1 短對話
首先,從短對話來看,語言考點本身的繼承表現(xiàn)為考察重點和語言表達兩個方面。
從考察重點上來看,歷年四級考試都注重了原因、轉折、建議、反問等內容的考察。而從這次的四級考試中可以看到類似的蹤跡:
11. W: Just imagine! We have to finish reading 300 pages before Monday! How can the professor expect us to do it in such a short time?
M: Yeah, but what troubles me is that I can’t find the book in the library or in the university bookstore.
Q: What does the man mean?
此題明顯考察了轉折考點,對男人回答中but部分針對提問。
12. M: Do you think I could borrow your car to go grocery shopping? The supermarkets outside the city are so much cheaper. I’d also be happy to pick up anything you need.
W: Well, I don’t like to let anyone else drive my car. Tell you what, why don’t we go together?
Q: What does the woman mean?
此題明顯考察了反問和建議考點,對女人回答中部分why don’t we go together?針對提問。
15. W: I was so angry yesterday! My biology teacher did not even let me explain why I missed the field trip. He just wouldn’t let me pass!
M: That doesn’t seem fair. I’d feel that way too if I were you.
Q: What does the man imply?
本題考察建議句型考點,以if I were you的方式表達了男人對該觀點的認可。
從語言表達上來看,歷年四級考試都注重了語音、語調、語速,場景詞匯和詞組,句式表達和考察。而從這次的四級考試中可以看到類似的蹤跡:
14. W: What time would suit you for the first round talks with John Smith?
M: Well, you know my schedule. Other than this Friday, one day is as good as the next.
Q: What does the man mean?
本題主要考察語言表達的語音上的特色,用英音的方式讀的schedule對考生來說有相當難度。
13. M: Forgive the mess in here, we had a party last night. There were a lot of people and they all brought food.
W: Yeah, I can tell. Well, I guess it’s pretty obvious what you’ll be doing most of today.
Q: What does the woman think the man will do?
本題屬于06年6月24日第一次新題型第12題的內容更新。當時原題也是提到了make a mess,并且clean it up yourself的表達。
16. M: I really can’t stand the way David controls the conversation all the time. If he is going to be at your Christmas party, I just won’t come.
W: I’m sorry you feel that way, but my mother insists that he come.
Q: What does the woman imply?
本題是短對話中考得最神奇的一道題,該題是對95年6月考題的完全重復,唯一的區(qū)別是把讀題的男女雙方換了一下。無獨有偶的是,去年長對話就出現(xiàn)了對89年考題的原文重復,將89年第十題的短對話變成了長對話考題的一個回合內容。正如筆者曾分析的,考生必須對老題重新樹立一個正確的態(tài)度,畢竟來說,重復十年內考題的概率要低很多,反而是更早的考題不容易引起正義。
2 長對話和段子題
長對話和段子題部分而言,本次考題同樣對往年的考點進行了完整的闡釋。
比如文首的重要性表現(xiàn)在:
長對話第一篇的19題B It requires him to work long hours.是對文章開頭回合W: What sort of hours do you work, Steve? M: Well I have to work very long hours, about eleven hours a day. 的考察。
長對話第二篇的23題A The pocket money British children get.也是對文章開頭的考察,以名詞方式考察了對話主題。W: Now you’ve seen this table of figures about the pocket money children in Britain get? M: Yes. I thought it was quite interesting, but I don’t quite understand the column entitled change. Can you explain what it means?
段子題的第一篇26題A District managers,同樣出現(xiàn)在文章首句As the new sales director for a national computer firm, Alex Gordon was looking forward to his first meeting with the company’s district managers.中。
段子題第二篇30題C Ask to see the manager politely but firmly.也同樣在文首The way to complain is to act business-like and important. If your complaint is immediate, suppose you got the wrong order at a restaurant, make a polite but firm request to see the manager.出現(xiàn)
段子題第三篇33題B Architect.雖然略靠后,但也在文首三句中出現(xiàn)Barbara Sanders is a wife and the mother of two children, ages 2 and 4. Her husband, Tom, is an engineer and makes an excellent salary. Before Barbara had children, she worked as an architect for the government, designing government housing.
