主旨大意类阅读题的主题句

陈志均

阅读部分要求能理解文章的基本内容；能归纳文章的主旨大意；能推测文章中的隐含意思；能根据上下文正确理解词语和句子；能运用阅读技能完成不同文体的阅读任务。可见阅读题远非停留在理解词句和看懂内容上。为了增加阅读理解题的区分度，考查综合理解能力，拉开差距，近年高考阅读题中概括主旨题和推断题明显增加。

主旨大意题题目类型：1. 概括文章大意；2. 选出最佳题目（标题）；3. 概括人物特点；4. 识辨作者语气、态度等；5. 推断文章出处；6. 推断文章或作者意图；7. 推断文章的结局或结论、下文内容等。

解答主旨大意题要先看问题， 是否有和主旨大意题有关的题目，了解题目类别和提问方式。再看文章首尾，或各段的开头，找出主题句，或通过浏览全文，抓住关键字眼，把握文章主旨。以掌握文章主旨为前提，处理推断作者语气或意图等其它深层理解的问题。

主旨大意题常见提问方式：

The passage mainly focuses on _________.

The purpose of this article is to _________.

In writing the passage， the author intends to ________.

Both the doctor and the lawyer in this passage are very ________.

It can be concluded that the passage is most probably part of a （an） __________.

What would most probably happen next？

What might be the best title for this passage？

What will the author probably discuss after the last paragraph？

Which of the following statements best summarizes the main idea of the passage？

[主题句在开头或结尾]

①It was assumed generally that behavior was “caused” and that the causes of and the cures for crime would be discovered. Sick societies and sick individuals were the causes of crime. The traditional criminal justice system could be described as a band-aid and an ineffective “home remedy”. The new， scientific approach， however， would cure the underlying causes of crime rather than concentrate on the symptom： criminal behavior.

②But does poverty cause crime？（Q1） It is certainly true that there is a very close link between low socioeconomic status and the sort of violent street crime that worries urban America so much. Furthermore， we must agree with Judge Bazelon that persons of low socioeconomic status probably find it easier than others to true to violent street crime for money， excitement， or release. Yet it is also true that the majority of poor people are not violent criminals. Judge Bazelon is simply wrong in his belief that poverty “causes” crime. （Q2）

③People sometimes think of crime as a combination of poverty and bad characteristics of a criminal. （Q1） But this is hard to predict， and sometimes we observe some criminals are rich enough but they may still have the desire for more wealth. In this aspect， crime seems no more related with poverty than with the behavioral features of the person involved in a case. Cyber-crimes and white-collar crimes can serve as good examples， the criminals are not short of money， they simply need more than they can gather and they will be happy to get more without having to work.

④Poverty is neither a sufficient nor a necessary cause of crime. （Q1）（Q2） Poverty may make the choice to obey the law more difficult， but the poor have choice whether to engage in crime， and the majority choose to obey the law. Is it true that no poverty， no crime？ Improvement in the economic conditions of poor persons does not reduce the level of violent panics in periods of rising wealth. The “poverty cure” does not work. Attempting to get rid of poverty is a worthy social goal， but it is one that should be cherished （珍爱） for its own sake and not in the belief that it will cure crime.

1. The most appropriate title for the essay would be .

A. Economics and Crime

B. Wealth and Violence

C. Causes and Cures for Crime

D. Poverty and Crime

2. Which of the following statements is a summary of the authors ideas？ .

A. Crime is a consequence of a low economic status.

B. Poverty should be cured before law and order can be kept.

C. Poverty does not necessarily cause crime.

D. Poor people are more likely to turn to violence.

解析 本文为议论文。选定篇名题考查的是对文章主旨的把握。我们先看文章首尾或各段开头找主题句。

第一段（起始段）：落后的社会和个人会导致犯罪。消除犯罪的科学方法在于彻底消除引起犯罪的根源。

第二段：开头提出问题Does Poverty cause crime？并指出：落后的经济状况与犯罪之间有密切联系。

第三段：人们认为犯罪是贫困和个人不良品行的结合。

第四段（结尾段）：贫困并非犯罪的充分或必要条件。穷人中大多数人还是守法的。消灭贫穷并不意味着消除犯罪。

从分析的第一段和结尾段以及各段开头可判断，文章论述的是贫穷和犯罪的关系。主题句为Poverty is neither a sufficient nor a necessary cause of crime.

