托福阅读的十种题型中，词汇题是占比例较多的，每篇文章都会有3-5题，词汇题所问单词考生认识自然是好，可直接选答案。但很多时候，考生是会遇到自己不认识的单词。这个时候也不要简单粗暴的放弃，随便选一个答案。
大多数的词汇题在它的上下文中都有对这个单词意思的提示。其中有所考察单词的同义词出现在该单词附近是很重要的'一个思路。我们来看下面这个例题
This unprecedented development of a finite groundwater resource with an almost negligible natural recharge rate—that is,virtually no natural water source to replenish the water supply—has caused water tables in the region to fall drastically.
The word “virtually” in the passage is closest in meaning to
○Clearly
○Perhaps
○Frequently
○Almost
在这个句子当中，假若考生不认识virtually这个词，我们可以去到上下文找线索。我们看到这个句子里面是有一对破折号的，那么在同一个句子当中，一对破折号起了括号的作用，也就是破折号中间的内容是对前文的解释。那么 almost negligible 等于virtually no , 也就是almost 等于virtually, 我们再看选项，刚好就有almost 正好出现在了选项中。
♦ ♦ ♦
再看下面这个例题,
Another suggestion is that before children can talk about past events in their lives, they need to have a reasonable understanding of the self as a psychological entity. The development of an understanding of the self becomes evident between the first and second years of life and shows rapid elaboration in subsequent years.
The word “ elaboration” in the passage is closest in meaning to
○ development
○ specialization
○ use
○ transformation
有些同学记过这个词，大意是精致，详尽。在这几个选项中似乎找不到同义词。这种情况也要回到文中去找线索。在The development of an understanding of the self becomes evident between the first and second years of life and shows rapid elaboration in subsequent years.这个句子中，有一个并列结构如下：
The first and second years in subsequent years
The development becomes evident rapid elaboration
是分两个时间阶段讲一件事的发展过程，如果分两个时间点讲两件不同的事就不合逻辑。所以这两个并列结构的主语应该是一件事。也就是elaboration 等于development. 答案也就显而易见了。
书香门第
