根据大学英语课程教学要求以及大学英语四六级考试大纲要求，阅读理解主要考查学生对于不同体裁或不同题材语言材料的理解能力，以及通过材料的阅读，对材料中信息的捕获能力。此项能力的测试，不但要求掌握所读材料的主旨大意、中心思想，而且要求掌握文章中的详细事实与细节。既要求理解文章中某句、某段的含义及全文的逻辑关系，又要求根据其含义及逻辑关系进行判断和推理。不但要求对于具体事实情节的理解，而且要求对其抽象含义的理解，既要理解字面意思，又要理解其深层含义，包括作者的态度、观点、意图等。既要求考生能够运用材料中的信息去理解、分析问题；又要求考生能运用应有的生活常识去分析、理解问题。
一、常见的错误阅读方法
现在我们来纠正几种常见的错误阅读方法：
1．用手指或笔尖指着文章逐词逐句阅读。采用这种阅读方法，有如“一叶障目，不见泰山”，无法通晓全文的大意。
2．在阅读中轻声读出来。不妨试着用这种方法去读一部小说，你就会有深切的体会。
3．在阅读中遇到生词或不熟悉的短语时，立即返回句首甚至段首重读，耗时耗力，实不可取。
4．在阅读过程中，不断地进行逐词逐句的翻译。有些时候，在通晓大意的前提下，“不求甚解”是明智之举。
二、常用的正确阅读方法
以较快的速度从大量材料中捕捉有关信息，我们必须养成良好的阅读习惯。只有阅读速度提高了，理解的准确率才会提高。在阅读理解方法方面，应根据不同的题型，采用不同的方法。
1．预读问题，弄清题意。先把每篇短文的问题浏览一遍，弄懂题意，然后带着这些问题通读全文。用这种方法可以了解文章的大意和主题思想，并对文章的结构有个总的概念。
2．抓住问题的关键词，查读相关信息。通过查读可以寻找到问题所涉及的某些特定信息。
3．分析细节问题，逐句分析。根据短文问题的要求，在找到文章中的有关范围以后，逐词逐句阅读，不仅要理解其字面意思，而且要通过推理、判断、弄清其潜在含义。
四、常见的大学英语四六级测试题型
大学英语四六级阅读测试题型多种多样，但归纳起来大致可分为下面几类：
1．主题类(Main Idea)
此类题主要测试考生总结和归纳文章大意的能力。这种题目的答案往往在主题句中。主题句多位于段落开头或结尾，少数主题句也可在段落中间。若从主题句中找不到答案，则要经过反复阅读，归纳总结出来。解答这类问题时，考生不要无关的细节所纠缠，仔细读每一段的开头，特别是最长的段落。阅读时，可以在你认为重要的句子、细节下画线。主题类问题建议放在最后完成，因为在完成其它问题的选择之后，考生对文章已经有整体上的了解。
此类问题的命题方式主要有以下几种：
The passage is about ______.
The passage centers on ______.
The main idea of the paragraph is ______.
The central thought of the paragraph is ______.
The central idea of the paragraph is ______.
The main point of the paragraph is ______.
The paragraph centers on the point that ______.
What is the main subject of the passage?
What is the main topic of the passage?
What does the passage mainly discuss?
What does the passage mainly deal with?
What is discussed in the passage?
What is the general topic of the passage?
What is the main idea of the paragraph?
Which of the following sentences best expresses the main ides?
Which of the following would make the best title for the passage?
2．意图类(Purpose)
作者写一篇文章或是陈述事实(to inform)，或是论证道理(to persuade)或是消遣娱乐(to entertain)，。在解答这类问题时，重点在于分析文章的思路。此类问题的命题形式如下：
The point the writer is making in the passage is that _____.
The purpose of this passage is to _______.
The author probably intended this selection to ______.
What is the purpose of the passage?
What is the main purpose of the passage?
What is the author's main purpose in the passage?
下面三个段落就代表作者的三种写作意图：
To Persuade论证道理
Using the present measurement system is as inefficient and old-fashioned as using Roman numerals. If more American realized how easy it is to convert milliliters to liters as opposed to converting tablespoons to quarts, the metric system would be adopted immediately.
To Inform陈述事实
About 113 billion people have lived and died in the history of our planet, according to scientific estimates. Of all these people, the names of about seven billion, or approximately 6 percent, are recorded in some way—on monuments or in books, manuscripts, and public records.
To Entertain消遣娱乐
Because of the contrast between his medium-size wardrobe and his extra-large-size body, my brother has made a commitment to only three meals a day. His definition of a meal, however, is as broad as his belly. If we spot a hot-dog stands on our way to an Italian restaurant, for example, he is not beyond suggesting that we stop. “it will make a good appetizer,” he says.
