托福阅读考试先读题还是先读文章
在托福阅读中，许多同学纠结于先读文章还是先读题?下面就将为大家分析托福阅读特点，仔细讲解托福阅读方法。
托福阅读考试先读题还是先读文章?
托福阅读考试中许多考生认为阅读文章时必须要读懂每字每句，事实上(in fact)，这是不必要的。托福阅读考试中，即使遇到陌生的词，但是根据上下文的意思以及自己的一些常识判断(judge)，也不太会影响对文章的理解。特别是托福阅读这种题目涉及面广，信息量大的形式，掌握阅读和答题的技巧(skill)，对在托福阅读考试中是会有很大帮助的。
在托福阅读中，甚至可以扩展到ETS所有考试的阅读题目中，如果要用一个词来概括的话，那就是paraphrase，意译。无论是题干还是正确选项，大都能在原文中找出一句话来与之相对应。即题目是原文的意译。这种意译是通过同义词来完成的(complete)。
即题干中多用近义词来对原文中的句子进行替换，来达到提出问题或者提出正确答案的意思。准确把握意译，是多数题目中准确在原文中定位(locate)信息、或者在迷惑选项中选出正确的那个，都有着重要的作用(effect)。在后面的文章里我会结合实例解释这一点。
关于先看题目还是先看文章的问题。也就是做题时间安排的问题。在此问题上我与有的朋友也有过争执。我个人习惯是先用5—7分钟的时间通读全文，然后平均每个问题有1分钟的时间来回答。由于对问题的回答建立在了熟悉全文的基础上，每个问题又有足够的时间返回全文，每个选项都一一进行斟酌。
我认为这样准确率比较高。但有的朋友本着居家过日子的心，认为1000多字的文章只出十几个题，必然有一些信息是没用的。这样通读全文就会浪费掉一些时间，不如先看题再回去找来的痛快。对此我不好妄加评论。每个人都应该通过考前大量的练习来制定出最为适合自己的方法。
关于复习的时间安排(arrangement)。我认为，弄完词汇以后，就应该着手突击一下阅读了。如今各种各样的模拟题犹如英语辅导班一样大量涌现。不会出现我们早期考生有题舍不得做的情况了。但也不能太急功近利，单词没弄好就硬上阅读，有时候会适得其反。用1周的时间大量的突击，也是对单词的一个巩固。找到感觉以后就可以开始下面的复习(review)了。
复习听力口语作文的日子里，每天一定要最少做3篇文章的题量，按照考试的时间要求(requirement)，千万不可放松。做得多了，就可以把阅读当作一种放松了。ETS的阅读文章能教给我们各种学科的基础知识。(这与GRE有区别。托福的专业性文章还都处于一个启蒙的专业水平上，不像G那么变)阅读还可以教给我们一些老美的思路，老美看待问题的方式。阅读不会像你想象的那样痛苦的(painful)。
无论是OG还是Delta，都把阅读的题目分成十类，即：Understanding Facts and Details， Identifying Negative Facts， Locating Referents， Understanding Vocabulary in Context， Making Inferences，Determining Purposes， Recognizing Paraphrases (Simplifying sentences)， Recognizing Coherence (Sentence inserting)， Summarizing Important Ideas and Organizing information.
托福阅读主观题的失分原因分析
第一、马虎粗心导致丢三落四或添油加醋
例1：“据说，PMI可以在较短的时间内吸收较大剂量的甲基叔丁乙醚。”句中加横线的词语能否删去?为什么?
此题有两问，第一问应先回答“不能删去”，第二问再回答不能删去的原因，原因分三步来回答：一是先解释“据说”在句中的含义，即“‘据说’是引用别人的话，不一定是真实的”;第二点再说明删去该词后对原句的理解有何影响，即“去掉后，此观点就成了客观事实，与原意不相符”;第三步还要说明用该词后语言运用上有何特点，即“用该词，体现了说明文语言的科学准确性。”
粗心的考生在答题时，有的根本就没回答第一问，直接从第二问作答;有的在回答第二问时，要点不全面，丢三落四，因而失分。
像此类失误还很多，如“文中有这样的话‘生活就这样，当你在为别人行善时也为自己储蓄幸福’。请你结合自己的生活体验谈谈你的感悟。”学生在作答时只谈感悟，不结合自己的生活体验。
第二、审题不清，答非所问
例2：结合你所学过的陶渊明的其他作品，说说你对五柳先生“不慕荣利”的看法。
考生在答该题上的失误主要有两方面，一是没有结合学过的陶渊明的其他作品或是结合了作品，但作品中并没有体现“不慕荣利”的看法(如《桃花源记》);二是回答的并非考生本人对五柳先生“不慕荣利”的看法，而是五柳先生自己“不慕荣利”的思想和表现。
例3：假如董生处在当今社会，你对董生又有何建议?(《送董邵南游河北序》)
有的考生这样回答：我建议董生为朝廷效力，用自己的知识才干造福于黎民百姓。这个考生在审题时，就没有看清假设的前提——“处在当今社会”。
第三、不善概括，抓不住重点
例4：本文(《五柳先生传》)表现了五柳先生怎样的性格特点?
