沖擊波英語專八系列:聽力部分之新聞
I 把握節(jié)奏
新聞聽力部分依據(jù)篇幅與題量的不同有15~30秒的間隙不等。如何充分利用這一寶貴時(shí)間是答題關(guān)鍵。聽力與語法、閱讀不同。做語法、閱讀題時(shí)可以讀完再回讀,但聽力的內(nèi)容是一次性獲得的,因此在聽下一篇新聞之前先瀏覽一下該篇的題目和選項(xiàng)是做到有的放矢的第一步。其間考生應(yīng)該定氣凝神審題,這樣就能在接下來的“聽”的過程中有所側(cè)重,提高答題的準(zhǔn)確率。聽新聞前有一段20秒鐘左右的該部分答題要求(Directions)的錄音,考生如能充分利用這段時(shí)間對第一題進(jìn)行審題,就可節(jié)省第一題的答題時(shí)間,節(jié)余時(shí)間留作第二題的審題時(shí)間,依此類推,能有效防止做題時(shí)手忙腳亂。如果前一題實(shí)在做得很沒把握,切忌顧此失彼,埋頭于前一題,而應(yīng)該立刻調(diào)整狀態(tài)全力以赴做下一題。
II 捕捉導(dǎo)語
新聞報(bào)道形式以消息為主,其點(diǎn)睛之筆在于導(dǎo)語。導(dǎo)語一般位于新聞的最前面,是一個(gè)句子或幾個(gè)句子,通常由最重要的事實(shí)構(gòu)成,概括全篇,開門見山。所以聽懂了導(dǎo)語就等于聽懂了整篇新聞的一半。但導(dǎo)語的結(jié)構(gòu)較復(fù)雜,對它的理解和把握往往是考生最頭痛的問題。下面我們就結(jié)合歷年考題談?wù)勅绾伟盐招侣剬?dǎo)語。
1. 綜合式導(dǎo)語
綜合式導(dǎo)語又稱概括式導(dǎo)語,其特點(diǎn)是概括、敘述新聞事實(shí)的輪廓,開篇就交代事件的要領(lǐng)部分。綜合式導(dǎo)語在八級新聞聽力里較常見,如2004年第一篇新聞的導(dǎo)語:A new?data shows that the global AIDS pandemic will cause a sharp drop in life expectancy in dozens of?countries, in some cases declines of almost three decades;
2006年第二篇新聞的導(dǎo)語:Shanghai?plans to build a vast underground network of malls, restaurants and parking lots, to make up for?a lack of space above ground, according to a recent government report; 2007年第三篇新聞的導(dǎo)語:The United Nations celebrated the 60th anniversary of its Charter on Monday with speakers?addressing the UN General Assembly;
2009年第二篇新聞的導(dǎo)語:At least 80 people have died?in a derailment of a luxury train in Eastern India which some government offi cials say could have?been caused by terrorist sabotage;
2010年第一篇新聞的導(dǎo)語:Japan will start its rapid push to?market abroad its mobile technology, especially the nation’s popular wallet phone, a government?official said Tuesday.
2011年第三篇新聞的導(dǎo)語:The Mexican economy went of a cliff in the?second three months of 2009, with the Gross Domestic Product dropping 10.3% from the same?period last year, according to government fi gures.
2012年第二篇新聞的開篇導(dǎo)語:Pediatricians?from a US university have taken a look at one measure of children’s well-being in Egypt, the?Philippines, and India: the extent to which children are subject to corporal punishment and abuse.
