯燥无味的。根据文中We flood to the parks and the swimming pools and the golf courses and the hiking trails and the lakes. 我们还可以推断出当地的人们非常喜欢户外活动。

例三：

Like other opinions about the situation, Burke‘s predictably, and sensibly, forecasts a rise in unemployment among the young.

从此句我们可以推断出：1)说话者同意Burke 的关于年青人失业现象要增多的看法(根据predictably, and sensibly); 2) Burke 不是唯一持这种看法的人(根据like other opinions…).

例四：

In 1980, Canada announced strict additional limits on ownership of energy companies by foreign institutions and individuals. Since these may no longer own more than 50 percent of such companies, sources of capital for these corporations are now sharply restricted.

(A) Before 1980, foreigners were allowed to own a majority of shares in Canadian energy companies.

(B) Canada‘s 1980 limitations on energy-company ownership have caused some problems for these enterprises.

(D) Before 1980, there were no limitations on foreign individuals owning Canadian energy companies.

三、预测

预测根据上文中已出现的语言信息，预测下文即将出现的信息，这也是我们必须掌握的一项阅读技能。也就是说，在理解已知信息的基础上，对随之可能会出现的信息，作出初步推测。(这一推测，在进一步阅读过程中可能人被肯定、修改或否定)。例如，当我们读到Though progress on the subway has not actually stopped…(虽然修建地铁的工程尚未完全停止……)。我们根据Though 所引出的让步状语从句的意义，应能推测到Something is wrong with the project.(修建工程出了问题。)；同时从not actually 中推测到Progress on the subject has almost stopped. (工程似乎已经停止了。) 据此预测，下文可能会出现it is likely that the completion of the project will be delayed (这项工程的竣工很可能要推迟)，却不可能出现the project will be completed ahead of time (工程将提前完成)。

若下文与预测一致或基本一致，则证明自己对上文理解正确，可以继续阅读；若不一致，则说明对已读信息的理解有偏差，或这里有特殊含义，需要调整自己思路，或应给予特别的注意。

通常，我们可以借助于语法结构、常用句型进行预测；通过标题或主题句进行预测；结合自己的背景知识进行预测；根据语篇标志的提示词或者联接上下文的承接手段(Transitional Devices) 来进行预测等等。

同样，我们也可根据所给的某一段文章的内容，来推测上文讨论提什么话题，或已经谈到过什么事情。以―though progress on the subway has not actually stopped, it is likely that the completion of the project will be delayed.‖为例。根据该句所提供的信息，我们可以推测到上文讨论的内容可能是―strikes have severely hampered the project.‖ (罢工已经严重影响了工程的

进展)；而不同意给工人增工资。

例五：

Directions: Choose the item which best describes what came immediately before the statement given.

(A) Why the position is hazardous.

(B) How to make necessary repairs.

(D) In what cases, however, it is best to get out of the car mended.

… In most cases, however, it is best to get out of the car and make necessary repairs quickly so that you can move away from your hazardous position.

本题中，however 表明前面所述部分的内容必定是与后文中的内容相对立的。(A)，(B)，(D)

项都不能表现这种语义上的连贯，正确的答案是(C)。

注意事项：

1)从已知信息入手去分析、归纳出未知信息，不能随意脱离文章内容而代之以主观想像。

2)注意题目中的要求，注意关键词、时态和语气。如问题中出现suggest，infer，refer，imply，conclude等词时，应排除文章中明白陈述的内容。

3)推理应符合情理，既应避免文章中现成的句子，也要避免绝对化。

4)因果关系的题应找出最根本的原因。

5)推断写作目的应在全文中寻找线索。

6)推断前面的段落应根据主旨及段首内容推断，段后内容根据结论及结尾段内容推断；来源应从主旨、文体、读者对象(内容和用词)来考虑。

Exercises

I. Choose the item which best describes what came immediately before or after the given sentence.

1. (A) Something about Binta‘s responsibilities.

(B) Something about Binta being typical for a girl of her age in Kano.

(D) Something about life in Kano.

… Binta‘s many responsibilities are typical for a girl her age in Kano, Nigeria.

2. (A) An account of why Stratford is famous.

(B) An account of why Shakespeare‘s works.

(D) An account of Shakespeare‘s daily routine.

… Thus did Shakespeare begin and end his days in Stratford.

3. (A) A description of centralization at some time in the past.

(B) A description of modern growth.

(D) A listing of the causes of urban growth.

… Such centralization had long since vanished as a result of urban growth.

4. The student was confused, not because of the content of the lecture, but because of the speaker‘s style of delivery…

(A) A description of the lecturer‘s way of speaking.

(B) A summary of what the speaker said.

