篇章连接词（以下简称连接词）是指在文章中用来说明上下句或前后句两个意思之间关系的词或词组。连接词通常用于开篇，引出扩展句；也可用于句中，尤其是用于较长的复杂句子中，以作为上下文的连接纽带；还可以用于文末或段末，用于总结上文或结束本段内容。在阅读过程中，倘若我们能够利用这些连接词，快速理清文章的思路，就能在一定程度上提高英语阅读效率。
常见的连接词通常可以用来表示以下几种关系：1、平行或递进关系；2、转折关系；3、目的或因果关系；4、层次、顺序关系；5、例举关系；6、解释说明关系；7、概括、总结关系。下面本文结合例句来谈谈英语阅读中的这些连接词。
一、表示平行或递进关系的连接词通常有：and,also, as well(as)，at the same time, besides, both...and...,furthermore, in addition(to),like wise, more over, similarly，worse still等。
在阅读过程中，当你看到其中的任何一个连接词时，你应该明白：下文将出现与前边差不多的、同类性质的内容，或是对前面内容的进一步阐述。请看下边例句：
1．In addition to these subjects, Mr.Wangal so taught us English and politics.
当你阅读到连接词"in addition to"时，你应该明白，下文将不会出现大的变化，只是前边内容的补充而已，因此你不必多加思考或放慢阅读的速度。
2．By the time I got the third floor,I was tired and at the same time feeling lonely.Worse still,Dad missed a step and fell,sending my new suitcases rolling down the stairs.
读了前一句，你已经了解到文中主人公当时的狼狈不堪。而"Worse still"又告诉你，更糟糕的情形还在后头呢！
二、表示转折关系的连接词通常有：although, but, however, nevertheless, on the contrary, otherwise, to the opposite, while, yet等。
这些词表明作者正在向读者发出一种信号，下文所述的将是一种全新的或是相反的内容、见解和观点，需要引起读者的格外注意。在阅读过程中，当你阅读到其中任何一个表示转折关系的连接词时，你应该放慢阅读速度，多留心下文在意义上的变化。请看下边例句:
3．I had an auto-repair man once, who, on these intelligence tests, couldn't possibly have scored over 80.Yet,when anything went wrong with my car I hurried to him-and he always fixed it.
当你阅读到连接词"Yet"时，就应该明白，下边将出现与上文截然不同的内容。因而，你应适当放慢阅读速度，细心看清下文。
三、表示目的或因果关系的连接词通常有：as, as a result, because(of),consequently, due to, for,now that,since,so,so...that...,such...that...,therefore,thus等。
在阅读过程中，这些连接词也是帮助读者理解作者行文思路的有用信号。请看下边例句:
4．We hope that the new machine can work faster, thus reducing our overall costs.降低成本是使用新机器的目的。这一目的在这里通过连接词"thus"清楚地表达出来了。
5．Thirty years after being introduced to Macaulay's words, they still seem to the best yardstick, because they give us away to measure ourselves than others.
句中"because"一词表明，在下文作者将给出原因，说明为什么"they still seem to me the best yardstick（准绳）"。
四、表示层次、顺序关系的连接词有：after(that),another,before,first(ly),second(ly),third(ly),at last,finally,later on,next,then,on the one hand...,on the other hand等。
抓住这些连接词，读者能快速地把握作者的行文思路。比如：first,second,third,...finally这些词，表明了一种顺序，读者能通过它们迅速从大体上理清文章的脉络。请看例句:
6.Some people point out that the emphasis on the surgical treatment of disease had some clear disadvantages. First, it attracts interest and money away from the question of prevention. Second, it causes the costs of general hospital care to rise. Third, doctors are encouraged to perform surgery-even on patients for whom an operation is unnecessary.
读者可以通过连接词"First"，"Second"和"Third"而迅速明白：作者将从三个方面说明"the emphasis on the surgical treatment of disease"的"disadvantages"。
五、表示例举关系的连接词通常有：for example,for instance,for one thing,for another,such as等。在阅读过程中，当你阅读到其中任何一个时，你应该明白，作者在下文将举出一个类似情形的事例。请看下边例句：
7．First the person must recognize that there is a problem. For example, Sam's bicycle is broken, and he cannot ride it to class as he usually does. Sam must see that there is a problem with his bicycle.
前一句意为"一个人首先必须认识到某处出了问题"。你应该明白，在"For example"后边，作者将只是给出一个类似情况的例子而已，因此，你不必放慢阅读速度，尽可快速读下去。
六、表示解释说明关系的连接词通常有：in other words, that is等。
当你阅读到这些连接词时，你应该明白，下文将对上文作进一步的解释说明。请看例句：
8．The navy was planning an expedition to the South Pacific Ocean with the purpose of watching a very unusual event, that is, the planet Venus passing between the earth and the sun in 1769.
看到前面的"a very unusual event"，你可能不知其为何事。但后边的"that is"告诉你不要急，解释就在后边。
七、表示归纳、总结的连接词通常有：as a result,briefly,in a word,in brief,in short,on the whole,to sum up等。
作者通过这些连接词给读者一种暗示，下面的内容将是对前面所述内容的概括或总结。在阅读过程中，当你看到这些连接词时，你应该明白：作者将在下面的篇幅中作出一种归纳或是总结。请看下边例句：
9．This,in brief,is the official view of the trade unions.
读者可以通过连接词"in brief"而明白，前面所述内容是工会的正式意见。
10．If a person is not allowed to dream in his sleep, he becomes tense and anxious. He becomes irritable.He has trouble concentrating on anything and his mental health is temporarily damaged. In short, he can't get the benefits of rest.
同理，"In short"表明，后面的内容将是对前面所述内容的一种归纳和总结。
总而言之，篇章连接词就像一个信号，像一盏导航引路的明灯。在阅读过程中，它们时时在给你提示和指引。看懂它们，你就会明白那些隐藏在字里行间的行文思路，从而提高你的英语阅读效率。
