中考英语阅读理解命题特点与答题指导
刘决生
教育部考试中心在对近年的中考英语阅读理解试题进行分析总结时指出，阅读英语文章是我国考生接触英语最主要的途径，因此，阅读理解题应该在试卷中占较大比重。综观近年各地中考英语阅读理解试题，它们有以下特点：试题难度适中，个别地区略有起伏；文章选材符合《考试大纲》的基本要求，保证了题材、体裁类型多样；对阅读理解的几种技能考查比较全面；个别地区篇章长度和阅读量略有增加；文章内容积极健康，兼具知识性、思想性和教育性；题型日益多样化，标准选择题、是非判断题、主观问答题、填写表格题搭配合理。
从整体上看，各地的中考英语阅读理解试题基本都做到了以下三个方面：第一，阅读材料信息含量大，体现在3至5篇文章的题材与体裁多样化方面；第二，文章有易有难，搭配适度，命题者注意到合理把握文章及句子的难度；第三，恰当控制生词的数量，较好地处理合成词与派生词。每份试题的文章都能合理安排好细节判断题、词意或句意猜测题、文意理解判断题及推理判断题的题量与出现的顺序，命题者将知识性、趣味性和实用性融合在一起，对考生的阅读理解能力进行全方位的比较科学的检测。把握好选文的难度、选文的思想性、选文的时代性以及文章实用性是一门很深的学问，命题者对中考后的数据进行缜密分析，透彻了解初中教学实际，本着两个“有利于”（有利于高一级学校选拔人才、有利于促进初中教学）的基本原则，在英语测试学的角度上命制试卷，试题具有非常科学的信度、效度与区分度。
教育部考试中心对阅读文章选材有如下要求：
1．阅读材料的主题要明确，话题要新，要有时代感。
2．语言应地道，条理清晰，结构紧凑，在时间顺序、空间顺序或逻辑推理上要有较大的复杂性。
3．材料长短适宜。每篇文章要有足够的信息量，以供设题之用。其中文章词量约占2/3，试题词量约占1/3。
4．语言难易要适度。材料中的生词量应控制在1%以内（由构词法形成的词不计为生词），避免短文中出现太多的汉语释义。每篇注释的词控制在3个以内。
5．材料应具有真实性，原汁原味，选材新颖，避免选用广为流传和人所共知的材料，可涉及科普、社会、文化、政治、经济和生活等。
6．体裁应多样化，应有记叙文、说明文、议论文、应用文等。每套试题最好有一篇考查特定信息能力的广告、公告类材料，也可选用科普、新闻等体裁。
阅读能力重点考查点为以下八种阅读微技能：第一，领悟文章的大意；第二，了解文章话题的能力；第三，文章主旨归纳概括的能力；第四，理解文章的细节和细节转换的能力；第五，了解文章的结构与写作手法；第六，文章的寓意内涵理解力；第七，词义的正确理解能力；第八，文章的推断能力。（以上摘自教育部考试中心的试题分析报告）
以下是中考英语阅读理解测试能力层次的分类。
1．信息搜寻准确到位的能力
这类试题常见的测试方式有根据文章判断选项的正误、筛选错误的信息、挑选符合题意的选项等。
2．对细节语义转换理解的能力
这类试题往往提供数字、图表和文字描写等特定的情景，常常要求考生换个角度思考，“横看成岭侧成峰”，只不过是叙述的角度与表述的语言不同。这类试题在阅读理解试题中占的比例比较大。
3．对词义转换的理解能力
这类试题常见的命题方式是根据上下文猜测划线词的语义或者选择一个近义词等。
4．对文章主旨、作者意图的分析能力
这属于较高层次的考查思维能力的试题，包括考查形象思维、逻辑思维以及从局部到整体的概括思维能力等。虽然一篇文章的细节内容可能很多，但是核心意思都可以用一句或几句话概括，甚至三言两语即可。“归纳”和“概括”考查的重点是在理解文意的基础上对文章进一步分析和整理的能力，它可能要求归纳某一段落的中心思想，也可能要求对文章整篇内容做归纳，如给文章选择合适的标题等。
5．推理判断能力
考查推理判断能力是对考生潜在能力的测试，读文章不完全是被动的“读”，而要主动的“思”，探究文章之外的知识。根据文章内容进行推断时要有理有据，有时文章没有现成的结论，要根据文章内容进行合理的想象推断。有时试题的题目在设计时对文章中的说法变换了叙述角度或表达方式，是否符合题意不能直接看出，需要在正确把握文章的前提下分析判断，从而推理出符合文章意思的正确选项。
综观2008年各地课改实验区的中考英语试题，阅读理解的选材非常丰富多彩，既有对国内外有关情况的介绍，又有对社会热点问题的关注。如2008年湖北黄冈卷的阅读理解既涉及到对四川汶川大地震后的心理干预，又比较介绍了体育明星刘翔与姚明的个人传记；2008年江苏省南通卷的阅读理解则引进了对在2008年北京奥运会期间有关寄宿家庭情况的介绍。这些散发着时代与生活气息的阅读选材被引入中考试题后，哪怕是英语基础再差的考生也会对阅读内容产生兴趣。可以这么说，现在的中考英语阅读理解的选材真正做到了走近生活、贴近时代，符合英语学科学以致用的特点。
（编者说明：2008年上海中考卷把A篇的补全对话、D篇与E篇的完形填空纳入阅读理解部分，这里不再分析。）
B. True or False (判断下列句子是否符合短文内容，符合的用“T”表示，不符合的用“F”表示)：(6分)
Michelle was flying from Houston to London, and during the flight, she began talking to John, the man in the seat next to her. She found out that he was president of a famous jeans company based in Texas; in fact, she was wearing a pair of blue jeans from his company! But that wasn’t the most surprising thing. He had lived in San Francisco when he was in high school, and it turned out that he knew Michelle’s best friend, who also grew up in San Francisco! They continued talking. And by the end of the flight, they felt that they had known each other for much longer than eight hours.
