20141206托福考试阅读题回顾
历年托福考试阅读真题汇总包括答案.docx
0308 托福试题阅读（ 55minutes）Question 1-11If food is allowed to stand for some time, itputrefies .When the putrefied materialis examined microscopically ,it is found to be teeming withbacteria. Where do thesebacteria come from , since they are not seen in fresh food? Even until the mid-nineteenthcentury, many people believed that such microorganisms originated by spontaneous(5 ) generation ,a hypothetical process by which living organisms develop from nonlivingmatter.The most powerful opponent of the theory of spontaneous generation was the French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur(1822-1895).Pasteur showed that structurespresent in air closely resemble the microorganisms seen in putrefying materials .He did(10)this by passing air through guncotton filters, the fibers of which stop solid particles. Afterthe guncotton was dissolved in a mixture of alcohol and ether,the particles that it hadtrapped fell to the bottom of the liquid and were examined ona microscope slide .Pasteurfound that in ordinary air these exists a variety of solidstructures ranging in size from0.01 mm to more than 1.0 mm .Many of these bodies resembledthe reproductive(15)s tructures of common molds, single-celled animals, and various other microbial cells .As many as 20 to 30 of them were found in fifteen liters of ordinary air ,and they couldnot be distinguished from the organisms found in much larger numbers in putrefying materials .Pasteur concluded that the organisms found in putrefying materials originatedfrom the organized bodies present in the air .He postulated thatthese bodies are constantly(20)being deposited on all objects.Pasteur showed that if a nutrient solution was sealed in a glass flask and heated toboiling to destroy all the living organisms contaminating it, it never putrefied .The proponents of spontaneous generation declared that fresh air was necessary forspontaneous generation and that the air inside the sealed flaskwas affected in some way(25)by heating so that it would no longer support spontaneousgeneration. Pasteur constructed a swan-necked flask in which putrefying materials could he heated to boiling, but aircould reenter. The bends in the neck preventedmicroorganisms from getting in the flask.. Material sterilized insuch a flask did not putrefy.1,What does the passage mainly discuss?(a)Pasteur’ s influence on the development of the microscope.(b)The origin of the theory of spontaneous generation .(c)The effects of pasteurization on food.(d)Pasteur’ s argumentnstagaithe theory of spontaneous generation . 2,The phrase “ teeming with ” in line 2 is closest in meaning to (a)full of(b)developing into(c)resistant to(d)hurt by3,Which of the following questions did the theory of spontaneous generation attempt to answer?(a)What is the origin of the living organisms are seen on some food?(b)How many types of organisms can be found on food?(c)What is the most effective way to prepare living organisms for microscopic examination?(d)How long can food stand before it putrefies?4,The word“ resemble” in line 9 is closest in meaning to(a)benefit from(b)appear similar to(c)join together with(d)grow from5,The purpose of the“ guncotton” mentioned in paragraph 2 was to (a)trap particles for analysis (b)slow theprocess of putrefaction (c)increase the airflowto the microscopic slide (d)aid the mixing ofalcohol and ether6,The author mention “ 1.0mm” in line 14 in describing the(a)thickness of a layer of organisms that was deposited on an object(b)diameter of the fibers that were in the guncotton filters(c)thickness of the microscope slides that were used(d)size of the particles that that were collected7.The word “ postulated ” in line 19 is closest in meaning to(a)analyzed(b)doubted(c)persuaded(d)suggested8.The objects that Pasteut removed from the air in his experimentwere remarkable because they were(a)primarily single-celled organisms(b)no different from objects found in putrefyingmaterials (c)fairly rare(d)able to live in a mixture of alcohol and ether9.The word“ it” in line 22 refers to(a)a nutrient solution(b)a glass flask(c)boiling(d)spontaneous generation10.According to paragraph 3,proponents of spontaneous generation believed that which of the following was important forthe process to succeed ?(a)A sealed container(b)Fresh air(d)The presence of nutrients11.It can be inferred from paragraph 3 that Pasteur employed a swam-necked flask to(a)store sterilized liquids for use in futureexperiments (b)prevent heat from building up in asolution (c)disprove a criticism of his conclusions(d)estimate the number of organisms in a liter of airQuestions 12-20In the early decades of the United States ,the agrarian movement promoted the farmeras society ’heros. In the minds of agrarian thinkers andwriters ,the farmer was a person on whose well-being the health of the new country depended .The period between theRevolution, which ended in 1783,and the Civil War ,whichended in 1865 ,was the age of(5 )the farmer in the United States .Agrarianphilosophers ,represented most eloquently byThomas Jefferson, celebrated farmers extravagantly for their supposed centrality in a goodsociety, their political virtue ,and their Superior morality .Andvirtually all policy makers, whether they subscribed to the tenets of the philosophy held by Jefferson or not, recognized agriculture as the key component of the American economy .Consequently ,government at(10)all levels worked to encourage farmers as a social group and agriculture as economicenterprise.Both the national and state governments developed transportation infrastructure,building canals, roads, bridges, and railroads ,deepening harbors ,and removing obstructions from navigable streams .The national government imported plant and animal varieties and(15)launched exploring expeditions into prospective farmlands in the West .In addition ,government trade policies facilitated the exporting of agriculturalFor their part ,farmers seemed to meet the social expectations agrarian philosophershad for them ,as their broader horizons and greater self-respect, both products of the Revolution ,were reflected to some degree in their behavior .Farmers seemed to become(20)more scientific ,joining agricultural societies and reading the farm newspapers that sprangup throughout the country .They began using improved implements, tried new crops andpure animal breeds , and became more receptive to modern theories of soil improvement .They also responded to inducements by national and state governments .Farmersstreamed to the West ,filling frontier lands with stunningrapidity .But farmers responded(25)less to the expectations of agrarians and governmentinducements than to growing market opportunities .European demand for food from the United States seemed insatiable . War, industrialization , and urbanization all kept demand high in Europe . United States citiesand industries grew as well; even industries not directlyrelated to farming thrived becauseof the market, money ,and labor that agriculture provided .12.What does the passage mainly discuss?(a)The agrarian philosophy of Thomas Jefferson(b)The role of the national government in the development of agriculture(c)Improvements in farming techniques(d)The impact of the increased importance of the farmer13.The word “ depended ” in line 3 is closest in meaning to(a)improved(b)relied(c)demanded(d)explained14.The author mentions Thomas Jefferson in paragraph 1 as an(a)a leader during the Revolution(b)an inventor of new farming techniques(c)a philosopher who believed farmers were essential to thecreation of a good society(d)a farmer who guided the agrarian movement toward an emphasison economic development15.The phrase“ subscribed to” incloslinest8 inis meaning to(a)contributed to(b)agreed with(c)thought about(d)expanded on16.Which of the following statements is supported by the information in paragraph 1?(a)All government policy makers accepted Jefferson’views of agriculture and farmers.(b)Agricultural production declined between 1783 and 1861.(c)The majority of farmers worked for the government.(d)Agriculture was a vital part of the nation’ s economy.17.According to the passage , the national and state governmentsdid all of the following EXCEPT(a)build roads(b)import new plant varieties(c)give farmers money for their crops(d)develop policies that helped farmers export their products18.All of the following are mentioned as examples of farmers ’ meeting the expectations of agrarian philosophers EXCEPT (a)obtaining information from farm newspapers(b)accumulating personal wealth(c)planting new crops(d)becoming more scientific19.The word“ stunning” in line 24 is closest in meaning to(a)predictable(b)impressive```(c)famous(d)gradual20.Which of the following statements is best supported by paragraph 4?(a)Agricultural development contributed to development in other parts of the economy.(b)European agricultural products were of a higher quality than those produced in the United States.(c)The growing settlement of the West led to a decrease in agricultural production.(d)Farmers were influenced more by government policies than by market opportunities.Question 21-29The wide variety of climates in North America has helped spawn a complex pattern ofsoil regions. In general, the realm ’ s soils also reflect the broad environmental partitioninginto “ humid America ”and “ arid America. ”Where annual precipitation exceeds 20 inches(50 centimeters),soils in humid areas tend to be acidic in chemical content, Since crops(5 ) do best in soils that are neither acidic(higher in acid content) noralkaline(higher in salt content).fertilization is necessary to achieve the desired level of neutrality between the```two. Arid America ’soils are typically alkaline and must be fertilized back towardneutrality by adding acidic compounds. Although many of these dryland soils, particularlyin the Great Plains, are quite fertile, European settlers learned over a century ago that(10)water is the main missing ingredient in achieving their agricultural potential. In the1970’ s,certain irrigation methods were perfected and finally provided a real opportunityto expand more intensive farming west from the Central Lowland into the drier portionsof the Great Plains. Glaciation also enhanced the rich legacy of fertile soils in the centralUnited States,both from the deposition of mineral-rich glacial debris left by meltwater(15)and from thick layers of fine wind-blown glacial material, called loess, in and around themiddle Mississippi Valley.Natural vegetation patterns could be displayed on a map of North America, but theenormous human modification of the North American environment in modern times hasall but reduced this regionalization scheme to the level of the hypothetical. Nonetheless,(20)the humid America-arid America dichotomy is still a valid generalization: the naturalvegetation of areas receiving more than 20 inches of water yearly is forest, whereas thedrier climates give rise to a grassland cover. The forests of North America tent to makea broad transition by latitude. In the Canadian North, needle-leaf forests dominate, butthese coniferous trees become mixed with broadleaf deciduous trees as one crosses the(25)border into the Northeast United States. As one proceedstoward the Southeast, broadleaf vegetation becomes dominant.Arid America mostly consists of short-grass prairies orstepper. The only areas of true desert are in the Southwest.```21 What aspect of North America does the passage mainly discuss?(A)The wide variety of climates(B)Soil types and vegetation patterns(C)Improved irrigation methods and the expansion of agriculture(D)The change in precipitation patterns22 The word“ spawn” in line 1 is closest in meaning to(A)distinguish(B)eliminate(C)protect(D)create23 The word“ partitioning” in line 2 is closest in meaning to(A)division(B)modification(C)opening(D)circulating24 According to the passage, acidic soils tent to be associated with(A) a high salt content(B)an increase in farming(C)large amounts of rain(D)glacial meltwater25 The word“ enhanced” in line 13 is closest in meaning to(A)implied(B)increased(C)indicated(D)informed26 How did glacial meltdown affect the soil in North America?(A)It redistributed the soil types(B)It added salt to the soil(C)It made the soil more neutral in content(D)It added minerals to the soil27 The phrase“regionalizationthis scheme” in line 19 refers to the(A)movements of glacial deposits```(B)patterns of natural vegetation(C)human modification of the North American environment(D)distinction between humid America and arid America28 The word“ transition” in line 23 is closest in meaning to(A)elevation(B)change(C)advantage(D)condition29 The passage supports which of the following statements?