轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系詞語(yǔ)（transitional words）是把握文章大意的一個(gè)重要的手段。尤其在做閱讀題時(shí)，表示轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系的關(guān)聯(lián)詞語(yǔ)很可能就是答案的信息點(diǎn)。例如，在第一段中，作者以traditionally開(kāi)頭，提出了一個(gè)觀點(diǎn)。但是，在第二段的開(kāi)頭，如果出現(xiàn)however這個(gè)詞，通常情況下，作者的觀點(diǎn)進(jìn)行了轉(zhuǎn)變，這也就表明however 后面的內(nèi)容才是作者真正的觀點(diǎn)所在。這樣的兩段也正印證了上面所說(shuō)的一種讓步關(guān)系。所以，表示轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系的詞語(yǔ)對(duì)文章的整體結(jié)構(gòu)起著至關(guān)重要的作用，考生在寫作中要正確使用表示轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系的關(guān)聯(lián)詞語(yǔ)。
下面舉一個(gè)GRE閱讀的例子，來(lái)具體講一下轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系的重要性：
Traditionally, pollination by wind has been viewed as a reproductive process marked by random events in which the vagaries of the wind are compensated for by the generation of vast quantities of pollen, so that the ultimate production of new seeds is assured at the expense of producing much more pollen than is actually used. Because the potential hazards pollen grains are subject to as they are transported over long distances are enormous, wind-pollinated plants have, in the view above, compensated for the ensuing loss of pollen through happenstance by virtue of producing an amount of pollen that is one to three orders of magnitude greater than the amount produced by species pollinated by insects.
However, a number of features that are characteristic of wind-pollinated plants reduce pollen waste. For example, many wind-pollinated species fail to release pollen when wind speeds are low or when humid conditions prevail. Recent studies suggest another way in which species compensate for the inefficiency of wind pollination. These studies suggest that species frequently take advantage of the physics of pollen motion by generating specific aerodynamic environments within the immediate vicinity of their female reproductive organs………
…………………
這是一篇曾經(jīng)考過(guò)的GRE閱讀題目，這篇文章也屬于典型的“新觀點(diǎn)*舊觀點(diǎn)”的文章。首先，文章的首句以traditionally為特征詞提出舊觀點(diǎn)，在首段后半部分對(duì)舊觀點(diǎn)進(jìn)行了闡述。在第二段的首句馬上用however轉(zhuǎn)折了舊觀點(diǎn)，指出舊觀點(diǎn)的缺陷，并舉一例；然后作者以recent為特征詞提出了新觀點(diǎn)，這也正是作者贊同的觀點(diǎn)，并予以相關(guān)詳盡的論述，新觀點(diǎn)為下文的論證中心。
再看下面一道題：
The author of the passage is primarily concerned with discussing
(A) The current debate on whether the morphological attributes of wind-pollinated plants are evolutionary adaptations
(B) The kinds of airflow patterns that permit wind-pollinated plants to capture pollen most efficiently
(C) The ways in which the reproductive processes of wind-pollinated plants are controlled by random events
(D) A recently proposed explanation of a way in which wind-pollinated plants reduce pollen waste
(E) A specific morphological attribute that permits one species of wind-pollinated plant to capture pollen
這道題主要考查的是對(duì)文章的整體大意的理解，如果說(shuō)沒(méi)有however這個(gè)詞，這道題的答案應(yīng)該在文章的開(kāi)頭段中去找，特別是開(kāi)頭段的首句，通常情況，這是最能概括出文章大意的一句話。但是，這篇文章在第二段有了轉(zhuǎn)折，這就表明作者真正的觀點(diǎn)應(yīng)該在這里，所以說(shuō)，轉(zhuǎn)折性的詞語(yǔ)在閱讀中起著重要的作用，它是一個(gè)典型的標(biāo)志性詞語(yǔ)。找出這個(gè)信息，這道題的答案就很容易了，正確答案應(yīng)該選D.
