Q:One reason why the loss of lives in the Los Angeles earthquake was comparatively low is that____.
[A]new computers had been installed in the buildings
[B]it occurred in the residential rather than on the highways
[C]large numbers of Los Angeles residents had gone for a holiday
[D]improvements had been made in the construction of buildings and highways
正确答案是 [D]
在四个选项中[C]项和[D]都与原文有关。但[C]达似乎照抄原文"the quake occurred...on a holiday",但实际上是对原文的曲解。原文中并没有说大多Los Angeles的居民们外出度假了,只是说了当时的交通情况。而选项[D]中的improvement 是对"change made to the construction codes"的解释,是change在该文中的同义替换词,因此[D]是正确答案。
选项中表达意义较具体,或肤浅地表达了字面意思的,一般不是答案项,而概括性的、抽象的、含义深刻的是答案项。
例题:CET4 2000年1月第1篇
Is it worth it?Two things experts consider when judging any risk are: 1)How likely the event is;and 2)How bad the consequences are if the event occurs.Experts think an asteroid big enough to destroy lots of life might srike Earth once every 500,000 years.
Q:What do scientists say about the collision of an asteroid with Earth?
[A]It is very unlikely but the danger exists.
[B]Such a collision might occur every 25 years.
[C]Collidons d smaller asteroids with Earth occur more often than expected.
[D]It's still ear1y to say whether such a collision might occur.
正确答案是 [A]
依据节选文中最后一句可知虽然小行星每 50 万年才撞击地球一次 , 但此事总是有可能发生的。在四个选项中 , 只有 [A] 项 " 小行星与地球碰撞的可能性不大 , 但这种危险是存在的 " 最具概括性。因此 [A] 项正确。
选项内容与其他三项有较大差别的 , 可能为答案。
例题:CET4 1996年6月第3篇
Most our patients(注:指上文中提到的terminally iil patients) welcomed another human being with whom they could talk openly,honestly,and frankly about their trouble.Many of them shared with us their tremendous need to be informed,to be kept up-to-date on their medical condition and to be told when the end was near.
Q:The need of a dying patient for company shows____.
[A]his desire for communication with other people
[B]his fear of approaching death
[C]his pessimistic attitude towards his condition
[D]his reluctance to part with his family