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考研英語閲讀理解備考的方案

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考生們在進行考研英語的閲讀理解複習時,需要把規劃好自己的備考計劃。小編為大家精心準備了考研英語閲讀理解備考的資料,歡迎大家前來閲讀。

考研英語閲讀理解備考的方案

  考研英語閲讀理解備考的內容

第一、堅固的基石——紮實的英語基礎

考生首先要把大綱規定的5500英語詞彙全部吃透,學習詞彙時要把握詞彙的內涵和外延。對於內涵來講,不能僅限於單詞的第一層含義,更要注意一詞多義現象,尤其是在考研英語中的基本含義,因為很多考研詞彙的漢語意思是考生以前不曾遇到的。例如2000年的最後一篇文章,19題的答案對應點是原文第二段的pushing,可是許多考生不清楚它有“有野心的”意思。再如:2000年passage5第一段中的distinction一詞,很多同學知道它表示“區分、區別”,但在文章當中,該詞應當被解釋為“名聲、威望”。此外,短語的多義現象也不例外:2003年passage3第四段 It’s a theory to which many economist subscribe當中,subscribe to這個短語第一次考到“同意”的意思,而並非其基本意“訂購、訂閲”。所以,考生在複習詞彙的過程中,一定不要只顧記憶難詞,還要重視簡單詞的橫向意義。

對於外延來講,要能夠把握單詞在句子中給我們的信息暗示。例如 A is a response (reaction) to B,該句型中response (reaction)本意是“反映”,但這個詞在句子中給我們的信息暗示則為B是A的原因。2001年第一篇文章第四題The direct reason for specialization is _______. 該題答案對應原文:Specialization can be seen as a response to the problem of an increasing accumulation of scientific knowledge. 同年第五篇文章最後一題 According to the passage, downshifting emerged in the US as a result of__________. 該題答案對應原文While in America the trend started as a reaction to the economic decline. 如果考生知道 be response to 這個考點的話,這類題就會迎刃而解。因此,考研學生一定要對詞彙複習加大重視度,如果連大綱要求的詞彙都沒有認識完全,那麼“順利通過考試”就成了“無米之炊”了。

很多考生誤認為考研不考語法。考研英語取消了詞彙和結構部分後,語法的考查力度確實下降了一些,但在閲讀理解中對語法的考查還是隨處可見。很多同學單詞都認識,但整句話不理解,其癥結在於相關語法知識的缺乏。考生應該系統整理基本語法知識,歸納熟悉特殊語法現象。考研英語的基本語法其實在高中階段就已大體學完,本科階段補充了一些。考研距離高中為時已久,而大學階段許多同學對語法的學習不夠重視,因此,語法薄弱的考生可以尋找一本權威的高中語法指導材料,用兩週的時間系統精讀從句概念、虛擬語氣、非謂語動詞等閲讀中的重點語法概念。不要放過例句,要把語法現象和例句充分結合在一起加以體會。閲讀、完形、翻譯中都會出現較多的長難句,需要考生分析解剖,因此在大量接觸真題前有必要對語法知識進行透徹的複習。

第二、大廈的框架——分析出題思路,把握做題技巧

最能反映出題者思路的複習材料只有真題。無論是出題難度還是出題思路,歷年的真題的質量都非常高。許多考生在沒有把真題徹底吃透的情況下花了大量的時間和精力去做許多模擬試卷。這種複習方法不僅耗時耗力、事倍功半,而且甚至會因為模擬題的仿真程度??同學們不要玩題海戰術,而應該搞懂真題題目和基本的出題思路。從嚴格意義上講,目前市面上的模擬題沒有一本是接近真題的,大量做模擬題只能起到安慰劑的作用。但是模擬題又不能不做,因為長時間反覆做真題,會失去第一次拿到新題的新鮮感。故此,做題的總體思路是90%真題,10%模擬題。

考研的成敗不僅與實力相關,也與技巧密不可分。英語知識的學習沒什麼技巧,但考試卻有,考研也不例外。技巧可以從三個層面來講:

