If you agree with the point of view in this article you would probably

　　A. read less than ever

　　B. rely more on visual media

　　C. watch television selectively

　　D. attach due importance to reading

　　這道題繞了個(gè)圈子，問的還是文章中心思想。根據(jù)中心思想句出現(xiàn)的位置和特征，我們讀到文章第一句：The death of reading has been frequently，if not prematurely，reported。文章最后一句：Reading is not dead，dying，or seriously ill.It remains as the major avenue to individual learning and satisfaction.文章第一句是說人們一直認(rèn)為閱讀已消亡。經(jīng)過一番論述，文章最后一句總結(jié)說閱讀沒有消亡，相反仍然是個(gè)人學(xué)習(xí)和滿足的主要途徑�？梢娺@句是文章的中心思想句。用這句意思去看四個(gè)選擇項(xiàng)，不難發(fā)現(xiàn)D.attach due importance to reading是正確答案。

　　2.主題句解題法

　　主題句通常以判斷句的形式出現(xiàn)，在文章中的通常位置為第一段首句、第一段末句和全文末句等地方。

　　(1)主題句在首段首句

　　許多文章開門見山，一開始就擺出要說明的主要對(duì)象或要論述的主要觀點(diǎn)，接下去的句子和段落都說明或論述它。這樣，文章的結(jié)構(gòu)就屬于從一般到具體，主題也就在首段首句。

　　例4

　　Researchers have established that when people are mentally engaged, biochemical changes occur in the brain that allow it to act more effectively in cognitive(認(rèn)知的)ar-eas such as attention and memory. This is true regardless of age.

　　People will be alert(警覺的)and receptive(愿意接受的)if they are faced with information that gets them to think about things they are interested in. And someone with a history of doing more rather than less will go into old age more cognitively sound than someone who has not had an active mind.

　　Many experts are so convinced of the benefits of challenging the brain that they are putting the theory to work in their own lives. "The idea is not necessary to learn to memorize enormous amounts of information,"says James Fozard, associate director of the National Institute on Aging. "Most of us don't need that kind of skill. Such specif- ic training is of less interest than being able to maintain mental alertness. " Fozard and others say they challenge their brains with different mental skills, both because they enjoy them and because they are sure that their range of activities will help the way their brains work.

　　Gene Cohen, acting director of the same institute, suggests that people in their old age should engage in mental and physical activities individually as well as in groups. Cohen says that we are frequently advised to keep physically active as we age, but older people need to keep mentally active as well. Those who do are more likely to maintain their intellectual abilities and to be generally happier and better adjusted, "The point is, you need to do both," Cohen says. "Intellectual activity actually influ-ences brain-cell health and size. "

　　本文以引經(jīng)據(jù)典的方法強(qiáng)調(diào)了頭腦健康，尤其是老年人頭腦健康的重要性。這個(gè)中心內(nèi)容在第一段第一句就已指出：人在用腦時(shí)，大腦會(huì)處于興奮狀態(tài)，這時(shí)大腦在諸如注意力和記憶力等屬于認(rèn)知領(lǐng)域的能力方面會(huì)得到有效發(fā)揮。

　　What is the passage mainly about?

　　A. How biochemical changes occur in the human brain.

　　B. Why people should keep active not only physically but also mentally.

　　C. How intellectual activities influence brain-cell health.

　　D. Why people should receive special mental training as they age.

　　這道題的正確答案為B。A與C均為原文中的細(xì)節(jié)，而D與原文第三段第4～5行“…Such specific training is of less interest than being able to maintain mental alert-ness”相矛盾，所以都不是正確答案。

　　(2)主題句在第一段末句

　　首段末句也是主題句常出現(xiàn)的地方。假若如此，這個(gè)主題句就不僅是對(duì)全文的總結(jié)，也是對(duì)第一段的總結(jié)，而且開啟第二段及以后的說明或論述。簡而言之，這種文章結(jié)構(gòu)是：具體說明或論述(一段)一總結(jié)(一段末的主題句)一后文的具體說明或論述。

　　這種形式的主題句之前通常有表示總結(jié)的提示詞，如：in conclusion，to conclude， in summary，to sum up，in short，in brief，in a nutshell;或表示推斷的提示詞：there-fore，thus，as a result，accordingly;或表示轉(zhuǎn)折的提示詞：but，however等。轉(zhuǎn)折之后就出現(xiàn)主題句的情況較多，這種謀篇套路可以用“去舊取新、標(biāo)新立異”八個(gè)字概括。文章中諸如“every parent”、“a popular belief”、“frequently assumed”、“universally accept-ed”等詞句提示作者可能在下文提出一個(gè)與之不同的觀點(diǎn)標(biāo)新立異，假若如此，那么作者“標(biāo)新立異”之處的觀點(diǎn)就是主題大意。對(duì)于某一現(xiàn)象，過去已有解釋，作者提出新的解釋，新解釋就是主題大意。這體現(xiàn)了上述的“去舊取新”原則。