(A)Arid America is not necessarily characterized by the presenceof deserts(B)Most of Canada and the northeastern United States consists ofshort-grass prairies wherever natural vegetation has not been modified by humans(C)The accumulation of loess is primarily the result of irrigation(D)Glaciation removed the fertile layer of soil from much of theMississippi ValleyQuestions 30-40Most sources of illumination generate light over an appreciable period, and indeed ifan object is lit for a very brief time(less that 1/25 second),the human eye will not reactin time to see the object. A photographic emulsion---that is, alight-sensitive coating on photographic film, paper, or glass--- will, however, record much shorter bursts of light. A(5 ) photographic flash can therefore be used to capture high-speed movement on film as wellas to correct deficiencies of the normal surrounding lighting.Photoflash is now generated electronically, but the earliest form, first used in 1864, was a paper bag containingmagnesium wire and some oxygen-rich substance, such as potassium chlorate. When thebag was ignited, the metal burned with an intense flash. A contemporary observer reported(10)that “ this quite unsafe device seems to have done nothing worse that engulf the room indense smoke and lead to pictures of dubious quality and odd poses. ”The evolution of the photoflash was slow, flashbulbs, containing fine wire made of ametal, such as magnesium or aluminum, capable of beingignited in an atmosphere of pure oxygen at low pressure, were introduced only in the 1920’arliest.Inthetype, the metal (15)was separated from the oxygen by a thin glass bulb. Theflash was fired by piercing thebulb and allowing the oxygen to come into contact with the metal, which ignitedspontaneously. Later bulbs were fired by an electric battery, which heated the wire bypassing a small current through it. Other combinations, such as the pairing of oxygendifluoride with zirconium, have also been used. In each case enough energy is given out to(20) heat the oxidizable metal momentarily to a white-hot emissionof visible light. The smoke particles are so small that they cool rapidly; but since they are white, theycontribute to the brilliance by reflecting the light from their still-glowing neighbors. A slightly bigger form of the metal will burn for a longer time.30 What does the passage mainly discuss?(A)The history of the photoflash(B)Theories about how the eye reacts to light(C)The technology of modern photography(D)The dangers of using the early photoflash31 According to the passage,1/25 second is the minimum amount of time required for the(A)recording of an image on film(B)generation of artificial light(C)creation of a photographic emulsion(D)human eye to react to light32 According to the passage, an advantage of using a photoflash is that it(A)can produce repeated bursts of light(B)intensities colors in photographs(C)is short enough not to bother human eyes(D)supplements existing lighting33 The word“ ignited” in line 9 is closestniingmeato(A)set on fire(B)cut into(C)opened(D)shaken34 Which of the following phrases is defined in paragraph 1?(A) ” appreciable period” (line 1)(B) ” photographic emulsion” (line 3)(C)” high-speed movement” (line 5)(D)” odd poses” (line 11)35 The word“ evolution” in line 12 is closest in meaning to(A)publicity(B)adoption(C)development(D)manufacture36 The function of the glass in the first flashbulbs was to(A)produce the spark that initiated the flash(B)magnify the light produced by the flash(C)protect the photographer from the heat of the flash(D)keep the metal and oxygen apart before the flash37 The word“ it” in line 18 refers to(A)oxygen(B)battery(C)wire(D)current38 The word“ momentarily” in line 20 is closest iningmeanto(A)effortlessly(B)briefly(C)electronically(D)gradually39 According to the passage, the white color of the smokeparticles generated by a flashbulb contributes to(A)rapid cooling(B)bright illumination(C)electrical conductivity(D)intense heat40 According to the passage, a flashbulb can be made to burn longer by using(A)thicker wire(B)more oxygen(C)thinner glass(D)continuous electricityQuestions 41-50The stylistic innovation in paining known as Impressionism began in the 1870’ sThe. Impressionists wanted to depict what they saw in nature, but they were inspired to portray fragmentary moments by the increasingly fast pace of modern life. Theyconcentrated onthe play of light over objects, people, and nature, breaking up seemingly solid surfaces,(5 ) stressing vivid contrast between colors in sunlight and shade, and depiction reflected lightin all of its possibilities. Unlike earlier artists, they did not want to observe the world from indoors. They abandoned the studio, painting in the open air and recording spontaneous Impressions of their subjects instead of making outside sketches and thenmoving indoorsto complete the work form memory.(10) Some of the Impressionists painting’ methods were affected by technologicaladvances. For example, the shift from the studio to the openair was made possible inpart by the advent of cheap rail travel, which permitted easy and quick access to thecountryside or seashore, as well as by newly developed chemical dyes and oils that ledto collapsible paint tubes, which enabled artists to finishtheir paintings on the spot.(15)Impressionism acquired its name not from supporters but from angry art lovers whofelt threatened by the new painting. The term “ Impressionism ” was born in 1874,whena group of artists who had been working together organizedan exhibition of theirpaintings in order to draw public attention to their work. Reaction from the public andpress was immediate, and derisive. Among the 165 paintingsexhibited was one called(20)Impression:Sunrise, by Claude Monet(1840-1926),Viewedthrough hostile eyes,Monet ’ spainting of a rising sun over a misty, watery scene seemed messy, slapdash,and an affront to good taste. Borrowing Monet s title, art critics’extended the term “ Impressionism to”the entire exhibit. Inresponse, Monet and his 29 fellow artists inthe exhibit adopted the same name as a badge of their unity, despite individual differences.(25)From then until 1886 Impressionism had all the zeal of a“ church” , as the painter Renoirput it. Monet was faithful to the Impressionist creed until his death, although many of theothers moved on to new styles.41 What aspect of painting in the nineteenth century does the passage mainly discuss?(A)The impact of some artists’ resistance to the fast pace of life(B)The differences between two major styles of art(C)A technological advance in the materials used by artists(D) A group of artists with a new technique and approach to art42 The word“ depict” in line 2 is closest in meaning to(A)reorganize(B)deform(C)represent(D)justify43 According to the passage, which of the following was one ofthe distinguishing characteristics of Impressionist painting?(A)The emphasis on people rather than nature scenes(B)The way the subjects were presented from multiple angles(C)The focus on small solid objects(D)The depiction of the effects of light and color44 Which of the following is a significant way in which Impressionists were different from the artists that preceded them?(A)They began by making sketches of their subjects(B)They painted their subjects out-of-doors(C)They preferred to paint from memory(D)They used subjects drawn from modern life45 The word“ advent” in line 12 is closest in meaning to(A)achievement(B)acceptance(C)arrival(D)advantage46 The exhibition of paintings organized in 1874 resulted in allof the following EXCEPT(A)attracting attention from the public(B)a negative reaction from the press(C)an immediate demand for the paintings exhibited(D)creating a name for a new style of painting47 The word“ affront” in line 22 is closest in meaning to(A)insult(B)encouragement(C)return(D)credit48 The rejection of the Impressionist exhibition by critics was caused by which of the following?(A)The small number of paintings on display(B)Lack of interest in exhibitions by young artists(C)The similarity between all the paintings exhibited(D)Anger about seemingly poorly painted art49 The author mentions Renoir in line 25 to give an example ofan artist who(A)became as famous as Monet(B)was consistently praised by art critics(C)described the enthusiasm of the Impressionists for their work(D)was in favor of a traditional style of painting50 The word“ others” in line 27 refers to(A)art critics(B)fellow artists(C)individual differences(D)new styles0308 答案ABADB CCCBA BDDCC DCDBA DACCB DBCAC DACBA BABDC BCAAD CDABACACCB CDBCB DACCC ABCDA CDCDC BDCDC BCDDC DBACBDAABA DDBAB CDBCB DCBBA BDACB DDBAA DDABC DCBBA DCDBC CADCB。
2014年12月6级真题三套(阅读和翻译部分)含答案
2014年12月6级第一套Part IIIReading comprehensionSection AQuestions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage.His future subjects have not always treated the Prince of Wales with the respect one might expect. They laughed aloud in 1986 when the heir to the British (36) ________ told a TV reporter that he talked to his plants at his country house, Highgrove, to stimulate their growth. The Prince was being humorous—“My sense of humor will get me into trouble one day,”he said to the aides (随从)—but listening to Charles Windsor can indeed prove stimulating. The royal (37)________ that been promoting radical ideas for most of his adult life, some of his (38) _________ which once sounded a hit weird were simply ahead of their time. Now, finally, the world seems to be catching up with him.Take his views on farming. Prince Charles’ Duchy Home Farm went (39) ___________ back to 1996.when most shoppers cared only about the low price tag on suspiciously blemish-free(无瑕疵的)V egetables and (40) __________ large chickens piled high in supermarkets.His warnings on climate change proved farsighted; too Charles began (41) _________ action on global warming in 1990 and says he has been worried about the (42) ____________ of man on the environment since he was a teenager.Although he has gradually gained international (43) __________ as one of the a world’s leading conservationists, many British people still think of him as an (44) ____________ person who talks to plants This year, as it happens, South Korean scientists proved that plants really do (45) __________ to sound. So Charles was ahead of the game there, too.A. conformB. eccentricC. environmentalistD. expeditionsE. impactF. notionsG. organicH. originallyI. recognition J. respond K. subordinate L. suppressingM. throne N. unnaturally O. urgingSection BShould Single-Sex Education Be Eliminated?[A] Why is a neuroscientist here debating single-sex schooling? Honestly, I had no fixed ideas on the topic when I started researching it for my book, Pink Brain, Blue Brain. But any discussion of gender differences in children inevitably leads to this debate, so I felt compelled to dive into the research data on single-sex schooling. I read every study I could, weighed the existing evidence, and ultimately concluded that single-sex education is not the answer to gender gaps in achievement—or the best way forward for today’s young people. After my book was published, I met several developmental and cognitive psychologists whose work was addressing gender and education from different angles, and we published a peer-reviewed Education Forum piece in Science magazine with the provocative title, “The Pseudoscience of Single-Sex Education.”[B] We showed that three lines of research used to justify single-sex schooling—educational, neuroscience, and social psychology—all fail to support its alleged benefits, and so the widely-held view that gender separation is somehow better for boys, girls, or both is nothing more than a myth.The Research on Academic Outcomes[C] First, we reviewed the extensive educational research that has compared academic outcomes in students attending single-sex versus coeducational schools. The overwhelming conclusion when you put this enormous literature together is that there is no clear academic advantage of sitting in all-female or all-male classes, in spite of much popular belief to the contrary. I base this conclusion not on any individual study, but on large-scale and systematic reviews of thousands of studies conducted in every major English-speaking country.[D] Of course, there’re many excellent single-sex schools out there, but as these careful research reviews have demonstrated, it’s not their single-sex composition that makes them excellent. It’s all the other advantages that are typically packed into such schools, such as financial resources, quality of the faculty, and pro-academic culture, along with the family background and pre-selected ability of the students themselves that determine their outcomes.[E] A case in point is the study by Linda Sax at UCLA, who used data from a large national survey of college freshmen to evaluate the effect of single-sex versus coeducational high schools. Commissioned by the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools, the raw findings look pretty good for the funders —higher SAT scores and a stronger academic orientation among women who had attended all girls’ high schools (men weren’t studied). However, once the researchers controlled for both student and school attributes—measures such as family income, parents’ education, and school resources—most of these effects were erased or diminished.[F] When it comes to boys in particular, the data show that single-sex education is distinctly unhelpful for them. Among the minority of studies that have reported advantages of single-sex schooling, virtually all of them were studies of girls. There’re no rigorous studies in the United States that find single-sex schooling is better for boys, and in fact, a separate line of research by economists has shown both boys and girls exhibit greater cognitive growth over the school year based on the “dose” of girls in a classroom. In fact, boys benefit even more than girls from having larger numbers of female classmates. So single-sex schooling is really not the answer to the current “boy crisis” in education.Brain and Cognitive Development[G] The second line of research often used to justify single-sex education falls squarely within my area of expertise: brain and cognitive development. I t’s been more than a decade now since the “brain sex movement ” began infiltrating (渗入) our schools, and there are literally hundreds of schools caught up in the fad (新潮). Public schools in Wisconsin, Indiana, Florida and many other states now proudly declare on their websites that they separate boys and girls because “research solidly indicates that boys and girls learn differently,”due to “hard-wired”differences in their brains, eyes, ears, autonomic nervous systems, and more.