托福考试阅读模拟练习题8

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托福阅读强化模拟试题

托福阅读强化模拟试题

托福阅读强化模拟试题In 1900 the United States had only three cities with more than a million residents — New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. By 1930, it had ten giant metropolises. The newer ones experienced remarkable growth, which reflected basic changes in the economy.The population of Los Angeles (114,000 in 1900) rose spectacularly in the early decades of the twentieth century, increasing a dramatic 1,400 percent from 1900 to 1930. A number of circumstances contributed to the meteoric rise of Los Angeles. The agricultural potential of the area was enormous if water for irrigation could be found, and the city founders had the vision and dating to obtain it by constructing a 225-mile aqueduct, completed in 1913, to tap the water of the Owens River. The city had a superb natural harbor, as well as excellent rail connections. The climate made it possible to shoot motion pictures year-round; hence Hollywood. Hollywood not only supplied jobs; it disseminated an image of the good life in Southern California on screens all across the nation. The most important single industry powering the growth of Los Angeles, however, was directly linked to the automobile. The demand for petroleum to fuel gasoline engines led to the opening of the Southern California oil fields, and made Los Angeles North America's greatest refining center.Los Angeles was a product of the auto age in another sense as well: its distinctive spatial organization depended on widespread private ownership of automobiles. Los Angeles was a decentralized metropolis, sprawling across the desert landscape over an area of 400 square miles. It was a city without a real center. The downtown business district did not grow apace with the cityas a whole, and the rapid transit system designed to link the center with outlying areas withered away from disuse. Approximately 800,000 cars were registered in Los Angeles County in 1930, one per 2.7 residents. Some visitors from the east coast were dismayed at the endless urban sprawl and dismissed Los Angeles as a mere collection of suburbs in search of a city. But the freedom and mobility of a city built on wheels attracted floods of migrants to the city.1. What is the passage mainly about?(A) The growth of cities in the United States in the early 1900's(B) The development of the Southern California oil fields(C) Factors contributing to the growth of Los Angeles(D) Industry and city planning in Los Angeles2. The author characterizes the growth of new large cities in the United States after 1900 as resulting primarily from(A) new economic conditions(B) images of cities shown in movies(C) new agricultural techniques(D) a large migrant population3. The word "meteoric" in line 6 is closest in meaning to(A) rapid(B) famous(C) controversial(D) methodical4. The word "it" in line 8 refers to(A) aqueduct(B) vision(C) water(D) agricultural potential5. According to the passage , the most important factor in the development of agriculture around Los Angeles was the(A) influx of new residents to agricultural areas near the city(B) construction of an aqueduct(C) expansion of transportation facilities(D) development of new connections to the city's natural harbor6. According to the passage , the initial success of Hollywood' s motion picture industry was due largely to the(A) availability of many skilled workers(B) beauty of the countryside(C) region's reputation for luxurious lifestyles(D) region's climate and good weather7. It can be inferred from the passage that in 1930 the greatest number of people in the Los Angeles area were employed in(A) farming(B) oil refining(C) automobile manufacturing(D) the motion picture industry8. According to the passage , the Southern California oil fields were initially exploited due to(A) the fuel requirements of Los Angeles' rail system(B) an increase in the use of gasoline engines in North America(C) a desire to put unproductive desert land to good use(D) innovative planning on the part of the city founders9. The phrase "apace with" in line 21 is closest in meaning to(A) anew with(B) apart from(C) as fast as(D) at the middle of10. It can be inferred from the passage that the spatial organization of Los Angeles contributed to the relative decline there of(A) public transportation(B) industrial areas(C) suburban neighborhoods(D) oil fields11. The visitors from the east coast mentioned in the passage thought that Los Angeles(A) was not accurately portrayed by Hollywood images(B) lacked good suburban areas in which to live(C) had an excessively large population(D) was not really a single cityCAACB DCBCA D。

托福模拟考试题库及答案

托福模拟考试题库及答案

托福模拟考试题库及答案1. 阅读部分A篇:The Industrial Revolution1.1 根据文章内容,工业革命开始于哪个世纪?A. 16世纪B. 17世纪C. 18世纪D. 19世纪答案:C1.2 文章提到了哪项技术对工业革命有重要影响?A. 蒸汽机B. 电力C. 计算机D. 互联网答案:AB篇:Biodiversity and Ecosystems2.1 什么是生物多样性?A. 生态系统中的植物种类B. 生态系统中的动物种类C. 生态系统中的物种总数D. 生态系统中的基因多样性答案:C2.2 文章中提到的生态系统服务有哪些?A. 食物供应B. 气候调节C. 疾病控制D. 所有上述选项答案:D2. 听力部分对话1:Library Services3.1 学生去图书馆的目的是什么?A. 借阅书籍B. 归还书籍C. 咨询研究资料D. 打印文件答案:C3.2 图书馆员提供了哪项服务?A. 帮助学生找到特定书籍B. 指导学生如何使用图书馆数据库C. 提供在线资源的访问D. 协助学生预约会议室答案:B对话2:Campus Tour4.1 导游提到了哪些校园设施?A. 体育馆和图书馆B. 图书馆和学生中心C. 学生中心和食堂D. 体育馆和食堂答案:A4.2 学生对哪个设施最感兴趣?A. 体育馆B. 图书馆C. 学生中心D. 食堂答案:B3. 口语部分任务3:Describe a book you recently read that you found particularly interesting.5.1 考生需要描述的是什么?A. 最近读的一本书B. 最近看的一部电影C. 最近听的一首歌曲D. 最近参加的一个活动答案:A5.2 考生需要强调的是什么?A. 书的作者B. 书的封面设计C. 书的有趣之处D. 书的出版年份答案:C4. 写作部分综合写作:The Impact of Social Media on Teenagers6.1 阅读材料中提到了社交媒体对青少年的哪些影响?A. 睡眠质量下降B. 学习成绩提高C. 社交技能增强D. 自尊心增强答案:A6.2 听力材料中提出了哪些解决方案?A. 限制社交媒体使用时间B. 增加户外活动C. 提供心理健康辅导D. 所有上述选项答案:D独立写作:Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The best way to teach children is through discussions.7.1 考生需要表达的是什么?A. 对讨论式教学的看法B. 对传统教学的看法C. 对在线教学的看法D. 对家庭教育的看法答案:A7.2 考生需要提供哪些内容?A. 个人观点B. 支持或反对的理由C. 相关例子或证据D. 所有上述选项答案:D。

托福考试阅读模拟试题

托福考试阅读模拟试题

托福考试阅读模拟试题2017年托福考试阅读模拟试题学和行本来是有机联着的,学了必须要想,想通了就要行,要在行的`当中才能看出自己是否真正学到了手。

否则读书虽多,只是成为一座死书库。

以下是店铺为大家搜索整理的2017年托福考试阅读模拟试题,希望能给大家带来帮助!The Arts and Crafts Movement in the United States was responsible for sweeping changes in attitudes toward the decorative arts, then considered the minor or household arts. Its focus on decorative arts helped to induce United States museums and private collectors to begin collecting furniture, glass, ceramics, metalwork, and textiles in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The fact that artisans, who were looked on as mechanics or skilled workers in the eighteenth century, are frequently considered artists today is directly attributable to the Arts and Crafts Movement of the nineteenth century. The importance now placed on attractive and harmonious home decoration can also be traced to this period, when Victorian interior arrangements were revised to admit greater light and more freely flowing spaces.The Arts and Crafts Movement reacted against mechanized processes that threatened handcrafts and resulted in cheapened, monotonous merchandise. Founded in the late nineteenth century by British social critics John Ruskin and William Morris, the movement revered craft as a form of art. In a rapidly industrializing society, most Victorians agreed that art was an essential moral ingredient in the home environment, and in many middle- and working-class homes craft was the only form of art, Ruskin and his followers criticized not only the degradation ofartisans reduced to machine operators, but also the impending loss of daily contact with handcrafted objects, fashioned with pride, integrity, and attention to beauty.In the United States as well as in Great Britain, reformers extolled the virtues of handcrafted objects: simple, straightforward design; solid materials of good quality; and sound, enduring construction techniques. These criteria were interpreted in a variety of styles, ranging from rational and geometric to romantic or naturalistic. Whether abstract, stylized, or realistically treated, the consistent theme in virtually all Arts and Crafts design is nature.The Arts and Crafts Movement was much more than a particular style; it was a philosophy of domestic life. Proponents believed that if simple design, high-quality materials, and honest construction were realized in the home and its appointments, then the occupants would enjoy moral and therapeutic effects. For both artisan and consumer, the Arts and Crafts doctrine was seen as a magical force against the undesirable effects of industrialization. 1. The passage primarily focuses on nineteenth-century arts and crafts in terms of which of the following?(A) Their naturalistic themes(B) Their importance in museum collections(C) Their British origin(D) Their role in an industrialized society2. According to the passage , before the nineteenth century, artisans were thought to be(A) defenders of moral standards(B) creators of cheap merchandise(C) skilled workers(D) artists3. It can be inferred from the passage that the Arts and Crafts Movement would have considered all of the following to be artists EXCEPT(A) creators of textile designs(B) people who produce handmade glass objects(C) operators of machines that automatically cut legs for furniture(D) metalworkers who create unique pieces of jewelry4. The word "revered" in line 14 is closest in meaning to(A) respected(B) described(C) avoided(D) created5. According to paragraph 2, the handcrafted objects in the homes of middle- and working-class families usually were(A) made by members of the family(B) the least expensive objects in their homes(C) regarded as being morally uplifting(D) thought to symbolize progress6. The word "extolled" in line 20 is closest in meaning to(A) exposed(B) praised(C) believed(D) accepted7. The author mentions all of the following as attributes of handcrafted objects EXCEPT(A) the pride with which they were crafted(B) the complexity of their design(C) the long time that they lasted(D) the quality of their materials8. The word "consistent" in line 24 is closest in meaning to(A) conservative(B) considerable(C) constant(D) concrete9. According to the passage , which of the following changes occurred at the same time as the Arts and Crafts Movement?(A) The creation of brighter and more airy spaces inside homes(B) The rejection of art that depicted nature in a realistic manner(C) A decline of interest in art museum collections(D) An increase in the buying of imported art objects10. Which of the following statements is supported by the passage ?(A) Private collectors in the nineteenth century concentrated on acquiring paintings.(B) The Arts and Crafts Movement in the United States, unlike the one in Britain, did not react strongly against mechanized processes.(C) Handcrafted objects in the United States and Britain in the nineteenth century did not use geometric designs.(D) The Arts and Crafts Movement believed in the beneficial effect for people from being surrounded by beautiful objects.参考答案:DCCAC BBCAD【2017年托福考试阅读模拟试题】。

托福考题阅读理解样题模拟练习

托福考题阅读理解样题模拟练习

托福考题阅读理解样题模拟练习托福考题阅读理解样题模拟练习宝剑锋从磨砺出,梅花香自苦寒来。

以下是店铺为大家搜索整理的托福考题阅读理解样题模拟练习,希望能给大家带来帮助!PASSAGE 38During most of their lives, surge glaciers behave like normal glaciers, traveling perhaps only a couple of inches per day. However, at intervals of 10 to 100 years, these glaciers move forward up to 100 times faster than usual. The surge often progresses along a glacier like a great wave, proceeding from one section to another. Subglacial streams of meltwater might act as a lubricant, allowing the glacier to flow rapidly toward the sea. The increasing water pressure under the glacier might lift it off its bed, overcoming the friction between ice and rock, thus freeing the glacier, which rapidly sliders downhill. Surge glaciers also might be influenced by the climate, volcanic heat, or earthquakes. However, many of these glaciers exist in the same area as normal glaciers, often almost side by side.Some 800 years ago, Alaska's Hubbard Glacier advanced toward the sea, retreated, and advanced again 500 years later. Since 1895, this seventy-mile-long river of ice has been flowing steadily toward the Gulf of Alaska at a rate of approximately 200 feet per year. In June 1986, however, the glacier surged ahead as much as 47 feet a day. Meanwhile, a western tributary, called Valerie Glacier, advanced up to 112 feet a day. Hubbard's surge closed off Russell Fiord with a formidable ice dam, some 2,500 feet wide and up to 800 feet high, whose caged waters threatened the town of Yakutat to the south.About 20 similar glaciers around the Gulf of Alaska areheading toward the sea. If enough surge glaciers reach the ocean and raise sea levels, west Antarctic ice shelves could rise off the seafloor and become adrift. A flood of ice would then surge into the Southern Sea. With the continued rise in sea level, more ice would plunge into the ocean, causing sea levels to rise even higher, which in turn would release more ice and set in motion a vicious cycle. The additional sea ice floating toward the tropics would increase Earth's albedo and lower global temperatures, perhaps enough to initiate a new ice age. This situation appears to have occurred at the end of the last warm interglacial (the time between glacations), called the Sangamon, when sea ice cooled the ocean dramatically, spawning the beginning of the Ice Age.1. What is the main topic of the passage ?(A) The classification of different types of surge glaciers(B) The causes and consequences of surge glaciers(C) The definition of a surge glacier(D) The history of a particular surge glacier2. The word "intervals" in line 2 is closest in meaning to(A) records(B) speeds(C) distances(D) periods3. The author compares the surging motion of a surge glacier to the movement of a(A) fish(B) wave(C) machine(D) boat4. Which of the following does the author mention as a possible cause of surging glaciers?(A) The decline in sea levels(B) The occurrence of unusually large ocean waves(C) The shifting Antarctic ice shelves(D) The pressure of meltwater underneath the glacier5. The word "freeing" in line 7 is closest in meaning to(A) pushing(B) releasing(C) strengthening(D) draining6. According to the passage , the Hubbard Glacier(A) moves more often than the Valerie Glacier(B) began movement toward the sea in 1895(C) is 800 feet wide(D) has moved as fast as 47 feet per day7. Yakutat is the name of(A) an Alaskan town(B) the last ice age(C) a surge glacier(D) an Antarctic ice shelf8. The word "plunge" in line 22 is closest in meaning to(A) drop(B) extend(C) melt(D) drift9. The term "vicious cycle" in line 24 refers to the(A) movement pattern of surge glaciers(B) effect surge glaciers could have on the temperature of tropical areas(C) effect that repeated rising sea levels might have on glacial ice(D) constant threat surge glaciers could pose to the Gulf of Alaska10. The author provides a definition for which of the following terms?(A) tributary (line 15)(B) ice dam (line 16)(C) albedo (line 25)(D) interglacial(line 26)11. Which of the following statements is supported by the passage ?(A) The movement of surge glaciers can be prevented.(B) The next ice age could be caused by surge glaciers.(C) Surge glaciers help to support Antarctic ice shelves.(D) Normal glaciers have little effect on Earth's climate.参考答案:BDBDB DAACD B。

托福阅读模拟练习题及答案

托福阅读模拟练习题及答案

托福阅读模拟练习题及答案The Moon, which has undergone a distinct and complex geological history, presents a striking appearance. The moon may be divided into two major terrains: the Maria (dark lowlands) and the Terrace (bright highlands). The contrast in the reflectivity (the capability of reflecting light) of these two terrains suggested to many early observers that the two terrains might have different compositions, and this supposition was confirmed by missions to the Moon such as Surveyor and Apollo. One of the most obvious differences between the terrains is the smoothness of the Maria in contrast to the roughness of the highlands. This roughness is mostly caused by the abundance of craters: the highlands are completely covered by large craters (greater than 40-50 km in diameter), while the craters of the Maria tend to be much smaller. It is now known that the vast majority of the Moon's craters were formed by the impact of solid bodies with the lunar surface.Most of the near side of the Moon was thoroughly mapped and studied from telescopic pictures years before the age of space exploration. Earth-based telescopes can resolve objects as small as a few hundred meters on the lunar surface. Close observation of craters, combined with the way the Moon diffusely reflects sunlight, led to the understanding that the Moon is covered by a surface layer, or regolith, that overlies the solid rock of the Moon. Telescopic images permitted the cataloging of a bewildering array of land forms. Craters were studied for clues to their origin; the large wispy marks were seen. Strange, sinuous features were observed in the Maria. Although various land forms were catalogued, the majority of astronomers'attention was fixed on craters and their origins.Astronomers have known for a fairly long time that the shape of craters changes as they increase in size. Small craters with diameters of less than 10-15 km have relatively simple shapes. They have rim crests that are elevated above the surrounding terrain, smooth, bowl-shaped interiors, and depths that are about one-sixth their diameters. The complexity of shape increases for larger craters.1. What does the passage mainly discuss?(A) What astronomers learned from the Surveyor and Apollo space missions.(B) Characteristics of the major terrains of the Moon.(C) The origin of the Moon's craters.(D) Techniques used to catalogue the Moon's land forms.2. The word "undergone经历" in line 1 is closest in meaning to(A) altered(B) substituted(C) experienced(D) preserved3. According to the passage , the Maria differ from the Terrace mainly in terms of(A) age(B) manner of creation(C) size(D) composition4. The passage supports which of the following statements about the Surveyor and Apollo missions?(A) They confirmed earlier theories about the Moon's surface.(B) They revealed that previous ideas about the Moon'scraters were incorrect.(C) They were unable to provide detailed information about the Moon's surface.(D) They were unable to identify how the Moon's craters were made.5. The word "vast" in line 11 is closest in meaning to(A) special(B) known(C) varied(D) great6. All of the following are true of the Maria EXCEPT:(A) They have small craters.(B) They have been analyzed by astronomers.(C) They have a rough texture.(D) They tend to be darker than the terrace.7. All of the following terms are defined in the passage EXCEPT(A) Moon (line 1)(B) reflectivity (line 3)(C) regolith (line 16)(D) Maria (line 2)8. The author mentions "wispy marks" in line 19 as an example of(A) an aspect of the lunar surface discovered through lunar missions(B) a characteristic of large craters(C) a discovery made through the use of Earth-based telescopes(D) features that astronomers observed to be common to the Earth and the Moon9. According to the passage , lunar researchers have focused mostly on(A) the possibility of finding water on the Moon(B) the lunar regolith(C) cataloging various land formations(D) craters and their origins10. The passage probably continues with a discussion of(A) the reasons craters are difficult to study(B) the different shapes small craters can have(C) some features of large craters(D) some difference in the ways small and large craters were formedBCDAD CACDC。

