英文中的符号到底有什么含义呢？它在文章中起到什么样的作用呢？我想不用我多说，绝对每个人都知道，英文中的符号的作用和汉语是一样的。接下来我们就细分下英语阅读中那些符号的秘密。

用于分割并列成分。考研重点：两个逗号之间，或者一个逗号之后，如果是补充说明成分时，跳过不看。

Eg. Some huge American industries, such as consumer electronics, had shrunk or vanished in the face of foreign competition.

“句号period/fullstop ”

①用于陈述句，表示一个句子的结束，起分割切分句子作用。

②用于某些缩略词之后。比如Mr.、Ms.、etc.等等。如果句号作为简写符号使用，那么这个词语简写前后面的符号应该照常写上，因为简写号并非句号，也不遵循句号的语法。比如Entreprise Co.，Ltd或者I invited Tom，Jerry，etc..(注意两个点)。

③用作小数点

“问号 ”

考研英语阅读文章中的问号一般都是设问的功能，只问不答，答案不言自明。Eg1.考研难道没有价值吗?另外，如果开篇就是问句，那么则属于问题答案型文章，对问题的回答就是全文主旨。

“冒号(colon)：冒号前后是从抽象到具体的过程，后面进一步补充说明前面的内容。 ”

Eg.1997 passage3 Q2

60.The word "pervasive" (Line 1, Paragraph 2) might mean________.

[A]widespread[B]overwhelming

[C]piercing[D]fashionable

We live in a society in which the medicinal and social use of substances (drugs) is pervasive: an aspirin to quiet a headache, some wine to be sociable, coffee to get going in the morning, a cigarette for the nerves.

“分号(semi-colon)：分号(semi-colon)前后是并列关系，包括结构上并列和语义上的并列。”

For us, this means that evolution is over; the biological Utopia has arrived. (2000 Passage2)

“引号(quotationmarks)引号(quotationmarks)：①引用②强调③讽刺”

Eg1 “Scientific” creationism, which is being pushed by some for “equal time” in the classrooms whenever the scientific accounts of evolution are given, is based on religion, not science.

“括号(parentheses)：括号(parentheses)①解释说明生词。②补充说明”

Drugs (substances) that affect the central nervous system and alter perception, mood, and behavior are known as psychoactive substances. (1997，Text 3)

“破折号(dash)”

①一个破折号后面起补充说明或评价判断。

I am an idiot - the stupidest kind of all.“This book stands for reason itself.” And so it does — and all would be well were reason the only judge in the creationism/evolution debate.

②两破折号之间其补充说明，可先跳过不看。

In Australia—where an aging population, life-extending technology and changing community attitudes have all played their part—other states are going to consider making a similar law to deal with euthanasia.

“省略号(ellipsis)...”

英文中的省略号的作用和汉语是一样的。当省略号在句围并且有下文时，应该打四个点，最 后一个为句号。如：Anditflewfurther，andfurther，andfurther....Jorgesmiledandturnedback.当省略号在句尾并作为语气延长的作用时，应使用修辞前的标点，如：Doyouloveme...?其余情况下使用三个点。如：The Martians...they just...just bombed our...our town，please send...more...