詞匯類問題（Vocabulary Questions）是新托福閱讀考試每次必考題型,它要求考生確定文章中個別單詞或短語的具體意思（一個單詞可能有多個意思，但在給定選項中只有一個選項與該單詞在閱讀文章中的意思相符），也就是說單詞的意思必須符合原文的意思。并且通常情況下，被考到的單詞或短語對于理解文章的一個大的或重要的部分起到至關重要的作用。
如何識別此類問題
詞匯類問題很容易辨認，在文章中被考到的單詞或短語會被用陰影標識出來，問題的提問形式通常為：
☆ In the case of a word, the question might be :
The word X in the passage is closest in meaning to
☆ In the case of a phrase, the question might be :
In stating X, the author means that
The phrase X in the passage is closest in meaning to
其中，以第一種形式，也就是考察考生某單詞在文章上下文中意思的問題類型最為常見。
如何答題
1.在文章中定位到陰影標識的單詞或短語。
2.仔細閱讀該詞或短語所在句子。
3.在句子中尋找可以幫助理解陰影標識的單詞或短語的具體意思的線索。
4.選擇答案，并將所選擇的單詞或短語放入原文進行檢驗，以確認這個句子在全文中仍是有意義的。
提醒考生注意，選擇答案時，不要僅僅因為某個選項符合該單詞的某一個正確意思就將其作為正確選項；題目考察的是作者在文章上下文中使用了那一個詞義。
如何利用各種線索
☆ 結構線索（即指明句子中各成分之間關系的特定單詞、短語和語法結構）
1.對比
Example: OG Practice Set 5, question 6
Passage 5: In this newly emerging economic order, workers sometimes organizedto protect their rights and traditional ways of life. Craftworkers such as carpenters and tailors formed unions and in 1834 individual unions came together in the National Trades’ Union. The labor movement gathered some momentum in the decade before the Panic of 1837, but in the depression that followed, labor’s strength collapsed…
The phrase gathered some momentum in the passage is closest in meaning to
○ made progress
○ became active
○ caused changes
○ combined forces
解析：單詞readily所在的文章句子中出現轉折詞but，根據文章中but后面的內容我們可以得出短語gathered some momentum在此句中的的意思為made progress。
2.例子
Example: OG Practice Set 4, question 10
Passage 8: One cognitive theory suggests that aggravating and painful events trigger unpleasant feelings. These feelings in turn, can lead to aggressive action, but not automatically. Cognitive factors intervene. People decide whether they will act aggressively or not on other people’s motives. Supporting evidence comes from research showing that aggressive people often distort other people’s motives. For example, they assume that other people mean them harm when they do not.
The word distort in the passage is closest in meaning to
○ mistrust
○ misinterpret
○ criticize
○ resent
解析：distort所在的文章句子后出現“ for example”， 根據for example 中的內容，我們可以得出distort在此句中的意思為misinterpret。
3.并列信息
Example: OG Practice Set 5, question 3
Passage 3: …Absenteeism and lateness hurt productivity and since work was specialized, disrupted the regular factory routine. Industrialization not only produced a fundamental change in the way work was organized; it transformed the very nature of work.
The word disrupted in the passage is closest in meaning to
○ prolonged
○ established
○ followed
○ upset
解析：disrupt 在的文章句子中出現and連接的并列信息hurt，根據這一并列信息，我們可以得出disrupt在此句中的意思為upset。
4.因果關系
Example: OG Practice Set 6, question 1
Passage 1: …Feeding, courtship, preproduction, and even “rest” are carried out while in constant motion. As a result, practically every aspect of the body form and function of these swimming “machines” is adapted to enhance their ability to swim.
The word enhance in the passage is closest in meaning to
○ use
○ improve
○ counteract
○ balance
解析：enhance 在的文章句子中出現表示因果關系的短語as a result,根據前一句中的原因，我們可以得出enhance在此句中的意思為improve。
5.連詞or
Example: OG The EXPRESSION OF EMOTIONS question 1
Passage 1: Joy and sadness are experienced by people in all cultures around the world, but how can we tell when other people are happy or despondent? It turns out that the expression of many emotions may e universal…
The word despondent in the passage is closest in meaning to
○ curious
○ unhappy
○ thoughtful
○ uncertain
解析：despondent 所在的文章句子中出現疑問句，疑問句中的連詞or 表示選擇，因此我們可以得出despondent在此句中的意思為unhappy。 |
