冲击波英语专八系列:解析专八对话/访谈
III 细辨问题
在访谈中,一般有一位采访者,一位受采访者。两人之间,采访者占主动地位,提出问题,引导受采访者回答。而受采访者根据采访者的问题提供具体信息。在5个多项选择题中,很有可能出现与录音材料原文中相似,甚至一模一样的问题。遇到这种情况,应集中注意力在这个问题的回答上,即可轻松找到答案。
如2004年访谈的第4题:
What does Professor Wang suggest to cope with the situation caused by increasing numbers
of fee-paying students?
A. Shifting from one programme to another.
B. Working out ways to reduce student number.
C. Emphasizing better quality of education.
D. Setting up stricter examination standards.
此题询问如何应对自费生人数增加的问题。在访谈中,采访者问道:How do you comment on the current phenomenon that more and more universities admit students because of the fees they pay? 正好对应了该问题。仔细听受采访者下面的回答肯定能找到答案。受采访者的回答是:Well, once you accept students on fi nancial grounds, one wonders whether you have to pass them as well, but this is the development in education that we have to contend with. Yet, if we are concerned about maintaining standards, what we can do is to concentrate on improving the quality of education. 可以看出受采访者认为自费生人数增加是不能回避的问题,只有依赖提高教育质量才能保持学校的水平。因此答案是C。
又如2011年访谈的第1题:
According to Dr. Harley, what makes language learning more diffi cult after a certain age?
A. Declining capacity to learn syntax.
B. Differences between two languages.
C. Lack of time available.
D. Absence of motivation.
此题询问超过一定年纪学习外语变得困难的原因。在访谈中,采访者问道:Okay, most people think, including me, it is diffi cult to learn another language. What are the reasons? Why is it so? 正好对应了该问题。那么受采访者的回答必然就是答案了。受采访者先说:Well, there are a number of reasons for this. 表明有很多原因。然后继续:First, there have been research studies, they have shown that some aspects of language learning, especially syntax, are more diffi cult beyond a certain age, say after around twelve years of age. 指出研究显示句法学习能力随年龄增长而减弱。因此答案为A。
有些题目的答案不能一下子从选项中找出。如果四个选项的信息都出现在录音材料原文中,若听到一点信息就盲目选择必然会出现错误,此时应耐心听下去,一边排除错误的选项,一边寻找正确的选项,才能保证正确率。
如2006年访谈的第3题:
According to Miss Green, the main difference between the Department of Employment and
the advertising agency lies in .
A. the nature of work B. office decoration
C. offi ce location D. work procedures
在录音材料原文中当聘用者假设广告公司和劳工部的工作截然不同(And after that you worked for three years in an advertising agency. That must’ve been a bit of change from the Department of Employment, wasn’t it?)时,Miss Green回答Well, not really. 考生这时就应特别注意下面提到的不同之处了。Miss Green先说I suppose the office furnishings were a bit more sophisticated, but the work was quite similar. 符合选项B(offi ce decoration)的内容,应在B旁边做 上记号。Miss Green接下来又说 I was basically still doing the same thing, designing questionnaires, going out, asking questions and writing reports. 表明两种工作的性质是相同的,所以选项A错误。她后来又说 The only difference was that this time I wasn’t asking people about their work. I was asking them what kind of shampoo they bought and if they prefer brand X to brand Y. Then I’d make up a report and the agency would use the information in their advertising campaigns. 表明新公司的工作程序和原来的一样,唯一的区别是原来问别人的工作情况,而现在问别人喜欢用什么品牌的洗发水。因此选项D也错误。而选项C在原文中并未涉及。经过排除,可以确定答案为B。
还有的问题中有NOT,BUT,EXCEPT,INCORRECT等词,需要考生排除掉三个正确信息,剩下的那个才是答案。考生在做这类细节题时需要仔细听比较长的录音材料原文,在听到的正确信息所对应的选项旁打钩,全部听完后没有打钩的选项即为答案。
又如2008年对话的第3题:
Freddy has cited the following advantages for a new airport EXCEPT .
