阅读——短文改错的基础
一、快速浏览,抓住短文主旨大意
阅读是短文改错的首要条件,拿到语篇快速浏览一遍,读懂句与句之间的逻辑关系,了解整篇文章的大意。短文改错在高考中是语篇难度不大、语法结构和词汇都较浅的一种题型,故抓住短文的大意并不难。例如1999年高考短文改错:
The Problem with Television
Now I can't watch much television but a few years ago
86.____
I used to watch it every night.I was often 87.____
a little tired after a day's work and watch TV 88.____
demands very little effort.Unfortunate,there are 89.____
too many people among my family.Some wanted 90.____
to see the programme while others preferred 91.____
another.I am happy with any programme but 92.____
the others spent a lot time arguing and there 93.____
was no way of settling the matter except by 94.____
selling the set.Now someone at home reads instead. 95.____
短文主旨一目了然,即"The Problem with Television"。尽管过去经常看电视,可现在由于种种原因彻底放弃电视,故第86题中much是多余的,去掉much才符合短文所表达的意思。第95题最后一行"someone"改成"everyone"或"everybody",解决"problem"的唯一途径是卖掉电视机,从而导致一家人的习惯改变,每个人茶余饭后都只能靠看书来打发时光。这样文章前后呼应,一气呵成,紧紧围绕文章中的"The Problem。"
像这种短文改错,只要有一定的阅读能力,就能具备清晰地把握文字信息的能力,语篇改错得分随之提高。但平时的短文改错训练中,学生往往只拘泥于逐句逐词的语法、时态、意义改错。老师也往往侧重于细节错误的解释说明,忽略阅读在改错中的地位,大量的训练但“事倍功半”。所以平时要广泛涉猎形形色色的文章,实质性地提高判断、归纳、推理能力。那么,短文改错就能既快又准。
二、上下连接中掌握和理解语篇
阅读语篇中理清段落之间、句子与句子之间的逻辑关系,尤其是句子与句子之间的连接词能有效地过渡句子、段落,使文章内容承前启后,上下转折,表达不同的语气、思想内容和逻辑关系。因此,短文改错中绝对不能忽视上下文中的过渡词。这类改错题在历年高考中屡见不鲜。例如2002年高考试题:
Last week my parents and I took a twoday trip to Emei Mountainin Sichuan.As everyone knows,it's famous mountain with
76.____
all kinds of plants. The weather was fine. It was about
77.____
noon we arrived at the foot of the mountain. The three of them
78.____
were very excited. As we climbed the mountain, we 79.____
fed monkeys, visiting temples and told stories. On the way
80.____
up I was busy taking picture since the scenery was so
81.____
beautiful. The time passes quickly. Evening came 82.____
down. We spent the night in a hotel at the top of the mountain. 83.____
The food was expensive and the service was good. I was
84.____
so tired that I fell asleep at the momet my head touched the pillow. 85.____
78题一经阅读发觉该句中漏掉了过渡词"when","when"引导时间状语从句;第84题中谈到食物贵但服务棒,故"and"必须改为"but"。这种例子几乎在历年高考改错题中出现。语篇理解在改错中难度较大,要求考生在阅读的基础上,对全文有一个全面综合的了解,如果学生只拘泥于从局部考虑或着眼于语言知识,则很容易忽视问题、漏掉错误。大凡这种题,无论从语法上或词汇上都无懈可击,只有着眼于语篇,错误便浮出水面。
又如79题:…The three of them were very excited.As we climbed the mountain we fed monkeys.…
该句子的错误只有从上下文联系中才能体会到。文章叙述我和我父母去四川峨嵋山游览的情景,第一人称叙述,故"us"替代"them"。假如只是局部看这一句子,句子正确无误,所以,不要只见树木,不见森林,解题过程中,我们必须“又见树木,更见森林”。
三、逐词逐句,运用综合判断
高考改错题的设题,考查学生一系列的知识综合判断,如句子的主要时态,与之相适应的语态、动词的变化形式以及非谓语动词,名词在英语里的句法作用,名词的单复数变化形式,定语的用法,以及中英文差异方面的冠词、名词、句子结构,一致性原则,形容词,副词,介词的使用和搭配等。
副词修饰动词或整个句子,形容词作定语和表语,介词后一般接名词、代词宾格和动名词,固定短语以及句型的准确使用,这方面的考查知识都可以从课本中获得。而广泛的阅读,不仅能巩固已掌握的知识,而且还能拓宽知识面,逐步积累更多的知识,加大词汇量,更多了解短语以及句型结构。
又如85题:…I Was so tired that I fell asleep at the moment my head touched the pillow.
学生如了解了从句前必须加连词以及"the moment"在句中起着连词的作用这两方面的语言知识,那么,此题中的"at"必须去掉,"the moment"从意义上等同于"as soon as",所以去掉介词"at"。2000年高考81题:Suddenly,I caught a sight of my English teacher in…,学生具备了一定的词汇量,阅读这段短文,脑海中浮现出"catch sight of"(突然看到)这一动词短语,错误便一目了然。像这种短语结构错误,在高考题中占有相当的比例。
四、通篇阅读,反复核实
面对已改好的短文,最后一步仍然是通篇阅读一遍,仔细推敲所用词语是否正确,判断是否合理,分析短文是否通顺,当然,这些检查必须依赖于短文整体理解,从上下文中揣摸核实,否则,有些答案会顾此失彼。
例:We're building a