五、逻辑推断法
有的省略试题难度比较大,不仅涉及语法知识、生活常识等,而且还要求考生根据题干所提供的信息进行逻辑推理。如:
1. She’s too thin. She _____ gain some weight but she _____ too little.
A. would, ate B. will, eats C. would, eats D. will, ate
分析:此题有些难度,许多同学不知如何分析。我们先根据题目所提供的选项将句意大致勾出来:她太瘦了。她会增加体重的,但她吃得太少了。根据句首 She’s too thin 这一所给信息可知,“她瘦”应是客观事实。按照一般的常识,“吃得少”就会引致“瘦”,“吃得多”就会导致“胖”,由于根据句首的信息,“她瘦”是客观事实,所以她“吃得少”也应是事实,所以第二空应填 eats(即用一般现在时表示客观事实)。根据上面的分析:“她瘦”和“她吃得少”均为客观事实,那么“她体重会增加”就应是假设(注意句中的转折连词 but),所以第一空应填 would。其实,此句可理解为but前省略了一个条件状语 if she ate more (如果她多吃一点的话)。所以,此题最佳答案选C。
2. “Everyone says you are a good student. You never sleep in class, do you?” “____.”
A. Yes, never B. Yes, sometimes C. No, sometimes D. Oh, really
分析:答案选B,答句是对针对 You never sleep in class, do you? 这一问句来回答的,Yes, sometimes 为 Yes, I do. Sometimes I sleep in class 之省略,其意为“不,上课有时睡觉”。若选其余几项,均会导致逻辑不通。请看类例:
“You’ve never been to the village, have you?” “____. It is the most beautiful village I’ve ever seen.”
A. No, never B. No, I have C. No, only once D. Yes, only once
分析:答案选D,Yes, only once 为 Yes, I have. But I’ve been there only once. 之省略,句意为“不,我去过,但只去过一次”。注意句末的 It is the most beautiful village I’ve ever seen 表明“我”去过那儿,所以不能选A。
那么方法之后,再看几道题:
Ⅰ.I read about it in some book or other, does it matter _________ it was?
A. where B. what C. how D. which
【分析】此题答案选D,主要与上文的some book or other (某一本书)这一语境有关,全句句意为:“我在某一本书上读到过它,是哪一本书这很重要吗?”请看类例:
(1) “Who told you?” “Oh, somebody or other, I’ve forgotten _________.”
A. what B. when C. which D. who
答案选D。句意为:“谁告诉你的?”“噢,有个人,我忘记是哪一个了。”
(2) Some of the students were late for the meeting, but I can’t remember _________.
A. what B. when C. which D. whom
最佳答案为C。句意为“有些学生开会迟到了,但我不记得是哪些学生了”。
Ⅱ.“What were you trying to prove to the police?” “_________I was last night.”
A. That B. When C. Where D. What
此题应选 C,其余三项均有可能误选,答句为省略句,其完整形式为 I was trying to prove to the police where I was last night. (where 引导的是一个宾语从句)。
以下类似试题:
(1) “What made her so happy?” “ _________ her son passed the college entrance examinations.”
A. That B. 不填 C. Since D. For
【分析】此题选A, 为That her son passed the college entrance examinations made her so happy. 之省略。
(2) “What made you so upset?” “_________ my wallet.”
A. Lost B. Losing C. Having lost D. Being lost
【分析】此题选B,为 Losing my wallet made me so upset. 之省略。
(3) “What did she tell you?” “_________ she would be late”
A. That B. When C. Where D. Whether
【分析】此题选A,为 She told me that would be late. 之省略。
(4) “What did he ask you?” “_________ I would be late.”
A. That B. When C. Where D. Whether
【分析】此题选D,为 He asked me whether I would be late. 之省略。