顯而易見，由歷年考研英語真題可知，閱讀理解部分的試題中，大多數是針對段落的細節設計的，其目的是為了測試考生對組成段落的主體部分的理解。在每年的考試中，細節題的數量是最多的，大約佔50%，其中涉及對文章中複雜句、列舉、例證、引用、轉折、因果關係等的處理，因此做好這類題至關重要。
另外，細節題的測試在另一方面也可以考察考生對段落結構的理解程度，哪些是輔助論點，哪些是主要脈絡，只有對這些細節有一定的瞭解，我們才能更深入地領會文 章。文章的'細節並不是孤立的，它總要與其他事實前後呼應，一般來說，作者總會把同等性質的事實放在一起，並藉助不同的銜接手段進行組合，從而達到說服讀者或闡明觀點的目的。下面就讓小編為大家詳解一下吧。其提問方式不外乎有以下幾種：
The author provides following examples except …
According to the author, all of the following are true except (that)____.
Which is among the best possible ways to…?
Which of the following would NOT be an example____?
Which of the following is the LEAST likely…?
對於細節題我們要從詞義與語法(句法)著手，從這個角度來說，此類考題又可被細劃分以下幾個細類：
1. 因果標誌語
表因果關係的標誌詞可具體分為：
(1)表原因
because of, since, for, as, now that, seeing that, owing to, caused by, the main reason for…is
(2)表結果
hence, thus, so, therefore, consequently, as a consequence, accordingly, for that reason
2. 結論標誌語
in general, generally speaking, in short, in a word, to be brief in all, in simple words
3. 轉折與對比題
but, however, nevertheless, otherwise, dissimilarly, unlike, on the contrary, in contrast, in opposition to, on the opposite side
4. 比較型別標記語
similarly, likewise, in similar fashion, in similar way, in the same matter, just as
5. 列舉標誌語
one… another…still another, first…second…third
6. 舉例標誌語
for example, as an example, as an instance, take…as an example, let me cite… as a proof
針對細節題，考生要注意分析句子和句子之間的關係，是因果、遞近、轉折還是什麼?尤其要注意文章的第一句和最後一句，以及每段的第一句和最後一句與其它句子 的關係，體會每句話在文章中的作用。在閱讀過程中，要培養自己對文章主要討論物件、關鍵詞，作者和專家的觀點以及語氣的把握。特別注意作者和專家的觀點，專家和專家之間的觀點是否相同或相反或互補，以及作者和專家的語氣是贊成還是反對，是關注還是樂觀等等。如果是真題，還要仔細分析考點和正確、干擾選項的規律、特徵。在此過程中，可把文章儘可能的多讀幾遍，甚至翻譯一下，提高對文章中單詞、短語、句型等的反應速度，閱讀速度自然也就提高了。
此外，閱讀的步驟也十分重要。許多考生拿到文章之後從頭讀起，讀完再去一個一個選答案。這種方法十分傳統，叫整體閱讀法。其優點是可以有一種全域性感或整體感。缺點是文章太長，讀後細節記不住，再去找答案又費勁又容易出錯，許多細節都混淆在一起了，得分經常不高。建議同學們用一下查詢閱讀法：讀完第一段就做第一題。然後看第二個問題問的什麼，帶著這個問題去看第二段，然後是第三段、第四段，依此類推。(注意，有一種問題可能此方法不太適用，那就是：主旨性問題)。查詢式閱讀法雖然把文章看得支離破碎，但得分往往很高，因為剛看一段就去做一道題，這樣對細節會把握得很準。
所以，閱讀理解並不是簡單的讀懂文章就可以把題作對，在對文中內容全面正確把握的同時還要審清題目，理解題目要求。
2001年Passage 1
Specialization can be seen as a response to the problem of an increasing accumulation of scientific knowledge. By splitting up the subject matter into smaller units, one man could continue to handle the information and use it as the basis for further research. But specialization was only one of a series of related developments in science affecting the process of communication. Another was the growing professionalisation of scientific activity.?
54. The direct reason for specialization is _________.
[A]the development in communication
[B]the growth of professionalisation
[C]the expansion of scientific knowledge
[D]the splitting up of academic societies
該題考察的是實行專業化的直接因素是什麼，根據本文第一句即可找到答案C為正確選項，其中“as a response to”即表示的是因果關係。
類似的解題思路可應用到以下文章中：
What accounts for the great outburst of major inventions in earlyAmerica—breakthroughs such as the telegraph, the steamboat and the weaving machine?
Among the many shaping factors, I would single out the country’s excellent elementary schools; a labor force that welcomed the new technology; the practice of giving premiums to inventors; and above all the American genius for nonverbal, spatial thinking about things technological.(1996)
1. According to the author, the great outburst of major inventions in early America was in a large part due to ________.
[A] elementary schools
[B] enthusiastic workers
[C] the attractive premium system
[D] a special way of thinking
The researchers studied the behavior of female brown capuchin monkeys. They look cute. They are good-natured, cooperative creatures, and they share their food readily. Above all, like their female human counterparts, they tend to pay much closer attention to the value of goods and services than males. (2005)
2. Female capuchin monkeys were chosen for the research most probably because they are ________.
[A] more inclined to weigh what they get
[B] attentive to researchers’ instructions
[C] nice in both appearance and temperament
[D] more generous than their male companions
這兩道題共同的特點就是題目中都有一個表示程度的限定詞。第一道題中的限定詞是in a large part，第二道題中的限定詞是most probably，這兩個詞語的出現本身就有一個暗示，說明選項中應該有不止一個原因，但是題目要求回答出其中最重要的一個因素。原文定位第一道題，可以發現定位句“I would single out the country’s excellent elementary schools;a labor force that welcomed the new technology;the practice of giving premiums to inventors;and above all the American genius for nonverbal，spatial thinking about things technological”中含有四個並列成分，分別是“excellent elementary schools” , “a labor force”, “the practice of giving premiums to inventors”和“the American genius for nonverbal，spatial thinking about things technological”。上述四個內容在選項中都有出現，很多同學會因為先入為主的思維習慣選擇A。但是當我們注意到題幹中的限定資訊是要求找其中影響最大的一個因素，我們就要比照四個因素哪個影響最大。原文中的第四點前出現了above all，這個短語表示“最重要的是”，所以此題應該選擇D。
類似的2005年的考題中也出現了同樣的情況，題幹中出現most，選項中出現了列舉。“They look cute. They are good-natured，cooperative creatures，and they share their food tardily. Above all，like their female human counterparts，they tend to pay much closer attention to the value of goods and services than males.” 這些列舉也分別被設計成了干擾項。但是其中受到強調的是above all 後面的這個因素。“like their female human counterparts，they tend to pay much closer attention to the value of goods and services’ than males”，所以此題答案為A。
