20XX年托福TPO26阅读模拟试题及答案(2)-托福考
托福阅读TPO26（试题+答案+...
托福阅读TPO26(试题+答案+译文)第1篇:EnergyandtheIndustrialRevolution为了帮助大家备考托福阅读，提高成绩，下面小编给大家带来托福阅读TPO26(试题+答案+译文)第1篇:Energy and the Industrial Revolution，希望大家喜欢!托福阅读原文【1】For years historians have sought to identify crucial elements in the eighteenth-century rise in industry, technology, and economic power known as the Industrial Revolution, and many give prominence to the problem of energy. Until the eighteenth century, people relied on energy derived from plants as well as animal and human muscle to provide power. Increased efficiency in the use of water and wind helped with such tasks as pumping, milling, or sailing. However, by the eighteenth century, Great Britain in particular was experiencing an energy shortage. Wood, the primary source of heat for homes and industries and also used in the iron industry as processed charcoal, was diminishing in supply. Great Britain had large amounts of coal; however, there were not yet efficient means by which to produce mechanical energy or to power machinery. This was to occur with progress in the development of the steam engine.【2】In the late 1700s James Watt designed an efficient and commercially viable steam engine that was soon applied to a variety of industrial uses as it became cheaper to use. The engine helped solve the problem of draining coal mines of groundwater and increased the production of coal needed to power steam engines elsewhere. A rotary engine attached to the steam engine enabled shafts to be turned and machines to be driven, resulting in mills using steam power to spin and weave cotton. Since thesteam engine was fired by coal, the large mills did not need to be located by rivers, as had mills that used water- driven machines. The shift to increased mechanization in cotton production is apparent in the import of raw cotton and the sale of cotton goods. Between 1760 and 1850, the amount of raw cotton imported increased 230 times. Production of British cotton goods increased sixtyfold, and cotton cloth became Great Britain’s most important product, accounting for one-half of all exports. The success of the steam engine resulted in increased demands for coal, and the consequent increase in coal production was made possible as the steam-powered pumps drained water from the ever-deeper coal seams found below the water table.【3】The availability of steam power and the demands for new machines facilitated the transformation of the iron industry. Charcoal, made from wood and thus in limited supply, was replaced with coal-derived coke (substance left after coal is heated) as steam-driven bellows came into use for producing of raw iron. Impurities were burnt away with the use of coke, producing a high-quality refined iron. Reduced cost was also instrumental in developing steam-powered rolling mills capable of producing finished iron of various shapes and sizes. The resulting boom in the iron industry expanded the annual iron output by more than 170 times between 1740 and 1840, and by the 1850s Great Britain was producing more tons of iron than the rest of the world combined. The developments in the iron industry were in part a response to the demand for more machines and the ever-widening use of higher-quality iron in other industries.【4】Steam power and iron combined to revolutionize transport, which in turn had further implications. Improvementsin road construction and sailing had occurred, but shipping heavy freight over land remained expensive, even with the use of rivers and canals wherever possible. Parallel rails had long been used in mining operations to move bigger loads, but horses were still the primary source of power. However, the arrival of the steam engine initiated a complete transformation in rail transportation, entrenching and expanding the Industrial Revolution. As transportation improved, distant and larger markets within the nation could be reached, thereby encouraging the development of larger factories to keep pace with increasing sales. Greater productivity and rising demands provided entrepreneurs with profits that could be reinvested to take advantage of new technologies to further expand capacity, or to seek alternative investment opportunities. Also, the availability of jobs in railway construction attracted many rural laborers accustomed to seasonal and temporary employment. When the work was completed, many moved to other construction jobs or to factory work in cities and towns, where they became part of an expanding working class.托福阅读试题1.Why does the author provide the information that “Great Britain had large amounts of coal”(paragraph 1)?A.To reject the claim that Britain was facing an energy shortage in the eighteenth century.B.To explain why coal rather than other energy resources became the primary source of heat for homes and industries in eighteenth-century Britain.C.To indicate that Britain’s energy shortage was not the result of a lack of fuel.D.To explain why coal mining became an important industryin nineteenth-century.2.What was “the problem of energy" t hat had to be solved to make the Industrial Revolution of the eighteenth century possible?A.Water and wind could not be used efficiently.B.There was no efficient way to power machinery.C.Steam engines required large amounts of coal, which was in short supply.D.Neither humans nor animals were strong enough to provide the power required for industrial application.3.Which of the following is NOT mentionedin paragraph 2 asa development in cotton mills brought about by Watt’s steamengine?A.The importing of huge quantities of raw cotton by Britain.B.Increased mechanization.C.More possibilities for mill location.D.Smaller mills.4.The phrase “apparent in” in the passage(paragraph 2)is closest in meaning toA.clearly seen in.B.aided by.C.associated with.D.followed by.5.According to paragraph 2, what was Britain’s most important export by 1850?A.Raw cotton.B.Cotton cloth.C.Steam-powered pumps.D.Coal.6.The word “consequent”(paragraph 2)in the passage isclosest in meaning toA.resulting.B.encouraging.C.well documented.D.immediate.7.What is the role of paragraph 2 in the passage as a whole?A.It explains how by increasing the supply of raw materials from other countries, British industries were able to reduce costs and increase production.B.It explains how the production of mechanical energy and its benefits spread quickly across countries that were linked commercially with Great Britain.C.It demonstrates why developments in a single industry could not have caused the Industrial Revolution.D.It illustrates why historians have assigned great importance to the issue of energy in the rise of the Industrial Revolution.8.According to paragraph 3, why was the use of coke important for the ironindustry?A.It helped make wood into charcoal.B.It reduced the dependency on steam-powered machines used for the production of iron.C.It replaced charcoal in the production of raw and refined iron.D.It powered the machines used to extract coal in coal mines.9.According to paragraph 3, all of the following were true of the ironindustry in Great Britain during the 1800s EXCEPTA.Steam-driven bellows were used to produce raw iron.B.By the 1850s Britain was the world’s largest producer of iron.C.Steam-powered mills made it possible to produce iron ofdifferent shapes and sizes.D.Greater demand for higher-quality iron increased its price.10.The word “initiated”in the passage is closest in meaning toA.anticipated.B.accelerated.C.spread.D.started.11.Paragraph 4 implies which of the following about the transformation inrail transportation?A.Because railway construction employed mostly rural laborers, unemployment increased among urban workers.B.It resulted in more trade within the country, but less trade with markets that could be reached only by ocean shipping.C.It made shipping freight overland to distant markets less expensive.D.It resulted in higher wages for factory workers.12.The phrase “accustomed to" in the passage is closest in meaning toA.in need of.ed to.C.tired of.D.encouraged by.13. Loo k at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage. Click on a square to add the sentence to the passage. The first steam-powered locomotives were slow but they rapidly improved in speed and carrying capacity.Steam power and iron combined to revolutionize transport, which in turnhad further implications. Improvements in roadconstruction and sailing had occurred, but shipping heavy freight over land remained expensive, even with the use of rivers and canals wherever possible. Parallel rails had long been used in mining operations to move bigger loads, but horses were still the primary source of power. ■【A】However, the arrival of the steam engine initiated a complete transformation in rail transportation, entre nching and expanding the Industrial Revolution. ■【B】As transportation improved, distant and larger markets within the nation could be reached, thereby encouraging the development of larger factories to keep pace with increasing sales. ■【C】Greater productivity and rising demands provided entrepreneurs with profits that could be reinvested to take advantage of new technologies to further expand capacity, or to seek alternative investment opportunities. ■【D】Also, the availability of jobs in railway construction attracted many rural laborers accustomed to seasonal and temporary employment. When the work was completed,many moved to other construction jobs or to factory work in cities and towns, where they became part of an expanding working class.14. Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.The coming of the Industrial Revolution in eighteenth-century Britaindepended on the development of the steam engine to power machinery.A.For years, historians disregarded the issue of energy as amajor element in the rise of the Industrial Revolution and focused instead on technological developments and increased production.B.The introduction and growth of steam-powered rail transport was a major factor in Britain's economic expansion during the Industrial Revolution.C.An expansion of the Industrial Revolution outside Great Britain occurred when British industries began to import raw cotton and high-quality iron.D.By 1850, the use of steam power in Britain's mills, mines, and iron industry made Britain a world leader in the production of cotton cloth and iron.E.Since the basic infrastructure was in place, the Industrial Revolution fueled itself with enlarging markets requiring ever more expansion of factories and workforce.F.By the end of the 1800s, railway construction attracted so many laborers that factories could not find enough workers to keep up with increasing sales.托福阅读答案1.目的题，读highlight所在句，说英国有煤，但没法变成能量来运行机器，选项C同时说了由煤木有能量，是正确答案。
托福TPO26口语Task2题目+满分范文
为了帮助大家高效备考托福，为大家带来托福TPO26口语Task2题目+满分范文，希望对大家备考有所帮助。
托福TPO26独立口语Task2题目： Some people like to have their cell or mobile phone with them at all times. Other people prefer not to bring their cell or mobile phone with them everywhere they go, or they choose not to own one at all. Which do you prefer? Explain why. 托福TPO26独立口语Task2满分范文： "I prefer not to bring cell-phones everywhere. There are some occasions I want to be detached from the world. For example, when I am readying a book in my study or in the library. It’s very annoying to hear the ring of the cell-phone or feel the vibrations. It always interrupts my train of thoughts. Having a cell-phone everywhere means you can be disturbed anytime. Nowadays, not just your friends will call you or send you message. More often than not, you receive spam messages or anonymous calls. It makes angry even to answer the calls. " 以上是给大家整理的托福TPO26口语Task2题目+满分范文，希望对你有所帮助!。
tpo26阅读及答案
tpo26阅读及答案T0EFL考试成绩两年内有效，两年以后需要T0EFL成绩者，必须重新参加考试。
下面是小编为你们准备的关于tpo26阅读SUMER AND THE FIRST CITIES OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST答案，希望能帮助你们。
tpo26阅读SUMER AND THE FIRST CITIES OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST1. A选项的rainfall和B的melting snow做关键词定位至第五句，都正确，不选;C的silt确实讲过，但并没讲damaged crops，所以C错，选;D的timber, stone and metals定位至第四句，正确，不选2. 以elite to emerge做关键词定位至尾句，但这句话的these说明应该往前看，上句的this was done说明应该继续往前，前句说organization of irrigation和building canals非常重要，所以正确答案是D。
没再往前是因为已经有答案了。
A的new crop没提，B和C 犯了类似的错误，原文讲土壤肥沃，不是人有钱，所以都错3. sustain维持，所以正确答案是maintain，tain做词根表持有。
原文讲正式这些导致精英阶级的产生，并通过控制剩余产品来怎么样自身的存在，其他选项都不好，比如defend自身的存在前提是要受到威胁，而原文根本没这事儿，promote也不对，原文没讲elite要扩张4. 两个专有名词做关键词定位至第二句，说这两个族是以temple 为中心发展的，也就是B说的religious buildings，所以答案是B。
A 和C的urban settlement，D的destroy原文都没说5. sovereign统治者，至高无上的，所以正确答案是B。
代入，跟sovereign of all other gods并列的是the god of the sky，天神和其他神的什么，可以推出是管其他神的人，就像玉皇大帝和诸神，尽管creator创造者代入也说的算通，但天神不一定能和创造其他神的人并列吧，counselor和defender更不靠谱6. 以appearance of writing做关键词定位至第一个括号之后那句，说越来越复杂的管理体系导致了writing，所以正确答案是A。
托福TPO26口语Task4阅读文本+听力文本+题目+满分范文
托福TPO26口语Task4阅读文本+听力文本+题目+满分范文为了帮助大家高效备考托福，为大家带来托福TPO26口语T ask4阅读文本+听力文本+题目+满分范文，希望对大家备考有所帮助。
托福TPO26口语Task4阅读文本：EpiphytesIn rain forests, the canopy produced by the upper layer of branches may be so dense that few plants can grow on the shady ground below. Even so, many plants have adapted to life in the rain forest, developing fascinating strategies for survival. For example, various species known as epiphytes use a host plant as a platform for growth. Although epiphytes grow on a host tree, they take no nutrients from the tree itself. Attached to the tree, sometimes 30 or 40 meters high, these aerial plants have access to sunlight but not to nutrients from the soil below. As a result, they have developed unusual mechanisms that have allowed them to overcome this problem.托福TPO26口语Task4听力文本：Now listen to part of a lecture from a biology class.(male professor) OK, so a good example of this type of plant, common to the rainforest, is the Urn plant. The Urn plant wraps its roots around the branches of the trees or sometimes around the trunk near the upper part of the tree. They use the tree for support and this allows them to reside high in the trees, in the canopy, where they can get plenty of sunlight.Now, the Urn plant has a unique shape. It got its name because of the formation of its leaves creates a kind of urn or bowl where it can store water. The Urn plant has rather long stiff spiky leaves. The leaves are slightly overlapping and are tightly rolled into a kind of cone shape or a funnel shape. Its flowers are held on a single stem inthe center. Anyway, as I mentioned, the arrangement of the leaves forms a kind of receptacle or bowl at the base so that it is rainwater collects on the leaves it rolls down into the bowl where it can be stored.OK, so is unique shape helps it gather and store water. It also helps to gather other nutrients. This is because insects, dead leaves from other plants or other debris land on the leaves and then get washed down into the stored water. Gradually they decompose. The chemical break-down creates a nitrogen-rich food source in the stored water. So, the water supply contains a kind of liquid fertilizer that can be released to the plant whenever it needs the food.托福TPO26口语Task4题目：Using the example of the Urn plant, explain how epiphytes have adapted to life in the rain forest.托福TPO26口语Task4满分范文：Epiphytes is a kind of rain forest plant that uses a host plant as a platform for growth to get sunlight. And it also develops some mechanism to get nutrients since it's away from the soil. For example, Urn plant often wraps its root around the tree or the trunk of upper part of the tree so it resides high in the canopy to get plenty of sunlight. Then it has leaves of unique shape which help it get nutrients. Its leaves are long, stiff and spiky. They're slightly overlapping and rolled tightly to form a funnel/cone shape, and then its flowers are held on a single stem in the center. So the whole thing is shaped into a bowl. And when it rains, the rain water rolls down to be collected in the bowl. Then the debris of dead leaves and insects falls into the bowl and decomposes there to form a kind of fertilizer, which can be used by the plant when in need. (166 words)以上是给大家整理的托福TPO26口语T ask4阅读文本+听力文本+题目+满分范文，希望对你有所帮助!。
