在閱讀中，考生能否看懂文章，一個(gè)重要的衡量標(biāo)準(zhǔn)就是測(cè)試考生是否理解了整篇文章的主旨大意，是否具有把握主題思想的能力。每篇短文都有主題思想，但作者表現(xiàn)主題的手法各不相同。在職稱考試中，考文章主旨大意的考題主要有以下三種：
1．Main Idea類型： 選項(xiàng)形式為陳述句。要求考生選擇表達(dá)作者思想、觀點(diǎn)的句子。
典型問(wèn)題形式：
What is the main idea/point of this passage？
The main idea of this article is ______.
This passage is mainly about ______.
The central point of the selection is_______.
The major point discussed in the passage is _____.
The aim of the writer is to show that._______.
Which of the following best states the theme of the passage?
The main idea of the passage may be best expressed as_____.
2．Main Topic類型： 選項(xiàng)形式為名詞或名詞詞組。要求考生指出文章的Topic（論題）或 Subject（主題），或 Title（標(biāo)題）等。典型問(wèn)題形式：
What is the main topic of this passage？
The passage is chiefly concerned with _______.
What is the main subject of the passage?
The best title for this passage might be _____.
What topic is treated in this passage?
The main idea of this selection may be best expressed as______.
Which of the following best states the theme of the passage?
The title best expresses the idea of the passage is_____.
The passage can be entitled _________.
3．Purpose類型： 選項(xiàng)形式多為動(dòng)賓結(jié)構(gòu)。要求考生找到主要的寫作目的。
典型問(wèn)題形式：
What is the author's main purpose in the passage?
The author's purpose of writing this passage is to _____.
要正確理解一篇文章，關(guān)鍵是要抓住文章的主題思想。閱讀中如何才能抓住文章的主旨大意呢？通常有兩種方法：
1. 找出主題句。一般來(lái)講，文章或段落的主題句在文章或段落的開(kāi)頭或結(jié)尾。
2. 找出主題詞。如果文章或段落中找不到主題句，考生就要找出主題詞或關(guān)鍵詞，然后根據(jù)對(duì)文章的理解自己歸納概括出文章的中心思想。
（一）、找主題句
任何一篇文章都有一個(gè)主題思想。在大多數(shù)情況下，這一主題思想是通過(guò)文章中某一個(gè)句子加以概括的，這樣的句子叫主題句。主題句是在段落中最能概括說(shuō)明段落中心思想的句子。我們?cè)陂喿x中要想抓住文章或段落的中心思想，最簡(jiǎn)潔而且行之有效的方法就是找到主題句。
據(jù)估計(jì)，英語(yǔ)中有60%——90%的說(shuō)明文和科技文獻(xiàn)都有主題句，其中50%的主題句在段首，30%的主題句在段尾，15%的主題句在段落中間。因此，.如果文章只有一段，看懂文章的開(kāi)頭兩句是極為重要的。如果文章有幾段，則每一段的第一句都要仔細(xì)地讀，尤其是最長(zhǎng)的一段更要注意它的主要內(nèi)容。邊閱讀邊在主題段或主題句或重要的詞句下面劃線，讀完全文后再回過(guò)頭來(lái)重讀劃線部分，然后就會(huì)得出作者的主要意圖。
主題句通常位于段落的開(kāi)頭。這是因?yàn)橐灾黝}句開(kāi)頭的段落對(duì)作者來(lái)說(shuō)最容易突出中心思想，對(duì)讀者來(lái)說(shuō)最容易把握作者的思路。但也有一些段落，其主題句不是位于段首而是在段落的中間或最后。
（1）主題句在段首。
一個(gè)主題句常常是一個(gè)段落的開(kāi)頭，其后的句子則是論證性細(xì)節(jié)。例如，你外出旅行，回到家一進(jìn)門你就說(shuō)："這次旅行真倒霉".這句話就可視為一個(gè)主題句，它是你接下來(lái)將要說(shuō)的整段話的主要意思所在。在這第一句之后你會(huì)說(shuō)出許多細(xì)節(jié)來(lái)說(shuō)明你這次旅行為什么倒霉。在論說(shuō)文，科技文獻(xiàn)和新聞報(bào)道中多采用這種格式。
有些段落，在主題句后面有明顯的引出細(xì)節(jié)的信號(hào)詞。常見(jiàn)的信號(hào)詞有for example，an example of，the most important example of；first，second，next，last，finally；to begin with，also，besides that；one ； the other，some，others，等等。在閱讀中應(yīng)盡量利用上述信號(hào)詞來(lái)確定主題句的位置。
例如：
People have different tastes in food. Some feel that they haven't eaten a meal unless they have had steak or other red meat. Some prefer chicken or fish and eat one or the other at every meal. Others prefer vegetables and fruits or grains and would enjoy a meal of spaghetti, eggplant, and fresh fruit. Others could live on what were called fast——foods: a hamburger or hot dog, French fries and a soft drink.
Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the paragraph?
A. Some people like steak and others red meat.
B. Vegetables are very healthy for you.
C. How food is prepared has a lot to do with how well a person may like it.
D. Different people have different tastes in food.
這段文章的第一句就是主題句，確切地表明了本段的中心思想。因此D為正確答案。
請(qǐng)閱讀下列短文并找出主題句
Africa——The fight against starvation in six West African nations is being hampered by the rainy
season. Heavy rains are turning the dirt roads into muddy rivers. Relief will have to wait for a dry spell which seems nowhere in sight. The weather bureau is maintaining silence for fear of causing increased alarm.
London's weather is strange. It can rain several times a day; each time the rain may come suddenly after the sun is shining brightly. The air is damp and chill right through July. On one March afternoon Hampton Heath last year, it rained three times, there was one hailstorm, and the sun shone brilliantly—— all this within two hours' time. It is not unusual to see men and women rushing down the street on a sunny morning with umbrellas on their arms. No one knows what the next few moments will bring.
Surviving in the jungle is a science. The jungle people have become perfect in this science, and you can too. Learn as much as you can about what to expect in the jungle. Make sure you have the jungle. Make sure you have the right equipment. Then no part of the jungle will seem completely unfriendly or frightening. In fact you will be able to "live off" it for a long time.
Perhaps more than any other people Americans have come to depend on their cars. The family car has been a common thing since early 20th century, and it has changed American life. Many people have moved outside of the large cities to the suburbs Some Americans spend two hours a day or more in their cars going to work and home again. Cars have become the means of transportation for most Americans.
很顯然，上面四篇短文的第一句都是主題句。
1．Main Idea類型： 選項(xiàng)形式為陳述句。要求考生選擇表達(dá)作者思想、觀點(diǎn)的句子。
典型問(wèn)題形式：
What is the main idea/point of this passage？
The main idea of this article is ______.
This passage is mainly about ______.
The central point of the selection is_______.
The major point discussed in the passage is _____.
The aim of the writer is to show that._______.
Which of the following best states the theme of the passage?
The main idea of the passage may be best expressed as_____.
2．Main Topic類型： 選項(xiàng)形式為名詞或名詞詞組。要求考生指出文章的Topic（論題）或 Subject（主題），或 Title（標(biāo)題）等。典型問(wèn)題形式：
What is the main topic of this passage？
The passage is chiefly concerned with _______.
What is the main subject of the passage?
The best title for this passage might be _____.
What topic is treated in this passage?
The main idea of this selection may be best expressed as______.
Which of the following best states the theme of the passage?
The title best expresses the idea of the passage is_____.
The passage can be entitled _________.
3．Purpose類型： 選項(xiàng)形式多為動(dòng)賓結(jié)構(gòu)。要求考生找到主要的寫作目的。
典型問(wèn)題形式：
What is the author's main purpose in the passage?
The author's purpose of writing this passage is to _____.
