英文“小說類閱讀理解”求解策略

盧　剛

2008年江蘇高考卷閱讀理解題亮點在D篇。它的體裁為小說。這是江蘇省高考卷首次考查該體裁。它以獨特、新穎的特點引起了師生的好奇和廣泛關注，對中學生課外閱讀提出了新的要求。如何指導學生，我們可一同探討，一起體會。且看看該篇閱讀理解題的一些特點：語篇較長，閱讀量較大。從形式上看段落明顯，共分23節(jié)。采用了大量的直接引語(direct speech)。文章通過大量生動語言和細節(jié)的描述(description)，勾勒人物性格(character)，反映人物內涵(quality)?？梢哉f“小說”折射出“大道理”。小說中共出現(xiàn)三個人物：Jack，Jacks mother, and Mr.Belser。其中對兒子Jack忙碌的人生、母親的實實在在、老人Mr.Belser對作者的影響(influence)以及那份深情的愛刻畫得入木三分，體現(xiàn)得活靈活現(xiàn)，表現(xiàn)得栩栩如生。筆者認為：欲提高解題能力，就要提高鑒賞能力，并積極主動地從以下方面去著手（請參看原文，在下方）。

一、 培養(yǎng)良好的閱讀習慣，掌握基礎知識、基本技能和基本方法。

對此類文本認識的過程其實是一個巧妙加工的過程。經過適當?shù)奶幚?，注意意群和停頓，迅速進入語境之中。調整好語速（reading speed）和節(jié)奏（rhythm），做到又好又快。閱讀中實現(xiàn)人和閱讀語篇的有機融合、巧妙對話，準確把握作者的意圖，產生共鳴！閱讀中注意角色扮演和角色的轉換。因文中僅有三人，因而扮演角色并不繁雜。合理篩選、提煉信息為解題服務，做到有的放矢。邊閱讀、邊思考、邊記錄、邊記憶，吃透文章細節(jié)。留意過渡性語言，從而了解文章的層次。熟悉不同題材的特點。重點閱讀、略讀、跳讀相結合。

二、 瞬時順勢掃讀掌握文章的主題（topic）、結構（structure）和線索（clue）。

第十四段中All hed ever tell me was ‘the thing I value most,” Jack said.正是文章的“文眼”，也是對主題最好的揭示。

倒數(shù)第二段“Oh, My God! This is the thing he valued most…”又是對主題最好的詮釋。

為什么要重現(xiàn)value most？重復就表示重要！閱讀中我們就要有把握重點的能力！

三、 展開必要的思考，推測生詞含義，根據(jù)已知信息揣摩深層信息。

要做好閱讀理解，考生無論如何要讀懂讀通文章的開頭部分。欲攻城則先攻其城門。好的開頭的的確確意味著成功的一半。這樣容易產生心理優(yōu)勢，對下文走勢有一個恰當?shù)念A測。及時做到心知肚明。

該小說一開頭便提供了一個“缺憾”的背景，令人感到有些美中不足。It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man.College, career, and life itself got in the way.

第二句的句意有點難，不妨由第一句導出。兩句之間存在著因果關系。杰克好久沒看到這位老人了。上大學、工作還有生活本身使他抽不開身。got in the way常見意思為：擋道，礙手礙腳。理解時兼顧到漢語常見表達習慣，在靈活度上下一點功夫。

由構詞法推測未知詞義，文中就有好幾處事例。我們都可由熟詞推出其義。如：

1.In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams.

pursue—pursuit（追求）

2.Hes the one who taught me carpentry.

carpenter—carpentry木匠手藝

依據(jù)語境和構詞法雙重方法來猜測生詞是一種常用手段。

Mr.Belsers funeral was small and uneventful.He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

uneventful一詞前綴表示否定。eventful意為full of event。另外前句生詞uneventful完全可根據(jù)后句推測，詞義為“過程平淡的；平靜的；平凡的”。

再者，生詞在文中的重復，實際上就給讀者巧妙地創(chuàng)立了一個理解的平臺，讀者沒有理由測不出它的意思。funeral一詞在文章中共出現(xiàn)三次。——人去世之后要進行什么樣的活動？——葬禮。

1.Mr.Belser died last night.The funeral is Wednesday.

2.He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important… Mom, Ill be there for the funeral.

3.Mr.Belsers funeral was small and uneventful.He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

四、 以正常的、愉悅的心態(tài)閱讀文本，實現(xiàn)飛躍。

閱讀不是單純?yōu)榱俗鲱}。實際上閱讀是為了獲取我們要的信息，提高我們的水平，使自己越

發(fā)聰明。因此我們應努力提高閱讀層次，提升閱讀質量。逐步實現(xiàn)從閱讀到感受再到欣賞的轉變。要千方百計地從恐懼(fear)、壓抑(depression)和壓力(pressure)等不良心理和陰影中擺脫出來。不斷訓練，就會悄然從“無為”狀態(tài)過渡到“有所作為”狀態(tài)，進而進入到“大有作為”的境界。

我們不難發(fā)現(xiàn)文中有些語言相當美。如：Every step held memories.Every picture, every piece of furniture… Jack stopped suddenly.三個Every準確反映出Jack的內心世界——是對逝者深切的懷念！

五、 對難句、復雜句、長句進行快捷而高效地分析處理。

我們要努力夯實語言基礎，練好語言基本功，同時要作到具體情況具體分析。

1.His heart racing, and tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box.