無一例外的考察文首的現(xiàn)象在歷年都很罕見,但此次卻出題如此工整。
再如:
第20題D It demands physical endurance and patience.的問題為Q 20. What does the man think is the hardest part of his job?和第21題D In a hotel.的問題為Q 21. Where did the man get his first job after graduation? 看看這兩個問題,是否可以發(fā)現(xiàn)其中的hardest和first的存在,標志了考察重點所在。同樣觀察下31題Q31 Why does the speaker say the worst way to complain is over the telephone?,恐怕大家都能發(fā)現(xiàn)關鍵信息的標志了。
類似Q34 What does Barbara's husband suggest she do if she wants to work?的建議考點也同樣表現(xiàn)明顯。
所以就段子題而言,可以歸納如下:
從體裁上講,本次考試并未出現(xiàn)以往較難的說明文(例如09年12月“介紹木星的衛(wèi)星”,09年6月“喂鳥知識”),而是代以一篇小故事和兩篇議論文。事實上,從教學和測試的角度講,任何事物都是平衡的。故事類的考題內容較簡單,但考題可以設計的較難,因為題目可以建立在必須聽懂的基礎之上,如本次考試passage 1的最后一題及其正確答案(gender sensitive)。本次議論文的設計中規(guī)中矩,沒有較難的考題。
從解題方法上講,我們一貫的解題思路依然適用,而且非常有效:
1. 聽到什么選什么。我們建議考生在解四級聽力文章題時盡量選擇和聽到的內容基本一致的答案,盡管一般情況下只有第一題的正確率較高,但本次考試的此種題目占到總題量的80%(除了passage 1的最后兩題)。例如passage 2的開頭“…… If your complaint is immediate, suppose you got the wrong order at a restaurant, make a polite but firm request to see the manager.”,最后的正確答案“Ask to see the manager politely but firmly.”及passage 3的中段“…… He also thinks that a woman should stay home with her children. If Barbara feels the need to do socially important work, he thinks that she should do volunteer work one or two days a week.”,而正確答案是“Do some volunteer work. ”
2. 絕對化聽力考點。“文章題到底該聽什么?”一直是困惑考生的基本問題,本次出現(xiàn)了一貫的絕對化考點詞如我們上課所說的main, chief, major, most(最高級)等等,這些詞之后出現(xiàn)考點,例如passage 1中的“……, Alex Gordon was looking forward to his first meeting with the company's district managers. ……”,passage 2種的“The worst way to complain is over the telephone. …… So you can't tell how the person on the line is reacting.”
3. 議論文的考題重點在情緒化考點詞。正如四級考試是“淘劣不選優(yōu)”的測試方法,建議考生在聽文章時盡量選擇簡單詞,而議論文重點在于作者的論點,往往“是非,褒貶”的概念更為重要,例如passage 3最后一題“.….. Tom does not think a babysitter can replace a mother and thinks it's a bad idea for the children to spend so much time with someone who's not part of the family.”,其中的劃線詞是必須聽到的內容,表達了情緒化觀點,而且也是最容易的聽力內容。
3 復合式聽寫
最后我們來看一下聽寫部分。單詞而言,36. Curious 37. Figuring 38. Independent 39. Interacting 40. Formal 41. Abstract 42. Mystery依然是對名、動、形、副詞的考察。其中真正算得上比較難的詞匯的也就是interact一詞,何況mystery也曾經(jīng)出現(xiàn)在03年的聽寫中。
句子而言,其長度分別為13、14、16字,對于句子而言,不算長句,應該也在考生能掌握的范圍之內。
43. he has found out how it works and learnt to use it appropriately.
44. by trying it out and seeing whether it works, by gradually changing it and refining it
45. including many of the concepts that the schools think only they can teach him,
其中相對較難單詞也僅表現(xiàn)為gradually,refining,和concept。
綜上所述,考生對往年考題語言、考點、技巧的把握均作用于以后的考試中,所謂“熟能生巧,巧能生精”;“熟讀唐詩三百首,不會作詩也會吟”都是對當今考生的浮躁情緒的一種警示,提醒如今考生戒驕戒躁、腳踏實地地掌握知識,而避免在考前臨時抱佛腳,拜曾哥不掛科的投機思想。