第一個層面是,做閲讀時,到底是應該先讀問題還是先讀文章。不同的人有不同的答案。我們認為,採用什麼樣的順序和每個人的水平有關。對於閲讀能力很高的人來説,先讀文章比較好。讀完了文章,對文章的內容有了基本的理解、甚至記住了幾乎全部的內容,再去做題時,就會比較有把握了。而事實上對於廣大考生來説,多數人對文章不能做到基本理解,或者雖然表面文字看懂了,但是做題時大腦一片空白,對有效信息掌握薄弱。鑑於此,我們認為應該先讀問題,帶着問題中的關鍵詞去讀文章。這樣做的好處在於:首先,讀完問題,通過題目中的大寫字母、數字、標誌性內容詞等會對文章所涉及的內容有個大概的瞭解;然後帶着問題有針對性地去讀文章,有的放矢。

第二個層面是,讀文章時,應該採用什麼樣的閲讀方式。基於對試題的研究,我們發現,在讀文章的時候,應該把握重點:對於文章來講,首段、各段首句、末句是重點;對於句子來講,轉折句、因果句、長難句、比較句和“絕對話意義”的句子往往是出題的方向。讀完一篇文章後要問問自己:文章主要圍繞什麼問題闡述?作者對文章的態度大體方向是什麼?讀懂文章雖然不是做題正確的核心,但卻是做題正確的前提。

第三個層面是:以什麼樣的思路去應付考題。從閲讀材料後面的題目來看,問題可以分為以下幾大類:主旨題、推理題、細節題、例證題、態度題、原因題、舉例題和猜詞題。每個大題型又可以繼續細分。考生應該對這些題型的正解特徵加以歸納總結。例如:考研英語中多次涉及的主要原因題,其題目形式是:

The passage (author)…………ly because____?

Which of the following is chiefly responsible for……..?

…………is largely due to________?

What is the main reason for ________?

由上述真題題目我們可以看出,題目特徵相當明顯,都出現了表示“主要的”標識詞。那麼題目特徵會引發我們怎樣的思考呢?既然是主要原因,就表明在原文中原因的闡述是不唯一的,至少有兩個以上的原因才具備出主要原因題的前提。在四個選項中,可能同時會有若干個選項都是正確的原因,但正確答案是最主要的原因。那麼,什麼樣的原因才是主要原因呢?我們可以從原文對應句中找到規律:主要原因題正確選項在原文中的對應句往往含有如下標識詞:比較級、最高級、轉折詞、above all等。我們一起看一下以往的例題:

1. 原文:Yet the BBC will have to change, because the broadcasting world round it is changing. The commercial TV channels—ITV and Channel 4—were required by the Thatcher Government’s Broadcasting Act to become more commercial, competing with each other for advertisers, and cutting costs and jobs. But it is the arrival of new satellite channels—funded partly by advertising and partly by viewers’ subscriptions—which will bring about the biggest changes in the long term.

The foremost reason why the BBC has to readjust itself is no other than ______________.

(1996年passage2第4題)

A. the emergence of commercial TV channel

B. the enforcement of Broadcasting Act by the government

C. the urgent necessity to reduce costs and jobs

D. the challenge of new satellite channels

2. 原文:Among the many shaping factors, I would single out the country’s excellent elementary schools; a labor force that welcomed the new technology; the practice of giving premiums to inventors: and above all the American genius for nonverbal, “spatial” thinking about things technological.

According to the author, the great outburst of major inventions in early America was in a large due to _______.

(1996年passage4第1題)

A. elementary schools B. enthusiastic workers

C. the attractive premium system D. a special way of thinking

3. 原文:But that may have more to do with Japanese lifestyle.

According to the author, what may chiefly be responsible for the moral decline of Japanese society? (2000年passage4第2題)

A. Women’s participation in social activities is limited.

B. More workers are dissatisfied with their jobs.

C. Excessive emphasis has been placed on the basics.

D. The lifestyle has been influenced by western values.

4. 原文:Many captive shippers also worry they will soon be hit with a round of huge rate increases. The railroad industry as a whole, despite its brightening fortunes, still does not earn enough to cover the cost of the capital it must invest to keep up with its surging traffic. Yet railroads continue to borrow billons to acquire one another, with Wall Street cheering them on.

According to the text, the cost increase in the rail industry is mainly caused by _______.

(2003年passage3第5題)

A. The continuing acquisition.

B. The growing traffic.

C. The cheering Wall Street.

D. The shrinking market.

5. 原文:The researchers studied the behavior of female brown capuchin monkeys. They look cute. They are good natured, co-operative creatures, and they share food readily. Above all, like their female human counterparts, they tend to pay much closer attention to the value of “goods and services” than males.

Female capuchin moneys were chosen for the research most probably because they are _____.