對于上述綜合式導(dǎo)語的理解可以直接決定考生對這些新聞的整體把握。
2. 要點(diǎn)式導(dǎo)語
要點(diǎn)式導(dǎo)語語言精練,集中敘述事件的某一重點(diǎn)部分或高潮部分,而不是把時(shí)間、地點(diǎn)、人物、事件等新聞要素一并介紹。例如2005年第一篇新聞的導(dǎo)語:Scientists in Brazil?claim they’ve come up with a new way of treating burns. 這句導(dǎo)語只交代了巴西科學(xué)家發(fā)明了一種治療燒傷的新方法,而新方法到底新在哪里,只有聽下去才能有所了解。
又如2007年第二篇新聞的導(dǎo)語:Twenty of the world’s top economies promised to help Iraq lower its debt?and to help restart global trade talks after a two-day meeting in Mexico on Monday. 這句導(dǎo)語的
要點(diǎn)是指出了G20墨西哥會議后的工作重點(diǎn),其后才交代了其他議題。
再如2009年第一篇新聞的導(dǎo)語:Last week, a United Nations’ report said humans are very likely the cause of most?of the temperature increases in the last fi fty years. 這句導(dǎo)語交代了人類是導(dǎo)致全球變暖的主因,論據(jù)及與之前相關(guān)報(bào)告的對比都在后文中才逐一提到。
另如2010年第二篇新聞的導(dǎo)語:Zimbabwe’s infl ation rate has soared in the past three months and is now at eleven point two?million percent, the highest in the world, according to the country’s central statistical offi ce. 這句導(dǎo)語給出的要點(diǎn)信息就是津巴布韋的通脹率異常高,為世界之最,而相關(guān)政府措施,通脹帶來的影響以及通脹原因等則在后文中才有所論述。要點(diǎn)式導(dǎo)語也是八級新聞聽力中一種常見的導(dǎo)語形式,此類導(dǎo)語雖然不會在一句話內(nèi)給出事件的詳細(xì)信息,但把握此類導(dǎo)語對于理解新聞?wù)闹械募?xì)節(jié)信息來說也是不無裨益的。
3. 延緩式導(dǎo)語
延緩式導(dǎo)語的風(fēng)格與一般導(dǎo)語有很大的區(qū)別。一般的導(dǎo)語都是開門見山,直接點(diǎn)題,而延緩式導(dǎo)語則起筆迂回,真正的導(dǎo)語不在第一句出現(xiàn)。例如2003年第三篇新聞的起始段為:Canada, for the seventh consecutive year, ranks as the best place to live in the world. But if?you are a woman, you are better off in Scandinavia, says the UN Human Development Report?2000, released yesterday.該篇第一句只是為真正的導(dǎo)語(第二句)做鋪墊,目的是為了吸引讀者的注意力,更好地引出下文。
又如2008年第二篇新聞起始并未給出該新聞的主旨:Much of the world was watching on television when the commander of the Apollo-eleven?mission, Neil Armstrong took the first steps on the moon in July 1969. The pictures of that?historic footstep and everything else about that and subsequent Apollo moon landings were?recorded on magnetic tape at three NASA ground tracking stations around the world.?直到新聞的中間部分才提到記錄了阿波羅號登月整個(gè)過程的原始資料下落不明的主題:In late 1969, the space agency began transferring them and tens of thousands of tapes from?other space missions to a nearby US Government archives warehouse. NASA says it asked for?them back in the 1970s, but now does not know where they are.
延緩式導(dǎo)語的迂回風(fēng)格在這篇新聞中得到集中體現(xiàn)。遇到這種情況考生要沉住氣,邊聽邊在頭腦中梳理新聞的主題內(nèi)容。
4. 對比式導(dǎo)語
這類導(dǎo)語以對比形式作開場白,把此時(shí)的情形與另一時(shí)間的情形作對比,以突出整篇文章的主題思想。
例如2005年第二篇新聞的開篇第一句Once a source of high-pitched business activity,?Japan’s karaoke industry has slowed down.就是典型的對比式導(dǎo)語,主句講到日本的卡拉OK業(yè)發(fā)展減慢,這與前半句卡拉OK原本是快速發(fā)展的行業(yè)形成鮮明對照。這樣的對比就順利引出新聞的主體部分,即卡拉OK業(yè)員工想用新的辦法來招攬顧客,包括應(yīng)用高科技的卡拉OK機(jī)。
III 緊扣題眼
聽力考試需要考生高度集中注意力,注意力分散導(dǎo)致的結(jié)果就是丟了西瓜,撿了芝麻,抓到的零散信息既不切題也不能拼湊出一篇新聞的完整信息。所以細(xì)辨題眼,使所獲信息切題是得分的關(guān)鍵。題眼就是題目及題目選項(xiàng)中出現(xiàn)的關(guān)鍵詞。前文的考點(diǎn)分析中我們已將各類考題歸類,以便讓考生熟悉各類問題的特點(diǎn)。細(xì)辨題眼,找出切題信息是應(yīng)對細(xì)節(jié)題的最佳策略。只有快速、準(zhǔn)確地找到題眼,考生在聽的過程中才會更關(guān)注與題眼相關(guān)的信息內(nèi)容,提高得分率。
例如2003年第三篇的每一題都需要我們細(xì)辨題眼:
According to the UN Human Development Report, which is the best place for women in the?world?
