托福highlight題怎麼解?

2017.11.15

大家好,我是SK2的Rosa,
今天要來分享highlight題的解法。

所謂的highlight題又稱為句子簡化題,
通常是令同學很頭疼的題目,不只要花很多時間,而且常常會選錯答案。

在開始講解此題型之前,先來試試看以下這題你是否能夠做對。


Both the rate of invasion and the rate of extinction vary greatly among different plant species. Pioneer species – those that occur only in the earliest stages of colonization – tend to have high rates of invasion because they produce very large numbers of reproductive propagules (seeds, spores, and so on) and because they have an efficient means of dispersal (normally, wind)


Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

A.The seeds of pioneer species are usually carried by the wind to fertile sites, where they reproduce very efficiently.
B.Pioneer species are successful invaders because they produce lots of seeds that are dispersed effectively.
C.Pioneer species produce their largest numbers of propagules during the earliest stages of their colonization.
D.Pioneer species reproduce very quickly and efficiently because they produce very large number of seeds.


很多同學都會覺得highlight題是要選包含題目全部文意的選項,事實上卻不然。
讓我們來看看highlight題的題目,

Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information. 

注意essential一字,代表這種題型要的是最重要的資訊,並非要包含所有資訊。
他也不要嚴重改變題目意思或是遺漏重要資訊的選項。

在瞭解題幹之後,我們來試著用以下這三個步驟解題吧!

STEP 1: 用句子架構抓重點
S—N that VO—VO because SVO(N) and because SVO(N).

當你只專注在找轉折詞抓架構時,你就會發現這題其實是個因果關係。
破折號以及括號裡面的是補充資訊,所以不看,因此,我只看上色的區域。
S—N that VO—VO because SVO(N) and because SVO(N).

STEP 2: 簡化句意

Pioneer species – those that occur only in the earliest stages of colonization – tend to have high rates of invasion because they produce very large numbers of reproductive propagules (seeds, spores, and so on) and because they have an efficient means of dispersal (normally, wind)


理解句意時,建議記筆記,待會能夠更方便比對答案選項。

high invasion rates <—— high reproductive propagules & (+) dispersal

STEP 3: 選答案

選答案時,盡量選擇接近筆記意思的。主題、態度或是架構不對都算是改變句意,不選。
TIP! 可以優先比對選項的主要子句,因為如果主要子句意思跟你剛剛想的不一樣,就不對了。

A.The seeds of pioneer species are usually carried by the wind to fertile sites, where they reproduce very efficiently.

A選項的意思重點在seeds carried by the wind,並沒有因果關係,意思不完整不選。

B.Pioneer species are successful invaders because they produce lots of seeds that are dispersed effectively.

B選項可以看成  invaders(+) <—— a lot of seeds spread efficiently

至少有因果關係,先保留。

C.Pioneer species produce their largest numbers of propagules during the earliest stages of their colonization.

C選項的重點在produce largest number of propagules,沒有因果關係,剛剛在筆記中也沒有最高級largest的印象,武斷語氣,不選。

D.Pioneer species reproduce very quickly and efficiently because they produce very large number of seeds.

D選項可以翻譯成   reproduce quickly and efficiently <—— produce a lot of seeds,至少是因果關係,保留。

此時,再用筆記去比對B, D,看一下哪個最接近剛剛自己理解的意思。

high invasion rates <—— high reproductive propagules & (+) dispersal

B  invaders(+) <—— a lot of seeds spread efficiently
D  reproduce quickly and efficiently <—— produce a lot of seeds

你會發現B的意思比較完整,有講到結果(high invasion rates)以及包含兩個原因(seeds & spread efficiently),但是D沒有提到原因二(dispersal: wind),所以選B。

小提醒!

這種題型的筆記要精簡再精簡!假如你的筆記太複雜,就失去筆記的功用了!
80% 這個題型,光是靠辨認主要子句的訊息就能夠做對的!

此外,盡量用筆記作答,如果你記了筆記,還是要回原文中看整句話的意思,筆記一樣會失去功用。

我們不妨用剛剛教的技巧再做一題吧!

