大學(xué)英語四六級(jí)考試，自1992年1月到1999年6月連續(xù)3年出現(xiàn)了一種新題型--簡短回答題(short answer question)。此類題一般被安排在閱讀理解之后。一方面考查考生的短文閱讀能力，另一方面是側(cè)重考核考生的書面表達(dá)能力。此類題型出現(xiàn)后，一些考生不太適應(yīng)，往往是束手無策，結(jié)果在此題的得分率較低。鑒于此，我們通過近幾年六篇簡答短文及三十道試題的深入研究、總結(jié)、歸納簡短回答題的命題傾向，并向考生提供各種相應(yīng)的應(yīng)試技巧。
一、簡答題與閱讀理解題的異同
這兩類題型，既有相同點(diǎn)，又有各自的特點(diǎn)。相同點(diǎn)都是對(duì)短文材料進(jìn)行閱讀，并要理解內(nèi)容。因此，閱讀能力的培養(yǎng)，貴在平時(shí)。四六級(jí)英語考試，是一難度較大級(jí)別較高的測(cè)試，其閱讀材料一般來源于英語國家主要是美國當(dāng)代作品，其中又以報(bào)刊雜志為主。因此，建議考生平時(shí)一定要看看《新聞周刊》(Newsweek)、《時(shí)代周刊》(Time)和《商業(yè)周刊》(Businessweek)等。只有在閱讀好，理解好短文材料基礎(chǔ)上，才談得上應(yīng)試技巧。不同點(diǎn)在于，簡答題主要是考查學(xué)生語言組織能力和表達(dá)能力，它要求學(xué)生用簡短的詞組或句子回答提問或補(bǔ)充完整句子，而閱讀理解題是在四個(gè)選項(xiàng)中作出正確地選擇。它有三個(gè)干擾項(xiàng)，考生易被干擾項(xiàng)引入歧途。因此，我們研究真題后發(fā)現(xiàn)，簡答題雖說表面上量大而且要求寬，但其實(shí)質(zhì)卻是降低了考試難度。因此，考生對(duì)這種新題型不必?fù)?dān)憂。只要考生掌握了下面的應(yīng)試技巧，在平時(shí)稍加注意，此題得分率必將提高。
二、命題傾向剖析及應(yīng)試技巧
近三年簡答題主要考三種題型：主旨大意題、事實(shí)細(xì)節(jié)題、推理題，而以事實(shí)細(xì)節(jié)題考得多(約70%)。
1、主旨大意題
此類題型在三年中考得較少。做此類題要求考生用簡潔而又內(nèi)涵豐富的詞或短語高度概括文章的中心思想。許多考生的難處是短文看懂了，中心意思也知道，就是不知如何表達(dá)出來。此時(shí)，考生關(guān)鍵是找到主題句，通過對(duì)主題句進(jìn)行"手術(shù)"，就能找到佳答案。而主題句通常都在段首或段末，有時(shí)是一疑問句或一簡單句，且具有語法上的獨(dú)立性。關(guān)鍵詞有“in short”、“in my opinion”、“that is”、“therefore”、“I believe/suggest/think”、 “infact”等。
例(1)What is the passage mainly about? (1997年1月六級(jí)簡答真題)
分析：文章相信大多數(shù)考生都能看懂，主要講美國的偷車現(xiàn)象及其解決辦法?？忌喿x完畢，很容易發(fā)現(xiàn)幾個(gè)關(guān)鍵句子，如Vehicle, theft is a common phenomenon, which has a direct impace on over four million cictions a year. How can you protect your car? 考生對(duì)這兩個(gè)句子進(jìn)行巧妙裁剪、嫁接，就能做許多滿意答案，如(1)Vehicle theft and security systme in U.S. (2) Car thefts in the U.S.A. (3)Theft of Car. (4) Stolen-vehicle phonomenon and solution等。這些答案中關(guān)鍵詞都可以在主題句或原文中找到，考生的技巧是如何把它們很好地結(jié)合起來。一些考生不擅此道，而在那苦思冥想，總想找個(gè)新鮮詞或另外的短語來表達(dá)，結(jié)果浪費(fèi)時(shí)間，甚至表達(dá)錯(cuò)誤。
例(2) Apart from personal preferences, what determines one's choice of the media and media content? (1998年6月六級(jí)題S4)
(分析：文中第三段首句即點(diǎn)明主旨：Quite a different sort of factor that affects your media experience is the social context of exposure. 故答案為the social context of exposure)
2、 事實(shí)細(xì)節(jié)題
此類題型是簡答題考查多題型，考查形式多樣，下面一一剖析。
(1)描述性題目能直接從原文中找到答案。此類細(xì)節(jié)題答案一般是句子謂語或賓語等主干成分，考生略做變化即能寫出答案。
例(1)How serious did the author predict the annual vehicle theft could be in the United States in 1989? (1997年1月六有題73)
(分析:答好此題的關(guān)鍵，是考生一定要看到課文中的一句話，即：
In 1987, ……If current trends continue, experts predict annual vehicle thefts could exceed two million by the end of the decade.
