参加了今年5月份托福考试的许多考生纷纷表示此次阅读部分的考试让人非常郁闷。其主要问题就出在词汇题上。众所周知，在每次的托福阅读部分考试中，词汇题的数量一般在15题左右，例如00年1月和8月的阅读部分考试中，词汇题的数量为15题；而00年5月、10月的阅读部分考试中，词汇题的数量分别为12题和17题。由此可见，托福阅读部分考试的成败在相当大的程度上取决于词汇题做的好与坏，因为毕竟托福阅读部分一共也只有50道题目。而此次5月份的词汇题出奇的难，真是犹如东去的大江，不知其词汇骇浪淘尽了多少风流人物。我们在感叹"人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全"的同时，更应该以"出门一笑大江横"的达观心态去总结教训，做到"前事不忘，后事之师"。
首先，在准备托福考试的时候不要有投机心态，应当踏实些，尤其是在词汇的准备工作上更是来不得半点马虎和取巧。当然背诵单词对许多考生来说是一件非常枯燥和痛苦的事情，而托福考试中常常考到的单词又多达四千个。于是，怎样有效而快速地记住这四千左右的托福单词就成了我们能否成功突破词汇题的cornerstone。换句话说，这个问题其实就是怎样在短期内有效地expanding vocabulary。笔者认为，这个问题的解决除了依赖一本好的词汇书（例如张红岩老师的《TOEFL词汇精选》）之外，更重要是在进行机械记忆单词的同时，要学会通过思考去记忆单词。在这一点上，和我们学习中文单词是一个道理。例如我们在学习"仁"字的时候，我们并不是机械地通过比划来记住这个字的意思，而是通过偏旁部首来记忆的，究其原因，只有一点那就是中文单词的意思是通过具有一定实在含义的偏旁部首所构造而成的，像这里的"仁"其实指的就是"人与人之间的一种关系或者是状态"。反过来我们来看看英文单词，其道理也是一样。英文单词的结构可分解为前缀、词根、后缀三个部分，例如unpredictable这个单词，它并不是由毫无意义的u, n, p, r等字母构成的，而是由具有相应实在意义的前缀、词根、后缀所组成，见下图：
前缀
词根
后缀
un + pre
+ dict +
able
| | | | ——＞ 不能预言的
not
before
say
形容词后缀
又如eccentric这样的一个单词，其构造如下图：
前缀
词根
后缀
ec
+ centr +
ic
| | | ——＞古怪的
out
center
形容词后缀
也就是说在单纯机械地记忆单词的时候，我们第一个需要思考的关于单词的问题就是这个词到底是由哪些词根、前缀、后缀所组成。通过这样的思索，我们就可以掌握很多词根、前缀、后缀的意义，这样就可以串联记忆许多的单词，而且在我们碰到一些不认识的单词的时候，我们不仅可以根据上下文去猜单词的意思，而且还多了一种猜单词的办法或者说是武器，那就是从词汇构造学的角度去猜单词。所以笔者在本文当中总结了如下在托福考试中常见的一些重要的词根、词缀供大家学习和参考：
A. 重要的词根及词汇举例：
(1) act , ag----to do, to drive, to move. For example: agile, agitate;
(2) acri, acrid---sharp. For example: acute, acumen, acrid, acrimony, acerbity;
(3) am, em---to love. For example: enemy, amateur, amiable, amorous, amity;
(4) anim---breath, mind, life. For example: animate, unanimous, magnanimity, animosity;
(5) ann---year. For example: annual, anniversary, annals, biannual;
(6) arm---arms, weapon. For example: armistice, armament, armor, alarm, disarm;
(7) aud----to hear. For example: auditorium, auditive;
(8) auth, auc, aug---to increase. For example: augment, auction, august;
(9) bar---bar. For example: bar, barrel, barrier, barricade, embarrass;
(10)bat---to beat. For example: combat, battle, battalion, abate, debate;
(11) cad, cas, cay, cid---to fall. For example: decay, catastrophe, cascade;
(12) cap, capt---head, to catch, to take. For example: cape, capsize, capitulate, decapitate, capture, captivate;
(13) ced, ceed, cess---to go. For example: precede, intercede, antecedent;
(14) ceive, cept---to take. For example: perceive, conceive, deceive;
(15) centr---center. For example: concentrate, eccentric;
(16)cite---to call, to urge. For example: recite, cite, solicit, incite;
(17)claim, clam---to cry out. For example: exclaim, proclaim, clamor, acclaim;
(18)cognis---to know. For example: ignore, cognition, incognito, acquaint;
(19) cor, cord---heart. For example: concord, cordial, courage;
(20) dic, dict---to say. For example: contradict, dictate, dedicate, indict, verdict;
(21) duc, duct, due---to lead. For example: deduce, seduce, subdue;
(22) fuse, found---to pour. For example: confound, diffuse, infuse, suffuse, transfuse, effuse;
(23) graph, gram---to write. For example: biography, geography, epigram;
(24) habit, hibit---to have. For example: habitat, habituate;
(25) ject---to throw. For example: reject, ejaculate, conjecture, abject;
(26)jud---to judge. For example: judicial, prejudice;
(27)junct, join---to join. For example: junction, adjoin, conjunction, adjunct;
(28)leg---law. For example: legal, privilege, allege, legislation;
(29) log, loqu, logu, logy---to speak. For example: eloquent, apology, soliloquy, colloquial;
(30)lu, lut. la---to wash. For example: lava, deluge, ablution, lavatory, lavish, laundry;
(31)lumin, lust---light. For example: luminous, illuminate, illustrate, lunar, loom, luster;
(32) magn, maj, max---great. For example: magnanimous, majesty, maximum, mayor;
(33) manu, man---hand. For example: manual, manuscript, manifest, manipulate, maneuver, emancipate;
(34)notus---to know, mark. For example: noted, notion, notable, notorious, denote;
