阅读理解说明文到底在考什么 阅读理解说明文，首先考察对话题的把握，即如何根据首段确定本文的论述对象。以2024全国甲卷为例：
【2024全国甲卷】Animals can express their needs using a lot of ways. For instance, almost all animals have distinct vocals (声音) that they rely on to either ask for help, scare away any dangerous animals or look for shelter. But cats are special creatures who possess amazing vocalization skills. They are able to have entire conversations with humans using meows and you're able to interpret it. If a pet cat is hungry, it will keep meowing to attract attention and find food. However, when a cat is looking for affection, they tend to produce stretched and soft meows. Meowing starts as soon as a baby cat is brought to life and uses it to get the mother's attention and be fed.
话题的提取，关键在于名词以及围绕名词展开的限定。如本文，名词是animals and needs，限定词是express和using a lot of ways。随后，以举例的方式将范围进一步缩小，局限于vocal部分，且通过but将动物部分缩小为cats。首段后面部分，均为猫相关内容的展开。
英语是一种阐释性文本，因此往往并非通过一句话来阐述主题，势必以话题为核心，向外进行一定程度的延伸。论断结论性的话，往往抽象，需要以更为具体的语言进行展开。
以上文为例，cat’s meowing作为核心主题，本文理应围绕该主题展开，提出人们常识性认知之外的“新奇”看法，这也是说明文的惯用手段。
What is a suitable title for the text?
A. Tips on Finding a Smart Cat
B. Understanding Your Cat's Behavior
C. Have Fun with Your Cat
D. How to Keep Your Cat Healthy
如对首段对象有比较清晰的认知，则最佳标题（suitable/best title）类的题目，一般可直接推出。很明显，答案为B。其中A寻找聪明小猫的小贴士；C和猫共乐；D让猫健康，均不符合首段的核心话题。
其次，说明文喜欢出词意猜测题，这类题型同全文内容关系不大，常跟所在句以及前后两句构成的“黄金三句”有关。
以2023年新高考全国I卷为例： Part one concludes by introducing my suggested method for adopting this philosophy: the digital declutter. This process requires you to step away from optional online activities for thirty days. At the end of the thirty days, you will then add back a small number of carefully chosen online activities that you believe will provide massive benefits to the things you value. What does the underlined word “declutter” in paragraph 3 mean? A. Clear-up. B. Add-on. C. Check-in. D. Take-over.
词意猜测的第一个难点，是选项词的意思。本题中A打扫清理；B附加；C登记入住；D接管。
划线词所在句子，没办法推断出有效信息，则需要从前后两句话考虑。本句的阐述在于后文，This process requires you to step away from optional online activities for thirty days三十天远离在线活动。因此只能选择A。
另外，说明文常常涉及态度判定，提问方式一般包含attitude或think of。
如2024全国甲卷： What is Ducke’s attitude toward the Saint Lukas’ services?
A. Appreciative. B. Doubtful C. Ambiguous. D. Cautious.
B. 考察某人对某物或某事的态度看法，多半从此人的言语中进行推测。 Doctors see up to 150 patients every day. The train’s equipment allows for basic checkups. “I was very impressed by the doctors and their assistants working and living in such little space but still staying focused and very concerned,” says Ducke. “They were the best chance for many rural people to get the treatment they want. ”
从上述Ducke的表达，如was very impressed by...They were the best chance for...可看出Ducke的态度必然是正向的，则可直接选出答案A欣赏的。
除上述提问方式外，写作手法类的题也时有出现。写作手法常分为两类，一是首段的作用，二是某个段落的写作手段。另外，第二类提问方式，还涉及研究所采用的方法。
首段作用提问方式，如2022年北京卷：
“What would the world be if there were no hunger?” It’s a question that Professor Crystal would ask her students. They found it hard to answer, she wrote later, because imagining something that isn’t part of real life—and learning how to make it real—is a rare skill. It is taught to artists and engineers, but much less often to scientists. Crystal set out to change that, and helped to create a global movement. The result—an approach known as systems thinking—is now seen as essential in meeting global challenges.
The author uses the question underlined in Paragraph 1 to ________.
A. illustrate an argument B.highlight an opinion
C. introduce the topic D.predict the ending
阅读理解C或D篇的首段作用，提问形式是首段提及某个场景或引用某个示例的作用，引出话题是概率最大的选项。
对于特定段落的写作手法，真题中涉及较少，模拟题中较多。写作手法，最常见的是列数字、作比较、举例子和下定义。
对于列数字，如： （2024•凉山州模拟)
Cities, covering less than 2% of the earth's surface, greatly influence climate change, consuming almost 80% of the world's energy and producing more than 60% of greenhouse gas emissions. Fortunately, net zero emissions (净零排放) by 2050, a target set at the COP26 conference, could be achieved faster using digital twins cities, according to a recent research.
How does the author show the influence of cities on climate change?
A. By listing data. B.By giving examples.
C.By comparing opinions. D.By quoting research findings.
对于作比较，如： （2024•晋中模拟)
"They have the same age, but different biological ages. Why do these two people age differently? "To help answer this question, the researchers enlisted the help of 196 elderly adults, split into two groups: one group of volunteers aged 75 or older who were classified as healthy agers, and the other group of volunteers aged 65﹣75 who were classified as rapid agers. The healthy agers were able to climb a flight of stairs or walk for 15 minutes without resting, while the rapid agers had to take breaks through each activity.
