新托福考试快速阅读训练第二篇
托福阅读专项练习题及答案
托福阅读专项练习题及答案Naturalists and casual observers alike have been struck by the special relationship between squirrels and acorns (the seeds of oak trees). Ecologists, though, cannot observe these energetic mammals scurrying up and down oak trees and eating and burying acorns without wondering about their complex relationship with trees. Are squirrels dispersers and planters of oak forests or pesky seed predators? The answer is not simple. Squirrels may devour many acorns, but by storing and failing to recover up to 74 percent of them as they do when seeds are abundant, these arboreal rodents can also aid regeneration and dispersal of the oaks.Their destructive powers are well documented. According to one report, squirrels destroyed tens of thousands of fallen acorns from an oak stand on the University of Indiana campus. A professor there estimated that each of the large white oaks had produced between two and eight thousand acorns, but within weeks of seed maturity, hardly an intact acorn could be found among the fallen leaves.Deer, turkey, wild pigs, and bears also feed heavily on acorns, but do not store them, and are therefore of no benefit to the trees. Flying squirrels, chipmunks, and mice are also unlikely to promote tree dispersal, as they often store seeds in tree cavities and underground burrows. Only squirrels — whose behavior of caching (hiding) acorns below the leaf litter —often promote successful germination of acorns, and perhaps blue jays, important long-distance dispersers, seem to help oaks spread and reproduce.Among squirrels, though, there is a particularly puzzlingbehavior pattern. Squirrels pry off the caps of acorns, bite through the shells to get at the nutritious inner kernels, and then discard them half-eaten. The ground under towering oaks is often littered with thousands of half-eaten acorns, each one only bitten from the top. Why would any animal waste so much time and energy and risk exposure to such predators as red-tail hawks only to leave a large part of each acorn uneaten? While research is not conclusive at this point, one thing that is certain is that squirrels do hide some of the uneaten portions, and these acorn halves, many of which contain the seeds, may later germinate.1. What does the passage mainly discuss?(A) The ecology of oak trees(B) Factors that determine the feeding habits of Squirrels(C) Various species of animals that promote the dispersal of tree seeds(D) The relationship between squirrels and oak trees2. The word "they" in line 7 refers to(A) oak forests(B) acorns(C) squirrels(D) predators3. According to the passage , what do squirrels do when large quantities of acorns are available?(A) They do not store acorns.(B) They eat more than 74 percent of available acorns.(C) They do not retrieve all the acorns that they have stored.(D) They hide acorns in tree cavities.4. The word "estimated评价，估计，估价，判断" in line 11 is closest in meaning to(A) commented(C) observed(D) discovered5. Why does the author mention "the University of Indiana campus" in line 10 -11?(A) to provide evidence that intact acorns are hard to find under oak trees(B) to indicate a place where squirrels can aid seed dispersal of oaks(C) to argue in favor of additional studies concerning the destructive force of squirrels(D) to support the claim that squirrels can do great damage to oak stands6. It can be inferred from paragraph 3 that chipmunks do not aid in the dispersal of oak trees because(A) they store their acorns where they cannot germinate(B) they consume most of their stored acorns(C) their stored acorns are located and consumed by other species(D) they cannot travel the long distance required for dispersal7. According to the passage , which of the following do squirrels and blue jays have in common?(A) They travel long distances to obtain acorns.(B) They promote the reproduction of oak trees.(C) They bury acorns under fallen leaves.(D) They store large quantities of acorns.8. The phrase "pry 撬off" in line 21 is closest in meaning to(A) swallow 吞(B) remove(D) locate9. The word "littered" in line 22 is closest in meaning to(A) covered(B) displayed(C) fertilized(D) planted10. According to the passage , scientists cannot explain which of the following aspects of squirrel behavior?(A) Where squirrels store their acorn caches(B) Why squirrels prefer acorns over other seeds(C) Why squirrels eat only a portion of each acorn they retrieve(D) Why squirrels prefer acorns from a particular species of oak treesDCCBD DBBAC。
2021年托福阅读专项模考练习试题及答案二
2021年托福阅读专项模考练习试题及答案二•【新东方】轻松直达90分！202*年托福（TOEFL）金牌课程火热开售中>>1. An alien exploring Earth would probably givepriority to the planet's dominant, most-distinctivefeature-the ocean. Humans have a bias toward land that sometimes gets in the way of truly examining global issues.The word "bias" is closest in meaning to which of following?(A) concern(B) disadvantage(C) attitude(D) prejudice2. The prevailing winds in the Great Basin are from the west. Warm, moist air from the Pacific Ocean is forced upward as it crosses the Sierra Nevada.The word "prevailing" is closest in meaning to which of following?(A) most frequent(B) occasional(C) gentle(D) most dangerous3. There seem to have been several periods within the last tens of thousands of years when water accumulated in these basins. The rise and fall of the lakes were undoubtedly linked to the advances and retreats of the great ice sheets that covered much of the northern part of the North American continent during those times.The word "accumulated" is closest in meaning to which of following?(A) dried(B) flooded(C) collected(D) evaporated4. All living creature, especially human beings, have their peculiarities, but everything about the little seacucumber seems unusual. What else can be said about a bizarre animal that, among other eccentricities, eats mud, feeds almost continuously day and night but can live without eating for long periods, and can be poisonous butis considered supremely edible by gourmets?The phrase "bizarre" is closest in meaning to which of following?(A) odd(B) marine(C) simple(D) rare5. Its major enemies are fish and crabs, when attacked, it squirts all its internal organs into the water. It also casts off attached structures such as tentacles. The sea cucumber will eviscerate and regenerate itself if it is attacked or even touched; it will do the same if the surrounding water temperature is too high or if the water becomes too polluted.The phrase "casts off" is closest in meaning to which of following?(A) grows again(B) grabs(C) gets rid of(D) uses as a weapon1 D2 A3 C4 A5 C1. Objects in the universe show a variety of shapes: round planets (some with rings) , tailed comets, wispy cosmic gas and dust clouds, ringed nebulae, pinwheel-shaped spiral galaxies, and so on. But none of the shapes on this list describes the largest single entities in the universe.The word "entities" is closest in meaning to which of following?(A) factors(B) processes(C) objects(D) puzzles2. Stone carvers engraved their motifs of skulls and crossbones and other religious icons of death into the gray slabs that we still see standing today in old burial grounds.The word "motifs" is closest in meaning to which of following?(A) tools(B) prints(C) signatures(D) designs1 C2 D。