托福阅读真题第8套

托福阅读真题第8套

第8套Attempts at Determining Earth's AgeSince the dawn of civilization,people have been curious about the age of Earth.In addition,we have not been satisfied in being able to state merely the relative geologic age of a rock or fossil.Human curiosity demands that we know actual age in years. Geologists working during the nineteenth century understood that if they were to discover the actual age of Earth or of particular rock bodies,they would have to concentrate on natural processes that continue at a constant rate and that also leave some sort of tangible record in the rocks.Evolution is one such process,and geologist Charles Lyell(1797-1875)recognized this.By comparing the amount of evolution exhibited by marine mollusks during the Tertiary Period with the amount that had occurred since then,Lyell estimated that80million years had elapsed since the beginning of the Tertiary Period.He came astonishingly close to the mark,since it was actually about65million years.However,for older sequences of evolutionary development,estimates based on rates of evolution were difficult,and not only because of missing parts in the fossil record.Rates of evolution for many orders of plants and animals were not well understood.1.The word tangible in the passage is closest in meaning toA.physicalB.relatedC.significantD.helpful2..It can be inferred from paragraph2that Charles Lyell based his study of the marine mollusk fossils on which of the following assumptionsA.The Tertiary Period was separated into divisions of time that were equal in length.B.Mollusks lived under rocks in the sea during the Tertiary period.C.Evolution of mollusks proceeded at a uniform rate over time.D.Mollusks have evolved less rapidly with the passing of time.3..The word sequences in the passage is closest in meaning toA.observationsB.sensesC.seriesD.categories4..According to paragraph2,Lyell's strategy for estimating geologic dates was not very accurate for periods before the Tertiary Period partly becauseA.marine mollusks did not evolve until the Tertiary PeriodB.fossil records of the very distant past are incompleteC.there was not much agreement about how to identify or categorize earlier erasD.the duration of previous geologic periods was difficult to determineIn another【attempt】,geologists reasoned that if rates of deposition could be determined for sedimentary rocks,they might be able to estimate the time required for deposition of a given thickness of strata,or rock layers.Similar reasoning suggested that one could estimate total elapsed geologic time by dividing the average thickness of sediment transported annually to the oceans into the total thickness of sedimentary rock that had ever been deposited in the past.Unfortunately,such estimates did not adequately account for past differences in rates of sedimentation or losses to the total section of strata during episodes of erosion.Also,some very ancient sediments were no longer recognizable,having been converted to igneous and metamorphic rocks in the course of mountain building.Estimates of Earth's total age based on sedimentation rates ranged from as little as a million to over a billion years.5..The phrase another attempt in the passage refers toA.trying to understand the fossil recordB.trying to determine the evolutionary rate of marine mollusksC.trying to understand natural processesD.trying to determine Earth's actual age6..The word converted in the passage is closest in meaning toA.addedB.changedC.restoredD.reduced7..According to paragraph3,all of the following were problems with the calculation of Earth's age using the study of sedimentary rocks EXCEPTA.the inconsistency of sedimentation rates over timeB.the effect of geologic processes on sedimentary rockC.the expansion of some sedimentary rocks due to Earth's internal heatD.the loss of an unknown number of sedimentary layers due to erosionYet another scheme for approximating Earth's age had been proposed in1715by Sir Edmund Halley(1656-1742),whose name we associate with the famous comet. Halley surmised that the ocean formed soon after the origin of the planet and therefore would be only slightly younger than the age of the solid Earth.He reasoned that the original ocean was not salty and that subsequently salt derived from the weathering of rocks was brought to the sea by streams.Thus,if one knew the total amount of salt dissolved in the ocean and the amount added each year,it might be possible to calculate the ocean's age.In1899,Irish geologist John Joly(1857-1933)attempted the calculation.From information provided by gauges placed at the mouths of streams, Joly was able to estimate the annual increment of salt to the oceans.Then,knowingthe salinity of ocean water and the approximate volume of water,he calculated the amount of salt already held in solution in the oceans.An estimate of the age of the ocean was obtained by dividing the total salt in the ocean by the rate of salt added each year.Beginning with essentially nonsaline oceans,it would have taken about90 million years for the oceans to reach their present salinity,according to Joly.The figure,however,was off the currently accepted mark of4.54billion by a factor of50, largely because there was no way to account accurately for recycled salt and salt incorporated into clay minerals deposited on the sea floors.Even though in error, Joly's calculations clearly supported those geologists who insisted on an age for Earth far in excess of a few million years.The belief in Earth's immense antiquity was also supported by Darwin,Huxley,and other evolutionary biologists,who saw the need for time in the hundreds of millions of years to accomplish the organic evolution apparent in the fossil record.8..The word approximating in the passage is closest in meaning toA.thinking aboutB.researchingC.estimatingD.demonstrating9..The word subsequently in the passage is closest in meaning toterB.furthermoreC.evidentlyD.accidentally10..According to paragraph4,John Joly's calculations were founded on all of the following EXCEPTA.knowing how salty the ocean water isB.estimating how much salt enters the ocean each yearC.accounting for the amount of salt that is recycledD.figuring the volume of water contained in the ocean11..According to paragraph4,in which of the following ways could Joly's estimate of Earth's age be considered significantA.It proved that Halley's idea about the age of the ocean was fairly accurate.B.It indicated that Earth was much older than some scientists had claimed.C.It was favored by the majority of scientists at the end of the nineteenth century.D.It was the basis for much modern research into the salinity of the ocean.12..The author mentions Darwin,Huxley,and other evolutionary biologists in order toA.provide evidence that Joly's calculations inspired scientists working on other lines of scientific inquiryB.support the claim that all of the leading scientists of the time believed that Earthwas just over90million years oldC.argue that Joly's calculations would have been more exact if he had collaborated with experts in other fieldsD.provide examples of scientists who believed the age of Earth to be greater than justa few million years,like Joly,in order to account for their findings13..Look at the four squares that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.More fundamentally,Lyell's evolutionary approach is intrinsically limited because Earth existed long before life and evolution began.Where would the sentence best fit Click on a square to add the sentence to the passage.Geologists working during the nineteenth century understood that if they were to discover the actual age of Earth or of particular rock bodies,they would have to concentrate on natural processes that continue at a constant rate and that also leave some sort of tangible record in the rocks.Evolution is one such process,and geologist Charles Lyell(1797-1875)recognized this.【】By comparing the amount of evolution exhibited by marine mollusks during the Tertiary Period with the amount that had occurred since then,Lyell estimated that80million years had elapsed since the beginning of the Tertiary Period.He came astonishingly close to the mark,since it was actually about65million years.【】However,for older sequences of evolutionary development,estimates based on rates of evolution were difficult,and not only because of missing parts in the fossil record.【】Rates of evolution for many orders of plants and animals were not well understood.【】14..Drag your choices to the spaces where they belong.To review the passage,click on View Text.Answer ChoicesA.It was not until the nineteenth century that attempts were made to determine the relative geologic age of rocks and fossils.B.In the nineteenth century,scientists made a number of important,but unsuccessful, attempts to calculate Earth's age from the record of various natural processes.C.Charles Lyell made a good estimate of the age of the Tertiary Period from the fossil record,but his method could not be extended to earlier geological periods.D.Darwin and Huxley supported the accuracy of John Joly's calculation of Earth's age because it agreed with their view of how long evolution had been in progress.E.Attempts were made to calculate Earth's age from the thickness of surviving sedimentary rock and from the current level of the oceans'salinity.F.Earth's true age,4.54billion years,was determined by combining data from the geological and fossil records.The Upper Paleolithic RevolutionThe transition from the historical period known as the Middle Paleolithic to the Upper Paleolithic around40to35thousand years ago(kya)represents one of the major developments in the prehistory of humankind.【A】The basic features of this transition include more versatile stone implements and the use of antler,bone,and ivory for tools,figurative art,music,and personal decoration.【B】So striking were the strides in human achievement during this period that it is sometimes referred to as the Upper Paleolithic Revolution.【C】【D】Until recently it had been argued that the Upper Paleolithic Revolution was an archaeological phenomenon found only in Eurasia.The apparent lack of equivalent evidence in other regions suggested that a fundamental change had occurred in human intellectual development around40kya in Europe.The recent discovery in the Blombos Cave in South Africa of a block of decorated ochre and then sets of shell beads,dated to around77kya,opened up the debate.This supports other evidence of more versatile stone implements and bone tools found in Africa from the same period. Now the Upper Paleolithic Revolution is being seen as simply the most visible example of the evolving process of modern human behavior that had been developing over a much longer timescale.1..Why does the author mention a a block of decorated ochre and sets of shell beadsA.To help make the point that archaeologists regard artistic creations as the highest kind of human achievementB.To illustrate how the discovery of certain objects makes the discovery of certain other objects more likelyC.To give some of the evidence that has changed archaeologists'thinking about human intellectual developmentTo help explain why archaeologists have been slow to recognize the importance of certain evidence available to them2..How far back in time do the origins of the more versatile stone implements and bone tools found in Africa goA.To around40kyaB.To around77kyaC.To the time of the Upper Paleolithic RevolutionD.To a time before modern human behavior had begun to evolveThis raises two further questions.First,what was happening to the human cognitive process during the40,000years or so between the creations in the Blombos Cave and the flourishing of human creativity in Europe around35kya,and second,was climate change a component Climate change is associated with the sudden occurrence of creative activity in Europe at the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic.3..The word equivalent in the passage is closest in meaning toprehensibleB.concreteparableD.widely debated4..According to paragraph3,what do archaeologists want to know about the climate during the40,000years between around75kya and35kyaA.Whether it was a reason that humans lived in cavesB.Whether it was stable throughout that periodC.Whether it changed in similar ways in Africa and in EuropeD.Whether it was a factor in how the human cognitive process developedThe question of whether the sudden transition seen in Europe was built on earlier developments in Africa has been addressed at length by anthropologists Sally McBrearty and Alison Brooks.They argue that the whole issue of the Upper Paleolithic Revolution stems from a profound Eurocentric bias and a failure to appreciate the depth and breadth of the African archaeological record.In fact,many of the components of this revolution are found earlier in the African Middle Paleolithic tens of thousands of years before they appeared in Europe.These features include blade and microlithic technology,bone tools,increased geographic range,specialized hunting,exploitation of aquatic resources,long-distance exchange networks, systematic processing and use of pigment,and art and decoration.These items do not occur suddenly together as predicted by the revolutionary model,but at sites that are widely separated in space and time.This suggests a gradual assembling of the package of modern human behaviors in Africa and its later export to other regions of the Old World.5..According to paragraph4,anthropologists McBrearty and Brooks argue that archaeologists'traditional understanding of the Upper Paleolithic Revolution was flawed becauseA.they underestimated available African archaeological evidenceB.the archaeological evidence available to them contained errorsC.they could not distinguish artistic creations from objects meant for practical useD.they based their judgments on the limited archaeological record available at that time6..Anthropologists McBrearty and Brooks consider such components of the Upper Paleolithic Revolution as blade and microlithic technology to haveA.first emerged in the Middle Paleolithic Period,in Africa rather than in EuropeB.emerged in Europe independently in many different places at different timesC.first emerged in Europe,then to have been further developed in AfricaD.been part of a similarly sudden,but earlier,cultural revolution in AfricaThe extraordinary range of rock art in Australia adds great weight to the idea thatartistic creativity was part and parcel of the intellectual capacity of modern humans that migrated out of Africa around70kya.【The fact that these people almost certainly arrived in Australia before60kya and were,in any case,completely isolated from any evolutionary events that may have occurred in Europe around40kya makes this argument compelling.】7.The word exploitation in the passage is closest in meaning toA.maintenanceB.discoveryC.transferencee8..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.The idea that in modern humans creativity and intellect developed together is supported by ancient rock art ranging from Australia to Africa.B.Australian rock art strongly suggests that modern humans that migrated out of Africa around70kya already possessed artistic creativity.C.Since Australian rock art dated to around70kya shows that Australians possessed artistic creativity,Africans of that period probably possessed it,too.D.The wide range of Australian rock art strongly suggests that intellectual capacity and artistic creativity were connected as early as70kya.9..What role does paragraph5play in relation to paragraph4A.It accepts the arguments made in paragraph4but asserts that the supporting examples given are not the best ones available.B.It shows that the conclusion reached in paragraph4is almost certainly false.C.It presents additional reasons for accepting the position argued for in paragraph4.D.It describes a possible alternative to the position developed in paragraph4.The consequence of this analysis is that the question of the sudden emergence of creative activity that appears to constitute the Upper Paleolithic Revolution falls to the ground.The obvious explanation is that the gap between African developments and the subsequent better-known European events is a matter of the limitations of the archaeological record.This does not altogether cover the question of why there was the sudden flowering of creativity at the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic in Europe. It may be that earlier creative efforts have either been lost in or have yet to emerge from the mists of time.Recent finds of decorative pierced shells dating from43kya or even earlier in caves in parts of western Asia near Europe may be examples of a process extending the evidence back in time.The creative flowering may also be a result of the climatic conditions at the time that governed the movement of modern humans into Europe.Following a period of extreme cold around39kya,a period of warming around35kya rendered the region more hospitable.As the ancestors oftoday's Europeans moved into a largely depopulated region,their presence in the archaeological record appeared revolutionary.10..The word altogether in the passage is closest in meaning toA.evenB.necessarilyC.merelyD.fully11..The fact that decorative pierced shells were recently found in caves in parts of western Asia near Europe suggests thatA.there may be evidence of earlier creative activity in Europe that has not yet been discoveredB.the creative flowering may have originated in Asia,not in AfricaC.there was really an Upper Paleolithic Revolution but it did not happen in EuropeD.the people who used the decorative shells were unrelated to the people who inhabited Europe during the Upper Paleolithic12..According to paragraph6,the apparent sudden flowering of creativity in Europe might be related to a change of climate in which of the following waysA.People became very creative in order to survive climatic extremes.B.As the climate became warmer,ancient European populations moved around much less.C.Improving climatic conditions drew substantial human migration into Europe.D.Climatic conditions became more favorable to preserving the archaeological record.13..Look at the four squares that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.The adoption of these new materials and practices moved early human culture forward at a rapid pace.Where would the sentence best fit Click on a square to add the sentence to the passage.The transition from the historical period known as the Middle Paleolithic to the Upper Paleolithic around40to35thousand years ago(kya)represents one of the major developments in the prehistory of humankind.【A】The basic features of this transition include more versatile stone implements and the use of antler,bone,and ivory for tools,figurative art,music,and personal decoration.【B】So striking were the strides in human achievement during this period that it is sometimes referred to as the Upper Paleolithic Revolution.【C】【D】Until recently it had been argued that the Upper Paleolithic Revolution was an archaeological phenomenon found only in Eurasia.....14..Drag your choices to the spaces where they belong.To review the passage,click on View Text.Answer ChoicesA.Recent evidence that in Africa the transition from the Middle Paleolithic to the Upper Paleolithic was also marked by enormous progress strengthens the European evidence.B.The idea that events in Europe around40kya mark an advance in basic human capabilities has been discredited by African and Australian evidence that points to a much earlier date.C.Evidence suggests that the striking set of human accomplishments that emerged in Europe around40kya was built on earlier development in Africa.D.Europe was the center of the Upper Paleolithic Revolution not so much because individual innovations originated there,but because these innovations were creatively fitted together there.E.The people who settled Australia were,without a doubt,modern humans whose origins were in Africa,but whether they reached Australia before60kya has not been definitively established.F.It is still unclear why the entire package of modern human behaviors seems to show up in the European archaeological record so suddenly,although various answers have been proposed.Two Kinds of LizardsLizards can be divided into two types according to the way they look for food: sit-and-wait foragers and active foragers.Sit-and-wait lizards normally remain in one spot from which they can survey a broad area.These motionless lizards detect the movement of an insect visually and capture it with a quick run from their observation site.Sit-and-wait lizards may be most successful in detecting and capturing relatively large insects like beetles and grasshoppers.Active foragers,on the other hand,spend most of their time on the ground surface,moving steadily and poking their heads under fallen leaves and into crevices in the ground.These lizards apparently rely largely on chemical cues to detect insects,and they probably seek out local concentrations of prey such as termites.Active foragers appear to eat more insects than do lizards that are sit-and-wait predators.Thus,the different foraging behaviors of lizards lead to differences in their diets,even when the two kinds of lizards occur in the same habitat.1..The word steadily in the passage is closest in meaning toA.slowlyB.at an unvarying rateC.cautiouslyD.without making noise2..The word concentrations in the passage is closest in meaning toA.varietiesB.dense groupingsC.hidden tracesD.shelters3..According to paragraph1,sit-and-wait foragers and active foragers are different in all of the following EXCEPTA.the methods that they primarily use to detect insectsB.the number of insects they typically eatC.the habitats in which they can be foundD.the amount of time they spend moving4..According to paragraph1,compared to the insects typically consumed by sit-and-wait lizards,insects typically consumed by active lizardsA.move more quicklyB.are generally found in smaller groupsC.are often hidden from viewD.spend more time on the surface of the groundThe different foraging modes also have different consequences for lizards regarding their exposure to predators.A lizard that spends99percent of its time resting motionless is relatively inconspicuous,whereas a lizard that spends most of its time moving is easily seen.Sit-and-wait lizards are probably most likely to be discovered and captured by predators that are active searchers,whereas widely foraging lizards are likely to be caught by sit-and-wait predators.Because of this difference,foraging modes may alternate at successive levels in the food chain:insects that move about may be captured by lizards that are sit-and-wait foragers,and those lizards may be eaten by active predators,whereas insects that are sedentary are more likely to be discovered by lizards that are active foragers,and those lizards may be caught by sit-and-wait predators.5..In paragraph2,why does the author contrast the visibility of lizards that remain motionless most of the time with the visibility of lizards that move most of the timeA.To show that it is possible for lizards to alternate their foraging modes at successive levels in the food chainB.To suggest that sit-and-wait lizards are more likely than active lizards to be attacked by predatorsC.To explain why sit-and-wait lizards are more successful than active lizards at preying on insectsD.To explain how a lizard's foraging strategy affects the type of predator likely to attack itThe body forms of sit-and-wait foragers may reflect selective pressures different from those that act on active foragers.【A】Sit-and-wait lizards are often stout bodied,short tailed,and colored to match their background.【B】Many of these species have patterns of different-colored blotches that probably obscure the outlines of the lizard's body as it rests motionless on a rock or a tree trunk.【C】Active foragers are usually slim and elongated with long tails,and they often have patterns of stripes that may produce optical illusions as they move.【D】However,one predator-avoidance mechanism,the ability to break off their tails when they are seized by predators,does not differ among lizards with different foraging modes.6..The word reflect in the passage is closest in meaning toA.indicateB.createC.resistD.require7..The word obscure in the passage is closest in meaning toA.changeB.hideC.fillD.expand8..Paragraph3supports which of the following ideas about active-forager lizardsA.They are less likely to break off their tails when seized by predators than sit-and-wait lizards are.B.They tend to vary widely in their individual colors.C.They lack well-developed mechanisms for avoiding predators.D.They may be easier to identify when they are not moving than when they are moving.What physiological characteristics are necessary to support different foraging modes The energy requirements of a quick motion that lasts for only a second or two are quite different from those of locomotion that is sustained nearly continuously for several hours.Sit-and-wait lizards and active foragers differ in their relative emphasis on the two ways that most animals use adenosine triphosphate(ATP)a molecule that transports energy within cellsfor activity and in how long that activity can be sustained.Sit-and-wait lizards move in brief spurts,and they rely largely on anaerobic metabolism to sustain their movements,namely the kind of metabolism that does not use oxygen.Anaerobic metabolism uses glycogen stored in the muscles and produces lactic acid as its end product.It is a way to synthesize ATP quickly(because the glycogen is already in the muscles),but it is not good for sustained activity because the glycogen is quickly exhausted and lactic acid inhibits cellular metabolism.Lizards that rely on anaerobic metabolism can make brief sprints but become exhausted whenthey are forced to run continuously.In contrast,aerobic metabolism uses glucose that is carried to the muscles by the circulatory system,and it produces carbon dioxide and water as end products.Aerobic exercise can continue for long periods because the circulatory system brings more glucose and carries carbon dioxide away.As a result, active foragers can sustain activity for long periods without exhaustion.Active species of lizards have larger hearts and more red blood cells in their blood than do sit-and-wait species.As a result,each beat of the heart pumps more blood,and that blood carries more oxygen to the tissues of an active species than a sit-and-wait species.9..According to paragraph4,compared with active lizards,the movements of sit-and-wait lizards areA.more suddenB.more sustainedC.more predictableD.more frequent10..According to paragraph4,all of the following are true about anaerobic metabolism in lizards EXCEPT:A.It uses the glycogen in the muscles of lizards.B.It produces lactic acid that interferes with metabolism within the cells of lizards.C.It allows lizards to maintain their foraging activity over a long period of time.D.It allows lizards to run fast for short periods of time.11..Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph4about sit-and-wait lizardsA.They have less glycogen than active-forager lizards.B.They have highly variable heart rates.C.They have metabolic systems that do not depend on the efficient removal of carbon dioxide.D.They synthesize adenosine triphosphate continuously.12..According to paragraph4,how are active-foraging lizards and sit-and-wait lizards different from each otherA.Sit-and-wait lizards tend to have more red blood cells in their blood than active-foraging lizards do.B.Active-foraging lizards'blood carries less oxygen to the tissues than sit-and-wait foraging lizards'blood does.C.Sit-and-wait lizards carry out cellular metabolism more efficiently than active-foraging lizards do.D.Active-foraging lizards tend to have larger hearts than sit-and-wait lizards do.13..Look at the four squares that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.。

