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3. 根据上下文判断某些词汇和短语的意义
在阅读理解测试中必然要考查对词或词组的意思的理解。这也是测试考生阅读能力的一种方法。在完整的语篇中，单词和词组的意义总是受特定的情景、上下文所限制的，因此可以根据上下文，并利用所掌握的句法、构词法和词汇等知识确定它们的意义。掌握这一基本技能不仅能帮助读者从词或词组的多种义项中选择符合上下文的解释，而且往往还能推测某些生词的大致意思。常见的这类题型有：
1. The word "..." in line ... refers to ______.
2. The expression "..." (line paragraph ...) is closest in meaning to
3. In line.., the word "..." most probably means ________
4. In line.., the word "..." could best be replaced by _________
5. By “...” the author means _________
6. The word "...", as used by the author, most nearly means ________
7. In this passage, the word "..." means
8. "..." in the context of the passage refers to _________
9. “...”, as used in the passage, can best be defined as _________
例1
Perhaps the most merciless robber of sleep, researchers say, is the complexity of the day. Whenever pressures from work, family, friends and community mount, many people consider sleep the least expensive item on his program. "In our society, you're considered dynamic if you say you only need 5.5 hours' sleep. If you've got to get 8.5 hours, people think you lack drive and ambition."
To determine the consequences of sleep deficit, researchers have put subjects through a set of psychological and performance tests requiring them, for instance, to add columns of numbers or recall a passage read to them only minutes earlier. "We've found that if you're in sleep deficit, performance suffers," says Dr. David. "Short-term memory is weakened, as are abilities to make decisions and to concentrate."
1. The word "subjects" in line 6 refers to ________.
A. the performance tests used in the study of sleep deficit
B. special branches of knowledge that are being studied
C. people whose behavior or reactions are being studied
D. the psychological consequences of sleep deficit 本题考了一个熟悉的词subject。它是一个多义词，可以表示“题目”、“科目”等。但这些义项在这里都不合适。要确定它的意思，最关键的是要准确弄清它所在句子前后部分的意思和关系。这句话前一部分说，要确定睡眠不足引起的后果，研究人员让subjects通过一系列的心理和能力的测验，要求them将几栏数字加起来或回忆几分钟前所听到过的文章。所以，这里subjects是人，是“正在被研究的对象”。选项C是正确答案。 例2
Labor's concern over automation arises from uncertainty about the effects on employment, and fears of major changes in jobs. In the main, labor has taken the view that resistance to technical change is unfruitful. Eventually, the result of automation may well be an increase in employment, since it is expected that vast industries will grow up around manufacturing, maintaining, and repairing automation equipment. The interest of labor lies in bringing about the transition with a minimum of inconvenience and distress to the workers involved. Also, union spokesmen emphasize that the benefit of the increased production and lower costs made possible by automation should be shared by workers in the form of higher wages, more leisure, and improved living standards.
To protect the interests of their members in the era of automation, unions have adopted a number of new policies. One of these is the promotion of supplementary unemployment benefit plans. It is emphasized that since the employer involved in such a plan has a direct financial interest in preventing unemployment, he will have a strong drive for planning new installations so as to cause the least possible problems in jobs and job assignments. Some unions are working for dismissal pay agreements, requiring that permanently dismissed workers be paid a sum of money based on length of service. Another approach is the idea of the "improvement factor", which calls for wage increases based on increases in productivity. It is possible, however, that labor will rely mainly on reduction in working hours in order to gain a full share in the fruits of automation.
1. The idea of the "improvement factor" ( line 7, paragraph 2) implies roughly______.
A. wages should be paid on the basis of length of service
B. the benefit of the increased production and lower costs should be shared by workers
C. supplementary unemployment benefit plans should be promoted
D. the transition to automation should be brought about with the minimum of inconvenience and distress to workers
本题要求学生根据上下文理解improvement factor(增值因素)的含义。在文章的第二段第七行，提出“增值因素”是要求随着生产率的提高，工资也要相应地提高；而生产率的提高就是增加生产降低成本(第一段最后一句)。因而选项B是正确答案。选项A，把解雇金协议(dismissal pay agreements)，即根据服务期长短给长期解雇者一笔钱(第二段第四句)，与“增值因素”的内容混淆起来，说明有时文章和题目并不难，但粗心大意会使你答错题。选项C是讲另一种劳工利益保护措施的，即失业者补助金计划；而选项D是讲工人们对自动化带来的种种影响所关切的问题 (第一段第六行)。 | 
