3．信号词辨认法
（1）简介
在阅读文章时，信号词的作用很大，因为那些能够发出信号的词汇，预示着读者将要读到的内容与上下文存在什么样的关系或具有什么逻辑意思。文章的句子不是无序地排列，而是按照一定关系，有目的地组织起来的。注意信号词就能更清楚地理顺该句与上下文的逻辑关系及作者的思路，从而提高阅读理解的效率和准确率。
例如，在下面段落中：
In that mill, I learned the process of making paper. First, the logs are put in the shredder. Then, they are cut into small chips and mixed with water and acid. Next, they are heated and crushed to a heavy pulp to be cleaned. It is also chemically bleached to whiten it. After this, it is passed through rollers to flatten it. Then, sheets of wet paper are produced. Finally, the water is removed from the sheets which are pressed, dried and refined until the finished paper is produced.
作者通过表示先后顺序的信号词：first, then, next, after this, then和finally, 清晰地描述出造纸的过程。
再例如：
When the television was invented in 1923, parents had no idea of the harmful effects this celebrated invention would one day have on children. Because of the tremendous amount of time children spend watching TV they become passive observers. Since children spend more time in front of the TV and less time on a good book, their reading abilities have also suffered. As a result, television has a negative effect on children’s learning ability and creativity. Another harmful effect of television is caused by the excessive violence in many popular programs. Consequently, youngsters imitate the aggressive behavior they see on TV. For all these reasons, television has developed from the miracle it once was into the monster it is today.
通过一系列表示原因的信号词，作者说明television has developed from the miracle it once was into the monster it is today.
信号词可以归纳为下面几种：
1）表示递进的信号词：
after all, also, again, and then, as well as, furthermore, in addition, in other words, moreover, to repeat
2）预示有相同或类似内容的信号词：
and, also, moreover, further, likewise, in addition, besides, similarly
3）预示有不同或相反内容出现的信号词：
but, however, on the contrary, to the opposite, otherwise
4）表示因果关系的信号词：
as, for, because, as a result, consequently, thus, so, therefore, for this reason, so that, thereby
5）表示总结性内容的信号词：
in short, in a word, in brief, briefly, in conclusion, as a result, to sum up, by and large, to conclude
6）表示先后关系顺序的信号词：
before, after, another, first, next, then, last, finally, afterwards, later on, since then, eventually
7）表示解释、举例说明关系的信号词：
for example, for instance, such as, to illustrate, in other words, that is to say, such as, the same as
8）表示目的的信号词：
in order to, in order that, so that, for the purpose that
9）表示强调的信号词：
most of all, doubtless, surely, certainly, above all
