从现在开始我们就进入短文学习阶段了。这部分可能是the biggest headache to you。不过大家不必着急，我们一起攻克PETS-3。
这部分主要测试考生的语篇记忆能力和听力理解能力。这种题型的特点是在有限的时间内，叙述一件事或论述一个观点。因此不要求听懂每一个单词，只要听懂大意，抓住关键信息，一般可答对题目。若遇到生词不必惊慌，几个生词不会影响对全文的理解。由于短文有一定的长度，仅凭大脑的记忆是不够的，考生需边听边做记录，用一些简单的符号记下重要内容。
一、 主旨大意题
顾名思义，主旨大意题要求考生在听懂短文的基础上归纳出短文的主题思想，其中还包
括为短文选择最合适的题目和对作者的结论或意图进行判断归纳。这类题目主要着眼于对全篇总体上的理解。此类题常见的提问方式有：
What is the main idea/topic/subject/chief purpose of this passage?
What is the best title for this passage?
What does the passage tell us essentially?
What is the subject they are talking about?
What did the speaker mainly discuss/talk about?
二、 推理判断题
这类题型要求考生根据所听到的内容推断出材料所暗示的内容，例如：情节的发展趋势，
作者的态度、倾向性等。推断题考查思维的逻辑性，要求能够以语篇为基础进行合理的推测。该类题型常见的提问方式如下：
What will be dealt with in the following paragraph?
What does the passage probably imply at the end?
What can we learn/infer from the passage?
What does the author impiy by saying?
What does the story imply?
这类题型有两个特点：一是难度高；二是逻辑性强。推断题不仅要求考生把握原文信息，还要能够在此基础上合理地进行推断。关键在于这个“合理”的尺度较难把握，因为大部分推断题只要求在材料论述的内容范围内进行推测。如何过多加入自己的理解，可能会超出材料内容，选出错误的结果。
练习：
Questions 1～4 are based on a short story.
1. How do the housewives learn about the offer of free groceries?
[A] On the radio. [B] At the supermarket.
[C] From the manager. [D] From their friends.
2. What did Mrs. Edwards want very much?
[A] Get a basket of free goods. [B] Meet the manager.
[C] Get a free basket. [D] Fill all her cupboards.
3. Why did Mrs. Edwards go back to the supermarket after she had finished shopping one day?
[A] Because she had to meet the manager.
[B] Because she had to buy one more thing.
[C] Because she had to find her shopping.
[D] Because she had to pay for her shopping.
4. Which of the following words best describes Mrs. Edwards feeling at the end of this story?
[A] Embarrassed. [B] Disappointed.
[C] Delighted. [D] Proud.