(35)nounce---to inform. For example: denounce, pronounce, renounce;
(36) part---part, to divide. For example: apart, partake, partition, participate, partisan, impart, compartment;
(37)path, patho---feeling, suffering. For example: pathogen, pathos, pathetic, antipathy;
(38)patr, patri, pater---father. For example: patron, patronage, patriot, patriarch, paternal;
(39)ped, pod---foot. For example: peddler, pedestrian, pedagogic, impediment, octopus, pedal, pediatrics;
(40) pend, pens---to hang, to pay, to weight. For example: pendent, suspend, append, impend, dispense, pension, perpendicular;
(41)punct, pung, point---to prick, to point. For example: appoint, punctual, pungent;
(42) quer, quire, quisit, quest---to seek. For example: inquire, acquire, conquer, exquisite, quest
(43)rap, rav---to seize. For example: rapture, ravish, rape, surreptitious;
(44) rect, reg---right, to rule. For example: erect, reign, regiment;
(45)sacre, sain, sanc, secrate, sacri---holy. For example: sacred, saint, sanction, consecrate, sacrifice;
(46) scrib, script---to write. For example: ascribe, inscribe, manuscript, postscript, scribble;
(47) secu, sequ, sue, suit---to follow. For example: subsequent, pursue, prosecute, persecute, ensue;
(48)simi, sem---like, together. For example: assemble, resemble, assimilate;
(49)sol---alone. For example: sole, solitude, desolate, soliloquy;
(50) spect, pect, spi---to see, to show. For example: aspect, spectacle, specter, conspicuous;
(51) stan, stat, stant---to stand. For example: statue, staid, staged, stature, statuary, statuette;
(52) stitute---to set, to establish. For example: institute, constitute, substitute, destitute;
(53)sume, sumpt---to take. For example: assume, consume, resume, presume, sumptuous;
(54)tact, tang, tag, tamin---to touch. For example: contact, contagion, tact, tangible, contaminate, tactile;
(55) tain, tent, tin, ten---to hold. For example: abstain, attain, detain, retain, countenance, tenant, tenacity;
(56)test---to witness. For example: attest, detest, contest, protest, testate;
(57)the, thus, theo---god. For example: theology, pantheon, atheism;
(58)ton---note, sound. For example: tone, tonic, tune, intone, monotone, astonish, astound;
(59)tort---to twist. For example: torture, distort, torment, extort, retort, contort, torch;
(60)turb, troub---to agitate For example: disturb, turbulent;
(61) vac, vain, void---empty. For example: vain, vacant, vacuum, devoid, evacuate;
(62)vade---to go. For example: invade, pervade, evade;
(63)vag---to wander. For example: vague, vagrant, extravagant;
(63)vi, via, voy--way. For example: previous, obvious, trivial, voyage, via;
(65) viv, vit, vict---to live, animated. For example: revive, vivid, victual, vivacious;
(66)vo, vot---to vow. For example: vote, vow, devote, avow;
(67) voc, vok---to call, voice. For example: provoke, advocate, convoke;
B. 重要的前缀、后缀分类及词汇举例：
前缀部分：
(1)常见表示否定(not, without)的前缀: in-, un-, dis-, non-, etc.
independent, unlucky, dishonor, nonsense.
(2)常见表示相反(back, reverse)的前缀：un-, dis-, de-, re-, etc.
uncover, undo, disobey, deform, demur, reveal, react.
(3)常见表示动词的前缀：en-, in-, be-, out-, etc.
encourage, enlarge, insure, beguile, becalm, outrun, outlive.
(4)表示一起(with, together)的前缀：com-, syn-, co-, etc.
combine, company, cooperate, cohabit, synonym, synthesis.
(5)表示分离(away, apart)的前缀：abs-, dis-, se-, etc.
abstain, dispel, distribute, separate, secure.
(6)表示内，里面(in, within)的前缀：inter-, in-, intro-, etc.
include, insight, intercept, interfere, introspect, introvert.
(7)表示上(above, over)，下(below, under)的前缀：sur-, super-, de-, hypo-,etc.
surface, surmount, surpass, superficial, subside, subconscious, descend, hypocrisy.
(8)表示前(before, forth)，后(after, back)的前缀：pre-, pro-, fore-, ante-,post-, re-, retro-,etc.
prelude, prejudice, proceed, prophet, foremost, foretell, anticipate, postpone, recall, retrospect.