A. more job opportunities B. vitality to the local economy
C. road construction D. presence of aircrew in the area
这是一道细节题,也需用排除法解答。关于建造新机场的益处,Freddy提到:But, uh, airports do bring some local advantages. They bring roads. There is obviously extra employment. For instance, new hotels, shops, restaurants will have to be built. This means more jobs for the locals and it is good for local economy. 此时应在选项A和选项B上打个钩。后来他又提到:But, the airport infra...infrastructure relies on housing and other facilities for the great number of people who would be employed in the airport. The pilots, even, the stewardesses, they have to live somewhere near the airport, right? 选项C符合该部分信息,应该在它旁边打个钩。而选项D(当地出现空乘人员)与原文内容(为驾驶员和空姐提供住宅)有出入,所以答案是D。
再如2012年访谈的第1题:
Which of the following statements about creativity is INCORRECT?
A. Creativity stems from human beings’ novel thinking.
B. The duration of the creative process varies from person to person.
C. Creative people focus on novel thinking rather than on solutions.
D. The outcome of human creativity comes in varied forms.
此题询问与“创造力”不符合的选项。关于创造力,Andreason博士提到人的创造力始于以全新的思路思考问题然后找到解决问题的方法:This process starts with a person, for example, an artist, musician, inventor, or even someone who’s trying to fi gure out a better way of doing a task at work or at home. That person must think about the problem or their project in a novel way and then come up with a solution. 选项C忽略了寻找解决之道,因此该选项不正确。
IV 字里行间
上文提到过,态度题是访谈类材料中出现频率相当高的一种题型,而且一般无法直接找出答案。这时需要考生特别注意一些表达情感、观点的词汇,进而推断出受访谈者的态度。
如2006年访谈的第5题:
How did Miss Green react to a heavier workload in the new job?
A. She was willing and ready. B. She sounded mildly eager.
C. She was a bit surprised. D. She sounded very reluctant.
此题询问Miss Green对新工作强度更大的看法。选项A是愿意并准备好了,选项B是有一点愿意,选项C是有一点惊讶,选项D是非常不愿意。访谈中关于新工作的强度有如下一段对话:
M: And you felt the job description in our advertisement would offer you the kind of challenge you’re looking for?
W: Exactly, yes. As I said management in a larger organization and research combined. Also, to be honest with you, I heard about the job before it was advertised. A friend of mine who
works here, Mark Auston, told me a few weeks ago that you were looking for someone to take over the job. He described the position to me in quite a bit of detail. And I thought, well, that is exactly what I am looking for. So really I’d written my letter of application before the job was even advertised.
M: I should tell you that with the present cutbacks, we’ve only got one full-time administering assistant in the section. How would you feel about doing your own word processing photocopying, that sort of thing?
W: Oh, I’m used to that. I’ve done all my own word processing for ages. It’s the only way to write really, isn’t it? I can type well, about 60 words a minute. I did secretarial course after I left school, so l learned typing and shorthand. Then a few years later, I bought a PC and I learned how to do word processing too.
从Miss Green提供的关于新工作问题的回答来看,她对高强度的工作非常乐意且准备充分。一方面,她早就从公司内部的朋友那儿得知该工作的具体要求,断定这正是她向往的工作,在招聘广告还未刊登前就准备好了履历。另一方面,当聘用者提到由于公司减员,Miss Green可能要自己完成文字处理等工作时,她回答到她在原公司就已习惯于做这些,她打字速度很快,而且还进修了一些相关课程,并备有个人电脑。
又如2012年访谈的第4题:
Which of the following features of a creative personality is NOT mentioned in the interview?
A. Unconventional. B. Critical. C. Resolute. D. Original.
此题询问不符合创造性个性的选项。Andreason博士提到天赋高的创造力强的人一般不走寻常路,且始终遵循自己的想法:They often like to explore new places or ideas, they don’t like being hemmed in by rules or conventions, and they often look at problems from a different angle. Another point is they often have to move doggedly ahead on a project even when the outside world rejects their art or new ideas. 这些内容涵盖A、C和D三个选项,没有提到选项B. critical(批判的)。因此答案为B。