就這樣被你概括

主旨大意的題目往往比較令人頭疼，因為你不僅需要概括，而且需要推測出題意圖，從出題者角度出發思考問題，這樣才能百戰百勝。

一般主旨大意題都以如下模式考核：

1. The passage is mainly talking _____.

2. The main idea of this passage is _____.

3. This passage is mainly about ...

4. What is the main idea of this passage?

所以啊，主旨大意題在閱讀理解測試題中所占比例及難度都相當大。此類題目一般不易直接找到答案，最簡單有效的方法是仔細研究文章開頭的第一、二句，因為他們通常是文章的主題句，然后，快速瀏覽文章首句和結尾句。如果第一句的主題不明，可注意結尾段是否有概括總結，對選項要注意其全面性和概括性。

A

The scientist from the Lockheed Space Company work in Felton， California， with the help of a computer. But the computer is placed in Sunnyside， about 80 kilometers away. What scientists input (輸入) is sent by telephone lines to the computer， and after a time， copies of the designs are feeded back in Felton as quickly as possible. Lockheed people have tried several ways of sending the prints， but the most effective seems to be by pigeon. Are pigeons really used to carry messages in these days? They are， and they send the prints faster and cheaper than any other way.

Human messengers are much more expensive and slower than pigeons. The road to Felton goes through mountains， and the driving is not easy. An electronic printout (電子打印輸出) system could do the work in Felton， but at a cost of 10 dollars a print. Pigeons carry the designs for about 1 dollar each.

Now Lockheed people have ten pigeon messengers. The pigeons do the work， and they have made Lockheed more famous. You can often read the news about pigeons in the newspapers around the world.

1. The passage is mainly about ___________________.

A. Felton， California

B. the scientists

C. how to work with computers

D. sending prints by pigeon

2. This story is unusual because pigeons ____________________.

A. don’t like carrying things

B. are often expensive to keep

C. seem out of place in the space age

D. aren’t friendly to the scientists

3. Something that’s effective ________________________.

A. usually costs more

B. is something that works

C. is often unhappy

D. is often done by animals

4. Which happened first?

A. Pigeons were used as messengers.

B. Human messengers were used.

C. What the scientists input was sent to the computer.

D. Scientists got their designs.

做過這個綜合練習后，我來教大家一套主旨大意題的方法。

主題是文章要著重說明的一個問題，是文章的核心。文章的標題經常是表現主題的點睛之筆。要求考生選出合適的標題，其目的是檢查考生對主題的理解。主旨大意題屬歸納概括題。找準文章的主題句是關鍵。“主題句定位法”是一種行之有效的方法。文章主題常常可以通過文章的寫作方法來體現，有以下五種情況：

一、正三角形寫作法

即中心主題句出現在文首。開門見山，提出主題，隨之用細節來解釋、支撐或發展主題句所表達的主題思想。這是英語中最常見的演繹法寫作方式。

B

The panda is a popular animal. Stories about the panda in the Washington Zoo are always front page news and important features on television newscasts. Stuffed pandas are among the most popular toys for children， and panda postcards are always in demand in zoo gift shops.

Which title best gives the idea of the passage?

A. The panda is a popular animal.

B. The panda on TV.

C. Pandas are the most popular toys for children.

D. Panda postcards are always in demand in zoo gift shops.

二、倒三角形寫作法

即主題句出現在文尾。在表述細節后，歸納要點、印象、結論、建議或結果，以概括主題。這是英語中最常見的歸納法寫作方式。

C

Mr. and Mrs. Morals were very impressed with the Grand Canyon when they visited it on their vacation trip to Arizona. They thought the observatory in Flagstaff was remarkable. They then went to the Phoenix area and were marveled at big surf， the“ocean in the desert”， and also thought that Sun City， the home of many retires， was quite special and interesting. They also went to the Tucson area and enjoyed visiting Old Tucson， the replica（復制） of a western town where many movies and television scenes are shot. Mr. and Mrs. Morals really enjoyed the sights they saw on their vacation trip in Arizona.

1. Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the paragraph?

