(一)題幹表現形式
此類題目常見的題幹表現形式有：
1. What does the author mean by saying "…"?
2. The word "…" is closet in meaning to …
3. By saying "…", the author means that …
4. According to the passage, "…" means …
5. The word "…" most probably means "…"
6. "…" means that …
7. The word "…" means …
8. The word "…" probably refers to …
9. According to the passage, "…" probably refers to …
10. By using the phrase "…", the author refers to …
(二)題型分析與應試技巧
語義理解題考查的是考生對閱讀文章中出現的關鍵詞、短語、句子含義的理解能力。完成這類題目時不能孤立地根據某個句子或短語作出判斷，應把它放到上下文中去理解。
這類題目的考查方式通常為兩種，一種是對單詞和短語的考查，一種是對句子含義的考查。而對於文中單詞的考查又無外乎兩種情況：一種是多義常用詞在特定語境中的具體含義；一類是可以根據上下文推測出含義的生僻詞彙。無論是上述的哪一種情況，弄清上下文之間的邏輯和語義關係都是解題的關鍵。下面我們就介紹幾種利用上下文線索來推測詞義的方法：
1．利用定義或重述
一篇文章中，作者常會對關鍵詞或難詞用直接定義或簡單明瞭的語言進行解釋或重述。考生弄清了解釋性文字的含義，也就明白了要考查單詞的意思。
【例】（1997年1月Passage 3）
…
In the workplace, men have long had well-defined precedents and role models for achieving success. It has been otherwise for women. A good many women in the business world are uncertain about the appropriate mixture of "masculine" and "feminine" attributes they should convey by their professional clothing. The variety of clothing alternatives to women has also been greater than that available for men. Male administrators tend to judge women more favorably for managerial positions when the women display less "feminine" grooming (打扮) — shorter hair, moderate use of make-up, and plain tailored clothing.
…
Q: The word "precedent" (Para.4) probably refers to ____.
［A］ early acts for men to follow as examples
［B］ particular places for men to occupy especially because of their importance
［C］ things that men should agree upon
［D］ men’s beliefs that everything in the world has already been decided
2．利用相關資訊
一部分生詞，考生可以利用上下文中給出的相關資訊作為線索進行推測。
【例】（2003年9月Passage 4）
…
If sufficient rest is not included in a training program, imbalance between excess training and inadequate rest will occur, and performance will decline. The "over-training syndrome(綜合症)" is the name given to the collection of emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms due to over-training that has persisted for weeks to months. It is marked by cumulative exhaustion that persists even after recovery periods.
…
Q: By "over-training" the author means ____.
［A］ a series of physical symptoms that occur after training
［B］ undue emphasis on the importance of physical exertion
［C］ training that is not adequately compensated for by rest
［D］ training that has exceeded an athlete’s emotional limits
3. 利用比較、對比關係
作者有時會用一些表示轉折（but, however）或順承關係（like, as）的詞，使上下文形成比較、對照關係，從這些相似或相對的資訊中，考生不難找到推測詞義的線索。
【例1】（1999年6月Passage 2）
…
We must recognize that environmental health issues do not stop at city limits, county lines, state or even federal boundaries. We can no longer afford to be tunnel-visioned in our approach. We must visualize issues from every perspective to make the objective decisions. We must express our views clearly to prevent media distortion and public confusion.
…Q: The word "tunnel-visioned" ( Para.4) most probably means "____".
［A］ narrow-minded
［B］ blind to the facts
［C］ short-sighted
［D］ able to see only one aspect
【例2】（1995年6月passage 2)
Beauty has always been regarded as something praiseworthy. Almost everyone thinks attractive people are happier and healthier, have better marriages and have more respectable occupations. Personal consultants give them better advice for finding jobs. Even judges are softer on attractive defendants(被告). But in the executive circle, beauty can become a liability.
…Q： The word "liability" most probably means "____".
［A］ misfortune
［B］ instability
［C］ disadvantage
［D］ burden4. 利用例項
列舉例項是作者常用的一種寫作方法，它常常跟在生詞、難詞、短語或句子的後面用以解釋或重申上文的內容。考生理解了例子的`用意也就弄清了所考語彙的含義。
【例】（1993年6月Passage 1）
…
Living at home, says Knighton, a school teacher, continues to give her security and moral support. Her mother agreed, "It’s ridiculous for the kids to pay all that money for rent. It makes sense for kids to stay at home." But sharing the family home requires adjustments for all. There are hassles over bathrooms, telephones and privacy (不受干擾的生活). Some families, however, manage the delicate balancing act. But for others, it proves too difficult. Michelle Dfel Turco, 24, has been home three times—and left three times. " What I considered a social drink, my dad considered an alcohol problem," he explains. "He never liked anyone I dated(約會)，so I either had to hide away or meet them at friends house.
Q: The word "hassles" in the Passage probably means.