托福模拟考试试题及答案

托福模拟考试试题及答案

托福模拟考试试题及答案一、听力部分1. 听下面对话,选择正确答案。

- 问题:What does the woman want to do?- 选项:A. Borrow a book from the library.B. Return a book to the library.C. Find a quiet place to study.- 答案:C2. 听下面讲座,选择正确答案。

- 问题:What is the main topic of the lecture? - 选项:A. The history of photography.B. The impact of technology on art.C. The evolution of painting techniques.- 答案:B二、阅读部分1. 阅读下面短文,选择正确答案。

- 短文:[短文内容]- 问题:What is the main idea of the passage?- 选项:A. The importance of environmental protection.B. The benefits of urban development.C. The challenges of population growth.- 答案:A2. 阅读下面长文,选择正确答案。

- 长文:[长文内容]- 问题:According to the author, what is the mostsignificant factor contributing to success in business?- 选项:A. Innovation.B. Capital.C. Networking.- 答案:A三、口语部分1. 口语任务:描述你最喜欢的季节,并解释原因。

- 答案示例:- 我最喜欢的季节是秋天。

秋天的天气既不冷也不热,非常宜人。

此外,秋天是收获的季节,可以看到许多成熟的水果和蔬菜,这让我感到非常满足。

托福阅读强化模拟试题及答案

托福阅读强化模拟试题及答案

托福阅读强化模拟试题及答案Scientists have discovered that for the last 160,000 years, at least, there has been a consistent relationship between the amount of carbon dioxide in the air and the average temperature of the planet. The importance of carbon dioxide in regulating the Earth's temperature was confirmed by scientists working in eastern Antarctica. Drilling down into a glacier, they extracted a mile-long cylinder of ice from the hole. The glacier had formed as layer upon layer of snow accumulated year after year. Thus drilling into the ice was tantamount to drilling back through time.The deepest sections of the core are composed of water that fell as snow 160,000 years ago. Scientists in Grenoble, France, fractured portions of the core and measured the composition of ancient air released from bubbles in the ice. Instruments were used to measure the ratio of certain isotopes in the frozen water to get an idea of the prevailing atmospheric temperature at the time when that particular bit of water became locked in the glacier.The result is a remarkable unbroken record of temperature and of atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide. Almost every time the chill of an ice age descended on the planet, carbon dioxide levels dropped. When the global temperature dropped 9°F (5 °C), carbon dioxide levels dropped to 190 parts per million or so. Generally, as each ice age ended and the Earth basked in a warm interglacial period, carbon dioxide levels were around 280 parts per million. Through the 160,000 years of that ice record, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere fluctuated between 190 and 280 parts per million, but never rose much higher-until the Industrial Revolution beginning in the eighteenth century andcontinuing today.There is indirect evidence that the link between carbon dioxide levels and global temperature change goes back much further than the glacial record. Carbon dioxide levels may have been much greater than the current concentration during the Carboniferous period, 360 to 285 million years ago. The period was named for a profusion of plant life whose buried remains produced a large fraction of the coal deposits that are being brought to the surface and burned today.1. Which of the following does the passage mainly discuss?(A) Chemical causes of ice ages(B) Techniques for studying ancient layers of ice in glaciers(C) Evidence of a relationship between levels of carbon dioxide and global temperature(D) Effects of plant life on carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere2. The word "accumulated" in line 6 is closest in meaning to.(A) spread out(B) changed(C) became denser(D) built up3. According to the passage , the drilling of the glacier in eastern Antarctica was important because it(A) allowed scientists to experiment with new drilling techniques(B) permitted the study of surface temperatures in an ice-covered region of Earth(C) provided insight about climate conditions in earlier periods(D) confirmed earlier findings about how glaciers are formed4. The phrase "tantamount to" in line 7 is closest in meaning to(A) complementary to(B) practically the same as(C) especially well suited to(D) unlikely to be confused with5. According to the passage , Grenoble, France, is the place where(A) instruments were developed for measuring certain chemical elements(B) scientists first recorded atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide(C) scientists studied the contents of an ice core from Antarctica(D) the relationship between carbon dioxide and temperature was discovered6. According to the passage , scientists used isotopes from the water of the ice core to determine which of following?(A) The amount of air that had bubbled to the surface since the ice had formed(B) The temperature of the atmosphere when the ice was formed(C) The date at which water had become locked in the glacier(D) The rate at which water had been frozen in the glacier7. The word "remarkable" in line 14 is closest in meaning to(A) genuine(B) permanent(C) extraordinary(D) continuous8. The word "link" in line 23 is closest in meaning to(A) tension(B) connection(C) attraction(D) distance9. The passage implies that the warmest temperatures among the periods mentioned occurred(A) in the early eighteenth century(B) 160,000 years ago(C) at the end of each ice age(D) between 360 and 285 million years ago10. According to the passage , the Carboniferous period was characterized by(A) a reduction in the number of coal deposits(B) the burning of a large amount of coal(C) an abundance of plants(D) an accelerated rate of glacier formation11. The passage explains the origin of which of the following terms?(A) glacier (line 5)(B) isotopes (line 11)(C) Industrial Revolution (line 21)(D) Carboniferous period (lines 26)CDCBC BCBAC D。

最新小托福阅读模拟测试练习题(附词汇难度解析)

最新小托福阅读模拟测试练习题(附词汇难度解析)

小托福阅读模拟测试练习题(附词汇难度解析)小托福是中小学生留学美国必须参加的一项语言测试考试。

TOEFL Junior考试中,阅读题占的分值最大,下文分享的就是小托福阅读模拟测试练习题,一起阅读下文吧!——小托福阅读模拟测试练习题材料分享:CARDIFF, Wales Poets, singers and musicians from across the globe gathered in Wales to celebrate the tradition of storytelling.“It might seem strange that people still want to listen in age of watching television, but this is an unusual art form. whose time has come again,” said David Ambrose, director of Beyond the Border, an international storytelling festival in Wales.“Some of the tales, like those the Inuit from Canada, are thousands years old. So our storytellers have come from distant lands to connect us with the distance of time,” he said early this month.Two Inuit women, both in their mid 60s, are among the few remaining who can do Kntadjait, or throat singing, which has few words and much sound. Their art is governed by the cold of their surroundings, forcing them to say little but listen attentively.Ambrose started the festival in 1993, after several years of working with those reviving (coming back into use or existence) storytelling in Wales.“It came out of a group of people who wanted to reconnect with traditions. and as all the Welsh are storytellers, it was in good hands here.” Ambrose said.1. Ambrose believes that the art of storytelling _______.A. will be more popular than TVB. will be popular againC. started in WalesD. are in the hands of some old people答案:B解析:推断题。

2021年托福阅读模拟试题考点分析(卷八)

2021年托福阅读模拟试题考点分析(卷八)