前面提到了1987，可知the end of the decade指80年代末，即1989年；exceed two million 是關(guān)鍵詞。因此答案可以為：Over two million vehicles could be stolen.)
例(2) What belief about pet behavior was unacceptable to experts of animals behavior? (1997年7月六級(jí)簡答題S4)
(分析：此題答案在短文后一段第二、第三句話中就能直接找到。In short, do household pets really have a mental and emotional life? Their owners think so, but until recently, animal-behavior experts would have gone mad on hearing such a question. 此兩句話中，前一句"have a mental and emotional life"是關(guān)鍵詞句，后一句話："have gone mad"表示動(dòng)物專家的態(tài)度，"such a question"指前一句話內(nèi)容?？忌业竭@些關(guān)鍵詞句，答案就出來了：That animals have a mental and emotional life.)
例(3)What type of security system can help the police track down a stolen car? (1997年1月六級(jí)題75)
(分析：此題屬敘述、描述性事實(shí)細(xì)節(jié)題，短文后一句提供了答案：In some states, you may be able to use a device that transmits radio signals, allowing stolen cars to be tracked by police. 句中"allowing stolen cars to be tracked by police" 和題干中"help the police track down a stolen car"意義相近，只是句式、用詞作了變換，"transmits radio signals"是關(guān)鍵詞，故答案：The transimitting radio signals.)
(2)因果型的題目短文中能直接找到原因或結(jié)果。通常表原因的關(guān)鍵詞有：for that reason, for, as, because, since, as a result of, owing to, thanks to等。表結(jié)果的關(guān)鍵詞有：as a result, therefore, consequently, thus, accordingly, so?？忌喿x時(shí)要注意這些詞后面的內(nèi)容。
例(1)Why are newspaper considered as an important medium according to the passage? (1998年6月六級(jí)簡答題S2)
(分析：此題用why來提問，短文中似乎沒有because……回應(yīng)句。但考生在第一段應(yīng)該會(huì)看到這樣一句話：Of all the media, television is clearly dominant, with newspapers a close second, at least as a source of news and other information. 此句中直接談到"newpapers"的作用"as a source of news and other information"，as是重要標(biāo)志，因而題干答案即為：Because they are a source of news and other information.
例(2)Why was it easy for boats to tumble over in the Colorado? (1998年1月六級(jí)簡答題S2)
(分析：此題在短文第一段中沒有出現(xiàn)任何表因果關(guān)系的連詞，但文中有兩處關(guān)鍵的話，即，all of us naturally set aside any pretenses(矯飾) and put out backs into ever stroke to keep the boat from tumbling over. <此處考生要知道keep … from … 之意，防止…被…>，……working together to cope with the unpredictable twists and turns of the river. 前一句話暗示出小船極易"tumble over"，后一句話表明河流有："the unpredictable twists and turns"，故答案為：Because the rivers is full of twists and turns.)
(3)范例型題目：需要概括答案的。表示舉例的關(guān)鍵詞有：for example, such …as, for instance, that is, as follow等?？忌鷮?duì)這些詞后面的內(nèi)容要注意。
例(1)For one reasons or another, people's exposure to the media is often _______. (1998年6月六級(jí)簡答題3)
(分析：此題文中第二段首句就突出了主題：There are various factors that can cause you to expose yourself to the media selectively, ……. 然后指出原因：…… is probably due to the psychological pressure …. However, … but to other factors, such as….考生只要找到"selectively"、"due to …"、"other factors"、"such as"等詞，就能夠填完題干句，即 … is often selective and influenced by different factors.)