(2005年passage1第3題)

A. more inclined to weigh what they get

B. attentive to researchers’ instructions

C. nice in both appearance and temperament

D. more generous than their male companions

上述例題均很好地印證了這類題的做題規律,而且長達十年這一規律都沒有發生任何變化。考生在閲讀複習過程中要注意題目的橫向聯繫,不僅要按篇章來閲讀,還要把歷年的同一類型考題放到一起進行總結,從而發現做題技巧和規律,這樣才能更好地保證複習的效率。

第三、大廈的內外裝修——不可不知的陷阱

考研既然是一種選拔性的考試,就有區別於其他英語考試題??案,而是會有一個思考和比較的過程。考研沒有真正意義的正確選項,但有相對的better choice。在考研的選項中,很多選項都是陷阱,貌似很正確,其實有漏洞。對於這部分選項,考生應該瞭解一些出題者常用的陷阱設置,以便在今後做題過程中避免此類錯誤。

一、 正話反説。考研英語閲讀題中很多出題思路是“在是當中説非,在非當中説是”。

我們以2000年第一篇文章第四題為例:The author seems to believe the revival of the U.S. economy in the 1990s can be attributed to the ________.

A. turning of the business cycle

B. restructuring of industry

C. improved business management

D. success in education

根據原文:Few Americans attribute this solely to such obvious causes as a devalued dollar or the turning of business cycle. 可以看出,美國人並不認為devalued dollar or the turning of business cycle是導致美國經濟復甦的主要原因,很多同學就首先排除了選項A,但是,A恰恰是本題的正確答案,作者的觀點恰恰有別於一般美國人,在是當中説非,在非當中説是。

二、 “正確≠答案”——大多數考生的誤區

我們以2003 年的一道考研真題為例:

The author begins his article with Edmund Burk’s words to __________.

A. call on scientists to take some actions

B. criticize the misguide cause of animal rights

C. warn of the doom of biomedical research

D. show the triumph of the animal rights movement

從文章來看,四個選項似乎都有道理,可以説前三個選項都是對的。但是正確絕不是最優,而面對這種局面大多數考生往往不知所措,難以從中選出正確的選項。上述的例子還只是比較簡單的,偏重於對文章主旨的考查,而現在考研的難度日益加大,這種出題思路會越來越多,分辨將會越來越難,所以在看懂全文的基礎上時不時還是要在心裏提個醒,別一不小心掉進了陷阱。

三、首段大意≠全文主旨。很多同學做全文主旨題往往以首段的段落大意作為根據,其實這是個陷阱。我們用1994年第二篇文章的一道題做例證:

What is this passage mainly about?

A. Approaches to the commercial use of computers.

B. Conveniences brought about by computers in business.

C. Significance of automation in commercial enterprise.

D. Advantages of credit cards in business.

這道題可以説是經典的主旨陷阱題了。如果僅從全文第一段來看,D選項是絕對正確的。但是文章從第二段進行擴展,由信用卡擴展到了計算機在商業社會中的應用,故此,B才是最佳答案。我們提醒各位考生,主旨題需要通過首段和各段首句共同判斷,千萬不能以偏概全。

四、千萬注意“似是而非、局部正確”的選項

我們先來看看 1998 年的一道真題:

Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. Environmentalists were blamed for antiscience in an essay.

B. Politicians are not subject to the labeling of antiscience.

C. The “more enlightened” tend to tag others as antiscience.

D. Tagging environmentalists as “antiscience” is justifiable.

這是一道設計非常巧妙的考題,據説當年答對本題的考生不到 5% 。這道題考查了全文一半多文章的閲讀量,而且涉及很多的細節,每一個選項都有似曾相識的感覺,而選項本身就暗藏着陷阱。本題的直接依據是文中的這樣一句話:But surely that does not mean environmentalists concerned about uncontrolled industrial growth are antiscience, as an essay in US News & World Report last May seemed to suggest. 但是簡單根據這句話又會造成歧義,還必須依據“根據下文説上文的原則”,通過下文來判斷邏輯:The environmentalists, inevitably, respond to such critics. The true enemies of sciences are those who question the evidence supporting global warming, the depletion of the ozone layer and other consequences of industrial growth. 這裏提醒所有考生注意一點:當你感覺到每一個選項似乎都對、都不對的時候,千萬不要盲目憑藉印象和感覺,要學會到原文中尋求每一個選項的證據,只有確鑿的證據才是判斷正誤的法寶。

