GRE阅读 | 破解GRE阅读理解系列（二十）

读这一句话：

Bracken fern has been spreading from its woodland strongholds for centuries, but the rate of encroachment into open countryside has lately increased alarmingly throughout northern and western Britain.

做下面这道（推断）题

As it is discussed in the passage, the place of bracken within the forest habitat can best be described as

(A) rapidly expanding

(B) the subject of controversy

(C) well established

(D) circumscribed by numerous predators

(E) a significant nutrient source

你选了（A）么？毕竟，encroachment into open countryside has lately increased alarmingly … 中 has lately increased alarmingly 完美应对了（A）选项。确实，句中 increased 对应选项中expanding ，句中 alarmingly 对应选项中 rapidly。

但是，你再仔细读一下题面中的： the place of bracken within the forest habitat 。有没有发现 within the forest habitat 这个置于名词之后的定语（后置定语）？那你还选（A）么？毕竟 encroachment into open countryside has lately increased alarmingly … 中 into open countryside 冲突于题面中的 within the forest habitat ，地点不一样。

这里，就给大家一个看似微不足道的其实相当重要的提醒：不要冲动，看清定语细节。因为GRE阅读中这样的陷阱可是屡试不爽（以后我们会再讲到）。

那么，这道题选什么呢？ 我们复习一下题目：

As it is discussed in the passage, the place of bracken within the forest habitat can best be described as

(A) rapidly expanding

(B) the subject of controversy

(C) well established

(D) circumscribed by numerous predators

(E) a significant nutrient source

正确答案是 (C) well established 。

我们复习一下出现答案的那句话：

前半句 Bracken fern has been spreading from its woodland strongholds for centuries 中 strongholds 的意思是“堡垒/势力强大的地方”， woodland strongholds 的意思就是“森林堡垒”对应题面中的within the forest habitat ，也对应选项。而后半句 but the rate of encroachment into open countryside has lately increased alarmingly throughout northern and western Britain. 不是没有意义，而是当心障眼法、识破陷阱，帮助我们排除(A)选项。总而言之，只要大家不要冲动，冷静看清定语细节，就不会被迷惑。