難句解析:
①Exceptional children are different in some significant way from others of the same age. For these children to develop to their full adult potential, their education must be adapted to those differences.
▲第一個短句結構很簡單,第二句中For these children to develop to their full adult potential是一個表示目的的狀語,也可以看成是一個從主句their education must be adapted to those differences后面提前了的介詞結構。
△第一個短句中exceptional一詞我們從文章后面的敘述中可以知道它不是我們一般理解的“杰出的,出類拔萃的”,而應指“反常的,有缺陷的”,其實此處的exceptional是一種“身有殘疾”的委婉表達法;significant應理解為“重要的,關鍵的”,而第二句的develop to their full adult potential的develop是一個不及物動詞,意為“發展,養成”,而potential是一個名詞,意為“潛能”;be adapted to的意思是“被調整,適應”。
②While the leading actor on the stage captures our attention, we are aware of the importance of the supporting players and the scenery of the play itself.
▲此句由一個while引導的讓步狀語從句the leading actor on the stage captures our attention和一個主句構成。
△要理解本句,重點是看到它是一個類比,把殘疾兒童比喻為舞臺上的主要角色,而他們的家庭和社會環境被比喻為配角和戲劇的布景。在考研的閱讀理解中,當我們碰到作者使用各種比喻和類比時,最重要的一點就是要弄清其用比喻來說明的對象。
③And it is in the public schools that we find the full expression of society's understanding — the knowledge, hopes, and fears that are passed on to the next generation.
▲這是一個強調結構,強調的是in the public schools,后面find的賓語expression of society's understanding又有一個補語,而其中又包含一個定語從句。
△本句理解的重點是短語the full expression of society's understanding。注意此處understanding不單純是“理解”的意思,應該是指“理智,知性”,如果在開始閱讀時對understanding一詞的理解不夠深刻,也可以從破折號后面的補充成分入手理解其深刻含義。
④The great interest in exceptional children shown in public education over the past three decades indicates the strong feeling in our society that all citizens, whatever their special conditions, deserve the opportunity to fully develop their capabilities.
▲此句結構比較復雜,上來先應該抓住其主干結構The great interest... indicates the strong feeling...。而主語the great interest后面有一個修飾成分in exceptional children shown in public education over the past three decades,在賓語the strong feeling后面有一個同位語從句that all citizens, whatever their special conditions, deserve the opportunity to fully develop their capabilities。
△要理解本句,重點在理清句子結構,并注意whatever their special conditions是用來修飾all citizens的。
⑤That concept implies educational opportunity for all children — the right of each child to receive help in learning to the limits of his or her capacity, whether that capacity be small or great.
▲此句的主句是That concept implies educational opportunity for all children,而破折號后面的是對educational opportunity for all children這一事物的進一步說明,其中包含有一個whether引導的從句,其中省略了should,可以被視為一種虛擬語氣。
△此句的閱讀重點在于抓住圍繞educational opportunity所展開的幾層意思,從the right再到更進一層的capacity。
⑥In response, schools are modifying their programs, adapting instruction to children who are exceptional, to those who cannot profit substantially from regular programs.
▲此句的主句是schools are modifying their programs,后面是一個分詞短語作狀語,而在這個狀語中又有兩個定語從句who are exceptional和who cannot profit substantially from regular programs來修飾children。
△注意詞組adapting instruction to children(使授課能夠適應兒童),另外substantially是“真正地”的意思。
n. 說明,須知,指令,教學