例(2) What cause the sharp conflict in the GM plant in the late 1970s? (1998年1月六級(jí)簡答題S4)
(分析：此題的答案需要從文中所舉例子前后經(jīng)過的描述中才能概括出來。文中用For example道出事情經(jīng)過：For example, in the late 1970s a General Motor plant in Fremont, Calif, was the scene of constant warefare between labor and management. Distrust ran so high that the labor contract was hundreds of pages of tricky legal terms. ……關(guān)鍵詞有"Distrust"、"high"、"tricky"。此外，上一段"the teamwork is the key to making dreams come ture"也很重要，因?yàn)樗e例子是論證此觀點(diǎn)的，故考生可概括出答案：Distrust and lack of teamwork)
(4)對(duì)照比較型題目：對(duì)照比較目的在于所涉及的兩個(gè)事物之間的不同或相似之處,進(jìn)而說明主題.表對(duì)照的關(guān)鍵詞有：however、neverthelss、in contrast、 on the other hand、but、yet、while等。表比較的詞有：likewise、in the same way、as if、as等。
例(1) Developing children's self-confidence helps bring them up to be _______ (1999年1月六級(jí)簡答題S5)
(分析：此題答案在短文后一句能直接找到。Giving children the opportunity the develop new resources, to enlarge their horizons and discover the pleasures of doing things on their own is, on the other hand, a way to help children develop a confident feeling about themselves as capable and intersting people. 句中on the other hand表對(duì)照，暗示出與前面相反的結(jié)果，故答案為：capable and interesting people)
例(2) When parents show constant disappointment in their children, the destructive effect is that the children will _____ .(1999年1月六級(jí)題S4)
(分析：此題答案從文中后一段第一、二句即可總結(jié)出。Such disappointment, however, is not only unjust, it is also destructive. Sensing their parent's disappointment, children come to believe that they are, indeed, lacking something, and that this makes them less worthy of admiration and respect. 句中"however"表強(qiáng)轉(zhuǎn)折，強(qiáng)調(diào)"destructive"，后一句解釋有什么危害，關(guān)鍵詞有"lacking something"、"less worthy of admiration and respect"，故答案可總結(jié)為： lost their confidence and respectability.)
一、簡答題與閱讀理解題的異同
這兩類題型，既有相同點(diǎn)，又有各自的特點(diǎn)。相同點(diǎn)都是對(duì)短文材料進(jìn)行閱讀，并要理解內(nèi)容。因此，閱讀能力的培養(yǎng)，貴在平時(shí)。四六級(jí)英語考試，是一難度較大級(jí)別較高的測(cè)試，其閱讀材料一般來源于英語國家主要是美國當(dāng)代作品，其中又以報(bào)刊雜志為主。因此，建議考生平時(shí)一定要看看《新聞周刊》(Newsweek)、《時(shí)代周刊》(Time)和《商業(yè)周刊》(Businessweek)等。只有在閱讀好，理解好短文材料基礎(chǔ)上，才談得上應(yīng)試技巧。不同點(diǎn)在于，簡答題主要是考查學(xué)生語言組織能力和表達(dá)能力，它要求學(xué)生用簡短的詞組或句子回答提問或補(bǔ)充完整句子，而閱讀理解題是在四個(gè)選項(xiàng)中作出正確地選擇。它有三個(gè)干擾項(xiàng)，考生易被干擾項(xiàng)引入歧途。因此，我們研究真題后發(fā)現(xiàn)，簡答題雖說表面上量大而且要求寬，但其實(shí)質(zhì)卻是降低了考試難度。因此，考生對(duì)這種新題型不必?fù)?dān)憂。只要考生掌握了下面的應(yīng)試技巧，在平時(shí)稍加注意，此題得分率必將提高。
二、命題傾向剖析及應(yīng)試技巧
近三年簡答題主要考三種題型：主旨大意題、事實(shí)細(xì)節(jié)題、推理題，而以事實(shí)細(xì)節(jié)題考得多(約70%)。
1、主旨大意題
