2021年6月英语四级真题第3套 Part III Section A

Nowadays you can't buy anything without being asked to provide a rating

双重否定类 can't...without cannot...without never...without hardly...without scarcely...without no...without not...without

这个 opening sentence 开篇句通过 can't...without 的 double negative structure 双重否定结构,actually conveys 实际传达的是:评分请求已经 ubiquitous 无处不在到了 annoying 令人烦恼的程度。这种 rhetorical device 修辞手法为全文的 critical tone 批判基调 set the stage 奠定基础,直接 support 支撑文章主旨中关于 companies excessively demand 公司过度要求的论断,establish 建立了作者对这种 phenomenon 现象的 negative stance 否定立场

I've been asked to rate my 'store experience' on the EFTPOS terminal before I can pay

时间顺序倒置类 before before I can even before not until only after must...before

这个 example 例子通过 before I can pay 揭示了一个 absurd situation 荒谬情境:顾客必须 complete the rating 完成评分才能 proceed with payment 进行支付。这种 temporal reversal 时间倒置 emphasizes 强调了评分请求的 intrusiveness 侵入性,directly supports 直接支撑文章主旨中 virtually every interaction 几乎每次互动都被要求评分的观点,同时 illustrate 说明了这种 practice 做法如何 disrupt 扰乱 normal customer experience 正常顾客体验

Even the most commonplace activities, such as calling Telstra or picking up a parcel from Australia Post, are followed by texts or emails with surveys

极端强调类 Even even even the most not even even if even though even so

这句话通过 even the most commonplace activities 强调即使是 calling a service provider 打电话给服务商或 picking up a parcel 取包裹这样的 trivial routine 琐碎日常都要 followed by surveys 被调查跟随。这种 extreme example 极端例子 reinforces 强化了文章主旨中 virtually every interaction 几乎每次互动的论断,demonstrate 展示评分请求的 omnipresence 无处不在已经到了 ridiculous 荒谬的地步,为后文的 criticism 批评 build momentum 积蓄力量

Companies are so desperate for a hit of stars that if you delete the survey the company sends you another one

因果夸张类 so...that so desperate that such...that to such an extent that to the point that so much that

这句话用 so desperate for a hit of stars 描绘企业对星级评分的 addiction-like craving 类似成瘾的渴望,以至于 send another survey 发送另一份调查如果第一份被 delete 删除。这个 exaggerated causal relationship 夸张的因果关系 satirizes 讽刺了企业对 customer ratings 客户评分的 unhealthy obsession 不健康痴迷,perfectly echoes 完美呼应文章主旨中 excessively demand 过度要求的核心论点,同时为后文关于 these ratings 这些评分 unreliability 不可靠性的论述 foreshadow 埋下伏笔

We're prompted to rate our apps when we've barely had a chance to use them

模糊限制语类 barely hardly scarcely barely had a chance to hardly even scarcely begun just started

这个 statement 陈述通过 barely had a chance to use them 指出用户 haven't even properly experienced 甚至还没有适当体验 the app 应用时就被 prompted to rate 提示评分。这种 premature timing 过早时机的 absurdity 荒谬性 strengthens 加强了文章主旨中关于 meaningless surveys 无意义调查的论点,illustrate 说明为什么 customers provide arbitrary ratings 顾客会提供随意评分——因为他们 lack sufficient basis 缺乏足够基础来 make informed judgment 做出知情判断

One online course provider I use asks you what you think of the course after you've only completed roughly 2 per cent of it

数字对比类 only...roughly 2 per cent only...2 per cent just...1% merely...a fraction as little as no more than barely...5%

这个 concrete example 具体例子用 only completed roughly 2 per cent 精确 quantify 量化了 the absurdity 荒谬性:顾客 barely started 几乎没开始 the course 课程就要 provide feedback 提供反馈。这个 numerical evidence 数字证据 vividly demonstrates 生动展示了文章主旨中 arbitrary ratings 随意评分产生的 root cause 根本原因——评分请求的 timing 时机 so premature 如此过早以至于 any rating given 给出的任何评分 cannot be meaningful 不可能有意义,directly undermines 直接削弱了 the reliability 可靠性 of this feedback system 反馈系统

However, you can't help but wonder if these companies are basing their business on fabrications

转折类 However however but yet nevertheless nonetheless on the contrary

这个 pivotal transition 关键转折用 however 引入作者对 economist's positive view 经济学家积极观点的 counterargument 反驳论证,通过 can't help but wonder 表达 strong doubt 强烈怀疑企业是在 basing business on fabrications 把生意建立在虚假信息上。这个 turning point 转折点 marks 标志着文章 shift 转向 the core criticism 核心批评,直接 lead into 引入文章主旨中关于 these surveys have become meaningless 这些调查变得无意义的论断,为后续 personal confession 个人坦白 pave the way 铺平道路

I confess that with online surveys I just click the option that's closest to my mouse cursor to get the damn thing off my screen

坦白认错类 I confess I admit to be honest frankly I'll be frank truthfully in all honesty

这个 candid admission 坦率承认通过 I confess 揭示作者自己 just click the option closest to cursor 只是点击最接近光标的选项来 get rid of 摆脱调查。这种 honest confession 诚实坦白 powerfully validates 有力验证了文章主旨中 customers provide arbitrary ratings 顾客提供随意评分的核心论点,同时 imply 暗示这种 behavior 行为 not unique 并非独特而是 widespread 普遍现象,直接 demonstrate 展示了为什么 these ubiquitous surveys 这些无处不在的调查 have become meaningless 变得毫无意义

Often the star rating I give has far more to do with the kind of day I'm having than the purchase I just made

对比强化类 far more...than much more...than way more...than significantly more...than far less...than has more to do with...than

这个 revealing comparison 揭示性对比指出 star rating 星级评分 has far more to do with 与作者 the kind of day 当天心情的关系 far exceeds 远超 the purchase itself 购买本身。这个 explicit admission 明确承认 conclusively proves 决定性地证明了文章主旨的 final claim 最终论断:customer ratings 客户评分 arbitrary 随意且 unreliable 不可靠,从而 undermining the entire feedback system 破坏整个反馈系统 that businesses heavily depend on 企业严重依赖的系统,完成全文的 logical closure 逻辑闭环