新高考改革背景下,学生需要掌握的基本词汇量为3 000+,但是基于真实语料的语篇,会出现更加灵活使用的词汇和语块:包括派生词、合成词、转化词、课标外的拓展词及熟词生义等;也包括灵活搭配的词组、习语和俚语等。因此,构建充实的词汇库,能够帮助考生有效地突破词汇障碍,强化对语篇的准确理解和把握。
一、运用构词方法——培养高效理解力
词汇是阅读语篇的基本单位,是一种语言中所有词和词组的总和。词是语言的建构材料,也是最小的能够独立运用的语言单位。词汇中的任何词语都是通过一定的句法关系和语义关系与其他词语建立起一定联系的,并在语境中传递信息。
因此,词汇的学习不只是记忆词的音、形、义,更重要的是在语篇中,通过听、说、读、看、写等语言活动,理解和表达与各种主题相关的信息或观点。近些年的高考题目已经模糊了原有的所谓的高中词汇界限,和四六级词汇有更多的重合。因此,采用各种策略扩大词汇量具有重要的意义。学生可以通过“话题分类记忆、语境辅助记忆、词根拓展记忆”三个方面来梳理、强化词汇。而这一切的基础就是要掌握英语的构词法,即了解词汇的词根、词缀,掌握词性变化规律,在语境中理解具体词语的功能、词义的内涵和外延,有效扩充词汇量。英语构词法主要分为三种:派生法、合成法和转化法。
1.派生法
词根加上前缀或者后缀构成一个与原单词意义相近或截然相反的新词的方法为派生法。一般来说,词根决定词义,前缀改变单词的含义,后缀改变单词的词性。
【典例】 (2024·新高考全国卷Ⅱ阅读A)
Breathtaking views of the lowlands of Carlow can be enjoyed in the presence of welcoming guides from local walking clubs. A torch (手电筒) along with suitable clothing is essential for walking in the dark. Those who are dressed inappropriately will be refused permission to participate.
[分析]
典例词汇 词性 含义 前缀/后缀 词根
presence n. 出现;存在 ce present adj.出席的;到场的
welcoming adj. 友好的;热情的 ing welcome v.欢迎
suitable adj. 合适的 able suit v.适合
inappropriately adv. 不适当地 in / ly appropriate adj.适当的
permission n. 许可;批准 ssion permit v.允许;准许
2.合成法
由两个或两个以上的单词连在一起合成一个新词的方法为合成法。合成词一般看其词,便可知其意。
【典例1】 (2024·新高考全国卷Ⅰ阅读B)
He became interested in alternative treatments 20 years ago when he suffered from terrible back pain. He tried muscle relaxing drugs but found little relief.
[分析] muscle relaxing adj.[合成词]让肌肉放松的(muscle+relaxing, n.+v. ing形式)。
【典例2】 (2024·新高考全国卷Ⅱ阅读A)
Bring along your camera and enjoy the wonderful views along this well surfaced forest path.
[分析] well surfaced adj.[合成词]表面平坦的(well+surfaced, adv.+v. ed形式)。
【典例3】 (2024·浙江卷1月阅读C)
“We affect only a very small percentage of the total moisture in the air, so we cannot be causing drought,” Dr. Krauss says. “In fact, we may be helping increase the moisture downwind by creating wetter ground.”
[分析] downwind adv.[合成词]在下风处(down+wind, adv.+n.形式)。
3.转化法
一个单词由一种词性转化为另一种或几种词性,而词形不变的方法为转化法, 即常见的熟词生义或旧词新义。
【典例】 (2024·新高考全国卷Ⅱ阅读C)
We all know fresh is best when it comes to food. However, most produce at the store went through weeks of travel and covered hundreds of miles before reaching the table. While farmer's markets are a solid choice to reduce the journey, Babylon Micro Farm (BMF) shortens it even more.
[分析] 根据本段内容可知,商店的大部分农产品要经历几周的运输并跨越很长的距离才能到达人们的餐桌。 尽管农贸市场是缩短这一过程的可靠的选择,但巴比伦微型农场能进一步缩短这一过程。由此可推知:
produce(熟义) v.生产 (文章义) n.农产品
cover(熟义) v.覆盖 (文章义) v.行进(一段路程)
solid(熟义) adj.固体的 (文章义) adj.可靠的
二、拓展文化视野——积累俚语及惯用表达
近年的高考英语中,总会有一些单词组合和表达,明明拆开看每个单词都认识,但组合在一起其意义就发生了改变。这些组合和表达往往是俚语或者惯用表达,是人们在日常生活中总结出来的通俗易懂、顺口的且具有地方色彩的词语。由于其地域性强,较生活化,而被赋予了丰富的文化背景,这往往会成为阅读的极大障碍。 因此,考生要在平时多注重积累,并结合上下文进行合理推测,才能更好地克服俚语及惯用表达造成的阅读障碍。
【典例1】 (2024·新高考全国卷Ⅰ阅读A)
We'll be working rain or shine. Wear clothes that can get dirty.
[分析] “rain or shine”字面意思是不论晴雨,用来形容无论如何都要按计划行动,风雨无阻,引申为“在任何时候、无论如何”。
【典例2】 (2024·新高考全国卷Ⅱ阅读A)
Walking at night time is a great way to step out of your comfort zone.
[分析] “comfort zone”指的是舒适区,是一个让人感到舒适、安全和没有压力的地方或情景,尤指自我放松、不追求更高成就的状态。跳出舒适区是一种自我探险,是发现内在潜能和新可能性的途径。
【典例3】 (2024·新高考全国卷Ⅱ阅读B)
Yes, we all have our phones, but many of us still like to go old school and read something printed.