(D) An explanation of why the content was confusing.

5. Even though most Americans are upset by the rising cost of fossil fuels, few are willing to make adjustments in their life styles to make them less necessary…

(A) A description of adjustments which might be made.

(B) An explanation of why prices of fossil fuels are rising.

(D) An account of why fossil fuels are necessary.

II. Choose the statement (s) which can definitely be inferred from each of the sentences below. (Note: number of inferences that can be drawn will vary from item to item.)

1. Chayefsky then moved into television writing and burst on the scene with the much praised Marty; when the show was turned into

a movie, it won Chayefsky his first Academy Award.

(A) Marty became a television show after its success as a film.

(B) Chayefsky won more than one Academy Award.

(D) Chayefsky was not known as a television writer before Marty.

2. Krill, which are the main diet of whales have been cited (引用) as one of the world‘s biggest unexploited food resources.

(A) Whales eat more krill than anything else.

(B) The world has a number of unexploited food resources.

(D) The writer believes that krill constitute one of the world‘s biggest unexploited food resources.

3. M. F. K. Fisher, author of fourteen books, states that she does not usually like to read what she has written, but that she does like her own A Cordial Water. This book about folk medicine is a collection of odd, old recipes (处方) for medicines for people as well as animals. It has long been out of print, but a paperback edition is being considered.

(A) M. F. K fisher‘s books were out of print when his paragraph was written.

(B) A Cordial Water has not appeared in a paperback edition.

(D) Fisher‘s books are about folk medicine.

4. Perhaps the biggest difference between young adults of the eighties and those of the seventies is their attitude toward parents and grandparents. According to surveys of high school seniors by a federal agency, the proportion of seniors who consider living close to parents and relatives very important has nearly doubled, rising from 8 percent in 1972 to 14 percent in 1980. Similarly, increases are displayed in another survey, in which 71 percent of the high school students said they agreed with their parents about what they should do with their lives, and 75 percent agreed with their parents‘ values.

(A) According to the federal agency study, most high school seniors now consider living close to parents and relatives very important.

(B) According to one of the studies mentioned, more students agree with their parents‘ values than with their parents‘ views about what they should do with their lives.

(D) According to a study, 86 percent of high school seniors consider living close to parents and relatives unimportant.

5. Young children in certain societies call their mother and their aunts by the same name, properly ignoring the differences and noticing the similarities. In all societies, when there is trouble in the family, an aunt may temporarily take the mother‘s role, for which children thus rescued extend lifetime thanks.

(A) According to the writer, aunts play a valuable role in all societies.

(B) There are more similarities than differences between mothers and aunts in some societies.

(C) The author approves of the practice of young children in certain societies calling the mother and aunt by the same name.

(D) Young children in all societies adopt the same practices towards their aunts.

III Reading comprehensions

Passage One

The New World to which Columbus came at the end of the fifteenth century was not, as we are tempted to believe, a wholly savage and untamed place. The people lacked some of the basics of European civilization, it is true. For instance, horses were unknown to them, and they had never discovered the use of the wheel. But there were many accomplishments to offset (抵销、补偿) such handicaps. In the political domain (领域) these original Americans, as early as the tenth century, were building mighty empires; and, in the realm of intellectual achievement, they developed a cosmographic (宇宙志的) science dealing with the constitution of the whole order of nature that was far superior to that of Europe.

It would be a mistake, however, to believe that the New World, as a whole, was an oasis of civilization in the European sense of the term. America had many faces, and to its conquerors it offered a variety of aspects. Christopher Columbus, when he went ashore on the island of San Salvador — one of the Bahamas — was greeted by the Lucas, an agricultural and artistic people who typified the ?noble savage‘ of popular legend. The Spaniar ds, on the other hand, were shortly to meet a completely different sort of native: the ferocious cannibals for the Caribbean. Such diversity is reflected in the history of the pre-Columbian New World, a history so complex that it has taken historians almost five centuries of study in order to disengage (脱离) its main lines.

