延續前文的討論，本文旨在靈活應用四大原則──語境 (context)、同義詞／相反詞的字彙理解(lexicon)、文法「一致性」 (grammatical agreement)、配搭詞 (collocation)──解題。
2. The animal rights group is going to ______ a party to raise money for street cats.(A) break (B) fight (C) hold (D) spell
Ans. (C)
Anal. 根據「字詞搭配」(collocation)， “to hold a party” 【舉辦派對】最適於此語境。
3. I have ______ finished writing the novel, and I’m going to complete the last chapter tonight.
(A) almost (B) already (C) always (D) altogether
Ans. (A)
Anal. 從「上下文」(context)的脈絡來看， “I’m going to complete the last chapter . . .”， 那顯然「我『幾乎』要完成。另外，從字詞配搭(collocation)的觀點來看，如果很快就確定語意，那 “almost finished” 這組配搭最常出現。 (B) already 並不適用這個語境；「已經完成」跟「幾乎要完成」的語意相反。
4. In some countries, looking at someone in the eye for too long is considered ______, so you should avoid doing it.
(A) basic (B) classical (C) legal (D) rude
Ans. (D)
Anal. 句子中有幾個提示： “looking someone in the eye for too long,” “one should avoid it”──也就是說，這種行為「不禮貌」(impolite)；跟 “impolite” 相近的詞彙，在四選項中，僅有 (D) rude【粗魯】
5. If you keep blowing air into the balloon, it will ______ with a loud bang.
(A) aim (B) burst (C) explore (D) shine
Ans. (B)
Anal. 字詞配搭： “the balloon (goes) burst(s)”
容易混淆的字眼是 “explode”：是指「內部有某種作用，化學反應或內部壓力所致，造成容器破壞的爆炸。」 “burst” 指的是「皮層的表面破裂、迸裂。」[1]
幫助記憶的字詞是 “explosive” 【爆裂物】
IED: improvised explosive device 【簡易爆裂裝置】
“explode” 經常跟「火藥」相關。
6. The boss agreed to increase workers’ ______, so they can make more money to improve their life.
(A) permits (B) risks (C) scales (D) wages
Ans. (D)
Anal. 字詞配搭： “workers” 跟 “wages” 關聯。近義詞有 “workers’ salaries” 【月或年薪】
“Wages” 指「做多少、算多少的報酬」，最常翻譯成「工資、工錢。」日常中，”wages” 較常用來指涉 “hourly wages”；打工的時候很容易看到薪資條件欄位標註 “wages”──跟”salaries”作出區別。
月薪：monthly salaries
年薪：annual salaries
可以理解成：「固定薪資。」
7. Since my teeth are very _____ to sweets, I don’t eat candies and cookies.
(A) attractive (B) effective (C) positive (D) sensitive
Ans. (D)
Anal. 字詞配搭： “my teeth are sensitive to . . . ” 【牙齒對……敏感】；從語境理解， “sweets,” “candies,” “cookies” 全跟「甜的」相關。
8. Amy’s proposal to get funding from the school did not meet any ______, so she got all the money she needed for her project.
(A) appreciation (B) gratitude (C) resistance (D) sympathy
Ans. (C)
Anal. 從語意理解， “she got all the money she needed . . .” 也就是說，「沒人反對她募款」(no one opposes to her getting funding from the school)。因為這句話涉及「雙重否定」── “did not meet any resistance”──也可以考慮 “she insisted on her proposal to get funding . . .” 所以，如果知道 “insisting”這個詞，與之對應的相反詞 “resisting” 是優先考慮的選項。
9. William’s mother was seriously hurt in the car accident; she will have to stay in the hospital for a while.
(A) badly (B) cheaply (C) hardly (D) shortly
Ans. (A)
Anal. 第九題和第十題考「同義詞。」基本上要考慮字詞配搭，例如， “badly wounded”──「受傷」搭配「很糟、很重」(badly)。
10. I’m sorry that I don’t have any spare money to lend you. I spent all my money buying a new cellphone for my mom.
(A) extra (B) hot (C) quick (D) soft
Ans. (A)
Anal. 常見的配搭有 “spare money,” “spare time,” a spare room”； “spare”是指「多出來可以分配的。」
動詞形 “spare” [transitive verb]：可以指
(1). 「撥出、拿出來分」： “Could you spare me twenty dollars?” 【借我20塊『應急』】
(2). 「放過……」： “Spare the women and children” 【放過婦孺（的性命）】
(3). 「使人免於遭受……」： “Spare me the embarrassment of having to sing before everybody” 【讓我不用身陷在所有人面前唱歌的尷尬】 [2]
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參考資料來源
[1] italki (discussion threads)
https://www.italki.com/en/post/question-214482
[2] Cambridge Dictionary (entry: Spare)
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/zht/%E8%A9%9E%E5%85%B8/%E8%8B%B1%E8%AA%9E-%E6%BC%A2%E8%AA%9E-%E7%B9%81%E9%AB%94/spare