[H] All of these statements can be traced to just a few would-be neuroscientists, especially physician Leonard Sax and therapist Michael Gurian. Each gives lectures, runs conferences, and does a lot of professional development on so-called “gender-specific learning.”I analyzed their various claims about sex differences in hearing, vision, language, math, stress responses, and “learning styles”in my book and along peer-reviewed paper. Other neuroscientists and psychologists have similarly exposed their work. In short, the mechanisms by which our brains learn language, math, physics, and every other subject don’t differ between boys and girls. Of course, learning does vary a lot between individual students, but research reliably shows that this variance is far greater within populations of boys or girls than between the two sexes.[I] The equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution prohibits separation of students by sex in public education that’s based on precisely this kind of “overbroad generalizations about the different talents, capacities, or preferences of males and females.” And the reason it is prohibited is because it leads far too easily to stereotyping and sex discrimination.Social Developmental Psychology[J] That brings me to the third area of research which fails to support single-sex schooling and indeed suggests the practice is actually harmful: social-developmental psychology.[K] It’s a well-proven finding in social psychology that segregation promotes stereotyping and prejudice, whereas intergroup contact reduces them—and the results are the same whether you divide groups by race, age, gender, body mass index, sexual orientation, or any other category. What’s more, children are especially vulnerable to this kind of bias, because they are dependent on adults for learning which social categories are important and why we divide people into different groups.[L] You don’t have to look far to find evidence of stereotyping and sex discrimination in single-sex schools. There was the failed single-sex experiment in California, where six school districts used generous state grants to set up separate boys’ and girls’ academies in the late 1990s. Once boys and girls were segregated, teachers resorted to traditional gender stereotypes to run their classes, and within just three years, five of the six districts had gone back to coeducation. [M] At the same time, researchers are increasingly discovering benefits of gender interaction in youth. A large British study found that children with other-sex older siblings(兄弟姐妹) exhibit less stereotypical play than children with same-sex older siblings, such as girls who like sports and building toys and boys who like art and dramatic play. Another study of high school social networks found less bullying and aggression the higher the density of mixed-sex friendships within a given adolescent network. Then there is the finding we cited in our Science paper of higher divorce and depression rates among a large group of British men who attended single-sex schools as teenagers, which might be explained by the lack of opportunity to learn about relationships during their formative years.[N] Whether in nursery school, high school, or the business world, gender segregation narrows our perceptions of each other, facilitating stereotyping and sexist attitudes. It’s very simple: the more we structure children and adolescents’ environment around gender distinctions and separation, the more they will use these categories as the primary basis for understanding themselves and others. [O] Gender is an important issue in education. There are gaps in reading, writing, and science achievement that should be narrower. There are gaps in career choice that should be narrower—if we really want to maximize human potential and American economic growth. But stereotyping boys and girls and separating them in the name of fictitious(虚构的) brain differences is never going to close these gaps.46. Hundreds of schools separate boys from girls in class on the alleged brain and cognitive differences.47. A review of extensive educational research shows no obvious academic advantage of single-sex schooling.48. The author did not have any fixed ideas on single-sex education when she began her research on the subject49. Research found men who attended single-sex schools in their teens were more likely to sufferfrom depression.50. Studies in social psychology have shown segregation in school education has a negative impact on children.51. Reviews of research indicate there are more differences in brain and cognitive development within the same sex than between different sexes.52. The findings of the national survey of college freshmen about the impact of single-sex schooling fail to take into account student and school attributes.53. It wasn’t long before most of the school districts that experimented with single-sex education abandoned the practice.54. Boys from coeducational classes demonstrate greater cognitive abilities according to the economists’ research.55. As careful research reviews show, academic excellence in some single-sex schools is attributed to other factors than single-sex education.Section CInternational governments’ inaction concerning sustainable development is clearly worrying but the proactive(主动出击的) approaches of some leading-edge companies are encouraging. Toyota, Wal-Mart, DuPont, M&S and General Electric have made tackling environmental wastes a key economic driver.DuPont committed itself to a 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the 10 years prior to 2010. By 2007, DuPont was saving $2.2 billion a year through energy efficiency, the same as its total declared profits that year. General Electric aims to reduce the energy intensity of its operations by 50% by 2015. They have invested heavily in projects designed to change the way of using and conserving energy.Companies like Toyota and Wal-Mart are not committing to environmental goals out of the goodness of their hearts. The reason for their actions is a simple yet powerful realization that the environmental and economic footprints fit well together. When M&S launched its “Plan A”sustainability program in 2007, it was believed that it would cost over £200 million in the first five years. However, the initiative had generated £105 million by 2011/12.When we prevent physical waste, increase energy efficiency or improve resource productivity, we save money, improve profitability and enhance competitiveness. In fact, there are often huge “quick win” opportunities, thanks to years of neglect.However, there is a considerable gap between leading-edge companies and the rest of the pack. There are far too many companies still delaying creating a lean and green business system, arguing that it will cost money or require sizable capital investments. They remain stuck in the “environment is cost” mentality. Being environmentally friendly does not have to cost money. In fact, going beyond compliance saves cost at the same time that it generates cash, provided that management adopts the new lean and green model.Lean means doing more with less. Nonetheless, in most companies, economic and environmental continuous improvement is viewed as being in conflict with each other. This is one of the biggest opportunities missed across most industries. The size of the opportunity is enormous. The 3% Report recently published by World Wildlife Fund and CDP shows that the economic prize for curbing carbon emissions in the US economy is $780 billion between now and 2020. It suggests that one of the biggest levers for delivering this opportunity is “increased efficiencythrough management and behavioral change”—in other words, lean and green management.Some 50 studies show that companies that commit to such aspirational goals as zero waste, zero harmful emissions, and zero use of non-renewable resources are financially outperforming their competitors. Conversely, it was found that climate disruption is already costing $1.2 trillion annually, cutting global GDP by 1.6%. Unaddressed, this will double by 2030.56. What does the author say about some leading-edge companies?A. They operate in accordance with government policies.B. They take initiatives in handling environmental wastes.C. They are key drivers in their nations’ economic growth.D. They are major contributors to environmental problems.57. What motivates Toyota and Wal-Mart to make commitments to environmental protection?A. The goodness of their hearts.B. A strong sense of responsibility.C. The desire to generate profits.D. Pressure from environmentalists.58. Why are so many companies reluctant to create an environment-friendly business system?A. They are bent on making quick money.B. They do not have the capital for the investment.C. They believe building such a system is too costly.D. They lack the incentive to change business practices.59. What is said about the lean and green model of business?A. It helps businesses to save and gain at the same time.B. It is affordable only for a few leading-edge companies.C. It is likely to start a new round of intense competition.D. It will take a long time for all companies to embrace it.60. What is the finding of the studies about companies committed to environmental goals?A. They have greatly enhanced their sense of social responsibility.B. They do much better than their counterparts in terms of revenues.C. They have abandoned all the outdated equipment and technology.D. They make greater contributions to human progress than their rivals.Passage TwoIf you asked me to describe the rising philosophy of the day, I’d say it is data-ism. We now have the ability to gather huge amounts of data. This ability seems to carry with it certain cultural assumptions—that everything that can be measured should be measured; that data is a transparent and reliable lens that allows us to filter out emotionalism and ideology; that data will help us do remarkable things— like foretell the future.Over the next year, I’m hoping to get a better grip on some of the questions raised by the data revolution: In what situations should we rely on intuitive pattern recognition and in which situations should we ignore intuition and follow the data? What kinds of events are predictable using statistical analysis and what sorts of events are not?I confess I enter this in a skeptical frame of mind, believing that we tend to get carried away in our desire to reduce everything to the quantifiable. But at the outset let me celebrate two things data does really well.First, it’s really good at exposing when our intuitive view of reality is wrong. For example, nearly every person who runs for political office has an intuitive sense that they can powerfullyinfluence their odds of winning the election if they can just raise and spend more money. But this is largely wrong.After the 2006 election, Sean Trende constructed a graph comparing the incumbent(在任者的) campaign spending advantages with their eventual margins of victory. There was barely any relationship between more spending and a bigger victory. Likewise, many teachers have an intuitive sense that different students have different learning styles: some are verbal and some are visual; some are linear, some are holistic(整体的). Teachers imagine they will improve outcomes if they tailor their presentations to each student. But there’s no evidence to support this either.Second, data can illuminate patterns of behavior we haven’t yet noticed. For example, I’ve always assumed people who frequently use words like “I,”“me,” and “mine” are probably more self-centered than people who don’t. But as James Pennebaker of the University of Texas notes in his book, The Secret Life of Pronouns, when people are feeling confident, they are focused on the task at hand, not on themselves. High-status, confident people use fewer “I” words, not more.Our brains often don’t notice subtle verbal patterns, but Pennebaker’s computers can. Younger writers use more negative and past-tense words than older writers who use more positive and future-tense words.In sum, the data revolution is giving us wonderful ways to understand the present and the past. Will it transform our ability to predict and make decisions about the future? We’ll see.61. What do data-ists assume they can do?A. Transform people’s cultural identity.B. Change the way future events unfold.C. Get a firm grip on the most important issues.D. Eliminate emotional and ideological bias.62. What do people running for political office think they can do?A. Use data analysis to predict the election result.B. Win the election if they can raise enough funds.C. Manipulate public opinion with favorable data.D. Increase the chances of winning by foul means.63. Why do many teachers favor the idea of tailoring their presentations to different students?A. They think students prefer flexible teaching methods.B. They will be able to try different approaches.C. They believe students’ learning styles vary.D. They can accommodate students with special needs.64. What does James Pennebaker reveal in The Secret Life of Pronouns?A. The importance of using pronouns properly.B. Repeated use of first-person pronouns by self-centered people.C. Frequent use of pronouns and future tense by young people.D. A pattern in confident people’s use of pronouns.65. Why is the author skeptical of the data revolution?A. Data may not be easily accessible.B. Errors may occur with large data samples.C. Data cannot always do what we imagine it can.D. Some data may turn out to be outdated.Part IV Translation中国将努力确保到2015年就业者接受过平均13.3年的教育。
