主旨大意題是全局性的問題，也就是說只有讀完全文，了解文章的大意才能做。因此我們建議這類問題最好在做完這篇閱讀理解所有問題后再去做，因?yàn)槟阍谧鐾昃植啃缘摹⒓?xì)節(jié)辨認(rèn)性的問題后，自然會對文章大意有一定的了解。這時再去做主旨大意題，就可省去讀全文。

　　(一)常見的表述方式

　　What is the main topic of the passage?

　　With what topic is the passage primarily concerned?

　　The central idea conveyed in the above passage is that

　　Which of the following best sums up the passage?

　　The main idea of this passage is

　　The passage tells us

　　Which of the following statements best expresses/summarizes the main idea of the passage?

　　What is the main idea of the passage?

　　This article is mainly about

　　This passage deals mainly with

　　What does the passage mainly discuss?

　　Which of the following best states the theme of the passage?

　　In this passage the author/writer mainly argues that

　　The purpose of the author in writing the article is to

　　What does the author intend to convey through the passage?

　　(二)解題方法

　　1.重要位置解題法

　　任何一篇閱讀理解文章都有一個中心思想。盡管絕大多數(shù)閱讀理解文章是從一篇較長的文章中摘選下來的，但不管摘選一段還是幾段，不管摘選哪幾段，不管摘選長短，摘選下來的句子必須本身是自成一體的，是有中心思想的。一般說來，絕大多數(shù)文章的中心思想是用一個句子表達(dá)出來。其特點(diǎn)是概括性的。中心思想句到哪兒找?它在文章中的位置比較有規(guī)律，一般出現(xiàn)在文章的開頭。

　　例1

　　Describing learning as meaning centered reminds us that the most fundamental concern of any learner is "making sense". In the relationship between reader and text, then,the making of meaning is primary. To describe the activities of reading and writing, we prefer the word "transacting" which "designates an ongoing process in which the elements or parts are seen as aspects or phases of a total situation. "A transactional view of reading and writing argues that writers construct texts "through transactions with the developing text and the meaning being expressed". Transformed in the process are the text itself and the writer's ways of organizing knowledge. During reading, readers construct texts by transacting with the page and indirectly with the author. Although reading is generally considered a "receptive" language process, this does not mean that the process is essentially passive. Readers use directions from the page to construct meaning from their own prior knowledge;the reader must read between and beyond the lines.

　　Like reading, the process of writing is generative of meaning:we do not simply write down ideas that are fully formed before we put them to paper. The act of composing itself bring us ideas and insights. As meaning-making processes, reading, writing and talking are dynamic;meanings are developed and changed,discovered and clarfied, during the activities themselves. Iser has described this aspect of reading as "setting the work in motion" and setting oneself in motion too.

　　Clearly in reading and writing the learner's prior knowledge plays an important role. There are many types of knowledge important to the acts of reading and writing. Since all meanings are made in the context of prior meanings,with each person bringing a unique fund of prior knowledge and experience,we should not expect everyone to respond to texts in the same way.

　　The passage is mainly about

　　A. reading and writing

　　B. learning as meaning-centered

　　C. reading through transactions

　　D. the importance of prior knowledge

　　讀了第一句Describing learning as meaning centered reminds US that the most fun-damental concern of any learner is "making sense"(把學(xué)習(xí)語言描寫成以意思為中心，因?yàn)閷W(xué)習(xí)者最關(guān)心的就是自己說的、寫的能否讓人懂。)根據(jù)我們粗讀和做其他題時得到的信息，這一句應(yīng)是全文的中心思想。再讀選項(xiàng)，B)learning as meaning-centered正好和這句意思對上，因此是答案無疑了。當(dāng)然中心思想句出現(xiàn)在文章的后幾段也有：