【考例】

(2004年上海卷，C篇)82. The word “favouritism” in paragraph 3 is used to describe the phenomenon that________.

A. bright children also need certificates go get satisfying jobs.

B. children from well-respected schools tend to have good jobs

C. poor children with certificates are favoured in job markets

D. children attending ordinary schools achieve great success

【点拨】B。请看原文：Without examinations, employers will look for employees from the highly respected schools and from families known to them—a form of favourtism will replace equality.

破折号后的句子是对前面进行解释说明的，二者是同位关系，因此要猜测favourtism的意思可从前面句子的意思入手。答案为B。

3、根据构词法(前缀、后缀、复合、派生等)进行猜测

在英语中，有很多词可以在前面加前缀，在后面加后缀，从而构成一个词，乍看起来，这个词可能是新词，但掌握了一定的构词知识，就不难猜出它的词义。例如：

“Our parties are aimed for children 2 to 10,” Anaclerio said, “and they’re very interactive and creative in that they built a sense of drama based on a subject.”

文中interactive是由前缀inter-(相互的)和active(活动的，活跃的)而构成的，同时根据上下文的意思可以判断，该词的含义应是“互动的”。

Perhaps, we can see some possibilities for next fifty years. But the next hundred?

possibility 是 possible 的同根名词， 据此可以判断定 possibility 意思是“可能性”。

【考例】

(2008全国卷I，B篇)62. The underlined word “fixture” in Paragraph 3 probably refers to something ______.

A. that people enjoy eating B. that is always present

C. that is difficult to get D. that people use as a gift

【解析】B。请看文章原句：The new type of pineapple was selling fast, and the Del Monte Gold pineapple rapidly became a fixture in the shopping basket of the healthy eater.从文章意思可知，这种新型菠萝很畅销，当然成为了健康饮食人士购物筐中的常客。另外根据构词知识可知，该词的词根是fix，含有“固定”之意。

4、根据因果关系进行猜测

在一篇阅读文章中，根据原因可以预测结果，根据结果也可以找出原因。例如：

The lack of movement caused the muscles to weaken. Sometimes the weakness was permanent. So the player could never play the sport again.

从后面的结果“永远不能再运动”中，可以推测 permanent 的意思为“永远的，永久的”。

The low test score, they think, will make it impossible for them to get into a good college. And without a degree from a prestigious university, they fear that many of life’s doors will remain forever closed.”

学生认为考试分数低就不可能进入一所好大学，而没有“名校”的毕业文凭，将来生活中的很多大门可能就会对他们永远关闭。由此推知A prestigious university应是a famous university(名校)。

【考例】

(2008四川卷，D篇) 48. What do the underlined words “pack out what you pack in” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A. keep everything out of campgrounds

B. take away everything you bring in

C. carry all the necessary food

D. look after your personal belongings

【解析】B。细读该段文字：Please stay on permitted paths. Otherwise you may destroy desert plants. Pack out what you pack in, so you leave no signs of your visit. It is important to keep in mind that you are in a national park where wildlife exists. 根据因果关系可知，不要留下任何参观访问的迹象，因此要把带进来的所有东西都带出大峡谷。

(2008辽宁卷， D篇)71. What does “glycol-” in the underlined word “glycoprotein” in the last paragraph mean?

A. sugar B. ice C. blood D. molecule

【解析】A。请看文章最后一段：Study showed that it is an unusual kind of protein. It has many small sugar molecules(分子) held in special positions within each big protein molecule. Because of its sugar content, it is called a glycoprotein. So it has come to be called the antifreeze fish glycoprotein. Or AFGP. 根据前面一句Because of its sugar content可用因果关系推测出“glycol-”与sugar有关。