高考备考中的词汇学习,本文主要内容关键词为:词汇论文,此文献不代表本站观点,内容供学术参考,文章仅供参考阅读下载。
英语词汇是构成语言的最基本的要素,是学习英语的基础。如果没有词汇,任何形式的交流都无从谈起。英国语言学家魏尔金斯曾指出:Without grammar very little can be conveyed,without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed.(没有语法不能很好地表达,而没有词汇则什么也不能表达)还有这样一句俗语:“He is your boss because he has a larger vocabulary than you.”(他之所以是你的老板,那是因为他的词汇量比你大)可见,作为语言建筑材料的词汇是非常重要的。有研究表明,一个人的词汇量越大,其阅读正确率就越高,其听力水平和写作水平也随之提高。新的《英语课程标准》对义务教育阶段词汇量的要求比以前大得多。因此,在新的形势下,特别是在新课改、高考之前时间紧、任务重的情况下,重视词汇学习有其重要的现实意义。下面针对词汇学习在高考中的重要地位以及词汇学习的备考策略,谈一下我们的粗浅之见。
一、高考中的词汇检测
1.词义辨析
众所周知,高考题的单选和完形填空中有一个很常见的测试方式就是词义辨析,即要求考生从4个相近的词或词语(尤其是动词短语)中选择符合特定语言环境的一个,这就在准确掌握词汇的音、形、意、用等多方面对考生提出了很高的要求,如果词汇掌握不到位,对这种题目就会感到棘手吃力。例如,(2004年全国Ⅲ)When we plan our vacation,mother often offers____suggestions.
A.careful D.practical C.effective D.acceptable
此题选项为B,practical在此处的意思是workable,意为“在实践中切实可行的,管用的”。而不少同学选择C或D,原因是没有真正明白effective的意思是“producing a successful result”(指制订的办法法规等达到预期效果,强调有效性);而选项D“acceptable”的意思是“be approved of by most people”(只强调被人接受,不一定在实践中得到认证)。又如,(2006年山东卷第35题)A clean environment can help the city bid for the Olympics,which ____will promote its economic development.
A.in nature B.in return C.in turn D.in fact
此处应选C.in turn(as a result,反过来,转而),指前后两者相辅相成的客观因果关系(如Theory comes from practice and in turn serves practice);而考生误选B的较多,不明白in return的意思是“as a way of thanking sb.for what he has done”(强调人为的感恩回报,例如:If you treat others sincerely,you will get more than you can expect in return.)。这样的例子在完形填空中也比比皆是。2002年北京卷完形填空的最后一空是:“One of the process of growing up is being able to____and overcome our fears.”
A.realize B.remember C.recognize D.recover
2003年北京春季考题完形填空的第三个空是“As they walked Mark____the boy's name was Bill...”
A.discovered B.realized C.said D.decided
第一个例子的答案为recognize,第二个是discovered。而不少同学两个空都选了realize。究其原因,还是词汇意义及语用没有掌握到位。“realize”的意思是“understand or become aware of”,强调心理方面从不觉到察觉的醒悟和认知,例如“Suddenly I realized I had neglected something of great importance”。而第一个例子的语言环境是从知道自己恐惧到勇敢面对的心理转变,所以此处需要recognize的“to admit/be aware that sth.is true”义项。第二个例子的语境是两人初次见面,一路同行,交谈中 Mark得知对方叫Bill。所以此处需要的是discover的“learn sth.about/find out about”义项。这两个空误选的原因在于学生对“realize,recognize,discover”的意义及语用环境没有明确的了解,导致词义混淆,分辨不清。由此可见,高考备考中切实有效地加强词汇学习是摆在我们面前紧迫而又沉重的任务。下面简单列出一些近两年高考中的词汇考查题目,供大家参考:
1.If I can help it.I don't like working into the night.(2006年全国26题)
2.The waiter paused for just a second,walked into the water to set the table and take their order.(2006年全国完形填空29题)
3.Someone who lacks staying power and perseverance is unlikely to make a good researcher.(2006年山东25题)
4.I knew black youths just like me who were watched like thieves by the store clerk each time they went into a grocery.(2006年山东42题)
5.We want to rent a bus which can hold 40 people for our trip to Beijing.(2006年天津6题)
6.Fitness is important in sport,but of at least equal importance are skills.(2006年天津13题)
7.Finding information in today's wodd is easy.The challenge is how you can tell if the information you get is useful or not.(2006年天津15题)
8.You can see the stars on a clear night,but in the daytime they are invisible.(2006年上海41题)
9.The traffic lights went green and I pulled away.(2006年广东24题)
10.—How are you managing to do your work without an assistant?
