2006 New Course for Postgraduate Entrance Examination English

Author: Zhang Jinxiin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-02-01
Features: In terms of exam format, the most significant change in the 2005 postgraduate entrance exam was the cancellation of the listening section and the addition of new reading comprehension questions and applied writing tasks. Many candidates reported that the new reading comprehension section was quite challenging. In terms of content, in addition to some traditional topics, social hot issues remained a key focus of the exam. This edition has made substantial adjustments based on the new exam features, including completely replacing the content of some units, adding new reading comprehension questions and applied writing exercises to each unit, and revising the master vocabulary list. These changes were made to meet the requirements of the new syllabus and the needs of candidates. The outstanding features of this book are: (1) Each unit focuses on a specific theme for systematic training. (2) The units in the book are arranged in order of difficulty as much as possible. (3) Each unit is accompanied by detailed solutions, including full translations of the main text, translations and annotations of difficult and lengthy sentences in reading passages, and writing guidance to help candidates thoroughly study each unit. (4) The thematic organization of each unit helps candidates systematically absorb knowledge and memorize vocabulary and expressions related to frequently tested themes. (5) The book includes a master vocabulary list with key vocabulary highlighted to guide candidates in focusing on memorizing postgraduate entrance exam vocabulary. The above features and key points of this book emphasize a "precision" approach. We believe that one of the main reasons many candidates feel they have made little progress after a period of review is that they accumulate little in the process of doing mock exams, mistakenly believing that doing a large number of mock exams will ultimately improve their exam skills. Of course, a certain amount is necessary, but genuinely reading and studying some articles is the key to improving exam skills. Only by doing so can candidates continuously accumulate and consolidate their language foundation, expand their vocabulary and knowledge, and enhance their comprehension and application abilities. Below is a detailed introduction to the features and usage of this book:
(I) The book is divided into 20 units based on themes, covering 19 themes. Correspondingly, the "main text" and "exercises" in each unit are selected around the same theme. By reviewing the materials of each section in past exam papers, the following themes have become the preferred choices: computer networks, economy, education, law, medicine, scientific knowledge, language and culture, and social values. The 20 units in this book not only focus on the above themes but also include other themes that we believe may be tested. This arrangement not only helps candidates systematically accumulate knowledge and understand various perspectives of Westerners on these issues but also enables them to accumulate relevant vocabulary. Since the same theme uses certain common vocabulary and expressions, candidates can focus on learning and mastering a set of vocabulary and expressions related to a specific theme.
(II) Each unit sequentially includes a "main text" and "exercises." The exercises consist of comprehensive fill-in-the-blanks, reading comprehension (including new types of questions), translation, and writing sections (including applied writing), each forming a relatively complete set of exam-style questions designed according to the exam format and requirements. The book is divided into "Intermediate" and "Advanced" sections, with attention paid to themes while striving to arrange the 20 units in a progressive difficulty order, which is especially necessary for students with weaker language foundations. Based on two years of use, this edition has further adjusted the arrangement of units by difficulty. The purpose of this is to allow candidates to start from the basics and steadily improve their language proficiency and exam skills.
(III) The book emphasizes the role of in-depth reading and systematic knowledge accumulation during preparation. In terms of layout, the main text is slightly longer than the reading comprehension passages in postgraduate entrance exam papers to cover sufficient language knowledge and scope. The main text is accompanied by reading comprehension exercises and a reference translation to help candidates verify their understanding and truly grasp the content. Based on this understanding, candidates should memorize and accumulate useful language knowledge. Before reading the translation of the main text, we recommend that candidates first attempt to translate the text themselves and then compare it with the reference translation to practically improve their reading and translation skills, particularly in understanding difficult and lengthy sentences.
(IV) The "comprehensive fill-in-the-blanks" section features novel materials and reasonably designed exercise difficulty, praised by most candidates. The two passages in the exercises are roughly the same length as the reading comprehension sections in postgraduate entrance exam papers, each accompanied by understanding exercises and translation exercises. Difficult and lengthy sentences in the passages are also translated and annotated to help candidates truly understand every sentence. The reading comprehension section includes question types frequently tested in postgraduate entrance exams, as well as some types that have not yet appeared in the exam, to prepare candidates for these question types. The translation section provides detailed analysis of sentences from both linguistic and knowledge perspectives and explains translation techniques.
(V) The "writing" section is divided into two parts: applied writing and short essay writing. Applied writing covers various formats, while the second part focuses on practice in picture and chart essays. For picture and chart essays, topic understanding is crucial, as many candidates tend to misunderstand the topic during the review process. Therefore, we have added topic analysis guidance to each essay to train candidates' thinking on topic understanding. At the same time, to help candidates accumulate knowledge, each essay provides common vocabulary and expressions for writing essays on similar themes, allowing candidates to select and memorize useful phrases.
(VI) All exercises are accompanied by answers and solutions. The translation, annotations, and exercise solutions of the "main text" are attached after the main text; the answers and solutions for each section of the "exercises" are attached after each unit, and writing sections provide reference essays. Candidates are encouraged to carefully study the solutions to learn problem-solving perspectives and summarize some problem-solving techniques.
(VII) The "appendix" is the master vocabulary list, which includes new words from the main text and exercises. When selecting words, phrases, and meanings, the syllabus was referenced, but it was not strictly adhered to. The vocabulary is provided with phonetic transcriptions because we believe that memorizing words from sound can lead to more retention, thus compensating for the lack of phonetic transcriptions in the postgraduate entrance exam syllabus. The vocabulary is categorized into three types: (1) key vocabulary and phrases that candidates must focus on memorizing; (2) optional vocabulary and phrases to be memorized after mastering the key ones; and (3) vocabulary and phrases that appear in the book but are not necessary to memorize. The basis for categorization is frequency of occurrence. The purpose of compiling this tutorial is to help candidates study something solidly. Candidates should be aware that only through persistent effort can they accumulate enough vocabulary and improve their reading and writing skills to achieve satisfactory results in the exam.