定義是作者為了更好地表達(dá)思想,在文章中對(duì)一些重要的概念、難懂的術(shù)語(yǔ)或 詞匯等所作的解釋。這些解釋提供的信息具有明確的針對(duì)性,利用它們猜測(cè)詞義比較容易。例如:Kinetic energy is the energy of moving particles. Kinetic enegry 可能是生詞,由定義可知,表語(yǔ)是說(shuō)明主語(yǔ)性質(zhì)內(nèi)容的。所以kinetic energy就是“運(yùn)動(dòng)粒子的能量”。再如Typhoons are cyclones,storms with strong winds rotating around a low-pressure center.如果cyclones是生詞,推斷該詞義的線索就是其后面的解釋“繞低氣壓中心形成的暴風(fēng)雨”由此我們可知cyclones的意思是“繞低氣壓中心形成的暴風(fēng)雨”。在這種解釋中定義句的謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞多為:be, mean, deal with, be considered, to be, refer to, be called, be known as, define, represent, signify, constitute等。
二、根據(jù)進(jìn)一步闡述猜測(cè)詞義
雖然進(jìn)一步闡述不如定義那樣嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)、詳細(xì),但是提供的信息足以使我們猜出生詞的詞義。復(fù)述部分可以是適當(dāng)?shù)脑~,短語(yǔ)或者句子。例如Experts in kinesics, in their study of body motion as related to speech ,hope to discover new methods of communications. 逗號(hào)中短語(yǔ)的意思是“對(duì)肢體語(yǔ)言進(jìn)行研究的學(xué)科”。短語(yǔ)與前面生詞kinesics是同位關(guān)系,因此我們不難猜出kinesics指“肢體語(yǔ)言學(xué)”。在這種復(fù)述當(dāng)中,構(gòu)成同位關(guān)系的兩部分之間多用逗號(hào)連接,有時(shí)也使用破折號(hào),冒號(hào),分號(hào),引號(hào),和括號(hào)等。另外同位語(yǔ)前還常有or, similarly, that is to say, in other words, namely, or other, 等副詞或短語(yǔ)出現(xiàn)。另外一種會(huì)以定語(yǔ)從句的形式出現(xiàn)如從句Obesity, which is a medical disorder that affects approximately 20-30% of the population of the United States of America. It is an excessive accumulation of body fat that results from the storage of excess food energy calories in the body's fat cells. 根據(jù)生詞obesity后面的非限制性定語(yǔ)從句which is a medical disorder that affects approximately 20-30% of the population of the United States of America. It is an excessive accumulation of body fat that results from the storage of excess food energy calories in the body's fat cells. 我們可以推斷出 obesity的含義,即“過(guò)度肥胖”。
三、根據(jù)舉例猜測(cè)詞義
恰當(dāng)?shù)呐e例能夠提供猜測(cè)生詞的重要線索,例如The consequences of epochal events such as wars and great scientific discoveries are not confined to a small geographical area as they were in the past. 句中“戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)”和“重大科學(xué)發(fā)現(xiàn)”是生詞的實(shí)例,通過(guò)它們我們可以猜出epochal的 大致詞義“重要的”。
四、根據(jù)上下文的語(yǔ)境關(guān)聯(lián)猜測(cè)詞義
例如Computers have been used for most kinds of crime, including fraud theft, larceny, embezzlement, burglary, sabotage, murder and forgery, since the first cases were reported in 1985. 這句話中有許多生詞出現(xiàn),但通過(guò)上文的crime和murder一詞,我們可以知道這些下劃線詞都是與犯罪有關(guān)的詞。在考試中,就不必費(fèi)心去考慮它們的具體意思,知道大概類(lèi)別即可。再如Goran Ivanisevic fears only one service in tennis -- Michael Stichs. His toss is always the same: the straight one or the topspin. Sampras has a good serve and Becker too, but Stichs is the toughest to read.在此例中,大多數(shù)詞用于網(wǎng)球運(yùn)動(dòng)中的一些專(zhuān)門(mén)詞匯,我們可以不必理會(huì),而主要關(guān)注認(rèn)識(shí)的那些詞。這樣能夠大概理解此句講的是網(wǎng)球選手Goran害怕某種service, 通過(guò)上下文大致可得知這是指網(wǎng)球運(yùn)動(dòng)中的一個(gè)動(dòng)作(比如發(fā)球、扣球等)。其實(shí),service就是“發(fā)球”的意思。從形容詞straight可知Stichs發(fā)球的特點(diǎn),而且他是最難預(yù)測(cè)的一個(gè)。這樣一來(lái)就可以很好地把握文章內(nèi)容了。