在閱讀中，人們首先理解的是語言的字面意義。然而，語言所表達的內容常常超過其字面意義。這就需要我們掌握邏輯判斷和推理的方法，根據事物發展的自然規律以及語言本身的內在聯系，從一定的文字符號中獲得盡可能多的信息。
有時，作者在文中并未把需要讀者理解的所有意思直接表達出來，而期待讀者能領悟文章的內在含義，即從字里行間來體會他想表達的意思。由于有的意思文中沒有直接說明，讀者必須根據文中所陳述內容的邏輯發展，上下文的聯貫以及文中有關部分的暗示，作出判斷或進行推理。
在閱讀中，判斷和推理的能力是十分重要的。只有具備這種能力，才有可能真正地弄懂文章中語言上沒有明確表達卻又隱含的意思，達到真正的理解。
一、判斷
在閱讀中，有時要求我們對文章中闡述的事實或細節，按照邏輯發展的規律進行分析和概括，并以此為依據得出結論。我們將這個過程稱作“判斷”。為了對所讀材料作出正確的判斷，以得出合乎邏輯的結論，我們必須仔細地閱讀，準確地掌握事實，并對其進行認真的分析和思考。
例一：
The male and female mosquitoes make an odd couple. The female is a vampire and lives on blood. The male is a vegetarian that sips nectar and plant juices. Females of different species choose different hosts on which to dine. Some feed exclusively on cattle, horses, birds, and other warm-blooded creatures. Some favor cold-blooded animals. Still others prefer man.
While the female's menu varies, her bite remains the same. She drives her sharp tubular snout through the skin, injects a fluid to keep the blood from thickening, and drinks her fill, which takes a minute or less. It is the fluid she injects that carries disease. After her blood meal, she rests while her eggs develop. She then looks for a moist or flooded place to lay them.
根據文中the male is a vegetarian that sips nectar and plant juices我們可以得出結論：雄蚊相對地說對人類無害。根據文中The female is a vampire and lives on blood. Some feed on... warm-blooded creatures. Some favour cold-blooded animals. Still others prefer man. 我們可以得出結論：雌蚊對多數動物構成威脅。縱觀全文，我們可作出判斷：“蚊子應該被消滅?！?/FONT>
二、推理
推理就是以已知的事實為依據，來獲得未知的信息。在閱讀中，我們要善于利用文章中明確表示的內容，進行正確的推理，以挖掘作者的隱含意思。要求進行推理的問題，在文中均找不到直接答案。如果問題要求理解某句或某段的含蓄意義，我們必須在文中找到所涉及的關鍵詞語，仔細閱讀一至兩遍，吃透意思，并以此為根據，進行分析和推理。然后，再逐個考慮選擇項，選出答案。如果需要進行推理判斷的內容涉及全文，則必須在理解通篇中心思想、掌握全文邏輯發展過程的基礎上，才能進行正確的推理判斷。答題時，還應認真審題，特別是注意原文中的意思在題目中的表達形式，準確理解題意和要求。
例二：
The telephone rang and I picked it up and the voice said, “Block party tonight.”Right then, I knew summer had arrived in North Dakota.
I'll tell you ,there is nobody who enjoys summer more than North Dakotan, possibly because it takes such a long time getting here. We emerge from our cocoons into the sun and ready to go. We take to summer like a chorus girl takes to diamonds. We flood to the parks and the swimming pools and the golf courses and the hiking trails and the lakes. You ask a dozen North Dakotans what summer means to them and you will get a dozen different answers.
根據文中Right then I knew summer had arrived,我們可以推斷the block party 通常是夏季舉行的活動，這表明‘夏天來臨了’。根據文中...there is nobody who enjoys summer more than the North Dakotans. Summer takes such a long time getting here.我們可以推斷這個地區的冬天是漫 長而枯燥無味的。根據文中We flood to the parks and the swimming pools and the golf courses and the hiking trails and the lakes. 我們還可以推斷出當地的人們非常喜歡戶外活動。
例三：
Like other opinions about the situation, Burke's predictably, and sensibly, fore casts a rise in unemployment among the young.
從此句我們可以推斷出：1) 說話者同意Burke的年青人失業現象要增多的看法(根據predict ably, and sensibly); 2) Burke 不是唯一持這種看法的人(根據like other opinions...)
例四：更多信息請訪問：http://www.24en.com/
Directions: Read the following passage and choose the statement(s) which can definitely be inferred.
In 1980, Canada announced strict additional limits on ownership of energy companies by foreign institutions and individuals. Since these may no longer own more than 50 percent of such companies, sources of capital for these corporations are now sharply restricted.
(A) Before 1980, foreigners were allowed to own a majority of shares in Canadian energy companies.
(B) Canada's 1980 limitations on energy — company ownership have caused some problems for these enterprises.
(C) After 1980, foreigners may not own a majority share in a Canadian company.
(D) Before 1980, there were no limitations on foreign individuals owning Canadian energy companies.
選擇項(A)符合題意，因為文中談到這一限制是80年宣布的，據此可以推斷80年前尚無此規定。選擇項(B)也符合題意，因文中談到這些企業資金來源將受到限制，據此可以推斷該限制將會給這些企業帶來問題。(C)項不符合題意，因文中指的是energy companies，而不是所有的公司。(D)項也不符合題意，因為文中談到80年宣布的是additional limits, 據此可以推斷在此以前已有其它限制。 |