句首His heart racing, and tears filling his eyes為獨立主格結構，作狀語。

2.Running his fingers slowly over the fine cover, he opened it.

留意熟詞新義。fine在此意為“精致的”。動詞為“罰款”。

3.Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his assistant and cleared his appointments for the next two days.

句中三個并列謂語用得出神入化。其中clear本意為“清除”，這里意為“取消”。

六、 注意上下文聯(lián)系和前后照應。

下面兩句就是典型的例子：

In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams.事實上杰克為了追求自己的夢想遷到該國遙遠的他鄉(xiāng)。

Busy as he was, he kept his word.Jack caught the next flight to his hometown.盡管他忙碌，然而他說話算數(shù)。杰克趕上下一班飛機回到自己的故鄉(xiāng)。

2008江蘇考卷D篇閱讀理解解題思路如下：

It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man.College, career, and life itself got in the way.In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams.There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son.He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him,“Mr.Belser died last night.The funeral is Wednesday.” Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

“Jack, did you hear me?”

“Oh, sorry, Mom.Yes, I heard you.Its been so long since I thought of him.Im sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago,”Jack said.

“Well, he didnt forget you.Every time I saw him hed ask how you were doing.Hed reminisce (回憶) about the many days you spent over ‘his side of the fence as he put it,” Mom told him.

“I told that old house he lived in,” Jack said.

“You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr.Belser stepped in to make sure you had a mans influence in your life,”she said.

“Hes the one who taught me carpentry.I wouldnt be in this business if it werent for him.He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important… Mom, Ill be there for the funeral,” Jack said.

Busy as he was, he kept his word.Jack caught the next flight to his hometown.Mr.Belsers funeral was small and uneventful.He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time, which was exactly as he remembered.Every step held memories.Every picture, every piece of furniture… Jack stopped suddenly.

“Whats wrong, Jack?” his Mom asked.

“The box is gone,” he said.

“What box?” Mom asked.

“There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk.I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside.All hed ever tell me was ‘the thing I value most,” Jack said. It was gone.Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box, He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

“Now, Ill never know what was so valuable to him,” Jack said sadly.

Returning to his office the next day, he found a package on his desk.The return address caught his attention.

“Mr.Harold Belser” it read.

Jack tore open the package.There inside was the gold box and an envelope.Jacks hands shook as he read the note inside.

“Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett.Its the thing I valued most in my life.” A small key was taped to the letter.His heart racing, and tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box.There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.Running his fingers slowly over the fine cover, he opened it.

Inside he found these words carved:“Jack, Thanks for your time! Harold Belser.”

“Oh, My God! This is the thing he valued most…”

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his assistant and cleared his appointments for the next two days.“Why?” his assistant asked.“I need to spend some time with my son.”

66.Why did Jack think Mr.Belser died years ago?

A.College and career prevented him from remembering Mr.Bleser.

B.Jack was too busy with his business and family to think about Mr.Belser.

C.Jack was too busy realizing his dreams to think about Mr.Belser.

D.His present busy life washed away his childhood memories.

分析判斷題。

做題時要經受干擾項的考驗，認識上不能有偏頗，不能想當然，更不能把自己的想法強加于作者之上。

67.Jacks mother told him on the phone about Mr.Belser EXCEPT that.

A.Mr.Belser often asked how Jack was doing

B.Mr.Belsers funeral would take place on Wednesday

C.Mr.Belser had asked for Jacks mailing address

D.Mr.Belser had pleasant memories of their time together

排斥兼正誤判別題。

考生要緊緊抓住題干中on the phone這一要點。思維不能處于游離狀態(tài)?！癟he return address caught his attention.”與“on the phone”無任何關系。

68.Why did Belser send Jack his gold watch?

A.Because he was grateful for Jacks time with him.

B.Because he had no children or relatives.

C.Because he thought he had to keep his word.

D.Because Jack had always wanted it during his childhood.

細節(jié)理解題。

依據(jù)文章倒數(shù)第三段就可判斷。Inside he found these words carved:“Jack, Thanks for your time! Harold Belser.”

69.Why did Jack say he needed some time to spend with his son?

A.He was very tired of his wor and wanted to have a good rest.

B.He had promised to spare more time to stay with his son.

C.He had missed his son and his family for days.

D.He came to realize the importance of the time with his family.

推理判斷題。

Jack在參加完葬禮，收到寶貴遺物之后心靈受到了洗禮，得到了凈化，悟出了人生的真諦。站在這樣的角度去思考問題才有深度，也符合作者的意圖。

70.Which of the following is the most suitable title for this passage?

A.The Good Old Times

B.What He Valued Most

C.An Old Gold Watch

D.The Lost Childhood Days

歸納標題題。

考生誤選C項。文章的主角就是Mr.Belser，這一重要人物貫穿文章的始終?！八钫湎裁础蹦芡怀鯩r.Belser人物個性，也正是他的可貴之處。而不是gold pocket watch。

答案：66 — 70 CCADB