托福备考托福阅读34套TPO样题+解析+译文TPO2--2 Desert Formation
托福考试 复习托福阅读TPO2(试题+答案+译文)第2篇:Desert Formation托福阅读原文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 desert-like 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. Waterabsorption 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 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.Four specific activities have been identified as major contributors to the desertification processes: over cultivation, overgrazing, firewood gathering, and over irrigation. 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 are surrounded by large areas completely lacking in trees and shrubs. The increasing useof 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 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.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.托福阅读试题1. The word threatenedin the passage paragraph 1 is closest in meaning toA.RestrictedB.EndangeredC.PreventedD.Rejected2. According to paragraph 3, the loss of natural vegetation has which of thefollowing consequences for soil?A.Increasedstony contentB.Reducedwater absorptionC.Increasednumbers of spaces in the soilD.Reducedwater run off3. Theword delicate(paragraph 5)in the passage is closest in meaning toA.FragileB.PredictableplexD.Valuable4. According to paragraph 5, in dry periods, border areas have difficultyA.Adjustingto stresses created by settlementB.Retainingtheir fertility after desertificationC.Providingwater for irrigating cropsD.Attractingpopulations in search of food and fuel5. Theword progressively(paragraph 6)in the passage is closest inmeaning toA.OpenlyB.ImpressivelyC.ObjectivelyD.Increasingly6. According to paragraph 6, which of the following is often associated withraising crops?ckof proper irrigation techniquesB.Failureto plant crops suited to the particular areaC.Removalof the original vegetationD.Excessiveuse of dried animal waste7. Thephrase devoid of(paragraph 6)in the passage is closest in meaningtoA.ConsistingofB.HiddenbyC.Exceptforckingin8. According to paragraph 9, the ground’s absorption of excess water isa factorin desertification because it canA.Interferewith the irrigation of landB.Limitthe evaporation of waterC.Requiremore absorption of air by the soilD.Bringsalts to the surface9. Allof the following are mentioned in the passage as contributingtodesertification EXCEPTA.SoilerosionB.GlobalwarmingC.InsufficientirrigationD.Theraising of livestock10. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in thehighlighted sentence in the passage?A.Desertificationis a significant problem because it is so hard to reverse and affects largeareas of land and great numbers of people.B.Slowingdown the process of desertification is difficult because of population growththat has spread over large areas of land.C.Thespread of deserts is considered a very serious problem that can be solved onlyif large numbers of people in various countries are involved in the effort.D.Desertificationis extremely hard to reverse unless the population is reduced in the vast areasaffected.11. Itcan be inferred from the passage that the author most likely believes which ofthe following about the future of desertification?ernmentswill act quickly to control further desertification.B.Thefactors influencing desertification occur in cycles and will change in thefuture.C.Desertificationwill continue to increase.D.Desertificationwill soon occur in all areas of the world.12. Look at the four squares [■] thatindicate where the following sentence can be added to the passage.Where wouldthe sentence best fit?Thiseconomic reliance on livestock in certain regions makes large tracts of landsusceptible to overgrazing.■【A】The raising of livestock is a major economic activity in semiaridlands, where grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation. ■【B】Theconsequences of an excessive number of livestock grazing in an area are thereduction of the vegetation cover and the trampling and pulverization of thesoil. ■【C】This is usually followed by the drying of the soil and acceleratederosion.■【D】13. Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage isprovided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices thatexpress the most important ideas in the passage. Some answer choices do notbelong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in thepassage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.Manyfactors have contributed to the great increase in desertification in recentdecades.A.Growinghuman populations and the agricultural demands that come with such growth haveupset the ecological balance in some areas and led to the spread of deserts.B.Asperiods of severe dryness have become more common, failures of anumber ofdifferent crops have increased.C.Excessivenumbers of cattle and the need for firewood for fuel have reduced grasses andtrees, leaving the land unprotected and vulnerable.D.Extensiveirrigation with poor drainage brings salt to the surface of the soil, a processthat reduces water and air absorption.E.Animaldung enriches the soil by providing nutrients for plant growth.F.Grassesare generally the dominant type of natural vegetation in semiarid lands.托福阅读答案1-6.BBAADC7-12.DDCACB13.ACD。
托福阅读事实信息题合集之tpo2-2
托福阅读事实信息题合集之tpo2-2托福阅读事实信息题合集之tpo2-2托福阅读事实信息题是阅读考试中比重常见的一种题型，tpo则是托福阅读备考最权威的材料，所以托福小编综合二者，为大家集中整理了tpo阅读中考察的事实信息题及其对应的解析，供大家参考使用。
本文带来的是tpo2-2的事实信息题，一起来看看吧。
TPO2-2The Origins of Cetaceansparagraph1It should be obvious that cetaceans-whales,porpoises,and dolphins-are mammals.They breathe through lungs,not through gills,and give birth to live young.Their streamlined bodies,the absence of hind legs,and the presence of a fluke1and blowhole2cannot disguise their affinities with land dwelling mammals.However,unlike the cases of sea otters and pinnipeds(seals,sea lions,and walruses,whose limbs are functional both on land and at sea),it is not easy to envision what the first whales looked like. Extinct but already fully marine cetaceans are known from the fossil record.How was the gap between a walking mammal and a swimming whale bridged?Missing until recently were fossils clearly intermediate, or transitional,between land mammals and cetaceans.1.In paragraph1,what does the author say about the presence of a blowhole in cetaceans?○It clearly indicates that cetaceans are mammals.○It cannot conceal the fact that cetaceans are mammals.○It is the main difference between cetaceans and land-dwelling mammals.○It cannot yield clues about the origins of cetaceans.解析1.○2This is a Factual Information question asking for specific information that can be found in paragraph1. Choice2is the best answer.It is essentially a rephrasing of the statement in paragraph1that blowholes cannot disguise cetaceans’affinities with other mammals.The other three choices are refuted,either directly or indirectly,by that paragraph.【1】众所周知，鲸类动物是哺乳动物,如鲸鱼、鼠海豚和海豚。
全新版大学英语快速阅读第二册课文