A. Mr. and Mrs. Morals enjoyed the sights they saw on their Arizona vacation trip.

B. The Grand Canyon left a deep impression on Mr. and Mrs. Morals.

C. Mr. and Mrs. Morals will go to Sun City when they retire.

D. They saw quite a few movies in old Tucson.

三、圓形寫作法

即首尾呼應的寫作方法。為突出主題，作者先提出主題，結尾時再次點出主題，這種首尾呼應的寫作方式也較為多見。通常，前后表述主題的句子不是簡單的重復，后面的表述往往有進一步的引申或發展的意味。

D

Shu Pulong has helped at least 1000 people bitten by snakes. “It was seeing people with snakes bites that led me to the career.”she said.

“The sad story touched me so much that I decided to devote myself to helping people bitten by snakes.”Shu said.

The best headline for this newspaper article is___________.

A. Astonishing Medicine

B. Farmer Loses Arm

C. Dangerous bites

D. Snake Doctor

四、菱形寫作法

即主題句出現在文章的中間。通常前面只提出問題，文中的主題由隨之陳述的細節或合乎邏輯的引申在文中導出，而后又作進一步的解釋、支撐或發展。

E

In spite of the fact that cars from Germany and Japan are flooding the American market， Ford， General Motors， and Chrysler are employing more workers than ever before. The flood of cheaper foreign cars has not cost American auto workers their jobs as some experts predicted. Ford operates as far as Asia， and General Motors is considered Australian biggest employer. Yet General Motors has its huge American work force and employs hundreds of people every day to meet the needs of an insatiable society.

Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the paragraph?

A. General Motors is one of the largest car producers.

B. Ford operates not only in the USA， but also in Asia.

C. The foreign cars have not taken away the jobs of American auto workers.

D. The flood of the cheaper foreign cars is terrible for American auto workers.

五、正方形寫作法

即中心主題句隱含在全文之中，沒有明確的主題句。在這種情況下，讀者要把所有的細節綜合起來，進行邏輯推理，概括歸納出主題句。

F

Joshua Bingham studied 4 years at the University of Paris and decided to leave his graduation. He transferred to the University of Berlin and graduated with honors. Harvard Law School and later， Boston College provided him with an excellent legal background. He is presently a corporation lawyer in Miami， Florida.

What is the main idea of the passage?

A. How Joshua Bingham became a lawyer.

B. Bingham is a diligent student.

C. Joshua Bingham received an excellent education.

D. A good lawyer needs good education.

答案

A

1． D。從三段模式來說，在談prints的發展史，然后第二段開始全篇涉及信鴿。

2． C。故事離奇之處就在于信鴿在現在的時代已經不起作用，然而文章本身能把信鴿作用說到妙處。

3． B。這種類型的題目也在考試中常見。往往學生需要根據一個故事推出道理。根據第二段，有效的東西，不一定是昂貴的，不一定是負載的，但永遠是起作用的，就如信鴿。

4． B。細節題。

B

答案是A。文中提到的Stories about the panda. Stuffed pandas，panda postcards實際上都是細節，都是用來說明一個問題：熊貓是一種受歡迎的動物。

C

答案為A。在敘述參觀了the Grand Canyon，the observatory in Flagstaff，the Phoenix area，Sun City，Tucson area，Old Tucson等細節之后，作者來了句總結性的話： Mr. and Mrs. Morals really enjoyed the sights they saw on their vacation trip in Arizona. 故A為最佳答案。

D

答案是D。作者前后兩次提到Shu Pulong幫助那些被蛇咬了的人，顯然D最符合短文的主題。

E

答案是C。短文主要講的意思是：蜂擁而至的外國便宜小汽車并沒有使更多的美國汽車工人下崗。主題句出現在文中。

F

全篇共四句，只陳述了四個細節性的事實。因此就答案本身來看，個個都對。但作為main idea除C外，都有片面之感。文中主要涉及了Joshua Bingham接受教育的情況，即作者想要告訴我們的是：Joshua Bingham接受過良好的教育，所以答案是C。

編輯/孫櫟櫟