1. We can infer from the passage that before Columbus arrived in the New World ______.

(A) there were no wagons pulled by horses

(B) animals were not used to carry loads

(D) theories on the nature of the universe were unknown

2. It can be judged from the passage that the natives living in the Bahamas when Columbus arrived were ______.

(A) ferocious, head-hunting cannibals

(B) sophisticated and accomplished politicians

(D) legendary people like savage beasts and killed for sport

3. The author probably feels that the people in America ______.

(A) had a variety of facial characteristics

(B) came from many different racial backgrounds

(D) were at various levels of cultural developments

4. The author suggests that pre-Columbian history ______.

(A) is centered on the past five centuries

(B) has been a challenge to scholars

(D) has been studied in depth only recently

Passage Two

One phase of the business cycle is the expansion phase. This phase is a two-fold one, including recovery and prosperity. During the recovery period there is ever-growing expansion of existing facilities, and new facilities for production are created. More businesses are created and older ones expanded. Improvements of various kinds are made. There is an ever-increasing optimism about the future of economic growth. Much ca pital is invested in machinery or ?heavy‘ industry. More labor is employed. More raw materials are required. As one part of the economy develops, other parts are affected. For example, a great expansion in automobiles results in an expansion of the steel, glass, and rubber industries. Roads are required; thus the cement and machinery industries are stimulated. Demand for labor and materials results in greater prosperity for workers and suppliers of raw materials, including farmers. This increases purchasing power and the volume of goods bought and sold. Thus prosperity is diffused (扩散) among the various segments of the population. This prosperity period may continue to rise and rise without an apparent end. However, a time comes when this phase reaches a peak and stops spiraling upwards. This is the end of the expansion phase.

1. We may assume that in the next paragraph the writer will discuss ______.

(A) cyclical industries (B) the recovery period

2. Prosperity in one industry ______.

(A) reflects itself in many other industries

(B) will help all segments of society except the farmers

(D) will spiral upwards as ever

3. Which of the following industries will probably be a good indicator of a period of expansion?

(A) Toys. (B) Machine tools. (C) Foodstuffs. (D) Farming.

4. It can be inferred that during the period of prosperity, people will regard the future ______.

(A) cautiously (B) confidently (C) feasibly (D) promptly

四、如何得出正确的结论

细心的读者不仅能理解作者直接表达的思想，而且能认真分析所读材料，对已知信息进行加工，从而根据文章的内容得出自己的结论。要得出合乎逻辑的结论，可以从以下几方面入手：

1. 通读整篇文章，抓住中心思想；

2. 确定理解问题中的关键词，再找出这些词在文中的位置；

3. 分析并理解文中带有关键词的句子，从而得出适当的结论；

4. 务求自己所选的答案在文中得到印证，做到有根有据。

要求读者得出正确结论的题目，通常以下列形式出现：

1) We can conclude from the passage that ______.

2) It can be concluded from the passage that ______.

3) Which of the following conclusions can be drawn about ______.

4) Which of the following can we least likely conclude about ______.

5) One may as well conclude from the passage that ______.

6) What does the author conclude about ______?

五、如何使用信号词理解文意

信号词是一些具有指示意义的标志词，它们可以帮助读者悟出生词的意思，理解相关句子的含义，从而增强阅读效果。学会如何使用信号词是提高阅读能力的重要技巧之一。

常见的信号词一般可分为以下五大类：

1. 表示定义的，如namely, that is to say, it is called, it consists of. It refers to, it is known as, it is defined as等。

2. 表示举例的，如for example, for instance, such as, like, especially等。

3. 表示对比的，如but, however, yet, unlike, while, whereas, although, by contrast, on the contrary, on the other hand, rather than, instead (of), compared with, in comparison with等。

4. 表示重述的，如or, namely, that is (to say), in other words, to put it another way等。

5. 表示因果的，如so, thus, therefore, as a result, consequently, accordingly, in this way等。

要求读者利用信号词来理解文字内容的题目，通常以下列形式出现(其中line ×也可以是paragraph ×或sentence × of paragraph ×):

1) Which of the following is nearest in meaning to × in line ×?

2) In line ×, the word × could best b replaced by which of the following?

3) In line ×, × is closest in meaning to _____.

4) In line ×, × could be correctly replaced by ______.

5) The word × in line × is closest in meaning to ______.

6) In line ×, the word × can be defined as ______.

例

Under normal conditions the act of communication requires the presence of at least two persons: one who sends and one who receives the communication. In order to communicate thoughts and feelings, there must be a conventional system of signs or symbols which mean the same to the sender and the receiver.

The means of sending communications are too numerous and varied for systematic classification; therefore, the analysis must begin with the means of receiving communication. The reception of communication is achieved by our senses. Sight, hearing and touch play the most important roles. Smell and taste play very limited roles, for they cannot receive intellectual expression from fully developed systems of signs and symbols.

Examples of visual communication are gesture and mimicry. Although both frequently accompany speech, there are systems that rely solely on sight, such as those used by deaf and dumb persons. Another means for communicating visually is by signals of fire, smoke, flags or flashing lights. Feelings may be simply communicated by touch, such as by handshaking or backslapping, although a highly developed system of hand stroking has enabled blind, deaf, and dumb persons to communicate intelligently. Whistling to someone, applauding in a theater, and other forms of communication by sound rely upon the ear as a receiver. The most fully developed form of auditory communication is, of course, the spoken language.

