关于GMAT题目中的“句子原意”

鉴于不断有妖道（并无特指某机构）提什么句子原意不能改之类的荒谬原则，特发此旧文

于今日浏览论坛各贴，不期遇到不少谈及以“不改变原意”为选择答案标准的，方知此N年前之不知哪位教师随口缪传，居然被某些培训机构的教师奉为瑰宝，流毒至今，搞清楚这个问题，只须把它分拆成几个子问题：
　　
　　（1）应该如何看待一道语法题目的A选项？
　　
　　在直观感受上， A选项是有点特殊的，因为它被代入了题干，与不划线的部分连成一体。所以，给考生形成了A代人后的句子代表了”原句“的错觉。实际上，我们完全可以把一道GMAT语法题目看作一道填空题，即，题干的划线部分是blank，你有5种选择，需要从5种选择中选择一个填入这个blank。换言之，5个选项的地位是平等的，GMAC从来没有给出过A的地位特殊的任何官方说法。
　　
　　（2）为何多年之前会有正确答案不改变“原句”意思的说法？
　　
　　很简单 ，必须承认，虽然我们经常强调“意合”，但是即便在新PREP中，5个选项意思都彻底不同的，毕竟是少数，更多的意思不同，都是体现在局部。更别说N年前 BY等前辈赖以分析的样本了。所以，在那个年代的GMAT题目中，A选项和其它选项意思有差别的概率本来就很小，那是一个关注结构的年代。也许因为这样，为了在授课时候能多填充点内容，这些前辈才给出这条荒谬之极的“不改变原意”规律。
　　
　　（3 ）什么才是真正的原意？
　　
　　这个问题非常浩瀚。今天只能简单地说一个最基本的判断标准：正确的人做正确的事，修饰成分和被修饰成分正确对应。举2个例子：
　　
　　1)
　　The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to place restrictions on both diesel fuel and diesel engines has sparked a counterattack by the oil industry, saying that the move will exacerbate the nation’s fuel supply problems.
　　
　　A. on both diesel fuel and diesel engines has sparked a counterattack by the oil industry, saying
　　
　　B. on both diesel fuel and engines have sparked the oil industry to counterattack, and they say
　　
　　C. on both diesel fuel and diesel engines has sparked a counterattack by the oil industry, which says
　　
　　D. both on diesel fuel and engines has sparked the oil industry to a counterattack, saying
　　
　　E. both on diesel fuel and diesel engines have sparked the oil industry to counterattack, and it says
　　
　　C和A的区别是啥？就是say这个动作到底是industry发出，还是全句的主语proposal 发出。这个时候不能根据A认为是saying，就把其它选项杀掉，而应该根据全句的句意，判断说出这话的应该是industry，因为proposal不会自己反对自己，只有石油工业才会反对那个限制柴油机使用的proposal。这背后的判断标准是什么？就是传说中的逻辑，动作发出者与动作的合理对应。
　　
　　142. (-!-item-!-188;#058&)

　　The ability of scientists to provide models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, like seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions, have become ever more accurate.
　　
　　　　
(A) The ability of scientists to provide models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, like seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions, have become ever more accurate.
　　
(B) The ability of scientists has become ever more accurate in providing models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, such as seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions.
　　
(C) Scientists have become able to provide ever more accurate models of the atmosphere's complex responses to such changing conditions as seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions.
　　
(D) Scientists have become ever more accurate in their ability for providing models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, like seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions.

(E) Scientists' ability to provide models of the atmosphere's complex responses to such changing conditions as seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions have become ever more accurate.

　　请注意在每个选项里面accurate的修饰对象， ABE是能力， D是科学家, C是模型。不比不知道，一比就清楚了，应该修饰的是模型。这道题目属于选项意思之间差异较大的，但确定哪个意思正确，也不是依靠所谓的“原句”，而是修饰和被修饰者的合理对应，比如你不能用婀娜来修饰男人，不能用精确来修饰眉毛，对吗？

　　（4）A选项到底有没有特殊地位？

　　这个问题只能作为猜想。对于命题者，这个是很好的调控难度的工具。如果想降低难度，把能反映句意的选项设为A，则能帮考生较快获得句意，如果想加大难度，则把唧唧歪歪的选项设为A。在这个问题上，主动权全部在GMAC。

　　结论：

　　招魂者可休矣，陈年遗毒速散兮，正是——

　　金猴奋起千钧棒 玉宇澄清万里埃。