如何有效判斷文章的標(biāo)題

摘 要：筆者對(duì)部分英語(yǔ)高考試題中的文章標(biāo)題進(jìn)行簡(jiǎn)要分析、引導(dǎo)學(xué)生解題時(shí)對(duì)文章標(biāo)題歸納作出正確的判斷。

關(guān)鍵詞：閱讀理解；文章標(biāo)題；歸納；有效判斷

中國(guó)分類號(hào)： 文獻(xiàn)標(biāo)識(shí)碼：文章編號(hào)：1992-7711（2010）4-071 -02

在高考閱讀理解題中常常出現(xiàn)標(biāo)題歸納題的形式，標(biāo)題歸納題在英語(yǔ)閱讀理解題中屬深層理解題。它要求學(xué)生在通讀全文的基礎(chǔ)上，準(zhǔn)確把握文章的大意及作者的寫作意圖。該題型具有概括性、針對(duì)性、簡(jiǎn)潔性的特點(diǎn)，它囊括了文章的主要內(nèi)容，但所給的選項(xiàng)往往言簡(jiǎn)意賅，有時(shí)甚至采用諺語(yǔ)的形式出現(xiàn)。對(duì)于學(xué)生而言，確實(shí)難以分辨。如何才能有效地判斷文章的標(biāo)題呢？本文根據(jù)部分高考試題中的文章標(biāo)題題作一簡(jiǎn)要的分析，旨在引導(dǎo)學(xué)生在解題時(shí)如何作出正確的判斷。

一、根據(jù)文章的主題段判斷標(biāo)題

一篇文章常常以若干段落的形式呈現(xiàn)，而文章的第一段或最后一段往往很重要。因?yàn)樵谠S多文章中常常在第一段提出文章的主題或在最后一段歸納文章的主題。明確了文章的主題也就能確定文章的中心，再結(jié)合文章所提供的選項(xiàng)就能甄別文章合適的標(biāo)題。如：

1. Which of the following is the best title for the passage ? (2010 廣東卷50題)

A. A Winner’s Secret.

B. A Winner’s Problem. 

C. A Winner’s Opportunity 

D. A Winner’s Achievement. 

該文為議論文，文章的最后一段概括了其主題。通過(guò)下面話語(yǔ)的論述便一目了然，This is what being a winner is all about-creatively using your skills and talents so that you are successful no matter what happen. Winners don’t have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situations to face as anybody else. They are just better at seeing those problems and challenges and opportunities to develop their own talents. So， stop focusing on “whose fault it is.” Once you are confident about your power over bad situations， problems are just stepping stones for success. 從該短的敘述可以看出，在遇到困難或失敗時(shí)一味地怨天尤人于事無(wú)補(bǔ)，成功的人總是把困難或挫折看成是提高自己的機(jī)會(huì)，這就是他們成功的秘訣。明確了該文的主題，合適的標(biāo)題自然會(huì)浮于眼前。因此該題應(yīng)選擇A作為標(biāo)題最為恰當(dāng)。

2. Which would be the best title for this text ? (2010 遼寧卷67題)

A. Computers or Television

B. Effects of Television on Children 

C. Studies on TV and College Education

D. Television and Children’s Learning Habits 

該文利用一些新的研究闡明了學(xué)生看太多的電視會(huì)影響他們的學(xué)習(xí)能力，降低上大學(xué)的幾率。在文章的第一段就將此主題和盤托出，而其后的段落則是對(duì)該主題的進(jìn)一步論述。Too much TV-watching can harm children’s ability to learn and even reduce their chances of getting a college degree， new studies suggest in the latest effort to examine the effects of television on children. 從該段落便可以明確文章的主旨不是論述大學(xué)教育或?qū)W習(xí)習(xí)慣，而是電視對(duì)兒童產(chǎn)生的影響，由此可以有效地判斷該題的正確答案應(yīng)選擇B。

通過(guò)上面的兩題可以看出，在解文章標(biāo)題題時(shí)應(yīng)首先利用文章的首尾段進(jìn)行判斷。只要明確了文章的主題，正確選項(xiàng)的問(wèn)題便會(huì)迎刃而解。

二、根據(jù)全文的內(nèi)容判斷標(biāo)題

有時(shí)要確定的標(biāo)題在某些文章中并不是十分明顯，相關(guān)的內(nèi)容并非固定在某一段落，而是散于全文中。此時(shí)必須依據(jù)全文的內(nèi)容加以判斷，從文章的整體出發(fā)，綜合各段落所提供的信息才能作出合理的推論。如：

