托福阅读定位时要避开哪些“陷阱”？

　　相信上过托福课程或者参加过托福考试的同学都知道，托福阅读考试时间有限，自2019年8月1日改革以来，3篇文章的答题时间是54分钟，也就是平均18分钟要完成一篇阅读文章里的10道题。这对于大多数学生都是一个不小的挑战。那么，我们如何在有限的时间内做对尽可能多的题目就成了取得高分的关键。

　　面对一篇800词左右的文章，我们如何快速地找到每道题的出题句呢?答案就是“定位”。定位词我们一般都会选择名词，首字母大写的人名，地名，数字，时间和标点，因为这些词汇都比较“显眼”，是能够让大家在扫读段落时迅速锁定的词汇，那么这样的定位词选择一定靠谱吗?答案当然是否定的。

　　接下来我们一起来看看阅读定位时要避开的“陷阱”有哪些。

　　1

　　陷阱1：利用时间或者地名定位到段落某一句，可能整个段落描述的信息都是这个时间或者地点发生的，导致定位无效。

　　举个栗子——

　　The vast grasslands of the High Plains in the central United States were settled by farmers and ranchers in the 1880s. This region has a semiarid climate, and for 50 years after its settlement, it supported a low-intensity agricultural economy of cattle ranching and wheat farming. In the early twentieth century, however, it was discovered that much of the High Plains was underlain by a huge aquifer (a rock layer containing large quantities of groundwater). This aquifer was named the Ogallala aquifer after the Ogallala Sioux Indians, who once inhabited the region. (TPO-3-Depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer-第1题)

　　According to paragraph 1, which of the following statements about the High Plains is true?

　　A. Until farmers and ranchers settled there in the 1880s, the High Plains had never been inhabited.

　　B. The climate of the High Plains is characterized by higher-than-average temperatures.

　　C. The large aquifer that lies underneath the High Plains was discovered by the Ogallala Sioux Indians.

　　D. Before the early 1900s there was only a small amount of farming and ranching in the High Plains.

　　根据题干信息，首字母大写的短语High Plains能帮助我们定位到段落第一句(The vast grasslands of the High Plains in the central United States were settled by farmers and ranchers in the 1880s.) 和第三句 (In the early twentieth century, however, it was discovered that much of the High Plains was underlain by a huge aquifer (a rock layer containing large quantities of groundwater).)

　　读完这两句话后我们发现并无意思相对应的选项。其实，整段话描述的信息都是发生在High Plains地区的，所以如果看看原文句子的话，必须通读全段，或者利用选项定位法。通读全段后我们发现正确选项是D，对应的是段落的第二句话和第三句话。

　　建议：利用地名或时间定位时要小心，当定位句没有对应的选项时要马上看其余的句子。

　　2

　　陷阱2：找错核心定位词，导致定位出错

　　举个栗子——

　　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.Somewhat more promising have been recent experiments for releasing capillary water (water in the soil) above the water table by injecting compressed air into the ground.Even if this process proves successful, however, it would almost triple water costs. Genetic engineering also may provide a partial solution, as new strains of drought-resistant crops continue to be developed. Whatever the final answer to the water crisis may be, it is evident that within the High Plains, irrigation water will never again be the abundant, inexpensive resource it was during the agricultural boom years of the mid-twentieth century.(TPO-3-Depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer-第12题)

　　According to paragraph 6, what is the main disadvantage of the proposed plans to transport river water to the High Plains?

　　A. The rivers cannot supply sufficient water for the farmer’s needs.

　　B. Increased irrigation costs would make the products too expensive.

　　C. The costs of using capillary water for irrigation will increase.

　　D. Farmers will be forced to switch to genetically engineered crops.

　　同上题一样，很多同学看到这道题时会马上选择High Plains作为定位词，定位到段落最后一句(Whatever the final answer to the water crisis may be, it is evident that within the High Plains, irrigation water will never again be the abundant, inexpensive resource it was during the agricultural boom years of the mid-twentieth century.)，同样的，读完句子后发现没有对应的选项，那么问题出在哪儿呢?

　　提醒各位同学，选择定位词的时候一定要选的是核心定位词，而不是看到大写字母就用来定位。那么这一题的核心定位词就是：disadvantage, plans, transport river water。那么我们就可以定位到段落的前两句(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.)。 很明显，这两句话对应的是B选项。

　　建议：审题时一定要仔细，判断出核心定位词才能做出高效且正确的定位。