探究4：主旨大意題命題解讀及備考策略

閆躍

一、命題解讀

一篇文章是由若干段落按照一定形式、圍繞某個中心思想組合而成的有機整體。中心思想也就是主旨大意，它是作者寫這篇文章的目的。主旨大意題涉及的文章體裁通常為說明文、議論文和記敘文，它是高考英語閱讀理解的必考題型，分為主題類與標題類兩種考查形式，考查對象通常是整篇文章，也可能是某個段落。準確理解文章的主旨大意對考生解答其他題型（尤其是推斷文章出處的題目）也大有裨益。

二、解題策略

一般而言，語篇中有兩類句子：一類是能對中心思想起到概括作用的句子，叫主題句

（topic sentence）;另一類是描述、說明或論證中心思想的句子，叫闡述句（supporting sentence）。找準主題句是做好主旨大意題的重要技巧，當然，部分記敘文和少數說明文也可能沒有明確的主題句，這就需要我們在理解各個段落的基礎上自行歸納?，F結合高考真題分述如下：

1. 主題句在首段

有些文章開門見山，在開頭就提出主題或結論，隨后用細節(jié)、事例來解釋或支撐主題句表達的內容。這類文章遵循由一般到具體、由結論到過程的邏輯結構，屬于典型的演繹法的寫作方式（新聞報道常用此寫法，新聞報道的首句稱為“導語”，它就是對全文內容高度概括的主題句）。

【典題鏈接】（2020·全國丙卷閱讀C篇）

With the young unable to afford to leave home and the old at risk of isolation（孤獨）， more families are choosing to live together.

The doorway to peace and quiet， for Nick Bright at least， leads straight to his mother-in-law： she lives on the ground floor， while he lives upstairs with his wife and their two daughters.

Four years ago they all moved into a three-storey Victorian house in Bristol—one of a grow-ing number of multigenerational families in the UK living together under the same roof. They share a front door and a washing machine， but Rita Whitehead has her own kitchen， bathroom， bedroom and living room on the ground floor.

“We floated the idea to my mum of sharing a house，” says Kathryn Whitehead. Rita cuts in： “We spoke more with Nick because I think it's a big thing for Nick to live with his mother-in-law.”

And what does Nick think？ “From my stand-point， it all seems to work very well. Would I recommend it？ Yes， I think I would.”

It's hard to tell exactly how many people agree with him， but research indicates that the numbers have been rising for some time. Official reports suggest that the number of households with three generations living together had risen from 325，000 in 2001 to 419，000 in 2013.

Other varieties of multigenerational family are more common. Some people live with their elderly parents; many more adult children are returning to the family home， if they ever left. It is said that about 20% of 25-34-year-olds live with their parents， compared with 16% in 1991. The total number of all multigenerational households in Britain is thought to be about 1.8 million.

Stories like that are more common in parts of the world where multigenerational living is more firmly rooted. In India， particularly outside cities， young women are expected to move in with their husband's family when they get married.

31. What is the text mainly about？

A. Lifestyles in different countries.

B. Conflicts between generations.

C. A housing problem in Britain.

D. A rising trend of living in the UK.

【點石成金】D? ?本文是一篇說明文，屬于“總—分”結構。文章開頭指明了一種現象，即年輕人承擔不起獨居的費用，而老年人獨自居住又會感到孤獨，所以越來越多的家庭選擇住在一起。下文主要以一個英國家庭為例，對該國的多代同居現象做了詳細展示，作者還引用數據證實在英國與父母同居的年輕人的比例在上升，并在末尾順便提及了這種現象在其他一些國家也很常見。所以，本文主要講的是英國的一種日漸流行的居住方式。

2. 主題句在中間段

有的文章會先在首段或前面幾段陳述次要信息、他人觀點、認識誤區(qū)或錯誤做法，然后以此作為鋪墊，通過轉折等方式引出作者自己的看法，接著用充分的事實依據來論證自己的觀點或說明真實的情況。此時，主題句位于文章中間，且主題句的前面通常會出現but、however、in fact等信號詞。

【典題鏈接】（2018·全國甲卷閱讀D篇）

We've all been there： in a lift， in line at the bank or on an airplane， surrounded by people who are， like us， deeply focused on their smartphones or， worse， struggling with the uncomfortable silence.

What's the problem？ It's possible that we all have compromised conversational intelligence. It's more likely that none of us start a conversation because it's awkward and challenging， or we think it's annoying and unnecessary. But the next time you find yourself among strangers， consider that small talk is worth the trouble. Experts say it's an invaluable social practice that results in big benefits.

Dismissing small talk as unimportant is easy， but we can't forget that deep relationships wouldn't even exist if it weren't for casual conversation. Small talk is the grease（潤滑劑） for social communication， says Bernardo Carducci， director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast. “Almost every great love story and each big business deal begins with small talk，” he explains. “The key to successful small talk is learning how to connect with others， not just communicate with them.”

