考生在阅读文章时通常有一个困惑，即：对事实性语句和观点性语句区分不清，以至于做题时作出错误判断。因此区分事实与观点则是培养批判性阅读能力的开端。

所谓事实，是指已经发生或存在的一种客观状况。如：

1.The house was painted on November 18, 2009.

2. Edgar Allan Poe had to leave the University of Virginia because he couldn’t pay his debts.

事实可以通过观察、实验、研究等手段去验证它的正确性，或者说，一个事实就是一个可以被证明或对或错的对象，它通常包括姓名、地点、日期、数据、事件、规律等。列举事实时，经常会采用包含具体意义的单词或词组。 如：University of Virginia, yellow, one hour等。

观点则表达个人的看法、判断、信念、情感、态度、价值观等，并且常常表现为推论、预感、猜测、结论等各种主观表达形式。如：

1. Christian Dior was the most outstanding dress designer of the last century.

2.Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring had a significant effect on American society.

这里的outstanding, significant都是一种主观判断的表现。在行文中，作者经常通过使用一些单词或词组，来提醒读者这是作者的观点。如：suggest, believe, bad, doubtful, it seems that, in my opinion等。

然而，一句话到底是事实，是观点，还是二者兼而有之，辨别起来并不总是那么容易。因为作者经常在相同的文章甚至在同一句话中既列举事实又陈述观点。另外，当作者试图说服你接受他们的思考方式时，他们有时会通过措辞使其观点看上去像事实。作为读者，必须具备辨别事实、区分观点的能力，以判断哪些内容可以接受，哪些内容尚有疑问。

例（2010·北京·B）Open Letter to an Editor

      I had an interesting conversation with a reporter recently — one who works for you. In fact, he’s one of your best reporters. He wants to leave.

      [第一段都是事实性语句]

Your reporter gave me a copy of his résumé (简历) and photocopies of six stories that

事实性语句

 he wrote for you.  The headlines showed you played them proudly.  With great enthusiasm, 

                               观点性语句                               观点+事实

 he talked about how he finds issues (问题), approaches them, and writes about them, which tells me he is one of your best. I’m sure you would hate to lose him.

观点性语句 

      Surprisingly, your reporter is not unhappy.   In fact, he told me he really likes his job.

             观点性语句                                    事实性语句

 He has a great assignment (分工), and said you run a great paper.  It would be easy for  

                   事实性语句                                               观点性语句

you to keep him, he said.  He knows that the paper values him. He appreciates the responsibility

                               事实性语句                             观点性语句

 you’ve given him, takes ownership of his profession, and enjoys his freedom..

...