2021年托福阅读模拟试题考点分析(卷八)托福阅读文本:As Philadelphia grew from a small town into a city in the first half of the eighteenth century, it became an increasingly important marketing center for a vast and growing agricultural hinterland.Market days saw the crowded city even more crowded, as farmers from within a radius of 24 or more kilometers brought their sheep, cows, pigs, vegetables, cider, and other products for direct sale to the townspeople. The High Street Market was continuously enlarged throughout the period until 1736, when it reached from Front Street to Third. By 1745 New Market was opened on Second Street between Pine and Cedar.The next year the Callowhill Market began operation.Along with market days, the institution of twice-yearly fairs persisted in Philadelphia even after similar trading days had been discontinued in other colonial cities. The fairs provided ameans of bringing handmade goods from outlying places to would-be buyers in the city. Linens and stockings from Germantown, for example, were popular items.Auctions were another popular form of occasional trade. Because of the competition, retail merchants opposed these as well as the fairs. Although governmental attempts to eradicate fairs and auctions were less than successful, the ordinary course of economic development wason the merchants' side, as increasing business specialization became the order of the day. Export merchants became differentiated from their importing counterparts, and specialty shops began to appear in addition to general stores selling a variety of goods.One of the reasons Philadelphia's merchants generally prospered was because the surrounding area was undergoing tremendous economic and demographic growth. They did their business,after all, in the capital city of the province. Not only did they cater to the governor and his circle,but citizens from all over the colony came to the capital for legislative sessions of the assembly and council and the meetings of the courts of justice.托福阅读题目:1. What does the passage mainly discuss?(A) Philadelphia's agriculture importance(B) Philadelphia's development as a marketing center(C) The sale of imported goods in Philadelphia(D) The administration of the city of Philadelphia2. It can be inferred from the passage that new markets opened in Philadelphia because(A) they provided more modem facilities than older markets(B) the High Street Market was forced to close(C) existing markets were unable to serve the growing population(D) farmers wanted markets that were closer to the farms.3. The word "hinterland " in line 3 is closest in meaning to(A) tradition(B) association(C) produce(D) region4. The word "it" in line 6 refers to(A) the crowded city(B) a radius(C) the High Street Market(D) the period5. The word "persisted" in line 9 is closest in meaning to(A) returned(B) started(C) declined(D) continued6.According to the passage , fairs in Philadelphia were held(A) on the same day as market says(B) as often as possible(C) a couple of times a year(D) whenever the government allowed it7. It can be inferred that the author mentions "Linens andstockings" in line 12 to show that theywere items that(A) retail merchants were not willing to sell(B) were not available in the stores in Philadelphia(C) were more popular in Germantown man in Philadelphia(D) could easily be transported8. The word "eradicate" in line 15 is closest in meaning to(A) eliminate(B) exploit(C) organize(D) operate9. What does the author mean by stating in lines 15-16 that "economic development was on themerchants' side "?(A) Merchants had a strong impact on economic expansion.(B) Economic forces allowed merchants to prosper.(C) Merchants had to work together to achieve economic independence(D) Specialty shops near large markets were more likely to be economically successful.10. The word "undergoing" in line 21 is closest in meaning to(A) requesting(B) experiencing(C) repeating(D) including托福阅读答案:BCDCD CBABB托福阅读文本:The canopy, the upper level of the trees in the rain forest, holds a plethora of climbing mammals of moderately large size, which may include monkeys, cats, civets, and porcupines.Smaller species, including such rodents as mice and small squirrels, are not as prevalent overall in high tropical canopies as they are in most habitats globally.Small mammals, being warm blooded, suffer hardship in the exposed and turbulent environment of the uppermost trees. Because a small body has more surface area per unit ofweight than a large one of similar shape, it gains or loses heat more swiftly. Thus, in the trees, where shelter from heat and cold may be scarce and conditions may fluctuate, a small mammal may have trouble maintaining its body temperature.Small size makes it easy to scramble among twigs and branches in the canopy for insects, flowers, or fruit, but small mammals are surpassed, in the competition for food, by large ones that have their owntactics for browsing among food-rich twigs. The weight of a gibbon (a small ape)hanging below a branch arches the terminal leaves down so that fruit-bearing foliage drops toward the gibbon's face. Walking or leaping species of a similar or even larger size access the outer twigs either by snapping off and retrieving the whole branch or by clutching stiff branches with the feet or tail and plucking food with their hands.Small climbing animals may reach twigs readily, but it is harder for them than for large climbing animals to cross the wide gaps from on tree crown to the next that typify the high canopy.A macaque or gibbon can hurl itself farther than a mouse can: it can achieve a running start, and it can more effectively use a branch as a springboard, even bouncing on a climb several times before jumping. The forward movement of a small animal is seriously reduced by the air friction against the relatively large surface area of its body. Finally, for the many small mammals that supplement their insect diet with fruits or seeds, an inability to span open gaps between tree crowns may be problematic, since trees that yield these foods can be sparse.托福阅读题目:1. The passage answers which of the following questions?(A) How is the rain forest different from other habitats?(B) How does an animal's body size influence an animal's need for food?(C) Why does the rain forest provide an unusual variety of food for animals?(D) Why do large animals tend to dominate the upper canopy of the rain forest?2. Which of the following animals is less common in the upper canopy than in other environments?(A) Monkeys(B) Cats(C) Porcupines(D) Mice3. The word "they" in line 4 refers to(A) trees(B) climbing mammals of moderately large size(C) smaller species(D) high tropical canopies4. According to paragraph 2, which of the following is true about the small mammals in the rain forest?(A) They have body shapes that are adapted to live in the canopy.(B) They prefer the temperature and climate of the canopy to that of other environments.(C) They have difficulty with the changing conditions in the canopy.(D) They use the trees of the canopy for shelter from heat and cold.5. In discussing animal size in paragraph 3, the author indicates that(A) small animals require proportionately more food than larger animals do(B) a large animal's size is an advantage in obtaining food in the canopy(C) small animals are often attacked by large animals in the rain forest(D) small animals and large animals are equally adept at obtaining food in the canopy6. The word "typify" in line 19 is closest in meaning to(A) resemble(B) protect(C) characterize(D) divide7. According to paragraph 4, what makes jumping from one tree crown to another difficult for small mammals?(A)Air friction against the body surface(B) The thickness of the branches(C) The dense leaves of the tree crown(D) The inability to use the front feet as hands8. The word "supplement" in line 24 is closest in meaning to(A) control(B) replace(C) look for(D) add to9. Which of the following terms is defined in the passage ?(A) canopy (line 1)(B) warm blooded (line 5)(C) terminal leaves (line 13)(D) springboard (line 21)托福阅读答案:DDCCB CADA托福阅读文本:Among the species of seabirds that use the windswept cliffs of the Atlantic coast of Canada in the summer to mate, lay eggs, and rear their young are common murres, Atlantic puffins,black-legged kittiwakes, and northern gannets. Of all the birds on these cliffs, the black-legged kittiwake gull is the best suited for nesting on narrow ledges. Although its nesting habits are similar to those of gulls that nest on flat ground, there are a number of important differences related to the cliff-nesting habit.The advantage of nesting on cliffs is the immunity it gives from foxes, which cannot scale the sheer rocks, and from ravens and other species of gulls, which have difficulty in landing on narrow ledges to steal eggs. This immunity has been followed by a relaxation of the defenses, andkittiwakes do not react to predators nearly as fiercely as do ground-nesting gulls. A colony of Bonaparte's gulls responds to the appearance of a predatory herring gull by flying up as a group with a clamor of alarm calls, followed by concerted mobbing, but kittiwakes simply ignore herring gulls, since they pose little threat to nests on cliffs. Neither do kittiwakes attempt to conceal their nest. Most gulls keep the nest area clear of droppings, and remove empty eggshells after the chicks have hatched, so that the location of the nest is not given away. Kittiwakes defecate over the edge of the nest, which keeps it clean, but this practice, as well as their tendency to leave the nest littered with eggshells, makes its location very conspicuous.On the other hand, nesting on a narrow ledge has its own peculiar problems, and kittiwake behavior has become adapted to overcome them. The female kittiwake sits when mating, whereas other gulls stand, so the pair will not overbalance and fall off the ledge. The nest is a deep cup,made of mud or seaweed, to hold the eggs safely, compared with the shallow scrape of other gulls,and the chicks are remarkably immobile until fully grown. They do not run from their nests when approached, and if they should come near to the cliff edge, they instinctively turn back.托福阅读题目:1. What aspect of the kittiwake gull does the passage mainlydiscuss?(A) Its defensive behavior(B) It interactions with other gull species(C) Its nesting habits(D) Its physical difference from other gull species2. The word "rear" in line 2 is closest in meaning to(A) visit(B) watch(C) reverse(D) raise3. The word "scale" in line 8 is closest in meaning to(A) climb(B) avoid(C) approach(D) measure4. The word "immunity" in line 9 is closest in meaning to(A) distance(B) transition(C) protection(D) reminder5. Why is it difficult for ravens to steal the kittiwakes' eggs?(A) The kittiwakes can see the ravens approaching the nest.(B) The ravens cannot land on the narrow ledges where kittiwakes nest.(C) The kittiwakes' eggs are too big for the ravens to carry.(D) The female kittiwakes rarely leave the nest.6. The author mentions that eggshells litter around the nests of kittiwakes in order to(A) demonstrate that kittiwakes are not concerned about predators(B) prove how busy kittiwakes are in caring for their offspring(C) show a similarity to other types of gulls(D) illustrate kittiwakes' lack of concern for their chicks7. According to the passage , it can be inferred that which of the following birds conceal their nest?(A) Bonaparte's gulls(B)Atlantic puffins(C) Kittiwake gulls(D) Northern gannets8. The word "it" in line 17 refers to(A) location(B) edge(C) nest(D) practice9. The word "conspicuous" in line 18 is closest in meaning to(A) disordered(B) suspicious(C) noticeable(D) appealing10. The phrase "On the other hand" in line 19 is closest in meaning to(A) therefore(B) however(C) for example(D) by no means托福阅读答案:CDACBAACCB托福阅读文本:Prehistoric mammoths have been preserved in the famous tar pits of Rancho La Brea (Brea is the Spanish word for tar) in what is now the heart of Los Angeles, California. These tar pits have been known for centuries and were formerly mined for their natural asphalt, a black or brown petroleum-like substance. Thousands of tons were extracted before 1875, when it was first noticed that the tar contained fossil remains. Major excavations were undertaken that established the significance of this remarkable site. The tar pits were found to contain the remains of scores of species of animals from the last 30,000 years ofthe Ice Age.Since then, over 100 tons of fossils, 1.5 million from vertebrates, 2.5 million from invertebrates, have been recovered, often in densely concentrated and tangled masses. The creatures found range from insects and birds to giant ground sloth's, but a total of 17 proboscides (animals with a proboscis or long nose) —including mastodons and Columbian mammoths —have been recovered, most of them from Pit 9, the deepest bone-bearing deposit, which was excavated in 1914. Most of the fossils date to between 40,000 and 10,000 years ago.The asphalt at La Brea seeps to the surface, especially in the summer, and forms shallow puddles that would often have been concealed by leaves and dust. Unwary animals would become trapped on these thin sheets of liquid asphalt, which are extremely sticky in warm weather. Stuck, the unfortunate beasts would die of exhaustion and hunger or fall prey to predators that often also became stuck.As the animals decayed, more scavengers would be attracted and caught in their turn.Carnivores greatly outnumber herbivores in the collection: for every large herbivore, there is one saber-tooth cat, a coyote, and four wolves. The fact that some bones are heavily weathered shows that some bodies remained above the surface for weeks or months. Bacteria in the asphalt would have consumed some of the tissues other than bones, and theasphalt itself would dissolve what was left, at the same time impregnating and beautifully preserving the saturated bones, rendering them dark brown and shiny.托福阅读题目:1. What aspect of the La Brea tar pits does the passage mainly discuss?(A) The amount of asphalt that was mined there(B) The chemical and biological interactions between asphalt and animals(C) The fossil remains that have been found there(D) Scientific methods of determining the age of tar pits2. In using the phrase "the heart of Los Angeles" in line 2, the author is talking about the city's(A) beautiful design(B) central area(C) basic needs(D) supplies of natural asphalt3. The word "noticed" in line 5 closest in meaning to(A) predicted(B) announced(C) corrected(D) observed4. The word "tangled" in line 10 is closest in meaning to(A) buried beneath(B) twisted together(C) quickly formed(D) easily dated5. The word "them" in line 13 refers to(A) insects(B) birds(C) cloths(D) proboscideans6. How many proboscideans have been found at the La Brea tar pits?(A) 9(B) 17(C) 1.5 million(D) 2.5 million7. The word "concealed" in line 17 is closest in meaning to(A) highlighted(B) covered(C) transformed(D) contaminated8. Why does the author mention animals such as coyotes andwolves in paragraph 4?(A) To give examples of animals that are classified as carnivores(B) To specify the animals found least commonly at La Brea(C) To argue that these animals were especially likely to avoid extinction.(D) To define the term "scavengers"托福阅读答案:CBDBD BBA托福阅读文本:One area of paleoanthropological study involves the eating and dietary habits of hominids,erect bipedal primates —including early humans. It is clear that at some stage of history, humans began to carry their food to central places, called home bases, where it was shared and consumed with the young and other adults. The use of home bases is a fundamental component of human social behavior; the common meal served at a common hearth is a powerful symbol, a mark of social unity. Home base behavior does not occur among nonhuman primates and is rare among mammals. It is unclear when humans began to use home bases, what kind of communications and social relations were involved, and what the ecological and food-choice contexts of the shift were.Work on early tools, surveys of paleoanthropological sites, development and testing of broad ecological theories, and advances incomparative primatology are contributing to knowledge about this central chapter in human prehistory.One innovative approach to these issues involves studying damage and wear on stone tools.Researchers make tools that replicate excavated specimens as closely as possible and then try to use them as the originals might have been used, in woodcutting, hunting, or cultivation.Depending on how the tool is used, characteristic chippage patterns and microscopically distinguishable polishes develop near the edges. The first application of this method of analysis to stone tools that are 1.5 million to 2 million years old indicates that, from the start, an important function of early stone tools was to extract highly nutritious food —meat and marrow —from large animal carcasses. Fossil bones with cut marks caused by stone tools have been discovered lying in the same 2-million-year-old layers that yielded the oldest such tools and the oldest hominid specimens (including humans) with larger than ape-sized brains. This discovery increases scientists' certainty about when human ancestors began to eat more meat than present-day nonhuman primates. But several questions remain unanswered: how frequently meat eating occurred; what the social implications of meat eating were; and whether the increased use of meat coincides with the beginnings of the use of home bases.托福阅读题目:1. The passage mainly discusses which of the following aspects of hominid behavior?(A) Changes in eating and dietary practices(B) The creation of stone hunting tools(C) Social interactions at home bases(D) Methods of extracting nutritious food from carcasses2.According to the passage , bringing a meal to a location to be shared by many individuals is(A) an activity typical of nonhuman primates(B) a common practice among animals that eat meat(C) an indication of social unity(D) a behavior that encourages better dietary habits3. The word "consumed" in line 4 is closest in meaning to(A) prepared(B) stored(C) distributed(D) eaten4.According to paragraph 2, researchers make copies of old stone tools in order to(A) protect the old tools from being worn out(B) display examples of the old tools in museums(C) test theories about how old tools were used(D) learn how to improve the design of modern tools5. In paragraph 2, the author mentions all of the following as examples of ways in which earlystone tools were used EXCEPT to(A) build home bases(B) obtain food(C) make weapons(D) shape wood6. The word "innovative" in line 13 is closest in meaning to(A) good(B) new(C) simple(D) costly7. The word "them" in line 15 refers to(A) issues(B) researchers(C) tools(D) specimens8. The author mentions "characteristic chippage patterns" in line 16 as an example of(A) decorations cut into wooden objects(B) differences among tools made of various substances百度文库-赵诚作品(C) impressions left on prehistoric animal bones(D) indications of wear on stone tools9. The word "extract" in line 19 is closest in meaning to(A) identify(B) remove(C) destroy(D) compare10. The word "whether" in line 26 is closest in meaning to(A) if(B) how(C) why(D) when托福阅读答案:ACDCABCDBA百度文库-赵诚作品。

托福TPO8阅读Passage3原文文本+题目+答案解析

托福TPO8阅读Passage3原文文本+题目+答案解析

为了帮助大家高效备考托福,为大家带来托福TPO8阅读Passage3原文文本+题目+答案解析,希望对大家备考有所帮助。

▉托福TPO8阅读Passage3原文文本: Running Water on Mars Photographic evidence suggests that liquid water once existed in great quantity on the surface of Mars. Two types of flow features are seen: runoff channels and outflow channels. Runoff channels are found in the southern highlands. These flow features are extensive systems—sometimes hundreds of kilometers in total length—of interconnecting, twisting channels that seem to mergeinto larger, wider channels. They bear a strong resemblance to river systems on Earth, and geologists think that they are dried-up beds of long-gone rivers that once carried rainfall on Mars from the mountains down into the valleys. Runoff channels on Mars speak of a time 4 billion years ago (the age of the Martian highlands), when the atmosphere was thicker, the surface warmer, and liquid water widespread. Outflow channels are probably relics of catastrophic flooding on Mars long ago. They appear only in equatorial regions and generally do not form extensive interconnected networks. Instead, they are probably the paths taken by huge volumes of water draining from the southern highlands into the northern plains. The onrushing water arising from these flash floods likely also formed the odd teardrop-shaped “islands” (resembling the miniature versions seen in the wet sand of our beaches at low tide) that have been found on the plains close to the ends of the outflow channels. Judging from the width and depth of the channels, the flow rates must have been truly enormous—perhaps as much as a hundred times greater than the 105 tons per second carried by the great Amazon river. Flooding shaped the outflow channels approximately 3 billion years ago, about the same times as the northern volcanic plains formed. Some scientists speculate that Mars may have enjoyed an extended early Period during which rivers, lakes, and perhaps even oceans adorned its surface. A 2003 Mars Global Surveyor image shows what mission specialists think may be a delta—a fan-shaped network of channels and sediments where a river once flowed into a larger body of water, in this case a lake filling a crater in the southern highlands. Other researchers go even further, suggesting that the data provide evidence for large open expenses of water on the early Martian surface. A computer-generated view of the Martian north polar region shows the extent of what may have been an ancient ocean covering much of the northern lowlands. The Hellas Basin, which measures some 3,000 kilometers across and has a floor that lies nearly 9 kilometers below the basin’s rim, is another candidate for an ancient Martian sea. These ideas remain controversial. Proponents point to features such as theterraced “beaches” shown in one image, which could conceivably have been left behind as a lake or ocean evaporated and the shoreline receded. But detractors maintain that the terraces could also have been created by geological activity, perhaps related to the geologic forces that depressed the Northern Hemisphere far below the level of the south, in which case they have nothing whatever to do with Martian water. Furthermore, Mars Global Surveyor data released in 2003 seem to indicate that the Martian surface contains too few carbonate rock layers—layers containing compounds of carbon and oxygen—that should have been formed in abundance in an ancient ocean. Their absence supports the picture of a cold, dry Mars that never experienced the extended mild period required to form lakes and oceans. However, more recent data imply that at least some parts of the planet did in fact experience long periods in the past during which liquid water existed on the surface. Aside from some small-scale gullies (channels) found since 2000, which are inconclusive, astronomers have no direct evidence for liquid water anywhere on the surface of Mars today, and the amount of water vapor in the Martian atmosphere is tiny. Yet even setting aside the unproven hints of ancient oceans, the extent of the outflow channels suggests that a huge total volume of water existed on Mars in the past. Where did all the water go? The answer may be that virtually all the water on Mars is now locked in the permafrost layer under the surface, with more contained in the planet’s polar caps. ▉托福TPO8阅读Passage3题目: Question 1 of 13 The word “merge ” in the passage is closest in meaning to A. expand B. separate C. straighten out D. combine Question 2 of 13 What does the discussion in paragraph 1 of runoff channels in the southern highlands suggest about Mars? A. The atmosphere of Mars was once thinner than it is today.。