But back in Houston, Michelle almost forget about the attractive man she had met on the plane. One evening, she was walking her dog when a much larger dog came running toward them., growling. The owner was running after it, shouting. He managed to catch the dog just as it was going to attack Michelle’s dog. Michelle was very angry. “Why don’t you keep your dog on a leash (拴狗带)?” She shouted. Then suddenly, she looked at him and stopped shouting. “John?” “Michelle?” they said at the same time. Michelle said, “Do you live around here? I live on the next street.” “I don’t believe it,” John said. “In a city of two million people, you live three blocks from me?” And in the end, as had to happen, Michelle and John began to going out together―all because of seats on an airplane and their dogs.
78. Michelle and John were on the same flight from Houston to London one day.
79. Michelle was wearing a pair of blue jeans made by John’s company.
80. During their talk, they found they used to be schoolmates in San Francisco.
81. Michelle’s dog attacked John’s when the two owners happened to see each other.
82. From the story we know that Michelle and John met again in San Francisco.
83. In the end, Michelle and John decided they would never see each other again.
答案与分析：
78. T 根据第一句Michelle was flying from Houston to London, and during the flight, she began talking to John, the man in the seat next to her.可以判断出两人同乘一个航班。
79. T 根据she was wearing a pair of blue jeans from his company!判断。
80. F 根据He had lived in San Francisco when he was in high school, and it turned out that he knew Michelle’s best friend, who also grew up in San Francisco!可以看出他们过去不是同学。
81. F 根据One evening, she was walking her dog when a much larger dog came running toward them., growling. The owner was running after it, shouting.可以看出，Michelle的狗被John的狗攻击时，John在后面追赶阻止，两位狗主人还没有见面。
82. F 根据第二段首句But back in Houston，他们是在Houston而不是在San Francisco再次见面的。
83. F 根据文章结尾Michelle and John began to going out together判断。
C. Choose the best answer (根据短文内容，选择最恰当的答案)：(6分)
Story1
In America in 1940, the twin boys went to live with two different families almost as soon as they were born. The two brothers never saw each other again until 1979, when they met by chance at a party. When they started talking to each other, they discovered some amazing similarities(相似处). First, they found out that they both enjoyed making things out of wood. Later on, they discovered that they had both married women called Linda, and that they both had one son whose first and middle names were James and Alan. Besides, both brothers had called their dogs by the same name―Toy. As if that wasn’t enough, they also found out that they both took their family holiday at the same place every year.
Story2
In 1996, a Filipino woman called Mrs. Jimena told other people that her three children had three small holes on the sides of their necks below each other, and that these were like the gills(鱼鳃) on fish. Mrs. Jimena said that she didn’t know how to swim and that her children were just starting to learn. Her family lives in a mountain village far from the sea. According to Mrs. Jimena, the holes in her children’s necks become larger when they are underwater, allowing them to stay underwater for up to six minutes.
Story3
On 11th October, 1994, a 10-year-old English girl called Vicky Willmore told her mother that she had a headache. Soon afterwards, Vicky began writing in mirror image(镜像). She wrote letters and numbers either upside-down or back-to-front. Although she could read what she wrote, no one else could. She was examined by different doctors., but none of them could find out what was wrong with her. Vicky became very upset, and soon stopped reading and writing altogether. Instead she started watching TV all the time. On 27th , September 1995, Vicky was watching her favourite football team, Manchester United, play on television. When the team scored a goal, she became so excited that she jumped out of her seat and fell backwards, hitting her head on a coffee table. The next day, Vicky could read and write properly again.
84. The twin brothers didn’t meet each other until_______.
A) 1940 B) 1979 C) 1994 D)1996
85. The twin brothers _____________________.
A) grew up in two different families. B) didn’t have any similarities at all.
C) had two sons named James and Alan. D)didn’t like making things out of wood.
86. Mrs. Jimena’s children could stay underwater for up to 6 minutes because_____.
A) their mother was the best swimmer. B) their village was close to the sea.
C) they had holes like gills below ears. D) they had gills like fish in their necks.
87.The 10-year-old English girl changed her proper writing habit______.
