閱讀理解Part A作答指導I
　　文章讀懂的秘密
　　考研英語閱讀理解的文章多選自西方國家報刊，體裁多是議論文。一篇議論文的構(gòu)成主要有論點和論據(jù)兩部分。作者在文章中提出自己的觀點，即我們所稱的論點，然后將各個論據(jù)用不同的論證方法加以論證，形成一篇邏輯縝密的文章。因此，“讀懂文章”重在尋找論點，理清論據(jù)。
　　一、尋找論點
　　考生首先要有尋找文章論點的意識，根據(jù)歷年真題的考查情況，我們總結(jié)如下：在考研英語閱讀的文章中，作者通常在首段首句、首段末句、第二段首句以及段落中表示轉(zhuǎn)折的句子處表明自己的觀點。
　　 (一）論點在首段首句
　　關(guān)注文章各段首句，尤其是第一段首句。這一點充分體現(xiàn)了西方人的思維習慣對語言的影響。西方人屬于直線式思維模式，即習慣于開門見山地表達自己的觀點，然后通過各種論述方法論證自己的觀點。因此通常情況下，文章首段首句是文章的中心句，各段首句是段落中心句。
　�。劾�1］
　　Why do so many Americans distrust what they read in their newspapers? The American Society of Newspaper Editors is trying to answer this painful question. The organization is deep into a long self-analysis known as the journalism credibility project ... [ 2001年]
　�。劾�2］
　　In recent years, railroads have been combining with each other, merging into super systems, causing heightened concerns about monopoly. As recently as 1995, the top four railroads accounted for under 70 percent of the total ton-miles moved by rails. Next year, after a series of mergers is completed, just four railroads will control well over 90 percent of all the freight moved by major rail carriers ... [ 2003年]
　　［例3］
　　Americans no longer expect public figures, whether in speech or in writing, to command the English language with skill and gift. Nor do they aspire to such command themselves. In his latest book, Doing Our Own Thing: The Degradation of Language and Music and Why We Should, Like, Care, John McWhorter, a linguist and controversialist of mixed liberal and conservative views, sees the triumph of 1960s counter-culture as responsible for the decline of formal English ... [ 2005年]
　　
　�。ǘ�）論點在首段末句
　　這類文章的一個顯著特點是，作者先說明一個現(xiàn)象或講述一個事件，然后在該段末尾，作者針對這個現(xiàn)象提出相應的觀點。
　�。劾�1］
　　“The Heart of the Matter,” the just-released report by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS), deserves praise for affirming the importance of the humanities and social sciences to the prosperity and security of liberal democracy in America. Regrettably, however, the report’s failure to address the true nature of the crisis facing liberal education may cause more harm than good. [ 2014年]
　�。劾�2］
　　During the past generation, the American middle-class family that once could count on hard work and fair play to keep itself financially secure has been transformed by economic risk and new realities. Now a pink slip, a bad diagnosis, or a disappearing spouse can reduce a family from solidly middle class to newly poor in a few months. [ 2007年]
　�。ㄈ�）論點在第二段首句
　　這類文章的首段有一個顯著的特點，作者在說明現(xiàn)象和講述事件時通常使用描述性語言和記敘性語言；而在第二段首句出現(xiàn)的文章論點通常是議論性語言。
　　［例1］
　　In the early 1960s Wilt Chamberlain was one of only three players in the National Basketball Association listed at over seven feet. If he had played last season, however, he would have been one of 42. The bodies playing major professional sports have changed dramatically over the years, and managers have been more than willing to adjust team uniforms to fit the growing numbers of bigger, longer frames.
　　The trend in sports, though, may be obscuring an unrecognized reality: Americans have generally stopped growing ... [ 2008年]
　　
　�。劾�2］
　　Over the past decade, thousands of patents have been granted for what are called business methods. Amazon.com received one for its “one-click” online payment system. Merrill Lynch got legal protection for an asset allocation strategy. One inventor patented a technique for lifting a box.
　　Now the nation’s top patent court appears completely ready to scale back on business-method patents, which have been controversial ever since they were first authorized 10 years ago. In a move that has intellectual-property lawyers abuzz, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said it would use a particular case to conduct a broad review of business-method patents. In re Bilski, as the case is known, is “a very big deal,” says Dennis D. Crouch of the University of Missouri School of law. It “has the potential to eliminate an entire class of patents.” [ 2010年]
　�。ㄋ模┍硎巨D(zhuǎn)折的句子通常為段落論點
　　關(guān)注文章首段或其他段落中表示轉(zhuǎn)承、因果的句子。因為通常情況下，首段出現(xiàn)這樣的句子, 要么是中心句，要么與中心密切相關(guān)；而在文章其他段落出現(xiàn)這樣的句子通常為段落主旨句。
　�。劾�1］
　　All around the world, lawyers generate more hostility than the members of any other profession—with the possible exception of journalism. But there are few places where clients have more grounds for complaint than America. [ 2014年 ]
　　［例2］
　　On a five to three vote, the Supreme Court knocked out much of Arizona’s immigration law Monday—a modest policy victory for the Obama Administration. But on the more important matter of the Constitution, the decision was an 8-0 defeat for the Administration’s effort to upset the balance of power between the federal government and the states. [ 2013年]
　　因此考生要讀懂考研閱讀的文章，首先要學會有意識地尋找文章的中心主旨，通過研究真題，整理總結(jié)文章主旨的出現(xiàn)方式，基本上常考的主旨題也就迎刃而解了。
　　二、理清論據(jù)
　　當作者提出文章中心，即這篇議論文的論點后，接下來還會運用各類論據(jù)證明自己的觀點，考生應學會整理。在考研英語閱讀文章中，作者經(jīng)常使用的論據(jù)類型包括：引用專家或教授等人的觀點、數(shù)字論據(jù)、事實論據(jù)以及實驗調(diào)查研究等。
　�。ㄒ唬┮环N論據(jù)
　�。劾�1］（數(shù)字論據(jù)）
　　The value of knowledge and the return on the public investment in research depends, in part, upon wide distribution and ready access. It is big business. In America, the core scientific publishing market is estimated at between $7 billion and $11 billion. The International Association of Scientific Technical and Medical Publishers says that there are more than 2,000 publishers worldwide specializing in these subjects. They publish more than 1.2 million articles each year in some 16,000 journals. [ 2008年]
　�。劾�2］（專家觀點）
　　 Dr. Yehuda notes another difference between the sexes. “I think that the kinds of things that women are exposed to tend to be in a chronic or repeated nature. Men go to war and are exposed to combat stress. Men are exposed to more acts of random physical violence. The kinds of interpersonal violence that women are exposed to tend to be in domestic situations, by, unfortunately, parents or other family members, and they tend not to be one-shot deals. The wear-and-tear that comes from these longer relationships can be quite devastating.”[ 2008年]