有些考生只是引用了原文中的一些句子作答，没有归纳提炼，回答抓不住重点，语言啰嗦不简明，且条理也不清晰。经过提炼后正确的答案是：不慕荣利，率真自然，安贫乐道。
第四、文体不清，用语不当
中考阅读中一般都要涉及到三大文章体裁，有些同学混淆了不同文体的特点。
例5：第3段主要运用了的说明方法，作用是
(说明文《北京的园林》)
有的考生在第一个空格内填上“举例论证”(正确的答案是“举例子”)，第二条横线上填的是“生动形象地揭示了文章的中心”(正确的答案是“用具体的事例来说明北京的园林建筑在细微之处见匠心的特点”)。显然，这个考生把三种文体的特点杂糅在一起，张冠李戴了。
即使是同一类型的题，在不同文体中回答的方法也是不一样的。同样是用词的恰当，但体现的是记叙文语言的生动形象性，说明文语言的科学准确性，议论文语言的逻辑严密性。
第五、找不准答题的立足点
例6：文中第2段李先生“静静地看着我们，眼里流露出一股浓浓的歉意。”请你根据上下文揣摩李先生此时的心理活动。
仔细推敲题目的要求可看出，题意是要求答题者以自己的身份去推测李先生的心理活动，所以作答的时候只能用第三人称“他”或“李先生”，不能用第一人称“我”、“我们”。如果要用第一人称的话也只能用“我认为李先生他心里想……”的形式。此类题的失误关键是没有找准答题的切入点，没有选好角度。
第六、不注意具体题型的行文模式
主观性问答题中，行文语言要通顺、简明、准确、得体。有些问答题应顺应问句顺水推舟而答。如：“假如董生处在当今社会，你对董生又有何建议?”应用“我建议董生……”的模式作答;“你认为怎样做才能让我们周围开满人性的美丽之花?”应用“我认为……”的形式入题作答。
第七、信马由缰，随心所欲
并非所有的主观性试题都可以由考生随心所欲地发挥。做阅读题时，应注意千万不能脱离阅读语段，不能与文段中作者提出的观点、揭示的中心、提倡的看法、做法相悖。
例7：读完文章，无论是“我”还是那对夫妇，都让我们感受到了人性的美丽。可在现实生活中还是有人慨叹世风日下。你认为怎样做才能让我们周围开满人性的美丽之花?
记叙文语段《轻点关门》讲述了一对夫妇为了老人的身体健康，请求邻居们出入时轻点关防盗门，最后向邻居行重礼致谢的故事，揭示了邻里之间互相体谅、真诚相处的人性美。有的考生在回答上述问题时提出“加强思想教育，加强公民道德规范教育”，显然，这不是原文作者所提倡的，也不是出题者的意图所在。原文作者提倡的是：要以“礼”服人，以德感人，从自身做起，与人友善，待人真诚，共育人性的美丽之花。
托福阅读真题1
PASSAGE 36
The year 1850 may be considered the beginning of a new epoch in America art, with respect to the development of watercolor painting. In December of that year, a group of thirty artists gathered in the studio of John Falconer in New York City and drafted both a constitution and bylaws, establishing The Society for the Promotion of Painting in Water Color. In addition to securing an exhibition space in the Library Society building in lower Manhattan, the society founded a small school for the instruction of watercolor painting. Periodic exhibitions of the members' paintings also included works by noted English artists of the day, borrowed from embryonic private collections in the city. The society's activities also included organized sketching excursions along the Hudson River. Its major public exposure came in 1853, when the society presented works by its members in the Industry of All Nations section of the Crystal Palace Exposition in New York.
The society did not prosper, however, and by the time of its annual meeting in 1854 membership had fallen to Twenty-one. The group gave up its quarters in the Library Society building and returned to Falconer's studio, where it broke up amid dissension. No further attempt to formally organize the growing numbers of watercolor painters in New York City was made for more than a decade. During that decade, though, Henry Warren's Painting in Water Color was published in New York City in 1856 — the book was a considerable improvement over the only other manual of instruction existing at the time, Elements of Graphic Art, by Archibald Roberson, published in 1802 and by the 1850's long out of print.
In 1866 the National Academy of Design was host to an exhibition of watercolor painting in its elaborate neo-Venetian Gothic building on Twenty-Third Street in New York City. The exhibit was sponsored by an independent group called The Artists Fund Society. Within a few months of this event, forty-two prominent artists living in and near New York City founded The American Society of Painters in Water Colors.
1. This passage is mainly about
(A) the most influential watercolor painters in the mid-1800's
(B) efforts to organize watercolor painters in New York City during the mid-1800's
(C) a famous exhibition of watercolor paintings in New York City in the mid-1800's
(D) styles of watercolor painting in New York City during the mid-1800's
2. The year 1850 was significant in the history of watercolor painting mainly because
(A) a group of artists established a watercolor painting society
(B) watercolor painting was first introduced to New York City
(C) John Falconer established his studio for watercolor painters
(D) The first book on watercolor painting was published
3. The word securing in line 5 is closest in meaning to
(A) locking
(B) creating
(C) constructing
(D) acquiring
4. All of the following can be inferred about the Society for the promotion of Painting in
Watercolor EXCEPT:
(A) The society exhibited paintings in lower Manhattan.
