從現在開始我們就進入短文學習階段了。這部分可能是the biggest headache to you。不過大家不必著急，我們一起攻克PETS-3。
這部分主要測試考生的語篇記憶能力和聽力理解能力。這種題型的特點是在有限的時間內，敘述一件事或論述一個觀點。因此不要求聽懂每一個單詞，只要聽懂大意，抓住關鍵信息，一般可答對題目。若遇到生詞不必驚慌，幾個生詞不會影響對全文的理解。由于短文有一定的長度，僅憑大腦的記憶是不夠的，考生需邊聽邊做記錄，用一些簡單的符號記下重要內容。
一、 主旨大意題
顧名思義，主旨大意題要求考生在聽懂短文的基礎上歸納出短文的主題思想，其中還包
括為短文選擇最合適的題目和對作者的結論或意圖進行判斷歸納。這類題目主要著眼于對全篇總體上的理解。此類題常見的提問方式有：
What is the main idea/topic/subject/chief purpose of this passage?
What is the best title for this passage?
What does the passage tell us essentially?
What is the subject they are talking about?
What did the speaker mainly discuss/talk about?
二、 推理判斷題
這類題型要求考生根據所聽到的內容推斷出材料所暗示的內容，例如：情節的發展趨勢，
作者的態度、傾向性等。推斷題考查思維的邏輯性，要求能夠以語篇為基礎進行合理的推測。該類題型常見的提問方式如下：
What will be dealt with in the following paragraph?
What does the passage probably imply at the end?
What can we learn/infer from the passage?
What does the author impiy by saying?
What does the story imply?
這類題型有兩個特點：一是難度高；二是邏輯性強。推斷題不僅要求考生把握原文信息，還要能夠在此基礎上合理地進行推斷。關鍵在于這個“合理”的尺度較難把握，因為大部分推斷題只要求在材料論述的內容范圍內進行推測。如何過多加入自己的理解，可能會超出材料內容，選出錯誤的結果。
練習：
Questions 1～4 are based on a short story.
1. How do the housewives learn about the offer of free groceries?
[A] On the radio. [B] At the supermarket.
[C] From the manager. [D] From their friends.
2. What did Mrs. Edwards want very much?
[A] Get a basket of free goods. [B] Meet the manager.
[C] Get a free basket. [D] Fill all her cupboards.
3. Why did Mrs. Edwards go back to the supermarket after she had finished shopping one day?
[A] Because she had to meet the manager.
[B] Because she had to buy one more thing.
[C] Because she had to find her shopping.
[D] Because she had to pay for her shopping.
4. Which of the following words best describes Mrs. Edwards feeling at the end of this story?
[A] Embarrassed. [B] Disappointed.
[C] Delighted. [D] Proud.
聽力原文
All the housewives who went to the supermarket had one great ambition: to be the lucky customer who did not have to pay for her shopping. For this was what the notice just inside the entrance promised. It said:“Remember, once a week, one of our customers gets free groceries. This may be your lucky day!”
For several weeks Mrs. Edwards hoped, like many of her friends, to be the lucky customer. Unlike her friends, she never gave up hope. The cupboards in her kitchen were full of things, which she did not need. In vain her husband tried to dissuade her. She dreamed of the day when the manager of the supermarket would approach her and say:“Madam, this is your lucky day. Everything in your basket is free.”
One Friday morning, after she had finished her shopping and had taken it to her car, she found that she had forgotten to buy tea. She dashed back to the supermarket, got the tea and went towards the cash desk. As she did so, she saw the manager of the supermarket approach her. “Madam,” he said, holding out his hand,“I want to congratulate you! You are the lucky customer and everything in your basket is free! ”
答案：1.B 2.A 3.B 4.B