tpo阅读26第2篇第2题
TPO阅读26第2篇第2题题目要求阅读文章后，回答以下问题：The passage suggests that one of the main reasons why the development of means other than whales for producing oil for lamps was slow was primarily that:A、different forms of oil were not as efficient for producing light as whale oilB、manufacturers were not willing to invest in new technologyC、many potential substitutes for whale oil already had established marketsD、the supply of whales was more than sufficient to meet the demand for oil答案解析该题询问了为什么除鲸外的其他生产石油灯台的方法发展缓慢的原因。
文章提到，尽管有其他可用的灯油替代品，但它们一直没有能够与鲸油竞争。
所以，推断出正确答案是A：不同的油形式并不像鲸油那样高效产生光亮。
正文解析本文主要介绍了在19世纪的时候，随着人们使用油灯以及精心设计的灯泡技术，石油作为照明燃料逐渐开始取代鲸油。
然而，正如题目所指的，为什么石油取代鲸油的发展比较缓慢呢？本文将详细分析出发点并回答此问题。
第一段：文章首先介绍了鲸油在照明领域的重要性以及随着灯泡技术发展，人们开始探索其他燃料的目的。
然后，文章指出鲸油独一无二的属性，这些属性使其在照明方面具有重要意义。
例如，鲸油有独特的鲸蜡，这使得它的燃烧时间更长，并且产生更亮的光。
这使得鲸油成为照明领域的首选燃料。
第二段：然而，随着时间的推移，鲸油供应的问题逐渐浮出水面。
tpo26-2阅读纯答案解析tpo35阅读答案解析
tpo26-2阅读纯答案解析tpo35阅读答案解析tpo26-2阅读纯答案解析tpo26-2阅读纯答案解析TPO是托福考试最重要的备考资料托福阅读试题，下面小编为你们准备的关于tpo26-2阅读纯答案解析，希望能帮助你们。
tpo26-2阅读1.According to paragraph 1, water provides all of the following essential functions forplants EXCEPT A.improving plants’ ability to absorb sunlight. B.preventing plants from becoming overheated. C.transporting nutrients. D.serving as a raw material for photosynthesis. 2.Paragraph 3 suggests that during a dry year ephemerals A.produce even more seeds than in a wet year. B.do not sprout from their seeds. C.bloom much later than in a wet year. D.are more plentiful than perennials. 3.How is paragraph 2 related to paragraph 3 A.Paragraph 2 provides a general description of desert plants, and paragraph 3 provides ascientific explanation for these observations. B.Paragraph 2 divides desert plants into two categories, and paragraph 3 provides furtherinformation about one of these categories. C.Paragraph 2 proposes one way of dividing desert plants into categories, and paragraph 3explains one problem with this method of classification. D.Paragraph 2 discusses two categories of desert plants, and paragraph 3 introduces a thirdcategory of plants.4.In saying that ephemerals will develop “vigorously“ when there isfavorableprecipitation, the author means that their development will be A.sudden. B.early.C.gradual. D.strong and healthy.5.The word “countering”i n the passage is closest in meaning to A.eliminating.B.making use of.C.acting against.D.experiencing. 6.According toparagraph 4, some desert plants with root systems that areextraordinarily well developed have A.relatively little growth aboveground. B.very leafy aboveground structures. C.non woody plant tissue resistant to wilting. D.water stored within their roots. 7.The word “assured”(paragraph 4)in the passage is closest in meaning to A.pure. B.diminished. C.guaranteed. D.deep. 8.What do “the date pa lm, tamarisk, and mesquite“(paragraph 4) have in common A.They are always found together. B.They depend on surface water provided by streams, springs, and lakes. C.They are phreatophytes. D.Their roots are capable of breaking through hard soils 9.Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information inthehighlighted sentence in the passage(paragraph 5) Incorrect choices change themeaning in important ways or leave out essential information.A.One way animals escape is by entering a state of extended dormancy, known asaestivation, during the hottest and driest times of year. B.Animals can escape without using direct action, or aestivation, simply by reducing theirmetabolic rate and body temperature. C.The actions that an animal uses to escape are known as aestivation, which sometimesinvolves a reduction in metabolic rate or body temperature. D.When the weather is especially hot and dry, an animal may suffer from a condition known asaestivation, at which point the animal needs to escape. 10.It can be inferred from paragraph 6 that all of the places desertanimals retreat to A.provide shade from the sun. B.sometimes become crowded. C.are places where supplies of food are plentiful. D.leave the animals vulnerable to predators.11.According to paragraph 7, what special adaptation helps the ostrich copewith hotdesert conditions A.Each of its feathers is very short and dense. B.Its wings produce only lateral air movement when flapping. C.Its feathers are very thickly set on both its back and itswings. D.It can make its feathers stand up on its back. 12. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could beadded to the passage.Where would the sentence best fit The increase in reward stilldid not attract young people to this hard life, and convicted criminals and slaves werepressed into services The harsh conditions in deserts are in tolerable for most plants and animals. Despite theseconditions, however, many varieties of plants and animals have adapted to deserts in a numberof ways. Most plant tissues die if their water content falls too low: the nutrients that feed plantsare transmitted by water;water is a raw material in the vital process of photosynthesis;andwater regulates the temperature of a plant by its ability to absorb heat and because watervapor lost to the atmosphere through the leaves helps to lower plant temperatures. ■Water controls the volume of plant matter produced. ■The distribution of plantswithin different areas of desert is also controlled by water. ■Some areas, because of theirsoil texture,topographical position, or distance from rivers or groundwater, have virtually nowater available to plants, whereas others do.■ 13.Directions: Select from the seven phrases below the two phrases that correctlycharacterize special adaptations found primarily in desert annuals and the threephrases that correctly characterize special adaptations found primarily in desertperennials. Select each phrase you select in the appropriate column of the table. Thisquestion is worth 3 points. A.Woody structures. B.Explosive growth in wet years. C.Long, thin, shallow roots. D.Storage of water in plant tissue. E.Minimization of the amount of water used for photosynthesis. F.Short life cycle. G.Leaves designed to minimize water loss. 1 ) Adaptations of Annuals A B C D E F G 2 ) Adaptations of Perennials A B C D E F G tpo26-2阅读纯答案解析1.A选项的sunlight原文没有提到，所以错误，选;B项不容易找，可以找完C和D之后依靠并列在第三句的冒号之后找到，原文讲的是降低温度，也就是防止overheated，所以B正确，不选;C和D都在第三句的冒号之后，都正确，不选。
托福阅读TPO26答案解析
1.【考点分析】本题为修辞目的题，注意此类题目并不是考例子本身，而是要寻找其修辞的目的，然后与选项进行对比。
关键词为“英国有大量的煤”，在此前的几句话说大英帝国能源短缺，举例说明作为主要热源的木材供应减少，燃煤多但不能有效地转化成机械能。
这说明什么呢，这说明英国的能源短缺不是因为燃料缺乏，选C.【选项分析】A. 为了反对“18世纪英国面临能源短缺”的说法(根据原文，煤储量大这一事实，并不是构成反对能源短缺说的理由，这一选项与原文矛盾)B.为了解释为什么是煤，而不是其它能源变成了18世纪英国的主要民用与工业热量来源。
(偷梁换柱型干扰项。
根据本段倒数第3句话，当时主要的能量来源是木材)C.为了表明英国的能源短缺不是缺乏燃料所致(正确：not the result of a lack of fuel 与原文的had large amounts of coal 形成对应)D.该选项是玩穿越，本段并没有提到19世纪，更没有提到采煤成为19世纪主要行业)2. 【考点分析】本题为细节题，考察利用关键词定位以及对同一含义的不同词汇与句子结构的理解能力。
要想让18世纪的工业革命成为可能，一定要得以解决的“能源方面的问题”是什么?根据第一段前半部分，能源是工业革命兴起的主要原因毋庸置疑，那么能源问题是什么呢?根据关键词“the problem of energy” 定位到倒数第2句话：”Great Britain had large amounts of coal; however, there we re not yet efficient means by which to produce mechanical energy or to power machinery.” 这句话表明，能源问题就是有燃料但缺乏用燃料来驱动机器的有效方式，这个问题必须得到解决才能使得工业革命成为可能，所以选B。
注意：means 和ways 是近义词，另外阅读里经常还有method, approach, avenue.【选项分析】A. 水与风不能得到有效的利用(这个选项与第一段第3句意义矛盾)B. 缺乏驱动机器的有效方式(正确：对应第一段的倒数第2句)C.蒸汽引擎需要大量的煤，而煤是供应不足的(与倒数第2句矛盾，原文说Great Britain had large amounts of coal)D.人类与动物都不够强壮，无法为工业活动提供能源(是第2句的偷梁换柱，原文说18世纪之前，人们的能量来源有植物、动物与人力)3. 【考点分析】本题为排除信息题，考查蒸汽引擎引发的纱厂变化除了哪一个。
托福TOEFL考试阅读模拟题(含答案)
托福TOEFL考试阅读模拟题（含答案）托福阅读文本：The Native Americans of northern California were highly skilled at basketry, using thereeds,grasses, barks, and roots they found around them to fashion articles of all sorts and sizes — not only trays, containers, and cooking pots, but hats, boats, fish traps, baby carriers, and ceremonial objects.Of all these experts, none excelled the Pomo — a group who lived on or near the coast during the 1800's, and whose descendants continue to live in parts of the same region to this day. They made baskets three feet in diameter and others no bigger than a thimble. The Pomo people were masters of decoration. Some of their baskets were completely covered with shell pendants; others with feathers that made the baskets' surfaces as soft as the breasts of birds. Moreover, the Pomo people made use of more weaving techniques than did their neighbors. Most groups made all their basketwork by twining — the twisting of a flexible horizontal material, called a weft, around stiffer vertical strands of material, the warp. Others depended primarily on coiling — a process in which a continuous coil of stiff material is held in the desired shape with tight wrapping of flexible strands. Only the Pomo people used both processes with equal ease and frequency. In addition, they made use of four distinct variations on the basic twining process, often employing more than one of them in a single article.Although a wide variety of materials was available, the Pomo people used only a few. The warp was always made of willow, and the most commonly used weft was sedge root, a woody fiber that could easily be separated into strands no thicker than a thread. For color, the Pomo people used the bark of redbud for their twined work and dyed bullrush root for black in coiled work. Though other materials were sometimes used, these four were the staples in their finest basketry.If the basketry materials used by the Pomo people were limited, the designs were amazingly varied. Every Pomo basketmaker knew how to produce from fifteen to twenty distinct patterns that could be combined in a number of different ways.托福阅读题目：1. What best distinguished Pomo basketsfrom baskets of other groups?(A) The range of sizes, shapes, and designs(B) The unusual geometric(C) The absence of decoration(D) The rare materials used2. The word "fashion" in line 2 is closest in meaning to(A) maintain(B) organize(C) trade(D) create3. The Pomo people used each of the following materials to decorate baskets EXCEPT(A) shells(B) feathers(C) leaves(D) bark4. What is the author's main point in the second paragraph?(A) The neighbors of the Pomo people tried to improve on the Pomo basket weaving techniques.(B) The Pomo people were the most skilled basket weavers in their region.(C) The Pomo people learned their basket weaving techniques from other Native Americans.(D) The Pomo baskets have been handed down for generations.5. The word "others " in line 9 refers to(A) masters(B) baskets(C) pendants(D) surfaces6.According to the passage , a weft is a(A) tool for separating sedge root(B) process used for coloring baskets(C) pliable maternal woven around the warp(D) pattern used to decorate baskets7.According to the passage , what did the Pomo people use as the warp in their baskets?(A) bullrush(B) willow(C) sedge(D) redbud8. The word "article" in line 17 is close in meaning to(A) decoration(B) shape(C) design(D) object9. According to the passage . The relationship between redbud and twining is most similar to the relationship between(A) bullrush and coiling(B) weft and warp(C) willow and feathers(D) sedge and weaving10. The word "staples" in line 23 is closest in meaning to(A) combinations(B) limitations(C) accessories(D) basic elements11. The word "distinct" in lime 26 is closest in meaning to(A) systematic(B) beautiful(C) different(D) compatible12. Which of the following statements about Pomo baskets can be best inferred from the passage ?(A) Baskets produced by other Native Americans were less varied in design than those of the Pomo people.(B) Baskets produced by Pomo weavers were primarily for ceremonial purposes.(C) There were a very limited number of basketmaking materials available to the Pomo people.(D) The basketmaking production of the Pomo people has increased over the years.托福阅读模拟题答案：BDCBB CBDAD CA。
托福阅读真题第26套
