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GMAT | Babybearmm: Verbal-SC

2016-01-27 Babybearmm NativeStudy


题图作者:法国诺曼底摄影师Vincent Bourilhon


作者 / Babybearmm

首发于 / ChaseDream Forum

本文由NativeStudy早期核心成员Babybearmm原创撰写,授权发布。

续上一篇: 一战760 (Q51V42),Part II: 2. Verbal-CR


Part II: Verbal-SC


Verbal


还能回想起当时看到一个Verbal51大牛的心经就觉得发现新大陆一样的兴奋。我就是按这份心经来规划我的verbal蓝图的(尽管说,Verbal 42的分数离51还太遥远,正说明我英文阅读的涉猎面还不够,如他所说”reach a plateau”. )


Bottom Line Up Front: Everything hinges on your ability to conquer any SC question (except those that are truly brutal) in around 60 seconds max.


REMEMBER: for BOTH CR and RC, the key to ascertaining the correct answer is COMPREHENSION of the passage. The best way to do this is make "highlight" or "diagram" notes as you are reading!


然后再加上对咱non-native speakers的谏言——跳出题海READ READ READ:

But for those of you lucky individuals,whether you are an Indian IT Male, Finance guy/gal, or belong to another demographic that typically performs well in quant, I cannot recommend enough that you simply devote more of your free time to reading English lit, both fiction and nonfiction. If your test is tomorrow or next week - ok, got it, you might not be able to use this technique to raise your score by a significant amount. But if you have a few months, I'd recommend perhaps easing back on your goal to do every question in 1000 SC or all of RC99. Obviously you need these tools to hone and refine your proficiency. If you spend all your time and energy on endless repetition of CR/RC/SC questions, sure your score will probably improve, but you will likely reach a plateau at some point that cannot be broken without a more refined and thorough grasp of the mechanics of the English language. Put another way, you may be "missing the forest for the trees."


我的Verbal蓝图归纳在以下表格中:


【注:MGMAT = Manhattan GMAT, FoV = Foundations of GMAT Verbal。目前MGMAT系列教材最新版本都是5th Ed】


"problem-solving Process" 基本都是参照MGMAT Strategy Guide.

"Study Materials"是我用到的系统性的复习资料。看得出来我做的题很少(特别是CR/RC),也是由于时间所限。如果需要更多的练习材料的话,推荐选用官方材料Prep,参考CD的Prep笔记(SC/RC)或者搜索国外论坛上的解答。


SC


很多复习过SC的同学都有这样的体会,我也不例外(以下案例,如有雷同,不属巧合):


今天我的计划是解决40道SC题. 可是,当我自己试着做完,开始看解析时,到了某道题就卡住了。这题的解析某个地方我看不明白啊,好像还跟我以前学的那啥矛盾….好吧,有道是“万事不决问google”,我就google搜索题目的前几个单词,搜到Manhattan论坛上有这道题的贴子,好家伙,整整3页呢!这贴子先讨论pronoun的问题,Ron的解答还给了个link链接到另一道类似的题目也体现这个pronoun的知识点,那个题目又有2页,好像考点还不只是pronoun,又出来一个verb tense知识点….罢了,我一会儿再来看,先继续我那道题,然后现在又开始讨论这题的modifier的话题了,哦好,这正是我先前看不懂的!…看来这个问题很大,有同学又给了个link链接到另一个题目,让Ron联系起来一起讲,Ron的讲解又涉及link到别的题目……哦,又有个同学抛出一个问题,这我似乎也不知道….不知不觉,我的浏览器已经开了近10个网页了。我早已分不清我看了多少个题目,只感觉我看过的东东就像个错综复杂的mindmap,处处都有联系,有的地方在我心里仍然剪不断理还乱…. 回头看时间,omg!一小时两小时过去了,我今天的计划是40道SC,如此这般怎么能完成?但其实我先前看的题目都有好多道了….


以上的学习方式是类似于case study,就是从一道题目出发,往纵深挖掘,然后对每个知识点再横向扩展——联系到别的题目,举一反三。这也包括亲身参与CD上的讨论,在讨论中整理自己的思路,同时也受到别人的启发。我自己对SC的理解很大程度上受益于这种学习法,它帮我抓住很多看似不相关的题目的关联,抓住一些本质性的东西,我甚至建了约20个这样的case study文档。


但是,在这里我要说:以上case study法绝对不适合新人上手使用! SC的学习是个系统工程,先要搭起框架,才能建立深度联系。类比咱学习任何一门系统的学科,比如数学、物理、经济等等,都不会是零基础一上来就case study的。Case study往往是到了研究生的时候才能成为主导的学习方式。


而如果抛弃这种case study法,采取纯接收式(即非交互)的方法又达不到很好的效果.像这样:“我的目标是每天40道SC,先做OG然后Prep笔记。做题、看解答,不懂的地方做个记录也不深究了,继续。一遍结束,再重复一遍,坚信重复n遍其义自现…”这样一条路子,相信很多同学试过,但效果不好,部分由于SC的题目的编排顺序上没什么科学性可言,几乎是随机乱序(仅仅是OG和Verbal Rev 2nd大体上的难度由易到难排列)。