The means of communication mentioned so far have two features in common: they last only a short time, and the persons involved must be relatively close to each other. Therefore, all are restricted in time and space.

1. As used in the passage, a symbol means a ______.

A) system B) sign C) act D) feature

2. In Para. 3, mimicry probably means ______.

A) sight B) gesture C) imitation D) language

3. The author explains that he will deal with reception of communication first because _____.

A) communication actually takes place when the message is received

B) there are more means of receiving that of sending communications

C) reception of communications involves use of the senses

D) it is difficult to organize by type the means of sending communications

4. Which of the following statements about the ways of communicating ideas and feelings mentioned in the passage is FALSE?

A) They can be used to communicate over long distances.

B) They involve use of conventional signs and symbols.

C) They involve use of conventional signs and symbols.

D) They utilize the senses for reception.

答案解释：

1. ．正确答案为B)。本句的信号词为?or‘，表示重述。从重述内容中，我们可以获得该答案。

2. 正确答案为C)。本句的信号词为?Examples‘，表示举例。?mimicry‘与?gesture‘同为?visual communication‘的例子，含义不言自明。

3. 正确答案为D)。这一答案可以从第二段第一句中得出，句中信号词为?therefore‘，表示因果关系。

4. 正确答案为A)。这一选择项与文章最后一段是矛盾的，因此是错误的。信号词?Therefore‘引导的最后一句也可帮助判断。

六如何确定作者的观点或态度

一篇文章不可避免地反映了作者的观点、态度和情绪。能否正确把握作者的观点和态度也是体现阅读能力的(一个)重要方面。一般来说，对作者的总的态度和倾向，必须在通读全文、掌握了主题思想和主要事实后，方能作出判断。在判断作者观点态度时，我们应注意以下几个问题：

一、有时作者先介绍了某一种观点，却接着在后面提出了相反的观点。因此，要正确判断作者的态度或观点，必须将上下文联系起来看。要注意文章中所陈述的内容并非都代表了作者的观点。

例一：

Directions: Decide whether or not each of the following statements approves of the book written by Professor Baker‘s book.

1) Professor Baker‘s publisher has stated that this new book will soon take the old standard works in this field; in view, however, of both the style and content of Professor Baker‘s book, I find this claim most difficult to accept.

2) When I first opened the package containing a copy of Professor Baker‘s latest book and read its title, I must admit I felt a sudden sinking of the heart; yet once I had gathered courage to begin my reading, I found the work so far beyond my wildest hopes that I actually missed supper rather than put the volume down unfinished.

在1)文中，作者在前面引用了出版者的赞扬之辞，而后接着表明难以接受此说法，说明他对此书持否定态度。

在2)文中，作者先说刚看到此书名时很失望，然后用―yet‖表示转折，以至到最后爱不释手，表明他赞许此书。

二、此外，作者也可以通过使用词汇的手段暗示自己对文中某一具体问题所持的态度和观点。这时，我们要特别仔细琢磨文中所和词汇的特点，弄明白作者的态度是赞成还是反对，是肯定还是否定。

例二：

Directions: Decide which of the following statements was written by a person in favor of small-town life.

1) Possibly there are those who derive pleasure from turning back the clock and seeking out the virtues we fondly imagine to have been associated with life in small towns in bygone days. Yet the most superficial reading of contemporary accounts dealing with such an existence makes it quite clear that full enjoyment of life‘s true pleasures would be much more appreciated.

2) It is true that city-dwellers and suburbanites can enjoy certain facilities that may be denied to the inhabitants of small towns. What they miss, however, far outweighs such advantages, which, in any case, the vast majority rarely has the time or energy to take advantage of.

在1)文中，作者在谈到喜欢小城镇生活的人时用了―Possibly there are…‖(可能有这样的人)来表示不肯定的语气，在谈到小城镇生活的长处时用了―… we imagine to have been associated with…(据我们想像与……相联系)‖来减弱其客观性，暗示未必真是如此。可见该作者不赞同小城镇的生活。

在2)文中，作者在谈到城市生活的方便时用了―certain‖一词以表示其有限性，并用―… may be denied to the inhabitants of small towns(小城镇的居民也许没有)‖来表示不肯定。然而在谈到城市生活所失去的东西时用了―far outweighs such advantages‖ (大大超过了这些好处)来加以强调。可见这篇文章的作者是赞同小城镇生活的。

注意事项：

解这类题时，要注意作者的语气，文体和文章的措辞，特别从作者选用的形容词去推断作者的态度、语气和观点等。此外，还必须注意掌握一些常用的词语，如：positive, negative, neutral(中立的), confident, indifferent, subjective, objective(客观的), persuasive, factual(实事求是的), in a matter of fact, informative(提供信息的), critical, humorous, sarcastic(挖苦的), ironic(讽刺的), sentimental(感伤的；多愁善感的),formal, informal, casual, optimistic, pessimistic and so on.

