主旨標題題

　　這個題型近年來是考查的重點，08年的真題考到了4個題目，同時它也是選項創新中最常實現的題型。它常常考查就是整篇文章或是某段落的主旨，或者要求為文章選一個合適的標題。

　　它的做法就是要找到文章的要點，而要跳過行文中大量的細節。在一篇文章中往往最為重要就是文章的首末段，而在一個段落內往往最為重要的也是段落的首末句，因此這個題型的要點就是重點考查文章首末段的首末句，從中得到中心詞以及文章的核心。

　　(07-03-35)Which of the following is the best title for this text?

　　[A] The Middle Class on the Alert [B] The Middle Class on the Cliff.

　　[C] The Middle Class in Conflict. [D] The Middle Class in Ruins.

　　這是標題題，重點考查文章主旨。直接看一下文首末段的首末名來確定答案。從選項可以看出，重點是在討論中產階級(middle class),主題是一致的。

　　(首段)During the past generation, the American middle-class family that once could count on hard work and fair play to keep itself financially secure had been transformed by economic risk and new realties. Now a pink slip, a bad diagnosis, or a disappearing spouse can reduce a family from solidly middle class to newly poor in a few months.

　　(末段)From the middle-class family perspective, much of this, understandably, looks far less like an opportunity to exercise more financial responsibility, and a good deal more like a frightening acceleration of the wholesale shift of financial risk onto their already overburdened shoulders. The financial fallout has begun, and the political fallout may not be far behind.

　　從首句可以看出主干的核心動詞是transform：“改變”。后一句，主體意思表達也是中產階級將變窮(reduce to newly poor)。因此這其中負面的意味非常明顯。

　　從最后一段的首句，析出主干后會發現對于中產階級來說目前的局勢完全不是機會，而是挑戰，(looks far less like an opportunity, and more like an acceleration of risk)可以看出中產階級的生活正在發生巨大的變化，處在了懸崖邊上(on the cliff)，答案為B。其余的答案都太大和太小。