托福閱讀修飾目的題解析

　　在閱讀考試中，這類題目有兩種不同的考察形式：一種是給出修辭手段問目的，另一種是給出修辭目的問手段。

　　其常見的題目形式如下：

　　The author uses X as an example of…

　　Why does the author mention X?

　　Why does the author compare … to …?

　　Why does the author use the word … in discussing…?

　　The author discusses X in paragraph X in order to…

　　The author uses X as an example of…

　　2、解題技巧

　　找出這些修辭方法所用的關鍵詞，例如定義中所用的同位語;描述事物大小、形狀的形容詞和名詞;舉例用的詞，如，for instance，for example， in other words;用來解釋的詞語，如because， this is why， due to等。

　　我們來看一個例子：

　　One of the most puzzling aspects of the paintings is their location. Other rock paintings，for example, those of Bushmen in South Africa are either located near cave entrances or completely in the open. Cave paintings in France and Spain, however, are in recesses and caverns far removed from original cave entrances.

　　Why does the author mention Bushmen in South Africa in paragraph 2?

　　To suggest that ancient artists from all over the world painted animals on rocks

　　To contrast the location of their rock paintings to those found at Lascaux

　　To support the claim that early artists worked in cramped spaces

　　To give an example of other artists who painted in hidden locations

　　首先分析問題題目，找出其中的關鍵詞：Bushmen in South Africa。之后回到原文看其前后的句子，找到原文的關鍵詞for example，通過分析知道，這一例子的目的是為了說明它前面的那句話，即這些繪畫的位置令人費解。作者以對比的手法來說明這一點：Bushmen in South Africa的繪畫常位于洞口或洞外，而法國和西班牙的洞穴繪畫(本文所說的繪畫)卻位于遠離最初洞口的深處。由此可見，Bushmen in South Africa的例子是為了說明Lascaux繪畫位置的怪異。第二個選項符合此意，為正確答案。