(完整word版)2014年雅思阅读模拟试题及答案解析(2),推荐文档
Next Year Marks the EU's 50th Anniversary of the TreatyA. After a period of introversion and stunned self-disbelief， continental European governments will recover their enthusiasm for pan-Europeaninstitution-building in 2007. Whether the European public will welcome a return to what voters in two countries had rejected so short a time before is another matter.B. There are several reasons for Europe’s recovering self-confidence. For years European economies had been lagging dismally behind America (to say nothing of Asia)， but in 2006 the large continental economies had one of their best years for a decade， briefly outstripping America in terms of growth. Since politics often reacts to economic change with a lag， 2006’s improvement in economic growth will have its impact in 2007， though the recovery may be ebbing by then.C. The coming year also marks a particular point in a political cycle so regular that it almost seems to amount to a natural law. Every four or five years，European countries take a large stride towards further integration by signing a new treaty： the Maastricht treaty in 1992， the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997， the Treaty of Nice in 2001. And in 2005 they were supposed to ratify a European constitution，laying the ground for yet more integration—until the calm rhythm was rudely shattered by French and Dutch voters. But the political impetus to sign something every four or five years has only been interrupted， not immobilised， by this setback.D. In 2007 the European Union marks the 50th anniversary of another treaty —the Treaty of Rome， its founding charter. Government leaders have already agreed to celebrate it ceremoniously， restating their commitment to “ever closer union”and the basic ideals of European unity. By itself， and in normal circumstances，the EU’s 50th-birthday greeting to itself would be fairly meaningless， a routine expression of European good fellowship. But it does not take a Machiavelli to spot that once governments have signed the declaration (and it seems unlikely anyone would be so uncollegiate as to veto it) they will already be halfway towards committing themselves to a new treaty. All that will be necessary will be to incorporate the 50th-anniversary declaration into a new treaty containing a number of institutionaland other reforms extracted from the failed attempt at constitution-building and —hey presto—a new quasi-constitution will be ready.E. According to the German government—which holds the EU’s agenda-setting presidency during the first half of 2007—there will be a new draft of a slimmed-down constitution ready by the middle of the year， perhaps to put to voters， perhaps not. There would then be a couple of years in which it will be discussed， approved by parliaments and， perhaps， put to voters if that is deemed unavoidable. Then，according to bureaucratic planners in Brussels and Berlin， blithely ignoring the possibility of public rejection， the whole thing will be signed， sealed and a new constitution delivered in 2009-10. Europe will be nicely back on schedule. Its four-to-five-year cycle of integration will have missed only one beat.F. The resurrection of the European constitution will be made more likely in 2007 because of what is happening in national capitals. The European Union is not really an autonomous organisation. If it functions， it is because the leaders of the big continental countries want it to， reckoning that an active European policy will help them get done what they want to do in their own countries.G. That did not happen in 2005-06. Defensive， cynical and self-destructive，the leaders of the three largest euro-zone countries—France， Italy and Germany —were stumbling towards their unlamented ends. They saw no reason to pursue any sort of European policy and the EU， as a result， barely functioned. But by the middle of 2007 all three will have gone， and this fact alone will transform the European political landscape.H. The upshot is that the politics of the three large continental countries，bureaucratic momentum and the economics of recovery will all be aligned to give a push towards integration in 2007. That does not mean the momentum will be irresistible or even popular. The British government， for one， will almost certainly not want to go with the flow， beginning yet another chapter in the long history of confrontation between Britain and the rest of Europe. More important，the voters will want a say. They rejected the constitution in 2005. It would befoolish to assume they will accept it after 2007 just as a result of an artful bit of tinkering.Questions 1-6 Do the following statemets reflect the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 1？Write your answer in Boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet.TRUE if the statemenht reflets the claims of the writerFALSE if the statement contradicts the claims of the writerNOT GIVEN if it is possbile to say what the writer thinks about this1.After years’ introspection and mistrust， continental European governments will resurrect their enthusiasm for more integration in 2007.2. The European consitution was officially approved in 2005 in spite of the oppositon of French and Dutch voters.3. The Treaty of Rome ， which is considered as the fundamental charter of the European Union， was signed in 1957.4.It is very unlikely that European countries will sign the declaration at the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome.5.French government will hold the EU’s presidency and lay down the agenda during the first half of 2008.6.For a long time in hisotry， there has been confrontation between Britain and the rest of European countries.Questions 7-10 Complet the following sentencces.Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from Reading Passage 1 for each answer.Write your answer in Boxes 7-10 on your answer sheet.7. Every four or five years， European countries tend to make a rapid progress towards ___________________by signing a new treaty.8. The European constitution is supposed to ______________________for yet more integration of European Union member countries.9. The bureaucratic planners in Brussels and Berlin rashly ignore the possibility of __________________and think the new consitution will be delivered in 2009-10.10. The politics of the three large continental countries， __________________ and the economic recovery will join together to urge the integration in 2007.Questions 11-14 Choose the appropriate letters A-D and write them in boxes 11-14 on your answer sheet.11. Which of the following statemnts is true of Euopean economic development.A. The economy of Europe developed much faster than that of Asia before 2006.B. The growth of European economy was slightly slower than that of America in 2006.C. The development of European economy are likely to slow down by 2007.D. The recovery of European economy may be considerably accelerated by 2007.12. The word “immobilised” in the last line of Section C means ___________.A. stopped completely.B. pushed strongly.C. motivated wholely.D. impeded totally.13. Which of the following statements about the treaties in European countries is NOT TRUE.A. The Maastricht Treaty was signed in 1992.B. The Treaty of Amsterdan was signed in 1997.C. The Treaty of Nice was signed in 2001.D. The Treaty of Rome was signed in 2007.14. The European constitution failed to be ratified in 2005--2006， becauseA. The leaders of France， Italy and Germany were defensive， cynical and self-destructuve..B. The voters in two countries of the Union --France and Holland rejected the constitution.C. The leaders of the EU thought that it was unneccessary to pursue any European policy.D. France， Italy and Germany are the three largest and most influential euro-zone countries.Notes to the Reading Passage1. pan-Enropeanpan-：前缀：全，总，泛pan-African 全/泛非洲的(运动)pan-Enropean全/泛欧的(机构建设)2. outstrip超越，胜过，超过，优于Material development outstripped human development”“物质的发展超过了人类的进步”3. ebb回落跌落；衰退或消减The tide is on the ebb.正在退潮。
2014年12月英语六级真题及解析-精心整理版
2014年12月英语六级真题及答案（文字版）第1：作文Part I WritingDirections: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the following topic. You should write at least 180 words but no more than 200 words.作文题一：学历歧视作文题二：科技与学习作文题三：学习没有捷径第2：听力Part II ListeningSection ADirections：In this section，you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A) , B) , C) and D)， and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centre.Question 1A.At a groceryB.In a parking lotC.In a car showroomD.At a fast food restaurantQuestion 2A.Have a little nap after lunchB.Get up and take a short walkC.Change her position now and thenD.Stretch legs before standing upQuestion 3A.The students should practice long-distance runningB.He doesn’t quite believe what the woman saysC.The students’ physical condition is not desirableD.He thinks the race is too hard for the studentsQuestion 4A.They do not want to have a baby at presentB.They cannot afford to get married right nowC.They are both pursuing graduate studiesD.They will get their degrees in two yearsQuestion 5A.Twins usually have a lot in commonB.He must have been mistaken for JackC.Jack is certainly not as healthy as he isD.He has not seen Jack for quite a few daysQuestion 6A.The man will take the woman wo the museumB.The man knows where the museum is locatedC.The woman is asking the way at the crossroadsD.The woman will attend the opening of the museumQuestion 7A.They cannot ask the guy to leaveB.The guy has been coming in for yearsC.They should not look down upon the guyD.The guy must be feeling extremely lonelyQuestion 8A.Collect timepiecesB.Become time-consciousC.Learn to mend locksD.Keep track of his daily activitiesQuestions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard. Question 9A.It winds its way to the seaB.It is quickly risingC.It is eating into its banksD.It is wide and deepQuestion 10A.Get the trucks over to the other side of the riverB.Take the equipment apart before being ferriedC.Reduce the transport cost as much as possibleD.Try to speed up the operation by any meansQuestion 11A.Ask the commander to send a helicopterB.Halt the operation until further ordersC.Cut trees and build rowing boatsD.Find as many coats as possibleQuestions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.Question 12A.Help him join an Indian expeditionB.Talk about his climbing experiencesC.Give up mountain climbing altogetherD.Save money to buy climbing equipmentQuestion 13A.He was very strict with his childrenB.He climbed mountains to earn a livingC.He had an unusual religious backgroundD.He was the first to conquer Mt. QomolangmaQuestion 14A.They are like humansB.They are sacred placesC.They are to be protectedD.They are to be conqueredQuestion 15A.It was his father’s training that pilled him throughB.It was a milestone in his mountain climbing careerC.It was his father who gave him the strength to succeedD.It helped him understand the Sherpa view of mountainsSection BDirections：In this section，you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage，you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C)and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet I with a single line through the centrePassage OneQuestion 16A. By reviewing what he has said previouslyB.By comparing memorandums with lettersC.By showing a memorandum’ s structureD.By analyzing the organization of a letterQuestion 17A.They spent a lot of time writing memorandumsB.They seldom read a memorandum through to the endC.They placed emphasis on the format of memorandumsD.They ignored many of the memorandums they receivedQuestion 18A.Style and wordingB.Structure and lengthC.Directness and clarityD.Simplicity and accuracyPassage TwoQuestions 19 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard. Question 19A.Accurate datingB.Professional lookC.Direct statement of purposeD.Inclusion of appropriate humorQuestion 20A.They give top priority to their work efficiencyB.They make an effort to lighten their workloadC.They never change work habits unless forced toD.They try hard to make the best use of their timeQuestion 21A.Self-confidenceB.Sense of dutyC.Work efficiencyD.Passion for workQuestion 22A.They are addicted to playing online gamesB.They try to avoid work whenever possibleC.They find to pleasure in the work they doD.They simply have no sense of responsibilityPassage ThreeQuestions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard. Question 23A.He lost all his propertyB.He was sold to a circusC.He was forced into slaveryD.He ran away from his familyQuestion 24A.A carpenterB.A businessmanC.A master of hisD.A black drummerQuestion 25A.It named its town hall after Solomon NorthupB.It declared July 24 Solomon Northup DayC.It freedom all blacks in the town from slaveryD.It hosted a reunion for the Northup familySection CDirections：In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks with the exact words you have just heard. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.Section CIntolerance is the art of ignoring any views that differ from your own.It(26)_____ itself a hatred. Stereotypes, prejudice, and(27)_____.Once it intensifies in people, intolerance is nearly impossible to overcome. But why would anyone want to be labeled intolerant. Why would people want to be (28)_____about the world around them? Why would one want to be part of the problem in America, instead of the solution?There are many explanations for intolerant attitudes, some (29)_____ childhood. It is likely that intolerant folks grew up (30)_____ intolerant parents and the cycle of prejudice has simply continued for (31)_____. Perhaps intolerant people are so set in their ways that they find it easier to ignore anything that might not (32)_____ their limited view of life. Or maybe intolerant students have simply never been (33)_____ to anyone different form themselves. But none of these reason is an excuse for allpwing the intolerance to continue.Intolerance should not be confused with disagreement.It is,of course,possible as diasgree with an opinion without being intolerant of it.If you understand a belief but still don't believe in that specific belief,that's fine.You are (34)_____ your opinion.As a matter of fact.(35)_____ disseniers(持异议者)are important for any belief.If we all believed the same things.we would never grow,and we would never learn about the world around us,does not stem frim disagreement.It stems from fear,And fear stems from fear.And fear stems from ignorance.第3：选词填空Part III Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section AHis future subjects have not always treated the Prince of Wales with the respect one XXXX expect. They laughed aloud in 1986 when the heir to the British(36)_____ told a TV reporter that he talked to his plants at his country house, Highgrove, to stimulate their growth. The Prince was being humorous- “My sense of humor will get me into trouble one day”, he said to his aids(随从)-but listening to CharlesWindsor can indeed prove stimulating. The royal(37)_____ has been promoting radical ideas for most of his adult life. Some of his(38)_____, which once sounded a bit weird, were simply ahead of their time. Now, finally, the world seems to be catching up with him.Take his views on farming. Prince Charles’ Duchy Home Farm went(39)_____ back in 1986. When most shoppers cared only about the low price tag on suspiciously blemish-free(无瑕疵的) vegetables and(40)_____ large chickens piled high in supermarkets.His warnings on climate change proved farsighted,too.Charles began(41)_____ action in warming in 1990 and says he has been worried about the(42)_____ of man on the environment same be was a teenger.Although he was gradually gained international(43)_____ as one of the world's lending conservationists,many British people still think of him as an(34)_____ person who talks to plants.This year,as it happens,South Korean scientists proved that plants really do(45)_____ to round.So Charles was ahead of the game there,too.A.conformB.eccentricC.environmentalistD.expeditionsE.impactF.notionsanicH.originallyI.recognitionJ.respondK.subordinateL.suppressingM.throneN.unnaturallyO.urging第4：长篇阅读Section BDirections: In this section，you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2. High School Sports Aren’t Killing AcademicsA)In this month’s Atlantic cover article, “The Case Against High-School Sports,” Amanda Ripley argues that school-sponsored sports programs should beseriously cut. She writes that, unlike most countries that outperform the United States on international assessments, American schools put too much of an emphasis on athletics, “ Sports are embedded in American schools in a way they are not almost anywhere else,” she writes, “Yet this difference hardly ever comes up in domestic debates about America’s international mediocrity(平庸)in education.”B)American student-athletes reap many benefits from participating in sports, but the costs to the schools could outweigh their benefits, she argues, In particular, Ripley contends that sports crowd out the academic missions of schools: America should learn from South Korea and Finland and every other country at the top level of international test scores, all of whom emphasize athletics far less in school. ”Even in eighth grade, American kids spend more than twice the time Korean kids spend playing sports,” she writes, citing a 2010 study published in the Journal of Advanced Academics.C)It might well be true that sports are far more rooted in American high schools than in other countries. But our reading of international test scores finds no support for the argument against school athletics. Indeed, our own research and that of others lead us to make the opposite case. School-sponsored sports appear to provide benefits that seem to increase, not detract(减少)from, academic success.D)Ripley indulges a popular obsession(痴迷)with international test score comparisons, which show wide and frightening gaps between the United States and other countries. She ignores, however, the fact that states vary at least as much in test scores as do developed countries. A 2011 report from Harvard University shows that Massachusetts produces math scores comparable to South Korea and Finland, while Mississippi scores are closer to Trinidad and Tobago. Ripley’s thesis about sports falls apart in light of this fact. Schools in Massachusetts provide sports programs while schools in Finland do not. Schools in Mississippi may love football while in Tobago interscholastic sports are nowhere near as prominent. Sports cannot explain these similarities in performance. They can’t explain international differences either.E)If it is true that sports undermine the academic mission of American schools, we would expect to see a negative relationship between the commitment to athletics and academic achievement. However, the University of Arkansas’s Daniel Bowen and Jay Greene actually find the opposite. They examine this relationship by analyzing schools’ sports winning percentages as well as student-athletic participation rates compared to graduation rates and standardized test score achievement over afive-year period for all public high schools in Ohio. Controlling for student poverty levels, demographics(人口统计状况), and district financial resources, both measures of a school’s commitment to athletics are significantly and positively related to lower dropout rates as well as higher test scores.F)On-the-field success and high participation in sports is not random-it requires focus and dedication to athletics. One might think this would lead schools obsessed with winning to deemphasize academics. Bowen and Greene’s results contradict that argument. A likely explanation for this seemingly counterintuitive(与直觉相反的)result is that success in sports programs actually facilitates or reflects greater social capital within a school’s community.G)Ripley cites the writings of renowned sociologist James Coleman, whose research in education was groundbreaking. Coleman in his early work held athletics in contempt, arguing that they crowded out schools’ academic missions. Ripley quotes his 1961 study, The Adolescent Society, where Coleman writes, “Altogether, the trophy(奖品)case would suggest to the innocent visitor that he was entering an athletic club, not an educational institution.”H)However, in later research Coleman would show how the success of schools is highly dependent on what he termed social capital, “the social networks, and the relationships between adults and children that are of value for the child’s growing up.”I)According to a 2013 evaluation conducted by the Crime Lab at the University of Chicago, a program called Becoming a Man-Sports Edition creates lasting improvements in the boys’ study habits and grade point averages. During the first year of the program, students were founds to be less likely to transfer schools or be engaged in violent crime. A year after the program, participants were less likely to have had an encounter with the juvenile justice system.J)If school-sponsored sports were completely eliminated tomorrow, many American students would still have opportunities to participate in organized athletics elsewhere, much like they do in countries such as Finland, Germany, and South Korea. The same is not certain when it comes to students from more disadvantaged backgrounds. In an overview of the research on non-school based after-school programs, researchers find that disadvantaged children participate in these programs at significantly lower rates. They find that low-income students have less access due to challenges with regard to transportation, non-nominal fees, and off-campus safety. Therefore, reducing or eliminating these opportunities would most likely deprive disadvantaged students of the benefits from athletic participation, not least of which is the opportunity to interact with positive role models outside of regular school hours.K)Another unfounded criticism that Ripley makes is bringing up the stereotype that athletic XX are typically lousy(蹩脚的)classroom teachers. “American principals, unlike the XX XX of principals around the world, make many hiring decisions with their sports teams in mind, which does not always end well for students,” she writes. Educators who seek employment at schools primarily for the purpose of coaching are likely to shirk(推卸)teaching responsibilities, theargument goes. Moreover, even in the cases where the employee is a teacher first and athletic coach second, the additional responsibilities that come with coaching likely comes at the expense of time otherwise spent on planning, grading, and communicating with parents and guardians.L)The data, however, do not seem to confirm this stereotype. In the most rigorous study on the classroom results of high school coaches, the University of Arkansas’s Anna Egalite finds that athletic coaches in Florida mostly tend to perform just as well as their non-coaching counterparts, with respect to raising student test scores. We do not doubt that teachers who also coach face serious tradeoffs that likely come at the expense of time they could dedicate to their academic obligations. However, as with sporting events, athletic coaches gain additional opportunities for communicating and serving as mentors(导师)that potentially help students succeed and make up for the costs of coaching commitments.M)If schools allow student-athletes to regularly miss out on instructional time for the sake of traveling to athletic competitions, that’s bad. However, such issues would be better addressed by changing school and state policies with regard to the scheduling of sporting events as opposed to total elimination. If the empirical evidence points to anything, it points towards school sponsored sports providing assets that are well worth the costs.N)Despite negative stereotypes about sports culture and Ripley’s presumption that academics and athletics are at odds with one another, we believe that the greater body of evidence shows that school-sponsored sports programs appear to benefit students. Successes on the playing field can carry over to the classroom and vice versa(反之亦然). More importantly, finding ways to increase school communities’social capital is imperative to the success of the school as whole, not just the athletes.46.Stunets from low-income families have less access to off-campus sports programs.47.Amanda Ripley argues that America should learn from other countries that rank high in international tests and lay less emphasis on athletics.48.According to the author,Amanda Ripley fails to note that stunents'performance in exams varies from state to state.49.Amanda Ripley thinks that athletic coaches are poor at classroom instruction.50.James Coleman's later resrarch make an argument for a school's social capital.51.Reaearchers find that there is a ppsitive relationship between a school's commitment to athletics and academic achievements.52.Aa rigorous study finds that athletic coaches also do well in raising students'test scores.53.According to an evaluation,spograms contribute to students's academic preformance and character building.54.Amanda Ripley believes the emphasis on school sports shuold be brought up whentrying to understand why Aamerican students are mediocre.55.James Coleman suggests in his earlier writings that school athletics would undermine a school's image.