第26套Newspaper in Western EuropeBy the eighteenth century,newspapers had become firmly established as a means of spreading news of European and world affairs,as well as of local concerns, within European society.One of the first true newspapers was the Dutch paper Nieuwe Tijdingen It began publication in the early seventeenth century at about the same time that the overseas trading company called the Dutch East India Company was formed The same ships that brought goods back from abroad brought news of the world,too.1.According to paragraph1，what was true about the Dutch paper Nieuwe Tijdingen?A.It reported news mainly about ships and trade goodsB.It was established in the eighteenth centuryC.It was among the first real newspapers in Europe.D.It was published by an overseas trading company.Dutch publishers had an advantage over many other publishers around Europe because the Netherlands’highly decentralized political system made its censorship laws very difficult to enforce Throughout Europe in the seventeenth century, governments began recognizing the revolutionary potential of the free press and began requiring licenses of newspapers—to control who was able to publish news. Another tactic,in France and elsewhere on the continent from the1630s onward,was for governments to sponsor official newspapers.These state publications met the increasing demand for news but always supported the government’s views of the events of the day2.Paragraph2suggests that the main reason why governments began to license newspapers wasA.to make sure that newspapers were of high qualityB.to provide their countries'publishers with an advantage over other European publishersC.to reduce competition among government-sponsored newspapersD.to help control the public's attitudes about the news3.According to paragraph2,what was true about official government newspapers?A.They made censorship laws more difficult to enforceB.They expanded the revolutionary potential of the pressC.They appeared first in the Netherlands,D.They always agreed with the government's opinion.By the eighteenth century,new conditions allowed newspapers to flourish as never before First,demand for news increased as Europe’s commercial and political interests spread around the globe—merchants in London,Liverpool，or Glasgow,for example,came to depend on early news of Caribbean harvests and gains and losses in colonial wars Europe's growing commercial strength also increased distribution networks for newspapers.There were more and better roads,and more vehicles could deliver newspapers in cities and convey them to outlying towns Newspaper publishers made use of the many new sites where the public expected to read,as newspapers were delivered to cafes and sold or delivered by booksellers.4.According to paragraph3,why did demand for news increase in the eighteenth century?A.People wanted to read about the new books being sold by booksellersernments wanted to make sure their colonies were being governed efficiently.C.Merchants needed to know how their businesses would be affected by events in other countries.D.Owners of cafes needed to predict how foreign harvests might affect food pricesSecond,many European states had established effective postal systems by the eighteenth century.It was through the mail that readers outside major cities and their environs—and virtually all readers in areas where press censorship was exercised firmly—received their newspapers.One of the most successful newspapers in Europe was a French-language paper(one of the many known as La Gazette,)published in Leiden,in the Netherlands,which boasted a wide readership in France and among elites throughout Europe.5.The word“exercised”in the passage is closet in meaning toA.critizedB.rejectedC.appliedD.defended6.In paragraph4,why does the author mention a French language paper that was published in Leiden?A.To show that the most successful newspapers in Europe tended to be French-language newspapersB.To illustrate the important role played by the mail in the distribution of newspapersC.To provide evidence that newspapers were being read by the elites of EuropeD.To establish that the Netherlands had one of the most effective postal systems in EuropeFinally,press censorship faltered in one of the most important markets for news—England—at the turn of the eighteenth century after1688.debate raged about whether the Parliament or the Crown had the right to control the press,and in theconfusion the press flourished.The emergence of political parties further hampered control of the press because political decisions in Parliament now always involved compromise,and many members believed that an active press was useful to that process.British government’s control of the press was reduced to taxing newspapers, a tactic that drove some papers out of business.7.The word"emergence”in the passage is closest in meaning toA.influenceB.activityC.riseD.success8.The word"tactic”in the passage is closest in meaning toA.strategyB.situationC.requirementD.reason9.According to paragraph5,many members of Parliament held which of the following views about the English press?A.It had the effect of increasing tensions between Parliament and the monarchyB.It created pressure that encouraged political opponents to reach agreementC.It helped create the confusion that led to the emergence of political parties.D.It could be more effectively controlled by compromise than by taxing newspapersEighteenth-century newspapers were modest products by modern Western standards. Many were published only once or twice a week instead of every day,in editions of only a few thousand copies.Each newspaper was generally only four pages long. Illustrations were rare，and headlines had not yet been invented.Hand-operated wooden presses were used to print the papers,just as they had been used to print pamphlets and books since the invention of printing in the fifteenth century.10.According to paragraph6，all of the following are true of eighteenth-century newspapers EXCEPTA.They usually were published no more than twice a weekB.They generally consisted of four pagesC.They included numerous illustrations.D.They had no headlinesYet these newspapers had a dramatic impact on their reading public Regular production of newspapers(especially of many competing newspapers)meant that news was presented to the public at regular intervals and in manageable amounts. Even strange and threatening news from around the world became increasingly easy for readers to absorb and interpret Newspaper readers also felt themselves part of thepublic life about which they were reading This was true partly because newspapers, available in public reading rooms and in cafes,were one kind of reading that occupied an increasing self-aware and literate audience.Newspapers also were uniquely responsive to their readers.They began to carry advertisements,which both produced revenue for papers and widened readers'exposure to their own communities.Even more important was the inauguration of letters to the editor in which readers expressed their opinions about events Newspapers thus became venues for the often rapid exchange of news and opinions.11.The word"thus"in the passage is closest in meaning toA.consequentlyB.regularlyC.in additionD.soon12.According to paragraph7，newspapers had all of the following effects on their readers EXCEPTA.They found it easier to understand news from other countriesB.They became more successful in business than those who did not read newspapersC.They became better connected to their local communities.D.They could write about their own opinions on current events13.Look at the four squares■that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage:And even when it was possible to apply laws limiting speech,authorities were reluctant to do so because of the growing economic importance of the commercial book market.Dutch publishers had an advantage over many other publishers around Europe because the Netherlands’highly decentralized political system made its censorship laws very difficult to enforce.■Throughout Europe in the seventeenth century, governments began recognizing the revolutionary potential of the free press and began requiring licenses of newspapers—to control who was able to publish news.■Another tactic,in France and elsewhere on the continent from the1630s onward, was for governments to sponsor official newspapers.■These state publications met the increasing demand for news but always supported the government's views of the events of the day.■14.Summary:By the eighteenth century,newspapers had become established as a means of spreading news of European affairs within European society.ernments tried to control what news got published by sponsoring official newspapers,taxing publishers,requiring newspapers to be licensed,and instituting press-censorship laws.B.England was the most Important market for news,but disruptions caused by conflict over how the government should control the press resulted in many British newspapers being driven out of business.C.Censorship laws were established and enforced differently across Europe because of differences in the political systems of the various countries.D.Europe's expanding commercial and political interests led to increased demand for news and also to improved systems for distributing newspapers,E.Although eighteenth-century newspapers were modest by modern standards,they made current events accessible to the reading public and facilitated the rapid exchange of news and opinions.F.Newspapers'regular presentation of strange and threatening news from around the world had the effect of making their readers feel more closely connected to their own local communities.The Plow and the Horse in Medieval Europe（15年11月14日）Paragraph1One of the most important factors driving Europe’s slow emergence from the economic stagnation of the Early Middle Ages(circa500-1000B.C.E.)was the improvement of agricultural technology.One innovation was a new plow,with a curved attachment(moldboard)to turn over wet,heavy soils,and a knife(or coulter) in front of the blade to allow a deeper and easier cut.This more complex plow replaced the simpler“scratch”plow that merely made a shallow,straight furrow in the ground.In the lands around the Mediterranean,with light rains and mild winters,this had been fine,but in the wetter terrain north and west of the Danube and the Alps, such a plow left much to be desired,and it is to be wondered if it was used at all.【Cleared lands would more likely have been worked by hand tilling,with little direct help from animals,and the vast forests natural to Northern Europe remained either untouched,or perhaps cleared in small sections by fire,and the land probably was used only so long as the ash-enriched soil yielded good crops and then abandoned for some other similarly cleared field.】Such a pattern of agriculture and settlement was no basis for sustained cultural or economic life.1.The word“stagnation”in the passage is closest in meaning toA.instabilityck of growthC.dependence on othersD.decline2.According to paragraph1,what was the main advantage of the new plow over the scratch plow?A.The new plow created straighter rows.B.The new plow was easier for animals to pull.C.The new plow could dig deeper into the soil.D.The new plow was easier to make3.The word“sustained”in the passage is closest in meaning toA.continuedB.establishedC.ordinaryD.active4.According to paragraph1,the scratch plow was particularly unsuited toA.the lands around the MediterraneanB.places where the soil was often dryC.places where land was cleared and worked by handD.places where the soil was particularly wet and heavy5.Paragraph1implies which of the following about agriculture before the introduction of the new plow?A.Limited rainfall had prevented large-scale agricultural development.B.Most of Europe’s developed agricultural communities were located in the south.C.Several other important innovations immediately preceded the development of the new plow.D.Much of Europe’s forestland had been converted to agricultural use.6.Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage?Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.（原文加【】的地方）A.Tilling by hand was so difficult that cleared land in Northern Europe was often abandoned and allowed to return to its natural forested state.B.Cleared land was probably tilled by hand,while the forests of Northern Europe were cleared only in small sections and used for short periods.C.In the vast natural forests of Northern Europe,farmers had to work the and by hand, with little direct help from animals.D.Fire enabled northern European farmers to enrich cleared land enough to cultivate their crops for short periods of time.Paragraph2With the new heavy plow,however,fields could be cleared,sowed,and maintained with little more difficulty than in the long-settled lands of Southern Europe,while the richness of the new soils,the reliability of the rains,and the variety of crops now possible made for an extremely productive agriculture.The new tool,however, imposed new demands,technical,economic,and social.The heavy plow was a substantial piece of capital,unlike a simple hand hoe,and this had the same sorts of implications that capitalization always has—it favored the concentration of wealth and control.Moreover,making full use of it required more animal power,and this had a host of implications of its own.The full importance of this was even more apparentin the centuries after1000,when oxen began to give way in certain parts of Western Europe to horses.7.The word“implications”in the passage is closest in meaning toA.requirementsB.inequalitiesC.consequencesD.disadvantages8.What can be inferred from the information that the new plow“favored the concentration of wealth and control”?A.Wealthy farmers in the south had a significant economic advantage over farmers in the north.B.The production and sale of the new plow became an important source of capital.C.The new plow was more popular in parts of Europe where oxen were used for farming than in parts where horses were used.D.Greater economic equality existed in northern Europe before the introduction of the new plowParagraph3The powerful,rugged farm horse was itself a product of improvement during the Middle Ages,and it was part of complex set of technical changes and capabilities.The introduction of new forms of equipment for horses transformed this animal into the single most important assist to human labor and travel.Instead of the old harness used by the ancient Greeks and Romans,there appeared from Central Asia the rigid, padded horse collar.Now,when the horse pulled against a load,no longer did the load pull back against its neck and windpipe but rather rode on the sturdy shoulders.When this innovation was combined with the iron horseshoe,the greater speed and stamina of the horse displaced oxen wherever it could be afforded.The large importance of this lay not only in more efficient farmwork,but in swifter and surer transportation between town and countryside.The farmer with horses could move products to market more frequently and at greater distances than with only oxen,and the urban development that was to transform the European economic and social landscape after the eleventh century was propelled in large part by these new horse-centered transport capabilities.9.According to paragraph3,which of the following contributed to the dramatic rise in the agricultural use of horses in Europe?A.A powerful new breed of farm horse was brought to Europe from Central Asia.B.Farmers began using rigid,padded collars that allowed horses to pull heavy loads more easily.C.For the first time,horses became cheaper than oxen.D.Farmers began studying the farming techniques used by the ancient Greeks and Romans.10.According to paragraph3,what role did horses play in the larger social changes of the eleventh century?A.The raising and selling of horses became important economic and cultural activities in Europe.B.Horses stimulated the growth of urban areas by providing quick,reliable transportation.C.Owners of successful horse-based farms became influential members of society.D.Horse transportation enabled Europeans to interact with other cultures like those of Central Asia.Paragraph4Another indicator of how compelling and important was the new horse agriculture was its sheer cost.Unlike oxen and other cattle,horses cannot be supported exclusively on hay and pasturage,they require,particularly in northern climates where pasturing seasons are short,cropped food,such as oats and alfalfa.Unlike grass and hay,these are grown with much of the same effort and resources applied to human nourishment,and thus their acquisition represents a sacrifice,in a real sense, of human food.The importance of this in a world that usually lived at the margins of sufficient diet is hard to overstate.The increased resources that went into making the horse central to both the medieval economy and in a separate but related development, medieval warfare,are the surest sings of the great utility the animal now assumed.11.The word“exclusively”in the passage is closest in meaning toA.cheaplyB.easilyC.reliablyD.solely12.In paragraph4,why does the author emphasize the amount of effort and resources needed to grow alfalfa and oats?A.To illustrate how valuable horses were by showing how much farmers were willing to sacrifice to keep themB.To provide evidence that,in medieval Europe,both horses and humans lived at the margins of a sufficient dietC.To argue that it made more sense to devote land to growing food for humans than to growing food for horsesD.To explain why oxen and other cattle that ate grass and hay continued to be more common than horses13.Look at the four squares[]that indicate where the following sentencecould be added to the passage.In fact,it sliced the ground so thoroughly that fields could be planted after only one plowing rather than the two needed before.One innovation was a new plow,with a curved attachment(moldboard)to turn over wet,heavy soils,and a knife(or coulter)in front of the blade to allow a deeper and easier cut.