總而言之,要攻克考研閲讀,就要在備戰考研的過程中不斷努力深入地研究,循序漸進地實踐、演練,才能在考場上成功施展才華!考研的意義絕不僅僅是考試,而是挑戰自我、磨練意志的過程。相信各位考生定能在這條充滿荊棘的道路中堅定信念、調整心態,摸索出成功之道。

  考研英語閲讀理解衝刺策略

其實,成功的考研衝刺只分兩步。

成功衝刺第一步——制定計劃、按部就班、從容不迫。

距離考研雖然只有一個月了,但制定計劃依然重要,因為有了計劃就可以避免亂抓一氣時帶來的無謂的時間浪費。此時的計劃應該首先確定每天能拿出多少時間複習英語(建議:基礎較好的考生,每天3-4個小時;2年沒有怎麼學過英語的考生需要每天至少拿出6個小時),並且確定這些小時在一週中每天的分佈,千萬不要完全連在一起,但也不要拆分過多,一個時段的最佳時長是1.5-2小時。不論英語基礎好壞,不論現在做真題正確率高低,都需要考生始終保持平常心按照計劃、到點就進入應該進行的項目。

成功衝刺第二步——分項攻擊、識別弱項、專抓錯題。

眾所周知,考研英語分數最多的項目是閲讀理解。因此,幾乎所有的考生都要再閲讀上花費大量的時間,畢竟一個題目2分。很多考生抱怨,真題已經做過幾遍,答案已經背下來了,現在不知應再該做些什麼題,於是開始亂找模擬題。這裏需要強調的是,離考試最近的1個月是反覆研究真題和鞏固技巧的時候,不能再大量做模擬題了。對真題的複習不僅僅是要把正確答案選出來那麼簡單,考生還需要按照以下幾點進行逐項核查,檢測是否已經達到每一項的要求。以下均為2008考研英語大綱對閲讀理解的要求:

1. 詞彙:即是否仍有不認識的單詞或搭配。離考試只有一個月的複習方法是這樣的:先把歷年考研真題的電子版從網上下載,然後黏貼到一個word文檔裏面,之後使用“查找”功能,把自己不熟悉的單詞、不知道其他意義的單詞邊記邊查找,看一看這個詞在歷年考試中出現了多少遍,而每一次其用法都是什麼,自己是否都能掌握了。在詞,教考生一個猜測詞義的方法:小品詞猜詞法。所謂“小品詞”就是介詞和副詞,而常見的是:on, in, at, as, off, out, into, out of, for, to 等。很多動詞和他們搭配時,詞組的意義往往和這些詞密切聯繫,因此即便不認識動詞,也能大概猜出其整體意思來。比如: regard A as B表示“把A當成B”。但如果regard變成dismiss, disparage等難詞,考生就犯難了。其實,無論動詞是什麼,只要符合以下結構“vt +A+as+B”,都可以把動詞翻譯成為“把……”,因此整個詞組的意思就是“把A當成B”,這樣就不會影響對上下文的理解了。

2. 信息:即單詞通過語法組合到一起後,其意思是否能夠翻譯正確。這需要有一本對歷年真題進行詳解的輔導書,推薦使用《2008考研英語歷年真題解析與應試對策》(高等教育出版社出版)。考生可以把每一篇文章作為精讀,並進行翻譯。如果時間比較緊張,把解決每篇文章後面5個題的原文進行詳細翻譯和掌握就可以了。

3. 根據具體信息進行推理和判斷:即換一種英文表達方式,而不改變原意。比如:原文句子是:Nothing prevents us to be natural more than the desire to appear so. 就要用英文表達成:The more we try to look natural, the less natural we will be. 或者:The biggest obstacle on our way to be natural is our wish to be that way. 當然,這些句子其實就是真題題乾和正確選項放在一起,和原文中的出題點正好是上述的同義轉化。

下面再舉一個真題的'句子:(2006年Text3) The large,slow-growing animals were easy game, and were quickly hunted to extinction. Now something similar could be happening in the oceans. 在問題中變成:The extinction of large prehistoric animals is noted to suggest that large sea animals may face the same threat today. 畫下劃線的句子正好就是同義轉化。當然,這種情況在考研英語中到處都是,幾乎每一個題目都符合此規律。建議衝刺段的考生列出下面的表格來複習,這樣效果會更加明顯。

4. 區分論點和論據:即每一個段落的中心句在哪裏,具有什麼特徵?後面的論據是如何提供的?這些都是需要區分和掌握的內容。

5. 掌握文章的主旨:多數考生的問題在於看完文章後説不出文章中心思想。其實,可以把每個段落的中心句加起來就構成文章中心了,這對解決主旨題至關重要。比如,2001年第三篇文章的開頭就問“why...?”這就證明文章中心一定在解釋某種現象的原因,而第一題就問:What is the passage mainly about?因此,聰明的考生可以立刻選出B答案:causes of the public disappointment about newspapers.