Exercises

I. In this exercise you are given some statements of the kind that might appear in reviews of a new book. Mark (F) before each statement that suggests that the reviewer approves of the book. Mark (A) before each statement that seems to show that the reviewer does not approve of the book.

1. It is difficult to see how anyone could find Professor Baker‘s latest book anything but completely satisfying.

2. One page after page of Professor Baker‘s book I found statements which my own experience in this field would certainly lead me to question.

3. Although I have the highest personal regard for Professor Baker, I must confess that I find few major points in this book upon which he and I agree.

4. I regret that the high price of Professor Baker‘s latest book will prevent a work of such great merit from being as widely read as it surely deserves to be.

5. In spite of Professor Baker‘s excellent reputation in his field I find it impossible to support the position which he takes in this, his most recent book.

6. Professor Baker states in the introduction to his latest book that it was four years in preparation; one wonders, then, why he did not check his facts with greater care.

7. I had supposed that no one would ever produce a book on this subject with which I would find myself in complete agreement; but Professor Baker has now done the impossible!

8. Since Professor Baker gathered the material for his latest book, a wealth of new evidence has been found which clearly shows how

unsound are the judgments that he makes.

9. After reading and rereading Professor Baker‘s book with the greatest care, I simply cannot understand why some reviewers have found fault with the position which this distinguished teacher has taken.

10. After reading Professor Baker‘s latest book, I can only conclude that he was compelled by circumstances beyond his control to produce the work in such great haste as to be unable to cheek his facts in the customary way.

11. Professor Baker always expresses himself in a delightfully amusing manner; yet even his clever style cannot conceal his lack of real understanding of the difficult subject on which he writes.

12. I should be very much surprised, indeed, if Professor Baker‘s newest book did not soon become the standard work in this field, a position which it so richly deserves.

13. It will be a great pity if Professor Baker‘s new book is read only by the experts in his field, for a writer of such high standards surely deserves a much wider audience.

14. It is hard to see how any intelligent reader could fail to be completely satisfied with Professor Baker‘s reasoning or with the conclusions he reaches in his latest book.

15. One cannot quarrel with the nature of the evidence which Professor Baker offers in his latest book; but at the same time one cannot honestly accept the conclusions which he reaches on the basis of this evidence.

II Read the following passages and choose the best answer to each of the questions.

Passage One

I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill between the nations, and that if only the common people of the world could meet one another at football or cricket (板球), they would have no inclination to meet on the battlefield. Even if one didn‘t know from concrete examples (the 1936 Olympic Games, for instance) that international sporting contests lead to orgies (无节制) of hatred, one could deduce it from general principles.

Nearly all the sports practiced nowadays are competitive. You play to win, and the game has little meaning unless you do your utmost to win. On the village green, where you pick up sides and no feeling of local patriotism is involved, it is possible to play simply for the fun and exercise; but as soon as the question of prestige arises, as soon as you feel that you and some larger unit will be disgraced if you lose, the most savage combative instincts are aroused. Anyone who has played even in a school football match knows this. At the international level sport is frankly mimic (模拟的) warfare. But the significant thing is not the behavior of the players but the attitude of the spectators, and, behind the spectators, of the nations who work themselves into furies (发怒) over these absurd (荒唐的) contests, and seriously believe — that running, jumping and kicking a ball are tests of national virtue.

1. Which of the following best represents the writer‘s view?

(A) He considers it is definitely impossible that sport can create goodwill between nations and avoid wars.

(B) He thinks it is funny to have such opinion that sport can build up a peaceful world.

(D) He treats it seriously.

2. The writer thinks that the sports are _____.

(A) competitive (B) absurd (C) disgraced (D) mimic

Passage Two

Dear Editor,

We are wasting our time and good money by asking scientists to solve the problem of air pollution. They are blaming cars and motorists. Nonsense! It is the smoke from factories that is ruining our air. I sincerely believe that these so-called scientists should try working in a factory from midnight to 8 a. m, and maybe they would discover something that would surprise them. If the scientists could use their knowledge to direct the winds in such a way as to send this factory smoke out to sea forever, then we would be able to solve the problem of air pollution.

Joseph Awad The overall tone of this letter is ______.

(A) instructive and serious

(B) informative and clever

(D) humorous and sincere

Exercises

Passage 1

If those ―mad moments-when you can‘t remember what your friend has told you or where you left your keys—are becoming more frequent, mental exercises and a healthy brain diet may help.