【】This more complex plow replaced the simpler“scratch”plow that merely made a shallow,straight furrow in the ground.【】In the lands around the Mediterranean,with light rains and mild winters,this had been fine,but in the wetter terrain north and west of the Danube and the Alps,such a plow left much to be desired,and it is to be wondered if it was used at all.【】Cleared lands would more likely have been worked by hand tilling,with little direct help from animals,and the vast forests natural to Northern Europe remained either untouched,or perhaps cleared in small sections by fire,and the land probably used only so long as the ash-enriched soil yielded good crops and then abandoned for some other similarly cleared field.【】Such a pattern of agriculture and settlement was no basis for sustained cultural or economic life.Where would the sentence best fit?14.Directions:An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passageis provided plete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage.Some sentences do not belong in the summary because the express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage.This question is worth2points.Agricultural innovations with important social and economic consequences occurred in eleventh-century EuropeAnswer choicesA.Light rains and unpredictable winters had made most of the soil in Europe unsuitable for enough agriculture to sustain economic developmentB.Farmers switched from oxen to horses to pull their plows because inexpensive pasturage for oxen decreased significantly in the centuries after1000B.C.E.C.The introduction of iron horseshoes enabled farmers to transport goods farther than they could with the more expensive oxen.D.Improvements in the design of plows opened up vast areas of land in Northern Europe that had previously been unusable for sustained agriculture.E.With help from a new kind of harness from Asia,horses were able to pull the new heavy plow and to transport goods to market more quickly and frequently.F.The horse came to be valued so greatly that farmers devoted some of their land to growing crops for their horses rather than using this land to grow food for their families.Mating Songs of FrogsThe calling or singing of frogs plays an important role in their reproduction—specifically,in helping individuals find and select mates.Sound hasmany advantages as a communication signal.When sounds are broadcast,the auditory receptors do not need to be in a particular orientation relative to the sound source in order to receive stimulation.Loud songs,particularly those made by choruses of frogs calling together,can travel long distances and thus attractdistant frogs.Sounds travel around large obstacles.These advantages are not found in the visual modality,where the receiver must be attentive and have its visual receptor orientated in the correct direction.Further,most frogs and toads breed at night,when light levels are low but sounds can be easily localized.We can conclude that auditory signals are used by frogs and toads because they can be effective over long distances at night.1.According to paragraph1,all of the following are mentioned as true of the mating calls of frogs EXCEPT:A.They can reach frogs in far-off locations.B.They are not blocked by objects of substantial size.C.They are often combined with non-auditory signals.D.They can be received without the frog’s needing to orient itself toward the directionof the signal.2.The author provides information about"the visual modality"in order toA.emphasize that visual information plays a significant part in frog breedingB.explain why some frogs breed at night,while others breed during the dayC.indicate the resourcefulness with which frogs overcome obstacles in sound travel during the breeding processD.argue that auditory signals have advantages over visual signals for frog reproductionMale frogs do most of the courtship calling.Other male frogs can respond by adding their voices to form a calling chorus.Male frogs can also vocalize to each other as part of aggressive displays.Aggressive calls can be distinct from the advertisement calls used to attract females.Females can respond to male songs by moving toward the sound source or by selecting certain males as reproductive partners.In some species females also respond to males by calling:receptive pairs can even perform duets.Predators may also cue in on calling frogs as potential prey.3.The word"potential"in the passage is closest in meaning toA.occasionalB.possibleC.easyD.hiddenFrog songs contain several potentially important pieces of information about the calling male.First,sound amplitude can indicate the size of the individual that is Galling.Since many frogs exhibit indeterminate growth(i.e.,they keep getting bigger as they get older),size is a good predictor of relative age.In many species,callamplitude is increased by specialized vocal sacs that can enlarge as the animal grows; thus,older frogs produce louder calls.The male’s age matters to the female because older frogs have successfully survived the environmental hazards that the offspring they sire will soon be facing.Amplitude can also convey information on how far away the calling frog is or,for choruses,how many frogs are calling together.An intensely vocalizing chorus may indicate a particularly favorable breeding site.Sound amplitude(subjectively:loudness)can be an ambiguous cue for a female,however.A very intense sound can indicate an old male at some distance or a younger male that is close.A close,small chorus could be confused with a louder chorus that is farther away.4.The word"favorable”in the passage is closest in meaning toA.well populatedB.distantC.extensiveD.advantageous5.According to paragraph3，female frogs who listen to frog songs are trying to determine whether a future mateA.can protect future offspring from predatorsB.has an important social position within the male chorusC.has reached an age that indicates the ability to survive environmental challengesD.is young enough to be able to produce many offspring6.It can be inferred from paragraph3that female frogs are seeking mates whoA.can inhabit a variety of breeding sitesB.can occupy habitats at a distance from those of younger male frogsC.have protected previous mates from environmental hazardsD.are likely to pass on traits that strengthen their offspring's chances of survivalSound frequencies-or pitch-can also convey information about the calling male because the vocal apparatus grows larger as the frog grows older.In some frogs,the pitch of individual sounds varies with so that older and larger males give lower-pitched calls.Sound pitch is affected by temperature;small males can mimic the lower pitch of larger,older males by calling from colder locations.Finally,the length of time that an individual can afford to spend calling is a good indicator of his health.Many frogs invest considerable energy in calling,both because they do not feed and because it is a physically demanding behavior that relies on rapid muscular contractions of the vocalization apparatus.This effort can be debilitating in a male frog that is not in top physical condition.Calling in tree frogs is said to be the most energetically expensive behavior yet measured in any vertebrate.7.The word"ambiguous"in the passage is closest in meaning toA.unexpectedB.unclearC.importantD.unhelpful8.The word"convey"in the passage is closest in meaning toA.transmitB.add toC.amplifyD.correct9.Paragraph4implies that young frogs may call from cold areas for which of the following reasons?A.To indicate superior strength over older malesB.To appear more attractive to females by sounding older than actuallyareC.To be able to spend less energy in producing their callD.To compete against fewer males for a female’s attention10.In paragraph4,why does the author mention that tree frog calling is said to be“the most energetically expensive behavior yet measured in any vertebrate"?A.explain why it is important for tree frogs to be in top physical conditionB.To distinguish tree frogs from other species of frogsC.To indicate that survival is more difficult for frogs than for other vertebratesD.To emphasize how physical effort calling requiresSound frequencies and the overall temporal pattern(rhythm and rate)of the song can also reveal the species of the calling male.The frequencies sounds and their temporal patterns are species-specific.The species of a potential mate is extremely important to the female.Females that choose to mate with members of another species risk losing the energy invest in eggs because the hybrid offspring will not survive and reproduce.11.It can be inferred paragraph5that having species specific songs benefits frogs in which of the following ways?A.It enables frogs to better protect eggs from being damaged by members of other species.B.It make it possible for frogs to judge their distance from potential mates.C.It helps frogs to avoid having offspring that cannot survive and reproduceD.It makes it possible for frogs to invest more of their energy into producing eggs.Thu complexity of a frog song can also affect how attractive it is to a female.The songs of male tungara frogs,for example,can consist simply of short high-frequency“whines”or by several lower-frequency"chucks."More females approach loudspeakers playing whines plus chucks than whines alone.The addition of chucks,however,also has the disadvantage of attracting bats that eat the frogs.。
托福TPO26口语Task2题目+满分范文
托福TPO26口语Task2题目+满分范文为了帮助大家高效备考托福，为大家带来托福TPO26口语T ask2题目+满分范文，希望对大家备考有所帮助。
托福TPO26独立口语Task2题目：Some people like to have their cell or mobile phone with them at all times. Other people prefer not to bring their cell or mobile phone with them everywhere they go, or they choose not to own one at all. Which do you prefer? Explain why.托福TPO26独立口语Task2满分范文："I prefer not to bring cell-phones everywhere. There are some occasions I want to be detached from the world. For example, when I am readying a book in my study or in the library. It’s very annoying to hear the ring of the cell-phone or feel the vibrations. It always interrupts my train of thoughts. Having a cell-phone everywhere means you can be disturbed anytime. Nowadays, not just your friends will call you or send you message. More often than not, you receive spam messages or anonymous calls. It makes angry even to answer the calls. "以上是给大家整理的托福TPO26口语T ask2题目+满分范文，希望对你有所帮助!。
托福考试真题阅读TPO-26-reading阅读
Energy and the Industrial RevolutionFor years historians have sought to identify crucial elements in the eighteenth-century rise in industry, technology, and economic power Known as the Industrial Revolution, and many give prominence to the problem of energy. Until the eighteenth century, people relied on energy derived from plants as well as animal and human muscle to provide power Increased efficiency in the use of water and wind helped with such tasks as pumping, milling, or sailing. However, by the eighteenth century, Great Britain in particular was experiencing an energy shortage. Wood, the primary source of heat for homes and industries and also used in the iron industry as processed charcoal, was diminishing in supply. Great Britain had large amounts of coal; however, there were not yet efficient means by which to produce mechanical energy or to power machinery. This was to occur with progress in the development of the steam engine.In the late 1700s James Watt designed an efficient and commercially viable steam engine that was soon applied to a variety of industrial uses as it became cheaper to use. The engine helped solve the problem of draining coal mines of groundwater and increased the production of coal needed to power steam engines elsewhere. A rotary engine attached to the steam engine enabled shafts to be turned and machines to be driven, resulting in millsusing steam power to spin and weave cotton. Since the steam engine was fired by coal, the large mills did not need to be located by rivers, as had mills that used water- driven machines. The shift to increased mechanization in cotton production is apparent in the import of raw cotton and the sale of cotton goods. Between 1760 and 1850, the amount of raw cotton imported increased 230 times. Production of British cotton goods increased sixtyfold, and cotton cloth became Great Britain’s most important product, accounting for one-half of all exports. The success of the steam engine resulted in increased demands for coal, and the consequent increase in coal production was made possible as the steam-powered pumps drained water from the ever-deeper coal seams found below the water table.The availability of steam power and the demands for new machines facilitated the transformation of the iron industry. Charcoal, made from wood and thus in limited supply, was replaced with coal-derived coke (substance left after coal is heated) as steam-driven bellows came into use for producing of raw iron. Impurities were burnt away with the use of coke, producing a high-quality refined iron. Reduced cost was also instrumental in developing steam-powered rolling mills capable of producing finished iron of various shapes and sizes. The resulting boom