GRE阅读非常常见的题型就是功能题，问文章中某个片段在文章中所起到的目的、作用。
比如：
· the function of the highlighted portion is to
· which of the following best describes the function of the highlighted sentence
· The author mentions X primarily in order to等等。
例：万蜀黍长得很丑。你看他脸大、眼小、胡子拉碴。
（1）内容优先的阅读方式：理解了‘丑’的意思，理解了‘胡子拉碴’的意思，在大脑认知当中，觉得后者只是前者的具体体现，从而意识到后文是前文的具体展开例证。
（2）形式优先的阅读方式：看到“你看”二字，不用看下文了，已经知道下文将是展开前文的方式。
“内容优先”的做题方式与“形式优先”的做题方式其实回答的根本不是同一个问题，只不过运气好的时候恰好答成了一样的效果。
例：万蜀黍长得很丑。你看他皮肤白嫩、身形苗条，腿又细又长。
因为我们不是作者，我们与作者可能有着对相同事物不同的理解，不同的观念，所以我们不应该优先依赖自己的观念，而必须尊重作者的提示。文章的逻辑词就是最好的提示。
例：万蜀黍胡子拉碴的。
· “万蜀黍长得很丑。你看他胡子拉碴的。”这里的“胡子拉碴”是为了体现“丑”。
· “有人觉得万蜀黍很帅。可是，你看他胡子拉碴的。”这里的“胡子拉碴”是为了质疑“帅”。
· “万蜀黍胡子拉碴的，但就是有很多人喜欢他。”这里的“胡子拉碴”是为了体现“很多人喜欢他”这件事的诡异。
· “万蜀黍长得很帅，虽然他胡子拉碴的。”这里的“胡子拉碴”是为了对前文“帅”这个评价的程度进行限制。
阅读例题
Widely accepted as the earliest known site of occupation in South America, Monte Verde in southern Chile is dated to roughly 13,500 years ago. But Monte Verde is a considerable distance from early people’s point of entry into South America (through the Isthmus of Panama into what is now northwestern Colombia). Therefore, most archaeologists suppose that initial occupation of the continent began a millennium or so earlier.
Certain sites have been said to imply an even earlier human presence in South America. Among the most controversial of these is Pikimachay, a naturally sculpted rock shelter found in the Andean foothills, which was excavated in the 1970s. The earliest dates from the site range from 14,000 to 20,000 years ago. Archaeologists found flake tools and bones of a ground sloth presumed to have been butchered there. However, the earliest of the purported artifacts are made from the same type of stone that makes up the cave wall, and most archaeologists are not convinced they show clear signs for purposeful shaping. Further, none of the sloth bones (which produced the early dates) gave evidence of burning or modification by human hands.
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