Just as bodies require more maintenance with the passing years, so do brains, which scientists now know show signs of aging as early as the 20s and 30s.―Brain aging starts at a very young age, younger than any of us had imagined and these processes con tinue gradually over the years.‖said Dr. Gary Small, the director of the Center on Aging at the University of California, Los Angeles.―I‘m convinced that it is never too early to get started on a mental or brain-fitness program, ‖he added.

In his book, The Memory Bible, the 51-year-old neuroscientist（神经学家）lists what he refers to as the 10 suggestions for keeping the brain young. They include training memory, building skills, reducing stress, mental exercises, brain food and a healthy lifestyle. It‘s a game plan for keeping brain cells sparking and neu ral networks in perfect shape.

―Misplacing your keys a couple of times doesn‘t mean you should start labeling your cabinets. Memory loss is not an inevitabl e consequence of aging. Our brains can fight back,‖he said.

Small provides the weapons for a full-scale attack.

Simple memory tests give an indication of what you are up against and tools such as ―look‖and ―connect‖are designed to make sure that important things such as names and dates are never forgotten.―So if you wanted to learn names and faces, for e xample, you meet Mrs. Beatty and you notice a distinguishing facial feature, maybe a high eyebrow.‖said Small.―You associate the first th ing that comes to mind. I think of the actor Warren Beatty so I create a mental pictures of Warren Beatty kissing her b row.‖Small admits it may sound a bit strange but he says it works.―Mental exercises could be anything from doing crossword puzzles and writing with your left hand if you are right handed or learning a language. It could be anything that is fun that people enjoy doing‖,he added.

He also recommends physical exercise, a low-fat diet and eating foods rich in fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants(抗氧化剂)including blueberries and onions in addition to reducing stress.

1. T he ―mad moment‖in the first paragraph refers to the time when we____.

A. don‘t listen to our friends

B. have lost our important things

C. have some mental problems

D. have a bad memory

2. In this passage, the author mainly tells us_____.

A. everyone has bad memories sometimes no matter how old he is

B. we can prevent our mind from aging with various methods

C. brain aging starts at the time when we are in the 20s and 30s

D. memory loss is not the sign that we are getting old

3. By giving the example ―you meet Mrs. Beatty and you notice a distinguishing…eyebrow‖,Dr. Small is trying to explain the memory tool of_____

A. look

B. physical exercises

C. connect

D. mental exercises

4. By saying―I think of the actor Warren Beatty so I create…her brow‖, Dr Small is trying to explain the memory tool of________.

A. remembering facial features

B. reducing stress

C. connecting related things

D. observing carefully

5. Mental exercises do NOT include_____.

A. writing with one‘s left hand

B. learning a foreign language

C. doing crossword puzzles

D. taking pictures

Passage 2

Most people are familiar with the quotation from Shakespeare about the world being a stage and all the men are players. Today Shakespeare might change that a little the entire world is a street and all the people are merely joggers. Jogging has spread across the nation like a busy bee buzzing through a wildflower patch. Otherwise normal people are suddenly struck with the notion that his or her life depends on running oneself ragged. And ragged is what they become!

It is not the purpose of this article to discuss the good and bad points of jogging. Far is it for us to invade that arena where many people more qualified than we disagree and even contradict each other. Nor are we disturbed by the fact that joggers cause traffic jams by running in the street and endanger the lives of innocent motorists. No, our concern is with the jogger‘s outfit.

Now, tennis players really know how to dress. Women appear on tennis courts in cute little dresses. Men appear in tailored shorts and matching shoes and socks. But joggers! The jogger often comes forth in showy running shoes that match nothing and often only cause the feet to look larger than they really are. The jogger also dons a pair of shorts over a pair of sweat pants, which gives the appearance of a mannequin modeling underwear in a department store window. And the shirt, the crowning glory of the mismatched set, has only avoided the ragbag by pure chance. So, joggers, please dress attractively. Is that asking too much?

1. The tone of this passage is ______

A) educational B) angry

C) humorous D) directive

2. The underlined statement ―endanger the lives of innocent motorists in paragraph 2 is _______

A) serious B) insulting

C) puzzling D) exaggeration

3. The main thing that upsets the author about joggers is their _____.

A) dressing in unattractive outfits

B) wearing ragged shirts

C) causing traffic jams

D) endangering motorists

4. The author would be happy if joggers at least ______

A) ran quietly B) dressed like tennis players

C) slept later D) ran in parks

5. The underlined word ―outfit‖ in paragraph 2 probably means

A) running shoes B) pants

C) dresses and shirts D) all of the above

Passage 3

It would be difficult to find someone who is in favor of drunk driving. Similarly no one would jump on the bandwagon urging more child abuse. Some activities are considered repulsive and totally unacceptable to almost everyone. Drunk driving, unlike child abuse, however, is a crime that many Americans not only commit more than once in their lives, but also freely discuss among their friends and fellow workers.