Unit 1How to StudyThere is a lot of misunderstanding about studying. Most students have not been taught the principles behind really effective working. Imagine a graph showing the amount a person learns against the number of hours he works in a day. If he doesn't do any work, he learns nothing (point 0). If he does an hour 's work he learns a certain amount (point 1). If he does two hours' work he learns about twice as much (point 2). If he does more work he'll learn still more (point 3). However, if he tries to do twenty-three and a half hours' work in one day, he'll be so tired that he'll hardly remember anything: what he learns will be very little (point 4). If he did less work he 'd learn more (point 5).Now whatever the exact shape of the graph 's curve, made by joining these points, it must have a high point. Point "X" is the very maximum anyone can learn in the day. And this represents the optimum, the best, amount of work to do. It is the best possible compromise between adequate time at the books and fatigue. Fatigue is an absolutely real thing; one can't escape it or ignore it. If you try to ignore it and press yourself to work past the optimum, you will only get on this downward slope and achieve less than the best—and then become very tired and lose your power of concentration.The skill in being a student consists of getting one 's daily study as near the optimum point as possible. I cannot tell you what the optimum is. It differs with the type of work, it differs from person to person, and even in the same person it varies from week to week. You must try to find your own. Every day you study, bear this principle of the optimum in mind. When you feel yourself getting fatigued, if you find yourself reading the same paragraph over and over again and not taking it in, that's a pretty good sign you 've reached your highest point for the day and should stop. Most ordinary students find their optimum at about five hours a day. Yours may be a little more or a little less—but if you get in five hours' good work a day, you will be doing well.Now, what are you doing with yourself when you aren't working? Before examinations some students do nothing at all except sit in a chair and worry. Here is another misunderstanding. People often think that the mind works like the body; it does not. If one wanted to save one 's physical energy in order to cut the maximum amount of firewood, one would lie flat on a bed and rest when one wasn't chopping. But the mind cannot rest. Even in sleep you dream, even if you forget your dreams. The mind is always turning. It gets its relaxation only by variety. That is what makes the mind rest.When you 've finished your optimum number of hours you must stop. You must not then sit around in the chair thinking about the work—that only tires without any learning. You must get out and do something. It doesn't matter what—anything so long as you are actively doing something else but work.有一个关于学习有许多误解。
托福阅读tpo67R-2原文+译文+题目+答案+背景知识
TPO67阅读-2Human Activity and the Archaeological Record原文 (1)译文 (2)题目 (4)答案 (8)背景知识 (8)原文Human Activity and the Archaeological Record①Archaeologists distinguish the“cultural”formation processes of the archaeological record(those involving some kind of human activity)from the “natural”formation processes(those involving nonhuman activity,such as river action disturbing archaeological material).There are two kinds of cultural formation processes:those that reflect the original human behavior and activitybefore a find or site became buried,and those(such as looting)that came after burial.Of course,most major archaeological sites are formed as the result of a complex sequence of use,burial,and reuse so that a simple twofold division of cultural formation processes may not be so simple to apply in practice,but the distinction is still useful.②Original human behavior is often reflected archaeologically in at least four major activities.In the case of a tool,for example,there may be(1)acquisition of the raw material,(2)manufacture,(3)use,and(4)disposal or discard when the tool is worn out or broken.(The tool may of course be reworked and recycled,thus repeating stages2and3.)Similarly,a food crop such as wheat will be acquired (harvested),manufactured(processed),used(eaten),and discarded(digested and the waste products excreted),although here one might add a common intermediate stage of storage before use.From the archaeologist's point of view, the critical factor is that remains can enter the archaeological record at any one of these stages.A tool may be lost or thrown out for being of inferior quality during manufacture,or a crop may be accidentally burnt and thus preserved during processing.In order to reconstruct the original activity accurately it is therefore crucial to try to understand which of the stages one is looking at.It may be quite easy to identify the first stage for stone tools,for instance,because stone quarries can often be recognized by deep holes in the ground with piles of associated wasteflakes that survive well.But it is much more difficult to know beyond reasonable doubt where a sample of charred plant remains comes from,whether from an area where harvested wheat was taken for threshing or from the area where the grain was eaten.This may also make it difficult to reconstruct the true plant diet,since certain activities may favor the preservation of certain species of plant.③Deliberate burial of valuables or the dead is another human behavior that has left its mark on the archaeological record.In times of conflict or war,people often deposit prized possessions in the ground,intending to reclaim them at a later date; but sometimes,for one reason or another,they fail to do so.These hoards are a prime source of evidence for certain periods,such as the European Bronze Age,for which hoards of metal goods are common,or later Roman Britain,which has yielded buried treasures of silver and other precious metals.The archaeologist, however,may not find it easy to distinguish between hoards originally intended to be reclaimed and valuables buried—perhaps as offerings to supernatural powers —with no reclamation intended.④In addition to burial hoards,a major source of archaeological evidence comes from burial of the dead,whether in simple graves,elaborate burial mounds,or giant pyramids,usually with grave goods such as ceramic vessels or weapons,and sometimes with painted tomb-chamber walls,as in ancient Mexico or Egypt.The Egyptians indeed went so far as to mummify their dead—to preserve them,they hoped,for eternity—as did the Incas of Peru,whose kings were kept in the Temple of the Sun at Cuzco and brought outside for special ceremonies.⑤Human destruction of the archaeological record might be caused by burials of the kind just described being dug into earlier deposits.But people in the past deliberately or accidentally obliterated traces of their predecessors in innumerable other ways.Rulers often destroyed monuments or erased inscriptions belonging to previous chiefs or monarchs.On the other hand,some human destruction meant to obliterate has inadvertently preserved material for the archaeologist to find. Burning,for example,may not always destroy.Clay daubing and adobe usually decay,but if a structure has been burned,the mud is baked to the consistency of a brick.译文人类活动与考古记录①考古学家们将考古记录的“文化”形成过程（那些涉及某种的人类活动）与“自然”形成过程（那些涉及的非人类活动，如河流活动对考古材料的干扰）区分开来。
托福阅读tpo69R-2原文+译文+题目+答案+背景知识