1. D. 概括主旨、选定篇名题，易误选C。第一段中提到the causes of and the cures for crime would be discovered。有的同学很容易误以为这就是文章的主题，而选择C。然而只要浏览全文便可知每一段都谈到poverty与crime的关系，故答案选D。

2. C。概括观点题，易误选A。本题是一道概述作者观点的问题。这类问题一般不能从文中直接找到与答案完全相同的句子，然而题目常用可从文中找到的原句作为选项之一（实为错误选项）迷惑同学们。通过把握主旨，便可排除干扰选项。文中第二段提到It is certainly true that there is a very close link between low socioeconomic status and the sort of violent street crime that worries urban America so much. 但从作者的措辞It is certainly true that ...可判断这并非作者观点，而是他人的观点。而且，第二段第八行yet以及第三段第三行but等转折词也提示读者作者持有不同观点，为最后一段的主题句Poverty is neither a sufficient nor a necessary cause of crime. 作了铺垫。因此不可选A。只要耐心地看完该题全部选项，仔细推敲便可知C表示的意思就是文章的主题，即作者的观点。

[主题句在中间]

Right now in schools across the country children are busy selling Pepsi-Cola in the name of education. They are part of Pepsis “Learn and earn Project” a competition set up by Pepsi once a year that encourages students to sell the soft drink at parties， basketball games and other school functions.

Then， each spring， the students write up their Pepsi-selling success stories for a chance at national prizes： shares of stock in the Pepsi-Cola company.

According to materials the company sends the teachers， the project declares “help strengthen students broad understandings of business， particularly its broad marketing and management aspects.”

Whether it fulfills this objective or not， it does succeed in selling Pepsi. （Q1）

The “Learn and Earn Project” is just one example of the hundreds of ways food companies encouraging the buying of their products in schools， （Q1）（Q2） Particularly in the fields of nutrition and home economics， companies send numerous “teaching aids”： highly professional films， shiny workbooks and pamphlets， all available to teachers at well below commercial rates or free.

For example， the Savennach Sugar Refining Corp. put out a book for students called “Sugar through the Ages” which includes the statements such as “Scientists have found that generous amounts of sugar are a valuable part of well-balanced diets for growing children. （Q3）

By far the largest supplier of nutrition-education materials to schools is the National Dairy Council， which provides all sorts of pamphlets addressing questions ranging from “How am I doing socially？” to “How am I doing physically？” These materials are full of things about dairy products， daily calcium requirement， etc. Drink mild， the message seems to be， and you too can be popular. But nutrition and home economics are not the only areas where companies have found a lucrative form of advertising.

1. The main idea of the passage is that .

A. various types of companies extended the selling of their products to school

B. Pepsis “Learn and Earn Project” helps strengthen students broad understanding of business

C. many big companies provide money for schools successfully by carrying out their “Earn and Earn Project”

D. students learn much knowledge of nutrition and home economics through their practice of business

2. In quoting the statement from the book “Sugar Through the Ages”， the authors purpose is to .

A. to explain the educational function of the “teaching aids”

B. to praise the Savennach Sugar Refining Crop. from its scientific point of view

C. to expose the true motives （动机） of those companies in providing their “teaching aids”

D. to show how students and teachers can receive nutrition education more scientifically

3. The authors attitude towards Pepsis practice is .

A. disapproval B. approval

C. optimistic D. none of the above

解析 本文段落多，内容较散乱，时而叙述事实，时而发表观点。要概括主旨，先从文章首尾入手找主题句。起始段：“百事”公司倡议“Learn and earn Project”活动，鼓励中学生在学校推销可乐。末尾段：某奶制品公司分发营养知识小册子。开头和结尾均没有明显表达中心思想或作者观点的句子，因此难以从文章首尾概括主旨，就要通过浏览全文来找出主题句或概括中心。

1. A。概括主旨题，易误选B。第三段概括了“Learn and earn Project”活动的宗旨：加强学生对市场及经济的了解。有许多同学会以为这就是主题句，选“B”。其实，浏览全文，可发现第四、五两段中作者提出了自己的看法，Whether it fulfills this objective or not， it does succeed in selling Pepsi. The “Learn and Earn Project” is just one example of the hundreds of ways food companies encouraging the buying of their products in schools. 作者认为该活动真正目的在于销售可乐。因此可断定本文主题句为“Learn and Earn Project” is just one example of the hundreds of ways food companies encouraging the buying of their products in schools. 选A.

2. C. 推断意图题。推断题一般不能直接从文中找到答案，但绝不能只靠主观猜测。例子的内容为：制糖公司“成长中所需的糖分”一书中强调”学生成长过程中需大量的糖分”。作者揭示： 该公司表面上目的是让学生了解食糖方面的知识，实则向学生作广告，增加利润。这正是论证作者观点的一个例证。选C。

3. D. 识辨语气题，易误选A。识辨作者语气题首先也要把握文章主旨，其次找出反映作者态度的措辞。由于文章中心是“Learn and Earn Project” is just one example of the hundreds of ways food companies encouraging the buying of their products in schools. 首先排除B，C。文中虽揭示了某些公司通过这种方法来增加销售量，但全文表明作者观点的语句中没有明显的表示竭力反对的词语，故排除A，选D。