1、1类属法即通过类属来推测词义。如: Bananas,oranges, pineapples, coconuts and some other kinds of fruit grow in warm areas.说明:从句意我们知道pineapples和coconuts 与bananas, oranges是同类事物,同属水果(准确地说是“菠萝”和“椰子”)。2推理法即根据文章的前后语境推出生词的词义。如:Thatmuseum is so immense that it will be impossible to see all the exhibits in oneday.说明:既然一天之内看不
2、完所有的展品,那么immense的意思应该是“很大”了。Everyoneagreed that the woman in the photo was gorgeous. It was easy to see why she hadwon the beauty contest.说明:既然“她在选美比赛中获胜”,说明她“很美丽”(gorgeous)。3列举法即通过对文章所列举的事物来猜测生词的词义。如:Childrenlike such creatures as dogs and monkeys.说明:像dogs 和 monkeys 之类的“creatures”,显然creatures的意思应是“
3、动物”。In yourspare time, you may look through any of these periodicals: Time Magazine, NewsWeek, or The New Worker.说明:periodical是生词,但根据其后所列举的例子,我们可以推测出它的意思可能是“期刊”或“杂志”。4构词法即根据前缀、后缀、复合、派生等构词知识判断生词的词义。如:Overworkmay cause diseases.说明:前缀over-的意思是“过分的,过量的”,故 overwork的意思应为“工作过度”。Therewas a dissatisfied look
4、 in the managers eyes.说明:satisfied的意思是“满意的”,前缀dis-的意思是“不”,故dissatisfied 的意思应该是“不满意的”。5对比法即根据文章前后的对比关系确定生词的词义。如:He hadbeen getting better, but during the night his condition deteriorated .说明:句中的but 表明deteriorate 应该与get better 的意思相反,即“恶化”。In manycountries there are two financial extremes, from penury
5、to great wealth.说明:上文说两个经济上的极端,那么下文中penury应与great wealth 相对,即表示“贫困”。Mrs.Smith is loquacious while her husband is the silent type.说明:while表对比,意为“而”,所以loquacious 应是silent 的反义,即“多嘴的”。If youagree, draw a circle; and a cross if you dissent.说明:既然画圈表示同意,那么画叉便是“不同意”(dissent)。6同位法同位语是对所修饰词语的进一步说明和解释,若对所修饰的词语
6、不熟悉,可通过其后同位语的“说明或解释”来确定其词义。如:Hisfather is an expert in phonetics, the study of the sounds oflanguage.说明:同位语thestudy of the sounds of language表示phonetics的意思应该是“语音学”Jean wasborn with spina bifida, a birth illness that damages thespine(脊骨).说明:同位语 a birth illness that damages the spine 表明了spin abifida 是
7、种病,一种对脊骨有损害的病。7释义法即根据文章中所提供的释义关系来确定生词的词义。如:They described him as a loon, or a mad man.说明:句中的or 是对loon的解释,即loon与a mad man同义,即表示“疯It will be very hard but also very brittle, that is, it will break easily.说明:句中的 that is 表明 it will break easily 是对brittle 的解释,从而猜测出其意为“脆”。Theherdsman, who looks after shee
8、p, earns about 500 yuan a year.说明:定语从句who looks after sheep 表明herdsman 的词义为“牧人”。Thereare three kinds of snow. One kind is a fluffy snow that is somewhat dry andfeathery?说明:定语从句that is somewhat dry and feathery(有点儿干、像羽毛似的)表明 fluffy snow 的意思可能是“鹅毛大雪”。8常识法即根据普通常识推测生词的词义。如:It s said that Bill Gates is the most affluent person in the world说明:根据常识,Bill Gates 为世界首富,所以a fluent 可能是“富有的As a scientist, Edison is very famous for his contrivances说明:根据常识,Edison为发明大王,他应因“发明”而闻名于世。