在英语学习中，我们自然会遇到许多生词。这时，许多人立即翻阅字典，查找词义。其实，这种做法是不科学的。它不但费时费力，而且影响阅读速度。事实上，阅读材料中的每个词与它前后的词语或句子甚至段落有着互相制约的关系。我们可以利用语境(各种已知信息)推测、判断某些生词的词义。猜测词义也需要一定的技巧，可以通过1)上下文间意义的联系；2)同义关系，反义关系；3)词的定义；4)对词的解释和举例；5)构词法知识猜测词义。以下是吴耀武老师总结的6种方法，祝考研学子们可以在2010年考研中取得优异的成绩。
1. 利用上下文词语意义的互相联系猜测词义
Example:
The fishermen make their canoes from tree trunks. They go from island to island in these light narrow boats and collect turtles' eggs
Example：
Fishes live in water and have fins which help them to swim. Most fishes have slimly skins covered with scales, but in fishes such as eels the scales are very small and can hardly be seen。
Example：
Tom is considered an autocratic administrator because he makes decisions without seeking the opinions of others。
Example:
Another habit which can slow your reading is called “subvocalization”.In this case your lips don’t move, but you still “hear ” each word in your head as you read silently。
Example:
In slang the term "jam" constitutes a state of being in which a person finds himself or herself in a difficult situation。
2. 利用文章中词与词的同义和反义关系猜测词义
Example :
If you happened to be sitting in the woods outside the city ，you might have witnessed a strange sight . You would have seen a very proud looking man riding along horseback ， saying something
Example:
Although he often had the opportunity，Mr. Tritt was never able to steal money from a customer. This would have endangered his position at the bank，and he did not want to jeopardize his future。
Example:
In the northern regions the winters are generally cold and humid ，and the summers hot and dry 。
Example:
Doctors believe that smoking cigarettes is detrimental to your health. They also regard drinking as harmful。
Example:
Green loves to talk，and his brothers are similarly loquacious。
Example:
A good supervisor can recognize instantly the adept workers from the unskilled ones。
Example:
Mary felt perturbed,;that is to say , she was greatly disturbed by her sister’s action。
Example:
Rather than liking Mr. Wu’s lecture, as the leaders expected them to, most of the students abhorred it。
Example:
Andrew is one of the most supercilious men I know. His brother，in contrast，is quite humble and modest。
3. 利用文章中对词的定义猜测词义
Example：
Anthropology is the scientific study of man。
Example：
Such experiences are not unusual for the amateur conchologists， people who collect shells。
Example :
Jack is now a florist， who keeps a shop for selling flowers in our district。
Example:
Over the past centuries, the earth has been struck by meteorites which are fragments from other parts of the solar system。
4. 利用文章中对词的举例及解释猜测词义
Example:
Today young couples who are just starting their households of ten spend lots of their money on appliances， for instance ，washing machines ， refrigerators and color TVs。
Example:
Finally the enemy surrendered. They threw down their weapons and walked out of the home with their hands over their heads
Example:
It seems that such maladies as colds, fevers, and sore throats will always be a part of life。
Example:
The consequences of epochal events such as wars and great scientific discoveries are not confined to a small geographical area as they were in the past。
5.同位语或用连词or引导的同意近义词可给出生次确切的意思。
Example:
Lipids, or fats, can be measured in the laboratory。
Example:
Semantics，the study of the meaning of words，is necessary if you are to speak and read intelligently。
Example:
Capacitance，or the ability to store electric charge，is one of the most common characteristics of electronic circuits。
Example:
Dr. Smith is recognized as one of the founders of ethnology,the study of the different races of human beings。
6. 利用构词法知识(前缀和后缀)猜测词义
1)根据前缀猜测词义
Example:
They overestimate the interviewee's ability and asked him many difficult questions
Example:
He fell into a ditch and lay there，semiconscious，for a few minutes。
Example:
We were told that ours was the most spacious room in the hotel .That was why we had to pay so much for it 。
2)根据后缀猜测词义
Example:
Insecticide is applied where it is needed。
Example:
Then the vapor may change into droplets。
Example:
I‘m illiterate about such things。
3)根据复合词的各部分猜测词义
Example:
Growing economic problems were highlighted by a slowdown in oil output。
Example:
Bullfight is very popular in Spain。
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