【题型说明】幽默故事类阅读文章是高考常选材料之一。这类文章是对社会生活、人的外貌及性格特征、言行举止等某些可笑的特征进行喜剧性描述的特殊文体。其特点是对事情本身的描述符合人们的一般思维习惯,而文章的最后则出其不意的点出其违背常理或不合逻辑的地方。该类文章语言流畅、有趣,命题往往从故事的有关细节、文章的幽默之所在着手,以便考查同学们的思维能力和判断能力。对于这类文章,同学们也有文章好读,但题目不好做的感觉。 【题型特点】从形式上看,幽默故事都比较简短,它所描述的往往是一个片断的情景,一些有关前因后果的说明常常被省去(命题者往往会对这些被省去的情节命题,要求考生根据故事的发展和结局进行推测)。从内容上看,幽默故事往往来自于日常生活,使人感到这故事好像想得到,但随着故事的发展、矛盾的展开,尤其是意外结尾的到来,这时读者才会感到幽默之所在。另外值得一说的是:幽默故事还往往包含一些含蓄、风趣的小对话,这些对话被称为幽默故事的灵魂,所以同学们在阅读时还要注意分清在这些对话中,哪些是作铺垫的,哪些是照应前面的,而哪些才是体现“幽默”的。当你读完一篇幽默故事之后,你若还看不出其幽默之所在,我们建议你再去仔细体会一下文章中的对话,而尤其是最后的几句对话,再联系你的生活常识,幽默往往在此。至于命题,幽默故事的命题往往是推理性的,所以同学们做这类题时,一定要根据故事情节的展开、发展、结局(尤其要注意其幽默点)进行合理的推断,选出最佳答案。 【答题方法】在解答这类短文的理解题时,我们要注意以下几个方面: 1.重末尾。由于中西方人思维方式的差异,加之同学们生活经验和阅历等方面的欠缺,往往不能品味出幽默故事类文章之幽默所在。这就要求同学们在阅读时,要仔细揣摩事情发生的背景、作者的意图,特别是要重点把握文章最后几句画龙点睛的话,分析它们与上下文的对应关系,看透作品所开的善意玩笑,即幽默点,才能真正深层理解文章幽默之所在,只有这样才能做出正确选择。 2.重细节。这类文章的命题除了推理判断题外,还有事实细节题和主旨大意题。要做好事实细节题,必须重视文中细节。做好事实细节题不仅有利于加深对文章的理解,把握文章幽默之所在,而且还有利于解答主旨大意题和推理判断题。所以,对于这类文章中出现的直接引语句子要引起高度重视。 3.重复读。对于这类文章中的主旨大意题,即幽默之所在,不能做出正确概括的话,同学们一定要再读。再读时,速度可以适当快一点,可采取略读、跳读的方式阅读,只从文中抓住有用信息。这样有助于对文章的深层理解。 4.重积累。在平时的阅读训练中,多注意阅读有关文化意识(如英语国家文化背景知识、文化修养、跨文化交际等)、国际视野和民族意识等方面的材料,减少因中西方文化差异而带来的不便。 【实例分析】阅读下面的文章,然后做后面的阅读理解题: Frank Smithson woke up and leaned over to turn off the alarm clock. "Oh no!" he thought to himself. “Another day at that office; a boss who shouts at me all the time. ” As Frank went downstairs his eyes fell on a large brown envelope by the door. He was overjoyed when he opened it and read the letter inside. “Bigwoods Football Pools would like to congratulate you. You have won half a million pounds. ” Frank suddenly came to life. The cigarette(香烟) fell from his lips as he let out a shout that could be heard halfway down the street. At 11:30 Frank arrived at work. “Please explain why you’re so late,” his boss said. “Go and jump in the lake,” replied Frank. ”I’ve just come into a little money so this is goodbye. Find yourself someone else to shout at. ” That evening Frank was smoking a very expensive Havana cigar(雪茄) when a knock was heard on the door. He rushed to the door. Outside were two men, neatly dressed in gray suits. “Mr Smithson,” one of them said, "we’re from Bigwoods Pools. I’m afraid there’s been a terrible mistake ... ” 1. What do we know about Frank? A. He was a lazy man. B. He didn’t make a lot of money. C. He was a lucky person. D. He didn’t get on well with his boss. 2. When he heard the knock at the door. Frank probably thought _____. A. someone had come to make an apology B. someone had come to give him the money C. his friends had come to ask about the football pools D. his friends had come to congratulate him on his luck 3. On hearing “... there’s been a terrible mistake ...” Frank was most likely to be ______. A. disappointed B. worried C. nervous D. curious 【答案解析】这是一篇幽默故事。讲的 Smithson 是正与他的老板有些不愉快的时候,他意外地收到了足球赌博公司的一封来信,信上说他将得到该公司的一笔巨款,当天他便潇洒地向老板辞了工(即炒了老板的鱿鱼),但是后来足球赌博公司来人说他们出了点差错(即是说那笔钱不是他的),此时 Smithson 的心情可想而知。幽默故事是几年高考阅读理解的常考题材,所以同学们对此类题材的特点应有所了解。 1. 选 D。请注意其中两句对话的言外之意:一是 Another day at that office; a boss who shouts at me all the time. 从 Smithson 的这句自言自语的话中 我们可以体会到:他与老板的关系不好。二是当他到老板那儿去辞工时说的一句话。老板说:Please explain why you’re so late. 此时 Smithson 的回答是 I’ve just come into a little money so this is goodbye. Find yourself someone else to shout at. 语感好的学生可能已体会到了 Smithson 这句话的 得意和尖刻(请注意此句 a little money 与前文中 half a million pounds 在意义上的反差)。 2. 选 B。假若你是 Smithson,这天早上你收到一封信说你得到了一笔巨款, 当天你就去辞了那份令人讨厌的工作,这天晚上你在家里正抽着 a very expensive Havana cigar——也许还在做着美梦吧?! 这时门外有人敲门,你认为会是谁来了呢? 3. 选 A。门外来人正是足球赌博公司的,但他们不是来送钱的,而是来道歉的,并说 I’m afraid there’s been a terrible mistake. . . 此话的言外之意已经很清楚(即是说:那笔钱不是给他的,是他们搞错了……)。当然此时 Smithson的心情只能是 disappointed 了。 |