6. 把握文章的核心概念:文章必然圍繞一個核心展開,而這樣的核心概念從詞彙角度看就是反覆出現的那些單詞所表達的概念,對把握文章主旨有巨大幫助作用。如果考生碰到選項猶豫不決時,就可以挑選包含文章中反覆提到的核心概念詞彙的那個選項。

7. 掌握文章的結構:這一點對新題型7選5指導意義最大。要搞清楚段落與段落、句子與句子之間的關係,比如主題一致、關鍵詞重現、語義互補等。

8. 清楚作者的觀點和寫作意圖,即要抓住作者對所寫問題的看法。比如,作者的理想一定與作者敍述的現實問題相反。作者如果寫污染現狀,他的目的就是號召人們保護環境;作者如果寫的是人們並不公開推崇野心和抱負,那麼作者的觀點就是應該公開推崇野心和抱負。如果掌握了這一點,有時可以瞬間解決很多問題。比如:2004年考研英語真題第四篇關於“美國學校貶低才智”的文章。該文在全文首句使用判斷句式説明説明社會現狀:“Americans today don’t place a very high value on intellect”。而通常作者所要表達的觀點都是與社會現實相反的,因此,我們就可以瞬間解決後面的兩個題目,如下:

can learn from the text that Americans have a history of ______

A. undervaluing intellect

B. favoring intellectualism

C. supporting school reform

D. suppressing native intelligence

根據上述方法,我們很快就把A選出來了,因為undervalue就等於don’t place a very high value on.

does the author think of intellect?

is second to intelligence.

evolves from common sense.

is to be pursued.

underlies power.

根據前面所述,作者的觀點往往與現實相反,如果現實是“人們不重視intellect”,那麼作者觀點肯定是希望人們重視intellect。因此,可以直接把C選項選出。

以上是大綱層面對閲讀的要求,下面從技巧層面談一下閲讀中需要注意的問題。現在考生需要關注的不再是從四個選項中找出正確答案,而是要知道這個選項為什麼正確,而其他選項到底錯誤在什麼地方。當英語功底薄弱時,排除法是非常有效的辦法。因此,考生需要鍛鍊的不是説一定要認識正確選項,而是要能找出選項是否錯誤,但是做到這一點其實多數依靠的不是功底,而是細心地把選項和原文進行比對的能力。非語言本身的閲讀技巧在新東方的考研閲讀課上給大家總結過,需要拿出來反覆地看和研究才能熟練應用。

建議考生在複習過程中要把錯過的部分標記出來,最好記到本子上,每週反覆看曾經錯過的內容,這樣可以避免犯同樣的錯誤。

希望以上的文字能夠幫助考生理清思路,也祝願考生在考試中取得最理想的成績。

  考研怎樣回答閲讀理解中的推理性問題

關於推理性問題(Inference)

推理性問題與細節性問題相似,也是對文章具體內容的判斷。但推理不但要求掌握文章所表達的字面含義,還要掌握一定的邏輯判斷能力及寫作技巧知識,從文章表面推出更深層含義,這部分往往出題分量大,難度大,出錯也最多,歸根結底還是對文章內

容沒有做到真正的理解和掌握。

Inference類問題主要包括Significance和Communication Techniques兩大類。

1. Significance

文字表面往往沒有明顯反映作者的全部意圖,有些含義需要讀者從字裏行間去體會,靠自己的邏輯推理能力去判斷,從上下文的聯貫及文中有關部分的暗示去明析作者隱含的意思。這類問題的命題方式有:

(1)The writer implies but not directly states that__________-.

(2) It can be inferred from the passage that_________.

(3) The author strongly suggests that__________ .

(4) It can be concluded from the passage that________.

(5) The passage is intended to__________ .

(6)The writer indicates that__________ .

