经过总结剑桥雅思系列丛书,发现有不少的选择题存在着比较的考点,有的比较一目了然,而有的比较则比较隐约,在审题时若能及时发现题目中的比较考点,并做好准备,那么解题就没有那么困难了。
在这里,我们把雅思里的比较分为三类:直接比较,即题目中包含有比较级和最高级的表达方式的题目;间接比较,即题目中并没有直接的比较级和最高级,但是有诸如major,majority,main,mainly等可能会用比较来进行阐述的词汇的题目;隐含比较,即题干中未包含比较关系词,但是选项内包含比较的题目。那么,下面我就一一进行总结!
第一类:直接比较
例1 剑7 Test 2 Q 34
A German study showed there was greater ‘mixed handedness’ in musicians who
A started playing instruments in early youth
B play a string instrument such as the violin
C practice a great deal on their instrument
思路透析:题干中包括greater这个明显的比较级,而考生们需要注意的是,在实际的听力中,比较级的用词可以发生同义转换,但是这种比较关系的表达一定在听力文本中是存在的,所以要特别关注在听力内容中比较的表达方式,答案就在其中。这与填空题是一致的,在填空题中如若发现比较表达方式,那我们可以把它当特殊关键词来对待,耐心等待听力素材中的比较表达后即可得到答案。
实际做题:在实际做题中,当听到Germany study 时确定做题位置。
原文:keyboard players had high levels of mixed handedness, whereas string players like violinists strongly favored one hand. Also those who started younger were more mixed handed.
解题:从原文中我们不难看出,小提琴演奏者的用手习惯比较倾向于某一侧。所以排除B。紧接着出现的整句话里出现了两处比较级,more mixed handed 与greater mixed handedness 形成同义转换,younger 与选项A中的early youth 对应,所以正确答案为A。
例2 剑7 Test 1 Q 12
The company has most camping sites in
A France
B Italy
C Switzerland
思路透析:题干中包含有most sites 这个最高级的表达方式,故做好准备去听比较关系同义转换即可得到答案。
实际做题:当听到300 sites 以及Italy 等信息后可以定位做题位置
原文:In Italy we now have some 64 sites that we either own, or have exclusive use of . France is where we have the majority of sites, and we currently have a project to expand into Switzerland.
解题:不难发现majority 和most 之间存在同义转换,故答案为A。
例3 剑2 Test 3 Q 31
The driest continent is
A Australia
B Africa
C Antarctica
思路透析:题干中有driest 这个最高级,要高度注意比较关系的同义转换。
实际做题:听到Australia 后确定做题位置。
原文: As I have said, Australia is a dry continent, second only to Antarctica in its lack of rainfall.
解题:不难发现答案是C,但值得我们注意的是,second only to 是一种特殊的比较表达方式。
第二类:间接比较
例4 剑3 Test 1 Q 32
According to the speaker, the main cause of back pain in women is
A pregnancy
B osteoporosis
C lack of exercise
思路透析:在审题中发现有main cause 这样的间接比较提示词,那此题很显然要列出几个造成女性背疼的原因,但是要进行对比得出谁是主要原因。
实际做题:听到women 就确定了做题位置。
原文:The majority of our patients at the clinic tend to be women. They are especially vulnerable because of pregnancy but also because of osteoprosis, which I personally believe to be the major cause of problems for women.
解题:在原文中我们不难发现pregnancy 和 osteoprosis 是并列出现的,但是后者紧跟着就是一个非限定性的定语从句,指出后者是major cause,也就是main cause的同义转换,故答案为B。
例5 剑2 Test 4 Q 32
The main research method was
A interviews
B questionnaires
C observation
思路透析:审题时发现有main 这样一个比较关系提示词,做好听到比较关系的准备。
实际做题:可以用research来进行定位。
原文:For our research we depend mainly on talking to individuals, asking them questions rather than using written questionnaires.
解题:此题中depend mainly on 与题目中的main形成呼应,从与个人谈话,问他们问题中不难看出是在进行interview,故答案为A。但值得注意的是rather than 这种表示对比的结构,它表达的意思是“而不是”的意思,通常是拿来排除某个选项的。
第三类:隐含比较
例6 剑3 Test 3 Q 37
Ostrich meat
A has more protein than beef
B Tastes nearly as good as beef
C is very filling
思路透析:虽然题干较短,而且没有比较指示词,但是AB两个选项都存在着比较,故此题依然以听比较关系为重点。
实际做题:原文:Ostrich meat is slightly higher in protein than beef, and much lower in fats and cholesterol. It tastes good too. A series of European taste tests found that 82% of people prefer ostrich to beef.
解题:其实答案A 很明显,几乎是原词重现。B错误的原因是大多数人们觉得鸵鸟肉比牛肉好吃,并不是一样好吃。要注意在比较时经常加入slightly 这样的副词来修饰比较级。
例7 剑4 Test 4 Q 14
On Travelite holidays, people holidaying alone pay
A the same as other clients
B only a little more than other clients
C extra only if they stay in a large room
思路透析:题目要求是说独自度假的人要付多少钱,从选项AB不难看出,此题要拿独自旅行的人和其他人做比较了。
实际做题:原文:We also pride ourselves on our friendly service, particularly important for the increasing numbers of people who choose to holiday alone. Unlike almost all travel operators who happily charge large supplements for single room, we guarantee that no single client will pay more, even when only double rooms are available for them.
解题:unlike一句表示与其他旅行机构进行对比,我们保证不多收钱,注意这里pay more 前面有否定词no,这样会加大反应和解题的难度,多数学员听到pay more就去选择B了,这样很可惜。Even一句更是强调了无论什么情况都不加钱,排除C。正确答案为A 。
例8 剑6 Test 4 Q 34
Very few African lions have
A a long mane
B a coat with varied colours
C a fold of skin on their stomach
思路透析:虽然题干与选项中都没有明显的比较关系,但是纵观上下题目即可发现,本文重点讲的就是Asiatic lions 和 African lions 的对比。
实际做题:原文:The colour is more or less the same, but the appearance of the mane is different-that’s the hair around the lion’s face and neck. The Asiatic lion’s mane is noticeably shorter than the African lion’s. Asiatic lions also have a long fold of skin on their undersides, whereas not many African lions have that.
解题:颜色more or less the same,故排除B。African lion 的mane比Asiatic的长,排除A。通过最后一句转折中的not many 与few 形成同意转换得到答案C。此题难点在于比较的主体两种狮子的前后顺序变化要注意,并且题干中本身带有few这样的否定词汇,又增加了难度。
总结:其实我们不难发现,在这三类中,第一类直接比较的题目还是最容易解答的,只要听准同样的比较表达方式,答案很容易得到;第二类间接比较的题目也不是太难,关键在于掌握major, majority, main, mainly等提示词并注意它们之间互相同意转换即可;第三类隐含比较还是比较难的,因为题干里虽然无比较,但是选项里有比较的特点,而且实际听力中又容易出现否定词搭配比较表达出现的形式,使学生的反映时间和速度受到极大的影响,大大降低了解题正确率。朗阁海外考试研究中心请广大“烤鸭”们一定要耐心总结,戳穿选择题中的比较考查特点,做到明明白白,有的放矢!