TPO69阅读-2Pacific Ecosystems原文 (1)译文 (2)题目 (4)答案 (8)背景知识 (9)原文Pacific Ecosystems①The Pacific Ocean accounts for one-third of Earth’s surface and half of the world’s ocean area.It has about25,000islands,of which about7,500are oceanic,being relatively far from a continental shore.The great majority of all Pacific islands were born barren of life:hard,dense,volcanic rock pimples on the sea's surface.New Zealand is the chief exception;it is among the continental islands of the western Pacific,together with Fiji,the Solomons,and others to the west.②Life arrived on most other islands by accident or by drift.Some plants arrived by air transport;seeds carried in the digestive tracts of birds account for nearly40 percent of Hawaii's early plants.The first invaders were either creatures that could float well enough,in air or water,to cross stretches of ocean,or those whose seeds could survive a voyage in some bird's gut.At times of lower sea level,land bridges linked,or nearly linked,many islands in the far western Pacific,so some species colonized these islands without being notably good floaters or stowaways.In the eastern Pacific(Easter Island,for example)only the best floaters and travelers arrived and survived.Consequently,the western islands have far more species and far greater biodiversity than do the eastern islands of Polynesia.Mammals found it hard to get anywhere in the island Pacific;only bats and rats successfully colonized east of New Guinea.Almost all species derive from Asia;the early Pacific was an Asian lake,with only a tiny proportion of species from the Americas.As a rule of thumb,the further from Indonesia,the more impoverished the plant and animal life and,in consequence,the less stable and resilient in the face of disturbance. This attenuation is strong for land species,less strong for marine species,and nonexistent for oceanic birds,although fairly strong for land birds.③Pacific ecosystems evolved in relative(but differential)isolation from the continental crucibles of biological evolution.This meant opportunities for speciation:the development of new species occupying ecological niches that elsewhere were already filled.The finches described by the naturalist Charles Darwin on the Galapagos Islands—birds that divided into different species,each specialized for a narrow niche—are the classic example.On islands that had no mammals,reptiles and birds took their place.Thus the Galapagos have giant tortoises,and New Zealand once had giant birds that functioned more or less like browsing or grazing mammals.Throughout most of the Pacific,the paucity of grazing animals meant that plants developed no defenses,such as spines, poisonous chemicals,or bitterness.The remoter islands had a very high proportion of endemism—that is，of species that existed only there.In the case of Hawaii,as many as99percent of the species were endemic.All this led to a certain biological vulnerability among the terrestrial island species,should they ever be obliged to compete for niche space with the winners of the more intense continental competitions for survival.This vulnerability increased toward the east and toward the remoter corners of the Pacific along a gradient defined chiefly by the degree of isolation.④A second source of vulnerability,perhaps more decisive,arose from the arrival of humankind in the Pacific.Island animals evolved with no experience of the ways of humankind,or indeed of any large terrestrial predators.As a result,they had no immunities to predators or the effects of human action.Pacific animals were often unwary and easy prey.At the extreme,again the Galapagos,Darwin found many birds almost tame,so naively trusting that they would allow him to get within arm’s reach.Pacific plants had little experience with fire,because natural fires were very rare,except in a few places.Thus few plants were well adapted to fire,and most proved vulnerable to it.In contrast,continental species that had evolved in the presence of humankind,or in places where natural fire is much more common, could recover easily after burns,and some could flourish as a result of fire.In short, Pacific ecosystems were different from continental ones on account of their isolation.They were well adapted to their circumstances but very vulnerable to alien invasion and human impact.译文太平洋生态系统①太平洋占地球表面的三分之一，占世界海洋面积的一半。
大学英语快速阅读第三版2电子版
6.A Long and Healthy LifeHave you wished for a magic pill or magic formula (方法) that would let you live happily forever ? If you have, don’t feel alone! It’s a very common, natural wish that has a long history. Spanish explorers of the sixteenth century even tried to find a fountain of youth in what is now the state of Florida. The water of this legendary (传说中的) fountain, which no one has yet found ,was believed to restore youth and good health to those who drank it.Biologists today don’t expect that anyone will find a magical fountain of youth. Growing older is a natural part of the life cycle that can’t be reversed(倒退) .As human beings grow older ,organs such as the heart and lungs may stop functioning properly. Sight and hearing may become weak .And the human body becomes more likely to come down with serious illness from which it cannot recover.Considered together, changes that bring about the decline(衰退) of an organism are called aging .Because of aging ,many biologists believe that there may be a maximum(最大的) age limit to which even the healthiest organisms can live. For human beings, this maximum age limit is about 110 years.Perhaps the most important thing that you can learn from your study of human biology is that you have a lot of control over the aging process in your own life .In fact; within our control are many physical and mental factors that have much to do with aging. For example ,each of us ,as recent research indicates, can do many things to help prevent heart and vessel(血管) disease ,which causes half the deaths each year in the United States .We can avoid eating a lot of fatty meat. Eating too much of these types of animal fats can lead to the clogging(阻塞) and hardening of blood vessels . We can cut back on smoking and hopefully of sugar we eat. We can exercise regularly and strengthen the heart and other organs. And we can remember to take time out each day for ourselves, time just to relax. Exercise ,recreation(娱乐), and relaxation all reduce stress－inner tension that is hard on all body organs.One final thing we can do is to try to keep aware of advances made in health education. Information is often available free of charge from health clinics or schools.(406 words)Comprehension ExercisesⅠ. Choose the best answers to the following questions.1.Which of the following is the leading cause of death in the United States?A. Heart disease.B. Cancer.C. Alcohol.D. Smoking.2. What happens as people grow older?A. They dream of a magic pill to help them live a happy and long time.B. They come down with serious illnesses.C. Their organs become weak and may stop working properly.D. Their blood vessels become clogged.3. In the opinion of biologists,＿＿＿.A. the aging process can be reversedB. the aging process can be controlled and slowed downC. the aging process can be got rid ofD. the aging process can go beyond its limit4. We can slow down the weakening of all our body organs by＿＿＿.A. not eating animal fatB. limiting drinking and smokingC. exercise, recreation and relaxation to blood vesselsD. preventing the clogging and hardening of blood vessels5. Besides physical and mental factors, which of the following also contributes to living a long and healthy life according to the passage?A. Health education.B. Traditional medicine.C. Artificial organs.D. The invention of magic pills.