短文的篇幅在200詞左右，語速為120詞/分鐘，念一遍。題材多樣，涵蓋科學(xué)、文化、教育、風(fēng)俗、歷史、人物、日常生活等各方面內(nèi)容，體裁可分為記敘文、說明文、議論文和應(yīng)用文。每篇短文后有3~4道題目，共10道。與對話部分相比，短文屬于不同的體裁，句子相對較長，句式比較復(fù)雜。

一、考點圍繞話題內(nèi)容進行

考點圍繞各種話題內(nèi)容進行，考生若具備相關(guān)的話題知識，解題相對容易些。例如2007年第二則關(guān)于選課短文的考點就圍繞課程設(shè)置，如開始時間長短、適合群體等重點內(nèi)容進行。

年份 考點
2005 火車站通知：?？空九_，發(fā)車時間，延遲班車
? 國際紅十字會博物館：建館目的，組織建立緣由，紅十字標(biāo)記
? 拉拉隊：意義，表演，受傷原因，比賽范圍
2006 狗：用途，現(xiàn)在的用途，文章話題
? 志愿者：工作條件，目的，態(tài)度
? 兒童虐待：年齡階段，父母的問題
2007 自行車安全講座：車主須知，講座話題
? 選課講座：課程介紹和對比
? 達(dá)·芬奇：移居米蘭的時間，從事的職業(yè)，去世地點
2008 關(guān)于國際會議酒店選擇的演講：多規(guī)格會議室的用途，酒店設(shè)施，酒店設(shè)備
? 博物館導(dǎo)游詞：建館目的，交通工具，陳列品特點，短文來源
? 學(xué)生安全講座：寢室安全措施，如何保障夜晚外出女生的安全，講座人的建議
2009 圣誕節(jié)購物：選擇倫敦的原因，購物信息
? 交誼舞：來源、受歡迎的原因、真人秀、真人秀的影響
? 小孩取名的文化：新西蘭的做法、名字的來源、國家對比
2010 華盛頓大學(xué)介紹：課程、學(xué)費、貸款
? 父親照顧孩子：母親照顧孩子的時間對比、澳大利亞父親的興趣、對照顧孩子的看法
? 艾滋病救助計劃：救助對象、具體細(xì)節(jié)、政府的作用
2011 飛機：服役年限、坐飛機的感受、安全維護
? 職業(yè)介紹：具體職業(yè)的信息
? 盜竊案的錄像分析：地點、目擊者的觀察、具體細(xì)節(jié)
2012 銀行開戶：開戶證明、水電氣單、郵局貸款
? 緩解壓力：計劃的的含義、放松自己的活動方法、降壓的方法
? 英語新詞：新詞的來源、文章的思路、文章的主旨

二、從提問方式看考點

考試大綱規(guī)定英語專業(yè)四級的短文理解難度和托福短文相當(dāng)，基本上也和大學(xué)英語六級的短文難度差不多，但是考查的理解技能有所差別，這一點從對話理解中也有所體現(xiàn)。

簡單而言，英語專業(yè)四級的聽力理解考查的一個重要理解技能就是對信息的篩選，對比理解能力，在命題過程中體現(xiàn)于信息比較的題占較大比重，兼顧對事實細(xì)節(jié)、主旨大意和說話者意圖等理解能力的考查。

信息比較題：信息比較題考查考生處理不同信息的能力，大約有四分之一的題目屬于信息比較題。常見的提問方式有：

Which of the following statements about the symbols is INCORRECT?
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
Which of the following is CORRECT?
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?
In the old days dogs were used for the following EXCEPT
Parents who abuse their children tend to have the following problems EXCEPT
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as part of hotel facilities for guests?
A hotel for an international conference should have the following EXCEPT
The following have been signifi cant in the area’s prosperity EXCEPT
Throughout his life, Leonardo da Vinci worked as all the following EXCEPT

題干中多采用否定詞NOT或INCORRECT，或者EXCEPT等排他性質(zhì)的詞語，容易被忽視，造成答題失誤，考生應(yīng)當(dāng)特別留意。

例題1（2012年真題）
If you are a resident, you will find it useful to open a bank account. All the large banks?have a network of branches across the country, and all offer similar services. A visit to any one?of them will be a friendly experience, however, to open an account you have to be prepared?to prove your identity in a number of ways. You will find your passport useful. But the bank?will also want to see some form of proof that you are living where you say you are. This can?be proven by a housing rent book, a tax form, water or electricity bill for the property, as long?as it’s in your name in the bank and elsewhere. You may hear the term utility bill, this simply?refers to bills relating to the provision of services to your home, such as electricity, gas, water,?and telephone. There are other local facilities, such as post offices, where you can save your?money and have access to affordable low cost loans where they exist in your local area. Contact?details can be obtained from the citizens advice bureau.