1. What can be the best title for the passage? (2010 湖南卷70題)

A. The Eye as the Window to the Soul

B. Cultural Differences in Reading Emotions

C. Effective Methods to Develop Social Skills

D. How to Increase Cross-cultural Understanding 

該文為說(shuō)明文。從文章可以得知，東西方在理解人的表情方面存在著差異。從文章中話語(yǔ)的論述可以判斷其差異性。如：在文章的第三小節(jié)中是這樣論述的：Westerners look at the eyes and the mouth in equal measure， whereas Easterners favor the eyes and neglect the mouth. 根據(jù)該段的敘述可以排除選項(xiàng)A，因?yàn)槊娌勘砬檫€應(yīng)該包括嘴唇的動(dòng)作。在文章的第四小節(jié)中是這樣論述的：As a result， facial expression that had been considered universally recognizable cannot be used to reliably convey emotion in cross-cultural situations. 根據(jù)該段落的敘述得知，“在跨文化交際的情形中，被視為普遍公認(rèn)的面部表情不可能用來(lái)依賴傳遞情感。因?yàn)檫@涉及到不同的文化差異。這樣的結(jié)論在第六小節(jié)中也得到了證實(shí)：The cultural difference in eye movement that they show is probably a reflection of cultural difference in facial expressions. 根據(jù)不同段落中的敘述可以判斷該題的正確答案應(yīng)為B。而其它的選項(xiàng)不符合全文的內(nèi)容。

2. Which is the best possible title of the passage ? (2010 湖北卷62題)

A. Age Is No Barrier for Fashion Fans 

B. The More Fashionable， the Less Expensive 

C. Unexpected Changes in Fashion

D. Boom of the British Fashion Industry

通讀全文可知，本文主要分析了老年婦女著裝風(fēng)格的變化，說(shuō)明隨著社會(huì)的發(fā)展，時(shí)裝已經(jīng)不再是年輕人的專利，老年人一樣喜歡穿時(shí)裝。從文章不同的段落的敘述可以窺探此景。如第一小節(jié)中的敘述：A generation which would once only wear old-fashioned clothes is now favoring the same high street looks worn by those half their age. 第二小節(jié)中的Women over 75 are now for clothes more frequently than they did when they were young in the 1960s. 第五小節(jié)中的Older women were much more affected by celebrity style than in previous years. 以及第六小節(jié)中的Older women are much more aware of celebrities.從文章中不同段落的敘述可以明了該題正確的答案應(yīng)為A。而其它的選項(xiàng)僅僅是反映的是某個(gè)側(cè)面，不能概括全文的主要內(nèi)容。

從上面兩篇短文的分析可以看出，有時(shí)在沒(méi)有具體闡明主題的段落時(shí)必須依賴全文的內(nèi)容加以判斷，切不可憑自己的主觀臆造去想象，以免引起失誤。

三、根據(jù)文章中的關(guān)鍵詞判斷標(biāo)題

在某些文章中，作者常常采用先總后分的結(jié)構(gòu)形式來(lái)闡述某種觀點(diǎn)，從不同的側(cè)面來(lái)論述事物。因此在閱讀文章時(shí)必須依據(jù)作者對(duì)事物論述的關(guān)鍵詞加以判斷，找出符合文章主題和與選項(xiàng)一致的話語(yǔ)進(jìn)行推敲，那么正確答案必定是囊中之物。參看下面的段落，必然會(huì)有所感悟。

1. What would be the best title for this passage ? (2010 天津卷55題)

A. A Mirror of Human Nature

B. To Blame or to Forgive 

C. A Mark of MaturityD. Truth or Excuse 

該文對(duì)三個(gè)經(jīng)典觀點(diǎn)進(jìn)行剖析，指出其錯(cuò)誤的原因，論述了人類的本質(zhì)。文章中的關(guān)鍵詞為to err; common sense; a good excuse; 作者一一剖析其錯(cuò)誤的本質(zhì)，從而讓讀者了解人性的本質(zhì)：即勇于承擔(dān)責(zé)任，靈活運(yùn)用常識(shí)，實(shí)事求是等。作者根據(jù)不同的關(guān)鍵詞作出了進(jìn)一步的論述。如：根據(jù)to err作者運(yùn)用了這樣的話語(yǔ)加以剖析：However， taking responsibility for something that went wrong is a mark of great maturity. 做錯(cuò)了事情勇于承認(rèn)是成熟的標(biāo)志。根據(jù)common sense作者用這樣的話語(yǔ)作出評(píng)論Common sense does not seem to be common for large organization， because there are so many things going on that one person cannot be in charge of everything. 常識(shí)不是放之四海的準(zhǔn)則，不能死搬教條，有時(shí)必須依據(jù)實(shí)際情況靈活的運(yùn)用才行得通。根據(jù)a good excuse作者指出If a excuse is “good” even if it isn’t honest， then where is the place of the truth ? 編造借口會(huì)讓人們丟掉誠(chéng)實(shí)，忽視真理。正是通過(guò)文章中的這些關(guān)鍵詞的解釋，闡明了全文的主題，由此而判斷該題的正確答案應(yīng)為A，而其它的選擇項(xiàng)則為對(duì)各個(gè)關(guān)鍵詞的單獨(dú)的解釋，不能概括全文的主旨。

通過(guò)上面三種類型形式的的論述可以明確，要想選出合適的文章標(biāo)題，必須首先辨別以何種方法進(jìn)行。在通讀全文的基礎(chǔ)上，依據(jù)某種特定的方法加以判斷，從而得出既符合文意又能一語(yǔ)概括文章主旨的選項(xiàng)。