托福阅读：强大猜测词义能力

托福阅读在于获得整个句子、整个段落、乃至整个篇章的思想，而不是各个孤立的词汇的意义。托福口语考试中的阅读，也是考查考生对段落中心思想整体把握的能力，只要能获得阅读材料的主要信息，并随后能用自己的话加以陈述，一两个生词不会有什么大碍。

不可否认，巨大的词汇量是高质量的阅读和高质量的口语的基础。但当遇到生词时总查字典又不现实（特别是在考试时），那么我们不妨利用上下文来推测，看看我们有多大的猜词本领。强大的猜词本领无疑会有助于阅读速度和阅读能力的提高。

1．根据定义、解释猜测词义

We all know that ants are ferocious eaters. They differ widely in their diets and may be carnivorous, herbivorous, or omnivorous, meaning that some eat meat; others eat only plants while others eat a combination of both.

由后面的解释我们可以得知：“carnivorous”的意思是“食肉的”；“herbivorous”的意思是“食草的”；“omnivorous”的意思是“杂食的”。

2．根据复述（同位语、定语等）

Today, I’d like to talk about some of the changes land can undergo, specifically desertification, process through which land becomes part of a desert.

后面的同位语告诉我们“desertification”的意思是“沙漠化。”

Since the fossil of the Anchaeopteryx, the first ‘bird’, was discovered in Germany in 1861, there has been continuous disagreement as to whether or not it could actually fly.

Anchaeopteryx — the first bird: “始祖鸟”

3．根据举例

After breakfast, many people go to church; but the children will be playing with their new toys, and the mother will probably be preparing the Christmas dinner. This includes poultry for the main course (e.g. chicken, turkey, duck, goose), salads, breads, and vegetable, and features a variety of desserts, for example, pies, puddings, and ice cream.

“chicken, turkey, duck, goose”同属“poultry：家禽”。

4．根据对比关系

Jane was talking with others while Eliza remained reticent all the time.
“while”是一个显示对比的信号词，“reticent”与“talking”相对应，“reticent”：沉默的。

Most of us agreed; however, Bill dissented.
“agreed”与“dissented”形成对比。