考研英語界公認的一條準則：得閱讀者得天下。閱讀的考察大到篇章，小到標點符號，所以我們要掌握各個細節，知己知彼方能百戰不殆。下面為大家總結考研閱讀中常用標點符號，希望引起考生對閱讀理解中標點加以重視。

  1.逗號comma
  用于分割并列成分。考研重點：兩個逗號之間，或者一個逗號之后，如果是補充說明成分時，跳過不看。Eg. Some huge American industries, such as consumer electronics, had shrunk or vanished in the face of foreign competition.

  2.句號period/fullstop
  ①用于陳述句，表示一個句子的結束，起分割切分句子作用。
  ②用于某些縮略詞之后。比如Mr.、Ms.、etc.等等。如果句號作為簡寫符號使用，那么這個詞語簡寫前后面的符號應該照常寫上，因為簡寫號并非句號，也不遵循句號的語法。比如Entreprise Co.，Ltd或者I invited Tom，Jerry，etc..(注意兩個點)。
  ③用作小數點

  3.問號
  考研英語閱讀文章中的問號一般都是設問的功能，只問不答，答案不言自明。Eg1.考研難道沒有價值嗎？另外，如果開篇就是問句，那么則屬于問題答案型文章，對問題的回答就是全文主旨。

  4.冒號(colon)：冒號前后是從抽象到具體的過程，后面進一步補充說明前面的內容。
  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.

  5.分號(semi-colon)前后是并列關系，包括結構上并列和語義上的并列。
  For us, this means that evolution is over; the biological Utopia has arrived. (2000 Passage2)

  6.引號(quotationmarks)：①引用②強調③諷刺
  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.

  7.括號(parentheses)①解釋說明生詞。②補充說明
  Drugs (substances) that affect the central nervous system and alter perception, mood, and behavior are known as psychoactive substances. (1997，Text 3)

  8.破折號(dash)
  ①一個破折號后面起補充說明或評價判斷。
  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.

  ②兩破折號之間其補充說明，可先跳過不看。
  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.

  9.省略號(ellipsis)...
  英文中的省略號的作用和漢語是一樣的。當省略號在句圍并且有下文時，應該打四個點，最后一個為句號。如：Anditflewfurther，andfurther，andfurther....Jorgesmiledandturnedback.當省略號在句尾并作為語氣延長的作用時，應使用修辭前的標點，如：Doyouloveme...？其余情況下使用三個點。如：The Martians...they just...just bombed our...our town，please send...more...