If someone reads about a co-employee or neighbor being arrested for drunk driving, usually little is made of it; many even treat the occurrence in a humorous fashion. Hale and hardy fellows comfort the criminal with their own tales of close encounters with the law. So ―better luck next time‖ is the casual warning of the drunk driver‘s comrades. ―Next time is so matter-of-factly that everyone knows that these drunk drivers do not realize that ―next time‖ might end in a crippling accident, an innocent bystander‘s dea th, enormous heartache, anguish, and ultimately remorse. But then it‘s too late. By then the drunk driver will have done the worst, and all the merriment of the night‘s imbibing fades quickly in the presence of grief at the scene of an accident.

Of course, the comrades are shocked, even frightened momentarily. Couldn‘t the perpetrator (犯罪者) of one of Americas‘ controll ed crimes just as easily have been one of them? Maybe someone s next time might be the ―last time‖.

1. The biggest difference between drunk driving and child abuse is _______

A) one is a serious crime, and the other one is not

B) one crime is treated lightly by many, and the other is not

C) one is tightly controlled, and the other is not

D) one destroys the family unit, and the other does not

2. The main idea of the passage is ______

A) drunk driving is a serious crime treated casually by many

B) a drunk driver can be killed at any moment

C) many Americans are drunk drivers

D) drunk driving is one of America‘s least controlled crimes

3. The underlined word ―imbibing‖ refers to the night‘s _______.

A) driving B) speeding

C) recklessness D) drinking

4. Most of Americans attitude towards drunk driving is ______.

A) critical B) matter—of—fact

C) serious D) casual

5. Which of the following is true?

A) Drunk driving is strictly controlled in America.

B) Americans concentrate on the drunk driving issue for a long time.

C) Drunk driving may result in such accidents as death, heartache, anguish, etc.

D) Americans do not think drunk driving is a crime.

Passage 4

It may look like just another playgroup, but a unique educational center in Manhattan is really giving babies something to talk about.―It‘s a school to teach languages to babies and young children with games, songs-some of the classes also have arts and crafts,‖said Francois Thibaut, the founder of the Language Workshop for Children, a place where babie s become bilingual.

Children as young as few months are exposed to French and Spanish before many of them can even speak English. Educators use special songs and visual(视觉的)aids to ensure that when a child is ready to talk, the languages will not be so for eign.―Children have a unique capacity to learn many languages at the same time,‖said Thibaut.―Already at nine months, a child can tell the differences between the sounds he or she has heard since birth and the sounds he or she has never heard yet‖.Thibaut says the best time to expose children to language is from birth to 3 years old. For the last 30 years, the school has been using what it calls the Thibaut Technique, a system that combines language lessons with child‘s play.

I always wanted to learn Spanis h, but by the time I got to high school it was too late to pick it up and speak fluently,‖said Marc Lazare, who enrolled his son at the school. ―I figured at this age, two ,it‘s a perfect time for him to learn.‖

Aside from learning a language, the kids also gain a tremendous sense of confidence. One young student boasted that aside from French, she can speak five languages(though that included―monkey‖ and ―lion‖).The school gives children the tools to communic ate, and sometimes that gives them an advantage over their parents. I think they sometimes speak French when they think I won‘t understand them,‖ said parent Foster Gibbons.

Depending on the age group, classes run from 45 minutes up to 2 hours. Even when students are not in class, the program is designed to make sure the learning continues at home. Tapes and books are included so kids can practice on their own.

1. The word― bilingual‖ in the first paragraph probably means______.

A. capable of using two languages

B. both clever and confident

C. aware of their own limitations and strengths

D. independent of their parents

2. The passage tells us that the best time for a child to learn languages is_____.

A. before seven years old

B. from birth to three years old

C. in his childhood

D. in his teens

3. According to Thibaut, it is possible________.

A. for children to take advantage of their parents by using a foreign language

B. to expose children to a foreign language after they can speak English

C. to combine language lessons with sports games

D. for children to learn several languages at the same time

4. The school teaches languages by________.

A. exposing children to the new environment

B. using modern facilities and equipment

C. combining language lessons with games

D. giving children confidence

5. The best title for this text is ______.

A. a Unique Language School for Children

B. the Foreign Language for Children to Learn

C. special Songs and Visual Aids in Learning

D. the Best Way to Learn a Foreign Language

Passage 5

Hotels were among the earliest facilities that bound the United States together. They were both creatures and creators of communities, as well as symptoms of the quest for community. Even in the first part of the nineteenth century, Americans were already forming the habit of gathering from all corners of -the nation for both public and private, business and pleasure purposes. Conventions were the new occasions, and the hotels were distinctively American facilities making conventions possible. The first national convention of the Republican Party to choose a candidate for President was held in Baltimore, at a hotel that was then reputed to be the best in the country. The presence in Baltimore of Barnum‘s City Hotel, a six-story building with two hundred apartments, helps explain why other early national political conventions were held there.