Ⅱ. Judge whether or not the following statements agree with the information given in the passage,and mark Y for YES,N for NO ,or NG if information is not given in the passage.( ) 1.Few people have the wish of finding a magic pill that would be of help to live happily forever.( ) 2.Many biologists believe that each species has a natural maximum age limit.( ) 3.From the passage we know that there is much we can do to help prevent many diseases.( ) 4.Mental factors have little to do with good health. ( ) 5.Doctors believes that regular exercise reduces the chances of getting heart disease.7.The Earth's PastIf the history of the earth could be compressed 〔压缩〕into the span of one year's time,the story of the human race would be written as the the last two hours of the final day!This fact gives you an idea of just how old the Earth is no written record to tell us the Earth's geological past ,the Earth has left a record in the form of fossils.A fossil is the preserved remains or traced of an ancient living thing.Fossils are most often found buried in rock,but they may bones,shells,and woodyalso be found in caves,ancient tar(沥青) beds,and the solid ice that covered the Earth's polar regions.In all these places,fossils are protected from damaging effects of weathering and erosion(侵蚀).Usually only the hard parts are preserved.The hard part can include ones,shells,and woody tissues.The soft parts,like flesh,either decay or are eaten by animals before they can be preserved.One exception is when an organism is subjected to extreme cold.Then the entire body may be preserved in ice.Sometimes the remains of an organism are preserved after after having been changed into a completely different form.For instance,coal deposits on the Earth are actually the fossilremains of plants.When plants decompose(腐烂),eventually only deposits of carbon remain.When the carbon is under extreme pressure for a long period of time,it is slowly transformed into coal.Coal is called a"fossil fuel"because of the way it is created.Fossils can help geologists(地质学家)learn about how animal and plant species have changed over time.Since geologists can date the rocks that the fossils are in,they can also tell during what time period in the past a species lived.For example,on the geologic calendar,you can see that fish first appear in the era labeled Paleozoic(古生代).This means that the oldest rocks discovered to contain fish fossils are between 225 million and 600 million years old.We can assume that fish existed in the world at least 225 million years ago.Fossils are also used to study extinct(灭绝的) species.There are no longer any living woolly mammoths(猛犸) on the Earth,but we can know what a woolly mammoth looked like by studing the frozen bodies found in Siberia.(406 words)Comprehension ExercisesⅠ.Choose the best answers to the following question.1.How old is the Earth?A.Over 225 million years.B.Over 600 million years.C.Between 225 and 600 million years.D.Over 4 billion years.2.We know the age of the life on the Earth because ____.A.there is written record of the Earth's geological pastB.some fossils are found in good shape.C.the earth contains a record in the form of fosssils.D.some scientists have studied some extinct animals3.Where can we find fossils besides in rock and caves?A.In water.B.In woody tissues.C.In solid ice.D.In coal.4.How is coal created?A.The remains of dead plants are transformed into depositsof coal under extreme pressure over a long time.B.The remains of dead animals have been changed into a completed different form.C.Rocks and tar beds have bee different form over time.n changed into a completely different form over time.D.The soft parts of organisms have been changed into a completely different form.5.Fossils are usually found in rock,caves,ice and so on.Why?A.Because these are the places where fossils can form.B.Because these are the places where fossils can be protected from the damage of weathering and erosion.C.Because these are the places where fossils can be changed into a completely different form.D.Because these are the places where dead animals and plants can decompose and be transformed.Ⅱ.Complete the following sentences with the informationgiven in the passage.1.____ of ancient animals and plants in rock are known as fossils.2.Fossils are most often found in rock,caves,tar beds andice,where they can be preserved from the damage of ____.3.Coal is made from the remains of ____ that have been changed into a completely different form.4.____ of an organism can not be preserved except in solid ice.5.Fish are estimated to have on the Earth for____.8.Plastic Trash an environmental ConcernWith the invention of polymers(聚合物),chemists gives us plastic.As a consumer product,plastic is strong,versatile(用途广泛的),and durable(耐用的).It can hold up under heat and pressure and can be subjected to total submersion(浸泡)in water (even ocean water)and not be affected.You canleaveit outside,and the weather.Unlike most other materials,plastic does not naturally decay〔腐烂〕.For useful consumer products,this remarkable durability is a blessing.Plastic bottles are light and unbreakable;plastic bags do not leak or tear as easily as paper bags do.But when these items are ready for the garbage,it's an environmental nightmare!Millions of tons of plastic garbage litter ourhighways and beaches.Plastic trash even affects marine life in the oceans.According to the National Academy of Sciences,more than 600,000 plastic containers and bags are thrown into the oceans every day.Fisherman lose or throw away an estimated 150,000 tons of plastic fishing gear (渔具)each year.At least forty-two species of seabirds are known to snack on plastic ,a habit that is often fatal(致命的).In addition tens of thousands of seals,sea lions,and turtles die each year after becoming caught in bits of fish netting.What should we do with the hundreds of millions of tons of plastic and other polymer products that end up in the garbage each year?We could burn it.However,that creates a thick,black smock that is not only intolerable but is also a dangerous form of air pollution.We could bury it,but solid waste dumps have their own pollution problems.Too often,trash in the dumps is not buried for a long period of time and becomes a health hazard(危险) for birds and other land animals,including nearby human residents.What's more,highly populated countries with limited land may find that land is far too valuable to use as a dump site.Obviously,a large-scale solution to the plastic trashproblemis not yet in sight.However,individuals can help by keeping some of that plastic out of the garbage for as long as possible.For example,people who get plastic bags from the grocery store could save them and reuse them.Some people may choose not to buy plastic products when the same item is available in paper or glass.Of course,these are only small steps,but they could eventually be part of a large solution.