These Kinetoscope arcades were modeled on phonograph parlors, which had proven successful for Edison several years earlier. In the phonograph parlors, customers listened to recordings through individual ear tubes, moving from one machine to the next to hear different recorded speeches or pieces of music. The Kinetoscope parlors functioned in a similar way. Edison was more interested in the sale of Kinetoscopes (for roughly $1,000 apiece) to these parlors than in the films that would be run in them (which cost approximately $10 to $15 each). He refused to develop projection technology, reasoning that if he made and sold projectors, then exhibitors would purchase only one machine-a projector-from him instead of several.

Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence from the passage?Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

A.Edison was more interested in developing a variety of machines than in developing a technology based on only one.
B.Edison refused to work on projection technology because he did not think exhibitors would replace their projectors with newer machines.
C.Edison did not want to develop projection technology because it limited the number of machines he could sell.
D.Edison would not develop projection technology unless exhibitors agreed to purchase more than one projector from him.

做完了嗎?我們一樣來用三步驟檢討。

STEP 1: 用句子架構抓重點
SVO, Ving that if SVO, then SVO.

看到了reasoning that,瞭解這題其實是個因果關係,因此,我會看上色的區域。
SVO, Ving that if SVO, then SVO.

STEP 2: 簡化句意
He refused to develop projection technology, reasoning that if he made and sold projectors, then exhibitors would purchase only one machine-a projector-from him instead of several.

我的筆記: X develop P tech. <—- purchase only 1 machine.


STEP 3: 選答案

A.Edison was more interested in developing a variety of machines than in developing a technology based on only one.

A選項有 more…than, 是比較關係,不是因果關係,而且態度(interested)也不對,故不選。

B.Edison refused to work on projection technology because he did not think exhibitors would replace their projectors with newer machines.

B選項為因果關係,但是原因不對,would not replace不等於 purchase only 1 machine,改變句意,故不選。

C.Edison did not want to develop projection technology because it limited the number of machines he could sell.

C選項為因果關係,而且前面態度對,後面也有提到數量的問題,所以保留。

D.Edison would not develop projection technology unless exhibitors agreed to purchase more than one projector from him.

D選項看到unless,已經改變題目的架構了,沒有because等表達因果關係的字眼,而且unless語氣較強烈,為武斷語氣,改變句意,不選。

這題選C

你會發現這種題型熟練之後,是可以在1-1.5分鐘內做對的!
假如你很不會此題型,請先學會辨識英文的句子架構。
你只要會抓主要子句,就會抓重點,這種題型便不是問題。

同時間,假如你這種題型很容易做錯,那也意味著你不會抓重點,在閱讀時,便很有能會會有以下這些閱讀問題讀太細、記太多資訊、作答太慢、容易誤解句意

因此,會建議你熟悉英文句子架構,也可以從閱讀這本書開始黃玟君的觀念英文閱讀──從看懂句子開始,此書教你如何分辨英文裡面的主詞與動詞,寫得非常淺顯易懂,會判斷SVO之後,再去看托福文章就會快很多。

最後,假如你發現你閱讀會做超時、答題率不穩、常重複看同一個段落、容易選錯答案選項,歡迎你於十一月末,免費進班上閱讀,學習如何用scan與skim加快閱讀速度喔!

有興趣的同學請寄信至 toeflconsultant@gmail.com,主旨為11/19閱讀免費進班聽課,內文附上中英文姓名。

11/19(日)19:00-20:30 (Rosa講解如何scan, skim, 做架構式筆記)

閱讀其實不只在托福裡面是拿分的關鍵,更是你出國唸書之後,很重要的能力,瞭解如何更有效率的閱讀,能夠幫助你在日常生活中預習、複習時節省非常多的時間,因此,鼓勵同學在日常生活中就要好好培養閱讀習慣以及閱讀能力,別等到了考試前,才急著做考古題喔!

Cheers,
SK2 Rosa ^____^