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分析近几年成人本科学士学位英语考试英语阅读理解题，不难发现，篇幅长，信息量大，知识覆盖面广，并且掺杂了大量的长句、难句。有许多句子直接涉及考题，考生尽管认识单词，但由于长、难句的语法结构复杂，考生不易抓准主句，从而导致似懂非懂，容易丢分。
造成句子理解困难的主要原因有以下几点：
1. 句子的倒装
在这种句子中，通常为了突出句子的某一重要信息，该成分提到主语之前。由于这种句子与正常语序不同，往往加深了理解的难度。
例如：No less important than students’academic work are their extra-curricular activities.下列哪个选项与其意义相同？
A. Academic work is less important than extra-curricular activities.
B. Extra-curricular activities are much more important than academic work.
C. Extra-curricular activities are equally important compared with academic work.
D. Academic work，no less than extra-curricular activities，is important.
本句的正常语序是：The students’extra-curricular actives are no less important than their academic activities.由于句子不仅采用了倒装形式，而且还具有比较意义和双重否定，因而变得复杂。选择项中B与原句意思相反，A和D项为错误信息。正确选项为C。
2. 虚拟语气
虚拟语气是一个语法难点。因为其表示的内容与真实条件相反，加上其形式变化多种多样，读者容易产生误解。
例如：Had the announcement been made earlier，more people would have attended the lecture.下列哪个选项与其意义相同？
A. Not many people came to hear the lecture because it was held so late.
B. The lecture was held earlier so that more people would attend.
C. Fewer people attended the lecture because of the early announcement.
D. Since the announcement was made late，fewer people came to hear the lecture.
本句为过去时的虚拟语气。由于从句省略了if，所以句子以倒装形式出现。其正常的语序应该是：The announcement had been made earlier，more people would have attended the lecture.这句话所表示的与过去条件相反：“要是早一点通知，听讲座的人数就会多些。”换句话说，由于通知的太晚，听讲座的人数不多。因而正确答案应该是D。
3. 比较级与最高级
比较级和最高级是增加句子难度的因素之一。由于句子中出现了其中一种形式或者两者兼而有之，句子的形式与结构不但显得复杂，理解难度也随之增大。
例如：There is hardly a concept more frequently mentioned by public spoken or in print than the concept of “freedom”.下列哪个选项与其意义相同？
A. Whether in speech or in publications，the most frequently mentioned concept is that of “freedom”.
B. The concept of “freedom” is the only concept frequently mentioned either in speeches or in print.
C. The concept of “freedom” is the concept mentioned neither in speeches nor in print.
D. Along with other concepts，the concept of “freedom” is frequently mentioned by public speakers and writers.
本句中出现了more...than这一比较结构，并且还用了hardly这一表示否定意义的副词，这样，句子不仅结构复杂，语义也非常隐晦。B，C和D三个选择项是三种不同释义，与原义相悖，A项利用最高级对原句进行了正确的释义，故为正确答案。
4. 双重否定
有的句子含有形式上和语义上的双重否定，设置圈套干扰考生的思维，使考生上当。阅读此类句子时，我们不妨将其转换为肯定句。
例如：It is not unusual to see children doing the work of adults in great many rural areas.下列哪个选项与其意义相同？
A. One rarely sees children working like adults in great rural areas.
B. Children often work adults occupations in many rural areas.
C. It is common for children to watch adults at work in numerous areas.
D. Adults hardly ever do work for their children in large areas.
本句中的not unusual为双重否定。我们完全可以理解为very usual，即肯定形式。这样，句子的意义就非常明白了。我们就不难发觉本题的正确答案应为B。
5. 语义隐晦
有些句子结构繁杂，通常从句套从句，句意含蓄，容易置人于云里雾里，难以作出正确判断。
例如：Rivers and water courses afford a very convenient and accessible source of supply；and one of the principal reasons for towns in older times having established by the banks，rivers is supposed to have been the facility with which，in such situation，an ample supply of water was secured.下列哪个选项与其意义相同？
A. Rivers and water sources are secured.
B. Rivers and water courses are useful.
C. Rivers and water courses are convenient sources of water supply for towns.
D. The main support of ancient towns is needed.
这个句子结构复杂。整个句子由两个并列分句组成，前一分句意思较明晰，即“河流和水道提供了非常方便的水源”。第二个分句不仅结构复杂，而且语义也极为隐晦，其意思是：“过去的城镇建立在河流的岸边，河流能够供应充足的水源是主要的原因之一。”遇上这类难句，考生首先要弄清楚句子结构，即何为主干，何为枝叶：然后再一层一层地理解，最后得出整句的意义：从本题后面的四个选项来看，A和B都太窄，D为错误信息，唯有C比较全面体现了全句的含义。故C是正确答案。
6. 习惯用语
有时一个句子难以理解，是由于句子中的某一个习惯用语或固定词组引起的。如果读者不熟悉这一固定词组或习惯用语，整个句子的理解也就无从下手。因此，平时尽可能地多掌握一些固定词组和习惯用语是必要的。
例如：Harry was a capable lawyer，but it was difficult for him to live up to the reputation established by his more brilliant father.下列哪个选项与其意义相同？
A. Harry was a capable lawyer，but it was a hard life for him to be with his father，who was brilliant and of great repute.
B. A capable lawyer as Harry was，he found it difficult to equal the reputation set by his more brilliant father.
C. Although Harry was a capable lawyer，his father，who was more brilliant，made it difficult for him to live by the reputation already established.
D. Despite the fact that he had a brilliant father with good reputation，Harry found it difficult to live his capability.
能否透彻理解这个句子，取决于是否了解“live up to”这个习惯用语。了解这个习惯用语的意思，整个句子的意思也就一目了然了。“live up to”是“做到、符合”的意思。整句话的意思为“尽管哈利是一个很有才干的律师，但是要达到比他更加才华横溢的父亲所获得的那种荣誉是很不容易的。”由此可见，B是最佳选项。