3．语气/态度类(Tone/Attitude)
这类题目主要测试考生把握文章的语气和作者对某一问题的看法或态度的能力。作者在写一篇文章时，经常持有某种态度或倾向。作者的语气和态度往往不是直接在文章中写出来，而是通过对词汇的选择或其他修辞手段体现出来。运用不同含义或具有不同感情色彩的词汇，可以表明作者对某些具体事物或问题的不同态度。在解决此类问题时，首先通读全文，理解主题思想，推断出作者的态度。同时，注意作者意图的隐含表达。另外，要特别注意作者在yet, however, but等词后面表达的内容。
选项中涉及语气和态度的词通常有以下这些：straightforward /cheerful / matter-of-fact /joyous /objective /light-hearted /serious /amused /formal /humorous /comic /solemn /playful /bitter /surprised /regretful /sympathetic /
compassionate /sentimental /pessimistic /optimistic /sorrowful /
depressed /tolerant /distressed /remorseful /angry /critical /sarcastic /cruel /scornful /
ironic /anxious /alarmed /cynical /disbelieving
此类问题的命题方式主要有以下几种：
According to the author,______.
How does the author feel about______.？
The author thinks (believes, suggests, deems) that______.
The author gives impression that______.
The author's attitude towards … might be summarized as one of______.
The tone of the passage can best be described as (is)______.
Which of the following will the author agree (disagree) with?
What is the tone (mood) of the passage?
Which of the following can best describe the attitude of the author towards______?
4．标题类(Title)
标题总是和主题息息相关，找到了主题，也就明确了标题。在四级考试中，我们有时会遇到要我们选择标题的问题：
The title of this passage would be ______.
The title that best expresses the main idea is ______.
The passage could be entitled ______.
Which of the following is the best title for this passage?
What is the title of the passage?
Which of the following is the most appropriate title for the passage?
5．结论/推理类(Conclusion and Inference)
结论类题型常用语主要以动词conclude及其与相对应的名词conclusion有关的各种语句。在解答这类问题时，一定要根据题目要求就短文的有关内容范围做出合乎逻辑的可靠的结论，在重视文章主题的同时，也要重视由主题所展开的一些细节。当然作者的写作意图也不应忽视。
推理性问题与细节性问题相似，也是对文章具体内容的判断。但推理不但要求掌握文章所表达的字面含义，还要掌握一定的逻辑判断能力及写作技巧知识，从文章表面推出更深层含义。
结论和推理类题型的问句中一般含有imply, suggest; infer, appear; conclude等词，常见的形式有：
From the passage we can draw the conclusion that______.
From the passage, it can be inferred that______.
It can be concluded from the passage that______．
It can be inferred from the passage that______．
It is implied (indicated, suggested) in the passage that______.
The paragraph preceding（following）this one would most likely discuss（deal with）______．
The first sentence (The last paragraph) conclude that______
The passage appears to be______.
The author suggests in the passage that______.
The writer indicates in the passage that______.
The passage implies in the passage that______.
We can infer (assume, deduce) that______.
We can learn from … that______.
What does the author conclude about______？
We may conclude from reading the passage that______．
What conclusion can be drawn from the passage (the first paragraph, the last paragraph) ? Which of the following can (not) be inferred from the passage?
6．词义类(Vocabulary)
大学英语四六级考试中有关猜测单词词义的题目还是较普遍的。这类问题的命题形式如下：
In line …, the word … refers to ______.
In line…, the word … could best be replaced by which of the following?
The word … in line … most nearly means ______.
The word … in line … probably means ______.
The word … as used in line … in this passage means ______.
The word … as used in line … is closest in meaning to ______.
In line…, … could properly be replaced by _______.
By …, the author means _______.
在解答这类问题时，我们有以下几种方法：
A.通过上下文中对生词的定义和解释猜测词义。
B.根据生词前后的例子推测。
C.根据因果关系猜测词义。
D.根据生活常识或已掌握的知识猜测词义。
E.根据生词或难词的反义词猜测其词义。
F.根据上下文重述来猜测。
G.根据构词法推测词义。
7．细节类(Supporting details)
细节类问题是四级考试中最经常出现的问题，一般要求考生找出特定细节。在回答此类问题时要抓住问题的关键词，查读相关的时间、地点、人物、数字、事实、原因、结果、目的等信息。
细节类问题的命题方式主要有以下几种：
According to the passage, when (where, why, how, who, etc. ) ...
The author mentions all of the following except . . .
The reason for . . .is . . .
The author states that . . .
Which of the following is NOT true according to the information in the passage?
Which of the following is mentioned in the passage?
What is the example of . . . as described in the passage?