In the longer run, American hotels made other national conventions not only possible but also pleasant. The growing custom of regularly assembling from afar the representatives of all kinds of groups not only for political conventions, but also for commercial, professional, learned and vocational ones—- in turn supported the multiplying hotels. By mid—twentieth century, conventions accounted for over a third of the yearly room occupancy of all hotels in the nation and about eighteen thousand different conventions were held annually with a total attendance of about ten million persons.

Nineteenth-century American hotelkeepers, who were no longer the genial, deferential (表示顺从的) ―hosts‖ of the eighteenth-century European inns, became leading citizens. Holding a large stake in the community, they exercised power to make it prosper. As owners or managers of the local ―palace of the public‖ they wer e makers and shapers of a principal community attraction. Travelers from abroad were mildly shocked by this high social position.

1. The underlined word ―bound‖ in line 1 is closest in meaning to __________.

A) led B) protected

C) tied D) restricted

2. The underlined word ―ones‖ in paragraph 2 refers to.

A) hotels B) conventions

C) kinds D) representatives

3. The National Republican Party is mentioned as an example of a group ___._

A) from Baltimore B) of learned people

C) owning a hotel D) holding a convention

4. It can be inferred from the passage that early hotelkeepers in the United States were .

A) active politicians B) European immigrants

C) professional builders D) influential citizens

5.Which of the following statements about early American hotels is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A) Travelers from abroad did not enjoy staying in them.

B) Conventions were held in them.

C) People used them for both business and pleasure.

D) They were important to the community.

Passage 6

A father‘s relationship to his child‘s future academic success and the level of his or her development in academic potential and scholastic achievement are both factors with some rather interesting implications that educators are beginning to study and appraise.

A s a matter of fact, ―life with father‖ has been discovered to be a very important factor in determining a child‘s progress or lack of progress in school.

A recent survey of over 16 000 children in London revealed that children whose fathers came to school conferences and accompanied their children on outings did measurably better in school than those children whose fathers didn‘t. The study, wh ich monitored children born during a week in March, 1958, further revealed that the children of actively involved fathers scored as much as seven times higher in reading and math than did those children whose only involved parent was the mother. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the role played by fathers in the raising of a child. Over 66% of the fathers were said to have played a major role in parental responsibility.

The study also suggested that the greatest level of paternal parenting took place in the families of only children. As the number of children and financial obligations increased, the father‘s appa rent interest and involvement with the children decreased. However, no matter what the size or financial condition of the family, a father‘s active participation in the child‘s development made a definite difference in the child‘s progress. The data from t he study was obtained primarily through interviews from parents, teachers and

physicians. The information evaluating the level of the father‘s parenting performance was elicited (获得) primarily from the admittedly subjective observations of their wives.

1. The most unusual discovery implied in the study was that ____.

A) children in large families tended to do poorly in school

B) a father‘s influence played a significant factor in the level of child‘s academic progress

C) mothers were subjective in evaluating the roles played by fathers

D) there was correlation between socioeconomic status and scholastic achievement

2. The data accumulated was obtained through ______.

A) conversations with mothers of the children

B) interviews, school records and reports

C) observation of fathers with their children

D) intensive objective testing

3. All of the children studied _______.

A) attended the same school

B) lived in the same neighborhood

C) were in the same socioeconomic class

D) were of the same age

4. Children who tended to generally progress academically were ______.

A) those whose mothers gave them the most affection

B) children who had been given a balanced diet

C) those whose fathers worked the night shift

D) those who had no brothers and sisters

5. Evidence indicated that a high percentage of fathers were involved in the parenting process, which amounted to _______.

A) about two-thirds of the fathers involved in the study

B) a little less than one hundred percent of all fathers

C) more than three-quarters of all the fathers

D) slightly more than one-third of the fathers

Passage 7

In ancient Greek, the term euthanatos meant ―easy death‖. Today euthanasia （安乐死）generally refers to mercy killing, the voluntary（自愿）ending of the life of someone who is terminally ill. Like abortion, euthanasia has become a legal, medical, and moral issue over which opinion is divided.

Euthanasia can be either active or passive. Active euthanasia means that a physician or other medical personnel takes an action