(B) Instruction in watercolor painting was offered by members of the society
(C) The society exhibited only the paintings of its members.
(D) Scenes of the Hudson River appeared often in the work of society members.
5. The exhibition at the Crystal Palace of the works of the Society for the Promotion of Painting in
Watercolor was significant for which of the following reasons?
(A) It resulted in a dramatic increase in the popularity of painting with watercolor.
(B) It was the first time an exhibition was funded by a private source.
(C) It was the first important exhibition of the society's work.
(D) It resulted in a large increase in the membership of the society.
6. The word it in line 15 refers to
(A) time
(B) group
(C) building
(D) studio
7. Which of the following is true of watercolor painters in New York City in the late 1850's?
(A) They increased in number despite a lack of formal organization.
(B) They were unable to exhibit their paintings because of the lack of exhibition space.
(C) The Artists Fund Society helped them to form The American Society of Painters in Water
Colors.
(D) They formed a new society because they were not allowed to join groups run by other kinds
of artists.
8. Henry Warren's Painting in Water Color was important to artists because it
(A) received an important reward
(B) was the only textbook published that taught painting
(C) was much better than an earlier published fundamental of instruction
(D) attracted the interest of art collectors
9. The word considerable in line 19 is closest in meaning to
(A) sensitive
(B) great
(C) thoughtful
(D) planned
10. The year 1866 was significant for watercolor painting for which of the following reasons?
(A) Elements of Graphic Art was republished.
(B) Private collections of watercolors were first publicly exhibited.
(C) The neo-Venetian Gothic building on Twenty-Third Street in New York City was built.
(D) The National Academy of Design held an exhibition of watercolor paintings.
11. The word prominent in line 25 is closest in meaning to
(A) wealthy
(B) local
(C) famous
(D) organized
PASSAGE 36 BADCC BACBD C
托福阅读真题2
The observation of the skies has played a special part in the lives and cultures of peoples since the earliest of times. Evidence obtained from a site known as the Hole in the Rock, in Papago Park in Phoenix, Arizona, indicates that it might have been used as an observatory by a prehistoric people known as the Hohokam.
The physical attributes of the site allow its use as a natural calendar/clock. The hole at Hole in the Rock is formed by two large overhanging rocks coming together at a point, creating a shelter with an opening large enough for several persons to pass through. The northeast-facing overhang has a smaller opening in its roof. It is this smaller hole that produces the attributes that may have been used as a calendar/clock.
Because of its location in the shelter's roof, a beam of sunlight can pass through this second hole and cast a spot onto the shelter's wall and floor. This spot of light travels from west to east as the sun moves across the sky. It also moves from north to south and back again as the Earth travels around the Sun, the west-to-east movement could have been used to establish a daily clock, much like a sundial, while the north-to-south movement could have been used to establish a seasonal calendar.
The spot first appears and starts down the surface of the wall of the shelter at different times of the morning depending on the time of the year. The spot grows in size from its first appearance until its maximum size is achieved roughly at midday. It then continues its downward movement until it reaches a point where it jumps to the floor of the shelter. As the Sun continues to move to the west, the spot continues to move across the shelter floor and down the butte, or hill, toward a group of small boulders. If a person is seated on a certain one of these rocks as the spot reaches it, the Sun can be viewed through the calendar hole. This occurs at different times in the afternoon depending on the time of year.
1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
(A) observations of the stars by ancient people
(B) rock formations of Arizona
(C) a site used by ancient people to measure time
(D) the movement of the earth around the Sun
2. The word obtained in line 2 is closest in meaning to
(A) acquired
(B) transported
(C) covered
(D) removed
3. The word attributes in line 5 is closest in meaning to
(A) changes
(B) characteristics
(C) locations
(D) dimensions
4. The word its in line 10 refers to
(A) roof
(B) beam
(C) hole
(D) spot
5. The word establish in line 15 is closest in meaning to
(A) create
(B) locate
(C) consult
(D) choose
6. Which of the following is NOT true of the spot of light?
(A) It is caused by sunlight passing through a hole.
(B) It travels across the roof of the shelter.
(C) Its movement is affected by the position of the Sun.
(D) It movement could have been used to estimate the time of day.
7. From which of the following can be the time of year be determined?
(A) The movement of the spot of light from west to east
(B) The speed with which the spot of light moves
(C) The movement of the spot of light from north to south
(D) The size of the sport of light at midday
8. The word roughly in line 18 is closest in meaning to
(A) finally
(B) harshly
(C) uneasily
(D) approximately
9. The passage mentions that the Hole in the Rock was used as all of the following EXCEPT
(A) a calendar
(B) a home
(C) a clock
(D) an observatory
10. Which of the following can be inferred from the fourth paragraph?
(A) The boulders are located below the rock shelter.
(B) The person seated on the rock cannot see the shelter.
(C) After it passes the boulders, the spot of light disappears.
(D) The spot of light is largest when it first appears.
PASSAGE 35 CABCA BCDBA