—I get along somehow.(2006年重庆28题)
11.The committee is discussing the problem right now.It will hopefully have been solved by the end of next week.(2006年江苏26题)
12.Modern plastics can stand very high and very low temperatures.(2005年山东29题)
13.—Why didn't you buy the camera you had longed for?
—I had planned to.but I was 50 short.(2005年福建34题)
14.—Julia said she sent you a birthday card yesterday.Have you got it?
—Oh.really! I haven't checked my mailbox yet.(2005年天津8题)
2.词汇障碍
我们都知道,高考试卷中允许有一定比例的生词,例如2005年山东完形填空题中就出现了几个生词:flourish,principe,pursue,fulfill,2006年山东完形填空又出现decent。阅读中的生词尤其突出,像endurance,complexities,inadvertently,interfere,fledgling,release.sequel,canine,spout,client等都属纲外词。如果学生的词汇量不够,势必影响对材料的准确理解,影响得分。另外,2006年高考结束后,学生走出考场的普遍反映是书面表达能看懂要求,也能准确理解主题,就是表达困难,有的同学让“吐痰”“香蕉皮”等学过但却不常用的词汇难住了,以至于影响了文章的准确表达。所以,利用构词法以及加强阅读等方式尽量扩大词汇量,扫除试卷中可能遇到的词汇障碍,是高考备考中不可缺少的组成部分。
二、高考备考中的词汇学习策略
既然词汇学习在高考试题中占有如此重要的地位,我们在平日的备考训练中就应对词汇学习给予应有的重视并采取切实有效的备考措施,只有这样,才能以不变应万变,在高考中稳操胜券。下面我就简单介绍一下我们在词汇学习中的几点做法,以求与大家共同探讨提高。
1.一词多义法
对于词汇意义的学习,除了记住其基本意义以外,还要尽量记住该词由原义辐射出来的引申意义,即同一词在不同环境中的不同意义。例如,touch一词的常用意思是①“接触”。如Visitors are requested not to touch the exhibits here./The bomb will explode at a touch.②“吃喝”。如You haven't touched anything today.What's wrong?③“联系”(Remember to keep in touch after graduation)。另外,“感动”这一意义也应该掌握,2006年北京完形填空的第49题“I was also touched by his words”就考查了这一用法。再如,2006年全国Ⅱ的第40题“They had been such s happy distraction that I have saved all the postcards and still bring them out to read whenever I need a lift.”考查了save表示“保存”的义项。这都给我们的词汇备考以很大的启示。平时我们在词汇教学中,较为常见的意思都应该要求学生掌握,例如,employ (雇用,应用),escape(逃跑,忘记),post(邮寄,张贴,网上或公共地方发布),foreign(国外的,陌生的),fail(失败,衰退,失灵,辜负/做不到),bear(忍受,经受,承担,携带),recover(康复,失而复得), charge(索价,赊购,指控,训诫,充电,猛攻,管理)等等。在这一点上,还要特别注意一些高频小词的其他用法,所谓小词大用。例如,2005年山东卷第42空“He explained that if I looked for the best in people,I would get the best in return”,此处in指“某人身上的内在品质”,不少考生平时不了解这一用法。再如,“I am feeling down./The computer is down again./ I'm down to my last penny.”“This meal is on me.”“That won't do.”“I'm afraid I can't make it.”“Will you have a go?”“His first album proved to be a great hit.”“What's up?”等都属于小词大用,类似的用法在日常教学中应给予足够的重视。
2.英文释义法
我们经常发现,有的近义词只背汉语意思是无法区分到位的。比方说,historic与historical,汉语都是“历史上的”,不容易区分。但是,如果查阅它们的英文意思,我们就不难发现,“historic”指“important in history”,强调历史的重要性;而“historical”指“connected with(the study of)history”,强调历史的真实性。这样两者的区别就会一目了然。所以,平时养成查阅英英字典的习惯,训练学生尽量用英语解释英语,对培养学生准确理解英语、强化英语感觉是很有帮助的。
