环球教育培训中心 周文博

句子插入题在每篇阅读的倒数第二题出现。这时的考生很可能已经疲惫不堪，时间也所剩无几。实际上，一些基础较弱的同学在这种状态下已经不能通过清晰、全面的分析来确定答案，而只能凭着感觉随便蒙个选项。我想说的是，如果你一定要蒙，请蒙得准确一点！

蒙题，就是考生和出题人之间的一种博弈。要提高自己的命中概率，考生就要站在出题人的角度，摸清对方出题的“路数”。

句子插入题是怎样设计的呢？实际上就是出题人从一个完整的段落当中刨去一句话（这句话在文中重要性不大，甚至可以是可有可无），然后把它作为加黑的句子单独列在最后，要求考生把它放回原处。蒙选项，实际上就是猜测出题人可能会从一段话的什么位置刨句子！

据此，我们不难得出三点蒙题技巧：

1.优先考虑每段结尾的空。

每个段落最后一句常常最不重要。所以出题人刨去最后一句话是最方便的。

2.优先排除每段开头的空。

每段的第一句常常是topic sentence, 所以出题人为了避免段落理解出现问题，一般不会刨去第一句话。

3.优先排除逻辑关系词和指示代词前面的空。

刨去这些词前面的句子，容易出现逻辑漏洞，改变指代对象，从而严重影响理解。所以出题人一般会避免此类麻烦。

综合这三点技巧，考生在蒙题的时候应该先看一下原文在结尾处是否有黑框，如果有就可以直接选，稍有点时间最好把插入句代入验证一下；如果开头、结尾处都没有黑框，那就直接避开逻辑关系词和指示代词前面的黑框，尝试剩下的黑框。

有一种特例需要特别强调：在有些句子插入题中，黑框并不只是设置在一个段落当中，而是分布在连续的两个段落当中，并且两段之间一定会设置一个黑框（这个黑框可能在上段结尾处，也可能在下段开头处）！这时候正确选项很可能是两段之间的这个黑框，我们的插入句很可能就是两段之间的过渡句！

蒙题，终究是不得已而为之。考生应当努力提高自己的英语基础，熟练掌握句子插入题的一般解题思路，然后再参考以上规律，尽力缩短自己的解题时间。

例一

■Exhibitors, however, wanted to maximize their profits, which they could do

more readily by projecting a handful of films to hundreds of customers at

a time (rather than one at a time) and by charging 25 to 50 cents admission. ■About a year after the opening of the first Kinetoscope parlor in 1894, showmen

such as Louis and Auguste Lumiere, Thomas Armat and Charles

Francis Jenkins, and Orville and Woodville Latham (with the assistance of

Edison's former assistant, William Dickson) perfected projection devices. ■These early projection devices were used in vaudeville theaters, legitimate

theaters, local town halls, makeshift storefront theaters, fairgrounds,

and amusement parks to show films to a mass audience.■

When this widespread use of projection technology began to

hurt his Kinetoscope business, Edison acquired a projector

developed by Armat and introduced it as “Edison’s latest marvel, the Vitascope."

这段话写得很长，基础较弱的学生读到它的时候基本“崩溃”。实际上大可不必。我们运用蒙题的规律，先不考虑第一个黑框（因为它在这段话最开头），也不考虑第三个黑框（因为它后面是these这样一个指示代词）。这样只剩下了第二和第四个黑框，我们优先考虑第四个黑框（因为它在这段话的结尾）。第四个黑框前面这句话讲的是projection devices were used，插入句讲到this widespread use of projection technology，两句话衔接非常自然，所以第四个黑框就是正确答案。

例二

The reaction of farmers to the inevitable depletion of the Ogallala varies.

Many have been attempting to conserve water by irrigating less frequently

or by switching to crops that require less water.█ Other, however, have adopted the philosophy that it is best to use the

water while it is still economically profitable to do so and to concentrate

on high value crops such as cotton.█The incentive of the farmers who wish to conserve water is reduced

by their knowledge that many of their neighbors are profiting by using

great amounts of water, and in the process are drawing down the

entire region’s water supplies.█

In the face of the upcoming water supply crisis, a number of

grandiose schemes have been developed to transport vast quantities

of water by canal or pipeline from the Mississippi, the Missouri, or the

Arkansas rivers. █Unfortunately, the cost of water obtained through any of these schemes

would increase pumping costs at least tenfold, making the cost of

irrigated agricultural products from the region uncompetitive on the

national and international markets.

But even if uncooperative farmers were to join in the conservation

efforts, this would only delay the depletion of the aquifer.

这道题属于上面所说的特例，四个黑框分布在连续两段话当中。显然，我们应当优先考虑两段话之间的那个黑框。这个黑框前面一句话讲的是the incentive of farmers is reduced，插入句讲到uncooperative farmers，两句话衔接非常自然，所以第三个黑框就是正确答案。