1、在阅读中我们常常会遇到生词或虽是熟词但用原来学过的意思去理解却不通，这时就需要根据上下文，也就是语境，去理解，有的也可以根据构词法去理解。高考阅读理解题中也常常要求考生推测词义。这里着重谈谈根据语境理解时的几条具体线索。词义推测的六条线索 1.根据转折对比关系根据上下句之间表示转折或对比关系的连接性词语来推测词义。如表示转折的词有but,however,otherwise,or,though等,表示对比关系的标志性词语有unlike,while,on the other hand,in spite of,in contrast等；另外,分号也可以表示转折、对比或不相干的意义。例1 Time i
2、s something from which wecant escape.Even if we ignore it,its stillgoing by,ticking away,second by second,minute by minute,hour by hour.So themain issue in using your time well is,“Whos in charge?”We can allow time toslip by and let it be our enemy.Or we cantake control of it and make it our ally.Th
3、e underlined word“ally”most likely means somebody or something that is _.A.your slave and serves youB.your supporter and helps youB.under your control and obeys youD.under your influence and follows you解析：B本句由or引出，与前句意义相对，要求猜的ally显然与前句的enemy相对，即为“朋友”，朋友是支持和帮助我们的，故选B。2.根据因果关系就是根据前后的因果关系来推断其中的某个生词或短语的
4、意思。可能是由表示原因的句意推出表示结果的句子中的某个生词或短语的意思,即由因推果法；也可能是由表示结果的句意推出表示原因的句子中的某个词或短语的意思，即由果推因法。表 示 因 果 关 系 的 有 because,sothat,so/such.that.等。例2 Please stay on permitted paths.Otherwise you may destroy desert plants.Pack out what you pack in,so you leave no signs of your visit.It is important to keep in mind tha
5、t you are in a national park where wildlife exists.What do the underlined words“pack out what you pack in”probably mean?A.Keep everything out of campgrounds.B.Take away everything you bring in.C.Carry all the necessary food.D.Look after your personal belongings.解析：B 句中so引出结果,由果推因,“不要留下任何参观的痕迹”,因此“要把
6、带来的所有东西都带走”,故选B。3.根据解释或修饰语根据后面的括号中、破折号后面、引号中的内容,或者后面的定语从句，以及namely 和that is等后面的解释性内容推测生词或短语的意思。例3 The schools are reluctant to take time offeven teachers with tickets for the England-Argentina game had trouble getting the day off.The underlined word“reluctant”may probablymean_.A.kindB.unwillingC.fre
7、eD.careless 解析：B 根据破折号后面的解释“即使是有英格兰和阿根廷比赛门票的老师也很难挤出一天的时间”，可见学校是“不愿意”放假的,故选B。4.根据同义关系根据生词所处语境中的同义或近义词的意思来推测它的意思。有时有and 或or等，我们可以根据前后两项或多项并列的内容在含义上是接近的或递进的关系，来确定同等或同类关系中的某个生词所属的义域，由此可推知其大致意思。例4 It is obvious that if students valuehighly their test scores,then a great amount oftheir self-respect is put
8、 in the number.Studentswho perform poorly on the exam are left feelingthat it is all over.The low test score,they think,will make it impossible for them to get into agood college.And without a degree from aprestigious university,they fear that many oflifes doors will remain forever closed.“a prestig
9、ious university”is most probably_.A.a famous universityB.a technical universityC.a traditional universityD.an expensive university解析:A 根据上句可知，此句中的prestigiousuniversity就是上句中的good college，也就是prestigious与good或famous同义，故选A。5.根据语境关联就是由上下文语境的描述猜测出某个词语的意思。例5(2013广东)While Jennifer was athometakinganonlineex
10、amforherbusiness law class,a monitor(监控器)a fewhundred miles away was watching herevery move.Using a web camera equipped in JennifersLos Angeles apartment,the monitor in Phoenixtracked how frequently her eyes moved from thecomputer screen and listened for the secretsounds of a possible helper in the
11、roomIn the battle against cheating,this is thecutting edge and a key to encourage honesty inthe booming field of online education.Thetechnology gives trust to the entire system,to theinstitution and to online education in general.A.advanced techniqueB.sharpening toolC.effective ruleD.dividing line解析
12、：A 第一段总述Jennifer在家中考试，有监控器监视她的每一个动作；第二段具体描述监控器如何监视她；第三段开头，this is thecutting edge，句中this指代什么？就是指上文描述的为了防止网络教育中考试作弊所采用amonitor进行监控的先进技术，故选A。The underlined expression“cutting edge”is closest in meaning to _.6.综合运用多种方法除上述方法外,还可以根据并列关系、同类关系、比喻关系、定义关系、所举实例、构词法和生活常识等多种方法推测生词的意义，有时需要综合运用多种方法，才可推测其意义。例6 The
13、 new type of pineapple was sellingfast,and the Del Monte Gold pineapple rapidlybecame a fixture in the shopping basket of thehealthy eater.The underlined word“fixture”probably refersto something _.A.that people enjoy eatingB.that is always presentC.that is difficult to getD.that people use as a gift
14、解析：B 这种新品种菠萝很畅销,当然成为了健康饮食人士购物筐中的“常客”。另外根据构词法知识可知,该词的词根是fix,含有“固定”之意。故选B。即学即用 1.The phrase“bringing the error to the clerks attention”means _.A.telling the truth to the clerkB.offering advice to the clerkC.asking the clerk to be more attentiveD.reminding the clerk of the charged itemA1.A 由表示对比关系的in c
15、ontrast可知，bringing the error to the clerks attention应与前面的we dont tell the clerk具有相反意义，即telling the truth to the clerk，故选A。2.The underlined part“the colours turned the customers off”means that the colours _.A.attracted the customers strongly B.had weak effects on the customersC.tricked the customers
16、into shoppingD.caused the customers to lose interestD 由因推果法。因为这些颜色使这些产品看起来没有药效(weak and ineffective),所以这些颜色就会“使顾客对产品失去兴趣”。3.The underlined expression make a big“to do”over means _.A.show much concern aboutB.have a special effect onC.list jobs to be done forD.do good things forA 由因推果法。“因为较小的孩子更易受伤害”“所以我们成年人通常关心较小的孩子”，前面两句也说明了这一点，故make a big“to do”over意为“关心(show much concern about)”。另外，文中的made a fuss over 意为“过分关心”之意。名师 小课堂