此類題型在三年中考得較少。做此類題要求考生用簡潔而又內(nèi)涵豐富的詞或短語高度概括文章的中心思想。許多考生的難處是短文看懂了，中心意思也知道，就是不知如何表達(dá)出來。此時(shí)，考生關(guān)鍵是找到主題句，通過對(duì)主題句進(jìn)行"手術(shù)"，就能找到佳答案。而主題句通常都在段首或段末，有時(shí)是一疑問句或一簡單句，且具有語法上的獨(dú)立性。關(guān)鍵詞有“in short”、“in my opinion”、“that is”、“therefore”、“I believe/suggest/think”、 “infact”等。
例(1)What is the passage mainly about? (1997年1月六級(jí)簡答真題)
分析：文章相信大多數(shù)考生都能看懂，主要講美國的偷車現(xiàn)象及其解決辦法?？忌喿x完畢，很容易發(fā)現(xiàn)幾個(gè)關(guān)鍵句子，如Vehicle, theft is a common phenomenon, which has a direct impace on over four million cictions a year. How can you protect your car? 考生對(duì)這兩個(gè)句子進(jìn)行巧妙裁剪、嫁接，就能做許多滿意答案，如(1)Vehicle theft and security systme in U.S. (2) Car thefts in the U.S.A. (3)Theft of Car. (4) Stolen-vehicle phonomenon and solution等。這些答案中關(guān)鍵詞都可以在主題句或原文中找到，考生的技巧是如何把它們很好地結(jié)合起來。一些考生不擅此道，而在那苦思冥想，總想找個(gè)新鮮詞或另外的短語來表達(dá)，結(jié)果浪費(fèi)時(shí)間，甚至表達(dá)錯(cuò)誤。
例(2) Apart from personal preferences, what determines one's choice of the media and media content? (1998年6月六級(jí)題S4)
(分析：文中第三段首句即點(diǎn)明主旨：Quite a different sort of factor that affects your media experience is the social context of exposure. 故答案為the social context of exposure)
2、 事實(shí)細(xì)節(jié)題
此類題型是簡答題考查多題型，考查形式多樣，下面一一剖析。
(1)描述性題目能直接從原文中找到答案。此類細(xì)節(jié)題答案一般是句子謂語或賓語等主干成分，考生略做變化即能寫出答案。
例(1)How serious did the author predict the annual vehicle theft could be in the United States in 1989? (1997年1月六有題73)
(分析:答好此題的關(guān)鍵，是考生一定要看到課文中的一句話，即：
In 1987, ……If current trends continue, experts predict annual vehicle thefts could exceed two million by the end of the decade.
前面提到了1987，可知the end of the decade指80年代末，即1989年；exceed two million 是關(guān)鍵詞。因此答案可以為：Over two million vehicles could be stolen.)
例(2) What belief about pet behavior was unacceptable to experts of animals behavior? (1997年7月六級(jí)簡答題S4)
(分析：此題答案在短文后一段第二、第三句話中就能直接找到。In short, do household pets really have a mental and emotional life? Their owners think so, but until recently, animal-behavior experts would have gone mad on hearing such a question. 此兩句話中，前一句"have a mental and emotional life"是關(guān)鍵詞句，后一句話："have gone mad"表示動(dòng)物專家的態(tài)度，"such a question"指前一句話內(nèi)容?？忌业竭@些關(guān)鍵詞句，答案就出來了：That animals have a mental and emotional life.)
例(3)What type of security system can help the police track down a stolen car? (1997年1月六級(jí)題75)
(分析：此題屬敘述、描述性事實(shí)細(xì)節(jié)題，短文后一句提供了答案：In some states, you may be able to use a device that transmits radio signals, allowing stolen cars to be tracked by police. 句中"allowing stolen cars to be tracked by police" 和題干中"help the police track down a stolen car"意義相近，只是句式、用詞作了變換，"transmits radio signals"是關(guān)鍵詞，故答案：The transimitting radio signals.)