3.词群发散法
学习词汇的一个很重要的方法是根据语境的需要,把词汇加以分类构成词群,快速记忆。这一方法可以以场景为线索。例如,说到“airport”,就可以让学生快速说出与之有关的词汇及表达:fly,flight,take off,land,aboard,on board,luggage,boarding call,announcement,passenger,delay,call off,check in等等。这不仅可以丰富学生的词汇量,同时对提高情境听力也很有帮助。也可以以某一单词为主线发散记忆。例如,对于“umbrella”一词,我们可以发动学生造句记忆:“I saw a girl walking in my direction,holding a red umbrella.”“An umbrella is used to keep the rain off.”“Put the umbrella back where it was after using it.”“Entering the room,he folded his umbrella and put it away.”“Why,my umbrella is nowhere to be found.”“I'm sorry to have taken your umbrella by mistake.”“I would appreciate it if you would share your umbrella with me.”“Oh.dear.My umbrella won't unfold.”多积累这样的典型句型,这样还能为作文奠定基础,可谓一举两得。
4.阅读巩固法
语言学习必须有回味巩固的机会,如果只凭孤零零的例句来记忆,费时又费力。我们不妨有效利用手头的阅读材料(必须是原汁原味的英文材料,保证其地道性和可读性,具有欣赏和示范价值),充分发掘其中精彩的表达方式,让学生在阅读的基础上,借助语言篇章鲜活的语境,体会巩固必要的知识点,会有事半功倍的效果。下面是一篇关于“Road Manners”的阅读材料的节选部分:Road politeness is not only good manners,but good sense too.It takes the most cool-headed drivers great patience to give up the desire to beat back when forced to face rude driving.On the other hand,a little politeness goes a long way towards reducing the possibility of quarrelling and fighting.A friendly nod or a wave of thanks in answer to an act of politeness helps to create an atmosphere of good will and calm so necessary in modern traffic conditions.But such behaviors of politeness are by no means enough.Many drivers nowadays don't seem able to recognize politeness when they see it.我们不难发现,这段文章写得很精彩,语言表达很地道,所以,应让学生在读懂意思、回答问题之后,充分发掘材料中的精华,在具体的语境下感悟精彩语言的魅力。坚持这种一文多用的方法,久而久之,不但能巩固应学词汇的意义及用法,而且还能带动其阅读以及写作能力的提高。
5.短文填空法
训练完形填空有一种值得实践的方法,那就是短文填空。即选择一篇文章,空出有价值的地方,在不提供选项或是只提供首字母的情况下,让学生根据上下文语境调动大脑中所储备的词汇完成短文。这种方法虽然比一般完形填空难度要大,但在训练词汇掌握、培养阅读能力及提高写作能力方面都是很有效的。以下材料节选自我们曾经练习过的一篇题为“Smile”的文章:Where there is ,there is light.A with a smile means a sincere encouragement for further efforts,while criticism with a smile is likely to be as meaning well and helpful to one's progress.A smiling refusal contributes to understanding while a smiling request does a great deal to help troublesome problems.把划线的词空出来,多数学生完全可以根据上下文线索调动知识储备完成短文,而且在没有备选答案的情况下,大脑思维更活跃,想象力更丰富,更能激发学生的兴趣,完成之后会更有成就感。这样的短文填空学生练多了,完形填空就自然感到省心省力,得心应手。而且对老师来说,拿起一篇好文章挖出空来就可以用,不必费尽心思凑足4个选项,这样简单而有效的方法,何乐而不为呢?