要正確理解一篇文章，關(guān)鍵是要抓住文章的主題思想。閱讀中如何才能抓住文章的主旨大意呢？通常有兩種方法：
1. 找出主題句。一般來(lái)講，文章或段落的主題句在文章或段落的開(kāi)頭或結(jié)尾。
2. 找出主題詞。如果文章或段落中找不到主題句，考生就要找出主題詞或關(guān)鍵詞，然后根據(jù)對(duì)文章的理解自己歸納概括出文章的中心思想。
（一）、找主題句
任何一篇文章都有一個(gè)主題思想。在大多數(shù)情況下，這一主題思想是通過(guò)文章中某一個(gè)句子加以概括的，這樣的句子叫主題句。主題句是在段落中最能概括說(shuō)明段落中心思想的句子。我們?cè)陂喿x中要想抓住文章或段落的中心思想，最簡(jiǎn)潔而且行之有效的方法就是找到主題句。
據(jù)估計(jì)，英語(yǔ)中有60%——90%的說(shuō)明文和科技文獻(xiàn)都有主題句，其中50%的主題句在段首，30%的主題句在段尾，15%的主題句在段落中間。因此，.如果文章只有一段，看懂文章的開(kāi)頭兩句是極為重要的。如果文章有幾段，則每一段的第一句都要仔細(xì)地讀，尤其是最長(zhǎng)的一段更要注意它的主要內(nèi)容。邊閱讀邊在主題段或主題句或重要的詞句下面劃線，讀完全文后再回過(guò)頭來(lái)重讀劃線部分，然后就會(huì)得出作者的主要意圖。
主題句通常位于段落的開(kāi)頭。這是因?yàn)橐灾黝}句開(kāi)頭的段落對(duì)作者來(lái)說(shuō)最容易突出中心思想，對(duì)讀者來(lái)說(shuō)最容易把握作者的思路。但也有一些段落，其主題句不是位于段首而是在段落的中間或最后。
（1）主題句在段首。
一個(gè)主題句常常是一個(gè)段落的開(kāi)頭，其后的句子則是論證性細(xì)節(jié)。例如，你外出旅行，回到家一進(jìn)門你就說(shuō)："這次旅行真倒霉".這句話就可視為一個(gè)主題句，它是你接下來(lái)將要說(shuō)的整段話的主要意思所在。在這第一句之后你會(huì)說(shuō)出許多細(xì)節(jié)來(lái)說(shuō)明你這次旅行為什么倒霉。在論說(shuō)文，科技文獻(xiàn)和新聞報(bào)道中多采用這種格式。
有些段落，在主題句后面有明顯的引出細(xì)節(jié)的信號(hào)詞。常見(jiàn)的信號(hào)詞有for example，an example of，the most important example of；first，second，next，last，finally；to begin with，also，besides that；one ； the other，some，others，等等。在閱讀中應(yīng)盡量利用上述信號(hào)詞來(lái)確定主題句的位置。
例如：
People have different tastes in food. Some feel that they haven't eaten a meal unless they have had steak or other red meat. Some prefer chicken or fish and eat one or the other at every meal. Others prefer vegetables and fruits or grains and would enjoy a meal of spaghetti, eggplant, and fresh fruit. Others could live on what were called fast——foods: a hamburger or hot dog, French fries and a soft drink.
Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the paragraph?
A. Some people like steak and others red meat.
B. Vegetables are very healthy for you.
C. How food is prepared has a lot to do with how well a person may like it.
D. Different people have different tastes in food.
這段文章的第一句就是主題句，確切地表明了本段的中心思想。因此D為正確答案。
請(qǐng)閱讀下列短文并找出主題句
Africa——The fight against starvation in six West African nations is being hampered by the rainy
season. Heavy rains are turning the dirt roads into muddy rivers. Relief will have to wait for a dry spell which seems nowhere in sight. The weather bureau is maintaining silence for fear of causing increased alarm.
London's weather is strange. It can rain several times a day; each time the rain may come suddenly after the sun is shining brightly. The air is damp and chill right through July. On one March afternoon Hampton Heath last year, it rained three times, there was one hailstorm, and the sun shone brilliantly—— all this within two hours' time. It is not unusual to see men and women rushing down the street on a sunny morning with umbrellas on their arms. No one knows what the next few moments will bring.
Surviving in the jungle is a science. The jungle people have become perfect in this science, and you can too. Learn as much as you can about what to expect in the jungle. Make sure you have the jungle. Make sure you have the right equipment. Then no part of the jungle will seem completely unfriendly or frightening. In fact you will be able to "live off" it for a long time.
Perhaps more than any other people Americans have come to depend on their cars. The family car has been a common thing since early 20th century, and it has changed American life. Many people have moved outside of the large cities to the suburbs Some Americans spend two hours a day or more in their cars going to work and home again. Cars have become the means of transportation for most Americans.
很顯然，上面四篇短文的第一句都是主題句。