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筆者在復活節假期一口氣讀完了的Susanne Collins's的The Hunger Games，獲益良多。故事中的女主角Katniss Everdeen能在The Hunger Game取得勝利，除身懷絕技外，亦具良好分析能力，憑藉智力取勝。考生雖然只是面對DSE，亦應多用腦筋，平日多思考處理不同題目的策略，才能在公開試取得滿意成績。而今期則會藉此書與大家分享Paper 1 cloze passage的處理方法。
簡單來說，cloze passage意指在閱讀理解能力卷中的填充題，通常提供某段原文，要求考生在經過重寫的summary的空格中填上合適的替代文字。
注意文法須符合要求
許多人未必太在意cloze passage，因為佔分比重不高（約十幾分）。也有人誤以為此部分太難，但其實比想像中容易。Cloze passage主要測試考生的理解能力、及對文法及詞彙的掌握能力。要取得滿意成績，考生應：
1. 先看及估計summary的空格中應填上甚麼類型的字，譬如noun、verb、adverb等；
2. 重複閱讀與原文相關的paragraph，務求明白文章段落的意思；
3. 運用文中的詞彙或synonyms（同義詞）去填充；
4. 重複檢視所填寫的答案是否符合整個summary的文法，因為用錯文法會失分。譬如答案要求填寫painful （adjective），但卻用了pain（noun），便必然失分。
Practice
Below is a rewrite of the original paragraph. Fill in the blanks using words that can be found in the original. Write one word per blank.
Summary
In her (1) _________________ fiction The Hunger Games, Susanne Collins briefly describes how America has deteriorated to Panem, which originally consisted of 13 states. The Capitol has (2) ____________ State 13 because State 13 attempted to overthrow its ruler. The Hunger Games is a gruesome programme created by The Capitol to make sure its citizens will not attempt (3) ______________ against their ruler again. The rule of the game is simple: two participants will be sent from each state to take part in the game and since there can only be one (4) _____________, the participants are supposed to kill each other. The beauty of the whole story lies in the fact that the characters can still care for each other even in a period where (5) __________ is lacking.
Original Passage
The Hunger Games sets in an imaginary state called Panem, which is the post-apocalyptic America. Panem originally consisted of 13 states but State 13 has been destroyed because of their rebellion against The Capitol. The Hunger Games has been The Capitol's means to control the people by instilling fear into them. Each state has to send one boy and one girl as tributes to participate in The Hunger Games; in the game, the participants are required to kill each other until only one tribute survives and wins. What strikes me as spectacular is that amid mistrust and potential betrayals, the characters still retain their humanity and manage to trust and care for others.
Answers
1. imaginary
2. destroyed
3. rebelling
4. winner
5. trust
■Dr. A. Chan
作者簡介：哲學博士，哲學碩士，文學士，英語講師。熟悉公開考試之出題模式與評分準則，任教英語。
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