6.写作应用法
利用写作的机会记忆、考查词汇也是一种行之有效的方法。我们知道,现代高考书面表达的评分标准在语言的运用上对考生提出了更高的要求。考生不仅需要运用基础词汇和基本句型,还要有意识地运用高级词汇和复杂结构。所以,在平时训练中就应该加强高级词汇的学习和使用,有意识地培养学生这方面的能力。例如:
(1)When he was a child,he wanted to learn everything.(一般)
When he was a child.he had a strong appetite for knowledge.(高级)
(2)I'll thank you if you think about my application.(一般)
I'll appreciate it if you can take my application into consideration.(高级)
(3)Many experts point out that Physical exercise is good for a person's health.(一般)
Many expeas point ont that physical exercise contributes to a person's physical fitness.(高级)
7.成语积累法
学习语言不能脱离其文化背景。离开了一个民族的文化,要准确地掌握和运用该民族的语言是不可能的。而简练地道的习语惯用法是英语学习过程中不容忽视的部分。例如:
Changing trains is really a pain in the neck.
Come off it!
I'm all at sea in Professor Black's lectures.
I have bigger fish to fry.
Are you pulling my leg?
I can't go along with you on that point.
Let's go Dutch.
It's a steal.
I'm on my last legs.
I'm not sold on this type of car.
这些都是很常见很有用的表达方式,平时在听力和阅读中应该多注意积累,为以后的阅读和写作储备材料。
另外,在词汇教学中,我们应始终坚持两个原则:学而必会,会而必用。即老师针对高三复习的特点,首先对词汇进行整理归纳,突出重点要点,尽量让学生学得轻松牢固,而后再在日常训练中利用上述方法检验运用。具体做法以consider为例加以介绍:
1.意义搭配
(1)think about:consider+n./doing/wh-+to do/that从句
①I'm looking forward to your considering my application.
②You do have the right to say whatever you like,but you should at least consider others'feelings.
③I considered quitting my job,but finally I decided not to.
④Have you considered how to improve your work?
⑤If we consider that he is no more than a child,we shouldn't expect too much of him.
(2)think:consider+n./that从句
①The boy is considered(to be/as)the most promising student in this class.
②Why do you consider that the news is false?
2.派生词
(1)Considering his inexperience,he has done quite well.
(2)It was considerate of you not to play the plano while I was asleep.
(3)His progress is really considerable.
(4)Is there anything else we should take into consideration before we make a decision?
3.用法归纳
(1)consider sth.
(2)consider doing
(3)consider wh-+to do
(4)consider…(to be/as)
(5)consider that
(6)considering
(7)be considerate of sb.
(8)take…into consideration
4.巩固练习
(1)综观一切,我们可以实施计划了。(consider+n.)
(2)你曾经考虑过送你孩子出国深造吗? (consider doing)
(3)我一直在考虑下一步该怎么办。(consider what to do)
(4)计划旅游时一定要考虑到天气状况。 (take...into consideration)
(5)你把一切都准备好了,想得真周到。(be considerate of)
(6)考虑到他是初犯,我们就原谅他了。(considering)
不过,话又说回来,不管多好的方法,也不可能保证我们过目不忘。研究表明,一个词至少要接触 5-6次才能完全掌握。所以,在传授一个知识点之后,老师要根据记忆规律,安排一个时间间隔逐渐加长的重现计划,如一天后、一周后、一月后,以唤起并强化学习者的记忆,达到恒久记忆的目的,记忆效果可以通过提问、听写、抽查以及堂测、周测、月考等方式来检测。一句话,“成功就是简单的事情反复做。”
以上是我们在词汇学习方面的一些粗浅的见解和不成熟的做法,希望得到同行的批评和指正。