快速阅读技巧 1
Context Clue to Word Meaning I
What would you do when you come across[不期而遇] a
new word in your reading? You take a guess, and then read on, because you expect the writer to give you some clues to the meaning of the new word. Actually, the meanings of many words will be clear from context
— the words or sentences before or after the item you do not know. You can figure out [断定] the meaning of an unfamiliar word by
looking for clues provided by context. For example, if you did not know the word "context"but finished reading the previous sentence, you will have comprehended well enough what it means; "the words or sentences before or after the item you do not know."
Context sometimes provides definition clues. Consider:
"Linguistics, the scientific study of language, is very important for language students." Notice the italicized word is clearly defined. Besides the formal definition, the writer may also give explanation after such punctuation marks as comma (,), dash (—) or within
parentheses. Consider: "Some good readers find it helpful to use their
sense to visualize — or picture — what they read." Using
information provided in the context, you will have some idea of the meaning of the italicized word "visualize": "to form a picture of something in the mind."
Context sometimes gives example clues. Consider: "Like horses,
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human beings have a variety of gaits [步法]: they amble[缓行],
stride, jog, and sprint[跑]." Notice several examples are given to shed light [清楚显示]on the meaning of the italicized word "gait": "a way of walking." In the sentences with example clues, the examples are usually signaled by certain words or phrases like such as, including, for
example, for instance or to illustrate. Consider: "Phobias[恐怖], such
as fear of height, fear of water, or fear of crowds, can be eliminated through conditioning[调节]." With the help of the example clues given by the context, you can quite easily guess the meaning of the italicized word: "a strong, unnatural, and usually unreasonable fear."
Although context clues are useful in discovering the meaning of an unknown word, there are some limitations to this approach[方法]. The
meaning you get from the context may be vague[含糊] or general.
Sometimes there is too much unfamiliar language to allow you to use the context. While you do not interrupt your reading to look up new words in a dictionary, you may still want to check your guess if you find that some words are used often and seem to be important in your field. In such cases, mark the unknown words when you are reading, and look them up later.
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