從2005年3月SAT考試改革以來,，以前從未出現(xiàn)過的修辭手段題型（RHETORICAL DEVICE）悄然出現(xiàn)在了閱讀理解部分,。由于這種題型比較新而且相對其他題型來說其所占比重沒有那么高,，很多考生沒有給予足夠的重視因而在考試中造成了無故失分現(xiàn)象。我們知道,，在SAT考試中，決定每一百分的僅僅是六七道題,。因此每一道題在“分分必爭”的閱讀理解題中都顯得是那么的重要。下面,，筆者就結(jié)合自己的教研經(jīng)驗談?wù)凷AT閱讀理解中的修辭手段題,。
　　英語中的修辭手段很多,，但是大體與中文一致。在SAT考試中出現(xiàn)的典型的考題主要有下列幾道：
　　例一：Paragraph 4 （line 29-37）：Yawning can also be a Sign of stress in humans. Once, when observing airborne troops about to take their first parachute jump, I noticed that several of the soldiers were sitting in the plane and yawning. It was 10 A.M., just after a research is a time-consuming coffee break, and I doubted that they were tired; I knew for a fact that they were far too nervous to be bored. When I asked about this, the officer in charge laughed and said it primarily was really quite a common behavior, especially on the first jump.
　　15. The author uses which of the following in the fourth paragraph （lines 29-37） ?
　?。ˋ） Understatement
　　（B） Personification
　?。–） Analogy
　?。―） Metaphor
　　（E） Anecdote
　　講解：這道題很簡單,，作者通過敘述自己的一件親身經(jīng)歷的事情來證明段落開頭的分論點即“Yawning can also be a Sign of stress in humans”所以作者在這里所運用的就是E項 ANECDOTE（軼事）,。
　　例二：Passage 1 （line 3-9）
　　For millennia, parents have recognized the newborn s basic need for safety, nourishment, warmth, and nurturing. Now science has added stunning revelations about human development from birth to age three., confining that parents and other adult caregivers play a critical role in influencing a child's development.
　　9. Lines 3-9 of Passage 1 （"For millennia … development"） draw a parallel between
　　（A）   traditional practices and contemporary critiques
　?。˙）   basic human needs and intellectual endeavors
　?。–）   widespread beliefs and scientific findings
　　（D）   parental anxieties and developmental advances
　?。‥）   experimental hypotheses and proven theories
　　講解：這道題是對平行結(jié)構(gòu)（PARALLEL）這種修辭手段的考查,。出題人要求考生識別出作者在文中對上千年來人們的信仰和科學(xué)新發(fā)現(xiàn)的對比。因此,，此題的答案為C項,。
　　例三：Passage 2 （line 46-56）
　　Doctors, architects, executives, consultants, receptionists, and lawyers all manage to survive economically without "owning" their cognition. I take further comfort in the fact that the human species managed to produce pretty decent creative work during the 5,000 years that preceded 1710, when the Statute of Anne, the world's first modem copyright law, passed the British parliament. Sophocles, Dante, da Vinci, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Shakespeare, Newton, Cervantes, Bach-- all found reasons to get out of bed in the morning without expecting to own the works they created.
　　15. The use of the phrase "pretty decent" in Passage 2 （line 50） conveys
　　（A） solemn detachment
　?。˙） cheerful celebration
　?。–） ironic understatement
　　（D） lingering doubt
　?。‥） reluctant approval
　　講解：此題難度較大,，是使很多考生很困惑的一道修辭手段題。原文作者想要告訴讀者：在世界上第一部知識產(chǎn)權(quán)法到來之前的幾千年歷史長河中,，人類也創(chuàng)造了“還不錯的”藝術(shù)作品,。很顯然,，文章結(jié)尾的那些偉大藝術(shù)家的名字使我們立刻了解到作者所謂的“還不錯的”藝術(shù)作品并不是他字面的意思。他實際上是運用了一種輕描淡寫的方式使自己的語言更具說服力,。而這種輕描淡寫的方式就是C項中的IRONIC UNDERSTATEMENT.
　　例四：line 75-82
　　Uncle: Take care! take care! （warning her with voice and hand that trembled alike.）
　　Niece: Why? What shadow of power have you over me? Why should I fear you?
　　Uncle: Take care, madam!
　　Niece: Scrupulous care I will take, Mr. Sympson. Before I marry, I am resolved to esteem--to admire—to love.