in the iron industry expanded the annual iron output by more than 170 times between 1740 and 1840, and by the 1850s Great Britain was producing more tons of iron than the rest of the world combined. The developments in the iron industry were in part a response to the demand for more machines and the ever-widening use of higher-quality iron in other industries.Steam power and iron combined to revolutionize transport, which in turn had further implications. Improvements in road construction and sailing had occurred, but shipping heavy freight over land remained expensive, even with the use of rivers and canals wherever possible. Parallel rails had long been used in mining operations to move bigger loads, but horses were still the primary source of power. ■However, the arrival of the steam engine initiated a complete transformation in rail transportation, entrenching and expanding the Industrial Revolution. ■As transportation improved, distant and larger markets within the nation could be reached, thereby encouraging the development of larger factories to keep pace with increasing sales. ■Greater productivity and rising demands provided entrepreneurs with profits that could be reinvested to take advantage of new technologies to further expand capacity, or to seek alternative investment opportunities. ■Also, the availability of jobs in railway construction attracted many rural laborers accustomed to seasonal and temporary employment. When the work was completed, many moved to other construction jobs or to factory work in cities and towns, where they became part of an expanding working class.Q1: Why does the author provide the information that “Great Britain had large amounts of coal”?A. To reject the claim that Britain was facing an energy shortage in the eighteenth centuryB. To explain why coal rather than other energy resources became the primary source of heat for homes and industries in eighteenth-century BritainC. To indicate that Britain’s energy shortage was not the result of a lack of fuelQ2: What was “the problem of energy" that had to be solved to make the Industrial Revolution of the eighteenth century possible?A. Water and wind could not be used efficiently.B. There was no efficient way to power machinery.C. Steam engines required large amounts of coal, which was in short supply.D. Neither humans nor animals were strong enough to provide the power required for industrial application.Q3: Which of the following is NOT mentioned in paragraph 2 as a development in cotton mills brought about by Watt’s steam engine?A. The importing of huge quantities of raw cotton by BritainB. Increased mechanizationC. More possibilities for mill locationD. Smaller millsQ4: The phrase “apparent in” in the passage is closest in meaning toA. clearly seen inB. aided byC. associated withD. followed byQ5: According to paragraph 2, what was Britain’s most important export by 1850?A. Raw cottonB. Cotton clothC. Steam-powered pumpsD. CoalQ6: The word “consequent” in the passage is closest in meaning toA. resultingB. encouragingC. well documentedD. immediateQ7: What is the role of paragraph 2 in the passage as a whole?A. It explains how by increasing the supply of raw materials from other countries, British industries were able to reduce costs and increase production.B. It explains how the productionof mechanical energy and its benefits spread quickly across countries that were linked commercially with Great Britain.C. It demonstrates why developments in a single industry could not have caused the Industrial Revolution.D. It illustrates why historians have assigned great importance to the issue of energy in the rise of the Industrial Revolution.Q8: According to paragraph 3, why was the use of coke important for the iron industry?A. It helped make wood into charcoal.B. It reduced the dependency on steam-powered machines used for the production of iron.C. It replaced charcoal in the production of raw and refined iron.D. It powered the machines used to extract coal incoal mines.Q9: According to paragraph 3, all of the following were true of the iron industry inGreat Britain during the 1800s EXCEPT:A. Steam-driven bellows were used to produce raw iron.B. By the 1850s Britain was the world’s largest producer of iron.C. Steam-powered mills made it possible to produce iron of different shapes and sizes.D. Greater demand for higher-quality iron increased its price.Q10: The word “initiated” in the pass age is closest in meaning toA. anticipatedB. acceleratedC. spreadD. startedQ11: Paragraph 4 implies which of the following about the transformation in rail transportation?A. Because railway construction employed mostly rural laborers, unemployment increased among urban workers.B. It resulted in more trade within the country, but less trade with markets that could be reached only by ocean shipping.C. It made shipping freight overland to distant markets less expensive.D. It resulted in higher wages for factory workers.Q12: The phrase “accustomed to" in the passage is closest in meaning toA. in need ofB. used toC. tired ofD. encouraged byQ13: Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.The first steam-powered locomotives were slow but they rapidly improved in speed and carrying capacity.Where would the sentence best fit? Click on a square to add the sentence to the passage.Q14:Directions:An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.The coming of the Industrial Revolution in eighteenth-century Britain depended on the development of the steam engine to power machinery.A. For years, historians disregarded the issue of energy as a major element in the rise of the Industrial Revolution and focused instead on technological developments and increased production.B. The introduction and growth of steam-powered rail transport was a major factor in Britain's economic expansion during the Industrial Revolution.C. An expansion of the Industrial Revolution outside Great Britain occurred when British industries began to import raw cotton and high-quality iron.D. By 1850, the use of steam power in Britain's mills, mines, and iron industry made Britain a world leader in the production of cotton cloth and iron.E. Since the basic infrastructure was in place, the Industrial Revolution fueled itself with enlargingmarkets requiring ever more expansion of factories and workforce.F. By the end of the 1800s, railway construction attracted so many laborers that factories could not find enough workers to keep up with increasing sales.Survival of Plants and Animals in Desert ConditionsThe harsh conditions in deserts are intolerable for most plants and animals. Despite these conditions, however, many varieties of plants and animals have adapted to deserts in a number of ways. Most plant tissues die if their water content falls too low: the nutrients that feed plants are transmitted by water; water is a raw material in the vital process of photosynthesis; and water regulates the temperature of a plant by its ability to absorb heat and because water vapor lostto the atmosphere through the leaves helps to lower plant temperatures. ■Water controls the volume of plant matter produced. ■The distribution of plants within different areas of desert is also controlled by water. ■Some areas, because of their soil texture, topographical position, or distance from rivers or groundwater, have virtually no water available to plants, whereas others do.■The nature of plant life in deserts is also highly dependent on the fact that they have to adapt to the prevailing aridity. There are two general classes of vegetation: long-lived perennials, which may be succulent (water-storing) and are often dwarfed and woody, and annuals or ephemerals, which have a short life cycle and may form a fairly dense stand immediately after rain.The ephemeral plants evade drought. Given a year of favorable precipitation, such plants will develop vigorously and produce large numbers of flowers and fruit. This replenishes the seed content of the desert soil. The seeds then lie dormant until the next wet year, when the desert blooms again.The perennial vegetation adjusts to the aridity by means of various avoidance mechanisms. Most desert plants are probably best classified as xerophytes. They possess drought-resisting adaptations: loss of water through the leaves is reduced by means of dense hairs covering waxy leaf surfaces, by the closure of pores during the hottest times to reduce water loss, and by the rolling up or shedding of leaves at the beginning of the dry season. Some xerophytes, the succulents (including cacti), store water in their structures. Another way of countering drought is to have a limited amount of mass above ground and to have extensive root networks below ground. It is not unusual for the roots of some desert perennials to extend downward more than ten meters. Some plants are woody in type —an adaptation designed to prevent collapse of the plant tissue when water stress produces wilting. Another class of desert plant is the phreatophyte. These have adapted to the environment by the development of long taproots that penetrate downward until they approach the assured water supply provided by groundwater. Among these plants are the date palm, tamarisk, and mesquite. They commonly grow near stream channels, springs, or on the margins of lakes.Animals also have to adapt to desert conditions, and they may do it through two forms of behavioral adaptation: they either escape or retreat. Escape involves such actions as aestivation, a condition of prolonged dormancy, or torpor, during which animals reduce their metabolic rate and body temperature during the hot season or during very dry spells. Seasonal migration is another form of escape, especially for large mammals or birds. The term retreat is applied to the short-term escape behavior of desert animals, and it usually assumes the pattern of a daily rhythm. Birds shelter in nests, rock overhangs, trees, and dense shrubs to avoid the hottest hours of the day, while mammals like the kangaroo rat burrow underground.Some animals have behavioral, physiological, and morphological (structural) adaptations that enable them to withstand extreme conditions. For example, the ostrich has plumage that is so constructed that the feathers are long but not too dense. When conditions are hot, the ostrich erects them on its back, thus increasing the thickness of the barrier between solar radiation and the skin. The sparse distribution of the feathers, however, also allows considerable lateral air movement over the skin surface, thereby permitting further heat loss by convection. Furthermore, the birds orient themselves carefully with regard to the Sun and gently flap their wings to increase convection cooling.The harsh conditions in deserts are intolerable for most plants and animals. Despite these conditions, however, many varieties of plants and animals have adapted to deserts in a number of ways. Most plant tissues die if their water content falls too low: the nutrients that feed plants are transmitted by water; water is a raw material in the vital process ofto the atmosphere through the leaves helps to lower plant temperatures. ■Water controls the volume of plant matter produced. ■The distribution of plants within different areas of desert is also controlled by water. ■Some areas, because of their soil texture, topographical position, or distance from rivers or groundwater, have virtually no water available to plants, whereas others do.■Q1: According to paragraph 1, water provides all of the following essential functions for plants EXCEPTA. improving plants’ ability to absorb sunlightB. preventing plants from becoming overheatedC. transporting nutrientsD. serving as a raw material for photosynthesisQ2: Paragraph 3 suggests that during a dry year ephemeralsA. produce even more seeds than in a wet yearB. do not sprout from their seedsC. bloom much later than in a wet yearD. are more plentiful than perennialsQ3: Howis paragraph 2 related to paragraph 3?A. Paragraph 2 provides a general description of desert plants, and paragraph 3 provides a scientific explanation for these observations.B. Paragraph 2 divides desert plants into two categories, and paragraph 3 provides further information about one of these categories.C. Paragraph 2 proposes one way of dividing desert plants into categories, and paragraph 3 explains one problem with this method of classification.D. Paragraph 2 discusses two categories of desert plants, and paragraph 3 introduces a third category of plants.Q4: In saying that ephemerals will develop “vigorously" when there is favorable precipitation, the author means that their development will beA. suddenB. earlyC. gradualD. strong and healthyQ5: The word “countering” in the passage is closest in meaning toA. eliminatingB. making use ofC. acting againstD. experiencingQ6: According to paragraph 4, some desert plants with root systems that are extraordinarily well developed haveA. relatively little growth abovegroundB. very leafy aboveground structuresC. non woody plant tissue resistant to wiltingD. water stored within their rootsQ7: The word “assured” in the passage is closest in meaning toA. pureC. guaranteedD. deepQ8: What do “the date palm, tamarisk, and mesquite" have in common?A. They are always found together.B. They depend on surface water provided by streams, springs, and lakes.C. They are phreatophytes.D. Their roots are capable of breaking through hard soilsQ9: Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.A. One way animals escape is by entering a state of extended dormancy, known as aestivation, during the hottest and driest times of year.B. Animals can escape without using direct action, or aestivation, simply by reducing their metabolic rate and body temperature.C. The actions that an animal uses to escape are known as aestivation, which sometimes involves a reduction in metabolic rate or body temperature.D. When the weather is especially hot and dry, an animal may suffer from a condition known as aestivation, at which point the animal needs to escape.Q10: It can be inferred from paragraph 5 that all of the places desert animals retreat toA. provide shade from the sunB. sometimes become crowdedC. are places where supplies of food are plentifulD. leave the animals vulnerable to predatorsQ11: According to paragraph 7, what special adaptation helps the ostrich cope with hot desert conditions?A. Each of its feathers is very short and dense.B. Its wings produce only lateral air movement when flapping.C. Its feathers are very thickly set on both its back and its wings.D. It can make its feathers stand up on its back.Q12: Look at the four squares [■]that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.The increase in reward still did not attract young