A. Canada. B. The US. C. Australia. D. Scandinavia.
該題題眼毫無疑問是women,所以我們要關(guān)注的是婦女的發(fā)展。該題最大的干擾項(xiàng)是加拿大,如果沒有抓住題眼,一聽到新聞中提到Canada,緊接著又是the best place to live in?the world,就很有可能選A。但只要抓住題眼,我們就會把注意力轉(zhuǎn)到后面一句話,即But?if you are a woman, you are better off in Scandinavia... 由此可見,對婦女來說,Scandinavia?才是最佳選擇,而非Canada,所以答案是D。
______is in the 12th place in overall ranking.
A. Britain B. France C. Finland D. Switzerland
很顯然,這一題的題眼是12th,雖然新聞中沒有直接給出排名第12的國家,我們通過Finland is in the eleventh place, followed by France 這一細(xì)節(jié),就可判定答案是B(法國)。
According to the UN report, the least developed country is ______.
A. Ethiopia B. Mali C. Sierra Leon D. Central African Republic
本題的題眼是least,需要我們找出婦女發(fā)展方面最落后的國家,根據(jù)from the bottom?up, are war-devastated Sierra Leon... ,我們可以斷定發(fā)展最落后的是C(塞拉利昂)。
再如2006年第3篇的第1題:
According to the news, what makes this credit card different from conventional ones is ______.
A. that it can hear the owner’s voice
B. that it can remember a password
C. that it can identify the owner’s voice
D. that it can remember the owner’s PIN
本題的題眼是different from conventional,這里考的是最新發(fā)明的信用卡與傳統(tǒng)信用卡的區(qū)別,選項(xiàng)B 和選項(xiàng)D 都是傳統(tǒng)信用卡的功能,從新聞首句A credit card that only?works when it hears its owner’s voice has been developed by US scientist.可以判斷出答案為C。
又如2009年第1篇的第1題:
Which of the following is the main cause of global warming?
A. Fossil fuel. ? ? ? ? ? ? ?B. Greenhouse gases.
C. Increased dryness. ?D. Violent storm patterns.
本題的題眼是main cause而不是global warming,選項(xiàng)C和D與氣候變暖帶來的變化有關(guān),而非原因。根據(jù)The scientists say there is greater than a 90% chance that greenhouse gases?are the main cause of rising temperatures and sea levels.可知選項(xiàng)B才是確切答案。
又如2010年第2篇的第1題:
Which of the following is mentioned as the government’s measure to control infl ation?
A. Foreign investment. B. Donor support.
C. Price control. D. Bank prediction.
本題的題眼是government’s measure, 根據(jù)Offi cial fi gures stated Monday show infl ation has?surged from the rate of two point two million percent recorded in May despite the government’s?price controls. 可知盡管政府進(jìn)行了價(jià)格控制,通脹率還是一再飆升,因此正確答案為C,而其他三個(gè)選項(xiàng)都與政府職能無關(guān)。
再如2011年第3篇新聞的第二題:
Drop in remittances from abroad is mainly due to ______.
A. declining oil production
B. the outbreak of the H1N1 fl u
C. the declining GDP in Mexico
D. the economic downturn in the U.S.
本題的題眼是remittances。根據(jù)新聞中提供的細(xì)節(jié)信息 “Remittances from Mexicans?working abroad, most of them in the United States, also have fallen victim to the economic?downturn. Fewer jobs in the United States mean fewer opportunities for Mexicans to fi nd work?and send money home.” 可知美國的經(jīng)濟(jì)衰退導(dǎo)致旅美墨西哥人的工作機(jī)會大大減少,自然寄回本國的資金也會相應(yīng)減少,答案為D。