高频词汇“unencumbered”的考法解析

unencumbered这个单词在GRE填空中，作为正确选项出现的频率非常高，这个单词来自encumber，即使之累赘；com-表示“与...，一起”，ber-表示带来，一起带来的，引申出"累赘"的意思；

前面加了un-表达否定之后，这个词的具体含义是：not make difficult，not burden with，不妨碍的，没有负担的。

unencumbered作为正确选项的题干应该具有两种特征：

• 题干中先出现一件好事，在出现一件坏事

• unencumbered by后面+一件坏事

来看一下在我们方法论课中讲到的两道题目:

1. national bank retains this potency partly because its control of the nation’s banking system is (i)___governmental interference

A. unencumbered by

B. replete with

C. hindered by

在这道题目中，potency (有力)对于政府部分来说是好事，governmental interference (政府干预)是一件坏事；并且governmental interference对于政府部门来说是一件坏事，所以应该选择unencumbered

2. The science of astronomy was begun by amateurs and today remains dependent on their contributions, which are incisive by virtue of being___by the a priori assumptions that often vitiate the work of professional research scientists.

A.characterized

B.unencumbered

C.supported

D.contradicted

E.inspired

在这道题目中, contributions, which are incisive (深远的贡献)是一件好事, vitiate the work(使工作无效=毫无贡献)是一件坏事；并且priori assumptions根据后面的从句可知，不是一件好事，所以空格选择unencumbered。