(412 words) Comprehension ExercisesⅠ.Choose the best answers to the following question.1.What's the main idea of passage?A.Plastic is an ideal material.B.Plastic garbage has become an environmental concern.C.Plastic is a consumer product.D.No way has been found to solve the plastic trash problem.2.What are the main properties(特性)of plastic as a useful consumer product?A.Strong,versatile,durable.B.Cheap,convenient,reusable.C.Soft,light,unbreakable.D.Waterproof,unable to decay,burnable.3.Plastic trash affects the life of seabirds.For example,____.A.they are often caught in bits of netting.B.sea water is polluted by plastic trash.C.they mistake plastic trash for food.D.sea beaches are littered with plastic garbage.4.Which of the following properties of plastics makes plastic garbage a great environmental concern?A.Light weight.B.Strength.D.Resistance to weathering and decay.5.Which of the following methods is environmentally sound in dealing with plastic trash?A.Dumping it in the ocean far away from shore.B.burning it at sea.C.Not mentioned in this passage.D.Leaving it in the open air.Ⅱ.Judge whether or not the following statements agree withthe information given in the passage,and mark Y for YES,N for NO ,or NG if information is not given in the passage.( )1.Presently efforts to deal with plastic trash have got somewhere.( )2.Burying plastic trash will lead a shortage of land for human use.( )3.The durability of plastics is of great help to daily life in every respect.( )4.Obviously a large-scale solution to the plastic trash problem is to keep plastic out of garbage for as long as possible.( )5.It is suggested in this passage that we use more paper or glass instead of plastic products so as to reduce plastic trash.9.Meat Industries Are Destroying the PlanetRisk of mad cow disease，and heart disease isn't the only reason to eat less meat：the planet simply cannot sustain a population that increasingly feeds on animal protein(蛋白质),says the U.K. Government's Sustainable Development Commission. The problem lies in that animals consume vast supplies of land, crops, water and other resources in order to produce a much smaller quantity of animal protein for human consumption. The fast growing population of animals for use in the human food supply is being described as,"...one of the biggest environmental crises we're now facing."Then, there's the environmental impact of raising so many animals for food in the first place. Thousands of acres of rain forest continue to be cleared in South American in order to convert jungle to grazing land(牧场)for cattle. That alone is alarming, and yet that's only the beginning. Cows, chickens and pigs produce waste on a massive scale, and that waste is often drained directly into rivers or-this is true-fed back to other animals. Then, there's the use of water while they grow. As water becomes increasingly scarce in decades to come, this will become an issue of great contention(争论). So,it seems that from an environmental point of view, responsible citizens should greatly reduce their consumption of animal protein. Finally,there's the ethics(行为准那么)of eating meat. One of the reasons I don't eat red meat in particular is because red meat comes from intelligent mammals(哺乳动物): cows and pigs.These beings have social structures, they communicate with each other, and they communicate with each other, and they most definitely feel pain. To raise an intelligent animal for no purpose other than to slaughter(屠杀) it and sell its flesh is, in my opinion, evil. The further you go down the scale of intelligence, the less evil this becomes. Killing a chicken and eating it is not so evil, since chickens don't have the intelligence of cows and pigs. Consuming bacteria(in yogurt(乳酸), for example) is not at all evil, since bacteria are not capable of feeling pain, it seems. But Pigs? Pigs are as intelligent as dogs. Would you slaughter your pet dog and eat it? If not, then why would you support the slaughter of animals with similar intelligence? And remember: every time you buy bacon or sausage, you are indirectly slaughtering another pig, another intelligent being.What do you think? Do you believe mammals have souls? Do you think cows and pigs are capable of feeling and understanding pain? Does your pet dog understand pain? Can the planet sustain a population that consumes that consumes large quantities of animal protein? How could societies shift to plant sources of protein? Give it some thought.1题，Choose the best answers to the following questions.1.What is the main idea of the first two paragraphs?A.The earth will not sustain us if we continue to raise animals.B.Eating meat will do harm to our health.C.Meat consumption is becoming one of the biggest environmental crises.D.Intelligent animals lake cows and pigs have feelings and souls.2.Why does the author hold that meat industries are destroying the planet?A. Because they increase the risk of mad cow disease and heart diseaseB. Because animals raised for food consume a vast amount of resources like land,water and so onC. Because killing and eating intelligent animals has destroyed our ethics and souls.D. Because the number of intelligent animals has been greatly reduced3.What does the writer mean by saying"The further you go down the scale of intelligence,the less evil this becomes"?A. Killing low-intelligence animals is less evil than killing high-intelligence animalsB. It is not evil to raise animals for human foodC. Responsible citizens should greatly reduce their consumption of animals proteinD. Animal intelligence is still an issue of great contention4.What attitude does the author take towards the consumption of animal protein?A. OptimisticB. PessimisticC. CriticalD. Positive5.What does the author suggest at the end of passage?A. People should care much about animal intelligenceB. The human population should be considerably reducedC. People should consume more plant protein while reducing animal proteinD. We should raise cows and pigs just as we raise our dogs2题:Complete the following sentences with the information given in the passage.1.The passage tells us that killing and selling the flesh of _______is evil.rge areas of ______are being cleared in order to create moregrazing land.3.The author thinks it is not evil at all to consume ______,because they cannot feel pain.4.It is reasonable for human beings to reduce ______from an environment point of view.5.It is less evil to kill a chicken than to kill a pig because chicken are ______as pigs.10.The HuntersA guy buys a brand new Lincoln Navigator for $42,500.He and a friend go duck hunting in winter,and of course all the lakes are frozen.These two guys go out on the lake with the guns,the dog,and of course the new vehicle.They drive out onto the lake ice and get ready.Now,they want to make some kind of a natural landing area for the ducks,something for the decoys to float on.In order to make a hole large enough to look like something a wandering duck would fly down and land on,it is going to take a little more effort than an ice hole drill.So,out of the back of the new Navigator comes a stick of dynamite with a short,40-second fuse.Now these two men do takeinto consideration that they want to place the stick of dynamite on the ice at a location far from where they are standing and the new Navigator,because they don't want to take the risk of slipping on the ice when they run from the burning fuse and possibly go up in smoke with the resulting blast.They light the 40-second fuse and throw the dynamite.What happens then?Their dog,highly trained for seeking and picking back things thrown by the owner,takes off at a high rate of doggy speed on the ice and captures the stick of dynamite with the burning 40-second fuse about the time it hits the ice.The two men yell,scream,wave their arms and wonder what to do now.The dog,cheered on,keeps coming.One of the guys grabs the shotgun and shoots at the dog.The shotgun is loaded with buckshot,hardly big enough to stop it.The dog stops for a moment,slightly confused,but continues on.Another shot and this time the dog,still standing,because really confused, and of course terrified,thinking these two geniuses have gone mad. The dog takes off to find cover under the brand-new Navigator. —BOOM!