托福备考托福阅读34套TPO样题+解析+译文TPO8--2 Extinction of the Dinosaurs

托福备考托福阅读34套TPO样题+解析+译文TPO8--2 Extinction of the Dinosaurs

托福考试 复习托福阅读TPO8(试题+答案+译文)第2篇:Extinction of the Dinosaurs托福阅读原文Paleozoic Era 334 to 248 million years agoMesozoic Era 245 to 65 million years ago—Triassic Period—Jurassic Period—Cretaceous PeriodCenozoic Era 65 million years ago to thepresentPaleontologists have argued for a long timethat the demise of the dinosaurs was caused by climatic alterations associatedwith slow changes in the positions of continents and seas resulting from plate tectonics.Off and on throughout the Cretaceous (the last period of the Mesozoic era,during which dinosaurs flourished), large shallow seas covered extensive areasof the continents. Data from diverse sources, includinggeochemical evidencepreserved in seafloor sediments, indicate that the Late Cretaceous climate wasmilder than today’s. The days were not too hot, nor the nights too cold. Thesummers were not too warm, nor the winters too frigid. The shallow seas on thecontinents probably buffered the temperature of the nearby air, keeping itrelatively constant.At the end of the Cretaceous, thegeological record shows that these seaways retreated from the continents backinto the major ocean basins. No one knows why. Over a period of about 100,000 years,while the seas pulled back, climates around the world became dramatically moreextreme: warmer days, cooler nights; hotter summers, colder winters. Perhapsdinosaurs could not tolerate these extreme temperature changes and becameextinct.If true, though, why did cold-bloodedanimals such as snakes, lizards, turtles, an d crocodiles survive the freezing winter’sand torrid summers? These animals are at the mercy of the climate to maintain alivable body temperature. It’s hard to understand why they would not beaffected, whereas dinosaurs were left too crippled to cope, especially if, as somescientists believe, dinosaurs were warm-blooded. Critics also point out thatthe shallow seaways had retreated from and advanced on the continents numeroustimes during the Mesozoic, so why did thedinosaurs survive the climaticchanges associated with the earlier fluctuations but not with this one?Although initially appealing, the hypothesis of a simple climatic changerelated to sea levels is insufficient to explain all the data.Dissatisfaction with conventionalexplanations for dinosaur extinctions led to a surprising observation that, inturn, has suggested a new hypothesis. Many plants and animals disappearabruptly from the fossil record as one moves from layers of rock documentingthe end of the Cretaceous up into rocks representing the beginning of theCenozoic (the era after the Mesozoic). Between the last layer of Cretaceousrock and the first layer of Cenozoic rock, there is often a thin layer of clay.Scientists felt that they could get an idea of how long the extinctions took bydetermining how long it took to deposit this one centimeter of clay and theythought they could determine the time it took to deposit the clay bydetermining the amount of the element iridium (Ir) it contained.Ir has not been common at Earth’s since thevery beginni ng of the planet’s history. Because it usually exists in a metallicstate, it was preferentially incorporated in Earth’s core as the planet cooledand consolidated. Ir is found in high concentrations in some meteorites, inwhich the solar system’s original ch emical composition is preserved.Even today,microscopic meteorites continually bombard Earth, falling on both land and sea.By measuring how many of these meteorites fall to Earth over a given period oftime, scientists can estimate how long it might have taken to deposit theobserved amount of Ir in the boundary clay. These calculations suggest that aperiod of about one million years would have been required. However, otherreliable evidence suggests that the deposition of the boundary clay could nothave taken one million years. So the unusually high concentration of Ir seems torequire a special explanation.Inview of these facts, scientists hypothesized that a single large asteroid, about10 to 15 kilometers across, collided with Earth, and the resulting falloutcreated the boundary clay. Their calculations show that the impact kicked up adust cloud that cut off sunlight for several months, inhibiting photosynthesisin plants; decreased surface temperatures on continents to below freezing;caused extreme episodes of acid rain; and significantly raised long-term globaltemperatures through the greenhouse effect. This disruption of food chain andclimate would have eradicated the dinosaurs and other organisms in less thanfifty years.托福阅读试题1.According to paragraph 1, which of the following is true of the Late Cretaceous climate?A.Summers were very warm and winters werevery cold.B.Shallow seas on the continents causedfrequent temperature changes.C.The climate was very similar to today’sclimate.D.The climate did not change dramaticallyfrom season to season.2.Which of the following reasons issuggested in paragraph 2 for the extinction of the dinosaurs?A.Changes in the lengths of the days andnights during the late Cretaceous periodB.Droughts caused by the movement ofseaways back into the oceansC.The change from mild to severe climatesduring the Late Cretaceous periodD.An extreme decrease in the average yearlytemperature over 10,ooo years3.Why does the author mention the survivalof “snakes, lizards, turtles, and crocodiles” in paragraph 3?A.To argue that dinosaurs may have becomeextinct because they were not cold-blooded animalsB.To question the adequacy of thehypothesis that climatic change related to sea levels caused the extinction ofthe dinosaursC.To present examples of animals that couldmaintain a livable body temperature more easily than dinosaursD.To support a hypothesis that theseanimals were not as sensitive to climate changes in the Cretaceous period asthey are today4.The word “cope” in the passage (paragraph3) is closest in meaning toA.adaptB.moveC.continuepete5.According to paragraph 3, which of the following is true of changes in climate before the Cretaceous period and theeffect of these changes on dinosaurs?A.Climate changes associated with themovement of seaways before the Cretaceous period did not cause dinosaurs tobecome extinct.B.Changes in climate before the Cretaceousperiod caused severe fluctuations in sea level, resulting in the extinction ofthe dinosaurs.C.Frequent changes in climate before theCretaceous period made dinosaurs better able to maintain a livable bodytemperature.D.Before the Cretaceous period there werefew changes in climate, and dinosaurs flourished.6.The word “fluctuations” in the passage(paragraph 3) is closest in meaning toA.extremesB.retreatsC.periodsD.variations7.Which of the sentences below bestexpresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage(paragraph 4)? In correct choices change the meaning in important ways or leaveout essential information.A.The fossil record suggests that there wasan abrupt extinction of many plants and animals at the end of the Mesozoic era.B.Few fossils of the Mesozoic era havesurvived in the rocks that mark the end of the Cretaceous.C.Fossils from the Cretaceous period of theMesozoic up to the beginning of the Cenozoic era have been removed from thelayers of rock that surrounded them.D.Plants and animals from the Mesozoic erawere unable to survive in the Cenozoic era.8.In paragraph 4, all the following questionsare answered EXCEPT:A.Why is there a layer of clay between therocks of the Cretaceous and Cenozoic?B.Why were scientists interested indetermining how long it took to deposit the layer of clay at the end of theCretaceousC.What was the effect of the surprisingobservation scientists made?D.Why did scientists want more informationabout the dinosaur extinctions at the end of the Cretaceous?9.The word “bombard” in the passage(paragraph 5) is closest inmeaning toA.approachB.strikeC.passD.circle10.Paragraph 5 implies that a specialexplanation of Ir in the boundary clay is needed becauseA.the Ir in microscopic meteorites reachingEarth during the Cretaceous period would have been incorporated into Earth’scoreB.the Ir in the boundary clay was depositedmuch more than a million years agoC.the concentration of Ir in the boundaryclay is higher than in microscopic meteoritesD.the amount of Ir in the boundary clay istoo great to have come from microscopic meteorites during the time the boundaryclay was deposited11.The word “disruption” in the passage(paragraph 6) is closest in meaning toA.exhaustionB.disturbanceC.modificationD.disappearance12.Paragraph 6 mentions all of thefollowing effects of the hypothesized asteroid collision EXCEPTA.a large dust cloud that blocked sunlightB.an immediate drop in the surfacetemperatures of the continentsC.an extreme decrease in rainfall on thecontinentsD.a long-term increase in globaltemperatures13. Look at the four squares [■] thatindicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.Consequently, the idea that the Ir in the boundary clay came from microscopicmeteorites cannot be accepted.Ir has not been common at Earth’s since thevery beginning of the planet’s history. Because it usually exists in a metallicstate, it was preferentially incorporated in Earth’s core as the planet cooledand consolidated. Ir is found in high concentrations in some meteorites, inwhich the solar system’s original chemical composition is preserved. Eventoday, microscopic meteorites continually bombard Earth, falling on both landand sea. By measuring how many of these meteorites fall to Earth over a givenperiod of time, scientists can estimate how long it might have taken to depositthe observed amount of Ir in the boundary clay. ■【A】Thesecalculations suggest that a period of about one million years would have beenrequired. ■【B】However, other reliable evidence suggests that the deposition of theboundary clay could not have taken one million years. ■【C】So theunusually high concentration of Ir seems to require a special explanation. 【D】Where would the sentence best fit?14.Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of thepassage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answerchoices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences donot belong in the summary because they express that are not presented in the passageor are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.For a long time scientists have argued thatthe extinction of the dinosaurs was related to climate change.A.A simple climate change does not explainsome important data related to the extinction of the dinosaurs at the end ofthe Cretaceous.B.The retreat of the seaways at the end ofthe Cretaceous has not been fully explained.C.The abruptness of extinctions at the endof the Cretaceous and the high concentration of Ir found in clay deposited atthat time have fueled the development of a new hypothesis.D.Extreme changes in daily and seasonalclimates preceded the retreat of the seas back into the major ocean basins.E.Some scientists hypothesize that theextinction of the dinosaurs resulted from the effects of an asteroid collisionwith Earth.F.Boundaryclay layers like the one between the Mesozoic and Cenozoic are used byscientists to determine the rate at which an extinct species declined.托福阅读答案1.以Late Cretaceousclimate做关键词定位至倒数第四句,说比现在更温和,所以D是答案。

托福考试阅读试题及答案

托福考试阅读试题及答案

托福考试阅读试题及答案在日常学习、工作生活中,我们或多或少都会接触到试题,试题是用于考试的题目,要求按照标准回答。

相信很多朋友都需要一份能切实有效地帮助到自己的试题吧?下面是我收集整理的2023最新托福考试阅读试题及答案,欢迎阅读,希望大家能够喜欢。

最新托福考试阅读试题及答案1阅读题目:Mountaineers have noted that as they climb, for example, up to the 12,633-foot humphreys peak in the san francisco peaks in arizona, plant life changes radically. starting among the cacti of the sonoran desert, one climbs into a pine forest at 7,000 feet and a treeless alpine tundra at the summit. it may seem that plants at a given altitude are associated in what can be called “communities” – groupings of interacting species. the idea is that over time, plants that require particular climate and soil conditions come to live in the same places, and hence are frequently to be found together. scientists who study the history of plant life are known as paleobotanists, or paleobots for short. they build up a picture of how groups of plants have responded to climate changes and how ecosystems develop. but are these associations, which are real in the present, permanent?a great natural experiment took place on this planet between 25,000 and 10,000 years ago, when small changes in the earth’s orbit and axis of rotation caused great sheets of ice to spread from the poles. these glaciers covered much of north america and europe to depths of up to two miles, and then, as the climate warmed, they retreated. during this retreat, they left behind newly uncovered land for living things to colonize, and as those living things moved in they laid down a record we can read now. as the ice retreated and plants started to grow near a lake, they would release pollen. some would fall into the lake, sink to the bottom, and be incorporated into the sediment. by drilling into the lake bottom it is possible to read the record of successive plant life around the lake. the fossil record seems clear; there is little or no evidence that entire groups of plants moved north together. things that lived together in the past don’t live together now, and things that live together now didn’t live together in the past. each individual organism moved at its own pace. the fossil record seems to be tellineuver – to respond to environmental changes.1. what is the passage mainly about?(a) the effects of the ice age on plants(b) plant migration after the ice age(c) the need to develop a new approach to environmental issues(d) communities of plants live at different altitudes2. the word “radically” in line 2 is closest in meaning to(a) variably(b) demonstrably(c) quickly(d) dramatically3. the author mentions “cacti” in line 3 and a ”treeless alpine tundra” in line 4 to illustrate(a) changes in climate(b) the effects of the ice age(c) communities of plants(d) plant migration4. the word “which” in line 10 refers to(a) the responses of plants to climate changes(b) the current theories of ecosystems(c) the developments of ecosystems(d) plant life changes5. the word “axis” in line 12 is closest in meaning to(a) center(b) method(c) change(d) slowdown6. the word “successive” in line 19 is closest in meaning to(a) exng us that we should be thinking about preserving species by giving them room to matinct(b) consecutive(c) accumulative(d) following7. the passage states that by drilling into the lake bottom it is possible to find successive fossils of:(a) sediment(b) ice(c) plant life(d) pollen8. which of the following can be inferred from the passage(a) –that the migratory patterns of plants are dependent upon changes in climate(b) –that modern conservation methods should consider the migratory patterns of plants(c) –that current associations of plants are similar to those in the past(d) –that another ice age is likely to occur at some time9. according to the passage, the movement of individual species of plants(a) occurs in groups(b) often depends upon the formation of lakes(c) does not occur in groups(d) depends upon climate and soil conditions10. all of the following are true except(a) the ice age occurred when small changes affected the movement of the earth(b) fossil records seem to indicate that plants will be preserved if theyhave sufficient room to move(c) fossil records clearly show that entire groups of plants are unlikely to have moved together(d) in the ice age glaciers covered the world to depths of up to two miles【参考答案】:BBCDA BACAD最新托福考试阅读试题及答案2The year 1850 may be considered the beginning of a new epoch in America art, with respect to the development of watercolor In December of that year, a group of thirty artists gathered in the studio of John Falconer in New York City and drafted both a constitution and bylaws, establishing The Society for the Promotion of Painting in Water In addition to securing an exhibition space in the Library Society building in lower Manhattan, the society founded a small school for theinstruction of watercolor Periodic exhibitions of the members paintings also included works by noted English artists of the day, borrowed from embryonic private collections in the The societys activities also included organized sketching excursions along the Hudson Its major public exposure came in 1853, when the society presented works by its members in the "Industry of All Nations" section of the Crystal Palace Exposition in NewThe society did not prosper, however, and by the time of its annual meeting in 1854 membership had fallen to The group gave up its quarters in the Library Society building and returned to Falconers studio, where it broke up amid No further attempt to formally organize the growing numbers of watercolor painters in New York City was made for more than a During that decade, though, Henry Warrens Painting in Water Color was published in New York City in 1856 — the book was a considerable improvement over the only other manual of instruction existing at the time, Elements of Graphic Art, by Archibald Roberson,published in 1802 and by the 1850s long out ofIn 1866 the NationalAcademy of Design was host to an exhibition of watercolor painting in its elaborate neo-Venetian Gothic building on Twenty-Third Street in New York The exhibit was sponsored by an independent group called The Artists Fund Within a few months of this event, forty-two prominent artists living in and near New York Cityfounded The American Society of Painters in Water阅读题目:This passage is mainly about(A) the most influential watercolor painters in the mid-1800s(B) efforts to organize watercolor painters in New York City during the mid-1800s(C) a famous exhibition of watercolor paintings in New York City in the mid-1800s(D) styles of watercolor painting in New York City during the mid-1800sThe year 1850 was significant in the history of watercolor painting mainly because(A) a group of artists established a watercolor painting society(B) watercolor painting was first introduced to New York City(C) John Falconer established his studio for watercolor painters(D) The first book on watercolor painting was publishedThe word "securing" in line 5 is closest in meaning to(A) locking(B) creating(C) constructing(D) acquiringAll of the following can be inferred about the Society for thepromotion of Painting inWatercolor EXCEPT:(A) The society exhibited paintings in lower(B) Instruction in watercolor painting was offered by members of the society(C) The society exhibited only the paintings of its(D) Scenes of the Hudson River appeared often in the work of societyThe exhibition at the Crystal Palace of the works of the Society for the Promotion of Painting inWatercolor was significant for which of the following reasons?(A) It resulted in a dramatic increase in the popularity of painting with(B) It was the first time an exhibition was funded by a private(C) It was the first important exhibition of the societys(D) It resulted in a large increase in the membership of theThe word "it" in line 15 refers to(A) time(B) group(C) building(D) studioWhich of the following is true of watercolor painters in New York City in the late 1850s?(A) They increased in number despite a lack of formal(B) They were unable to exhibit their paintings because of the lack of exhibition(C) The Artists Fund Society helped them to form The American Society of Painters in Water(D) They formed a new society because they were not allowed to join groups run by other kinds of Henry Warrens Painting in Water Color was important to artists because it(A) received an important reward(B) was the only textbook published that taught painting(C) was much better than an earlier published fundamental of instruction(D) attracted the interest of art collectorsThe word "considerable" in line 19 is closest in meaning to(A) sensitive(B) great(C) thoughtful(D) plannedThe year 1866 was significant for watercolor painting for which of the following reasons?(A) Elements of GraphicArt was(B) Private collections of watercolors were first publicly(C) The neo-Venetian Gothic building on Twenty-Third Street in New York City was(D) The NationalAcademy of Design held an exhibition of watercolorThe word "prominent" in line 25 is closest in meaning to(A) wealthy(B) local(C) famous(D) organized阅读答案:BADCC BACBD C【最新托福考试阅读试题及答案】。

2021年托福阅读模拟试题及答案(卷八)

2021年托福阅读模拟试题及答案(卷八)