第5：仔细阅读Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. . You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage oneIt is easy to miss amid the day-to-day headlines of global economic recession, but there is a less conspicuous kind of social upheaval(剧变)underway that is fast altering both the face of the planet and the way human beings live. That change is the rapid acceleration of urbanization. In 2008, for the first time in human history, more than half the world’s population was living in towns and cities. And as a recently published paper shows, the process of urbanization will only accelerate in the decades to come—with an enormous impact on biodiversity and potentially on climate change.As Karen Seto, the led author of the paper, points out, the wave of urbanization isn’t just about the migration of people into urban environments, but about the environments themselves becoming bigger to accommodate all those people. The rapid expansion of urban areas will have a huge impact on biodiversity hotspots and on carbon emissions in those urban areas.Humans are the ultimate invasive species—when the move into new territory, the often displace the wildlife that was already living there. And as land is cleared for those new cities—especially in the dense tropical forests—carbon will be released into the atmosphere as well. It’s true that as people in developing nations move from the countryside to the city, the shift may reduce the pressure on land, which could in turn be good for the environment. This is especially so in desperately poor countries, where residents in the countryside slash and burn forests each growing season to clear space for farming. But the real difference is that in developing nations, the move from rural areas to cities often leads to an accompanying increase in income — and that increase leads to an increase in the consumption of food and energy, which in turn causes a rise in carbon emissions. Getting enough to eat and enjoying the safety and comfort of living fully on the grid is certainly a good thing — but it does carry an environmental price.The urbanization wave can’t be stopped — and it shouldn’t be. But Seto’s paper does underscore the importance of managing that transition. If we do it the right way, we can reduce urbanization’s impact on the environment. “There’s an enormous opportunity here, and a lot of pressure and responsibility to think abouthow we urbanize,” says Seto. “One thing that’s clear is that we can’t build cities the way we have over the last couple of hundred years. The scale of this transition won’t allow that.” We’re headed towards an urban planet no matter what, but whether it becomes heaven or hell is up to us.56. What issue does the author try to draw people’s attention to?A. The shrinking biodiversity worldwide.B. The rapid increase of world population.C. The ongoing global economic recession.D. The impact of accelerating urbanization.57. In what sense are humans the ultimate invasive species?A. They are much greedier than other species.B. They are a unique species born to conquer.C. They force other species out of their territories.D. They have an urge to expand their living space.58. In what way is urbanization in poor countries good for the environment?A. More land will be preserved for wildlife.B. The pressure on farmland will be lessened.C. Carbon emissions will be considerably reduced.D. Natural resources will be used more effectively.59. What does the author say about living comfortably in the city?A. It incurs a high environmental price.B. It brings poverty and insecurity to an end.C. It causes a big change in people’s lifestyle.D. It narrows the gap between city and country.60. What can be done to minimize the negative impact of urbanization according to Seto?A. Slowing down the speed of transition.B. Innovative use of advanced technology.C. Appropriate management of the process.D. Enhancing people’s sense of responsibility.Passage TwoWhen Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg launched in Feb. 2004, even he could not imagine the forces it would let loose. His intent was to connect college students. Facebook, which is what this website rapidly evolved into, ended up connecting the world.To the children of this connected era, the world is one giant social network. They are not bound — as were previous generations of humans — by what they were taught. They are only limited by their curiosity and ambition. During my childhood, all knowledge was local. You learned everything you knew from your parents, teachers, preachers, and friends.With the high-quality and timely information at their fingertips, today’s children are rising normally tame middle class is speaking up against social ills. Silicon Valley executives are being shamed into adding women to their boards. Political leaders are marshalling the energy of millions for elections and political causes. All of this is being done with social media technologies that Facebook and its competitors set free.As does every advancing technology, social media has created many new problems. It is commonly addictive and creates risks for younger users. Social media is used by extremists in the Middle East and elsewhere to seek and brainwash recruits. And it exposes us and our friends to disagreeable spying. We may leave our lights on in the house when we are on vacation, but through social media we tell criminals exactly where we are, when we plan to return home, and how to blackmail(敲诈)us.Governments don’t need informers any more. Social media allows government agencies to spy on their own citizens. We record our thoughts, emotions, likes and dislikes on Facebook; we share our political views, social preferences, and plans. We post intimate photographs of ourselves. No spy agency or criminal organization could actively gather the type of data that we voluntarily post for them.The marketers are also seeing big opportunities. Amazon is trying to predict what we will order. Google is trying to judge our needs and wants based on our social-media profiles. We need to be aware of the risks and keep working to alleviate the dangers.Regardless of what social media people use, one thing is certain: we are in a period of accelerating change. The next decade will be even more amazing and unpredictable than the last. Just as no one could predict what would happen with social media in the last decade, no one can accurately predict where this technology will take us.I am optimistic, however, that a connected humanity will find a way to uplift itself.61. What was the purpose of Facebook when it was first created?A. To help students connect with the outside world.B. To bring university students into closer contact.C. To help students learn to live in a connected era.D. To combine the world into an integral whole.62. What difference does social media make to learning?A. Local knowledge and global knowledge will merge.B. Student will become more curious and ambitious.C. People are able to learn wherever they travel.D. Sources of information are greatly expanded.63. What is the author’s greatest concern with social media technology?A. Individuals and organizations may use it for evil purposes.B. Government will find it hard to protect classified information.C. People may disclose their friends’ information unintentionally.D. People’s attention will be easily distracted from their work in hand.64. What do businesses use social media for?A. Creating a good corporate image.B. Conducting large-scale market surveys.C. Anticipating the needs of customers.D. Minimizing possible risks and dangers.65. What does the author think of social media as a whole?A. It will enable human society to advance at a faster pace.B. It will pose a grave threat to our traditional ways of life.C. It is bound to bring about another information revolution.D. It breaks down the final barriers in human communication.第6：翻译Part IV TranslationDirections: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.翻译题一：自从1978年启动改革以来，中国已从计划经济转为以市场为基础的经济，经历了经济和社会的快速发展。
20140615托福考试阅读考题回顾
新托福阅读考题回顾朗阁海外考试研究中心王上考试日期2014.06.15Passage 1Title:关于生命是如何出现在地球上的大致内容早期生命形态的发展得益于地球与太阳适中的距离，便于光合作用，为微生物的创造提供了条件，也为之后复杂生命的发展奠定了基础。
很久之前，地球上温度非常高，没有氧气，有大量的甲烷和CO2，但是有一种细菌（bacteria）可以吸收这些甲烷和CO2, 并能释放出氧气，同时在这个过程中吸收热量。
于是慢慢地，地球上的氧气含量高了起来，温度也随之降低了。
后面又介绍到因为这些细菌放出的氧气形成了臭氧（ozone），这些ozone保护地球免受紫外线（UV）的伤害。
而其他星球因为没有ozone, 所以不适合生物生存。
同时还有提到这种细菌一开始是聚集在海洋中的，主要是因为那时ozone不够，而海洋可以为这种细菌提供保护作用，所以生活在海洋中。
Passage 2Title:关于达尔文的进化论和自然选择大致内容第一段中介绍到自然选择并不是全部往更完美的方向发展，有些自然选择的结果可能会导致生物的灭亡，一个证据就是有些曾经存在过的生物都灭绝了。
后面几段介绍了会限制生物进化的几种因素。
其中一种是说生物祖先对形态基因的选择可能会导致物种向不同方向进化，比如说骨骼长在生物体内部的vertebrate（脊椎动物）形体上可以长到很大，像恐龙。
而骨骼长在外面的带壳生物就长不了多大。
然后还有讲到gene（基因）也会限制生物进化。
科学家以前认为gene是相互独立的，后来发现彼此是相互影响的，一种生物的进化也受其他生物需求的影响。
最后还提到一个制约因素是chance, 就是说如果碰巧遇到有storm, flood等灾难，即使有适应的基因也未必能够生存，这就使得潜在的有益基因消失。
Passage 3Title:报纸在欧洲的发展大致内容第一份报纸是荷兰人发行的，然后阐述了造成荷兰报纸业兴衰的原因：荷兰的decentralization（职权分散化）和荷兰商人们需要更多信息了解世界上都发生了什么。
历年托福考试阅读真题汇总含答案.docx
0308托福试题阅读（55minutes）Question 1-11If food is allowed to stand for some time, it putrefies .When the putrefied materialis examined microscopically ,it is found to be teeming with bacteria. Where do thesebacteria come from , since they are not seen in fresh food? Even until the mid-nineteenthcentury, many people believed that such microorganisms originated by spontaneous(5 )generation ,a hypothetical process by which living organisms develop from nonlivingmatter.The most powerful opponent of the theory of spontaneous generation was the French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur(1822-1895).Pasteur showed that structurespresent in air closely resemble the microorganisms seen in putrefying materials .He did(10)this by passing air through guncotton filters, the fibers of which stop solid particles. Afterthe guncotton was dissolved in a mixture of alcohol and ether, the particles that it hadtrapped fell to the bottom of the liquid and were examined on a microscope slide .Pasteurfound that in ordinary air these exists a variety of solid structures ranging in size from0.01 mm to more than 1.0 mm .Many of these bodies resembled the reproductive (15)structures of common molds, single-celled animals, and various other microbial cells .As many as 20 to 30 of them were found in fifteen liters of ordinary air ,and they couldnot be distinguished from the organisms found in much larger numbers in putrefying materials .Pasteur concluded that the organisms found in putrefying materials originatedfrom the organized bodies present in the air .He postulated that these bodies are constantly(20)being deposited on all objects.Pasteur showed that if a nutrient solution was sealed in a glass flask and heated toboiling to destroy all the living organisms contaminating it, it never putrefied .The proponents of spontaneous generation declared that fresh air was necessary for spontaneous generation and that the air inside the sealed flask was affected in some way(25)by heating so that it would no longer support spontaneous generation. Pasteurconstructed a swan-necked flask in which putrefying materials could he heated to boiling, but aircould reenter. The bends in the neck prevented microorganisms from getting in the flask.. Material sterilized in such a flask did not putrefy.1,What does the passage mainly discuss?(a)Pasteur’s influence on the development of the microscope.(b)The origin of the theory of spontaneous generation .(c)The effects of pasteurization on food.(d)Pasteur’s argument against the theory of spontaneous generation .2,The phrase “teeming with ”in line 2 is closest in meaning to(a)full of(b)developing into(c)resistant to(d)hurt by3,Which of the following questions did the theory of spontaneous generation attempt to answer?(a)What is the origin of the living organisms are seen on some food?(b)How many types of organisms can be found on food?(c)What is the most effective way to prepare living organisms for microscopic examination?(d)How long can food stand before it putrefies?4,The word “resemble” in line 9 is closest in meaning to(a)benefit from(b)appear similar to(c)join together with(d)grow from5,The purpose of the “guncotton” mentioned in paragraph 2 was to(a)trap particles for analysis(b)slow the process of putrefaction(c)increase the airflow to the microscopic slide(d)aid the mixing of alcohol and ether6,The author mention “1.0mm”in line 14 in describing the(a)thickness of a layer of organisms that was deposited on an object(b)diameter of the fibers that were in the guncotton filters(c)thickness of the microscope slides that were used(d)size of the particles that that were collected7.The word “postulated”in line 19 is closest in meaning to(a)analyzed(b)doubted(c)persuaded(d)suggested8.The objects that Pasteut removed from the air in his experiment were remarkable because they were(a)primarily single-celled organisms(b)no different from objects found in putrefying materials(c)fairly rare(d)able to live in a mixture of alcohol and ether9.The word “it” in line 22 refers to(a)a nutrient solution(b)a glass flask(c)boiling(d)spontaneous generation10.According to paragraph 3,proponents of spontaneous generation believed thatwhich of the following was important for the process to succeed ?