我们在做托福阅读的时候，会碰到这样一种题型：

　　Directions: Complete the table below by selecting three answer choices that are characteristics of primary groups and two answer choices that are characteristics of secondary groups. This question is worth 3 points.

　　这种题型ETS称之为填入表格题，别名对号入座题，这类题型大多出现于整体架构有分类或对比的文章中，与文章小结题不会同时出现，属于互斥，但与文章小结题非常类似，都出现在文章的最后一题，题干相对固定，填入表格题不仅考察学生对主体信息与细节信息的区分能力，还考察学生对不同信息分类填入表格的能力。一般是七选五的题目，五个全正确，满分三分，四个正确得两分，三个正确得一分，两个或两个以下，没有分，也就是你全做对了，性价比会很高，就做对两个或一个，浪费了时间还没有分，不如不做，很悲催是吧，很多同学一碰到填入表格题就头疼，觉得找不到地方，信息点又很琐碎，回原文定位时间需求量比较大，所以得到满分的情况不多，那我们有没有什么方法可以缩减做题时间并提升正确率呢?先从出题思路说起。

　　首先我们先来分析一下填入表格题的题目特点，七选五或五选三，再对号入座，换句话说，必定有两个多余的选项是不能跟给出的表格匹配的，那我们在做题的时候可以先排除掉这两个无关选项，再进行信息匹配，那怎样一眼就可以排除掉呢，看主体，主体一致的保留，不一致的直接排除，举个例子：

　　Directions: Complete the table below by matching THERE of the five answer choices with the ways advances supported agriculture and the military.

　　A. They were the first to invent the wheel.

　　B. The Sumerians were the first to use writing.

　　C. The stars told when it was time to plant.

　　D. The wheel was used for carts in battle.

　　E. Writing kept track of food storage.

　　Sumerian Civilization

　　The Sumerians made many advances. They first improved agriculture. They later established a military. The Sumerians are thought to have invented the wheel. It was first used for pottery, which was essential for storing crops. Then it was used for grinding grain. Last, it was then used for farm and military vehicles. Sumerians were the first to use writing and math, even before the Egyptians. This helped them organize their society. These systems were used to keep track of food storage and trade. The military used it to keep track of men, weapons, and supplies. They were the first to study the stars and sun in a serious way. It helped them tell time so they could decide when to plant crops. A way of reading the stars also helped them plan when to attack their enemies. They believed that the state could speak of their success or failure.

　　解析：先看题目，要求五选三，分别选出支持agriculture和 military，这两个单词大家都不陌生，指农业和军事，那我们选的选项得跟这两方面对应，谨记这一点，我们看选项，A中陈述他们最先发明轮子，没写作用，说跟农业和军事有关吗?无关，排除;B中陈述他们最先使用写作，没写影响，说跟农业和军事有关吗?无关，排除。排除了两个无关选项，下一步就是对号入座了，C中出现了plant，跟农业有关，D中出现了battle，跟军事有关，五选三，农业选二，军事选一，那剩余的E项肯定是跟农业有关的了，而且E中出现了food，符合我们的选择，我们已经完全做对了题目，做题速度大有提高吧，看到这，可能有同学说我们只看几个关键词，那如果有关键词但表述错误怎么办，这样只看关键词选择是不是就不对了，这时要明白的是我们已经把无关选项排除掉了，也就是说剩余的选项必定是相关的，必定也是正确的，这时候我们完全可以根据关键词进行信息匹配，再对号入座就能够做对题目了。

　　然而，无关选项我们能很快的挑出来，难就难在有时候每个选项好像都是相关，就是不确定对不对，这时候我们没法先排除再对号入座，这时候就考察我们区分主要信息和次要信息的能力了，区分主要还是次要，就要看这个句子需不需要被论证，表格填入题一般出题点在文中出现对比的地方，这就要求我们在阅读文章的时候要抓住哪些是对比之处，即不同点，最能彰显两者不同的特点也就是主要信息了。下面看例题：

　　Directions: Complete the table below by matching TWO of the five answers choices with the kinds of earthquakes.

　　A. Both shake like guitar strings.

　　B. Plates rub together and slip.

　　C. Plates crack in the middle.

　　D. Surface plates move.

　　E. Energy is released in waves.

　　An earthquake happens when the surface plate of our earth move. Sometimes the plates rub together. These are called interplate quakes. When there is a sudden slip between the plates, energy is released in the form of shock waves. Both plates shake like a guitar string when it is picked. Quakes can also happen when a crack in the middle of a plate forms. These are called intraplate quakes. They often surprise scientists because they happen in places that they do not ever expect earthquakes.

　　解析：对号入座一对一，题目简单，我们看看做题思路是怎样的，一开始不确定选项有关无关，那着重看文章中出现两个对比之处，已用蓝色标出，these，指代题，跟前面有关，两者对比关系可以表示为：Sometimes the plates rub together--interplate quakes和 Quakes can also happen when a crack in the middle of a plate forms-- intraplate quakes。会发现，第一个的关键信息点是rub together，第二个是crack in the middle of a plate forms，大体浏览一下所有选项，会发现B中出现rub together，属于interplate quakes;C中出现crack in the middle，属于 intraplate quakes，那我们就选出正确答案了，这时候选项A、D、E的对错已无关紧要了，因为它们不是最能表现两者不同之处的特点，也就无需再去考虑对错了。

　　通过这两个简单的例题，希望同学们能了解ETS对填入表格题的出题思路，用简单的思想去攻克复杂的题，这是明智的解题方法。填入表格题出现的频率虽不如文章小结题高，但出现一次我们攻克一次，把性价比相当高的填入表格题当作送分的题目那是相当爽的，希望同学们可以细细体会做题方法，仔细思考出题点，每做一次题就要有一次新收获，最后祝大家考出好成绩。