考研英语知识运用 考点透视

第一篇英语知识运用

LECTURE 1 考点透视

本堂目标

熟悉英语知识运用常考文章的体裁与题材以及文章结构特点，掌握语义理解、句际关系、语法知识、固定搭配、词汇辨析等五个方面的考查要点，明确考前复习重点。

一、体裁与题材

英语知识运用所选的短多是观点鲜明、条理清楚的议论文或说明文。文章内容多涉及科普或社会常识方面，是具有一定时代感、现实性或科学性的文章。

【附：历年英语知识运用文章分析表】

年份主题题材体裁

2010年霍桑效应对生产力影响的实验社会类说明性议论文

2009年人类和动物智力问题的讨论社会类议论文

2008年人类的智慧与经历与遗传的关系社会类议论文

2006年美国无家可归人口问题社会类议论文

2005年人类嗅觉的灵敏度社会类议论文

2004年青少年犯罪的原因社会类说明性议论文

2003年青少年的身心教育教育类说明性议论文

2002年传媒发展及其影响社会类说明性议论文

2001年付款给证人是非法的社会类议论文

2000年农业经济社会类议论文

1999年劳动安全措施 社会类说明性议论文

1998年对英国工业革命的看法社会类议论文

1997年美国人力资源公司及其影响社会类说明性议论文

1996年维生素科普类说明文

1995年睡眠的两个阶段科普类说明文

综上所述，英语知识运用的文章多以科普或社会常识方面的说明性议论文居多，因此考生如果平时多读这一类文章，积累多方面的词汇和背景知识，就很容易弄清文章的大意和逻辑关系，为做题打下良好的基础。

二、文章结构特点

英语知识运用的文章一般都比较短（300词左右），而且中间设置20个空格。为使文章主题易于把握，主线思路清晰，文章的结构最常采用总分对照型或总分总对照型。

此种结构对于整篇文章而言，是通过总述句概括出文章的中心主线，然后由分述部分对总述，即中心主线再展开详细描述。总述是以分述的概括，而分述是对总述的展开，两者之间有着明确的相互支撑、相互印证的对照关系。

这种结构的文章首句或首段就是总述句，或者叫做topic sentence，直接概括出整篇文章的中心主线。明白了这个特点，我们做题时就一定要特别重视文章的首句或首段，以及首句后的第二句，该句也可能是总述句的部分；其次要重视每一段的首句。

【示例】（2009年）

Research on animal intelligence always makes us wonder just how smart humans are. 1 the fruit-fly experiments described by Carl Zimmer in the Science Times. Fruit flies who were

taught to be smarter than the average fruit fly 2 to live shorter lives. This suggests that 3 bulbs burn longer, that there is a(n) 4 in not being too bright.

Intelligence, it 5 , is a high-priced option. It takes more upkeep, burns more fuel and is slow 6 the starting line because it depends on learning — a(n) 7 process — instead of instinct. Plenty of other species are able to learn, and one of the things they’ve apparently learned is when to 8 .

Is there an adaptive value to 9 intelligence? That’s the question behind this new research. Instead of casting a wistful glance 10 at all the species we’ve left in the dust I.Q.-wise, it implicitly asks what the real 11 of our own intelligence might be. This is 12 the mind of every animal we’ve ever met.

Research on animal intelligence also makes us wonder what experiments animals would 13 on humans if they had the chance. Every cat with an owner, 14, is running a small-scale study in operant conditioning. We believe that 15 animals ran the labs, they would test us to 16 the limits of our patience, our faithfulness, our memory for locations. They would try to decide what intelligence in humans is really 17 , not merely how much of it there is. 18 , they would hope to study a(n) 19 question: Are humans actually aware of the world they live in? 20 the results are inconclusive.

【分析】这篇文章是典型的总分总对照型结构。文章首段为总述部分，首句Research on animal intelligence always makes us wonder just how smart humans are.提出全文要讨论的主题“人与动物的智力问题”；接下来，举例说明聪明不一定有好处。第二、三段一实一虚从两方面进一步阐述论证“不是很聪明也是一种优势”，支持总述部分：第二段反面指出聪明要付出高昂的代价（Intelligence, is a high-priced option.）；第三段正面围绕有限智力的适应价值展开讨论。最后一段与首段相呼应，对人类的智力进行反思，注意此段与首段的呼应体现（Research on animal intelligence also makes us wonder….）。

三、考查要点

课堂练习

Exercise 1

From childhood to old age, we all use language as a means of broadening our knowledge of ourselves and the world around us. When humans first 1 , they were like newborn children, unable to use this 2 tool. Yet once language developed, the possibilities for humanki nd’s future 3 and cultural growth increased.

Many linguists believe that evolution is 4 for our ability to produce and use language. They 5 that our highly evolved brain provides us 6 an innate language ability not found in lower organisms. 7 of this innateness theory say that our 8 for language is inborn, but that language itself develops gradually, 9 a function of the growth of the brain during childhood. Therefore, these are critical 10 times for language development.

Current reviews of innateness theory are 11 ; however, evidence supporting the existence of some innate abilities is undeniable. 12 more and more schools are discovering that foreign languages are best taught in 13 grades. Young children often can learn several languages by being 14 to them, while adults have a much harder time