特性描述类题目是四级听力试题中比较难的一种，因为它不像数字题或者地点题那样单纯，注意听清数字或某一地点就可以答对，特性描述题是一种综合性题目，涉及的面比较广，既可以是对人物外貌的描述，也可能是对人物性格、品德，或工作态度的描述；更多的情况是对事物特性的描写。请看下面例子：

　　例1：

　　A) He exaggerated his part.

　　B) He played his part quite well.

　　C) He was not dramatic enough.

　　D) He performed better than the secretary.

　　M: How did you like yesterday's play?

　　W: Generally speaking, it was quite good. The part of the secretary was played wonderfully, but I think the man who played the boss was too dramatic to be realistic.

　　Q: How does the woman feel about the man' s acting in the play?

　　【解析】答案为A)。女士评价了剧中秘书和老板两个角色的表演。她对两个角色的描述是：秘书的扮演者played wonderfully(表演得很出色)，对扮演老板的演员是这样描述的：the man who played the boss was too dramatic to be realistic(扮演老板的演员表演得太夸张而不真实)，因此我们可以判断A)是答案。

　　例2：　　

　　A) He doesn't like the color of his shirt.

　　B) The blouse was too large.

　　C) He doesn't like either of the two.

　　D) He never wears silk.

　　W: Which of these coats do you like better, the brown wool or the black and white silk?

　　M: That's not an easy question for me to answer, since brown isn't one of my favorite colors, and the style of the other one is too fancy for me.

　　Q: What conclusion can be drawn from the man's answer?

　　【解析】答案为C)。这是描述事物特性的题。女士提供两种衣服供男士选择，一为棕色羊毛的(brown wool)，一为黑白丝的(black and white silk)。男士的回答实际上也是对事物特性的描述，棕色不是他喜欢的颜色(isn't one of my favorite colors)，另一件式样又太怪异(is too fancy for me)。我们听清了男士对两件衣服的描述，自然就很容易得出结论，两件衣服他都不喜欢(doesn't like either of the two)。所以C)是正确答案。

　　我们知道，主要用形容词来描述人物或事物特性，所以解答这类题目的关键是抓住其中的形容词，这是认识某一事物的关键，也是解题的关键。

　　描述人的形容词常见的有：hardworking, busy, lazy, clever, generous, handsome, pretty, easy-going, dull, kind-hearted, absent-minded, well-informed, well-dressed, hot-tempered, strong, healthy, vigorous, good-looking, attractive, slender, slim, smart, energetic, charming, intelligent, diligent等。

　　描述事物的形容词常见的有：expensive, cheap, delicious, taste, tasteless, lovely, soft, hard, greasy, dirty, clean, stale, rotten, ripe, tough, user-friendly, golden, yellow, dark, bright, vast, gigantic, giant, small, deep, shallow, short, high, narrow, spacious, long, ordinary, common, unique, rare, marvelous等。例如：

　　例3：

　　A) The man likes the modern art in a higher degree.

　　B) The man likes the classical art better.

　　C) The man likes neither modern nor classical art.

　　D) The man likes both modern and classical art.

　　W: I went to a modern art exhibition yesterday. It's really abstract. Do you like the modern art?

　　M: I certainly do, yet not so much as the classical art.

　　Q: What kind of art does the man prefer?

　　【解析】答案为B)。女士昨天参观了现代艺术展览，她对这一展览的描述是"抽象的(abstract)"，问男士是否喜欢现代艺术。男士说当然喜欢，但还不如喜欢古典艺术。关键是not so much as这一句型，意为"不如……，不及……"。所以B)是答案。

　　例4：

　　A) Her car can stand any crash.

　　B) Her car is kept in good condition.

　　C) Her car is not as good as his.

　　D) Her car is maintained as well as his.

　　W: The man at the garage thinks that I take good care of my care.

　　M: So do I. I can't see any scratches on the outside, and the inside is clean too.

　　Q: What does the man think of the woman's car?

　　【解析】答案为B)。女士说修车厂的人认为她的车保养得好，男士也有同感，接着对女士的车辆特性进行了一番描述，车外面看不到划痕(can't see any scratches on the outside)，车内也很干净(the inside is clean too)，我们自然就可以得出答案B)。

　　有的对话中不仅涉及一个人物，或一件事物，用来描述这些人物或事物特性的形容词也不只一个，这时要特别注意形容词所描述的对象，不要混淆。例如：

　　例5：

　　A) An air-conditioner is cheaper than a fan.

　　B) An air-conditioner is more expensive than a fan.

　　C) An air-conditioner is warmer than a fan.

　　D) An air-conditioner is easier to install.

　　M: Why don't you install an air-conditioner? It is more comfortable than the electric fan.

　　W: But a fan is not so dear as an air-conditioner. It is just economical.

　　Q: How is an air-conditioner compared with a fan?

　　【解析】答案为B)。本题涉及两种事物，对它们进行比较。一是空调(air-conditioner)，一是电扇(electric fan)，对话中出现3个形容词：comfortable(舒服的)，dear(昂贵的)，economical(经济省钱的)。只要听清楚3个形容词分别是描述哪件事物的，比较的结果自然就得出来了。空调要比电扇贵，所以B)是答案。

　　(文/李树德英语辅导报大学一年级版03~04学年第31期;版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)