2021年托福阅读模拟试题及答案(卷八)The canopy, the upper level of the trees in the rain forest, holds a plethora of climbingmammals of moderately large size, which may include monkeys, cats, civets, andporcupines. Smaller species, including such rodents as mice and small squirrels, are notLine as prevalent overall in high tropical canopies as they are in most habitats globally.(5) Small mammals, being warm blooded, suffer hardship in the exposed and turbulentenvironment of the uppermost trees. Because a small body has more surface area perunit of weight than a large one of similar shape, it gains or loses heat more swiftly.Thus, in the trees, where shelter from heat and cold may be scarce and conditions mayfluctuate, a small mammal may have trouble maintaining its body temperature.(10) Small size makes it easy to scramble among twigs and branches in the canopy forinsects, flowers, or fruit, but small mammals are surpassed, in thecompetition forfood, by large ones that have their own tactics for browsing among food-rich twigs.The weight of a gibbon (a small ape) hanging below a branch arches the terminalleaves down so that fruit-bearing foliage drops toward the gibbon's face. Walking or(15) leaping species of a similar or even larger size access the outer twigs either by snapping offand retrieving the whole branch or by clutching stiff branches with the feet or tail andplucking food with their hands.Small climbing animals may reach twigs readily, but it is harder for them than forlarge climbing animals to cross the wide gaps from on tree crown to the next that(20) typify the high canopy. A macaque or gibbon can hurl itself farther than a mouse can: itcan achieve a running start, and it can more effectively use a branch as a springboard,even bouncing on a limb several times before jumping. The forward movement of a smallanimal is seriously reduced by the air friction against the relatively large surfacearea of its body. Finally, for the many small mammals that supplement their insect(25) diet with fruits or seeds, an inability to span open gaps between tree crowns may beproblematic, since trees that yield these foods can be sparse.2. Which of the following animals is less common in the upper canopy than in other environments?(A) Monkeys(B) Cats(C) Porcupines(D) Mice答案:DThe 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. Itdissolves, transports, and precipitates many chemical compounds and is constantlyLine modifying the face of the Earth.(5) Evaporated from the oceans, water vapor forms clouds, some ofwhich are transportedby wind over the continents. Condensation from the clouds provides the essential agent ofcontinental erosion: rain. Precipitated onto the ground, the water trickles down to formbrooks, streams, and rivers, constituting what are called the hydrographic network. Thisimmense polarized network channels the water toward a single recepatcle: an ocean.(10) Gravity dominates this entire step in the cycle because water tends to minimize itspotential energy by running from high altitudes toward the reference point, that is, sealevel.The rate at which a molecule of water passes through the cycle is not random but is ameasure of the relative size of the various reservoirs. If we define residence time as the(15) average time for a water molecule to pass throught one of the three reservoirs—atmosphere, continent, and ocean—we see that the times are very different. A watermolecule stays, on average, eleven days in the atmosphere, one hundred years on acontinent and forty thousand years in the ocean. This last figure shows the importance ofthe ocean as the principal reservoir of the hydrosphere but also the rapidity of water(20) transport on the continents.A vast chemical separation process takes places during the flow of water over thecontinents. Soluble ions such as calcium, sodium, potassium, and some magnesium aredissolved and transported. Insoluble ions such as aluminum, iron, and silicon stay wherethey are and form the thin, fertile skin of soil on which vegetation can grow. Sometimes(25) soils are destroyed and transported mechanically during flooding. The erosion of thecontinents thus results from two closely linked and interdependent processes, chemicalerosion and mechanical erosion. Their respective interactions and efficiency depend ondifferent factors.8. All of the following are example of soluble ions EXCEPT(A) magnesium(B) iron(C) potassium(D) calcium答案:BPeople appear to be born to compute. The numerical skill of children develop so early and so inexorably that it is easy to imagine an internal clock of mathematical maturity guiding their growth. Not long after learning to walk and talk, they can set the table with impressive accuracy——one plate, one knife, one spoon, one fork, for each of the five chairs. Soon they are capable of noting that they have placed five knives, spoons, and forks on the table and, a hit later, that this amounts to fifteen pieces of silverware. Having thus mastered addition, they move on to subtraction. It seems almost reasonable to expect that if a child were secluded on a desert island at birth and retrieved seven years later, he or she could enter a second-grade mathematics class without any serious problems of intellectual adjustment.Of course, the truth is not so simple. This century, the work of cognitive psychologists has illuminated the subtle forms of daily learning on which intellectual progress depends. Children were observed as they slowly grasped——or ,as the case might be, bumped into——concepts that adults take forgranted, as they refused, for instance, to concede that quantity is unchanged as water pours from a short stout glass into a tall thin one. Psychologists have since demonstrated that young children, asked to count the pencils in a pile, readily report the number of blue or red pencils, but must be coaxed into finding the total. Such studies have suggested that the rudiments of mathematics are mastered gradually, and with effort. They have also suggested that the very concept of abstract numbers——the idea of a oneness, a twoness, a threeness that applies to any class of objects and is a prerequisite for doing anything more mathematically demanding than setting a table——is itself far from innate.31.What does the passage mainly discuss?(A) Trends in teaching mathematics to children(B) The use of mathematics in child psychology(C) The development of mathematical ability in children(D) The fundamental concepts of mathematics that children must learn32.It can be inferred from the passage that children normally learn simple counting(A) soon after they learn to talk(B) by looking at the clock(C) when they begin to be mathematically mature(D) after they reach second grade in school33.The word "illuminated in line 11 is closest in meaning to(A) illustrated(B) accepted(C) clarified(D) lighted34 . The author implies that most small children believe that the quantity of water changes when it is transferred to a container of a different(A) color(B) quality(C) weight(D) shape35 .According to the passage, when small children were asked to count a pile of red and blue pencils they(A) counted the number of pencils of each color(B) guessed at the total number of pencils (C) counted only the pencils of their favorite color(D) subtracted the number of red pencils from the number of blue pencilsThe war for independence from Britain was a long and economically costly conflict. The New England fishing industry was temporarily destroyed, and the tobacco colonies in the South were also hard hit. The trade in imports was severely affected, since the war was fought against the country that had previously monopolized the colonies’supply of manufactured goods. The most serious consequences were felt in the cities, whose existence depended on commercial activity. Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Charleston were all occupied for a time by British troops. Even when the troops had left, British ships lurked in the harbors and continued to disrupt trade.American income from shipbuilding and commerce declined abruptly, undermining the entire economy of the urban areas. The decline in trade brought a fall in the American standard of living. Unemployed shipwrights, dock laborers, and coopers drifted off to findwork on farms and in small villages. Some of them joined the Continental army, or if they were loyal to Britain, they departed with the British forces. The population of the New York City declined from 21,000 in 1774 to less than half that number only nine years later in 1783.The disruptions produced by the fighting of the war, by the loss of established markets for manufactured goods, by the loss of sources of credit, and by the lack of new investment all created a period of economic stagnation that lasted for the next twenty years.1.Why does the author mention the fishing industry and the tobacoo colonies?A. to show how the war for independence affected the economyB. to compare the economic power of two different regionsC. to identify the two largest commercial enterprises in AmericaD. to give examples of industries controlled by British forces2. Why does the author mention the population of New York City in paragraph 2?A. to show that half of New York remained loyal to BritainB. to compare New York with other cities occupied during the warC. to emphasize the great short-term cost of the war for New YorkD. to illustrate the percentage of homeless people in New York答案:1.A2.COne’s style of the dress reveals the human obsession with both novelty and tradition. People use clothing to declare their membership in a particular social group; however, the rules for what is acceptable dress for that group may change. In affluent societies, this changing of the rules is the driving force behind fashions. By keeping up with fashions, that is, by changing their clothing style frequently but simultaneously, members of a group both satisfy their desire for novelty and obey the rules, thus demonstrating their membership in the group.There are some interesting variations regarding individual status. Some people, particularly in the West, consider themselves of such high status that they do not need to display it with their clothing. For example, many wealthy people in the entertainment industry appear in very casual clothes, such as the worn jeans and work boots of a manual laborer. However, it is likely that a subtle but important signal, such as an expensive wristwatch, will prevail over the message of the casual dress. Such an inverted status display is most likely to occur where the person’s high status is conveyed in ways other than with clothing, such as havinga famous face.1.According to the author, fashions serve all the following purposes EXCEPTA.satisfying an interest in noveltyB.signaling a change in personal beliefsC.displaying membership in a social groupD.following traditional rules2.Why does the author discuss individual status in paragraph 2?A.To state that individuals status is not important in the WestB.To argue that individuals need not obey every fashion ruleC.To contrast the status of entertainers with that of manual laborersD.To explain how high status may involve an inverted status display答案:1.B2.DDESERT FORMATIONThe deserts, which already occupy approximately a fourth of the Earth's land surface, have in recent decades been increasing at an alarming pace. The expansion of desertlike conditions into areas where they did not previously exist is called desertification. It has been estimated that an additional one-fourth of the Earth's land surface is threatened by this process.Desertification is accomplished primarily through the loss of stabilizing natural vegetation and the subsequent accelerated erosion of the soil by wind and water. In some cases the loose soil is blown completely away, leaving a stony surface. In other cases, the finer particles may be removed, while the sand-sized particles are accumulated to form mobile hills or ridges of sand.Even in the areas that retain a soil cover, the reduction of vegetation typically results in the loss of the soil's ability to absorb substantial quantities of water. The impact of raindrops on the loose soil tends to transfer fine clay particles into the tiniest soil spaces, sealing them and producing a surface that allows very little water penetration. Water absorption is greatly reduced; consequently runoff is increased, resulting in accelerated erosion rates. The gradual drying of the soil caused by its diminished ability to absorb water results in the further loss of vegetation, so that a cycle of progressive surface deterioration is established.In some regions, the increase in desert areas is occurring largely as the result of a trend toward drier climatic conditions. Continued gradual global warming has produced an increase in aridity for some areas over the past few thousand years. The process may be accelerated in subsequent decades if global warming resulting from air pollution seriously increases.There is little doubt, however, that desertification in most areas results primarily from human activities rather than natural processes. The semiarid lands bordering the deserts exist in a delicate ecological balance and are limited in their potential to adjust to increased environmental pressures. Expanding populations are subjecting the land to increasing pressures to provide them with food and fuel. In wetperiods, the land may be able to respond to these stresses. During the dry periods that are common phenomena along the desert margins, though, the pressure on the land is often far in excess of its diminished capacity, and desertification results.Four specific activities have been identified as major contributors to the desertification processes: overcultivation, overgrazing, firewood gathering, and overirrigation. The cultivation of crops has expanded into progressively drier regions as population densities have grown. These regions are especially likely to have periods of severe dryness, so that crop failures are common. Since the raising of most crops necessitates the prior removal of the natural vegetation, crop failures leave extensive tracts of land devoid of a plant cover and susceptible to wind and water erosion.The raising of livestock is a major economic activity in semiarid lands, where grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation. The consequences of an excessive number of livestock grazing in an area are the reduction of the vegetation cover and the trampling and pulverization of the soil. This is usually followed by the drying of the soil and accelerated erosion.Firewood is the chief fuel used for cooking and heating in many countries. The increased pressures of expanding populations have led to the removal of woody plants so that many cities and towns aresurrounded by large areas completely lacking in trees and shrubs. The increasing use of dried animal waste as a substitute fuel has also hurt the soil because this valuable soil conditioner and source of plant nutrients is no longer being returned to the land.The final major human cause of desertification is soil salinization resulting from overirrigation. Excess water from irrigation sinks down into the water table. If no drainage system exists, the water table rises, bringing dissolved salts to the surface. The water evaporates and the salts are left behind, creating a white crustal layer that prevents air and water from reaching the underlying soil.The extreme seriousness of desertification results from the vast areas of land and the tremendous numbers of people affected, as well as from the great difficulty of reversing or even slowing the process. Once the soil has been removed by erosion, only the passage of centuries or millennia will enable new soil to form. In areas where considerable soil still remains, though, a rigorously enforced program of land protection and cover-crop planting may make it possible to reverse the present deterioration of the surface.Paragraph 1: The deserts, which already occupy approximately a fourth of the Earth's land surface, have in recent decades been increasing at an alarming pace. The expansion of desertlike conditions into areas where they did not previously exist is called desertification. Ithas been estimated that an additional one-fourth of the Earth's land surface is threatened by this process.1. The word threatened in the passage is closest in meaning to○Restricted○Endangered○Prevented○RejectedParagraph 3: Even in the areas that retain a soil cover, the reduction of vegetation typically results in the loss of the soil's ability to absorb substantial quantities of water. The impact of raindrops on the loose soil tends to transfer fine clay particles into the tiniest soil spaces, sealing them and producing a surface that allows very little water penetration. Water absorption is greatly reduced; consequently runoff is increased, resulting in accelerated erosion rates. The gradual drying of the soil caused by its diminished ability to absorb water results in the further loss of vegetation, so that a cycle of progressive surface deterioration is established.2. According to paragraph 3, the loss of natural vegetation has which of the following consequences for soil?○Increased stony content○Reduced water absorption○Increased numbers of spaces in the soil○Reduced water runoffParagraph 5: There is little doubt, however, that desertification in most areas results primarily from human activities rather than natural processes. The semiarid lands bordering the deserts exist in a delicate ecological balance and are limited in their potential to adjust to increased environmental pressures. Expanding populations are subjecting the land to increasing pressures to provide them with food and fuel. In wet periods, the land may be able to respond to these stresses. During the dry periods that are common phenomena along the desert margins, though, the pressure on the land is often far in excess of its diminished capacity, and desertification results.3. The word delicate in the passage is closest in meaning to○Fragile○Predictable○Complex○Valuable4. According to paragraph 5, in dry periods, border areas have difficulty○Adjusting to stresses created by settlement○Retaining their fertility after desertification○Providing water for irrigating crops○Attracting populations in search of food and fuelParagraph 6: Four specific activities have been identified as major contributors to the desertification processes: overcultivation, overgrazing, firewood gathering, and overirrigation. The cultivation of crops has expanded into progressively drier regions as population densities have grown. These regions are especially likely to have periods of severe dryness, so that crop failures are common. Since the raising of most crops necessitates the prior removal of the natural vegetation, crop failures leave extensive tracts of land devoid of a plant cover and susceptible to wind and water erosion.5. The word progressively in the passage is closest in meaning to○Openly○Impressively○Objectively○Increasingly6. According to paragraph 6, which of the following is often associated with raising crops?○Lack of proper irrigation techniques○Failure to plant crops suited to the particular area○Removal of the original vegetation○Excessive use of dried animal waste7. The phrase devoid of in the passage is closest in meaning to○Consisting of○Hidden by○Except for○Lacking inParagraph 9: The final major human cause of desertification is soil salinization resulting from over irrigation. Excess water from irrigation sinks down into the water table. If no drainage system exists, the water table rises, bringing dissolved salts to the surface. The water evaporates and the salts are left behind, creating a white crustal layer that prevents air and water from reaching the underlying soil.8. According to paragraph 9, the ground’s absorption of excess water is a factor in desertification because it can○Interfere with the irrigation of land○Limit the evaporation of water○Require more absorption of air by the soil○Bring salts to the surface9. All of the following are mentioned in the passage as contributing to desertification EXCEPT○Soil erosion○Global warming○Insufficient irrigation○The raising of livestockParagraph 10: The extreme seriousness of desertification resultsfrom the vast areas of land and the tremendous numbers of people affected, as well as from the great difficulty of reversing or even slowing the process. Once the soil has been removed by erosion, only the passage of centuries or millennia will enable new soil to form. In areas where considerable soil still remains, though, a rigorously enforced program of land protection and cover-crop planting may make it possible to reverse the present deterioration of the surface.10. 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.○Desertification is a significant problem because it is so hard to reverse and affects large areas of land and great numbers of people.○Slowing down the process of desertification is difficult because of population growth that has spread over large areas of land.○The spread of deserts is considered a very serious problem that can be solved only if large numbers of people in various countries are involved in the effort.○Desertification is extremely hard to reverse unless the population is reduced in the vast areas affected.11. It can be inferred from the passage that the author most likely believes which of the following about the future of desertification?Governments will act quickly to control further desertification.The factors influencing desertification occur in cycles and will change in the future.Desertification will continue to increase.Desertification will soon occur in all areas of the world.Paragraph 7: The raising of livestock is a major economic activity in semiarid lands, where grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation. The consequences of an excessive number of livestock grazing in an area are the reduction of the vegetation cover and the trampling and pulverization of the soil. This is usually followed by the drying of the soil and accelerated erosion.12. Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence can be added to the passage.This economic reliance on livestock in certain regions makes large tracts of land susceptible to overgrazing.Where would the sentence best fit?13-14. 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 answer choices 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.Many factors have contributed to the great increase in desertification in recent decades.Answer Choices1. Growing human populations and the agricultural demands that come with such growth have upset the ecological balance in some areas and led to the spread of deserts.2. As periods of severe dryness have become more common, failures of a number of different crops have increased.3. Excessive numbers of cattle and the need for firewood for fuel have reduced grasses and trees, leaving the land unprotected and vulnerable.4. Extensive irrigation with poor drainage brings salt to the surface of the soil, a process that reduces water and air absorption.5. Animal dung enriches the soil by providing nutrients for plant growth.6. Grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation in semiarid lands.参考答案:This is a Vocabulary question. The word being tested is threatened. It is highlighted in the passage. To threaten means to speak or act as if you will cause harm to someone or something. The object of the threat is in danger of being hurt, so the correct answer is choice 2,"endangered."This is a Factual Information question asking for specific information that can be found in paragraph 3. The correct answer is choice 2, reduced water absorption. The paragraph explicitly states that the reduction of vegetation greatly reduces water absorption. Choice 4, reduced water runoff, explicitly contradicts the paragraph, so it is incorrect. The "spaces in the soil" are mentioned in another context: the paragraph does not say that they increase, so choice 3 is incorrect. The paragraph does not mention choice 1.This is a Vocabulary question. The word being tested is delicate. It is highlighted in the passage. The correct answer is choice 1, "fragile," meaning "easily broken." Delicate has the same meaning as "fragile."This is a Factual Information question asking for specific information that can be found in paragraph 5. The correct answer is choice 1: border areas have difficulty "adjusting to stresses created by settlement." The paragraph says that "expanding populations," or settlement, subject border areas to "pressures," or stress, that the land may not "be able to respond to." Choice 2 is incorrect because the paragraph does not discuss "fertility" after desertification. Choice 3 is also incorrect because "irrigation" is not mentioned here. The paragraph mentions "increasing populations" but not the difficulty of "attracting populations," so choice 4 is incorrect.This is a Vocabulary question. The word being tested is progressively. It is highlighted in the passage. The correct answer is choice 4, "increasingly." Progressively as it is used here means "more," and "more" of something means that it is increasing.This is a Factual Information question asking for specific information that can be found in paragraph 6. The correct answer is choice 3, "removal of the original vegetation." Sentence 4 of this paragraph says that "the raising of most crops necessitates the prior removal of the natural vegetation," an explicit statement of answer choice 3. Choice 1, lack of proper irrigation techniques, is incorrect because the paragraph mentions only "overirrigation" as a cause of desertification. No irrigation "techniques" are discussed. Choices 2 and 4, failure to plant suitable crops and use of animal waste, are not discussed.his is a Vocabulary question. A phrase is being tested here, and all of the answer choices are phrases. The phrase is "devoid of." It is highlighted in the passage. "Devoid of' means "without," so the correct answer is choice 4, "lacking in." If you lack something that means you are without that thing.This is a Factual Information question asking for specific information that can be found in paragraph 9. The correct answer is choice 4, "bring salts to the surface." The paragraph says that the final human cause of desertification is salinization resulting from overirrigation. The paragraph。