people to this hard life, and convicted criminals and slaves were pressed into servicesWhere would the sentence best fit?Q13:Directions: Select from the seven phrases below the two phrases that correctly characterize special adaptations found primarily in desert annuals and the three phrases that correctly characterize special adaptations found primarily in desert perennials. Select each phrase you select in the appropriate column of the table. This question is worth 3 points.Adaptations of AnnualsFive of the phrases will NOT be used.Answer ChoicesA. Woody structuresB. Explosive growth in wet yearsD. Storage of water in plant tissueE. Minimization of the amount of water used for photosynthesisF. Short life cycleG. Leaves designed to minimize water lossAdaptations of PerennialsFour of the phrases will NOT be used.Answer ChoicesA. Woody structuresB. Explosive growth in wet yearsC. Long, thin, shallow rootsD. Storage of water in plant tissueE. Minimization of the amount of water used for photosynthesisF. Short life cycleG. Leaves designed to minimize water lossSumer and the First Cities of the Ancient Near EastThe earliest of the city states of the ancient Near East appeared at the southern end of the Mesopotamian plain, the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is now Iraq. It was here that the civilization known as Sumer emerged in its earliest form in the fifth millennium. At first sight, the plain did not appear to be a likely home for a civilization. There were few natural resources, no timber, stone, or metals. Rainfall was limited, and what water there was rushed across the plain in the annual flood of melted snow. As the plain fell only 20 meters in 500 kilometers, the beds of the rivers shifted constantly. It was this that made the organization of irrigation, particularly the building of canals to channel and preserve the water, essential. Once this was done and the silt carried down by the rivers was planted, the rewards were rich: four to five times what rain-fed earth would produce. It was these conditions that allowed an elite to emerge, probably as an organizing class, and to sustain itself through the control of surplus crops.It is difficult to isolate the factors that led to the next development—the emergence of urban settlements. The earliest, that of Eridu, about 4500 B.C.E., and Uruk, a thousand years later, center on impressive temple complexes built of mud brick. In some way, the elite had associated themselves with the power of the gods. Uruk, for instance, had two patron gods—Anu, the god of the sky and sovereign of all other gods, and Inanna, a goddess of love and war—and there were others, patrons of different cities. Human beings were at their mercy. The biblical story of the Flood may originate in Sumer. In the earliest version, the gods destroy the human race because its clamor had been so disturbing to them.It used to be believed that before 3000 B.C.E. the political and economic life of the cities was centered on their temples, but it now seems probable that the cities had secular rulers from earliest times. ■Within the city lived administrators, craftspeople, and merchants. (Trading was important, as so many raw materials, the semiprecious stones for the decoration of the temples, timbers for roofs, and all metals, had to be imported.) ■An increasingly sophisticated system of administration led in about 3300 B.C.E. to the appearance of writing. ■The earliest script was based on logograms, with a symbol being used to express a whole word. ■The logograms were incised on damp clay tablets with a stylus with a wedge shape at its end. (The Romans called the shape cuneus and this gives the script its name of cuneiform.) Two thousand logograms have been recorded from these early centuries of writing. A more economical approach was to use a sign to expres s not a whole word but a single syllable. (To take an example: the Sumerian word for " head” was “sag.” Whenever a word including a syllable in which the sound “sag” was to be written, the sign for “sag" could be used to express that syllable with the remaining syllables of the word expressed by other signs.) By 2300 B.C.E. the number of signs required had been reduced to 600, and the range of words that could be expressed had widened. Texts dealing with economic matters predominated, as they always had done; but at this point works of theology, literature, history, and law also appeared.Other innovations of the late fourth millennium include the wheel, probably developed first as a more efficient way of making pottery and then transferred to transport. A tablet engraved about 3000 B.C.E. provides the earliest known example from Sumer, a roofed boxlike sledge mounted on four solid wheels. A major development was the discovery, again about 3000 B.C.E., that if copper, which had been known in Mesopotamia since about 3500 B.C.E., was mixed with tin, a much harder metal, bronze, would result. Although copper and stone tools continued to be used, bronze was far more successful in creating sharp edges that could be used as anything from saws and scythes to weapons. The period from 3000 to 1000 B.C.E., when the use of bronze became widespread, is normally referred to as the Bronze Age.It used to be believed that before 3000 B.C.E. the political and economic life of the cities was centered on their temples, but it now seems probable that the cities had secular rulers from earliest times. ■Within the city lived administrators, craftspeople, and merchants. (Trading was important, as so many raw materials, the semiprecious stones for the decoration of the temples, timbers for roofs, and all metals, had to be imported.) ■An increasingly sophisticated system of administration led in about 3300 B.C.E. to the appearance of writing. ■The earliest script was based on logograms, with a symbol being used to express a whole word. ■The logograms were incised on damp clay tablets with a stylus with a wedge shape at its end. (The Romans called the shape cuneus and this gives the script its name of cuneiform.)Q1: Which of the following is NOT mentioned in paragraph 1 as a disadvantage of the Mesopotamian plain?A. There was not very much rainfall for most of the year.B. Melting snow caused flooding every year.C. The silt deposited by rivers damaged crops.D. Timber, stone and metals were not readily available.Q2: According to paragraph 1, which of the following made it possible for an elite to emerge?A. New crops were developed that were better suited to conditions on the Mesopotamian plain.B. The richest individuals managed to gain control of the most valuable cropland.C. Control over the few available natural resources made some people four to five times richer than everyone else.D. The building of canals to increase agricultural output required organization.Q3: The word “sustain" in the passage is closest in meaning toA. defendB. promoteC. maintainD. transformQ4: According to paragraph 2, Eridu and Uruk are examples of urban settlements thatA. lacked the features usually found in other early urban settlementsB. developed around religious buildingsC. grew much more rapidly than most of the urban settlements found in SumerD. were mysteriously destroyed and abandonedQ5: The word “sovereign" in the passage is closest in meaning toA. counselorB. masterC. defenderD. creatorQ6: According to paragraph 3, which of the following led to the appearance of writing?A. An increasingly sophisticated administrative systemB. Coordination between secular and religious leadersC. The large volume of trade, particularly importsD. A rapidly expanding and changing populationQ7: In paragraph 3, why does the author provide the information that the number of signs in use had dropped from 2,000 to 600 by 2300 B.C.E.?A. To argue that the development of writing involved periods of growth followed by periods of declineB. To demonstrate that earlier written texts used a larger vocabulary than later texts, which were aimed at a broader audienceC. To support the claim that the range of words expressed by logograms varied widely depending on time period and type of textD. To provide evidence for the increased efficiency of using signs to express syllables rather than whole wordsQ8: According to paragraph 3, ancient texts most commonly dealt withA. theologyB. literatureD. lawQ9: According to paragraph 4, the earliest wheels probablyA. were first developed in areas outside MesopotamiaB. were used to make potteryC. appeared on boxlike sledgesD. were used to transport goods between citiesQ10: The word “engraved” in the passage is closest in meaning toA. carvedB. producedC. datedD. discoveredQ11: Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.A. Also around 3000B.C.E., it was discovered that mixing copper, known from about 3500 B.C.E., with tin would create a much harder metal known as bronze.B. Although copper had been known since 3500 B.C.E in Mesopotamia, the discovery of bronze did not occur until around 3000 B.C.E.C. Another major development around 3000 B.C.E. was the discovery that copper could be mixed with a much harder metal known as tin.D. The development of bronze by mixing copper and tin probably occurred around 3000 B.C.E. but may have happened as early as 3500 B.C.E.Q12: The word “widespread” in the passage is closest in meaning toA. obviousB. significantC. necessaryD. commonQ13: Look at the four squares [■]that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.City life was diverse, and the population was engaged in a variety of occupations.Where would the sentence best fit?Q14:Directions:An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minorideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.Irrigation made it possible for the civilization known as Sumer to arise on the Mesopotamian plain in the fifth millennium B.C.E.Answer ChoicesA. The scarcity of natural resources on the plain made it necessary for a powerful elite to emerge and take charge of trade and imports.B. The economy of each city was based on a craft such as pottery or metal working, and the city of Eridu was known for its saws, scythes and weapons.C. Writing appeared in the form of logograms and later developed into a system using signs to represent syllables rather than whole words.。
TPO-26 Reading 2解析
正确答案：A解析：在第一段中，B项对应water regulates the temperature of a plant by its ability to absorb heat；C项对应the nutrients that feed plants are transmitted by water; D项对应water is a raw material in the vital process of photosynthesis。
排除法选A。
Q2正确答案：B解析：第三段主要讲述一年生植物通过保存种子的方法来躲避干旱。
根据the seeds then lie dormant until next wet year, when the desert blooms again确定B 正确；原文说的是replenish the seed content而不是produce more seeds，排除A；原文未提及一年生植物在dry year是否开花，排除C；原文没有提及一年生植物和多年生植物多少的比较，排除D。
Q3正确答案：B解析：通过理解段意可知，第二段主要介绍了两种植物，perennials和ephemerals，第三段详细介绍了ephemerals，B正确。
Q4正确答案：D解析：vigorously，强壮地，茁壮地。
在原文中develop vigorously和produce large numbers of flowers and fruit是并列近义，也可据此推断vigorously近义词是strong and healthy。
Q5正确答案：C解析：counter，反驳，驳斥，抵制，抵消；近义词是acting against。
也可根据countering所在句的意思推断：地面上的植物部分少，地底下的根系网络发达，这种结构是为了对抗干旱。
eliminating是干扰选项，因为消除干旱是不可能的。
托福TPO26综合写作阅读原文+听力原文+满分范文
¡¡¡¡ÎªÁË°ïÖú´ó¼Ò¸ßЧ±¸¿¼Íи££¬Îª´ó¼Ò´øÀ´Íи£TPO26×ÛºÏд×÷ÔĶÁÔ-ÎÄ+ÌýÁ¦Ô-ÎÄ+Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ£¬Ï£Íû¶Ô´ó¼Ò±¸¿¼ÓÐËù°ïÖú¡£¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO26×ÛºÏд×÷ÔĶÁÔ-ÎÄÎı¾£º¡¡¡¡The zebra mussel, a freshwater shellfish native to Eastern Europe, has long been spreading out from its original habitats and has now reached parts of North America. There are reasons to believe that this invasion cannot be stopped and that it poses a serious threat to freshwater fish populations in all of North America. First, the history of the zebra mussel's spread suggests that the invasion might be unstoppable. It is a prime example of an invasion made possible by human transportation. From the zebra mussel£¬s original habitats in Eastern Europe, ships helped spread it out along new canals built to connect Europe¡¯s waterways. The mussel can attach itself to a ship¡¯ s bottom or can survive in the water¡ªcalled "ballast water"¡ªthat the ship needs to take on to properly balance its cargo. By the early nineteenth century, the mussel had spread to the whole of Europe. It was later carried to the east coast of North America in the ballast water of ships traveling from Europe. The way ships have spread the zebra mussel inthe past strongly suggests that the species will soon colonize all of North America. Moreover, once zebra mussels are carried to a new habitat, theycan dominate it. They are a hardy species that does well under a variety of conditions, and they have a high rate of reproduction. Most important, however, zebra mussels often have no predators in their new habitats, and species without natural predators are likely to dominate their habitats. Finally, zebra mussels are likely to cause a decline in the overall fish population in habitats where they become dominant. The mussels are plankton eaters, which means that they compete for food with many freshwater fish species.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO26×ÛºÏд×÷ÌýÁ¦Ô-ÎÄÎı¾£º¡¡¡¡ProfessorContrary to what you just read, there are ways to control the zebra mussel's spread. What's more, it is not so clear that the mussel is a serious threat to fish populations.True, the spread of zebra mussels couldn't be controlled in the past, but that's because people didn't have enough knowledge. In fact, there are effective ways to stop ships from carrying the mussels to new locations. Here's an example. The way zebra mussels usually travel across the ocean is that a ship takes on some fresh ¡°ballast water¡± in Europe and the n empties that water into American waterways when it arrives. Full of zebra mussels, but the ship can be required to empty out the freshwater and refill with ocean water while still out in the ocean. Salt water will kill the mussels.Second, it's true that zebra mussels often don't have predators in their new habitats, but that's only in the beginning. What's been happening in Europe is that local aquatic birds sooner or later notice there's a new food source around and change their habits to exploit it. They switch from whatever they were eating before to eating zebra mussels. And birds can eat a lot of mussels. So zebra mussels aren't so likely to dominate their new habitats after all.Finally,even in habitats where zebra mussels become dominant, is the overall fish population likely to decrease. It's true that zebra mussels may have a negative impact on fish that eat plankton. But on other fish, they can have a positive impact. For example, the mussels generate nutrients that are eaten by fish that feed near the bottom of the lake or river. So bottom-feeding fish populations may increase, even if plankton-eating fish population decrease.