(a)A sealed container(b)Fresh air(c)Heat(d)The presence of nutrients11.It can be inferred from paragraph 3 that Pasteur employed a swam-necked flask to(a)store sterilized liquids for use in future experiments(b)prevent heat from building up in a solution(c)disprove a criticism of his conclusions(d)estimate the number of organisms in a liter of airQuestions 12-20In the early decades of the United States ,the agrarian movement promoted the farmeras society’s hero. In the minds of agrarian thinkers and writers ,the farmer was a person on whose well-being the health of the new country depended .The period between theRevolution, which ended in 1783,and the Civil War ,which ended in 1865 ,was the age of(5 )the farmer in the United States .Agrarian philosophers ,represented most eloquently byThomas Jefferson, celebrated farmers extravagantly for their supposed centrality in a goodsociety, their political virtue ,and their Superior morality .And virtually all policy makers, whether they subscribed to the tenets of the philosophy held by Jefferson or not, recognized agriculture as the key component of the American economy .Consequently ,government at(10)all levels worked to encourage farmers as a social group and agriculture as economicenterprise.Both the national and state governments developed transportation infrastructure,building canals, roads, bridges, and railroads ,deepening harbors ,and removing obstructions from navigable streams .The national government imported plant and animal varieties and(15) launched exploring expeditions into prospective farmlands in the West .In addition ,government trade policies facilitated the exporting of agricultural products.For their part ,farmers seemed to meet the social expectations agrarian philosophershad for them ,as their broader horizons and greater self-respect, both products of the Revolution ,were reflected to some degree in their behavior .Farmers seemed to become(20)more scientific ,joining agricultural societies and reading the farm newspapers that sprangup throughout the country .They began using improved implements, tried new crops andpure animal breeds , and became more receptive to modern theories of soil improvement .They also responded to inducements by national and state governments .Farmersstreamed to the West ,filling frontier lands with stunning rapidity .But farmers responded(25)less to the expectations of agrarians and government inducements than togrowing market opportunities .European demand for food from the United States seemed insatiable . War, industrialization , and urbanization all kept demand high in Europe . United States citiesand industries grew as well; even industries not directly related to farming thrived becauseof the market, money ,and labor that agriculture provided .12.What does the passage mainly discuss?(a)The agrarian philosophy of Thomas Jefferson(b)The role of the national government in the development of agriculture(c)Improvements in farming techniques(d)The impact of the increased importance of the farmer13.The word “depended” in line 3 is closest in meaning to(a)improved(b)relied(c)demanded(d)explained14.The author mentions Thomas Jefferson in paragraph 1 as an example of(a)a leader during the Revolution(b)an inventor of new farming techniques(c)a philosopher who believed farmers were essential to the creation of a good society(d)a farmer who guided the agrarian movement toward an emphasis on economic development15.The phrase “subscribed to” in line 8 is closest in meaning to(a)contributed to(b)agreed with(c)thought about(d)expanded on16.Which of the following statements is supported by the information in paragraph 1?(a)All government policy makers accepted Jefferson’s views of agriculture and farmers.(b)Agricultural production declined between 1783 and 1861.(c)The majority of farmers worked for the government.(d)Agriculture was a vital part of the nation’s economy.17.According to the passage , the national and state governments did all of the following EXCEPT(a)build roads(b)import new plant varieties(c)give farmers money for their crops(d)develop policies that helped farmers export their products18.All of the following are mentioned as examples of farmers’ meeting the expectations of agrarian philosophers EXCEPT(a)obtaining information from farm newspapers(b)accumulating personal wealth(c)planting new crops(d)becoming more scientific19.The word “stunning” in line 24 is closest in meaning to(a)predictable(b)impressive(c)famous(d)gradual20.Which of the following statements is best supported by paragraph 4?(a)Agricultural development contributed to development in other parts of the economy.(b)European agricultural products were of a higher quality than those produced in the United States.(c)The growing settlement of the West led to a decrease in agricultural production.(d)Farmers were influenced more by government policies than by market opportunities.Question 21-29The wide variety of climates in North America has helped spawn a complex pattern ofsoil regions. In general, the realm’s soils also reflect the broad environmental partitioninginto “humid America” and “arid America.” Where annual precipitation exceeds 20 inches(50 centimeters),soils in humid areas tend to be acidic in chemical content, Since crops(5 ) do best in soils that are neither acidic(higher in acid content) nor alkaline(higher insalt content).fertilization is necessary to achieve the desired level of neutrality between thetwo. Arid America’s soils are typically alkaline and must be fertilized back toward neutrality by adding acidic compounds. Although many of these dryland soils, particularlyin the Great Plains, are quite fertile, European settlers learned over a century ago that(10) water is the main missing ingredient in achieving their agricultural potential. In the1970’s, certain irrigation methods were perfected and finally provided a real opportunityto expand more intensive farming west from the Central Lowland into the drier portionsof the Great Plains. Glaciation also enhanced the rich legacy of fertile soils in the centralUnited States,both from the deposition of mineral-rich glacial debris left by meltwater(15)and from thick layers of fine wind-blown glacial material, called loess, in and around themiddle Mississippi Valley.Natural vegetation patterns could be displayed on a map of North America, but theenormous human modification of the North American environment in modern times hasall but reduced this regionalization scheme to the level of the hypothetical. Nonetheless,(20)the humid America-arid America dichotomy is still a valid generalization: the naturalvegetation of areas receiving more than 20 inches of water yearly is forest, whereas thedrier climates give rise to a grassland cover. The forests of North America tent to makea broad transition by latitude. In the Canadian North, needle-leaf forests dominate, butthese coniferous trees become mixed with broadleaf deciduous trees as onecrosses the(25) border into the Northeast United States. As one proceeds toward the Southeast,broadleaf vegetation becomes dominant. Arid America mostly consists of short-grass prairies orstepper. The only areas of true desert are in the Southwest.21 What aspect of North America does the passage mainly discuss?(A) The wide variety of climates(B) Soil types and vegetation patterns(C) Improved irrigation methods and the expansion of agriculture(D) The change in precipitation patterns22 The word “spawn ” in line 1 is closest in meaning to(A) distinguish(B) eliminate(C) protect(D) create23 The word “partitioning” in line 2 is closest in meaning to(A) division(B) modification(C) opening(D) circulating24 According to the passage, acidic soils tent to be associated with(A) a high salt content(B) an increase in farming(C) large amounts of rain(D) glacial meltwater25 The word “enhanced” in line 13 is closest in meaning to(A) implied(B) increased(C) indicated(D) informed26 How did glacial meltdown affect the soil in North America?(A) It redistributed the soil types(B) It added salt to the soil(C) It made the soil more neutral in content(D) It added minerals to the soil27 The phrase “this regionalization scheme” in line 19 refers to the(A) movements of glacial deposits(B) patterns of natural vegetation(C) human modification of the North American environment(D) distinction between humid America and arid America28 Th e word “transition” in line 23 is closest in meaning to(A) elevation(B) change(C) advantage(D) condition29 The passage supports which of the following statements?(A) Arid America is not necessarily characterized by the presence of deserts(B) Most of Canada and the northeastern United States consists of short-grassprairies wherever natural vegetation has not been modified by humans(C) The accumulation of loess is primarily the result of irrigation(D) Glaciation removed the fertile layer of soil from much of the Mississippi ValleyQuestions 30-40Most sources of illumination generate light over an appreciable period, and indeed ifan object is lit for a very brief time(less that 1/25 second), the human eye will not reactin time to see the object. A photographic emulsion---that is, a light-sensitive coating on photographic film, paper, or glass---will, however, record much shorter bursts of light. A(5 ) photographic flash can therefore be used to capture high-speed movement on film as wellas to correct deficiencies of the normal surrounding lighting. Photoflash is now generated electronically, but the earliest form, first used in 1864, was a paper bag containingmagnesium wire and some oxygen-rich substance, such as potassium chlorate. When thebag was ignited, the metal burned with an intense flash. A contemporary observer reported(10) that “this quite unsafe device seems to have done nothing worse that engulf the room indense smoke and lead to pictures of dubious quality and odd poses.”The evolution of the photoflash was slow, flashbulbs, containing fine wire made of ametal, such as magnesium or aluminum, capable of being ignited in an atmosphere of pure oxygen at low pressure, were introduced only in the 1920’s. In the earliest type, the metal(15) was separated from the oxygen by a thin glass bulb. The flash was fired by piercing thebulb and allowing the oxygen to come into contact with the metal, which ignited spontaneously. Later bulbs were fired by an electric battery, which heated the wire bypassing a small current through it. Other combinations, such as the pairing of oxygendifluoride with zirconium, have also been used. In each case enough energy is given out to(20) heat the oxidizable metal momentarily to a white-hot emission of visible light. Thesmoke particles are so small that they cool rapidly; but since they are white, they contribute to the brilliance by reflecting the light from their still-glowing neighbors. A slightly bigger formof the metal will burn for a longer time.30 What does the passage mainly discuss?(A) The history of the photoflash(B) Theories about how the eye reacts to light(C) The technology of modern photography(D) The dangers of using the early photoflash31 According to the passage,1/25 second is the minimum amount of time required for the(A) recording of an image on film(B) generation of artificial light(C) creation of a photographic emulsion(D) human eye to react to light32 According to the passage, an advantage of using a photoflash is that it(A) can produce repeated bursts of light(B) intensities colors in photographs(C) is short enough not to bother human eyes(D) supplements existing lighting33 The word “ignited” in line 9 is closest in meaning to(A) set on fire(B) cut into(C) opened(D) shaken34 Which of the following phrases is defined in paragraph 1?(A)”appreciable period”(line 1)(B)”photographic emulsion”(line 3)(C)”high-speed movement”(line 5)(D)”odd poses”(line 11)35 The word “evolution” in line 12 is closest in meaning to(A) publicity(B) adoption(C) development(D) manufacture36 The function of the glass in the first flashbulbs was to(A) produce the spark that initiated the flash(B) magnify the light produced by the flash(C) protect the photographer from the heat of the flash(D) keep the metal and oxygen apart before the flash37 The word “it” in line 18 refers to(A) oxygen(B) battery(C) wire(D) current38 The word “momentarily” in line 20 is closest in meaning to(A) effortlessly(B) briefly(C) electronically(D) gradually39 According to the passage, the white color of the smoke particles generated by a flashbulb contributes to(A) rapid cooling(B) bright illumination(C) electrical conductivity(D) intense heat40 According to the passage, a flashbulb can be made to burn longer by using(A) thicker wire(B) more oxygen(C) thinner glass(D) continuous electricityQuestions 41-50The stylistic innovation in paining known as Impressionism began in the 1870’s.The Impressionists wanted to depict what they saw in nature, but they were inspired to portray fragmentary moments by the increasingly fast pace of modern life. They concentrated onthe play of light over objects, people, and nature, breaking up seemingly solidsurfaces,(5 ) stressing vivid contrast between colors in sunlight and shade, and depiction reflected lightin all of its possibilities. Unlike earlier artists, they did not want to observe the world from indoors. They abandoned the studio, painting in the open air and recording spontaneous Impressions of their subjects instead of making outside sketches and then moving indoorsto complete the work form memory.(10) Some of the Impressionists’ painting methods were affected by technologicaladvances. For example, the shift from the studio to the open air was made possible inpart by the advent of cheap rail travel, which permitted easy and quick access to thecountryside or seashore, as well as by newly developed chemical dyes and oils that ledto collapsible paint tubes, which enabled artists to finish their paintings on the spot.(15)Impressionism acquired its name not from supporters but from angry art lovers whofelt threatened by the new painting. The term “Impressionism” was born in 1874,whena group of artists who had been working together organized an exhibition of theirpaintings in order to draw public attention to their work. Reaction from the public andpress was immediate, and derisive. Among the 165 paintings exhibited was one called(20)Impression: Sunrise, by Claude Monet(1840-1926),Viewed through hostile eyes,Monet’s painting of a rising sun over a misty, watery scene seemed messy, slapdash,and an affront to good taste. Borrowing Monet’s title, art critics extended the term “Impressionism” to the entire exhibit. In response, Monet and his 29 fellow artists inthe exhibit adopted the same name as a badge of their unity, despite individual differences.