Example

Nursing at Beth Israel Hospital produces the best patient care possible. If we were to solve the nursing shortage, hospital administration and doctors everywhere would do well to follow Beth Israel's example

At Beth Israel each patient is assigned to a primary nurse who visits at length with the patient and constructs a full-scale health ac-count that covers everything from his medical history to his emotion-al state. Then she writes a care plan centered on the patient's illness but which also includes everything else that is necessary.

The primary nurse stays with the patient through his hospitalization, keeping track with his progress and seeking further advice from his doctor. If a patient at Beth Israel is not responding to treatment , it is not uncommon for his nurse to propose another approach to his doctor. What the doctor at Beth Israel has in the primary nurse is a true colleague.

Nursing at Beth Israel also involves a decentralized ( 分散的 )nursing administration; every floor, every unit is a self-contained organization. There are nurse managers instead of head nurses,` in addition to their medical duties they do all their own hiring and dismissing, employee advising, and they make salary recommendations. Each unit's nurse decide among themselves who will work what shifts and when.

Beth Israel's nurse-in-chief ranks as an equal with other vice presidents of the hospital. She also is a member of the Medical Executive Committee, which in most hospitals includes only doctors.

It can be inferred from the passage that__________.

A)compared with other hospitals nurses at Beth Israel Hospital are more patient .

B)in most hospitals nurses get low salaries

C)in most hospitals nurses get low salaries

D) compared with other hospitals nurses have to work longer hour at Beth Israel Hospital

本題要求考生判斷4個選項中哪一個是根據文章可以推斷出的結論,要求考生根據文章內容作出合理的推斷。從本題所提供的4個選項來看,文章並未談及 護士 的"耐心"(A);也未談及護士的"工資待遇"(Q),只是説到護士的工資提升要由各科室推薦;更未涉及護士的"工作時間長短"(D)),文章的第一段最後一句才是得出正確答案的依據,這句的意思是:"如果我們確要解決護理工作不足的問題,那麼各地醫院的行政部門和醫生最好還是效法一下Beth Israel醫院",主句的虛擬語氣也説明這一點:迄今為止還未做到。由此可以推斷:①護理不充分是一個應該解決的問題;②這個問題普遍存在,否則就沒有必要要求各地醫院行政部門和醫生效法這家醫院的做法。因此本題的正確答案為B),本題屬於局域型問題的間接性問題,這類問題是考生出錯最多的題型。在做這類問題時,切忌從篇章的個別句子中尋找答案,而應把目光放在全篇的理解上:作者寫這篇文章的目的是什麼,針對什麼問題,如何解決等。有許多考生可能都有這種體驗:有的問題,第一遍閲讀時做對了,第二遍再細讀後,又改錯了。這就是因為他們在讀第二遍時注意了對篇章的個別句於的推敲,而忽視了整篇文章的大意。

2. Communication Techniques

文章中的每一句話都有它的作用和目的,都是為作者的寫作而服務的。有的是下層意思的鋪墊,有的是上旬話的結果,互相襯托,互相聯繫。四級閲讀中常常就技巧性問題提問,測試讀者對文章是否正確理解。這類題的命題方式有:

(1)The fact . . . is mentioned by the author to show _________.

(2)The author achieves his purpose by depending mainly upon

(3)The writer talks about . . . in order io_________ .

(4) In discussing . . . , the author ._________

(5)The author's statement about . . . is a . . . for . . .

Example :

If women are mercilessly exploited year after year, they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seen in public in clothes that are out of fashion, they are al-ways taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion. When you come to think of it, only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe packed full of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear. Changing fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend vast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time altering the dresses they have. Skirts are lengthened or shortened, `necklines are lowered or raised, and so on.

No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes any thing really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and durability. They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn't at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or delicately picking her way through deep snow in high- heeled shoes .

When comparing men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of women's clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of inconstancy and instability? Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanging styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability? That is for you to decide the writer, the fact that women alter their old-fashioned dresses is seen as_________ .

A) a waste of money

B) waste of time

C) an expression of taste

本題問題是:女士們把過了時的衣服改來改去,在作者看來是"浪費金錢"(A));是"(女士對服裝的)喜好(品味)的表現"(C));是"(女士們)創造性的表現"(D));還是(B))所説的"浪費時間"。根據第二段所説的"waste hours of their time altering the dresses they have。"(Para。2, Line 4~5,答案應選B)。