题目

Understanding word formation is crucial for expanding vocabulary, especially in academic contexts. Prefixes and suffixes play a significant role in this process. "The prefix 'mal-' often means 'bad' or 'abnormal'. For example, 'The malfunction of the elevator forced us to take the stairs.' Here, 'malfunction' perfectly demonstrates the negative or abnormal state implied by the prefix 'mal-'. Similarly, the suffix '-ism' indicates 'a belief, doctrine (教义、学说)', or 'behavior.' as seen in the word 'socialism'. Compound words are another important aspect of vocabulary building. These are words formed by combining two or more words, such as 'daydream' (day + dream)or 'sunrise' (sun + rise). Understanding these components can help in grasping the meaning of new words more easily.Paraphrasing is also a valuable skill. It involves rewording a sentence or passage while retaining its original meaning. For example, the sentence 'The results of the study indicate that the new drug is effective in treating the disease' can be paraphrased as 'The study shows that the new drug works well in treating the disease.' What does "malfunction" mean in the sentence "The malfunction of the elevator forced us to take the stairs"? A. To perform better than expected.B. To fail to work properly or to break down.C. To improve the performance of a system.D. To function well and efficiently.

Understanding word formation is crucial for expanding vocabulary, especially in academic contexts. Prefixes and suffixes play a significant role in this process. "The prefix 'mal-' often means 'bad' or 'abnormal'. For example, 'The malfunction of the elevator forced us to take the stairs.' Here, 'malfunction' perfectly demonstrates the negative or abnormal state implied by the prefix 'mal-'. Similarly, the suffix '-ism' indicates 'a belief, doctrine (教义、学说)', or 'behavior.' as seen in the word 'socialism'. Compound words are another important aspect of vocabulary building. These are words formed by combining two or more words, such as 'daydream' (day + dream)or 'sunrise' (sun + rise). Understanding these components can help in grasping the meaning of new words more easily.Paraphrasing is also a valuable skill. It involves rewording a sentence or passage while retaining its original meaning. For example, the sentence 'The results of the study indicate that the new drug is effective in treating the disease' can be paraphrased as 'The study shows that the new drug works well in treating the disease.'

What does "malfunction" mean in the sentence "The malfunction of the elevator forced us to take the stairs"?

  • A. To perform better than expected.
  • B. To fail to work properly or to break down.
  • C. To improve the performance of a system.
  • D. To function well and efficiently.

题目解答

答案

解析

题目要求理解句子中“malfunction”的意思。句子是：“The malfunction of the elevator forced us to take the stairs.”

  1. 前缀“mal-”的含义：

    • 前缀“mal-”通常表示“坏的”或“异常的”。例如，“malfunction”中的“mal-”表示“不良的”或“异常的”。

  2. 句子的上下文：

    • 句子提到电梯的“malfunction”迫使人们走楼梯。这表明电梯出现了问题，无法正常工作。

  3. 选项分析：

    • A. To perform better than expected.（表现得比预期更好）：这与“mal-”的负面含义不符。
    • B. To fail to work properly or to break down.（无法正常工作或故障）：这与“mal-”的负面含义相符，也符合句子的上下文。
    • C. To improve the performance of a system.（提高系统的性能）：这与“mal-”的负面含义不符。
    • D. To function well and efficiently.（正常且高效地工作）：这与“mal-”的负面含义不符。

答案

根据以上分析，正确答案是 B. To fail to work properly or to break down.

解析

本题考查对词汇含义的理解，解题关键在于结合文中对前缀“mal - ”含义的解释以及句子的上下文来推断“malfunction”的意思。

  1. 首先明确前缀“mal - ”的含义：文中提到“The prefix'mal -'often means 'bad' or 'abnormal'”，即前缀“mal - ”通常表示“坏的”或“异常的”。
  2. 接着分析句子的上下文：句子 “The malfunction of the elevator forced us to take the stairs” 表明电梯出现了某种状况，导致人们不得不走楼梯。这意味着电梯不能正常运行。
  3. 然后对各个选项进行分析：
    • A选项 “To perform better than expected” 意思是表现得比预期更好，这与“mal - ”的负面含义不符，所以A选项错误。
    • B选项 “To fail to work properly or to break down” 表示无法正常工作或发生故障，既符合“mal - ”的负面含义，又与句子中电梯出现问题不能正常运行的上下文相符，所以B选项正确。
    • C选项 “To improve the performance of a system” 是提高系统的性能，这与“mal - ”的负面含义相悖，所以C选项错误。
    • D选项 “To function well and efficiently” 指正常且高效地工作，同样与“mal - ”的负面含义不相符，所以D选项错误。