猜测词义也是一种英语阅读能力.英语阅读理解试题中有不少这样的题目.任何一个实词,只有在一定的上下文中才能表示一个确定的词义.所谓上下文(context),正如英语辞典所解释的,其作用就是帮助确定上下文中的词、短语或句子的意义.据此,我们可以尽可能地利用上下文来猜测词义,即从已知推求未知,也就是用我们所熟悉的词或短语来猜测我们不熟悉的词的词义.猜测词义时,我们可以从三个方面来考虑：1）根据上下文已知部分进行逻辑上的推理.2）运用语法知识进行语法分析.3）依靠常识和经验做出判断.根据上下文猜测词义的方法有下列几种：(1)根据定义或解释猜测词义.例如下面的阅读材料：abagisusefulandtheword“bag”isuseful.itgivesussomeinterestingphrases(短语).oneis“toletthecatoutofthebag.”itisthesameas“totellasecret”….nowwhensomeoneletsout(泄漏)asecret,he“letsthecatoutofthebag.”短文后面有一个理解题目：john“letsthecatoutofthebag”meanshe________.a.makeseveryoneknowasecretb.thewomanboutacatc.buysacatinthebagd.sellsthecatinthebag在这篇文章里,“letthecatoutofthebag”虽然是一个新出现的短语,但紧接着后面就给出解释itisthesameas“totellasecret.根据这一解释,我们就可判断出正确答案应为a.(2)根据情景和逻辑进行判断.例如：2004年北京市海淀区中考试题阅读材料a.其中第三段是这样的：astheygoaroundtown,thepolicehelppeople.sometimestheyfindlostchildren.theytakethechildrenhome.ifthepoliceseeafight,theyputanendtoitrightaway.sometimespeoplewillaskthepolicehowtogettoaplaceintown.thepolicecanalwaystellthepeoplewhichwaytogo.theyknowallthestreetsandroadswell.文章后面有这样一道题：53.inthetext,“putanendto”means“___________”.a.stopb.cutc.killd.fly根据文章所提供的情景,如果警察看到有人在打架,他们肯定会去制止.因为制止打架斗殴是警察的职责.根据这一推理,答案应该是a.(3)根据并列、同位关系猜测词义.例如下面的阅读材料：thereisaplaceonourearthwherehotwaterandsteamcomeupundertheground.itisonalargeislandinthepacificocean.theislandisnorthislandinnewzealand.101.whatdoestheword“steam”meaninchinese?a.自来水b.大气c.冰川d.蒸汽从语法上看,steam和hotwater是并列关系,我们就以断定这两种东西是相关的,是同一类第物质.在所给第四个选项中只有“蒸汽”有这种可能.(4)根据背景和常识判断.请看2004年北京市海淀区中考试题的阅读材料c:watchingsomechildrentryingtocatchbutterfliesoneaugustafternoon,iwasremindedofanincidentinmyownchildhood.wheniwasaboyoftwelveinsouthcarolina,somethinghappenedtomethatmademeneverputanywildcreature(livingthing)inacage(笼子).welivedontheedgeofaforest,andeveryeveningatduskthemockingbirdswouldcomeandrestinthetreesandsing.thereisn’tamusicalinstrumentmadebymanthatcanproduceamorebeautifulsoundthanthesongofthemockingbird.idecidedthatiwouldcatchayoungbirdandkeepitinacageandinthatway,iwouldhavemyownprivatemusician.ifinallysucceededincatchingoneandputitinacage.atfirst,beingscared,thebirdfluttered(扑腾)aboutthecage,butfinallyitsettleddowninitsnewhome.ifeltverypleasedwithmyselfandlookedforwardtosomebeautifulsingingfrommylittlemusician.ontheseconddayofthebird’scaptivity,mynewpet’smotherflewtothecagewithfoodinhermouth.thebabybirdateeverythingshebroughttoit.iwaspleasedtoseethis.certainlythemotherknewbetterthanihowtofeedherbaby.thefollowingmorningwheniwenttoseehowmycaptive(caged)birdwasdoing,idiscovereditonthefloorofthecage,dead.iwasterriblysurprised!whathadhappened!ihadtakenextremelycareofmylittlebird,orsoithought.arthurwayne,thefamousornithologist,whohappenedtobevisitingmyfatheratthetime,hearingmecryingoverthedeathofmybird,explainedwhathadhappened.“amothermockingbird,findingheryounginacage,willsometimesbringitpoisonberries(毒莓).shethinksitbetterforheryoungtodiethantoliveincaptivity.”neversincethenhaveicaughtanylivingcreatureandputitinacage.alllivingcreatureshavearighttolivefree.60.anornithol