四级短文理解中，标志词常常引出考点。这告诉我们，在听短文时，一定要集中注意力听清标志词前后的句子。

在多数标志词中，因果标志词是出现频率最高的。今天，易哲老师就重点来介绍这一种。

最常考的因果标志词有because，so，reason。

以2009年6月Passage Three为例：

32. A) The atmosphere they live in is rather unreal.

B) Their parents put too much pressure on them.

C) It’s hard for them to get along with other kids.

D) They have to live in the shadow of their parents.

33. A) He always boasts about his rich father.

B) He will grow up to be good for nothing.

C) He has too much to know the value of things.

D) He is too young to manage his inherited property.

34. A) She wants Amanda to get professional care.

B) She has no experience in raising children.

C) She wants to show off her wealth.

D) She has no time to do it herself.

35. A) The lifestyle depicted in Hollywood movies.

B) The worship of money, beauty and pleasure.

C) The attention the media focuses on them.  

D) The pursuing of perfection in performance.

In Hollywood, everybody wants to be rich, famous and beautiful. Nobody wants to be old, unknown and poor. For Hollywood kids, life can be difficult because they grow up in such an unreal atmosphere. Their parents are ambitious and the children are part of their parents’ ambitions. Parents pay for wasteful grand parties, expensive cars and designer clothes.

When every dream can come true, kids don’t learn the value of anything because they have everything. A thirteen-year-old boy, Trent Maguire, has a driver, credit cards and unlimited cash to do what he wants when he wants to. “One day, I’ll earn more than my dad!” he boasts.

Parents buy care and attention for their children because they have no time to give it themselves. Amanda’s mother employs a personal trainer, a bodyguard, a singing coach and a counselor to look after all her fifteen-year-old daughter’s needs. Often, there is no parent at home most days, so children decide whether to make their own meals or go out to restaurants, when to watch television or do homework. They organize their own social lives. They play no childhood games. They become adults before they’re ready. Hollywood has always been the city of dreams. The kids there live unreal lives where money, beauty and pleasure are the only gods. Will children around the world soon start to think the same? Or do they already?

Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you’ve just heard.

Q32 Why is life said to be difficult for Hollywood kids?

Q33 What does the speaker say about Trent Maguire, a thirteen-year-old boy?

Q34 Why does Amanda’s mother employ other people to look after her needs?

Q35 What will probably have negative effects on the lives of Hollywood kids?

第32题中，正确答案A对应原文中For Hollywood kids, life can be difficult because they grow up in such an unreal atmosphere. because前后出考点。

第33题中，正确答案C对应原文中When every dream can come true, kids don’t learn the value of anything because they have everything. because前后出考点。

第34题中，正确答案D对应原文中Parents buy care and attention for their children because they have no time to give it themselves. because前后出考点。

通过以上例题，我们不难发现，这篇文章中有三道题目的考点都是由because引出的，所以我们在平时做题过程中一定要对因果标志词予以高度重视。