新托福阅读的第二把剑——语法

　　众所周知，英语是一种表达意义十分精确，高度形式化和逻辑化的语言，这主要表现在它的严格的句法结构方面。英语句子以动词为核心，排列顺序为主谓宾（SVO）或者主谓（SV），一般来讲，句子必须完备，各组成部分很少省略，尤其是主语更不能省略。一些无主语的句子如“下雨了”，必须加上一个逻辑主语it, 翻译为“ It is raining”；对标点符号的要求非常严格；句子和句内之间各因素也要用形式逻辑关系词链接，因此说英语是“法治”的并不为过。
　　新托福考试作为一种针对母语非英语的人进行的英语水平考试，不可避免地会测试到考生的语法水平，而新托福阅读考试尤为如此。尽管托福考试由PBT演变为CBT, 而最终演变为现在的IBT, 但其对考生们语法的考查却丝毫未变。也就是说考生要想在新托福阅读考试中取得好成绩，除了要把握新托福阅读考试的思路，熟练运用解题技巧，保证词汇量达到一定水平的同时，语法的提高也是必不可少的。因此专家建议考生们一定要在准备考试的过程中配备新托福阅读的第二把剑——语法。
　　新托福阅读考试中虽然没有单独的考查考生语法的题目，但很多题目的解答都依赖于考生们的语法基础，其中尤以句子简化题和插入文本题为甚。
　　句子简化题在新托福阅读考试中通常一篇文章只有一题，虽然量不多，但是如果考生的语法很棒，这种题可谓是“送分题”。因为这种题型的主要考查目的是：考查考生们理解文章中某一特定复杂句子所传达的基本内容，并不受细枝末节的干扰，用简化的句子表达原句基本内容的能力。因此，考生们的语法水平在解题过程中就显得尤为重要。以OG Practice Set 4 (Aggression)中的第8题为例：
　　The Cognitive Approach. Cognitive psychologists assert that our behavior is influenced by our values, by the ways in which we interpret our situations, and by choice. For example, people who believe that aggression is necessary and justified – as during wartime – are likely to act aggressively, whereas people who believe that a particular war or act of aggression is unjust, or who think that aggression is never justified, are less likely to behave aggressively.
　　8. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
　　○ People who believe that they are fighting a just war act aggressively while those who believe that they are fighting an unjust war do not.
　　○ People who believe that aggression is necessary and justified are more likely to act aggressively than those who believe differently.
　　○ People who normally do not believe that aggression is necessary and justified may act aggressively during wartime.
　　○ People who believe that aggression is necessary and justified do not necessarily act aggressively during wartime.
　　分析：题目中阴影句子的主句为“people who believe that aggression is necessary and justified – as during wartime – are likely to act aggressively”，其中“who believe that aggression is necessary and justified”为people的定语从句，因此该主句部分翻译为“相信攻击或者侵略是必要和公正（就如在战争时期）的人可能会有攻击性或者侵略性行为”；而“whereas people who believe that a particular war or act of aggression is unjust, or who think that aggression is never justified, are less likely to behave aggressively”是whereas引导的表示对比、对立或者直接相反的状语从句，其中“who believe that a particular war or act of aggression is unjust, or who think that aggression is never justified,”是该从句中限定“people”的定语从句，因此该状语从句意为“然而那些认为某场战争或侵略行为是不公正的，或者相信侵略是不合理的人，有攻击性或者侵略性行为的可能性更小一些”。阴影部分的句子主要是把持有不同看法的人的行为的可能性做了对比，因此答案选第二个更合理。
　　雅思阅读考试中的插入文本题通常也是每篇文章出现一题，但是它和句子简化题一样，只要考生的语法够好，这种题的解答可谓不费吹灰之力。因为这种题型主要考查考生对句子和句子之间逻辑关系的理解。以OG Practice Set 6 (SWIMMING MACHINES)中的第11题为例：
　　Again, supersonic jets have similar features.
　　■ Because they are always swimming, tunas simply have to open their mouths and water is forced in and over their gills.■ Accordingly, they have lost most of the muscles that other fishes use to suck in water and push it past the gills.■In fact, tunas must swim to breathe.■ They must also keep swimming to keep from sinking, since most have largely or completely lost the swim bladder, the gas-filled sac that helps most other fish remain buoyant.
　　Look at the four squares (■) that indicate where the following sentence can be added to the passage.
　　Consequently, tunas do not need to suck in water.
　　Where could the sentence best fit?
　　分析：首先读被插入的句子，其句首的“Consequently”一词表明该句和前一句的内容之间的逻辑关系应该是因果关系，而被插入的句子意为“因此，金枪鱼不需要吸入水”。读原文中的内容，原文中对应的第一句话翻译为“因为金枪鱼总是在游泳，它们只需要张开嘴，水就会涌入它们的腮”，利用逻辑关系来判断，我们便可以确定题目中的句子应该插入在第二个方块出现的地方。
　　其他题型的考查重点虽然不是语法，但是语法也会严重影响题目的理解和答题。建议考生们把新托福阅读中常涉及的语法知识掌握好，比如定语从句、状语从句、宾语从句、主语从句、表语从句、同位语从句、分词、动名词、不定式、倒装、强调句式等。