什么是托福阅读修辞目的题

在托福阅读里，有一类题叫“修辞目的题”，出题频率为1-2 道/每篇。实际考试中的问法类似于“Why does the author mention XXX?”这里所谓的“修辞”， 即作者为了提高表达效果所用到的写作手法。文学类的作品里用“比喻”“排比”之类的修辞手法，为的是使表达更生动形象。
而用在托福考试阅读这样学术类的文章里，自然是为了更好地证明诠释作者的观点或理论。 因此“修辞目的题”的答案多与被作者提到，即题目中提到的内容，所支持的观点有关。这就是为什么，该类题型的常规解法就是根据题目中提到的文章内容，找到其支持的观点句。因为大部分情况下，观点句在先，例证句在后。
所以，同学们在找到题干中的“XXX”之后， 再往前找到其支持的句子即可，且两个句子一前一后不会相隔较远。
下面请看例1
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Joy and sadness are experienced by people in all cultures around the world, but now can we tell when other people are happy or despondent? It turns out that the expression of many emotions may be universal. Smiling is apparently a universal sign of friendliness and approval. Bearing the teeth in a hostile way,as noted by Charles Darwin in the nineteenth century, may be a universal sign of anger. As the originator of the theory of evolution,Darwin believed that the universal recognition of facial expressions would have survival value. For example, facial expressions could signal the approach of enemies (or friends) in the absence of language. (OG Test 1 The Expression of Emotions)
The author mentions “Baring the teeth in a hostile way” in order to
(A) Differentiate one possible meaning of a particular facial expression from other meanings of it
(B) Support Darwin's theory of evolution
(C) Provide an example of a facial expression whose meaning is widely understood
(D) Contrast a facial expression that is easily understood with other facial expressions
这个题可以用到常规的解法——找例子支持的观点句。
我们发现 “Baring the teeth…” 这一句的前一句为一个与该句并列的例证句，它们共同证明的是 “It turns out that the expression of many emotions may be universal.” 这句话。那么，可以得知该段这 一部分的结构为“观点-例子1-例子2”。因此答案为C。
然而，这种常规的方法，并不能应对练习或托福考试中所有的“修辞目的题”。因为作者在行文时，为了证明观点，可能会用到多种结构的表达方式。而我们考生需要注意的，就是缕清题干中提到的信息与上下句之间的关系，灵活而又有效地找到作者想借此表达的观点。
下面我们来看例2
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For years historians have sought to identify crucial elements in the eighteenth-century rise in industry, technology, and economic power known as the Industrial Revolution, and many give prominence to the problem of energy. Until the eighteen century, people relied on energy derived from plants as well as animal and human muscle to provide power. Increased efficiency in the use of water and wind helped with such tasks as pumping, milling, or sailing. However, by the eighteenth century, Great Britain in particular was experiencing and energy shortage. Wood, the primary source of heat for homes and industries and also used in the iron industry as processed charcoal, was diminishing in supply. Great Britain had large amounts of coal; however, there were not yet efficient means by which to produce mechanical energy or to power machinery. This was to occur with progress in the development of the steam engine. (TPO 26 Energy and the Industrial Revolution)
Why does the author provide the information that “Great Britain had large amounts of coal”?
(A) To reject the claim that Britain was facing an energy shortage in the eighteen century
(B) To explain why coal rather than other energy resources became the primary source of heat for homes and industries in eighteencentury Britain
(C) To indicate that Britain's energy shortage was not the result of a lack of fuel
(D) To explain why coal mining became an important industry in nineteenth-century.
该题的正确答案为 C。而有不少同学会选择 A。我们一起来追溯选 A 的同学的错误思路。
“Great Britain had large amounts of coal” 意思是 “英国有大量的煤”。往前找被支持的观点句， 前一句说“Wood，…, was diminishing in supply.” 意为“木材供应不足” 。
所以 “coal” 和 “wood” 这两句都是客观事实举例，还应该往前找，再 前一句话是 “However, by the eighteenth century, Great Britain in particular was experiencing and energy shortage.” 即 “十八世纪的英国正在经 历能源短缺”，此句为概括句。
那么刚才读过的三 句话的关系是 “缺能源-缺木材-不缺煤”。而 “Great Britain had large amounts of coal“ 之 后 还 有 个 ”however“ ， 可能就是想反驳 “十八世纪的英国 正在经历能源短缺”。

修辞目的题是托福阅读里一种非常常见的题型，通常是问作者的意图，考察的是考生对句间关系的把握和理解。修辞目的题一共有三种考察形式，第一是对具体信息目的的提问;第二的对段落主旨提问;第三是对段间关系提问。
1、修辞目的题大家比较熟悉的是第一种对具体信息目的的提问，出题形式通常是以下几种：
• The author discuss X in order to..?
• Why does the author mention X?
• The author uses X as an example of..?
在这种形式下，一般都是作者举了个例子，题目问作者为什么要举这个例子。举例子一般是为了证明某种观点或说明这个观点，那么这道题就是在问具体例子与观点之间的联系，我们来看一下例题：
Why does the author mention the views of “Patrick Kirch”?
To present evidence in favor of Heyerdahl’s idea about American Indians reaching Oceania
To emphasize the familiarity of Pacific islanders with crops from many different regions of the world
To indicate that supposed proof for Heyerdahl’s theory has an alternative explanation
To demonstrate that some of the same crops were cultivated in both South America and Oceania
这道题问作者为什么要提及Patrick Kirch的观点，那么PK这个人的观点就是一个例子，而下面的选项都是这个例子要证明的观点，我们要选出一个正确的观点。
2、第二种修辞目的题的形式就是对段落目的的提问，出题形式：
• What is the purpose of paragraph X?
这种情况就是问段落的主要目的是什么，其实是在问段落的主旨是什么。对于这种类型的修辞目的题，我们做题的时候就要了解段落的主要内容，看看这一段的大意在讲什么，然后对照选项。选项中有可能会提到一些文中的细节，但并不是这一段的主要内容，所以我们要注意。下面是一道针对段落目的提问的例题：
In paragraphs 1 and 2, the author’s primary purpose is to
describe how petroleum is formed
explain why petroleum formation is a slow process
provide evidence that a marine environment is necessary for petroleum formation
show that oil commonly occurs in association with gas
这道题问第一段和第二段的主要目的是什么，那我们就要注意看一下第一段和第二段的主要内容，并且正确选项一定要体现两段共同的主旨内容。
3、最后一种修辞目的题的形式就是对段间关系的提问，考察同学们对段落之间关系和联系的把握和理解。它的出题形式：
How is the paragraph X related to other parts of the passage?
题目一般就是在问某一段和其他段的关系是什么，或者这一段在全文中有什么作用。那我们在做题的时候就要注意段落之间的衔接，不能但看一段的内容，还要看看这一段与前后文是又怎样的关系。我么来看下面的一道例题：
Which of the following best describes the relationship between paragraph 2 and paragraph 3?
Paragraph 2 puts forward several scientific claims, one of which is rejected in paragraph 3.
Paragraph 2 poses several questions, and paragraph 3 offers a possible answer to one of them.
Paragraph 2 presents outdated traditional views, while paragraph 3 presents the current scientific conclusions.
Paragraph 2 introduces a generalization that is illustrated by specific examples in paragraph 3.
题目中问道下列哪一项最好的描述了第二段和度三段的关系。那我们既要知道第二段讲了什么，又要知道第三段讲了什么。我们看到选项中也是先描述第二段，又描述第三段，这就是两段之间的一个段间关系。