ART 1Context Clues
Efficient reading requires the use of various problem-solving skills.For example,it is impossible for you to know the exact meaning of every word you read,but by developing your guessing ability,you will be able to understandenough to arrive at the total meaning of a sentence,a paragraph,or an essay.These exercises are designed to help you improve your ability to guess themeaning of unfamiliar words by using context clues.(Context clues refer to thesentence and the Paragraph in which a word occurs.)In using the context todecide on the meaning of a word,you have to use your knowledge of grammar andyour understanding of the author'S ideas.Although there is no formula which voucan memorize to improve your ability to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words,you should keep the following points in mind:
1.Use the meanings of other words in the sentence or paragraph and themeaning of the sentence as a whole to reduce the number of possible meanings.
2.Use grammar and punctuation clues which point to the relationships amongthe various parts of the sentence.
3.Use your general or common knowledge of the world.
4.Be satisfied with a general idea about the unfamiliar word;the exactdefinition or synonym is not always necessary.
5.Learn to recognize situations in which it is not necessary to know themeanings of the word. Each of the sentences in this sample contains a blank in order to encourageyou to look only at the context provided as you try to determine the possiblemeanings of the missing word.Read each sentence and supply a word for eachblank.You must use context clues to help you provide a word which is suitable interms of grammar and meaning.
1.I removed the--from the shelf and began to read.
2.Bob is a thief;he would--the gold from his grandmother'S teeth andnot feel guilty.
3.Our uncle was a,an incurable wanderer who could never stay in oneplace.
4.Unlike his brother,who is trul
…… 阅读对于学习语言的重要性是不言而喻的。古人有言,“读书破万卷,下笔如有神”,指的就是阅读对掌握语言、提高写作能力所起的作用。另一说“读万卷书,行万里路”,也包含着类似的意思。至于“青灯黄卷”、“寒窗苦读”,则除了倡导发愤学习,还说明了对大量阅读的重视。
语言学习是相通的。大量阅读对掌握外语也同样重要。阅读有助于培养语感。对一种语言的感受,是建立在对该语言的频繁接触上的。对在母语环境里的外语学习者来说,可以说没有大量阅读就不可能产生对所学外语的语感,而没有语感,则只能得语言之皮毛。大量阅读也有助于增加语汇和表达方式,无论是本国语还是外语,我们所掌握的用以书面传递思想的词汇和句法,大多是通过阅读得来的,书读得越多,掌握的表达方式也越多,表达能力也越强。阅读对写作所起的作用更为直接。通常,写不好的根本原因,除了思想贫乏、逻辑混乱等内在智力因素外,主要还应归结于读得太少,没有从阅读别人的文章中学得自己写作所需的语汇和表达方式。阅读还能丰富我们的文化知识,培根就认定“读书使人充实”,而掌握有关**的文化背景知识,对外语学习者来说尤为重要。一篇域外的文章,一部外国的小说,都会向我们展示一个新的世界,都有助于我们对其语言的了解和领悟。阅读对学习外语的重要性是怎么强调也不会过分的。
如果把英语学习中的阅读分为精读和泛读两类的话,那么现时人们的注意力往往过多地置于精读,而忽略了泛读。精读不能说不重要,古人也有“熟读唐诗三百首,不会吟诗也会吟”之类强调精读之说。问题在于我们大多着眼于试验田式的小块文章上的精耕细作’’(不厌其烦地释义,反反复复地解释语法,不无炫耀地解析词汇等等),而把“大量阅读”放在极其次要的地位。虽然设有泛读课,但大多泛读不“泛”,阅读量极其有限,说到底不过是精读的变种。尽管对一小篇课文的研读可以把文中的词汇与句式搞得滚瓜烂熟,对英语学习也有所帮助。