在听力测试中往往用肯定的回答干扰考生的判断。这种题型的最大特点是:含义是否定的,但表面上没有任何否定标记,以此来误导考生。
1)暗含否定的词汇。含否定意义的名词有avoidance,failure,reluctance,denial,lack等;动词有fail,deny, refuse,ignore,reject,exclude等;形容词有absent,different,free,little,few等;介词有above,beyond,without, against,except,out等。例如:
Mary failed to go to school because of the heavy snow.由于天降大雪,玛丽没去上学。
Is there a law against spitting in the street in this country?这个国家有法律规定不让在大街上吐痰吗?
2)暗含否定的短语。暗含否定的动词短语有differ from(与……不同),leave alone(不管),protect...from(保护……不受到伤害)等;介词短语有out of(没有),at a loss(不知所措),at one's wit's end(无计可施)等;其它短语有instead of(而不是……),let alone(更不用说),thelast...(最不……的)等。如:
W:Would you like to go and see the new exhibit with us?
M:That's the last thing in the world I ever want to do.
Q:What does the man mean?
A.He is often asked to go and see exhibits.
B.He would like to go and see the exhibit.
C.He went to see the exhibit last year.
D.He definitely does not want to go.
在对话中男士没有直接说他不想去看展览,而是说看展览是他在这个世界上最不想做的事,通过last这个词给了女士一个否定的回答。他的回答与D项在句义上相同,故选D。
3)暗含否定的句子结构。英语中的虚拟条件句中含有否定的意义。此外,像too...to...,more...than...(more than),would rather...than...等结构也暗含否定。
If only our parents could live together with us.要是我们的父母和我们生活在一起就好了。(含有“我们的父母没有和我们生活在一起”的意思。)
His rude behavior is more than we could stand.他无理的行为,我们受不了。
4)答非所问中含有否定。在听力测试的对话题型中往往是一方提出问题或要求,另一方却不直接回答这个问题,而是讲了一个事实,从表面看有点答非所问,其中却包含了否定的成分。例如:
W:Did you meet the new teacher yesterday?
M:I've been sick for two days.
Q:What does the man mean?
A.The new teacher is sick.
B.There are two new teachers.
C.He hasn't met the teacher,yet.
D.He didn't like the teacher.
女方问男方昨天有没有见到新老师,男方没有直接回答,而是答非所问地说自己“生了两天病”。其中暗含着否定的意义,即生病在家,没有见到新老师,故应选C。