In a 2014 study， Elizabeth Dunn， associate professor of psychology at UBC， invited people on their way into a coffee shop. One group was asked to seek out an interaction（互動） with its waiter; the other， to speak only when necessary. The results showed that those who chatted with their server reported significantly higher positive feelings and a better coffee shop experience. “It's not that talking to the waiter is better than talking to your husband，” says Dunn. “But interactions with peripheral （邊緣的） members of our social network matter for our well-being also.”

Dunn believes that people who reach out to strangers feel a significantly greater sense of belonging， a bond with others. Carducci believes developing such a sense of belonging starts with small talk. “Small talk is the basis of good manners，” he says.

35. What is the best title for the text？

A. Conversation Counts

B. Ways of Making Small Talk

C. Benefits of Small Talk

D. Uncomfortable Silence

【點石成金】C? ?本文是一篇議論文，文章先是列舉了一些可以閑談但卻沒人閑談的具體場景，并指出人們不愿閑談的原因可能在于他們的消極或抗拒心理。然后通過轉折，在第2段提出論點，即閑談會帶來巨大好處，然后通過引用專家言論和實驗結果來證明閑談的積極效果。

3. 主題句在末段

有些文章先表述細節(jié)、擺出事實或交代論據，經過層層推進，最后歸納要點、印象、建議或結果，這是典型的歸納法寫作方式。此時，主題句位于末段，它起著概括上文、畫龍點睛的作用，通常位于therefore、as a result、in short、to conclude等表示總結的信號詞之后。當然，很多時候這類信號詞并不會直接出現，而是蘊含在文章的邏輯之中，需要考生自己體會出來。例如：

【典題鏈接】（2019·全國甲卷閱讀C篇）

Marian Bechtel sits at West Palm Beach's Bar Louie counter by herself， quietly reading her e-book as she waits for her salad. What is she reading？ None of your business！ Lunch is Becht-el's “me” time. And like more Americans， she's not alone.

A new report found 46 percent of meals are eaten alone in America. More than half （53 percent） have breakfast alone and nearly half （46 percent） have lunch by themselves. Only at dinnertime are we eating together anymore， 74 percent， according to statistics from the report.

“I prefer to go out and be out. Alone， but together， you know？” Bechtel said， looking up from her book. Bechtel， who works in downtown West Palm Beach， has lunch with coworkers sometimes， but like many of us， too often works through lunch at her desk. A lunchtime escape allows her to keep a boss from tapping her on the shoulder. She returns to work feeling energized.“Today， I just wanted some time to myself，” she said.

Just two seats over， Andrew Mazoleny， a local videographer， is finishing his lunch at the bar. He likes that he can sit and check his phone in peace or chat up the barkeeper with whom he's on a first-name basis if he wants to have a little interaction （交流）. “I reflect on how my day's gone and think about the rest of the week，” he said. “It's a chance for self-reflection. You return to work recharged and with a plan.”

That freedom to choose is one reason more people like to eat alone. There was a time when people may have felt awkward about asking for a table for one， but those days are over. Now， we have our smartphones to keep us company at the table. “It doesn't feel as alone as it may have before all the advances in technology，” said Laurie Demeritt， whose company provided the statistics for the report.

31. What is the text mainly about？

A. The trend of having meals alone.

B. The importance of self-reflection.

C. The stress from working overtime.

D. The advantage of wireless technology.

【點石成金】A? ?本文是一篇說明文。文章給出了美國人一日三餐獨自用餐的統(tǒng)計數據，根據該統(tǒng)計，盡管午餐和晚餐的獨自用餐人數不到一半，但獨自吃早餐的人數已經過半。此外，文章還列舉了兩個例子來說明人們對獨自用餐的喜愛。文章的最后一段總結了人們選擇這一用餐模式的原因（具有選擇的自由）和可行性（不再有以前獨自用餐時的尷尬心理），這也正是本文主旨所在。

4. 主題句首尾呼應

文章先在首段提出主題，然后圍繞該主題展開細節(jié)性的描述，最后在末段再次點題，構成首尾呼應。須注意的是，前后主題句并非簡單重復，后者通常是對前者的引申和發(fā)展。

【典題鏈接】（2020·全國甲卷閱讀D篇）

I have a special place in my heart for libraries. I have for as long as I can remember. I was always an enthusiastic reader， sometimes reading up to three books a day as a child. Stories were like air to me and while other kids played ball or went to parties， I lived out adventures through the books I checked out from the library.

My first job was working at the Ukiah Library when I was 16 years old. It was a dream job and I did everything from shelving books to reading to the children for story time.

As I grew older and became a mother， the library took on a new place and an added meaning in my life. I had several children and books were our main source（來源） of entertainment. It was a big deal for us to load up and go to the local library， where my kids could pick out books to read or books they wanted me to read to them.

