GMAT逻辑中程度副词的重要性

　　GMAT逻辑部分平均每道题要在100秒内做完，在这短短的时间当中，最关键的是读什么呢?当然是论点!论点讨论的范围的重要性已经不言而喻，这里我们来看看论点的程度的重要性。

　　(OG)

　　Rye sown in the fall and plowed into the soil in early spring leaves a residue that is highly effective at controlling broad-leaved weeds, but unfortunately for only about forty-five days. No major agricultural crop matures from seed in as little as forty-five days. Synthetic herbicides, on the other hand, although not any longer-lasting, can be reapplied as the crop grows. Clearly, therefore, for major agricultural crops, plowing rye into the soil can play no part in effective weed control.

　　The argument is most vulnerable to the objection that it fails to

　　(A) consider that there might be minor, quick-growing crops that do mature in forty-five days or less

　　(B) identify any alternative method of weed control that could be used instead of the method it rejects

　　(D) allow for the possibility of combining the two weed-control methods it mentions

　　(E) allow for the possibility that plants other than rye, handled the same way, might have the same effect

　　这道题的正确选项是D，很多同学不理解正确选项的思路。本题的关键之处在于论点(最后一句)中的play no part是绝对化表达，所以只需要说明plowing rye into the soil有一点作用，即可削弱论点。而如果将论点改为普通的“措施目的型”文章论点“使用新措施可以更有效”，D就能成为正确答案。

　　下面再看一道难一点的：

　　(PREP)

　　Bank depositors in the United States are all financially protected against bank failure because the government insures all individuals' bank deposits. An economist argues that this insurance is partly responsible for the high rate of bank failures, since it removes from depositors any financial incentive to find out whether the bank that holds theirmoney is secure against failure. If depositors were more selective, then banks would need to be secure in order to compete for depositors' money.

　　The economist's argument makes which of the following assumptions?

　　(A) Bank failures are caused when big borrowers default on loan repayments.

　　(B) A significant proportion of depositors maintain accounts at several different banks.

　　(D) The difference in the interest rates paid to depositors by different banks is not a significant factor in bank failures.

　　(E) Potential depositors are able todetermine which banks are secure against failure.

　　这道题的正确选项是E，易误选D选项。文章类型为“果因型”，普通的“果因型”(又称“现象解释型”)文章假设题的正确选项思路是“排除他因”，(作为复习：假设题的做题方法是“取非削弱”，对果因型文章则是“取非以后他因削弱”。)可是这道题的正确选项却不能是“排除他因”，因为文章论点(An economist argues that . . .)中的is partly responsible for是保守表达，已经考虑到了“文章中的原因”和“他因”共存的可能性，这意味着仅仅“排除他因”是不能成为答案的，因为文章并没有默认原因是唯一的，而是已经客观地考虑到了“他因”和“文章中的原因”共存的可能性。在这种情况下，对“排除他因”的选项取非，得到的“他因”就不能削弱文章，从而不能是正确答案。这种情况下唯一可能正确的答案，是要能直接完全否定掉“文章中的原因”的。D选项的思路是“排除他因”，取非以后去掉not，他因interest rate导致bankfailure，并不能完全否定原文中的原因，因而D选项错误。E选项直接质疑了“文章中的原因”，从而削弱了论点。

　　再来一道类似思路的题目：

　　(GWD3-Q40)

　　Two centuries ago, Tufe Peninsula became separated form the mainland, isolating on the newly formed Tufe Island a population of Turfil sunflowers. This population’s descendants grow to be, on average, 40 centimeters shorter than Turfil sunflowers found on the mainland. Tufe Island is significantly drier than Tufe Peninsula was. So the current average height of Tufe’s Turfil sunflowers is undoubtedly at least partially attributable to changes in Tufe’s environmental conditions.

　　Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?

　　A.There are no types of vegetation on Tufe Island that are known to benefit fromdry conditions.

　　B.There were about as many Turfil sunflowers on Tufe Peninsula two centuries ago as there are on Tufe Island today.

　　C.The mainland’s environment has not changed in ways that have resulted in Turfil sunflowers on the mainland growing to be 40 centimeters taller than they did two centuries ago.

　　D.The soil on Tufe Island, unlike that on the mainland, lacks important nutrients that help Turfil sunflowers survive and grow tall in a dry environment.

　　E. The 40-centimeter height difference between the Turfil sunflowers on Tufe Island and those on the mainland is the only difference between the two populations.

　　这道题的'正确选项是C，我们注意到，这个选项的思路很特别。同上题，因为论点(文章最后一句)当中使用了保守表达at least partially，这道题的正确选项不能是“排除他因”的思路。本题的正确选项C在取非后提出了Tufe Island上的花根本没有变矮，从而把需要解释的“果”(或“现象”)都否定掉了，也就更不存在“因”(或“解释)了。

　　综上，我们可以看出，论点的每一个细节都不能放过，论点的重要性不仅体现在其范围(宽度)还体现在其程度(深度)上。所以——

　　读论点!

　　重要的事情说三遍。

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