议论文通常对某个问题进行剖析，或支持，或批驳，其根本目的在于说服读者接受自己的观点。文章的总体结构通常为：提出问题，分析问题，提出解决方案/建议。议论文会考查到推理、结论题和主旨态度类题，难度相对较大。（参考04年6月《办公室政治》，03年9月的《儿童早熟问题》等文章）。
        
        两类文章在各段落的行文模式很相似。比较典型的段落是“主题句＋支持细节”，也就是说都以“总――分”的模式来拓展段落的。掌握这个规律有助于迅速把握作者的整体思路。
        
        3. 几个认识上的问题
        
        1. 最难的题目每次不会超过4个。其余的按现有语言知识/理解能力完全应付的来。
        
        2. 四级阅读细节题最多，难度最小，必须保证准确率。
        
        3. 速度的提高：平时的训练的时候按照推荐的解题方法就可以实现。如通读重点句，减少视觉干扰，利用数字专有名词定位，直接排除干扰选项等等。
        
        4. 解题步骤和各题型解题思路
        
        确定文章的顺序后，每一篇文章的解题步骤可以概括为：通读文章，看问题，按照题目类型看题、做题，不能简单按序号从头做到尾。
        
        完整的步骤概括如下：
        
        第一步：通读文章。先看一下带有汉语注释的单词。
        
        Example 1
        
        The notion that all stress makes you sick also ignores a lot of what we know about people. It assumes we’re all vulnerable （脆弱的） and passive in the face of adversity （逆境）. But what about human initiative and creativity? Many come through periods of stress with more physical and mental vigor than they had before. We also know that a long time without change or challenge can lead to boredom, and physical and mental strain.
        
        5. According to the passage people who have experienced ups and downs may become_____.
        
        A) nervous when faced with difficulties
        
        B) physically and mentally strained
        
        C) more capable of coping with adversity
        
        D) indifferent toward what happens to them
        
        Example 2
        
        For an increasing number of students at American universities, Old is suddenly in. The reason is obvious: the graying of America means jobs. Coupled with the aging of the baby-boom ( 生育高峰) generation, a longer life span means that the nation’s elderly population is bound to expand significantly over the next 50 years. By 2050, 25 percent of all Americans will be older than 65, up from 14 percent in 1995. The change poses profound questions for government and society, of course. But it also creates career opportunities in medicine and health professions, and in law and business as well. "In addition to the doctors, we’re going to need more sociologists, biologists, urban planners and specialized lawyers," says Professor Edward Schneider of the University of Southern California’s (USC) School of Gerontology (老年学).