Reading Comprehension: Guessing the Meanings of New Words and Phrases

1. Chicken pox can be very serious for a child who is not in good health. The child develops red spots, and feels hot and uncomfortable. A healthy child gets well quickly. 2. The herdsman, who looks after sheep, earns about 650 yuan a year. 3. We are on the night shift ---- from midnight to 8 a.m. ----this week. ﹋ develops red spots, and feels hot and uncomfortable. Skill Number 1 Guessing from definitions and explanations who looks after sheep, ----

Skill Number 2 Guessing based on word formation 1. Mary, of course you ’ re overweight. You eat too much junk food. Even worse, you exercise infrequently. 2. Sharp words from a teacher can usually bring a day-dreaming student down-to- earth. 3. When men and women lived by hunting 50,000 years ago, how could they even begin to picture modern life?

Skill Number 3 Guessing from comparison and contrast 1.Andrew is one of the most supercilious men I knew. His brother, in contrast, is quite modest. 2. John usually wastes a lot of money on such useless things; his wife, however, is very thrifty. 3. Though Tom ’ s face has been washed quite clean, his neck still remains grubby.

Skill Number 4 Guessing from causes and effects 1.The lack of movement caused the muscles to weaken. Sometimes the weakness was permanent. So the player could never play the sport again. 2. The low test score, they think, will make it impossible for them to get into a good college. And without a degree form a prestigious university, they fear that many of life ’ s doors will remain forever closed. So

for; since; that is to say; so because of (owing to/due to … ) therefore; as; hence …

Skill Number 5 Guessing from examples 1.Today young couples who are just starting their household often spend lots of their money on appliances, for instance, washing- machine, fridge and color TV sets. 2. You have to be ‘ all-around ’ : from hair and make up to clothes, shoes and accessories to the event. You have to know everything, and handle several things at the same time. It ’ s challenging.

Skill Number 6 Guessing from the context 1.John drives too fast, and he often drives in the middle of the street. He doesn ’ t watch what the other cars are doing. He is a reckless driver. A. curious B. careless C. kind D. considerate 2. If you are unhappy about something, face it. Try to state the problem in a few words, so that you will know exactly what you are up against. 3. However, the question that “ moon people ” asked is still an interesting one. A growing number of scientists are seriously thinking about it.