因此我总是在思考,怎么让复习GMAT SC的过程更有迹可循:既有按部就班的计划性,又有那种case study模式才能带来的融会贯通。以下就是我这一路走一路摸索后强力推荐的SC复习策略step-by-step,仅供参考,请结合自身情况选用。以下针对零基础GMAT新人,所以写得啰嗦些,见谅。


Step1. MGMAT SC Guide


这本书被誉为”SC Bible”,强烈建议通读原版,字字珠玑. 这里说下如何使用MGMAT Strategy Guide,有些是Ron上课讲的:


(1) 如书中所说”Don’t just glance over those examples. Cement the wrongness of the Wrong options in your brain by crossing them out as you read. ” 就像这样。

(2) 初学的时候做习题,每做一题立刻对答案。(到后期知识点都学到了、开始完整操练的时候:计时做完一组练习后,一起对答案。)

(3) 如果你使用的是4th Ed,要重视前面的Basics部分, Ron表示这名字很misleading,Basics不代表“小儿科”哦,哪怕你目标是800也得看!到5th Ed就没有再提这样的称呼,将”Basics”作为了核心内容,而原来的”Advanced”改称”Extra”,可见一斑。

(4) 如果看不懂书中出现的语法术语,请看书后的glossary(有实例),而不要想着翻译中文。比如说”conditional tense” “essential noun modifier”这些,直接看书后glossary就能懂,翻译成中文反而不懂,何必给咱大脑制造麻烦呢?而且下一步看OG,还得看英文吧…


STEP2. 刷OG & Verbal Rev 2nd第一遍


有了MGMAT的基础,看OG应该不难理解了。这一遍基本目标是:和Mr. GMAT混个脸熟,为下一步突破奠基。可以试着自己做,如果正确率低也不要太受打击。对每道题都看看OG解释,OG解释第一段是精华哦,“观其大略”就在这里。至于后面的各选项解释部分,窃以为,在这一遍里,如果你做对,可以不用看;如果你做错,那就看看OG怎么评价你选错的那个选项的,有疑问可搜索论坛解释。


STEP3. 分解突破(关键!)


原理:

(1) ”SC is a complex skill”. Ron大神都如此说啊,童鞋哪怕你SC正确率低也不要紧的,咱重头开始。

(2) 好比要学游泳(another complex skill,或者不妨联想属于你的例子哈),先学分解动作:换气、漂浮、陆地模仿打腿、水下扶池边打腿、浮板打腿、陆地模仿划手呼吸、浮板单手动作、丢掉浮板双手划….学SC同理,先把知识点分解开来,打好基础之后才能融会贯通。如果不这样做的话,一个句子又是S-V agreement又是modifier又是verb form,你中有我我中有你你我相生相克,任何一个初学者都会头大啊!


操作方法:

对于MGMAT划分的SC各章(建议把Grammar & Meaning放到最后,与STEP 4衔接上,即从S-V agreement这章开始),依次:

(1) 简要复习MGMAT SCGuide,可参照你自己的或者CD网友的精炼笔记.

(2) 对于MGMAT SCGuide针对每一章列出来的OG题目,专门操练该章知识点。


以下以S-V agreement举例:

我们首先遇到的题目是OG13 #3 (即OG12 #2):

Although a surge in retail sales have raised hopes that there is a recovery finally under way, many economists say that without a large amount of spending the recovery might not last.

(A) have raised hopes that there is a recovery finally

(B) raised hopes for there being a recovery finally

(C) had raised hopes for a recovery finally being

(D) has raised hopes that a recovery is finally

(E) raised hopes for a recovery finally


来抓主干,体会一下书中说的”Eliminate the middlemen, and skip the warmup”:

Although a surge in retail sales have raised hopes ….

这里就是”eliminate the prepositional phrase to find the subject.” 那么我们发现,主语a surge和have不匹配,于是划掉(A)项。依次看别的选项,注意我们现在只考虑S-V agreement. (B)不涉及;(C)不涉及;(D) “has”正确,哦发现这个选项还有个that从句,这里面”a recovery is …”也满足S-V agreement;(E)不涉及.


好啦!至此我们通过S-V agreement,只是排除了(A). 此时,千万不要纠结其他问题来分散你的注意力,也不要想“我得知道这题选啥啊”,我们这一步的任务不是解出确定答案,而是练习S-V agreement. (Business leader must be focused and willing to let go.)这题就算大功告成,该进入下一道题了….


我的体会是,刚开始速度会慢些,但连续刷上几道题就会熟练了,每道题上花的时间会自然缩短。到最后觉得就跟打游戏一样,拿到一个题自动提主干,检查S-V是否匹配,每个选项瞬间kill or pass。甚至感觉自己不是在逐字读,而是眼睛顺着句子扫下去S-V就仿佛自动highlight了。这个办法是所以很有效,就是因为highly focused,反复激活大脑的某部分神经电路,而没有其他信号(诸如verbform, modifier等别的话题)的干扰,这样能够很有效地实现pattern recognition。


复习到这一步,我是每天安排一个主题,比如今天S-V agreement明天parallelism….这个安排挺松弛的,为了保持focused,也为了给大脑足够的缓冲时间to form neural circuits. 这就是当天SC复习的全部内容了,如果还有GMAT时间那就搞别的科目去。


STEP4. 突破语义(又一个关键,对咱non-native speakers尤其关键!)


