论文部分内容阅读
英语阅读，贵在理解。但许多学生在阅读时只注重文章的表层意义，未能深入到文章的字里行间去挖掘其内在的涵义。尤其对于文章的首段常常是囫囵吞枣、一略而过。其实在许多文章中作者常常利用首段给全文铺设一些线索或设置一些悬念，让读者顺着作者的思路去探究、去思考。有时作者也会利用文章的首段来阐明主题或表明自己的态度。因此在阅读时细心注意文章的开篇，明确作者要阐述何种问题，对正确理解全文也许会起到事半功倍的效果。本文依据2011全国各省、市高考阅读理解题，从以下四个方面阐述如何剖析文章的首段内容。
一、根据首段明辨主题
在一些阅读文章中作者常常开门见山地将文章的主题首先提出，然后围绕主题展开叙述。因此深刻理解文章的首段，明辨作者的意图，对正确理解全文的内容起着统领作用。如：
1. Think about the different ways that people use the wind. You can use it to fly a kite or to sail a boat. Wind is one of our cleanest and richest power source (来源), as well as one of the oldest. Evidence shows that windmills (风车) began to be used in ancient Iran back in the seventh century BC. They were first introduced to Europe during the 1100s, when armies returned from the Middle East with knowledge of using wind power. (安徽2011高考试卷阅读理解B)
文章的开篇首先提出了人类利用风力的不同途径，追溯了早期风能曾风光一时以及风能在世界各地的使用。围绕该主题在接下来的段落中阐述了不同时期人们是怎样充分运用风来作为能源的。随着社会的不断发展，其它能源形式取代了风能。但污染情况的严重性又使人们逐步认识到风能的优越性，因为它是最清洁的能源。因此通读文章的首段就可以判断该文主要论述的是在能源衰竭的当今，风能的优势会得以重新显现，这也是全球发展的趋势。
2. Driving a car is not just handling controls and judging speed and distance. It requires you to predict what other road users will do and get ready to react to something unexpected. When alcohol is consumed, it enters your bloodstream and acts as a depressant (抑制药), damaging eyesight, judgment and coordination (协调), slowing down reaction time and greatly increasing the risk of accidents. Even below the drink driving limit, driving well be affected. (福建2011高考试卷阅读理解A)
该段落具有鲜明的时代特色，首先先声夺人地把文章的主题呈现，即酒后驾车的危险性。酒精会进入我们的血液，影响我们的视力、判断力和协调能力，减缓我们的反映速度，增加事故的风险。作者把酒后驾车的种种情况表露无疑，在随后的叙述中作者结合该主题对此作了详细的分析。一针见血地指出驾车不仅仅要判断速度和距离，也要能及时对意外情况作出迅速的反应。并对此情况提出自己的见解：驾车人应对己、对他人负责，切勿酒后驾车。这样的叙述往往使人一目了然，同时也突出了主题的鲜明性。
二、根据首段铺设线索
一些文章的首段会以问题的形式呈现，而作者正是利用这些问题一步步地将读者引入深层次的内容。让读者顺着作者所铺设计的线索去探究、去思索。如：
1. We know the famous ones—the Thomas Edison and the Alexander Graham Bells—but what about the less famous inventors? What about the people who invented the traffic light and the windshield wiper (雨刮器)? Shouldnt we know who they are? (江苏2011高考试卷阅读理解A)
该段落以三个疑问句的形式展开了一连串的问题，著名人物大家都耳熟能详，但那些不太出名的发明者往往为人们所感到生疏。谁发明了交通灯和雨刮器，难道我们不应当知道他们是谁吗？正是那些默默无闻的能工巧匠们的杰作给我们的生活增添了乐趣，让我们感受到其方便之处。于是带着一种渴望的心情，急切地想从下文中了解更为详细的内容，这就是首段的魅力所在。
2. Ever since they were first put on the market in the early 1990s, genetically modified (GM,转基因) foods have been increasingly developed and marketed in many countries in the world, mainly on the basis of their promise to end the worldwide food crisis. But can GM technology solve world hunger problems? Even if it would, is it the best solution? (陕西2011高考试卷阅读理解D)
该段落首先阐明了转基因食品的问世，它曾被认为能解决世界粮食危机，但也带来了诸多的争议，那么解决世界粮食问题的出路又在何处呢？文章的首段用两个设问的形式提出了此问题，为下文的进一步叙述埋下了伏笔。从该段落中的叙述也可以明辨，作者对转基因食品能否解决粮食危机持有怀疑的态度，文中的转折词But, Even if足以说明作者对此持有怀疑的态度。由该首段可以表明，阅读的关键有时恰恰在于能否从首段中领悟文章的精髓，以获得一言以蔽之的感觉。
三、根据首段表明态度
在一些阅读理解题中作者在首段通过文字的叙述来阐明自己的观点或态度。此时应根据话语的内涵来确定作者对此的态度。是直截了当还是含而不露，也许作者的情感正是通过文中的这些表叙而体现出来的。因此，抓住首段中作者要表达的真正内涵对正确理解下文会起到定旨的作用。
1. Some years ago, I was hired by an American bank. I received a letter from the head of the Personnel Department that started, “Dear John, I am quite pleased that you have decided to join us.” That “quite” saddened me. I thought he was saying “were kind of pleased you decided to join us although I wish we had hired someone else.” Then I discovered that in American English “quite” sometimes means “very”, while in British English it means “fairly”. (全国2011高考试卷2阅读理解D)