—The dog and the Navigator are blown to bits and sink to the bottom of the lake in a very large hole,leaving the two idiots standing there with this "I can't believe this happened"look on their faces.1题：Choose the best answers to the following questions.1.The Lincoln Navigator in this passage is .A. a carB. A stick of dynamiteC. A decoyD. A dog2.Why do the two men yell and scream when they see the dog capture the stick of dynamite?A. Because they what will result from the dog's actionB. Because that is what they expectC. Because they are pleased to see itD. Because they quite appreciate the dog's skill3.Why do the two guys use dynamite?A. Because they want to make a large hole in the iceB. Because they want to smoke ducks downC. Because they want to go up in smoke with the resulting blastD. Because they want to frighten ducks and make them fly out4.Why dose one of the two men shoot at the dog?A. Because the dog is frightened by the dynamite and has gone madB. Because the dog tries to run away from themC. Because the dog is cheered by the two men's shoutingD. Because the dog picks up the dynamite and runs toward them5.In the passage,an"I can't believe this happened"look on one's face is .A. a disappointed lookB. a pitiful lookC. a surprised lookD. an embarrassed look2题:Judge whether or not the following statements agree with the information given in the passage,and mark Y for YES,N for NO,or NG if information is not given in the passage.( )1.From the story we know that the dog is smart and understands his masters very well.( )2.The two guys do consider placing the dynamite far away form where they are standing and the Navigator.( )3.Their dog is well trained for running after and picking back things thrown by the owner.( )4.The dog,confused and terrified by the gunshot,tries to find some place to hide itself.( )5.The blast sends the dog and the two men up in smoke.11.The Woman Who Thought She Was Going to Be RobbedOn a recent weekend in Atlantic City,a woman won a bucketful of quarters(面值25美分的硬币)at a slot machine(投币赌博机).She took a break from the slots for dinner with her husband in the hotel dining room.But first she wanted to put the quarters in her room.She carried the coinladen bucket to the elevator she noticed two en already aboard.Both were black.One of them was big,very big.The first thought was:These two are going to rob me.Her next thought was:Don't be silly;they look like perfectly nice gentlemen.But she could not move a step out of fear.She stood and stared at the two men.She feltanxious,nervous and ashamed.She hoped they didn't read her mind.Surely they knew that her hesitation(犹豫)about joining them in the elevator was all too obvious.Her face became red.She couldn't just stand there,so with a mighty effort of will she picked up one foot and stepped forward and was on the elevator.Avoiding eye contact,she turned around stiffly and faced the elevator doors as they closed.A second passed,and thenanother second,and then another.Her fear increased!The elevator didn't move.Panic consumed her."My God,"she thought," I'm trapped and about to be robbed!"Her heart sank.Then... One of the men said,"Hit the floor."Instinct(本能)told her:Do what they tell you.The bucket of quarters flew upwards as she threw out her arms and collapsed on the elevator carpet.A shower of coins rained down on her."Take my money and spare me,"she prayed.More seconds passed.She heard one of the en say politely,"Ma'am,if you'll just tell us what floor you're going to,we'll push the button."She lifted her head and looked up at the two men.They reached down to help her up.Confused,she struggled to her feet."When I told my man here to hit the floor,"said the average-sized one,"I meant that he should hit the elevator button for our floor,ma'am".She was too ashamed to speak.She wanted to burst out an apology,but words failed her.How do you apologize to two perfectly respectable gentlemen for behaving as though theyoing to rob you?(406 words)Comprehension ExercisesⅠ. Choose the best answers to the following questions.1.What was the woman doing in the hotel before she went to the elevator?A.She was having dinner with her husband.B.She was staying in her hotel room.C.She was taking a break from dinner.D.She was gambling.2.Why did the woman hesitate before she stepped into the elevator?A.Because there were two strangers in the elevator .B.Because she thought the men in the elevator would rob her.C.Because she froze and could not move herself.D.Because she did not want to join the men in the elevator.3.What did the average-sized man mean by saying"Hit the floor"?A.Throw your money on the floor.B.Lie down on the floor.C.Push the elevator button for our floor.D.Step heavily on the floor.4.What happened when the average-sized man said,"Hit the floor"?A.The bucket of quarters dropped to the floor.B.The woman's heart sank to the floor.C.The woman pushed the button for the floor.D.The woman collapsed onto the elevator floor.5.How did the woman feel at the end of the story?A.Shameful and embarrassed.B.Anxious and nervous.C.Confused and panicky.D.Wronged and angry.Ⅱ.Complete the following sentences with the information given in the passage.1.When she was walking to the elevator,the woman was carrying__.2.With a great effort of will the woman stepped into the elevator___.3.The woman turned around and faced the elevator doors so as to ___with the two men.4.The woman felt___ to apologize to the two gentlemen for behaving as if they were going to rob her.5.The average-sized man wanted the big man to___ when he said,"Hit the floor"12.E-Mail and Tomatoes.An unemployed man is desperate(拼命的)to support his family.He applies for a job as a janitor(看门人)at a large firm and easily passes a test.The human resources manager tells him,"You will be hired at a minimum wage of $5.15 an hour.Let me have your e-mail address so that we can get you in the loop.Our system will automatically e-mail you all the forms and advise you when to start and where to report on your first day."Taken aback,the man protests that he is poor and has neither a computer nor an e-mail address.To this the manager replies,"Without an e-mail address you can hardly expect to be employed by a hightech firm.Good day."Astonished,the man leaves.Not knowing where to turn and having $10 in his wallet,he walks past a farmers' market and sees a stand selling beautiful red tomatoes.He a crate(筐)of the tomatoes,carries it to a busy corner and displays the tomatoes.In less than two hours he sells all the tomatoes and makes a 100% profit.Repeating the process several times more that day,he ends up with almost $100 and arrives home that night with several bags of groceries for his family.During the night he decides to repeat the tomato business the next day.He is getting up early every day and working intothe night.He multiplies(使...