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO26×ÛºÏд×÷Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ1£º¡¡¡¡Contrary to what is argued in the passage, the lecture illustrates how zebra mussels are not likely to become a serious threat to freshwater fish populations in North America. First and foremost, new knowledge of the zebra mussel has shed light on new ways to prevent their invasion, even though people in the past have not been able to stop the spread of zebra mussels effectively. For instance, although a large amount of zebra mussels spread to North America by staying in the ballast water of a ship, people can now get rid of them before the ship gets to the shore ¨C if the ballast water is emptied halfway of the journey and refreshed with sea water, the zebra mussels can be exterminated as soon as they get exposed to salt water. Furthermore, zebra mussels are not likely to dominate a new habitat for a long period of time. The lecture agrees that zebra mussels may have no predators and reproduce rapidly in the beginning, but it would not be long before predators notice this new source of food and therefore prevent its domination. Finally, zebra mussels would not cause the decline of overall fish population. While zebra mussels would most likely cause the decline of plankton eaters, as the passage suggests, they would also provide nutrients for bottom-feeding fish and eventually cause the population of those fish to increase.¡¡¡¡Íи£TPO26×ÛºÏд×÷Âú·Ö·¶ÎÄ2£º¡¡¡¡The reading passage states that the invasion of zebra mussels poses a serious threat to freshwater fish populations in all of North America. Contrary to what is argued in the passage, the lecture contends that there are ways to control zebra mussels and they might not bring great threats to fish population. Firstly, even though the spread of zebra mussels could not be controlled, new knowledge of zebra mussel has shed light on new ways to prevent their invasion. For instance, in the past a large amount of zebra mussels spread to North America by staying in the ballast water of a ship. But now the ship can be required to empty out the freshwater and refill with ocean water while still out in the ocean. If the ballast water is emptied halfway of the journey and refreshed with sea water, the zebra mussels can be exterminated as soon as they get exposed to salt water. Furthermore, zebra mussels are not likely to dominate a new habitat for a long period of time. The lecture agrees that zebra mussels may have no predators and reproduce rapidly in the beginning, but it would not be long before predators, like local aquatic birds in Europe, notice this new source of food and therefore prevent its domination. Finally, zebra mussels would。
新托福TPO26阅读原文及译文(二)
新托福TPO26阅读原文(二)：沙漠环境中动植物的求生策略TPO26-2：Survival of Plants and Animals in Desert Conditions The harsh conditions in deserts are intolerable for most plants and animals. Despite these conditions, however, many varieties of plants and animals have adapted to deserts in a number of ways. Most plant tissues die if their water content falls too low: the nutrients that feed plants are transmitted by water; water is a raw material in the vital process of photosynthesis; and water regulates the temperature of a plant by its ability to absorb heat and because water vapor lost to the atmosphere through the leaves helps to lower plant temperatures. Water controls the volume of plant matter produced. The distribution of plants within different areas of desert is also controlled by water. Some areas, because of their soil texture, topographical position, or distance from rivers or groundwater, have virtually no water available to plants, whereas others do.The nature of plant life in deserts is also highly dependent on the fact that they have to adapt to the prevailing aridity. There are two general classes of vegetation: long-lived perennials, which may be succulent (water-storing) and are often dwarfed and woody, and annuals or ephemerals, which have a short life cycle and may form a fairly dense stand immediately after rain.The ephemeral plants evade drought. Given a year of favorable precipitation, such plants will develop vigorously and produce large numbers of flowers and fruit. This replenishes the seed content of the desert soil. The seeds then lie dormant until the next wet year, when the desert blooms again.The perennial vegetation adjusts to the aridity by means of various avoidance mechanisms. Most desert plants are probably best classified as xerophytes. They possess drought-resisting adaptations: loss of water through the leaves is reduced by means of dense hairs covering waxy leaf surfaces, by the closure of pores during the hottest times to reduce water loss, and by the rolling up or shedding of leaves at the beginning of the dry season. Some xerophytes, the succulents (including cacti), store water in their structures. Another way of countering drought is to have a limitedamount of mass above ground and to have extensive root networks below ground. It is not unusual for the roots of some desert perennials to extend downward more than ten meters. Some plants are woody in type —an adaptation designed to prevent collapse of the plant tissue when water stress produces wilting. Another class of desert plant is the phreatophyte. These have adapted to the environment by the development of long taproots that penetrate downward until they approach the assured water supply provided by groundwater. Among these plants are the date palm, tamarisk, and mesquite. They commonly grow near stream channels, springs, or on the margins of lakes.Animals also have to adapt to desert conditions, and they may do it through two forms of behavioral adaptation: they either escape or retreat. Escape involves such actions as aestivation, a condition of prolonged dormancy, or torpor, during which animals reduce their metabolic rate and body temperature during the hot season or during very dry spells.Seasonal migration is another form of escape, especially for large mammals or birds. The term retreat is applied to the short-term escape behavior of desert animals, and it usually assumes the pattern of a daily rhythm. Birds shelter in nests, rock overhangs, trees, and dense shrubs to avoid the hottest hours of the day, while mammals like the kangaroo rat burrow underground.Some animals have behavioral, physiological, and morphological (structural) adaptations that enable them to withstand extreme conditions. For example, the ostrich has plumage that is so constructed that the feathers are long but not too dense. When conditions are hot, the ostrich erects them on its back, thus increasing the thickness of the barrier between solar radiation and the skin. The sparse distribution of the feathers, however, also allows considerable lateral air movement over the skin surface, thereby permitting further heat loss by convection. Furthermore, the birds orient themselves carefully with regard to the Sun and gently flap their wings to increase convection cooling.TPO26-2译文：沙漠环境中动植物的求生策略沙漠中的严酷环境对于大部分动植物来说都是难以忍受的。
TPO 26 Task1-2
Task 1Q: Think of a book that you have not read but are interested in reading. Explain why the book was important to you. Give specific details and examples to explain your answer.Sample:Harry Potter is the most interesting book that I have ever heard but haven’t read.First of all, it is so full of interesting stories. Although it is such a thick book and cost more than $100, I have been fascinated by this book and chased after the series movie for several years. The story is so interesting that I want to read it again and again and I would like to know anything related to it whether it is about the characters or the stories.Also I believe this novel will open a new world to me. The writer of Harry Potter Joanne Rowling is such a good writer that her imagination will broaden my horizon. Previously I knew very little about the world of wizards but I would like to join a group of Harry Potter fans with whom I can discuss lots about Harry Potter from time to time.Q: Some people like to have their cell or mobile phone with them at all times. Other people prefer not to bring their cell or mobile phone with them everywhere they go, or they choose not to own one at all. Which do you prefer? Explain why.Sample:I strongly agree with the opinion that there is no need for people to have their cell with them all the time. The use of a mobile phone should be forbidden in some places, such as library and airplanes. The most common reason for people going to a library is to find a silent environment to read their favorite books without interruption. But if you receive a phone call in the library or just send out messages, the mobile phone will ring. Though people have personal right to use their mobile phone, the others are not supposed to be involved in the unnecessary disturbance. And I do not think it is very polite unless you can turn down the volume. Another place is airplane. As we all know that it is very dangerous to have a phone call in airplane. It may causes interference between the signals. Therefore, mobile phone should be forbidden in airplanes unless there is a new technique can avoid it.Q: The man expresses his opinion about the proposal in the letter. Briefly summarize the proposal. Then state his opinion and explain the reasons he gives for holding that opinion.Sample:The university decides to announce that the advisers meeting are no longer required because students can get the necessary information about the courses on theuniversity’s Web site. The man holds the opinion that the advisers meeting is necessary. He states that students can figure out more information with advisers’ help.Sometimes students can not just get everything on the Web site,.and advisers’suggestion would make it easier for them to see their choices. Meanwhile, scheduling meetings are not necessary due to seldom of the students have that kind of trouble, and it hard to set up an appointment because there are often a lot of students.Q: Using the example of the urn plant, explain how epiphytes have adapted to life in the rain forest.Sample:The urn plant wraps its roots around the branches of the trees or sometimes around the trunk near the upper part of the tree. They use the trees for support. And this allows them to reside high in the trees, in the canopy, where they can get plenty of sunlight. Now, the urn plant has an unique shape, and it helps the urn plant gather and store water, it also helps it to gather other nutrients. This is because insects, dead leaves from other plants or other debris land on the leaves and then get washed down into the stored water. Gradually, they decompose so that the water supply contains a kind of liquid fertilizer, that can be released to the plant whenever it needs it.Q: Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which solution you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your recommendation.Sample:The man is going to play guitar with his friends and start making music, after several months’ practicing they will have a concert. However, the problem is that the auditorium is already booked for the next few weekends, and there are no weekends left before summer. Thus, there two solutions. One is that they need to do the show next Wednesday night. The other one is, they are going to perform with their friends next Saturday, the only catch is, they won’t have enough time to play all the songs. Therefore, I recommend that they would better to choose the first solution for which they would have their own audience.Q: Us ing the examples from the talk, explain two ways that a product’s container can be designed to appeal to consumers.Sample:According to the lecture,the professor talks about a couple of ways that a product’s container can be designed to appeal to customers.The first way is to make the container as user-friendly as possible,as convenient to use as possible. Take, for example, when companies started using plastic containers for condiments, such as ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise. In the past, these products came in glass containers with kids you had to screw off, which could be troublesome and messy. But flexible plastic containers were much more convenient to use. And so they are more attractive to consumers.Then professor mentions another way,giving the container a pleasing appearanc e. For example, cookies in a nice metal box with pretty pictures of some kinds is more popular than which sells with a cardboard box. Attractive containers can make a product more appealing.Task6 听力文本：ProfessorWhen consumers are buying a product,most of the time they are not buying just itself.they also buying the container the product comes in .So the design of the container is very important.It can be deciding factor when consumers are trying to decide which brand of a product to buy.So let's talk about a couple of ways product container can be designed to appeal to consumers.The first way is to make the container as user-friendly as possible,as convenient to use as possible. Take, for example, when companies started using plastic containers for condiments, such as ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise. In the past, these products came in glass containers with kids you had to screw off. And then you had to either pour the ketchup or mustard on your food, which could be messy, or scoop it out with a spoon. But flexible plastic containers were much more convenient to use. And so they more attractive to consumers.。
托福阅读真题及答案 PASSAGE 2
托福阅读真题及答案 PASSAGE 2选择出guo学习的人数越来越多，参加无疑是进入国外大学的一块敲门砖。
以下是网的关于托福阅读真题及答案：PASSAGE 2，供大家练习备考。