A) soon after she had a headache for nearly three years.
B)while she was watching a football match.
C) when she hit her head on a coffee table.
D) as soon as she stopped reading and writing.
88. From the third story we know that______.
A) Vicky wrote backwards for nearly three years.
B) doctors didn’t know what was wrong with Vicky.
C)hitting one’s head can make him write backwards.
D) watching football on television can cause trouble.
89. This passage consists of three_____ stories.
A) traditional B) historical C) frightening D)amazing
答案与分析：
84.B 根据第一则故事中The two brothers never saw each other again until 1979判断。
85.A 根据第一则故事的首句中the twin boys went to live with two different families almost as soon as they were born判断。B、D项应该改为肯定句；C项错在two，他们都只有一个儿子。
86.C根据第二则故事中three children had three small holes on the sides of their necks below each other, and that these were like the gill on fish. D项是最大干扰项。
87.A根据第三则故事的首句On 11th October, 1994, a 10-year-old English girl called Vicky Willmore told her mother that she had a headache. Soon afterwards, Vicky began writing in mirror image. She wrote letters and numbers either upside-down or back-to-front.判断出Vick在头疼后出现写字异常的。Vicky后来在看电视时头碰到了咖啡桌上，写字习惯又恢复了正常。
88.B 根据第三则故事中的She was examined by different doctors., but none of them could find out what was wrong with her.可以看出医生们都查不出病因。
89.D综合三篇故事，都是趣闻，所以选择D项“令人惊奇的”。A项“传统的”、B项“历史的”与C项“令人恐惧的”都应该被排除。
F. Answer the questions (根据短文内容回答下列问题): (12分)
I was very nervous as I waited to interview one of the most successful woman of our times: Kathy Howe. I was just a young reporter and she was not only a popular singer but also a famous actress, starring in many movies.
As soon as the door opened, however, and her slim figure appeared, I immediately relaxed. She looked great, with her kind brown eyes, her excellent black hair, and her beautiful smile. I looked for bags under her eyes, but there were none. “How do you manage to look so good and live life in the fast lane at the same time?” I asked her.
She laughed, and her whole face shone. “It’s tiring to be famous. You have to work hard, be on time, and take care of yourself. Also, you have to go to Hollywood parties, be taken photos for magazines, and give interviews!”
As we talked, I found out that Kathy is a very warm and kind person, and that her family is more important to her than being a star. At the same time, she wants to do everything as well as she can, so she can sometimes seem to be hard.
When I asked her if she thought of herself as lucky, she didn’t answer immediately. Then she said, “Well, perhaps I’m lucky, But I also work very hard, and being famous has weak points, too. In fact, I’ve missed out on lots of things I really enjoy doing, like spending time with my daughter.”
I felt sad when it was time to leave, as Kathy is a wonderful woman. I have never met anyone else who has such a busy life, and still manages to look so beautiful.
104. How did the writer feel before the interview began?
__________________________________________________________
105. What did Kathy Howe look like when she entered?
____________________________________________________________
106. Kathy Howe thinks being famous is tiring, doesn’t she?
_____________________________________________________________
107. What does Kathy Howe think of her family?
_____________________________________________________________
108. Does Kathy Howe have much time to spend with her daughter?
_____________________________________________________________
109. What kind of person do you think Kathy Howe is?
_______________________________________________________________
答案与分析：
104. very nervous 根据第一段首句I was very nervous as I waited to interview one of the most successful woman of our times。
105. She looked great, with her kind brown eyes, her excellent black hair, and her beautiful smile.根据第二段As soon as the door opened, however, and her slim figure appeared, I immediately relaxed. She looked great, with her kind brown eyes, her excellent black hair, and her beautiful smile.
106.Yes,she does.根据第三段中It’s tiring to be famous
107. Kathy Howe think of her family more important to her than being a star. 根据第四段中her family is more important to her than being a star.
108.No,she doesn’t.根据第五段中I’ve missed out on lots of things I really enjoy doing, like spending time with my daughter.
109. Kathy is a wonderful woman .(Any reasonable answers are acceptable.)
可以根据第六段中as Kathy is a wonderful woman与全文中心意思回答。
评价是教学的指挥棒，特别是具有选拔性质的考试，对中小学教学的导向作用尤为明显。2008年各地课改试验区的中考英语阅读理解试题反映出来的中考招生新理念，对广大初中英语教师与学生来说，应该很有启发。“开发课程资源，拓展学用渠道”，英语新课程的这条基本理念就要求我们教师的眼光走出课本的限制，为学生提供更多鲜活的英语训练材料。从2008年各地中考英语试题的内容创新来看，刘翔与姚明等新内容都还没有来得及进入我们的中学英语教材，但是已经进入了中考招生命题者的选材范围。我们难道可以说，现行的初中英语教材上没有这些内容，它们就不应该出现在中考英语试题中吗？
中考英语阅读理解测试的内容比较全面，方式也多种多样，考生应该从各地真题中推敲、领会，集中有效地悟出中考英语阅读理解题的答题思路和技巧。