Questions:
11. In order to open a bank account, you need to produce____in addition to your passport.
A. a library card ? ? ? ? ? B. a registration form
C. a telephone bill ? ? ? ?D. a receipt

12. Which of the following might NOT be included in the ‘utility bill’?
A. Rent. B. Gas. C. Water. D. Telephone.

13. According to the passage, what can one do in the post office?
A. Getting contact details. ?B. Obtaining tax forms.
C. Paying housing rents. ? ?D. Applying for loans.

解析：這三道題目都是屬于信息比較題，基本上都是屬于細(xì)節(jié)類題目，無需推理。這類題目需要考生邊聽邊做筆記，或者邊聽邊瀏覽題目，按照錄音順序和題目順序的對應(yīng)方式來解答。

推理題：推理題無法直接從字面意思中獲取信息，需要做一定的邏輯推理，獲取隱含信息。常見的提問方式有：
The passage is mainly about
What is the main idea of the talk?
How should cheerleading be viewed according to the passage?
From the passage we can learn that the speaker
Which course(s) is(are) the shortest?
The passage probably comes from
According to the speaker, safety in dormitory means that you

例題2（2009年真題）
Recently a couple in New Zealand were forbidden from naming their baby son 4Real.?Even though New Zealand has quite liberal rules about naming children, names beginning with?a number are not allowed. They decided to call him Superman instead....

Question: According to New Zealand’s rules about naming children, which of the following
names is NOT acceptable?
A. Spiderman. B. Gandalf. C. 2win. D. Arsenal.

解析：這道題目屬于典型的推理題：文中提到“4Real”這樣的名字在新西蘭不被接受，可知C也是同樣的“數(shù)字+單詞”規(guī)則，不可能被接受。

事實和細(xì)節(jié)題：這類題型在短文聽力中占有很大比重。提問形式多樣，特殊疑問句和一般陳述句都可用于考查考生獲取具體信息和重要信息的能力。解答時，首先從題干中提煉關(guān)鍵詞，按照題目的出現(xiàn)順序，在聽力的過程中留意和題干吻合的錄音文字，一旦某一選項包含這樣的信息，很有可能就是正確答案。近幾年的提問形式有：

How do the cheerleaders perform their jobs?
How old was Leonardo da Vinci when he moved to Milan?
What does the speaker suggest girls do when they are going to be out late?
What is the speaker’s last advice?
What is the speaker going to do in the new place?
Why do the cheerleaders sometimes suffer physical injuries?
According to the passage, when are children fi rst expected to study hard?
Henry Durant put forward the idea because he
Meeting rooms of various sizes are needed for
According to the passage, the working conditions in the new place
According to the talk, the owner of a bike has to
The museum aims mainly to display
The museum was built in memory of those

以上提問中的黑體字可看作是解答這類題目的關(guān)鍵詞。

例題3（2011年真題）
Higher education isn’t for everyone, and people have a variety of paths to choose from once?they graduate from high school. They might know from the start that they want to go straight to?the professional world. If you’re in the market for a job that doesn’t require a degree but does?come with a nice salary, here are few jobs to consider: Assembly supervisors oversee workers?who put together products by using power tools or other dangerous equipment. The annual salary?is 59,926 dollars. At a construction site, assistant site managers report to the head site managers?and plan, direct and coordinate the necessary tasks to complete that day’s activities. Salary—?86,584 dollars. An automobile service station manager draws up guidelines for gas stations and?automotive repair shops and decides on hours of operation, assigns job duties and sets prices for?services and products. Salary—81,793 dollars. Carpenter supervisors oversee carpentry work on?a specifi ed project to ensure that workers are on schedule and executing plans accordingly. The?supervisor also performs some of the carpentry duties if time permits. Salary—70,565 dollars.?Airlines fl ight service managers ensure that fl ight attendants adhere to personal appearance and?preflight requirements. They also compile flight reports. Salary—67,766 dollars.Illustrators?design fonts and images for a variety of media, from Web sites to print campaigns and video.?They often work for advertisement agencies. Salary—54,995 dollars.

Questions:
1. Which job will involve supervising workers using dangerous equipment?
2. Who will also decide on the prices of products and services?
3. Who may also do some of the work he supervises?
4. Which job offers the highest salary?

解析：這是一則介紹職業(yè)和薪水的短文，多數(shù)題目為細(xì)節(jié)題，最后一道題目為推理題。解答這類題目沒有捷徑，必須認(rèn)真聽，對照題目，做筆記。一定要記住聽力錄音的順序和題目信息的順序基本一致。