(2)因果型的題目短文中能直接找到原因或結(jié)果。通常表原因的關(guān)鍵詞有：for that reason, for, as, because, since, as a result of, owing to, thanks to等。表結(jié)果的關(guān)鍵詞有：as a result, therefore, consequently, thus, accordingly, so?？忌喿x時(shí)要注意這些詞后面的內(nèi)容。
例(1)Why are newspaper considered as an important medium according to the passage? (1998年6月六級(jí)簡答題S2)
(分析：此題用why來提問，短文中似乎沒有because……回應(yīng)句。但考生在第一段應(yīng)該會(huì)看到這樣一句話：Of all the media, television is clearly dominant, with newspapers a close second, at least as a source of news and other information. 此句中直接談到"newpapers"的作用"as a source of news and other information"，as是重要標(biāo)志，因而題干答案即為：Because they are a source of news and other information.
例(2)Why was it easy for boats to tumble over in the Colorado? (1998年1月六級(jí)簡答題S2)
(分析：此題在短文第一段中沒有出現(xiàn)任何表因果關(guān)系的連詞，但文中有兩處關(guān)鍵的話，即，all of us naturally set aside any pretenses(矯飾) and put out backs into ever stroke to keep the boat from tumbling over. <此處考生要知道keep … from … 之意，防止…被…>，……working together to cope with the unpredictable twists and turns of the river. 前一句話暗示出小船極易"tumble over"，后一句話表明河流有："the unpredictable twists and turns"，故答案為：Because the rivers is full of twists and turns.)
(3)范例型題目：需要概括答案的。表示舉例的關(guān)鍵詞有：for example, such …as, for instance, that is, as follow等?？忌鷮?duì)這些詞后面的內(nèi)容要注意。
例(1)For one reasons or another, people's exposure to the media is often _______. (1998年6月六級(jí)簡答題3)
(分析：此題文中第二段首句就突出了主題：There are various factors that can cause you to expose yourself to the media selectively, ……. 然后指出原因：…… is probably due to the psychological pressure …. However, … but to other factors, such as….考生只要找到"selectively"、"due to …"、"other factors"、"such as"等詞，就能夠填完題干句，即 … is often selective and influenced by different factors.)
例(2) What cause the sharp conflict in the GM plant in the late 1970s? (1998年1月六級(jí)簡答題S4)
(分析：此題的答案需要從文中所舉例子前后經(jīng)過的描述中才能概括出來。文中用For example道出事情經(jīng)過：For example, in the late 1970s a General Motor plant in Fremont, Calif, was the scene of constant warefare between labor and management. Distrust ran so high that the labor contract was hundreds of pages of tricky legal terms. ……關(guān)鍵詞有"Distrust"、"high"、"tricky"。此外，上一段"the teamwork is the key to making dreams come ture"也很重要，因?yàn)樗e例子是論證此觀點(diǎn)的，故考生可概括出答案：Distrust and lack of teamwork)
(4)對(duì)照比較型題目：對(duì)照比較目的在于所涉及的兩個(gè)事物之間的不同或相似之處,進(jìn)而說明主題.表對(duì)照的關(guān)鍵詞有：however、neverthelss、in contrast、 on the other hand、but、yet、while等。表比較的詞有：likewise、in the same way、as if、as等。
例(1) Developing children's self-confidence helps bring them up to be _______ (1999年1月六級(jí)簡答題S5)
(分析：此題答案在短文后一句能直接找到。Giving children the opportunity the develop new resources, to enlarge their horizons and discover the pleasures of doing things on their own is, on the other hand, a way to help children develop a confident feeling about themselves as capable and intersting people. 句中on the other hand表對(duì)照，暗示出與前面相反的結(jié)果，故答案為：capable and interesting people)
例(2) When parents show constant disappointment in their children, the destructive effect is that the children will _____ .(1999年1月六級(jí)題S4)
(分析：此題答案從文中后一段第一、二句即可總結(jié)出。Such disappointment, however, is not only unjust, it is also destructive. Sensing their parent's disappointment, children come to believe that they are, indeed, lacking something, and that this makes them less worthy of admiration and respect. 句中"however"表強(qiáng)轉(zhuǎn)折，強(qiáng)調(diào)"destructive"，后一句解釋有什么危害，關(guān)鍵詞有"lacking something"、"less worthy of admiration and respect"，故答案可總結(jié)為： lost their confidence and respectability.)