托福阅读模拟题(八)3

托福阅读模拟题(八)3

What makes it rain? Rain falls from clouds for the same reason anything falls to Earth. The Earth’s gravity pulls it. But every cloud is made of water droplets or ice crystals. Why doesn’t rain or snow fall constantly from all clouds? The droplets or ice crystals in clouds are exceedingly small. The effect or gravity on them is minute. Air currents move and lift droplets so that the net downward displacement is zero, even though the droplets are in constant motion. Droplets and ice crystals behave somewhat like dust in the air made visible in a shaft of sunlight. To the casual observer, dust seems to act in a totally random fashion, moving about chaotically without fixed direction. But in fact dust particles are much larger than water droplets and they finally fall. The average size of a cloud droplet is only 0.0004 inch in diameter. It is so small that it would take sixteen hours to fall half a mile in perfectly still air, and it does not fall out of moving air at all. Only when the droplet grows to diameter of 0.008 inch or larger can it fall from the cloud. The average raindrop contains a million times as much water as a tiny cloud droplet. The growth of a cloud droplet to a size large enough to fall out is the cause of rain and other forms of precipitation. This important growth process is called "coalescence. 23. What is the main topic of the passage? (A) The mechanics of rain (B) The weather patterns of North America (C) How Earth s gravity affects agriculture (D) Types of clouds 24.The word "minute in line 4 is closest in meaning to which of the following? (A) second (B) tiny (C) slow (D) steady。

2021年托福阅读模拟试题及答案(卷八)

2021年托福阅读模拟试题及答案(卷八)

2021年托福阅读模拟试题及答案(卷八)托福阅读文本:Plants are subject to attack and infection by a remarkable variety of symbiotic species and have evolved a diverse array of mechanisms designed to frustrate the potential colonists. These can be divided into preformed or passive defense mechanisms and inducible or active systems.Passive plant defense comprises physical and chemical barriers that prevent entry of pathogens,such as bacteria, or render tissues unpalatable or toxic to the invader. The external surfaces of plants, in addition to being covered by an epidermis and a waxy cuticle, often carry spiky hairs known as trichomes, which either prevent feeding by insects or may even puncture and kill insect larvae. Other trichomes are sticky and glandular and effectively trap and immobilize insects.If the physical barriers of the plant are breached, then preformed chemicals may inhibit or kill the intruder, and plant tissues contain a diverse array of toxic or potentially toxic substances, such as resins, tannins, glycosides, and alkaloids, many of which are highly effective deterrents to insects that feed on plants. The success of the Colorado beetle in infesting potatoes, for example,seems to be correlated with its high tolerance to alkaloids that normally repel potential pests.Other possible chemical defenses, while not directly toxic to theparasite, may inhibit some essential step in the establishment of a parasitic relationship. For example, glycoproteins in plant cell walls may inactivate enzymes that degrade cell walls. These enzymes are often produced by bacteria and fungi.Active plant defense mechanisms are comparable to the immune system of vertebrate animals,although the cellular and molecular bases are fundamentally different. Both, however, are triggered in reaction to intrusion, implying that the host has some means of recognizing the presence of a foreign organism. The most dramatic example of an inducible plant defense reaction is the hypersensitive response. In the hypersensitive response, cells undergo rapid necrosis —that is, they become diseased and die —after being penetrated by a parasite; the parasite itself subsequently ceases to grow and is therefore restricted to one or a few cells around the entry site.Several theories have been put forward to explain the basis of hypersensitive resistance.托福阅读题目:1. What does the passage mainly discuss?(A) The success of parasites in resisting plant defense mechanisms(B) Theories on active plant defense mechanisms(C) How plant defense mechanisms function(D) How the immune system of animals and the defensemechanisms of plants differ2. The phrase "subject to" in line 1 is closest in meaning to(A) susceptible to(B) classified by(C) attractive to(D) strengthened by3. The word "puncture" in line 8 is closest in meaning to(A) pierce(B) pinch(C) surround(D) cover .4. The word "which" in line 12 refers to(A) tissues(B) substances(C) barriers(D) insects5. Which of the following substances does the author mention as NOT necessarily being toxic tothe Colorado beetle?(A) resins(B) tannins(C) glycosides(D) alkaloids6. Why does the author mention "glycoproteins" in line 17?(A) to compare plant defense mechanisms to the immune system of animals(B) to introduce the discussion of active defense mechanisms in plants(C) to illustrate how chemicals function in plant defense(D) to emphasize the importance of physical barriers in plant defense7. The word "dramatic" in line 23 could best be replaced by(A) striking(B) accurate(C) consistent(D) appealing8. Where in the passage does the author describe an active plant-defense reaction?(A) Lines 1-3(B) Lines 4-6(C) Lines 13-15(D) Lines 24-279. The passage most probably continues with a discussion of theories on(A) the basis of passive plant defense(B) how chemicals inhibit a parasitic relationship.(C) how plants produce toxic chemicals(D) the principles of the hypersensitive response.托福阅读答案:CAABD CADD托福阅读文本:Any rock that has cooled and solidified from a molten state is an igneous rock. Therefore, if the Earth began as a superheated sphere in space, all the rocks making up its crust may well have been igneous and thus the ancestors of all other rocks. Even today, approximately 95 percent of the entire crust is igneous. Periodically, molten material wells out of the Earth's interior to invade the surface layers or to flow onto the surface itself. This material cools into a wide variety of igneous rocks. In the molten state, it is called magma as it pushes into the crust and lava when it runs out onto the surface.All magma consists basically of a variety of silicate minerals (high in silicon-oxygen compounds), but the chemical composition of any given flow may differ radically from that of any other. The resulting igneous rocks will reflect these differences. Igneous rocks also vary in texture as well as chemistry. Granite, for instance, is a coarse-grained igneous rock whose individual mineral crystals have formed to a size easily seen by thenaked eye. A slow rate of cooling has allowed the crystals to reach this size. Normally, slow cooling occurs when the crust is invaded by magma that remains buried well below the surface. Granite may be found on the surface of the contemporary landscape, but from its coarse texture we know that it must have formed through slow cooling at a great depth and later been laid bare by erosion. Igneous rocks with this coarse-grained texture that formed at depth are called plutonic.On the other hand, if the same magma flows onto the surface and is quickly cooled by the atmosphere, the resulting rock will be fine-grained and appear quite different from granite, although the chemical composition will be identical. This kind of rock is called rhyolite. The most finely grained igneous rock is volcanic glass or obsidian, which has no crystals. Some researchers believe this is because of rapid cooling; others believe it is because of a lack of water vapor and other gases in the lava. The black obsidian cliffs of Yellowstone National Park are the result of a lava flow of basalt running head on into a glacier. Some of the glacier melted on contact, but suddenly there also appeared a huge black mass of glassy stone.托福阅读题目:1. In the first paragraph, the author mentions that 95% of the Earth's crust is composed of igneous rock to support the idea that(A) the Earth began as a molten mass(B) a thin layer of magma flows beneath the Earth's crust(C) the minerals found in igneous rock are very common(D) igneous rock is continually being formed2. The word "invade" in line 5 is closest in meaning to(A) move into(B) neutralize(C) cover(D) deposit3. The word "contemporary" in line 15 is closest in meaning to(A) vast(B) natural(C) existing(D) uneven4. The word "it" in line 16 refers to(A) granite(B) surface(C) landscape(D) texture5. Granite that has been found above ground has been(A) pushed up from below the crust by magma(B) produced during a volcanic explosion(C) gradually exposed due to erosion(D) pushed up by the natural shifting of the Earth6. Which of the following is produced when magma cools rapidly?(A) granite(B) plutonic rock(C) rhyolite(D) mineral crystals7. The word "finely" in line 22 is closest in meaning to(A) minutely(B) loosely(C) sensitively(D) purely8. Which of the following is another name for volcanic glass?(A) Plutonic rock(B) Crystal(C) Lava(D) Obsidian托福阅读答案:AACAC CAD托福阅读文本:Television has transformed politics in the United States by changing the way in which information is disseminated, by altering political campaigns, and by changing citizen's patterns of response to politics. Bygiving citizens independent access to the candidates, television diminished the role of the political party in the selection of the major party candidates. By centering politics on the person of the candidate, television accelerated the citizen's focus on character rather than issues.Television has altered the forms of political communication as well. The messages on which most of us rely are briefer than they once were. The stump speech, a political speech given by traveling politicians and lasting 11/2 to 2 hours, which characterized nineteenth-century political discourse, has given way to the 30-second advertisement and the 10 second "sound bite" in broadcast news. Increasingly the audience for speeches is not that standing in front of the politician but rather the viewing audience who will hear and see a snippet of the speech on the news.In these abbreviated forms, much of what constituted the traditional political discourse of earlier ages has been lost. In 15 or 30 seconds, a speaker cannot establish the historical context that shaped the issue in question, cannot detail the probable causes of the problem, and cannot examine alternative proposals to argue that one is preferable to others. In snippets, politicians assert but do not argue.Because television is an intimate medium, speaking through it require a changed political style that was more conversational, personal, and visual than that of the old-style stump speech.Reliance on televisionmeans that increasingly our political world contains memorable pictures rather than memorable words. Schools teach us to analyze words and print. However, in a word in which politics is increasingly visual, informed citizenship requires a new set of skills.Recognizing the power of television's pictures, politicians craft televisual, staged events,called pseudo-event, designed to attract media coverage. Much of the political activity we see on television news has been crafted by politicians, their speechwriters, and their public relations advisers for televised consumption. Sound bites in news and answers to questions in debates increasingly sound like advertisements.托福阅读题目:1. What is the main point of the passage ?(A) Citizens in the United States are now more informed about political issues because of television coverage.(B) Citizens in the United States prefer to see politicians on television instead of in person.(C) Politics in the United States has become substantially more controversial since the introduction of television.(D) Politics in the United States has been significantly changed by television.2. The word "disseminated" in line 2 is closest in meaning to(A) analyzed(C) spread(D) stored3. It can be inferred that before the introduction of television, political parties(A) had more influence over the selection of political candidates(B) spent more money to promote their political candidates(C) attracted more members(D) received more money4. The word "accelerated" in line 5 is closest in meaning to(A) allowed(B) increased(C) required(D) started5. The author mentions the "stump speech" in line 7 as an example of(A) an event created by politicians to attract media attention(B) an interactive discussion between two politicians(C) a kind of political presentation typical of the nineteenth century(D) a style of speech common to televised political events6. The phrase "given way to" in line 10 is closest in meaning to(A) added interest to(C) imitated(D) been replaced by7. The word "that" in line 12 refers to(A) audience(B) broadcast news(C) politician(D) advertisement8. According to the passage , as compared with televised speeches, traditional political discoursewas more successful at(A) allowing news coverage of political candidates(B) placing political issues within a historical context(C) making politics seem more intimate to citizens(D) providing detailed information about a candidates private behavior9. The author states that "politicians assert but do not argue" (line 18) in order to suggest thatpoliticians(A) make claims without providing reasons for the claims(B) take stronger positions on issues than in the past(C) enjoy explaining the issue to broadcasters(D) dislike having to explain their own positions on issues to citizens10. The word "Reliance" in line 21 is closest in meaning to(A) abundance(B) clarification(C) dependence(D) information11. The purpose of paragraph 4 is to suggest that(A) politicians will need to learn to become more personal when meeting citizens(B) politicians who are considered very attractive are favored by citizens over politicians who areless attractive(C) citizens tend to favor a politician who analyzed the issue over one who does not(D) citizens will need to learn how to evaluate visual political images in order to become betterinformed12.According to paragraph 5, staged political events are created so that politicians can(A) create more time to discuss political issues(B) obtain more television coverage for themselves(C) spend more time talking to citizens in person(D) engages in debates with their opponents13. Which of the following statements is supported by the passage ?(A) Political presentations today are more like advertisements than in the past.(B) Politicians today tend to be more familiar with the views of citizens than in the past.(C) Citizens today are less informed about a politician's character than in the past.(D) Political speeches today focus more on details about issues than in the past.托福阅读答案:DCABC DABAC DBA托福阅读文本:Fungi, of which there are over 100,000 species, including yeasts and other single-celled organisms as well as the common molds and mushrooms, were formerly classified as members of the plant kingdom. However, in reality they are very different from plants and today they are placed in a separate group altogether. The principal reason for this is that none of them possesses chlorophyll, and since they cannot synthesize their own carbohydrates, they obtain their supplies either from the breakdown of dead organic matter or from other living organisms. Furthermore the walls of fungal cells are not made of cellulose, as thoseof plants are, but of another complex sugarlike polymer called chitin, the material from which the hard outer skeletons of shrimps,spiders, and insects are made. The difference between the chemical composition of the cell walls of fungi and those of plants is of enormous importance because it enables the tips of the growing hyphae, the threadlike cells of the fungus, to secrete enzymes that break down the walls of plant cells without having any effect on those of the fungus itself. It is these cellulose-destroying enzymes that enable fungi to attack anything made from wood, wood pulp, cotton, flax, or other plant material.The destructive power of fungi is impressive. They are a major cause of structural damage to building timbers, a cause of disease in animals and humans, and one of the greatest causes of agricultural losses. Entire crops can be wiped out by fungal attacks both before and after harvesting. Some fungi can grow at +50°C, while others can grow at -5°C, so even food in cold storage may not be completely safe from them. On the other hand, fungi bring about the decomposition of dead organic matter, thus enriching the soil and returning carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. They also enter into a number of mutually beneficial relationships with plants and other organisms. In addition, fungi are the source of many of the most potent antibiotics used in clinical medicine, including penicillin.托福阅读题目:1. What does paragraph 1 mainly discuss?(A) differences between simple and complex fungi(B) functions of chlorophyll in plants(C) functions of sugar in the walls of fungal cells(D) differences between fungi and plants2. Which of the following is mentioned as a major change in how scientists approach the study offungi?(A) Fungi are no longer classified as plants(B) Some single-cell organisms are no longer classified as fungi.(C) New methods of species identification have been introduced(D) Theories about the chemical composition of fungi have been revised.3. The word "principal" in line 4 is closest in meaning to(A) true(B) main(C) logical(D) obvious4.According to the passage , how do fungi obtain carbohydrates?(A) The absorb carbohydrates from their own cell walls.(B) They synthesize chlorophyll to produce carbohydrates.(C) They produce carbohydrates by breaking down chitin.(D) They acquire carbohydrates from other organic matter, both living and dead.5. The passage mentions shrimps, spiders, and insects in line 9 because their skeletons(A) can be destroyed by fungi(B) have unusual chemical compositions(C) contain a material found in the walls of fungal cells(D) secrete the same enzymes as the walls of fungal cells do6. Which of the following terms is defined in the passage ?(A) "chlorophyll" (line 5)(B) "polymer" (line 8)(C) "hyphae" (line 12)(D) "enzymes" (line 14)7. The word "those" in line 13 refers to(A) tips(B) hyphae(C) enzymes(D) walls8. Fungi have all of the following characteristics EXCEPT(A) They grow hyphae.(B) They secrete enzymes.(C) They synthesize cellulose.(D) They destroy crops.9. The word "Entire" in line 18 is closest in meaning to(A) certain(B) whole(C) mature(D) diseased10. The passage describes the negative effects of fungi on all the following EXCEPT(A) buildings(B) animals(C) food(D) soil11. The phrase "bring about" in line 21 is closest in meaning to(A) cause(B) join(C) take(D) include12. The passage mentions "penicillin" in line 25 as an example of(A) a medicine derived from plants(B) a beneficial use of fungi(C) a product of the relationship between plants and fungi(D) a type of fungi that grows at extreme temperatures.托福阅读答案:DABDC CDCBD AB托福阅读文本:The first flying vertebrates were true reptiles in which one of the fingers of the front limbs became very elongated, providing support for a flap of stretched skin that served as a wing. These were the pterosaurs, literally the "winged lizards." The earliest pterosaurs arose near the end of the Triassic period of the Mesozoic Era, some 70 million years before the first known fossils of true birds occur, and they presumably dominated the skies until they were eventually displaced by birds. Like the dinosaurs, some the pterosaurs became gigantic; the largest fossil discovered is of an individual that had a wingspan of 50 feet or more, larger than many airplanes. These flying reptiles had large, tooth-filled jaws, but their bodies were small and probably without the necessary powerful muscles for sustained wing movement. They must have been expert gliders,not skillful fliers, relying on wind power for their locomotion.Birds, despite sharing common reptilian ancestors with pterosaurs, evolved quite separately and have been much more successful in their dominance of the air. They are an example of a common theme in evolution, the more or less parallel development of different types of body structure and function for the same reason —in this case, forflight. Although the fossil record, as always, is not complete enough to determine definitively the evolutionary lineage of the birds or in as much detail as one would like, it is better in this case than for many other animal groups. That is because of the unusual preservation in a limestone quarry in southern Germany of Archaeopteryx, a fossil that many have called the link between dinosaurs and birds. Indeed, had it not been for the superb preservation of these fossils, they might well have been classified as dinosaurs. They have the skull and teeth of a reptile as well as a bony tail, but in the line-grained limestone in which these fossils occur there are delicate impressions of feathers and fine details of bone structure that make it clear that Archaeopteryx was a bird. All birds living today, from the great condors of theAndes to the tiniest wrens, trace their origin back to the Mesozoic dinosaurs.托福阅读题目:1. What does the passage mainly discuss?(A) Characteristics of pterosaur wings(B) The discovery of fossil remains of Archaeopteryx(C) Reasons for the extinction of early flying vertebrates(D) The development of flight in reptiles and birds2. Which of the following is true of early reptile wings?(A) They evolved from strong limb muscles.(B) They consisted of an extension of skin.(C) They connected the front and back limbs.(D) They required fingers of equal length.3. The word "literally" in line 3 is closest in meaning to(A) creating(B) meaning(C) related to(D) simplified4. It can be inferred from the passage that birds were probably dominant in the skies(A) in the early Triassic period(B) before the appearance of pterosaurs(C) after the decline of pterosaurs(D) before dinosaurs could be found on land.5. The author mentions airplanes in line 8 in order to(A) illustrate the size of wingspans in some pterosaurs(B) compare the energy needs of dinosaurs with those of modern machines(C) demonstrate the differences between mechanized flight and animal flight(D) establish the practical applications of the study of fossils6. The word "They" in line 10 refers to(A) powerful muscles(B) bodies(C) jaws(D) flying reptiles7.According to the passage , pterosaurs were probably "not skillful fliers" (lines 10-11) because(A) of their limited wingspan(B) of their disproportionately large bodies(C) they lacked muscles needed for extended flight(D) climate conditions of the time provided insufficient wind power8. In paragraph 2, the author discusses the development of flight in birds as resulting from(A) a similarity in body structure to pterosaurs(B) an evolution from pterosaurs(C) the dominance of birds and pterosaurs over land animals(D) a separate but parallel development process to that of pterosaurs9. The word "classified" in line 21 is closest in meaning to(A) perfected(B) replaced(C) categorized(D) protected10. Which of the following helped researchers determinethatArchaeopteryx was not a dinosaur?(A) Its tail(B) Its teeth(C) The shape of its skull(D) Details of its bone structure11. What is the significance of the discovery that was made in southern Germany?(A) It is thought to demonstrate that birds evolved from dinosaurs.(B) It is proof that the climate and soils of Europe have changed over time.(C) It suggests that dinosaurs were dominant in areas rich in limestone.(D) It supports the theory thatArchaeopteryx was a powerful dinosaur.托福阅读答案:DBBCADCDCDA。