I always read， using different voices， as though I were acting out the stories with my voice and they loved it！ It was a special time to bond with my children and it filled them with the wonderment of books.

Now， I see my children taking their children to the library and I love that the excitement of going to the library lives on from generation to generation.

As a novelist， I've found a new relationship with libraries. I encourage readers to go to their local library when they can't afford to purchase a book. I see libraries as a safe haven（避風港） for readers and writers， a bridge that helps put together a reader with a book. Libraries， in their own way， help fight book piracy（盜版行為） and I think all writers should support libraries in a significant way when they can. Encourage readers to use the library. Share library announcements on your social media. Frequent them and talk about them when you can.

35. Which can be a suitable title for the text？

A. Reading： A Source of Knowledge

B. My Idea about Writing

C. Library： A Haven for the Young

D. My Love of the Library

【點石成金】D? ?本文是一篇記敘文，屬于“總—分—總”結構。文章開頭就點明作者對圖書館有種特殊的情感，緊接著講述了圖書館在不同階段帶給自己的意義與快樂。作者從兒童時期到青少年時期，直至當了母親和祖母，她和家人都有圖書館相伴，對閱讀的喜愛在她的家族代代相傳。最后作者號召大眾要盡力支持圖書館，并就此提出了具體建議，這一部分將對圖書館的內心喜愛升華到了具體行為，也是對文章開頭的呼應。

5. 無主題句

一篇文章沒有主題句，并不代表它沒有中心思想，只是說文章主題隱含在全文之中。此時，考生須對文中的事實細節(jié)進行通盤考慮、適度推理，并用自己的話歸納出文章主題，既不能以偏概全，也不能過于寬泛。

【典題鏈接】（2017·全國乙卷閱讀C篇）

Some of the world's most famous musicians recently gathered in Paris and New Orleans to celebrate the first annual International Jazz Day. UNESCO （United Nations Educational， Scientific and Cultural Organization） recently set April 30 as a day to raise awareness of jazz music， its significance， and its potential as a unifying（聯合） voice across cultures.

Despite the celebrations， though， in the U.S. the jazz audience continues to shrink and grow older， and the music has failed to connect with younger generations.

It's Jason Moran's job to help change that. As the Kennedy Center's artistic adviser for jazz， Moran hopes to widen the audience for jazz， make the music more accessible， and preserve its history and culture.

“Jazz seems like it's not really a part of the American appetite，” Moran tells National Public Radio's reporter Neal Conan. “What I'm hoping to accomplish is that my generation and younger start to reconsider and understand that jazz is not black and white anymore. It's actually color， and it's actually digital.”

Moran says one of the problems with jazz today is that the entertainment aspect of the music has been lost.“The music can't be presented today the way it was in 1908 or 1958. It has to continue to move， because the way the world works is not the same，” says Moran.

Last year， Moran worked on a project that arranged Fats Waller's music for a dance party， “just to kind of put it back in the mind that Waller is dance music as much as it is concert music，” says Moran. “For me， it's the recontextualization. In music， where does the emotion （情感） lie？ Are we， as humans， gaining any insight（感悟） on how talk about ourselves and how something as abstract as a Charlie Parker record gets us into a dialogue about our emotions and our thoughts？ Sometimes we lose sight that the music has a wider context，” says Moran，“so I want to continue those dialogues. Those are the things I want to foster.”

31. Which of the following can be the best title for the text？

A. Exploring the Future of Jazz

B. The Rise and Fall of Jazz

C. The Story of a Jazz Musician

D. Celebrating the Jazz Day

【點石成金】A? ?本文是一篇說明文，并無明確的主題句。通讀全文可知，聯合國教科文組織為提高人們對爵士樂的重視而設立國際爵士日，但實際成效甚微。有人認為爵士樂的展現方式已經過時，只有與時俱進，做出相應的改變，才能引起年輕一代的共鳴，吸引更多的聽眾。綜合以上具體內容可知，本文從爵士樂的現狀與存在問題出發(fā)，對它的前景作了一番展望。

三、總結

用直選法解答主旨大意題雖然省時省力，但需要以充足的詞匯量、完善的語法體系，以及對全文的充分理解為基礎。實際操作中，建議大家結合以下方法：

（1）排除法。過于籠統(tǒng)、以偏概全、牽強附會是干擾項的主要特點，如果某個選項太寬泛或太細致，或看似合理但在原文中找不出依據，那就很有可能是錯誤選項。

（2）逆推法。將自己想象成作者，從四個選項出發(fā)，想象一下如果自己以這些選項為主題寫文章會寫哪些內容，然后把它們與原文對比，契合度最高的就最有可能是原文的主旨大意。

（3）后置法?？疾槿闹髦嫉念}目一般設置在最后一題，但偶爾也會設在第一題。無論它出現在什么位置，考生都要將它作為最后一題去做，因為做其他題目對理解文章的主旨或多或少有些幫助。