原理:

之所以把语义单独列一个STEP,因为语义是贯穿SC的大势所在,且与以S-V agreement为首的一系列知识点是交叉的关系。请容我引用Ron大神的话吧:


almost every one of the major SC error types is easier to identify if you are using the meaning of the sentence, and most of them are impossible to understand fully *without* the meaning.


for instance:

verb tense -- completely impossible without meaning

verb voice -- completely impossible without meaning

modifiers -- can be assigned according to grammar rules, but detemining whether the assignment is *correct* is impossible without meaning

pronouns -- are subject to grammar rules,but detemining whether the pronoun is *correct* is impossible without meaning

parallelism -- sometimes based on grammar,but you need meaning to figure out which items *should* be parallel in the first place

etc.


这一步跟STEP 3一样,也是要keepfocused,需要领会的是:这个句子要表达什么意思?这个意思在正确选项里怎么correctly & effectively表达?那些Stacey提到的错误选项的meaning问题体现在哪里,到底怎么distort the meaning?

除此之外,不要去关心这个题目的其他考点!这个非常重要。当你这么集中训练,连续关注meaning时,用不了太多的题目,你就会对语义形成感觉,甚至你会发现很多题目的招数是相通的。


STEP5. 升华篇


到了这个阶段,恭喜你,之前的分解练习已经让你拥有了一整套tool set,让你学会了HOW to use each tool,现在你需要关注:

1. WHEN to use each tool? 即每个题目的破题关键点。

2. HOW DO I KNOW THAT? 假如这题我没见过,我怎么能迅速判断出这题是考这个考点的呢?我需要关注哪些线索?


OG12/13 Diagnostic #42.

The Supreme Court has ruled that public universities may collect student activity fees even with students’ objections to particular activities, so long as the groups they give money to will be chosen without regard to their views.

(A)   with students’ objections to particular activities, so long as the groups they give money to will be

(B)   if they have objections to particular activities and the groups that are given the money are

(C)   if they object to particularactivities, but the groups that the money is given to have to be

(D)   from students who object to particular activities, so long as the groups given money are

(E)   though students have an objection to particular activities, but the groups that are given the money be


这道题,当我们看到同样的“座位”上,选项ADE坐着“students”,而选项BC却坐着“they”,就该立马反应过来——pronoun issue (the antecedent "students" does not exist))!于是排除BC,继续找split…


OG12 #87 (OG13 #91)

In an effort to reduce their inventories,Italian vintners have cut prices; their wines have been priced to sell, and they are.

(A) have been priced to sell, and they are

(B) are priced to sell, and they have

(C) are priced to sell, and they do

(D) are being priced to sell, and have

(E) had been priced to sell, and they have


这里呢?当我们纵向扫视选项的时候,看到的是:they, they, they, 空座, they. 没有任何一个座位是由wines来替代they!那么这道题显然就不是考pronoun ambiguity. 事实上这题考点根本不在pronoun上。


回答刚才的问题:HOW DO I KNOW THAT? Answer: Let the answer choice guide me.


有趣的是,#87这题的pronoun问题经常有同学提到,Ron大神也说GMAT有时候对pronoun ambiguity能容忍。于是乎,咱似乎觉得GMAT这古怪老头的脾气不可捉摸。


曾经,我做SC进入一个误区,就是会像做CR一样pre-think:把握句子意思之后,自己去想这意思应该怎么去表达。然而,Ron讲课时特别纠正了我这个错误方式——咱不要把简单的事情搞复杂,在GMAT考试里要尽量简少咱需要做的decisions的数目。何况英语语言博大精深,如果逻辑意思与语言是函数似的对应的话,如何能有千姿百态的文风?DON’T TRY TO CORRECT THESENTENCE. LET THE ANSWER CHOICE GUIDE YOU. 从选项中寻找考点的线索。上面两道与pronoun有关、无关的例题就是诠释。


因此,在整个STEP 5 升华阶段,需要强化前面verbal蓝图列举的problem-solving process,使之形成本能。


这个STEP 5的复习就相当personalized了。推荐以下内容(顺序、时间、程度等都需灵活掌握,结合模考检测):


1. 再次刷OG。如果你之前使用的是OG12,记得过一遍OG13新增题目。

2. 拿官方题目来演练,可以适量选择:PrepPack #1, Prep 08, Prep 07. 分组计时练习,追求速度&准确率。

3. 针对难点疑惑点专题来case study法,借助论坛资源,与同学一起讨论效果更佳。

4. 也是用于专题突破:Thursday with Ron

5. 多读《正确句子文档》(毛毛斑竹置顶贴及SC版、心经贴里有很多版本可供下载),培养intuition.


#下篇预告: Part II: 4. Verbal-RC & foundations


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