在閱讀中，有這麼一類題目，每次都以選擇題的面目出現，非常容易定位，但常讓烤鴨們抓狂。這類題目的問題很簡單：What is writer’s main idea about this sentence/in this paragraph? 看似輕描淡寫，實則四面埋伏。許多烤鴨一不留神，就掉進了「一千個哈姆雷特」的陷阱中。
下面奉上三種方法，並上兩點注意事項，幫助你快速地掀起作者其實一點都不神秘的面紗，探索他在字裡行間的真正意圖。
方法一： 尋找因果連詞
找到表示原因的詞，你就知道了為什麼會有這個現象;找到引導結果的詞，你就知道了這個行為帶來了什麼樣的影響。這些都是作者想要說的，用他們來找答案，正確性和可操作性都非常強。
比如這道常錯真題:
The writer thinks that the declaration『There is no bullying at this school』 (C5T4P3，Q33)
is no longer true in many schools.
was not in fact made by many schools.
reflected the school’s lack of concern.
reflected a lack of knowledge and resources.
Until recently, not much was known about the topic, and little help was available to teachers to deal with bullying. Perhaps as a consequence, schools would often deny the problem. 『There is no bullying at this school』 has been a common refrain, almost certainly untrue. Fortunately more schools are now saying: 『There is not much bullying here, but when it occurs we have a clear policy for dealing with it』.
在這裡有很多同學會因為覺得學校是缺乏關心而選C。但如果能看到as a consequence，就會發現這一句說的是結果：學校經常否認這個問題。那麼導致它的原因正是在前一句——not much was known和little help，對應的正是選項D。
【常見的因果連詞】 因：because，because of，since, due to，thanks to, owing to, result from，as a result of，result from, be a consequence of，be attributed to，on account of. 果：therefore, hence, thus, so, in effect, as a result，as a consequence, result in，lead (up) to，give rise to, cause，contributed to, consequently, accordingly.
方法二：尋找轉折詞
有時候烤鴨們會覺得，看文章像在繞圈子。這時找到轉折詞，就能一招拆百招。無論作者是先抑後揚，還是先揚後抑，在虛虛實實的對比之中，真正意圖都藏在轉折詞後面。
例：What does the writer say about America’s waste problem? (C5T1P3 Q37)
It will increase in line with population growth.
It is not as important as we have been led to believe.
It has been reduced through public awareness of the issues.
It is only significant in certain areas of the country.
People worry that the endless rise in the amount of stuff everyone throws away will cause the world to run out of places to dispose of waste. Yet, even if American population doubles by 2100, all the rubbish America produces through the entire 21st century will still take up only one-12,000th of the area of the entire United States.
原文的首句雖然對美國的垃圾問題進行了渲染，但轉折詞yet後才是作者想真正說明的觀點。就算人口在2100年翻倍，美國整個21世紀產出的垃圾也只能夠佔據整個領土面積的12萬分之一。因此，第一句中人們的擔心是多慮的，垃圾問題並沒有我們相信的那麼嚴重，所以會選B。
【常見的轉折詞】but, yet, however, nevertheless, although，though，while，rather，instead, despite，on the other hand，in spite of.