利用举例
有时，考生可以用上下文所举的例子，运用具体到一般的归纳法来悟出某个单词或词组的含义。表达这类情况常见的词语有："for example; for instance; such; such as; like; as; as...as..."等。
例1.(1989年考题)
If cities are to remain pleasant places to live in at all, however, it seems imperative, not only that communications in transport should be improved, but also that communication between human beings should be kept smooth and polite. All over cities, it seems that people are too tired and too rushed to be polite. Shop assistants won't bother to assist, taxi drivers growl at each other as they dash dangerously round corners, bus conductors pull the bell before their desperate passengers have had time to get on or off the bus, and so or and so on. It seems to us that it is up to the young and strong to do their small part to stop such deterioration.
What is the possible meaning of the word "deterioration" in the paragraph?
［A］ worsening of general situation
［B］ lowering of moral standards
［C］ declining of physical constitution
［D］ spreading of evil conduct
本段一开始，作者谈到：不仅交通状况，而且人际关系都亟待改善，其中出现了"improve, smooth, polite"等词。随后，作者又列举售货员、出租汽车司机及汽车售票员对顾客或乘客的不礼貌行为，并在最后一句话中用"such deterioration"来指代及概括上述不良表现，意在批评那些人道德水准下降，故B为正确答案。
例2.
Today young couples who are just starting their households often spend lots of their money on appliances, for instance, washingmachines, refrigerators and color televisions.
这句中的appliances是个不太常见的词，考生有可能不知道其含义。但从文中的举例"washingmachines"(洗衣机)，refrigerators(冰箱)，televisions(电视机)"可以判断出该词的含义是"家用电器"。
3.2.3 利用举例推断词义
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