Today on Inside the TOEFL Test, we're going inside the TOEFL iBT Reading section.

今天的托福解析節目我們要討論的是托福閱讀測驗。

Specifically, the Inference and Rhetorical Purpose questions.

我們會把焦點放在推論題和修辭題。

Inference questions ask you to identify information or comprehend an idea that is not explicitly stated in the reading passage.

推論題要求你在文章並未指明的狀況下找出特定資訊，或是理解言外之意。

You can recognize inference questions because they usually include the words "infer," "imply" or "suggest," like in these examples.

通常看到「推論」、「推理」、「暗示」這些字眼就代表它是推論題。如同以下範例。

Rhetorical purpose questions are similar, because they also ask for information not explicitly stated.

修辭目的題型很相似，問的也是沒有明確寫出來的資訊。

These will ask why the author has presented a piece of information.

這種題型會問你為什麼作者選擇呈現這樣的資訊。

One way to approach these types of questions, if you can't identify the correct answer immediately, is to eliminate wrong answers.

倘若你無法立即找出答案，解決這兩種題型的方法之一就是淘汰掉錯誤的答案。

You will see more on this as we go through the example.

等等在例子中會有更多講解。

Now let's do a sample inference question.

現在我們來看一題推論範例。

Here's a paragraph from a reading passage about meteorite impacts.

這段擷取自一篇關於隕石撞擊的閱讀考題。

Next, let's look at the question.

接著我們來看看問題。

You see that it uses the word "inferred," so that clearly tells you that it's an inference question.

你看到這裡有「推論」這個字，所以很清楚是推論題。

Can you identify the correct answer?

你找得出正確答案嗎？

It's choice C, because it's supported by this sentence, which indicates that scientists knew in 1980 that there had been an impact.

答案是選項 C，背後的依據則在這裡—這句指出 1980 年科學家們就知道這裡曾發生過撞擊。

And this one, where it said the site had been located in the Yucatan.

還有這一句指出撞擊地點位在猶加敦半島。

Let's look at why the other choices can be eliminated.

我們來看看為什麼其他選項不能選。

Choice A is not correct.

選項 A 是錯誤的。

Because there isn't anything written or implied in the passage about geologists keeping the impact site secret.

因為文章裡完全沒有提到或暗示地質學家保密撞擊地點。

Choice B is also not correct.

選項 B 也不正確。

Saying that it was a "well-known fact" contradicts the passage where it talks about the discovery of the crater in the Yucatan.

選項認為這是一項「眾所皆知的事實」，與這篇講猶加敦半島隕石坑發現的敘述正好相反。

Choice D also can't be correct.

選項 D 也不對。

Because the paragraph doesn't mention climate as a factor in the discovery of the impact site.

因為文章中並沒有提到氣候會影響到隕石撞擊地點之探索。

Now let's look at an example of a rhetorical purpose question.

現在我們來看一題修辭題型範例。

It asks about information from a different paragraph in the same reading passage about meteorites and dinosaurs.

它問的是同一篇文章、不同段落中關於隕石和恐龍的資訊。

It's like an Inference question, but it asks why the author includes a particular piece of information.

跟推論題差不多，只不過修辭題問的是為什麼作者會把這段資訊寫進來。

When reading each answer choice, the most important part to focus on is the "to clause" at the beginning of each one.

在閱讀選項的時候，最重要的是要看清楚敘述開頭之「目的句」。

Then pick the answer that best describes what the author is trying to do.

接著再選擇最能描述作者目的之答案。

In this case, the correct answer is C.

在這題裡答案會是 C。

One way to build your reading skills is by practicing skimming, which is reading quickly to identify major points.

增進閱讀技巧的方法之一就是練習瀏覽，也就是快速看過文章、找出重點。

One way to skim is to read the introductory paragraph, then the first sentence of each of the middle paragraphs, and then read the concluding paragraph.

你可以先讀過導入段落，再讀每段中間段落的第一句，最後讀結論段落。

When you're practicing, try reading a passage twice, the first time skimming to get the main ideas, then read it again more carefully to see if you really did get those main ideas.

練習的時候每篇要讀兩次，第一次用瀏覽找出文章主旨，之後再仔細讀一次，看看自己是否抓到了重點。

Another tip that will help with rhetorical purpose questions is to make sure you know the definition of these words.

另一項作答修辭題的技巧是確保自己知道這些字的意思。

Because they are often used to describe kinds of rhetorical purposes.

因為它們經常被用來描述不同的修辭目的。

There are lots of ways to improve your English skills.

改善英文技巧的方法有很多。

Whatever you do, keep practicing.

不管你選擇哪一種都要記得持續練習。

And good luck on your TOEFL test.

祝你順利在托福考試中考取高分！