(九)上下文語義。
空格所缺為實義詞，測試重點不是選擇項之間詞義和詞形的比較辨異，也不是它們的語法內容或慣用搭配，而是短文的理解。這類空缺脫離了上下文就無從確定選哪項。只對空格所在句句子的理解是不夠的，考生只有在理解上下文的基礎上，才能進行答題，這類空格在各類水平考試的完形填空中占相當大的比重。如下例是MET中的完形填空，其中有14題屬于上下文語義題：
Among the early Greeks，Aristotle was—1—t0 watch living things and t0 try to classifY them，to attempt to find out—2—life begins，and to write down his observation．
His methods“work with the catfish ale typical—3—his procedures．He spent hour—4—hour al the stern of a small boat—5—the coast of Lesbos t)n the Aegean Sea leaning far out—6—the clear，shallow water，looking down at a catfish that—7—its eggs among the reeds．—8—he watched，he held his boat steadywith a strong pole—9—it would not float away．Later he made a record oI—1 0—he halt seen．
So day’after day from the stern 0f his small boat near the shore．Aristotle watched the life 0f the underwater world11itself．Everyone12fish before．and the fishermen knew something about their habits，—13—this knowledge helped them t0 get a bigger catch．But until then—14—had watched the ways 0f fish—15—the single purpose of trying to undemtand them．
Aristotle thought that—16—he observed each living thing carefully enough and recorded what he saw，he would come closer 17 life．He had great patience and extraordinary powers 0f observation，and—18 these two essential qualities he had an imagination which—19—it possible for him t0—20—what he saw．
1．A．a manB．a scientistC．firstD．the first
2．A．whatB．whichC．howD．that
3．A．0fB．forC．inD．from
4．A．bvB．t0C．fromD．after
5．A．offB．inC．t0D．with
6．A．inB．underC．overD．by
7．A．1aidB．was lyingC．1iedD．was laying
8．A．IfB．ThoughC．AsD．Since
9．A．thatB．so thatC．whichD．so as to
10．A．whatB．thatC．whichD．when
11．A．to revealB．to be revealingC．revealedD．revealing
12．A．sawB．have seenC．has seenD．had seen
13．A．forB．withC．inD．about
14．A．oneB．not oneC．no oneD．man
15．A．forB．withC．because ofD．in
16．A．whetherB．ifC．whenD．as
17．A．to be understoodB．t0 an understanding
C．to an understanding ofD．understand
18．A．exceptB．except forC．besideD．besides
19．A．thoughtB．madeC．consideredD．caused
20．A．interpretB．translateC．declareD．pronounce
(參考答案：1．D，2．C，3．A，4．D，5．A，6．c，7．D，8．C，9．B．10．A．11．D，12．D，13．A，14．C，15．A，16．B．17．C，18．D，19．B，20．A．)
空格所缺為實義詞，測試重點不是選擇項之間詞義和詞形的比較辨異，也不是它們的語法內容或慣用搭配，而是短文的理解。這類空缺脫離了上下文就無從確定選哪項。只對空格所在句句子的理解是不夠的，考生只有在理解上下文的基礎上，才能進行答題，這類空格在各類水平考試的完形填空中占相當大的比重。如下例是MET中的完形填空，其中有14題屬于上下文語義題：
Among the early Greeks，Aristotle was—1—t0 watch living things and t0 try to classifY them，to attempt to find out—2—life begins，and to write down his observation．
His methods“work with the catfish ale typical—3—his procedures．He spent hour—4—hour al the stern of a small boat—5—the coast of Lesbos t)n the Aegean Sea leaning far out—6—the clear，shallow water，looking down at a catfish that—7—its eggs among the reeds．—8—he watched，he held his boat steadywith a strong pole—9—it would not float away．Later he made a record oI—1 0—he halt seen．
So day’after day from the stern 0f his small boat near the shore．Aristotle watched the life 0f the underwater world11itself．Everyone12fish before．and the fishermen knew something about their habits，—13—this knowledge helped them t0 get a bigger catch．But until then—14—had watched the ways 0f fish—15—the single purpose of trying to undemtand them．
Aristotle thought that—16—he observed each living thing carefully enough and recorded what he saw，he would come closer 17 life．He had great patience and extraordinary powers 0f observation，and—18 these two essential qualities he had an imagination which—19—it possible for him t0—20—what he saw．
1．A．a manB．a scientistC．firstD．the first
2．A．whatB．whichC．howD．that
3．A．0fB．forC．inD．from
4．A．bvB．t0C．fromD．after
5．A．offB．inC．t0D．with
6．A．inB．underC．overD．by
7．A．1aidB．was lyingC．1iedD．was laying
8．A．IfB．ThoughC．AsD．Since
9．A．thatB．so thatC．whichD．so as to
10．A．whatB．thatC．whichD．when
11．A．to revealB．to be revealingC．revealedD．revealing
12．A．sawB．have seenC．has seenD．had seen
13．A．forB．withC．inD．about
14．A．oneB．not oneC．no oneD．man
15．A．forB．withC．because ofD．in
16．A．whetherB．ifC．whenD．as
17．A．to be understoodB．t0 an understanding
C．to an understanding ofD．understand
18．A．exceptB．except forC．besideD．besides
19．A．thoughtB．madeC．consideredD．caused
20．A．interpretB．translateC．declareD．pronounce
(參考答案：1．D，2．C，3．A，4．D，5．A，6．c，7．D，8．C，9．B．10．A．11．D，12．D，13．A，14．C，15．A，16．B．17．C，18．D，19．B，20．A．)