　　14. In lines 80-82 （"Scrupulous…love"）， Miss Keeldar deflects the warning from Mr. Sympson by
　?。ˋ） deliberately misunderstanding his meaning
　?。˙） scornfully turning the blame back on him
　　（C） childishly mocking the tone of his comment
　?。―） lamenting his failure to sympathize with her
　?。‥） justifying her previously sensible behavior
　　講解：這是一道很是隱晦的修辭手段題。全文就是一個女孩和自己的監(jiān)護人爭吵得過程,。他們的矛盾焦點就是這個女孩子是否要嫁給一個自己不喜歡的男孩子的問題。到了第80行左右,，兩個人的爭論已經(jīng)到了白熱化,。監(jiān)護人警告女孩：“你給我小心點兒！”但是女孩兒卻十分聰明的把CARE這個詞理解成“照顧”,。所以她說“我會小心謹慎的照顧自己的,！”很顯然，女孩兒時故意錯誤的理解監(jiān)護人的意思使其更加生氣,。CARE這個詞的運用其實就是我們修辭手段中的雙關(guān)語,。因此答案是A項。
　　通過上述的幾道真題的講解我想大家對SAT閱讀中的新增題型---修辭手段題有了更近一步的了解,。其實,，只要我們在考試之前對各種修辭手段有所了解就不會在考試的時候出現(xiàn)無故失分現(xiàn)象。下面我就把幾種重要的修辭手段進行總結(jié),，希望能夠為備考的SAT考生有所幫助,。
　　Understatement：低調(diào)的陳述
　　定義：A figure of speech which contains an understatement of emphasis, and therefore the opposite of hyperbole. Often used in everyday speech and usually with laconic or ironic intentions.
　　這種修辭格是故意使用有節(jié)制的措辭來陳述事實，故意輕描淡寫,，借低調(diào)與弱化語言形式來表示強調(diào),。
　　例子：1.I know he is honest, and I wish I could add he were capable.
　　我知道他是誠實的，我還希望我能說他是能干的,。
　　此句也是用虛擬語氣來體現(xiàn)understatement,，I could add he were capable其實是在說“但他不夠能干”。
　　2.The face wasn’t a bad one; it had what they called charm.
　　面孔不算難看,，有一般人所稱的嫵媚,。
　　此句不是沖淡她的魅力，而是采用低調(diào)渲染,，意即The face was sweet; her charm conquered everybody. 明似貶抑,，實則褒揚,。
　　simile:明喻
　　定義：A figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared.明喻是一種修辭手法，把兩種基本不相像的東西進行比較,。
　　例子：1.He is something of a political chameleon.他有點象政治上的變色龍
　　2.He looked as if he had just stepped out of my book of fairytales and had passed me like a spirit.
　　他看上去好像剛從我的童話故事書中走出來，像幽靈一樣從我身旁走過去,。
　　sarcasm:諷刺
　　定義：It attacks in a taunting and bitter manner, and its aim is to disparage ,ridicule and wound the feelings of the subject attacked
　　例子：1.Laws are like cobwebs, which may catch small flies ,but let wasps break through
　　法律就像是蜘蛛網(wǎng),，只能抓住小飛蟲，輕易讓大黃蜂一沖即破,。
　　2.Behind every successful man, there is a woman. And behind every ,， unsuccessful man , there are two.
　　每個成功男人的背后，都有一個女人,。 每個不成功男人的背后,， 都有兩個。
　　rhetorical question:反問句
　　定義：a statement that is formulated as a question but that is not supposed to be answered a question to which no answer is required: used it for dramatic or emphasis effect
　　設(shè)立一個不需要回答的問題,，以起到戲劇或者強調(diào)的效果
　　例子：1.Did you help me when I needed help?
　　在我需要的時候,，你幫助過我嗎？
　　2.Did you once offer to intercede in my behalf?
　　你曾經(jīng)理解支持過我嗎,？
　　Pun:雙關(guān)語
　　定義：The use of a word in such a way as to suggest two or more meanings or different associations, or the use of two or more words of the same or nearly the same sound with different meanings, so as to produce a humorous effect.
　　用一個詞去暗示兩種或兩種以上的意義或引起不同的聯(lián)想,，或者用兩個或兩個以上發(fā)音相同或相近而意義不同的詞，以產(chǎn)生一種幽默效果,。）
　　例子：1.Mother:  Your hair needs cutting badly.        Daughter: I think it needs cutting nicely, it was cut badly last time .
　?。╞adly: a. 非常； b. 壞）
　　2.Judge: Tell me why you parked there.Driver: Because, Your Honor, it said “Fine for Parking”（fine:  a. 好的,； b. 罰款）
　　oxymoron：矛盾的修辭
　　定義：A rhetorical figure in which incongruous or contradictory terms are combined
　　在修辭中使用不協(xié)調(diào)或前后矛盾的方法
　　例子：1.The coach had to be cruel to be kind to his trainees.
　　教練為了對他的受訓(xùn)者仁慈就要對他們殘酷
　　2.She read the long-awaited letter with a tearful smile.
　　她帶著含淚的微笑讀那封盼望已久的信
　　metaphor：隱喻
　　定義：A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate another, thus making an implicit comparison.
　　用一個詞來指代與該詞所指事物有相似特點的另外一個事物
　　例子：1.He has a heart of stone. 他有一顆鐵石心腸
　　2.The diamond department was the heart and center of the store.
　　鉆石部是商店的心臟和核心,。
　　hyperbole：夸張
　　定義：A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect
　　通過夸張的描述達到某種修辭效果，
　　例子：1.My heart almost stopped beating when I heard my girl friend’s voice on the phone.
　　從電話里聽到我女朋友的聲音,，我的心幾乎停止跳動,。
　　2.She gave me the impression of having more teeth, white and large and even, than were necessary for any practical purpose.
　　她給我的印象是：她有一口潔白整齊的大牙，為數(shù)之多已超過任何實際需要,。