托福试题练习阅读题及答案

托福试题练习阅读题及答案

托福试题练习阅读题及答案Geographers say that what defines a place are four properties: soil, climate, altitude, and aspect, or attitude to the Sun. Florida's ancient scrub demonstrates this principle. Its soil is pure silica, so barren it supports only lichens as ground cover. It does, however, sustain a sand-swimming lizard that cannot live where there is moisture or plant matter the soil. Its climate, despite more than 50 inches of annual rainfall, is blistering desert. The only plant life it can sustain is the xerophytic, the quintessentially dry. Its altitude is a mere couple of hundred feet, but it is high ground on a peninsula elsewhere close to sea level, and its drainage is so critical that a difference of inches in elevation can bring major changes in its plant communities. Its aspect is flat direct, brutal — and subtropical.Florida's surrounding lushness cannot impinge on its desert scrubbiness. This does not sound like an attractive place. It does not look much like one either: shrubby little oaks, clumps of scraggly bushes prickly pear, thorns, and tangles. "It appears," Said one early naturalist, "to desire to display the result of the misery through which it has passed and is passing". By our narrow standards, scrub is not beautiful; neither does it meet our selfish utilitarian needs. Even the name is an epithet, a synonym for the stunted, the scruffy, the insignificant, what is beautiful about such a place?The most important remaining patches of scrub lie along the Lake Wales Ridge, a chain of paleoislands running for a hundred miles down the center of Florida, in most places less than ten miles wide. It is relict seashore, tossed up millions of years ago when ocean levels were higher and the rest of the peninsula was submerged. That ancient emergence is precisely what makes Lake Wales Ridge so precious: it has remained unsubmerged, its ecosystems essentially undisturbed since the Miocene era. As a result, it has gathered to itself one of the largest collections of rare organisms in the world. Only about 75 plant species survive there, but at least 30 of these are found nowhere else on Earth.1. What does the passage mainly discuss?(A) How geographers define a place(B) The characteristics of Florida's ancient scrub(C) An early naturalist's opinion of Florida(D) The history of the Lake Wales Ridge2. The author mentions all of the following factors that definea place EXCEPT(A) aspect(B) altitude(C) soil(D) life-forms3. It can be inferred from the passage that soil composed of silica(A) does not hold moisture(B) is found only in Florida(C) nourishes many kinds of ground cover(D) provides food for many kinds of lizards4. The word "sustain" in line 6 is closets in meaning to(A) select(B) strain(C) support(D) store5. The author mentions the prickly pear (line 12) as an example of(A) valuable fruit-bearing plants of the scrub area(B) unattractive plant life of the scrub area(C) a pant discovered by an early naturalist(D) plant life that is extremely rare参考答案:DCABC AACAD6. The author suggests that human standards of beauty are(A) tolerant(B) idealistic(C) defensible(D) limited7. The word "insignificant" in line 16 is closest in meaning to(A) unimportant(B) undisturbed(C) immature(D) inappropriate8. According to the passage , why is the Lake Wales Ridge valuable?(A) It was originally submerged in the ocean.(B) It is less than ten miles wide.(C) It is located near the seashore.(D) It has ecosystems that have long remained unchanged9. The word "it" in line 21 refer to(A) Florida(B) the peninsula(C) the Lake Wales Ridge(D) the Miocene era10. The passage probably continues with a discussion of(A) ancient scrub found in other areas of the country(B) geographers who study Florida's scrub(C) the climate of the Lake Wales Ridge(D) the unique plants found on the Lake Wales Ridge 参考答案:BDACB DADCD。

托福备考托福阅读34套TPO样题+解析+译文TPO8--1 The city of Teotihuacán

托福备考托福阅读34套TPO样题+解析+译文TPO8--1 The city of Teotihuacán

托福考试 复习托福阅读TPO8(试题+答案+译文)第1篇:The city of Teotihuacán托福阅读原文The city of Teotihuacán, which lay about 50kilometers northeast of modern-day Mexico City, began its growth by 200-100B.C. At its height, between about A.D. 150 and 700, it probably had apopulation of more than 125,000 people and covered at least 20 squarekilometers. It had over 2,000 apartment complexes, a great market, a largenumber of industrial workshops, an administrative center, a number of massivereligious edifices, and a regular grid pattern of streets and buildings. Clearly,much planning and central control were involved in the expansion and orderingof this great metropolis. Moreover, the city had economic and perhaps religiouscontacts with most parts of Mesoamerica (modern Central America and Mexico).How did this tremendous development take placeand why did it happen in the T eotihuacán Valley? Among the main factors areTeotihuacán’s geographic location on a natural trade route to the south andeast of the Valley of Mexico, the obsidian resources in the Teotihuacán Valleyitself, and the valley’s potential for extensive irrigation. The exact role ofotherfactors is much more difficult to pinpoint―for instance, Teotihuacán’sreligious significance as a shrine, the historical situation in and around theValley of Mexico toward the end of the first millennium B.C., the ingenuity andforesightedness of T eotihuacán’s elite, and, finally, the impact of naturaldisasters, such as the volcanic eruptions of the late first millennium B.C.This last factor is at leastcir cumstantially implicated in Teotihuacán’s rise. Prior to 200 B.C., a numberof relatively small centers coexisted in and near the Valley of Mexico. Aroundthis time, the largest of these centers, Cuicuilco, was seriously affected by avolcanic eruption, with much of its agricultural land covered by lava. WithCuicuilco eliminated as potential rival, any one of a number of relatively modesttowns might have emerged as a leading economic and political power in CentralMexico. The archaeological evidence clearly ind icates, though, that Teotihuacánwas the center that did arise as the predominant force in the area by the firstcentury A.D.It seems likely that Teotihuacán’s natural resources,along with the city elite’s ability to recognize their potential, gave the cit ya competitive edge over its neighbors. The valley, like many other places inMexican and Guatemalan highlands, was rich in obsidian. The hard volcanicstonewasha resource that had been in great demand for many years, at least since therise of the Olmec’s (a people who flourished between 1200 and 400 B.C.), and itapparently had a secure market. Moreover, recent research on obsidian toolsfound at Olmec sites has shown that some of the obsidian obtained by the Olmecoriginated near Teotihuacán. Teotihuacán obsi dian must have been recognized asa valuable commodity for many centuries before the great city arose.Long-distance trade in obsidian probablygave the elite residents of Teotihuacán access to a wide variety of exoticgood, as well as a relatively prosperous life. Such success may have attractedimmigrants to Teotihuacán. In addition, Teotihuacán’s elite may haveconsciously attempted to attract new inhabitants. It is also probable that asearly as 200 B.C. Teotihuacán may have achieved some religious significa nce andits shrine (or shrines) may have served as an additional population magnet.Finally, the growing population was probably fed by increasing the number andsize of irrigated fields.Thepicture of Teotihuacán that emerges is a classic picture of positiv e feedbackamong obsidian mining and working, trade, population growth, irrigation, andreligious tourism. The thriving obsidian operation, for example, wouldnecessitate more miners, additional manufacturers ofobsidian tools, andadditional traders to carry the goods to new markets. All this led to increasedwealth, which in turn would attract more immigrants to Teotihuacán. The growingpower of the elite, who controlled the economy, would give them the means tophysically coerce people to move to Teotihuacán an d serve as additions to thelabor force. More irrigation works would have to be built to feed the growingpopulation, and this resulted in more power and wealth for the elite.托福阅读试题1.The word “massive” in the passage(paragraph 1) is closest in meaning toA.ancientB.carefullyC.very largeD.carefully protected2.In paragraph 1, each of the following ismentioned as a feature of the city of Teotihuacán between A.D. 150 and 700 EXCEPTA.regularly arranged streetsB.several administrative centers spreadacross the cityC.many manufacturing workshopsD.apartment complexes3.The word “pinpoint” in the passage(paragraph 2) is closest in meaning toA.identify preciselyB.make an argument forC.describeD.understand4.The word “ingenuity” in the passage(paragraph 2) is closest in meaning toA.ambitionB.sincerityC.faithD.cleverness5.Which of the following is NOT mentionedin paragraph 2 as a main factor in the developmentof Teotihuacán?A.The presence of obsid ian in theTeotihuacán ValleyB.The potential for extensive irrigation ofT eotihuacán Valley landsC.A long period of volcanic inactivity inthe Teotihuacán ValleyD.Teotihuacán’s location on a natural traderoute6.Which of the following can be inferredfrom paragraphs 2 and 3 about the Volcanic eruptions of the late firstmillennium B.C.?A.They were more frequent than historiansonce thought.B.They may have done more damage toTeotihuacán than to neighboring centers.C.They may have played a major role in therise of Teotihuacán.D.They increased the need for extensiveirrigation in the Teotihuacán Valley.7.What can be inferred from paragraph 3about Cuicuilco prior to 200 B.C.?A.It was a fairly small city until thatdate.B.It was located outside the Valley ofMexico.C.It emerged rapidly as an economic andpolitical center.D.Its economy relied heavily onagriculture.8.The word “predominant” in the passage(paragraph 3) is closest in meaning toA.most aggressiveB.most productiveC.principalD.earliest9.Which of the following allowedTeotihuacán to have “a competitive edge over its neighbors”? (paragraph 4)A.A well-exploited and readily availablecommodityB.The presence of a highly stable eliteclassC.Knowledge derived directly from theOlmecs about the art of tool makingD.Scarce natural resources in nearby areassuch as those located in what are now the Guatemalan and Mexican highlands10.According to paragraph 4, what hasrecent research on obsidian tools found at Olmec sitesshown?A.Obsidian’s value was understood only whenTeotihuacán became an important city.B.The residents of Teotihuacán weresophisticated toolmakers.C.The residents of Teotihuacán tradedobsidian with the Olmecs as early as 400 B.C.D.Some of the obsidian used by the Olmecscame from the area around Teotihuacán.11.Select the TWO answer choices that arementioned in paragraph 5 as being features of Teotihuacán that may haveattracted immigrants to the city. To receive credit, you must select TWO answers.A.The prosperity of the eliteB.Plenty of available housingC.Opportunities for well-paid agriculturalemploymentD.The presence of one or more religiousshrines12.In paragraph 6, the author discusses “The thriving obsidian operation” in order toA.explain why manufacturing was the mainindustry of TeotihuacánB.give an example of an industry that tookvery little time to develop in TeotihuacánC.Illustrate how s everal factors influencedeach other to make Teotihuacán a powerful and wealthy cityD.explain how a successful industry can bea source of wealth and a source of conflict at the same time13. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the followingsentence could be added to the passage. In fact,artifacts and pottery from Teotihuacán have beendiscovered in sites as far away as the Mayan lowlands, the Guatemalanhighlands, northern Mexico, and the Gulf Coast of Mexico.The city of Teotihuacán, which l ay about 50kilometers northeast of modern-day Mexico City, began its growth by 200-100B.C. At its height, between about A.D. 150 and 700,it probably had a populationof more than 125,000 people and covered at least20 square kilometers. ■【A】It had over2,000 apartment complexes, a great market, a large number of industrialworkshops, an administrative center, a number of massive religious edifices,and a regular grid pattern of streets and buildings. ■【B】Clearly,much planning and central control were involved in the expansion and orderingof this great metropolis.■【C】Moreover, the city had economic and perhaps religious contactswith most parts of Mesoamerica (modern Central America and Mexico). ■【D】Where would the sentence best fit?14. Directions: An introductory sentencefor a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary byselecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas inthepassage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express thatare not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. Thisquestion is worth 2 points.Teotihuacán was a highly developed city inMesoamerica that reached its peak between about A.D.150 and 700.A.The number and sophistication of thearchitectural, administrative, commercial, and religious features ofTeotihuacan indicate the existence of centralized planning and control.B.Teotihuacán may have developed its ownspecific local religion as a result of the cultural advances made possible bythe city’s great prosperity.C.As a result of its large number ofreligious shrines, by the first century A.D., Teotihuacan become the mostinfluential religious center in all of Mesoamerica.D.Several factors may account forTeotihuacán’s extraordinary development, including its location, rich naturalresources, irrigation potential, intelligent elite, and the misfortune of rivalcommunities.E.In many important areas, from theobsidian industry to religious tourism, Teotihuacán’s success and prosperitytypified the classic positive feedback cycle.F.Althoughmany immigrants settled in Teotihuacán between A.D.150 and 700, the increasingthreat of coerced labor discouraged further settlement and limi tedTeotihuacán’s population growth.托福阅读答案1.massive大块的,大量的,所以C是正确答案。

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矿产资源开发利用方案编写内容要求及审查大纲
矿产资源开发利用方案编写内容要求及《矿产资源开发利用方案》审查大纲一、概述
㈠矿区位置、隶属关系和企业性质。

如为改扩建矿山, 应说明矿山现状、
特点及存在的主要问题。

㈡编制依据
(1简述项目前期工作进展情况及与有关方面对项目的意向性协议情况。

(2 列出开发利用方案编制所依据的主要基础性资料的名称。

如经储量管理部门认定的矿区地质勘探报告、选矿试验报告、加工利用试验报告、工程地质初评资料、矿区水文资料和供水资料等。

对改、扩建矿山应有生产实际资料, 如矿山总平面现状图、矿床开拓系统图、采场现状图和主要采选设备清单等。

二、矿产品需求现状和预测
㈠该矿产在国内需求情况和市场供应情况
1、矿产品现状及加工利用趋向。

2、国内近、远期的需求量及主要销向预测。

㈡产品价格分析
1、国内矿产品价格现状。

2、矿产品价格稳定性及变化趋势。

三、矿产资源概况
㈠矿区总体概况
1、矿区总体规划情况。

2、矿区矿产资源概况。

3、该设计与矿区总体开发的关系。

㈡该设计项目的资源概况
1、矿床地质及构造特征。

2、矿床开采技术条件及水文地质条件。

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