綜上所述，不管任何語(yǔ)言，轉(zhuǎn)折詞（transitional words）都扮演著一個(gè)重要角色，就是：承先啟后，使句子緊湊，段落相吸，對(duì)文章結(jié)構(gòu)，有良性作用。但是有些人幾乎沒(méi)有采用轉(zhuǎn)折詞的習(xí)慣，結(jié)果文句松散，上下文七零八亂，應(yīng)該避免。我們可以清晰地看出轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系的詞語(yǔ)的重要性。雖然，詞語(yǔ)并不是很大，但它會(huì)使文章的整個(gè)意思發(fā)生重大的轉(zhuǎn)變，所以，我們應(yīng)該正確對(duì)待這類詞語(yǔ)，不應(yīng)該忽視了它們的作用。
下面是對(duì)這類表轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系的詞語(yǔ)進(jìn)行的匯總，供參考：
However
by contrast although
at the same time but
in contrast nevertheless
notwithstanding on the contrary
on the other hand otherwise
regardless still
though yet
despite the fact that even so
even though for all that
however in spite of
Instead
下面舉一個(gè)GRE閱讀的例子，來(lái)具體講一下轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系的重要性：
Traditionally, pollination by wind has been viewed as a reproductive process marked by random events in which the vagaries of the wind are compensated for by the generation of vast quantities of pollen, so that the ultimate production of new seeds is assured at the expense of producing much more pollen than is actually used. Because the potential hazards pollen grains are subject to as they are transported over long distances are enormous, wind-pollinated plants have, in the view above, compensated for the ensuing loss of pollen through happenstance by virtue of producing an amount of pollen that is one to three orders of magnitude greater than the amount produced by species pollinated by insects.
However, a number of features that are characteristic of wind-pollinated plants reduce pollen waste. For example, many wind-pollinated species fail to release pollen when wind speeds are low or when humid conditions prevail. Recent studies suggest another way in which species compensate for the inefficiency of wind pollination. These studies suggest that species frequently take advantage of the physics of pollen motion by generating specific aerodynamic environments within the immediate vicinity of their female reproductive organs………
…………………
這是一篇曾經(jīng)考過(guò)的GRE閱讀題目，這篇文章也屬于典型的“新觀點(diǎn)*舊觀點(diǎn)”的文章。首先，文章的首句以traditionally為特征詞提出舊觀點(diǎn)，在首段后半部分對(duì)舊觀點(diǎn)進(jìn)行了闡述。在第二段的首句馬上用however轉(zhuǎn)折了舊觀點(diǎn)，指出舊觀點(diǎn)的缺陷，并舉一例；然后作者以recent為特征詞提出了新觀點(diǎn)，這也正是作者贊同的觀點(diǎn)，并予以相關(guān)詳盡的論述，新觀點(diǎn)為下文的論證中心。
再看下面一道題：
The author of the passage is primarily concerned with discussing
(A) The current debate on whether the morphological attributes of wind-pollinated plants are evolutionary adaptations
(B) The kinds of airflow patterns that permit wind-pollinated plants to capture pollen most efficiently
(C) The ways in which the reproductive processes of wind-pollinated plants are controlled by random events
(D) A recently proposed explanation of a way in which wind-pollinated plants reduce pollen waste
(E) A specific morphological attribute that permits one species of wind-pollinated plant to capture pollen
這道題主要考查的是對(duì)文章的整體大意的理解，如果說(shuō)沒(méi)有however這個(gè)詞，這道題的答案應(yīng)該在文章的開(kāi)頭段中去找，特別是開(kāi)頭段的首句，通常情況，這是最能概括出文章大意的一句話。但是，這篇文章在第二段有了轉(zhuǎn)折，這就表明作者真正的觀點(diǎn)應(yīng)該在這里，所以說(shuō)，轉(zhuǎn)折性的詞語(yǔ)在閱讀中起著重要的作用，它是一個(gè)典型的標(biāo)志性詞語(yǔ)。找出這個(gè)信息，這道題的答案就很容易了，正確答案應(yīng)該選D.
綜上所述，不管任何語(yǔ)言，轉(zhuǎn)折詞（transitional words）都扮演著一個(gè)重要角色，就是：承先啟后，使句子緊湊，段落相吸，對(duì)文章結(jié)構(gòu)，有良性作用。但是有些人幾乎沒(méi)有采用轉(zhuǎn)折詞的習(xí)慣，結(jié)果文句松散，上下文七零八亂，應(yīng)該避免。我們可以清晰地看出轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系的詞語(yǔ)的重要性。雖然，詞語(yǔ)并不是很大，但它會(huì)使文章的整個(gè)意思發(fā)生重大的轉(zhuǎn)變，所以，我們應(yīng)該正確對(duì)待這類詞語(yǔ)，不應(yīng)該忽視了它們的作用。
下面是對(duì)這類表轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系的詞語(yǔ)進(jìn)行的匯總，供參考：
However
by contrast although
at the same time but
in contrast nevertheless
notwithstanding on the contrary
on the other hand otherwise
regardless still
though yet
despite the fact that even so
even though for all that
however in spite of
Instead