时间线索
完型文章中出现的时间信息一般都是非常有用的线索，因为只要通过分析这些时间线索就可以很快把握与这些时间线索联系在一起的信息之间的关系。
例如：1998年完型试题的46题
"But they insisted that its(指工业革命) 43 results during the period from 1750 to 1850 were widespread poverty and misery for the 44 of the English population. 45 contrast, they saw in the preceding hundred years from 1650 to 1750, when England was still a 46 agricultural country, a period of great abundance and prosperity."
43. A)momentary B)prompt C)instant D)immediate
46. A)broadly B)thoroughly C)generally D)completely
43.答案: D) immediate
分析:本题考查形容词的词义辨析，关键要注意的已知信息点是后边的一个时间段-during the period from 1750 to 1850。正是这个时间段决定了不可能选择A)momentary、B)prompt以及C)instant这三个均表示"时间短"的词。而immediate除了立即的含义外，还包括逻辑上的"直接"的意思，本题在这里就是要表达工业革命"直接的结果"这个意思，所以D) immediate为最佳选项。
46.答案: D) completely
分析:本题考查副词的词义辨析，主要是在表示绝对性的B)thoroughly(彻底地)、D)completely(完全地)和表示相对性的C)generally(通常地，总体上地)之间做一个选择。解出本题的关键是要根据文章的已知信息分析出"英国是完全的农业国还是总体上的农业国"。做这个分析的关键信息是时间线索。文章给出了两个时间段，应该选择表示"英国是完全的农业国"的选项。B)thoroughly是指细节上的彻底，而D)completely是指整体上的完全，显然D)completely更为合适。
例如：2002年完型试题的30题
"It is generally recognized, ( 29 however ) , that the introduction of the computer in the early 20th century, 30 by the invention of the integrated circuit during the 1960s, radically changed the process"
［A］brought［B］followed［C］stimulated［D］characterized
答案:［B］followed分析:正确解出本题的关键是把握清楚本填空所连接的前后两部分的逻辑关系，而且由于前后两部分的信息都配有明确的时间线索，时间就成为最方便利用的已知信息，通过时间线索马上明确了"计算机的发明"早于"集成电路的发明"，4个选项中只有［B］followed能够正确表达这种时间关系，其他3个选项都将"集成电路的发明"表达成早于"计算机的发明"。
总分结构对照分析法
由于总分之间的基本关系是互相支持，互相印证的对照关系，而且总述是对分述的总结和概括，而分述是对总述的展开。当一些未知填空出现在总述句时，解出这些填空的相关联已知线索往往可以在与其对应的分述部分找到。
例如：2000年考研试题的47题-应用于形容词的例子
"If no surplus is available, a farmer cannot be 47 . He must either sell some of his property or (48 seek)extra funds in form of loans. Naturally he will try to borrow money at a low (49 rate)of interest, but loans of this kind are not 50 obtainable."
［A］self-confident［B］self-sufficient［C］self-satisfied［D］self-restrained
答案：［B］self-sufficient
分析:本题处在一个总述句中：If no surplus is available, a farmer cannot be 47.在此句话之前，文章都是在讲If surplus is available(有赢余的情况下),农民的生活如何；实际上，从文章结构来看，从本题开始出现了另一个意群，而If no surplus is available, a farmer cannot be 47为这个意群的总述句，即如果没有赢余，农民会怎样？所以，仅仅看本题所在的句子所包含的已知信息是不够的，还要看其他地方的相关已知信息，这个关键的相关已知信息就在分述部分；因为总述部分是对分述部分的高度概括，只要总结出分述部分，本题答案就迎刃而解。
总结一下分述部分很容易判断出47题的答案一定是［B］self-sufficient,因为总述句中的not be self-sufficient恰恰是对分述的最佳概括.
例如：1999年考研试题的45题-应用于动词的例子
"Successful safety programs may 45 greatly in the emphasis placed on certain aspects of the program. Some place great emphasis on mechanical guarding. Others stress safe work practices by (46 observing)rules or regulations. (47 Still) others depend on an emotional appeal to the worker. But, there are certain basic ideas that must be used in every program if maximum results are to be obtained."
［A］alter［B］differ［C］shift［D］distinguish
答案：［B］differ分析：45题所考查的动词处于本段的总述句中，既然分述所做的是"秉承总述的旨意"，我们通过分析分述的内容就可以倒退出总述的意思。通过分述可以总结出"3种都是成功的安全项目(主语)"做的动作都是"将重点放置于(谓语)"，"但所放置的点不同(宾语)"。由此分述总结出总述句的主语Successful safety programs所要做的动作(46题)就是"differ"。
例如：2002年考研试题的21题-甚至可以应用于介词
"Comparisons were drawn between the development of television in the 20th century and the diffusion of printing in the 15th and 16th centuries. Yet much had happened 21 . As was discussed before, it was not ( 22 ) the 19th century that the newspaper became the dominant pre-electronic ( 23 ) , following in the wake of the pamphlet and the book and in the ( 24 ) of the periodical. It was during the same time that the communications revolution ( 25 ) up, beginning with transport, the railway, and leading ( 26 ) through the telegraph, the telephone, radio, and motion pictures ( 27 ) the 20th-century world of the motor car and the air plane. Not everyone sees that process in ( 28 ) . It is important to do so.
