Reading 題目有一條潛規則——題目幾乎從不用原文的字。
如果你看到題目裡有一個單字，原文第三段也有同一個字——那句通常不是答案。答案在另一段，用不同的字講同樣的事。
這就是為什麼 paraphrasing 是 reading 的主考點。
先看一個例子
原文片段：
Over the past two decades, urban populations in Southeast Asia have risen dramatically, putting enormous pressure on housing markets.
題目：
According to the passage, what has been the main consequence of __________ in Southeast Asian cities?
空格裡要填什麼？如果你掃原文找 consequence——找不到。但原文有 putting enormous pressure——這就是 consequence 的 paraphrase。
答案：rapid population growth（從 urban populations... have risen dramatically）。
三個關鍵字全被換：
- rise dramatically → rapid population growth
- put pressure on → consequence
- urban populations → cities
四個必背 synonym family
如果你只能背四組同義字家族，先背這四組——它們在 reading 題目裡重複出現。
Family 1 · 增加 (Increase)
| 基本 | 中階 | 高階 | |------|------|------| | increase | rise | surge | | grow | climb | soar | | go up | expand | skyrocket | | — | double | triple |
Reading 裡通常：原文用 surge，題目用 increase。反之亦然。
Passage: Sales soared to an all-time high in 2023.
Question: In 2023, sales reached their highest point. (True/False)
Soar → reach (highest point)。答案是 True。
Family 2 · 減少 (Decrease)
| 基本 | 中階 | 高階 | |------|------|------| | decrease | fall | plunge | | drop | decline | plummet | | go down | reduce | collapse | | — | diminish | dwindle |
Passage: Membership numbers have dwindled since 2015.
Question: Since 2015, membership has declined. (True)
Family 3 · 重要 (Important)
| 基本 | 中階 | 高階 | |------|------|------| | important | significant | crucial | | major | essential | vital | | big | key | paramount | | — | substantial | pivotal |
Passage: The discovery of penicillin was pivotal to modern medicine.
Question: Penicillin played a significant role in modern medical development.
Family 4 · 導致 / 造成 (Cause / Lead to)
| 基本 | 中階 | 高階 | |------|------|------| | cause | lead to | trigger | | make | bring about | give rise to | | — | result in | contribute to | | — | produce | be responsible for |
Passage: The industrial revolution gave rise to urban migration.
Question: Urban migration was caused by the industrial revolution.
實戰練習——三個關鍵字全換
原文（虛構，模擬 IELTS Academic 風格）：
The rapid adoption of smartphones has transformed how young adults interact socially. Recent studies conducted across twelve European nations reveal that, on average, individuals aged 18 to 24 now spend approximately six hours per day on their mobile devices. This shift has contributed to a significant decline in face-to-face conversations, with many young people reporting that they feel more comfortable communicating through messaging apps than meeting in person. Researchers warn that this trend may result in longer-term consequences for social skill development, as the nuances of physical conversation — reading body language, managing silences — are rarely practised.
題目
According to the passage, one major effect of heavy smartphone use among young adults is __________.
找答案的步驟：
- 題目關鍵字：major effect, heavy smartphone use, young adults
- 原文裡 major 是什麼的同義字？→ significant（或 longer-term consequences）
- heavy smartphone use = six hours per day on their mobile devices
- young adults = individuals aged 18 to 24 / young people
- 找同時出現這三個概念的句子 → "This shift has contributed to a significant decline in face-to-face conversations"
答案：a decline in face-to-face conversations（或 weakened social skill development）。
三個 paraphrase 全部中招：
- major → significant
- heavy smartphone use → six hours per day on their mobile devices
- young adults → individuals aged 18 to 24
練習方法（每天 5 分鐘）
- 拿一段 BBC / Guardian 文章
- 挑出 5 個關鍵字（名詞 + 動詞 + 形容詞 各混）
- 為每個字寫 3 個 synonym
- 檢查：有哪個 synonym 會讓句子意思跑？刪掉
一個月後，這四個家族會進入你的肌肉記憶——看到 rise 你大腦自動跳出 climb / surge / grow，看到 important 自動跳 crucial / vital / key。