［A］ agreements
［B］ disadvantages
［C］ worries
［D］ quarrels（結合後面的例項，不難得出該單詞的意思為“爭吵”）
(三)選項分析
1.正確選項的特點
1) 正確選項往往是所考詞彙或句子的同義轉換；
2) 如果考查的是熟詞，與上下文意義一致的解釋往往是正確選項；
3) 考查句意的題，含有不肯定語氣詞，或意義解釋深刻的往往是正確選項。
2．干擾項特點：
1)與所考查的詞彙形似；
2)含有該詞常規含義；
3)與該詞意義無關或相反；
4)對句子的釋義太寬或太窄。
(四)考點分佈
1．含有指示代詞的句中，常有被考查的語彙
【例】（2003年6月Passage 1）
The cult(推崇) of lecturing dully, like the cult of writing dully, goes back, of course, some years. Edward Shils, professor of sociology, recalls the professors he encountered at the University of Pennsylvania in his youth. They seemed a priesthood, rather uneven in their merits but uniform in their bearing; they never referred to anything personal. Some read from old lecture notes and then haltingly explained the thumb worn last lines. Others lectured from cards that had served for years, to judge by the worn edges … The teachers began on time, ended on time, and left the room without saying a word more to their students, very seldom being detained by questioners … The classes were not large, yet there was no discussion. No questions were raised in class, and there were no office hours.
Q: By saying "They seemed ‘a priesthood, rather uneven in their merits but uniform in their bearing …’"(Lines 3-4, Para. 4 ), the author means that ____.
［A］ there is no fundamental difference between professors and priests though they differ in their merits
［B］professors at the University of Pennsylvania used to wear black suits which made them look like priests
［C］ professors are a group of professionals that differ in their academic ability but behave in the same way
［D］ professors are like priests wearing the same kind of black gown but having different roles to play
2．一詞多義的常見詞或片語易考
【例】（1996年6月Passage 4）
…
No man ever looks at the world with pristine（未受外界影響的）eyes. He sees it edited by a definite set of customs and institutions and ways of thinking， Even in his philosophical probing he cannot go behind these stereotypes（固定的模式）; his very concepts of the true and the false will still have reference to his particular traditional customs. John Dewey has said in all seriousness that the part played by custom in shaping the behavior of the individual as over against any way in which he can affect traditional custom, is as the proportion of the total vocabulary of his mother tongue over against those words of his own baby talk that are taken up into the language of his family. When one seriously studies social orders that have had the opportunity to develop independently, the figure（這種比喻）becomes no more than an exact and matter of fact observation, the life history of the individual is first and foremost an adjustment to the patterns and standards traditionally handed down in his community. From the moment of his birth the customs into which he is born shape his experience and behavior. By the time he can talk, he is the little creature of his culture, and by the time he is grown and able to take part in its activities，its habits are his habits, its beliefs his beliefs, its impossibilities his impossibilities.
Q: The word "custom" in this passage most probably means ____.
［A］ the concept of the true and the false of a society
［B］the independently developed social orders
［C］the adjustment of the individual to the new social environment
［D］the patterns and standards of behavior of a community
3.對比處常考
【例】（1998年1月Passage1) Almostinvariably,thebetterlookingthepersoninthepicture,thehigherthepersonisrated.Inthephrase,borrowedfromSappho,thatthesocialscientistsusetosumupthecommonperception,whatisbeautifulisgood.Inbusiness,however,goodlookscutbothwaysforwomen,anddeeperthanformen.AUtahStateUniversityprofessor,whoisanauthorityonthesubject,explains:Intermsoftheircareers,theimpactofphysicalattractivenessonmalesisonlymodest.Butitspotentialimpactonfemalescanbetremendous,makingiteasier,forexample,forthemoreattractivetogetjobswheretheyareinthepubliceye.Onanothernote,though,thereisenoughliteraturenowforustoconcludethatattractivewomenwhoaspire(求)tomanagerialpositionsdonotgetonaswellaswomenwhomaybelessattractive.
Q:"Goodlookscutbothwaysforwomen"meansthat____.
［A］attractivewomenhavetremendouspotentialimpactonpublicjobs
［B］good-lookingwomenalways&nbs
怎樣解答六級閱讀理解中的語意理解題
p;getthebestofeverything
［C］beingattractiveisnotalwaysanadvantageforwomen(美貌雙重作用的進一步說明)
［D］attractivewomendonotdoaswellasunattractivewomeninmanagerialpositions
4.複雜句常考
複雜句由於其句子結構複雜，句子之間的指代關係複雜等特點，常成為考查考生理解能力的一種手段。
【例】（1997年6月Passage1）
…
Themanufacturerwhoincreasestheunitpriceofhisproductbychanginghispackagesizetolowerthequantitydeliveredcan,withoutunduehardship,puthisproductintoboxes,bags,andtinsthatwillcontaineven4ounce,8ounce,onepound,twopoundquantitiesofbreakfastfoods,cakemixes,dyofdrugstore(雜貨店)andsupermarketshelveswillconvinceanyobserverthatallpossiblesizeandshapesofboxes,jars,bottles,andtinsareinuseatthesametime,and,asthepackagejournalsshow,weekbyweek,roducersofpackagedproductsarguestronglyagainstchangingsizesofpackagestocontainevenweightsandvolumes,butnooneinthetradecommentsunfavorablyonthehugecostsincurredbyendlesschangesofpackagesizes,materials,shape,artwork,andnetweightsthatareusedforimprovingaproduct’smarketposition.
…
Q:Theword"undue"means"____".
［A］improper
［B］adequate
［C］unexpected
［D］excessive
注：undue所在句子的大意為：那些食品生產商無需費多大力氣就可以把產品包裝改為盒式的、袋式的或者聽式的，包裝為4盎司、8盎司、1磅或2磅等。這樣，他們通過改變包裝尺寸，減少包裝含量進而達到提高食品單價的目的。