成倍增加) his profits quickly.By the end of the second year he has a dozen very nice used trucks and employs fifteen previously unemployed people,all selling tomatoes.He continues to work hard.Time passes and at the end of the fifth year he owns a fleet of nice trucks and a warehouse,plus two tomato farms.Planning for the future,he decides to buy some life insurance(保险).Consulting with an insurance adviser,he picks an insurance plan to fit his new circumstances.Then the adviser asks him for his e-mail address in order to send the final documents electronically.When the man replies that he doesn't have time to mess(摆弄)with a computer and has no e-mail address,the insurance man is astonished,"What,you don't have e-mail?No computer?No Internet?Just think where you would be today if you'd had all of that five years ago!""Ha!"snorts the man."If I'd had e-mail five years ago I would be sweeping floors at Microsoft and making $5.15 an hour."(406 words)Comprehension ExercisesⅠ. Choose the best answers to the following questions.1.Why does the main apply for the job as a janitor?A.Because he is in urgent need of a job.B.Because he doesn't have any professional training.C.Because he passes the test.D.Because he has got some information and advice from the manager.2.What does the insurance man mean by saying,"Just think where you should be today if you'd had all of that five years ago!"?A.The man would have got the job as a janitor if he had had e-mail five years ago.B.It is impossible nowadays for a person not to have a computer and e-mail.C.The man's life would be much better now if he had e-mail and a computer five years ago.D.The man would be well-informed if he had a computer five years ago.3."...we get you in the loop."(paragraph 1)means that___.A.we can know where you are.B.We can put you on the staff of our company.。
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新托福考试快速阅读训练第二篇Throughout the nineteenth century and into the twentieth，citizens of the United States maintained a bias against bigcities． Most lived on farms and in small towns and believed cities to be centers of corruption， crime， poverty， and moral degradation． Their distrust was caused， in part， by a national ideology that proclaimed farming the greatest occupation and rural living superior to urban living． This attitude prevailed even as the number of urban dwellers increased and cities became an essential feature of the national landscape． Gradually， economic reality overcame ideology． Thousands abandoned the precarious life on the farm for more secure and better paying jobs in the city． But when these people migrated from the countryside， they carried their fears and suspicious with them． These new urbanities， already convinced that cities were overwhelmed with great problems， eagerly embraced the progressive reforms that promised to bring order out of the chaos of the city．One of many reforms came in the area of public utilities． Water and sewerage systems were usually operated by municipal governments，but the gas and electric networks were privately owned． Reformers feared that the privately owned utility companies would charge exorbitant rates for these essential services and deliver them only to people who could afford them． Some city and state governments responded by regulating the utility companies， but a number ofcities began to supply these services themselves． Proponents of these reforms argued that public ownership and regulation would insure widespread access to these utilities and guarantee a fair price．While some reforms focused on government and public behavior，others looked at the cities as a whole． Civic leaders， convinced that physical environment influenced human behavior， argued that cities should develop master plans to guide their future growth and development． City planning was nothing new， but the rapid industrialization and urban growth of the late nineteenth century took place without any consideration for order． Urban renewal in the twentieth century followed several courses． Some cities introduced plans to completely rebuild the city core． Most other cities contented themselves with zoning plans for regulating future growth． Certain parts of town were restricted to residential use，while others were set aside for industrial or commercial development．1． What does the passage mainly discuss?（A） A comparison of urban and rural life in the early twentieth century（B） The role of government in twentieth century urban renewal（C） Efforts to improve urban life in the early twentieth century（D） Methods of controlling urban growth in the twentieth century2． The word "bias" in line 2 is closest in meaning to 转自：考试网－ [Examw．Com]（A） diagonal（B） slope（C） distortion（D） prejudice3． The first paragraph suggests that most people who lived in rural areas（A） were suspicious of their neighbors（B） were very proud of their lifestyle（C） believed city government had too much power（D） wanted to move to the cities4． In the early twentieth century， many rural dwellers migrated to the city in order to（A） participate in the urban reform movement（B） seek financial security（C） comply with a government ordinance（D） avoid crime and corruption5． The word "embraced" in line 11 is closest in meaning to（A） suggested（B） overestimated（C） demanded（D） welcomed6． What concern did reformers have about privately owned utility companies?（A） They feared the services would not be made available to all city dwellers．（B） They believed private ownership would slow economic growth（C） They did not trust the companies to obey the government regulations．（D） They wanted to ensure that the services would be provided to rural areas．7． The word "exorbitant" in line 16 is closest in meaning to（A） additional（B） expensive（C） various（D） modified8． All of the following were the direct result of public utility reforms EXCEPT（A） local governments determined the rates charged by private utility companies（B） some utility companies were owned and operated by local governments（C） the availability of services was regulated by local government（D） private utility companies were required to pay a fee to local governments9． The word "Proponents" in line 18 is closest in meaning to（A） Experts（B） Pioneers（C） Reviewers（D） Supporters10． Why does the author mention "industrialization" （line 24）?（A） To explain how fast urban growth led to poorly designed cities（B） To emphasize the economic importance of urban areas（C） To suggest that labor disputes had become an urban problem（D） To illustrate the need for construction of new factories CDBBD ABDDA。