在对话听力测试中,对话的方式多为一问一答,首先由第一个人提出一个问题,再由第二个人B予以回答。或者由第一个人陈述一个观点,第二个人表示附和或反对,再由第三个声音提出问题。虽然提问的方式千变万化,但答题时也有一定的规律可循。
首先要通读选择项。对话内容,提出的问题和试卷上提供的选择项之间有着不可分割的联系,问题是根据对话人的意图、态度或其它细节提出的。因此,选择项上就会或多或少地反映出来。通读选择项可使参赛学生心中有数,听时可以有侧重地去听,而不是被赛题牵着鼻子走。
其次,根据选择项推测将提出的问题,并注意听对话中提及的内容,适当做上记号。例如,选项如命令句一样,以动词原形起首时,可以推测将提出的问题如下:What will A(or B)do?What is A(or B) going to do?What does B do?
下面举个例子,四个选项为:
AClean her house while she is away.
BBuy her some plants and take care of them.
CWater her plants while she is away.
DWater her plants when he is not at work.
从选项中我们可以推测问题一定是What will the man do?接着我们可以听到:
W:If I buy some plants for the house,will you water them for me while I am away?
M:Sure,I will,if you water mine while I'm on vacation.
Q:What will the man do for the woman?
对话中,女士发出请求“要是我买一些花草,我不在时你能给它们浇水吗?”这里提到第三项“Water her plants while she is away.”我们可以在此做一定的记号,同时排除第一项和第二项。接着听到男士回答:“Sure,I will.”说明男士已答应女士的请求,而if引导的从句帮助我们排除第四项。所以答案无疑为C项。
再举一例,其选项为:
AAsk Tom to send an invitation.
BGet the Johnsons'address.
CInvite Tom to the party.
DTell Tom to pick up the Johnsons.
在听的过程中,我们听到:
W:I want to ask the Johnsons to come to the party.Do you know their address?
M:No.But I like them to come.I think Tom can give you their address.
Q:What is the woman going to do?
从对话一开始的疑问句我们得知女士询问Johnson家的地址,男士给予了否定问答,但紧接着又提供了“Tom can give you their address.”的信息。由此我们可以推断出对话中的女士会从Tom那里得到她想要的地址。因此答案为B。
如果选项以动名词起首,可以推测问题为What does B suggest?例如选项为:
ASpending more time on sightseeing.
BVisiting the city with a group.
CTouring the city on a fine day.
DTaking the man with her on the tour.
我们可以听到:
W:I think I will take the half day tour of the city.
M:Why not the whole day?
Q:What does the man suggest?
我们从选项中推测出将提的问题后,可以侧重听第二个人的话,当我们听到男士用Why not句式建议“为什么不一整天呢?”我们得知答案为A。因为只有A项涉及到时间问题。
另外,对话部分中有很多问题要求考生从对话内容得出某种结论。提问方式常用“What do we learn from this conversation?”或用“What does B mean(or imply)?”这类题从对话原文中不易找到现成的答案,但对话中可能会出现一些很关键的词语供参赛学生参考。因此如果忽略这些至关重要的词组,就难以做出正确的判断。有的考题要求参赛学生从对话内容中得出结论,有的考题则考对话一方的说话意图。如:
M:This is a one-way street.Didn't you see the sign?
W:Sorry,I didn't .
Q:What do we learn from this conversation?
选项为:
AThe woman is driving too fast.
BThe woman is driving at a slow speed.
CThe woman has broken a traffic rule.
DThe woman has parked her car in a wrong place.
对话中关键词为“a one-way street”,抓住这个关键词就可以排除A、B和D选项。
再如:
M:Is Jane looking forward to going home for this summer?
W:She is counting the days.
Q:What does the woman imply?
选项为:
AJane is looking for a summer job.
BJane is packing for the summer vacation.
CJane is on her way home.
DJane is eager to go home for the vacation.
当男士用一般疑问句提问“Jane是不是盼着这个夏天回家”时,女士没有用Yes或No做出直接的回答,而说“她正在数日子呢。”在这里,“Count the days”是关键词,它不仅帮助我们排除了A、B和C项,同时它体现出的Jane的急切心情又与D项中的“eager to go home”相吻合。
总之,在全国大学生英语竞赛听力对话部分的考试中,能够从对话原文中找到现成的答案的题占的比重较小,而那些要求参赛学生对对话内容作深刻的逻辑思维,从而判断出对话人的意图、态度或意见要求的题所占比重较大。因此,我们在平时听力练习中更要注重逻辑思维的锻炼,运用一些做题技巧,才能在竞赛中取得好成绩。