How did the researchers do the study according to the fourth paragraph?
A. By analysing some figures B. By making a comparison
B. By quoting an expert D. By grouping volunteers randomly
对于举例子，如： （2024•鼓楼区校级模拟）
The Vision Smart TV is not only cutting﹣edge but also family﹣friendly.Turning on the kids mode allows the screen to monitor real﹣time data，offering suggestions for adjusting a child's viewing distance and posture.This provides a safe and comfortable entertainment experience for the younger audience.TorieZ，a Huawei Vision Smart TV3 owner and a mother of a 3﹣year﹣old daughter，shared her experience on Xiaohongshu. "Thanks to the smart screen，my child maintains good posture without constant supervision because her favorite cartoons stop if she slouches（懒洋洋地坐），" she said.When she's free，TorieZ and her husband enjoy exercising together under the instructions of the TV.
How does the author illustrate the benefit of Vision Smart TV3 in Paragraph 3？
A．By making a comparison. B．By presenting a reason.
C．By giving an example. D．By clarifying a definition.
对于下定义，如： （2024•大通县四模）
Solar eclipses are a special case of phenomena called transits and occultations，in which an intervening （介于中间的） heavenly body stops light from a star reaching an observer.If the blocking body appears smaller in the sky than the star，the result is called a transit and looks like a dark spot crossing the star's surface.If the blocking object appears larger than the star，the star disappears completely—an occultation.A total eclipse is an occultation.
How does the author develop paragraph 2？
A．By listing statistics. B．By giving definitions.
B．By giving examples. D．By analyzing cause and effect.
涉及到研究类文本是，讨论实验方法是常见的提问形式，如2019年全国卷III
Here's how Harvard Medical School scientist Margaret Livingstone, who led the team, described the experiment: In their cages the monkeys were provided with touch screens. On one part of the screen, a symbol would appear, and on the other side two symbols inside a circle were shown. For example, the number 7 would flash on one side of the screen and the other end would have 9 and 8. If the monkeys touched the left side of the screen they would be rewarded with seven drops of water or juice; if they went for the circle, they would be rewarded with the sum of the numbers—17 in this example.
How did the monkeys get their reward in the experiment?
A. By drawing a circle. B. By touching a screen.
B. By watching videos. D. By mixing two drinks.
此类问题，需对实验研究对象、研究过程等有比较清晰的辨别。 除上述提问方式之外，阅读理解说明文就剩下最常见的两类提问逻辑：细节理解和推理判断。
对于细节理解，一般针对特定文本进行提问，问题中包含非常具体的提问信息，且以what/why等提问为主。而对于推理判断，一般以What can we learn about/know/infer...等提问形式为主，即如将问题对象进行置换，可以出现在任何一篇阅读中的提问方式，大概率是推理判断题。
细节理解题，重点在于答案句的定位。注意，我们需要定位答案句，而非答案段，这是做题过程中很容易范的一个错误。
细节理解题如2024新课标Ⅰ卷：
“We were particularly interested in exploring the aspects of sampling that tend to bias (使有偏差) data, like the greater likelihood of a citizen scientist to take a picture of a flowering plant instead of the grass right next to it,” said Daru.
What has led to the biases according to the study?
A. Mistakes in data analysis. B. Poor quality of uploaded pictures.
B. Improper way of sampling. D. Unreliable data collection devices.
通过对题目信息分析，确定biases是题目关键信息。接着找到biases所在句子，看所在句有无和问句中有同义替换的词，如有的话，则可确定答案句。
我们可以发现题目中的led to和文中的tend to存在同义替换。
确定答案句后，句子中问句信息所在部分，不需要关注。我们关注的是其余部分，如此案例中，很明显like后内容才是答案所在位置。
通过对like the greater likelihood of a citizen scientist to take a picture of a flowering plant instead of the grass right next to it的分析可以发现，take a picture of a flowering plant instead of the grass right next to it和选项C的improper way of sampling存在同义替换，因此答案为C。
对于推理判断题，如2024全国甲卷
Russia’s public health care service has been in serious need of modernization. The government has struggled to come up with measures to address the problem, particularly in the poorer, rural areas east of the Volga River, including arranging doctor’s appointments by video chat and expanding financial aid programs to motivate doctors to practice medicine in remote parts of the country like Krasnoyarsk.
What can we infer from paragraph 3 about Krasnoyarsk?
A. It is heavily populated. B. It offers training for doctors.
B. C. It is a modern city. D. It needs medical aid.
推理判断题，可进行问题的转述，出题人想问的其实是Which of the following is true about Krasnoyarsk?
这样的提问方式，常见于中考考试，而在高考中，只是提问方式进行了变换。
此类题，重点在于四个选项的信息比对，一般而言，会在某个特定区域，涉及四个选项。
如A选项中heavily populated同人口信息有关，文中信息为particularly in the poorer, rural areas east of the Volga River，答案错误。
B选项中offers training for doctors同医生有关，文中信息为arranging doctor’s appointments以及motivate doctors to practice medicine，答案错误。
C选项中modern city同地方类型有关，文中信息为the country like Krasnoyarsk，答案错误。
D选项中needs medical aid同医学援助有关，文中信息为Russia’s public health care service has been in serious need of modernization，答案正确，故选D。
推理判断核心在于信息的转换，而非答案句的定位，这首同细节理解题最本质的区别。