SAT阅读词汇题与写作基调题型解析（广州智美教育 吴艳）
对于SAT阅读部分的考试，题型的难易是有差别的。在SAT的众多题型中，比较容易把握住的题型是词汇word meaning、写作基调tone、作者态度attitude、作者评论comment这几类。在本篇讲解中，我们先来看这样几类题型，帮助大家把容易拿到分数的题型先熟悉并且解决，这样，就可以在阅读考试中增加正确率，也可以提高做题的速度。
一、词汇题Word meaning
对于此类题目，我们需要把选项中的词汇带回原文，选择适合原文语境的选项，也就是说，同义词的选项不一定是正确的选项。值得注意的是，在寻找原文的语境时，不可只看题干词汇所在的那一句或是半句，而是要结合上下文，至少是题干词汇所在位置前后的2-3句话。
广州智美教育 老师举例:
In line 43, “fair” most nearly means
A. right
B. attractive
C. impartial
D. adequate
E. moderate
原文:Finally, I felt the sullen rage of one whose suggestions have been systematically rejected and I exploded. “Why don’t you stop? It’s not fair to look at people and then not stop!”
在这个例子中，我们可以发现，文章要表现对于“父亲”不停车的事实表示愤怒，所以划线部分应该选择“合理”、“正确”之意，贴近于题干同义词的选项是A和C, 我们把每个选项带回原文中，发现A项是正确的。
举例2:
In line 74, “homely” most nearly means
A. simple
B. ugly
C. domestic
D. secure
E. comfortable
原文:She encouraged me to listen carefully to what country people called mother wit. That in those homely sayings was couched the collective wisdom of generations.
在这个例子中，我们可以找到homely所在句子的前后有对比的含义，也就是说“在homely的语录中蕴含着几代人的智慧”。因此，我们要找的含义为“简单”、“单调”等等，与homely同义的选项有A和B项，正确的答案为A。
还有一个明显偏离同义选项的例子:
In context, the word “visited” (line 35) most nearly means
A. called on
B. shared an experience with
C. resided temporarily with
D. haunted
E. afflicted
原文:This was a hard thing to bear, but this was nothing. I had not advanced another two hundred yards, when, to my inexpressible terror, amazement, and indignation, I again beheld Trabb’s boy approaching. He was coming round a narrow corner. His blue bag was slung over his shoulder, honest industry beamed in his eyes, a determination to proceed to Trabb’s with cheerful briskness was indicated in his gait. With a shock he became aware of me, and was severely visited as before; but this time his motion was rotatory, and he staggered round and round me with knees more afflicted, and ...
在这个例子中，visited的同义选项为A项，但是根据原文的意思，不应该选择“被拜访的”含义，根据本句及上文的内容，通过排除法可以判断出，选择的是E项。
二、写作基调tone
对于写作基调的题目，我们可以概括地讲，比例略大一些的题目是选择比较消极的基调，比如讽刺、后悔、难过等等，其他的题目涉及的基调则种类比较多样，比如坚定、欣赏、分析、乐观等等。这种题的做题方法是在原文中寻找带有明显感情色彩的词汇或句子，或者看原文的句式及标志性的词汇，根据这些提示性的内容判断文章的基调。我们来看下面的例子:
Overall, the narrator’s tone in the passage is best described as
A. celebratory
B. reverent
C. confident
D. condescending
E. regretful
原文:
I had sold out.
I hadn’t played square with my myth.
I had betrayed that order.
It was no good soothing myself with...
在上面的句子中，通过sold out/ hadn’t played square/betrayed/no good soothing首先可以判断出，选择消极的基调，然后根据含义，选择E项。
再来看下面的例子:
The tone of the opening sentence of each passage is best described as
A. pensive
B. ironic
C. hyperbolic
D. assured
E. reverent
原文:
Variable work schedules are an inexpensive way for employers to offer their workers greater flexibility.
Fusion of home and work will bring an end to weekends.
在原文的两个句子中，我们可以分析出，句子为陈述句，而且为下定义的语气，因此答案选择D项。
第三个例子:
The author’s tone in the final paragraph is best described as
A. impatient
B. anxious
C. apologetic
D. optimistic
E. emotional
原文:Perhaps my brown rice needs packaging, a frame that links the natural food community with a Japanese American sensibility. I imagine a type of brown rice sushi, with the rice encased within nori seaweed, a literal and symbolic wrapping within Japanese tradition. Brown rice then would no longer substitute for white rice on a dinner plate but rather be a creative, alternative form of making and serving food.
划线的部分出现了比较多的积极、预测的含义，因此，根据原文含义，我们可以选择D项。
（未完待续）