敘述文一般以講述個人生活經歷為主，對于經歷的陳述通常由一定的時間概念貫穿其中，或順序或倒序。這類文章的基本結構模式是：

　　1) 用一段概括性的話引入要敘述的經歷(話題)

2) 敘述先前的經歷(舉例1)及其感悟或發現

        3) 敘述接下來的經歷(舉例2)及其感悟或發現

4) 做出總結或結論
2000年12月四級考試閱讀理解的第二篇就是這樣的結構。我們可以將其結構簡化為：
1) 總括性的話：
Engineering students are supposed to be example of practicality and rationality, but when it comes to my college education I am an idealist and a fool.

　　2) 先前的經歷或想法
In high school I wanted to be ……，but I didn't chose a college with a large engineering department.

　　3) 往后的經歷
I chose to study engineering at a small liberal-arts university for a broad education

　　4) 接下來的經歷
I headed off for sure that I was going to have an advantage over others.

　　5) 再下來的經歷
Now I am not so sure. …… I have learned the reasons why few engineering students try to reconcile engineering with liberal-arts courses in college.

　　6) 結論
I have realized that the struggle to reconcile the study of engineering and liberal-arts is difficult.

　　只要理解了這類文章的結構特點解答問題就相當簡單，因為這類文章后的閱讀理解試題大多是和文章的內容先后順序一致的細節題。