[分析] “old school”引申为“守旧派、老派”。有时候是褒义,表示“按照传统来做事”;有时候是贬义,表示“墨守成规、不与时俱进”。
【典例4】 (2024·新高考全国卷Ⅱ阅读D)
In__the__wrong__hands,__such a book could prove as complicated to process as the computer code (代码) that powers AI but, thankfully, Campbell has more than two decades' professional experience translating the heady into the understandable. She writes from the practical angle of a business person rather than as an academic, making for a guide which is highly accessible and informative and which, by the close, will make you feel almost as smart as AI.
32.What does the phrase “In the wrong hands” in paragraph 2 probably mean
A.If read by someone poorly educated.
B.If reviewed by someone ill intentioned.
C.If written by someone less competent.
D.If translated by someone unacademic.
[分析] “in the wrong hands”本意指落到不妥当的人手里。 根据画线词后的“but, thankfully, Campbell has...translating the heady into the understandable”可知,坎贝尔有二十多年的专业经验,她能将令人头晕的东西转化为容易理解的东西。由此可推知,画线短语指的应该是如果换一个学术能力不如坎贝尔的人来写这本书。
【典例5】 (2024·全国甲卷阅读B)
Dogs are known for their impressive fetching habit, but cats take__this__behavior__up__a__notch. Many cats will find random objects outside and bring them to their owners. This is a very old habit that's been present in all kinds of predators (食肉动物). Cats bring gifts for their owners to show they love you. These adorable little hunters are just doing something that it's been in their nature since the beginning of time. So just go along with it!
26.Which best explains the phrase “take...up a notch” in paragraph 3
A.Perform appropriately. B.Move faster.
C.Act strangely. D.Do better.
[分析] 画线短语前提到狗以其令人印象深刻的取物习惯而闻名,下文介绍了猫的行为,它们会将在外面找到的物品带到主人身边以表达它们的爱意,故画线短语所在部分表明猫将这种行为提升了一个档次,它们在取物方面做得更好。类似地,dial it up a notch/step it up a notch也可以表示“再接再厉、精益求精、更上一层楼、百尺竿头更进一步”之意。
三、分析逻辑结构——有效克服阅读障碍
在一些关键位置,通过分析逻辑结构,可以对一些生词进行合理地猜测,克服阅读障碍。
1.如果是专有名词(包括大写的、由普通名词构成的专有名词)或课标外词汇,对文章理解有关键作用且没有汉语注释,那么上下文会用同位语、表语、定语或定语从句或者“同位语+定语或定语从句”的方式进行解释或说明。
【典例1】 (2024·浙江卷1月阅读A)
This year Nathan Turner of Burlington is Tom Sawyer, and Robbie McMath of Fort Mitchell is Huck Finn.
Turner, a 10th grader at School for Creative and Performing Arts, is a familiar presence on Cincinnati's stages. He is a star actor of Children's Theatre, having played leading roles in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “The Wizard of Oz”, and is fresh from Jersey Production “Ragtime”.
McMath is a junior at Beechwood High School. He was in the cast of “Tom Sawyer” when it was first performed and is a Children's Theatre regular, with five shows to his credit. This summer he attended Kentucky's Governor's School for the Arts in Musical Theatre.
[分析] 第二段中的“Turner, a 10th grader at...on Cincinnati's stages”和第三段中的“McMath is a junior...with five shows to his credit.”用同位语和表语对Turner和McMath进行解释说明。由此可知,Turner和McMath指两名经验丰富的演员,为人名。
2.在语境中通过前后比较,利用逻辑关系推测词义。在具体运用时,可以利用文中所使用的词进行对比,如通过例证关系、同义词、反义词、转折词等推出某一单词(词组)的含义。
【典例2】 (2024·新高考全国卷Ⅰ阅读C)
When reading texts of several hundred words or more, learning is generally more successful when it's on paper than onscreen. A large amount of research confirms this finding. The benefits of print reading particularly shine__through when experimenters move from posing simple tasks—like identifying the main idea in a reading passage—to ones that require mental abstraction—such as drawing inferences from a text.
28.What does the underlined phrase “shine through” in paragraph 2 mean
A.Seem unlikely to last.
B.Seem hard to explain.
C.Become ready to use.
D.Become easy to notice.
[分析] 根据本段前两句可知,有纸化学习通常比在屏幕上学习更成功。故画线短语所在句应该是指从提出简单的任务转向需要抽象思维的任务时,这种有纸化阅读的好处尤其明显,也就是说很容易被注意到。
具体方法将在题型篇的“题型突破四 以一持万的词句猜测题”中详细阐述。
四、强化词块意识——构建有效语义网
词块是集功能和形式于一体,兼具词汇和语法特征的语言块。以词块作为记忆单位,是精准理解、流利表达的关键。通过掌握词块,使词汇意义、语法作用和语用意义有机结合在一起,可以提高活用词语的能力,生成连贯流利的语言,实现具体语境中的词汇学习。结合具体主题和特定语境来运用有效的语义网及迁移词语的能力,将内化的语块与语法结构相结合,应用到阅读理解中来消除阅读障碍,达成信息的有效提取。
【典例】 (2024·新高考全国卷Ⅱ阅读D)①Given ②the astonishing potential of AI to transform our lives, we all need to ③take action to ④deal with our AI powered future, and this is ⑤where AI by Design: A Plan for Living with Artificial Intelligence comes in.
[分析] ①given prep.鉴于;考虑到;②the astonishing potential 惊人的潜力;③take action 采取行动;④deal with 处理;应对;⑤where引导表语从句。