一、根据首段明辨主题
在一些阅读文章中作者常常开门见山地将文章的主题首先提出，然后围绕主题展开叙述。因此深刻理解文章的首段，明辨作者的意图，对正确理解全文的内容起着统领作用。如：
1. Think about the different ways that people use the wind. You can use it to fly a kite or to sail a boat. Wind is one of our cleanest and richest power source (来源), as well as one of the oldest. Evidence shows that windmills (风车) began to be used in ancient Iran back in the seventh century BC. They were first introduced to Europe during the 1100s, when armies returned from the Middle East with knowledge of using wind power. (安徽2011高考试卷阅读理解B)
文章的开篇首先提出了人类利用风力的不同途径，追溯了早期风能曾风光一时以及风能在世界各地的使用。围绕该主题在接下来的段落中阐述了不同时期人们是怎样充分运用风来作为能源的。随着社会的不断发展，其它能源形式取代了风能。但污染情况的严重性又使人们逐步认识到风能的优越性，因为它是最清洁的能源。因此通读文章的首段就可以判断该文主要论述的是在能源衰竭的当今，风能的优势会得以重新显现，这也是全球发展的趋势。
2. Driving a car is not just handling controls and judging speed and distance. It requires you to predict what other road users will do and get ready to react to something unexpected. When alcohol is consumed, it enters your bloodstream and acts as a depressant (抑制药), damaging eyesight, judgment and coordination (协调), slowing down reaction time and greatly increasing the risk of accidents. Even below the drink driving limit, driving well be affected. (福建2011高考试卷阅读理解A)
该段落具有鲜明的时代特色，首先先声夺人地把文章的主题呈现，即酒后驾车的危险性。酒精会进入我们的血液，影响我们的视力、判断力和协调能力，减缓我们的反映速度，增加事故的风险。作者把酒后驾车的种种情况表露无疑，在随后的叙述中作者结合该主题对此作了详细的分析。一针见血地指出驾车不仅仅要判断速度和距离，也要能及时对意外情况作出迅速的反应。并对此情况提出自己的见解：驾车人应对己、对他人负责，切勿酒后驾车。这样的叙述往往使人一目了然，同时也突出了主题的鲜明性。
二、根据首段铺设线索
一些文章的首段会以问题的形式呈现，而作者正是利用这些问题一步步地将读者引入深层次的内容。让读者顺着作者所铺设计的线索去探究、去思索。如：
1. We know the famous ones—the Thomas Edison and the Alexander Graham Bells—but what about the less famous inventors? What about the people who invented the traffic light and the windshield wiper (雨刮器)? Shouldnt we know who they are? (江苏2011高考试卷阅读理解A)
该段落以三个疑问句的形式展开了一连串的问题，著名人物大家都耳熟能详，但那些不太出名的发明者往往为人们所感到生疏。谁发明了交通灯和雨刮器，难道我们不应当知道他们是谁吗？正是那些默默无闻的能工巧匠们的杰作给我们的生活增添了乐趣，让我们感受到其方便之处。于是带着一种渴望的心情，急切地想从下文中了解更为详细的内容，这就是首段的魅力所在。
2. Ever since they were first put on the market in the early 1990s, genetically modified (GM,转基因) foods have been increasingly developed and marketed in many countries in the world, mainly on the basis of their promise to end the worldwide food crisis. But can GM technology solve world hunger problems? Even if it would, is it the best solution? (陕西2011高考试卷阅读理解D)
该段落首先阐明了转基因食品的问世，它曾被认为能解决世界粮食危机，但也带来了诸多的争议，那么解决世界粮食问题的出路又在何处呢？文章的首段用两个设问的形式提出了此问题，为下文的进一步叙述埋下了伏笔。从该段落中的叙述也可以明辨，作者对转基因食品能否解决粮食危机持有怀疑的态度，文中的转折词But, Even if足以说明作者对此持有怀疑的态度。由该首段可以表明，阅读的关键有时恰恰在于能否从首段中领悟文章的精髓，以获得一言以蔽之的感觉。
三、根据首段表明态度
在一些阅读理解题中作者在首段通过文字的叙述来阐明自己的观点或态度。此时应根据话语的内涵来确定作者对此的态度。是直截了当还是含而不露，也许作者的情感正是通过文中的这些表叙而体现出来的。因此，抓住首段中作者要表达的真正内涵对正确理解下文会起到定旨的作用。
1. Some years ago, I was hired by an American bank. I received a letter from the head of the Personnel Department that started, “Dear John, I am quite pleased that you have decided to join us.” That “quite” saddened me. I thought he was saying “were kind of pleased you decided to join us although I wish we had hired someone else.” Then I discovered that in American English “quite” sometimes means “very”, while in British English it means “fairly”. (全国2011高考试卷2阅读理解D)