The geology of the Earth's surface is dominated by the particular properties of water. Present on Earth in solid, liquid, and gaseous states, water is exceptionally reactive. It dissolves, transports, and precipitates many chemical pounds and is constantly modifying the face of the Earth.Evaporated from the oceans, water vapor forms clouds, some of which are transported by wind over the continents. Condensation from the clouds provides the essential agentof continental erosion: rain. Precipitated onto the ground, the water trickles down to form brooks, streams, and rivers, constituting what are called the hydrographic work. This immense polarized work channels the water toward a single receptacle: an ocean. Gravity dominates this entire step in the cycle because water tends to minimize its potential energy by running from high altitudes toward the reference point, that is, sea level.The rate at which a molecule of water passes though the cycle is not random but is a measure of the relative sizeof the various reservoirs. If we define residence time asthe average time for a water molecule to pass through oneof the three reservoirs — atmosphere, continent, and ocean— we see that the times are very different. A water molecule stays, on average, eleven days in the atmosphere, one hundred years on a continent and forty thousand yearsin the ocean. This last figure shows the importance of the ocean as the principal reservoir of the hydrosphere but also the rapidity of water transport on the continents.A vast chemical separation process takes places during the flow of water over the continents. Soluble ions such as calcium, sodium, potassium, and some magnesium are dissolved and transported. Insoluble ions such as aluminum, iron, and silicon stay where they are and form the thin, fertile skin of soil on which vegetation can grow. Sometimes soils are destroyed and transported mechanically during flooding. The erosion of the continents thus results from two closely linked and interdependent processes, chemical erosion and mechanical erosion. Their respective interactions and efficiency depend on different factors.1. The word "modifying" in line 4 is closest in meaning to(A) changing(B) traveling(C) describing(D) destroying2. The word "which" in line 5 refers to(A) clouds(B) oceans(C) continents(D) pounds3. Aording to the passage , clouds are primarily formed by water(A) precipitating onto the ground(B) changing from a solid to a liquid state(C) evaporating from the oceans(D) being carried by wind4. The passage suggests that the purpose of the "hydrographic work" (line 8) is to(A) determine the size of molecules of water(B) prevent soil erosion caused by flooding(C) move water from the Earth's surface to the oceans(D) regulate the rate of water flow from streams and rivers5. What determines the rate at which a molecule of water moves through the cycle, as discussed in the third paragraph?(A) The potential energy contained in water(B) The effects of atmospheric pressure on chemical pounds(C) The amounts of rainfall that fall on the continents(D) The relative size of the water storage areas6. The word "rapidity" in line 19 is closest in meaning to(A) significance(B) method(C) swiftness(D) reliability7. The word "they" in line 24 refers to(A) insoluble ions(B) soluble ions(C) soils(D) continents8. All of the following are example of soluble ions EXCEPT(A) magnesium(B) iron(C) potassium(D) calcium9. The word "efficiency" in line 27 is closest in meaning to(A) relationship(B) growth(C) influence(D) effectiveness。
托福TPO26阅读Passage2原文文本+题目+答案解析
¡¡¡¡ÎªÁË°ïÖú´ó¼Ò¸ßЧ±¸¿¼Íи££¬Îª´ó¼Ò´øÀ´Íи£TPO26ÔĶÁPassage2Ô-ÎÄÎı¾+ÌâÄ¿+´ð°¸½âÎö£¬Ï£Íû¶Ô´ó¼Ò±¸¿¼ÓÐËù°ïÖú¡£¡¡¡¡¨ Íи£TPO26ÔĶÁPassage2Ô-ÎÄÎı¾£º¡¡¡¡Survival of Plants and Animals in Desert Conditions¡¡¡¡PARAGRAPH 1¡¡¡¡The harsh conditions in deserts are intolerable formost plants and animals.Despite these conditions,however,many varieties of plants and animals haveadapted to deserts in a number of ways.Most planttissues die if their water content falls too low:thenutrients that feed plants are transmitted by water;water is a raw material in the vital process of photosynthesis;and water regulates thetemperature of a plant by its ability to absorb heat and because water vapor lost to theatmosphere through the leaves helps to lower plant temperatures.Water controls the volume ofplant matter produced.The distribution of plants within different areas of desert is alsocontrolled by water.Some areas,because of their soil texture,topographical position,ordistance from rivers or groundwater,have virtually no water available to plants,whereasothers do.¡¡¡¡PARAGRAPH 2¡¡¡¡The nature of plant life in deserts is also highly dependent on the fact that they have to adaptto the prevailing aridity.There are two general classes of vegetation:long-lived perennials,which may be succulent(water-storing)and are often dwarfed and woody,and annuals orephemerals,which have a short life cycle and may form a fairly dense stand immediately afterrain.¡¡¡¡PARAGRAPH 3¡¡¡¡The ephemeral plants evade drought.Given a year of favorable precipitation,such plantswill develop vigorously and produce large numbers of flowers and fruit.This replenishes theseed content of the desert soil.The seeds then lie dormant until the next wet year,when thedesert blooms again.¡¡¡¡PARAGRAPH 4¡¡¡¡The perennial vegetation adjusts to the aridity by mear of various avoidance mechanisms.Most desert plants are 11 probably best classified as xerophytes.They possess drought-resisting adaptations:loss of water through the leaves is reduced by means of dense hairscovering waxy leaf surfaces,by the closure of pores during the hottest times to reduce waterloss,am by the rolling up or shedding of leaves at the beginning of the dry season.Somexerophytes,the succulents(including cacti),storewater in their structures.Another way ofcountering drought is to have a limited amount of mass above ground and to have extensiveroot networks below ground.It is not unusual for the roots of some desert perennials toextend downward more than ten meters.Some plants are woody in type¡ªan adaptationdesigned to prevent collapse of the plant tissue when water stress produces wilting.Anotherclass of desert plant is the phreatophyte.These have adapted to the environment by thedevelopment of long taproots that penetrate downward until they approach the assuredwater supply provided by groundwater.Among these plants are the date palm,tamarisk,andmesquite.They commonly grow near stream channels,springs,or on the margins of lakes.¡¡¡¡PARAGRAPH 5¡¡¡¡Animals also have to adapt to desert conditions,and they may do it through two forms ofbehavioral adaptation:they either escape or retreat.Escape involves such actions asaestivation,a condition of prolonged dormancy,or torpor,during which animals reduce theirmetabolic rate and body temperature during the hot season or during very dry spells.¡¡¡¡PARAGRAPH 6¡¡¡¡Seasonal migration is another form of escape,especially for large mammals or birds.Theterm retreat is applied I to the short-term escape behavior of desert animals,and it usuallyassumes the pattern of a daily rhythm.Birds shelter in nests,rock overhangs,trees,anddense shrubs to avoid the hottest hours of the day,while mammals like the kangaroo ratburrow underground.¡¡¡¡PARAGRAPH 7¡¡¡¡Some animals have behavioral,physiological,and morphological(structural)adaptations thatenable them to withstand extreme conditions.For example,the ostrich has 1 plumage thatis so constructed that the feathers are long but not\too dense.When conditions are hot,theostrich erects them on its 1 back,thus increasing the thickness of the barrier between solarradiation and the skin.The sparse distribution of the feathers,however,also allowsconsiderable lateral air movement over the skin surface,thereby permitting further heatloss by convection.Furthermore,the birds orient themselves carefully with regard to the Sunan0 gently flap their wings to increase convection cooling.¡¡¡¡PARAGRAPH 1¡¡¡¡The harsh conditions in deserts are intolerable for most plants and animals.Despite theseconditions,however,many varieties of plants and animals have adapted to deserts in a numberof ways.Most plant tissues die if their water content falls too low:the nutrients that feed plantsare transmitted by water;water is a raw。
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2013年托福TPO26阅读模拟试题及答案（2）-托福考试本文为大家准备了托福TPO26阅读试题及答案，便于考生托福备考。
Survival of Plants and Animals in Desert ConditionsPARAGRAPH 1The harsh conditions in deserts are intolerable for most plants and animals. Despite these conditions, however, many varieties of plants and animals have adapted to deserts in a number of ways. Most plant tissues die if their water content falls too low: the nutrients that feed plants are transmitted by water; water is a raw material in the vital process of photosynthesis; and water regulates the temperature of a plant by its ability to absorb heat and because water vapor lost to the atmosphere through the leaves helps to lower plant temperatures. Water controls the volume of plant matter produced. The distribution of plants within different areas of desert is also controlled by water. Some areas, because of their soil texture, topographical position, or distance from rivers or groundwater, have virtually no water available to plants, whereas others do.PARAGRAPH 2The nature of plant life in deserts is also highly dependent on the fact that they have to adapt to the prevailing aridity. There are two general classes of vegetation: long-lived perennials, which may be succulent (water-storing) and are often dwarfed and woody, and annuals or ephemerals, which have a short life cycle and may form a fairly dense stand immediately after rain.PARAGRAPH 3The ephemeral plants evade drought. Given a year of favorable precipitation, such plants will develop vigorously and produce large numbers of flowers and fruit. This replenishes the seed content of the desert soil. The seeds then lie dormant until the next wet year, when the desert blooms again.PARAGRAPH 4The perennial vegetation adjusts to the aridity by mear of various avoidance mechanisms. Most desert plants are 11 probably best classified as xerophytes. They possess drought-resisting adaptations: loss of water through the leaves is reduced by means of dense hairs covering waxy leaf surfaces, by the closure of pores during the hottest times to reduce water loss, am by the rolling up orshedding of leaves at the beginning of the dry season. Some xerophytes, the succulents (including cacti), store water in their structures. Another way of countering drought is to have a limited amount of mass above ground and to have extensive root networks below ground. It is not unusual for the roots of some desert perennials to extend downward more than ten meters. Some plants are woody in type —an adaptation designed to prevent collapse of the plant tissue when water stress produces wilting. Another class of desert plant is the phreatophyte. These have adapted to the environment by the development of long taproots that penetrate downward until they approach the assured water supply provided by groundwater. Among these plants are the date palm, tamarisk, and mesquite. They commonly grow near stream channels, springs, or on the margins of lakes.PARAGRAPH 5Animals also have to adapt to desert conditions, and they may do it through two forms of behavioral adaptation: they either escape or retreat. Escape involves such actions as aestivation, a condition of prolonged dormancy, or torpor, during which animals reduce their metabolic rate and body temperature during the hot season or during very dry spells.PARAGRAPH 6Seasonal migration is another form of escape, especially for large mammals or birds. The term retreat is applied I to the short-term escape behavior of desert animals, and it usually assumes the pattern of a daily rhythm. Birds shelter in nests, rock overhangs, trees, and dense shrubs to avoid the hottest hours of the day, while mammals like the kangaroo rat burrow underground.PARAGRAPH 7Some animals have behavioral, physiological, and morphological (structural) adaptations that enable them to withstand extreme conditions. For example, the ostrich has 1 plumage that is so constructed that the feathers are long but not \ too dense. When conditions are hot, the ostrich erects them on its 1 back, thus increasing the thickness of the barrier between solar radiation and the skin. The sparse distribution of the feathers, however, also allows considerable lateral air movement over the skin surface, thereby permitting further heat loss by convection.Furthermore, the birds orient themselves carefully with regard to the Sun an0 gently flap their wings to increase convection cooling.PARAGRAPH 1The harsh conditions in deserts are intolerable for most plants and animals. Despite these conditions, however, many varieties of plants and animals have adapted to deserts in a number of ways. Most plant tissues die if their water content falls too low: the nutrients that feed plants are transmitted by water; water is a raw material in the vital process of photosynthesis; and water regulates the temperature of a plant by its ability to absorb heat and because water vapor lost to the atmosphere through the leaves helps to lower plant temperatures. Water controls the volume of plant matter produced. The distribution of plants within different areas of desert is also controlled by water. Some areas, because of their soil texture, topographical position, or distance from rivers or groundwater, have virtually no water available to plants, whereas others do.1、According to paragraph 1, water provides all of the following essential functions for plants EXCEPTimproving plants' ability to absorb sunlightpreventing plants from becoming overheatedtransporting nutrientsserving as a raw material for photosynthesisThe ephemeral plants evade drought. Given a year of favorable precipitation, such plants will develop vigorously and produce large numbers of flowers and fruit. This replenishes the seed content of the desert soil. The seeds then lie dormant until the next wet year, when the desert blooms again.2、Paragraph 3 suggests that during a dry year ephemeralsproduce even more seeds than in a wet yeardo not sprout from their seedsbloom much later than in a wet yearare more plentiful than perennialsPARAGRAPH 2The nature of plant life in deserts is also highly dependent on the fact that they have to adapt to the prevailing aridity. There are two general classes of vegetation: long-lived perennials, which may be succulent (water-storing) and are often dwarfed and woody, and annuals or ephemerals, which have a short life cycle and may form a fairly dense stand immediately after rain.The ephemeral plants evade drought. Given a year of favorable precipitation, such plants will develop vigorously and produce large numbers of flowers and fruit. This replenishes the seed content of the desert soil. The seeds then lie dormant until the next wet year, when the desert blooms again.3、How is paragraph 2 related to paragraph 3?Paragraph 2 provides a general description of desc plants, and paragraph 3 provides a scientific explanation for these observations.Paragraph 2 divides desert plants into two categories, and paragraph 3 provides further information about one of these categories.Paragraph 2 proposes one way of dividing desert plants into categories, and paragraph 3 explains one problem with this method of classification.Paragraph 2 discusses two categories of desert plants, and paragraph 3 introduces a third category of plants.4、In saying that ephemerals will develop "vigorously" when there is favorable precipitation, the author means that theirdevelopment will besuddenearlygradualstronghealthy。