字神帝國英語天地

托福閱讀修辭目的題的格式是這個樣子的：“why does author mention ”注意這裡的why不是定位文中的because來找答案，而是應採取這樣一種思維即：題幹作為一個細節，其存在的價值是為了支撐前面出現的觀點，所以答 案在題幹細節出現的位置前面去找，也就是找到觀點 (注意避開其他同樣支撐觀點的細節)

實例1：
The fins are stiff, smooth, and narrow, qualities that also help cut drag. When not in use, the fins are tucked into special grooves or depressions so that they lie flush with the body and do not break up its smooth contours. Airplanes retract their landing gear while in flight for the same reason.
1. Why does the author mention that Airplanes retract their landing gear while in flight?
A.To show that air resistance and water resistance work differently from each other.
B.To argue that some fishes are better designed than airplanes are.
C.To provide evidence that airplane engine have studied the design of fish bodies.
D.To demonstrate a similarity in design between certain fishes and airplanes.

本題中的利用題幹中的landing gear很好定位，答案在此資訊之前，文章作者用airplane來舉例說明landing gear的功能，它受到這個的啟發來自於fin are tucked into the grooves ordepressions(魚鰭藏於側身凹槽而不會破壞其本身的流線型題型)。而CD選項都提到了design, 但是C提到 了airplane engine，這一概念文中並未提及，所以是錯誤的，正確答案是D項。

實例2：
Paragraph 6: But neither the human imitativeinstinct nor a penchant for fantasy by itself leads to an autonomous theater.Therefore, additional explanations are needed. One necessary condition seems tobe a somewhat detached view of human problems. For example, one sign of thiscondition is the appearance of the comic vision, since comedy requires sufficientdetachment to view some deviations from social norms as ridiculous rather thanas serious threats to the welfare of the entire group. Another condition thatcontributes to the development of autonomous theater is the emergence of theaesthetic sense.
2. Why does the author mention “comedy”?
A. To give an example of early types of theater.
B. To explain how theater helps a society respond to threats to its welfare.
C. To help explain why detachment is needed for the development of theater.
D. To show how theatrical performers become detached from other members of society.

本題中的comedy雖為一個小詞，看似不起眼，但是它所存在的句子，句首為for example，這就構成了明顯的舉例關係，所以答案還是在前面找這個例子所證明的觀點。第一句中的neither直接否定了兩個觀點，後面出現的 therefore帶起的句子是個過渡，第三句中才給出了detached view這一觀點，因此看A項中沒有detached相關的內容，排除，B項提到了welfare，無關資訊，排除。C和D提到了detach但是D項中 的other members沒有提到。故，選C。

上面的實例也是比較簡單的兩個例子，大家備考的時候可以按這個思路來進行解答。修辭目的題是托福閱讀中最好拿分的一類題型，大家在托福考試中這類題就千萬不要失分了。