(9)表示运动、方向、附加、围着(to, at, for)的前缀：ad-, ac-, af-, ag-, etc.
adjoin, adhere, acquire, accumulate, affirm, afflict, aggress, aggrieve, allure, allege, annex, annihilate, approach, appease.
(10)表示场所，状态(in)，加强语气(on)的前缀：a-, etc.
aboard, alive, ablaze, ashore, aloof, arise, arouse, amaze, amuse, ashamed.
(11)表示横过(across)、通过(through)的前缀：per-, trans-, etc.
pervade, pellucid, transmit, traverse, trespass.
(12)表示完全地(thoroughly, wholly)的前缀：per-, com-, etc.
perfect, persuade, pardon, complete, consume.
(13)表示善(well)、恶(badly, wrongly)的前缀：bene-, mis-, etc.
benevolent, benefactor, misfortune, malady, malice, malefactor.
(14)表示反对(against)的前缀：contra-, ob-, anti-, ant-, etc.
contradict, controversy, counteract, counterfeit, obstruct, obstinate, antagonist.
(15)表示有关数量的东西的前缀：mono-, bi-, tri-, twi-, di-, quart-, multi- semi-, hemi-, demi-.
monotone, monopoly, binocular, twilight, dilemma, tripod, triangle, quartet, multiply, multitude, semicolon, hemisphere, demigod.
(16)表示再(again)、爱(love)、自己(self)、一同的前缀：re-, phil-, auto-, etc.
repeat, refresh, revive, philosophy, philology, automation, autocracy.
后缀部分：
(1) 表示人(agent, doer)的后缀：-er, -ain, -our, etc.
producer, liar, burglar, sailor, courtier, lawyer, spinster, minister, gangster, villain, warden, guardian, neighbor, savior, amateur, connoisseur.
(2) 表示抽象名词的后缀：-dom, -hood, -ness, etc.
freedom, wisdom, childhood, falsehood, happiness, consciousness.
(3) 表示集合名词、场所的后缀：-ary, -age, -ery, -ade, -ace, etc.
dictionary, library, brewery, laboratory, dormitory, jewelry, scenery, sanatorium, foliage, cottage, brigade, crusade, terrace, furnace.
(4) 表示动词的后缀：-en, -ish, -ize, etc.
fasten, threaten, lessen, agitate, speculate, furnish, vanish, extinguish, apologize, organize, emphasize.
(5) 表示形容词的后缀：-ing, -ful, -ed, -ish, -ly, -like, -y, -some, -ial, -ic, etc.
promising, charming, civilized, wretched, complicated, delightful, reckless, priceless, snobbish, Turkish, friendly, stately, businesslike, clumsy, quarrelsome, irksome, burdensome, artificial, genial, literal, punctual, domestic, athletic, tropical, lyrical, antique, unique, oblique, arabesque, picturesque.
(6) 表示副词的后缀：-ly, -wise, -ward, etc.
actually, readily, smilingly, otherwise, likewise, anyway, forward, afterward.
(7) 表示小的人、物的后缀：-en, ice, -el, -ling, -let, -ette, -cle, -cule, etc.
chicken, kitten, maiden, darling, duckling, birdie, puppy, pony, parcel, bottle, pebble, pamphlet, streamlet, tablet, bouquet, cigarette, gazette, statuette, particle, icicle, molecule.
其次，笔者认为除了从构词法上去思考、记忆单词，我们还应该学会从语义相关这一层面去理解、记忆单词。也就是说，我们可以利用分类记忆法。但是只是进行机械地分类、记忆的工作，笔者认为效果并不一定非常明显，因为在英语中，虽然极少存在完全相同的两个词，但是其相关的近义词却相当丰富。换句话说，单纯机械分类而不从相关逻辑联系去思考的话，其收效是甚微的。笔者在这里，争对TOEFL阅读考试经常涉及的题材，以人为中心，围绕着人，按照与人关系的密切程度层层展开，从而进行有内在逻辑关系的系统分类，其大致思路如下：
笔者认为，由于上述的分类之间存在着内在的以人为中心的逻辑联系，所以按照其思路分类思考、记忆单词必然会收到事半功倍的效果。
最后，笔者在多年的英语教学和学习当中，发现了一个比较有趣的现象，那就是在英语世界中存在着大量发音相同或相近，而意义却大相径庭的单词。例如：night (夜晚) 和 knight (武士)，sea (海) 和 see (看)， which (哪一个) 和 witch(巫婆)，gorilla (大猩猩) 和 guerilla (游击队员)等等。所以笔者认为我们在利用上面所提到的构词记忆法和内在联系系统分类记忆法去思考、记忆单词的同时，在平时多多注意和收集相关的读音相同和接近的单词，这样我们可以利用这些有趣的发音原理，学习记住大量的单词，使你受益匪浅。
歌未尽，东方已白。正所谓"书不尽言，言不尽意"，笔者在这里不是为了授鱼，而是授渔。最后附上两句着名的Proverb结束本文：If you lie upon roses when young, you'll lie upon thorns when old. With time and patience the leaf of the mulberry becomes satin. |