(25)From then until 1886 Impressionism had all the zeal of a “church”, as the painter Renoirput it. Monet was faithful to the Impressionist creed until his death, although many of theothers moved on to new styles.41 What aspect of painting in the nineteenth century does the passage mainly discuss?(A) The impact of some artists’ resistance to the fast pace of life(B) The differences between two major styles of art(C) A technological advance in the materials used by artists(D) A group of artists with a new technique and approach to art42 The word “depict” in line 2 is closest in meaning to(A) reorganize(B) deform(C) represent(D) justify43 According to the passage, which of the following was one of the distinguishing characteristics of Impressionist painting?(A) The emphasis on people rather than nature scenes(B) The way the subjects were presented from multiple angles(C) The focus on small solid objects(D) The depiction of the effects of light and color44 Which of the following is a significant way in which Impressionists were different from the artists that preceded them?(A) They began by making sketches of their subjects(B) They painted their subjects out-of-doors(C) They preferred to paint from memory(D) They used subjects drawn from modern life45 The word “advent” in line 12 is closest in meaning to(A) achievement(B) acceptance(C) arrival(D) advantage46 The exhibition of paintings organized in 1874 resulted in all of the following EXCEPT(A) attracting attention from the public(B) a negative reaction from the press(C) an immediate demand for the paintings exhibited(D) creating a name for a new style of painting47 The word “affront” in line 22 is closest in meaning to(A) insult(B) encouragement(C) return(D) credit48 The rejection of the Impressionist exhibition by critics was caused by which of the following?(A) The small number of paintings on display(B) Lack of interest in exhibitions by young artists(C) The similarity between all the paintings exhibited(D) Anger about seemingly poorly painted art49 The author mentions Renoir in line 25 to give an example of an artist who(A) became as famous as Monet(B) was consistently praised by art critics(C) described the enthusiasm of the Impressionists for their work(D) was in favor of a traditional style of painting50 The word “others” in line 27 refers to(A) art critics(B) fellow artists(C) individual differences(D) new styles0308答案ABADB CCCBA BDDCC DCDBA DACCB DBCAC DACBA BABDC BCAAD CDABA CACCB CDBCB DACCC ABCDA CDCDC BDCDC BCDDC DBACBDAABA DDBAB CDBCB DCBBA BDACB DDBAA DDABC DCBBA DCDBC CADCB。
2014年3月16日托福阅读及解析(回忆版)
2014年3月16日托福阅读及解析（回忆版）2014年3月16日托福阅读第一篇TOPIC 群居动物和独居动物讲群居和独居动物的cost和benefit比较。
群居动物更易觅食产卵，但配偶竞争压力大（有题），而且容易互相感染疾病。
举了燕子和蜜蜂的例子。
工蜂用某些方式清理hive 里的fungus防止疾病。
独居动物一般自己能够应对捕食者predator （有题），而群居动物是一起来对付predator。
举了鱼的例子。
一种鱼联合一起对抗catfish，防止它们的蛋被吃掉。
解析：本文属生物学话题中动物学内容，是托福阅读最高频考点。
动物学文章在TPO 里有很多，考生要多多练习，引起足够重视。
新思达托福培训提醒各位考生生物类文章一向难度不大，比较稳定，是考生复习的重点。
参考阅读：Why do some animals live alone and others form societies?The success of living alone vs in a group depends on the environment and they type of animal．Some animals live alone because it is easier to find food and shelter for themselves in rough climates． Cheetahs and leopards in the Savannah live alone because feeding one leopard takes 50 pounds of meat every few days to live． There hunting styles are also not suited for group hunting． If they changed there hunting style they would compete with outer hunters， like the lion． other animals like the rhinoceros is a solitary animal because there is not enough resources for more then one adult animal in a given area． That is why many animals have territories were they feed and live where no other animals of the same species lives except during breeding season．Those animals that live in groups tend to do so for one or more of the following reasons：1）“Safety in numbers” In a large herd， a predator can only take a few individuals． By staying with others of their own kind，each animal is lowering its personal odds of being chosen． Also，there are more eyes watching for predators． This is part of the reason why birds form mixed foraging flocks．2）“It takes a village” Many animals group together to raise their young． For some， this is a subset of #1 above – if all the young are being born at the same time and place，each individual’s risk of being prey is lower． For others， it is a way to pool resources， with adults sharing the protection， defense or feeding of the young． In many bird species， young birds live with their parents in family groups for a season or two before trying to mate on their own – they use this time to learn parenting skills， and their contributions to nestling care increases their parents’ success as well．3） Greater success in finding， killing or defending prey items． Wolves are actually more successful as lone hunters than in a pack， but cannot defend their kills from bears and even ravens when they are alone． This was a fascinating recent study on why some predators hunt in groups even when they are more successful as single predators．4） Very large ranges make finding mates difficult． Some animals live together in small groups because finding one another across large territories with low population densities is difficult．2014年3月16日托福阅读第二篇 TOPIC 彗星有图，彗星里图片。
20141026托福考试阅读题回顾
新托福阅读考题回顾朗阁海外考试研究中心王婧考试日期2014.10.26Passage 1Title:非蓄水层大致内容第一篇讲雨水落到地面不会直接变成河流水，而是有一系列过程。
土壤不饱和层unsaturated zone的结构分为三层：soil, subsoil and c fringe.前两层不同在于soil有很多比细菌小的微生物，来自于分解后的动植物。
soil之中有大量植物的根。
Subsoil在不同的地方厚度不同。
最下面的是可以透水的C层。
地下水时而漫过它，时而下降，下降的原因是重力。
非蓄水层是水从地表往下渗透以后，不直接通到地下水的一个地层。
水渗透之后在非蓄水层并非完全不可往下渗透，具体渗透与否要看条件。
Passage 2Title:口述诗歌大致内容很久以前诗歌是口头的，这些诗歌很长，最经典的就是伊利亚特和奥德赛，作者是荷马(Homer)。
文章的主旨是探讨伊利亚特和奥德赛的作者到底是不是荷马。
有人认为是后期一些无名但是有文学造诣的诗人收集早期诗歌然后整合而成的。
然后说伊利亚特和奥德赛有很多悠长而重复的句子，不可能是文字稿，同时荷马使用了前人的技巧，而这些技巧又来自前人的前人。
另外一种可能是荷马使用了一些人们熟悉的英雄的故事，加上他收集故事的技巧，每一次的表演都会不同。
这对于现在和未来都很有影响。
然后还说前期荷马口头记录之后他又学会了文学的技巧，然后自己记录下来。
又有人说是其他人记录下来的。
反正不管哪一种，荷马史诗都是很有意义的。
相关阅读：The idea that Homer was responsible for just the two outstanding epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, did not win consensus until 350 BC. While many, such as Gregory Nagy, find it unlikely that both epics were composed by the same person, others, such as W. B. Stanford, argue that the stylistic similarities are too consistent to support the theory of multiple authorship. One view whichattempts to bridge the differences holds that the Iliad was composed by "Homer" in his maturity, while the Odyssey was a work of his old age. The Batrachomyomachia, Homeric Hymns and cyclic epics are generally agreed to be later than the Iliad and the Odyssey.Most scholars agree that the Iliad and Odyssey underwent a process of standardisation and refinement out of older material beginning in the 8th century BC. An important role in this standardisation appears to have been played by the Athenian tyrant Hipparchus, who reformed the recitation of Homeric poetry at the Panathenaic festival. Many classicists hold that this reform must have involved the production of a canonical written text. Other scholars still support the idea that Homer was a real person. Since nothing is known about the life of this Homer, the common joke—also recycled with regard to Shakespeare—has it that the poems "were not written by Homer, but by another man of the same name." Samuel Butler argues, based on literary observations, that a young Sicilian woman wrote the Odyssey (but not the Iliad), an idea further pursued by Robert Graves in his novel Homer's Daughter and Andrew Dalby in Rediscovering Homer.Independent of the question of single authorship is the near-universal agreement, after the work of Milman Parry,that the Homeric poems are dependent on an oral tradition, a generations-old technique that was the collective inheritance of many singer-poets (aoidoi). An analysis of the structure and vocabulary of the Iliad and Odyssey shows that the poems contain many formulaic phrases typical of extempore epic traditions; even entire verses are at times repeated. Parry and his student Albert Lord pointed out that such elaborate oral tradition, foreign to today's literate cultures, is typical of epic poetry in a predominantly oral cultural milieu, the key words being "oral" and "traditional". Parry started with "traditional": the repetitive chunks of language, he said, were inherited by the singer-poet from his predecessors, and were useful to him in composition. Parry called these repetitive chunks "formulas".Exactly when these poems would have taken on a fixed written form is subject to debate. The traditional solution is the "transcription hypothesis", wherein a non-literate "Homer" dictates his poem to a literate scribe between the 8th and 6th centuries BC. The Greek alphabet was introduced in the early 8th century BC, so it is possible that Homer himself was of the first generation of authors who were also literate. The classicist Barry B. Powell suggests that the Greek alphabet was invented c. 800BC by one man, whom he calls the "adapter," in order to writedown oral epic poetry. More radical Homerists like Gregory Nagycontend that a canonical text of the Homeric poems as "scripture"did not exist until the Hellenistic period (3rd to 1st century BC).New methods try also to elucidate the question. Combininginformation technologies and statistics stylometry analyzesvarious linguistic units: words, parts of speech, and sounds.Based on the frequencies of Greek letters, a first study of DietmarNajock particularly shows the internal cohesion of the Iliad andthe Odyssey. Taking into account the repartition of the letters, arecent study of Stephan Vonfelt highlights the unity of the worksof Homer compared to Hesiod. The thesis of modern analystsbeing questioned, the debate remains open.Passage 3Title:海洋捕食大致内容第三篇讲海洋生物如何捕食的。
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新托福阅读考题回顾
朗阁海外考试研究中心宋媛婧考试日期 2014.12.06（A卷）
Passage 1
Title: Bioluminescence of Marine Creature 海洋生物发光
大致内容第一篇是说海水在晚上看起来是glowing的，是因为许多marine animals都可以发光。
它们的发光是一个化学反应，体内的某种cell 或者organ含有某种物质和oxygen在有酶的情况下会反应发出光。
然后发光有很多作用，比如可以警告predators, 或在它们靠近的时候突然吓它们一跳，然后就有时间逃跑了。
还有luring preys的作用，肚子发光使predators从上方看不见它进而隐蔽的作用等等。
发光也有identification的作用，就是用来识别是否为同一species, 是什么性别。
然后还讲到海中的透明捕食者因为吃的鱼会发光，所以它们的肚子都是红色或者黑色的，用来遮蔽发的光。
Passage 2
Title:
大陆漂移学说
大致内容分别说了4个不同的scientist在大陆漂移学说方面做的学术研究。
首先是一个人发现了同样extinct的物种在不同大陆的fossil, 他认为是因为那个时候有continental bridge。
第二个人认为大陆是由更大的陆地板块分裂而来的，因为那个时候月球进入了地球的引力范围，所以就产生潮汐力使得大陆板块分裂。
他的evidence好像是一个海底的mountain chain。
第三个人写了一本monumental的著作，提出了本来是个supercontinent然后分裂的说法，然后他找到了三种evidence, 一个是那个时候的海岸线吻合，第二个是fossil 表示古生物吻合，最后一个忘了。
然后最后一个人，他很支持前一个人的理论，并且发现了一个很好的证据。
一种淡水生物，在South Africa和Brazil都有，然后他解释这种生物不可能在海水中游了这么远，去寻找另一个差不多环境的淡水（两个考题，一个推断，一个目的）。
然后文章最后说即使有这么多证据，当时的geologists 还是不愿意接受。
Passage 3
Title:
Bird Colony
大致内容第三篇讲bird colony。
先提了什么情况下鸟会聚集在一起，然后又细说了一种yellow什么鸟，在colony边缘的窝are vulnerable than 在中心的窝，所以中心的窝density很高。
然后又讲它们怎么对付
predators, 有三种手段：1. 集群攻击；2. 用abandoned nests和new nests混合起来迷惑；3. 把窝建在W nest的周围，predators 就不怎么会靠近。
然后说第一种和第三种做法鸟群受到的伤害少。
然后又讲了colony的一些其他的benefits: 比如一群鸟，只要有找到good food resource的，其他鸟就可以follow; 还有同时hatch eggs, 这样即使有被predators吃掉的，但也会outnumber, 有活下来的。
下一段讲food supply, 说colony一般在食物来源的周围，还说一个地方有很丰富的食物，但只有几个落脚点，所以就会很集中鸟群（考题）。
然后讲了一些disadvantage, 比如疾病和parasites 的传播，说这个对large colony的negative influence很大。
最后说advantages outweigh the disadvantages。
考试日期 2014.12.06（B卷）Passage 1
Title: Energy Consumption of Locomotion 三种移动方式的能量消耗
大致内容文章讲了三种常见的移动方式：走路（walking）、游泳（swimming）和飞翔（flying），及它们各自所需的能量消耗。
首先，在这三种方式中，swimming所消耗掉的能量（cost）最少。
这是因为一般来说，动物身体的密度（density）和水的密度差不多，因此在移动过程中是不需要克服自身重力的（overcome the gravity），在这里，作者举了一个例子：鸭子（ducks）浮在水面上时（surface of water）比潜入水下时（submerge）需要花费更多的力气，原因就在于弓形波（bow waves）。
人们就利用这一点设计了船只，因为waves 越大，阻力也就越大；其次，flying所要消耗的能量就要比swimming 多，因为在空中上升的过程中（lifting）需要较多的力量，并且空气（air）的密度比身体的密度小；最后，行走（walking）的消耗是最大的，因为无论是加速（accelerate）还是减速（decelerate），迈出每一步时，关节都要用力，作者还举了自行车的例子，说明骑自行车更省力就是因为不需要消耗太多的关节能量。
Passage 2
Title: Distribution of Seaweeds 海藻的分布
大致内容海藻通常出现在一些海底石头或坚固物体的表面，有的是选择性的（selective），有的是非选择性的（unselective）；因为太阳光照（sun lights），海藻在内陆（inner continental）与外陆（outer continental）的分布也是不一样的。
因为光在海水中的折射深度不同，不同颜色的藻类的垂直（vertical）分布也就不同。
温度同样也是影响分布的一个重要因素，例子很明显，就是在热带地区（tropical areas）与亚热带地区（subtropical areas）的藻类分布是不一样的。
但现在科学家们又逐渐认识到，影响藻类分布还有许多其它原因（depend on other factors）。
Passage 3
Title: Lizards 蜥蜴
大致内容主要介绍了两类不同种类的蜥蜴。
首先按照它们捕猎的喜好进行分类：第一种是先按兵不动，静静的观察猎物（sit and wait），这种类型通常能吃掉比自己体型还要大的昆虫（large insects）；而另一种是会直接跳跃起来捕捉（active），捕获的猎物也更多一些。
然后按照它们自身吸引捕食者（predator）的不同分类：喜欢静止不动的（motionless）通常会被active的天敌吃掉；而active的则更容易被sit and wait一类的天敌吃掉，由此可见是相互交替的。
第三
种是根据它们的身体特征分类：不喜好动的一类短尾蜥蜴（short
tail）是我们通常所说的变色龙，即会通过变色来适应环境。
最后还
可以根据它们不同的新陈代谢方式来区分（metabolism）：不爱动
的一类主要进行厌氧呼吸anaerobic并产生乳酸，支撑突然运动时
所需的能量，但不能坚持太长时间；而active的一类心脏更大一些，
有更多的红血细胞（red blood cells）。
词汇题：
delicately=finely精致地；diminish=reduce减少；duration=length of time耐力；enormous=vast巨大的；exhaust=use up用光；artificial表面的；furthermore=in addition 另外；generate=produce产生；obscure=hide隐藏；on balance=overall总的来说；inventive=creative有创造力的；stable=steady稳定的；vicinity=region附近区域；reflect 反映；mortality死亡
点评：
第一篇文章重复2013年9月14日大陆考题，本文话题非常明显，属于生物类；文章的行文结构相对来说比较清晰，就是几种对象在进行类比；与此同时，文章的用词也比较简单，没有出现特别难以理解的专业术语。
但考生仍要仔细阅读文章，将不同类别分好类，理解清楚各自的特点，不要混淆信息。
对应的TPO话题有：TPO2-1/TPO13-1/TPO15-2
第二篇文章重复2014年4月19日大陆考题，和第一篇一样也是生物类题材，但具体来讲是植物类。
全篇讲述的都是藻类植物的分布状态及原因，是典型的因果类文章，无论是结构还是主题都很明确。
阅读这种文章时，大家可以在文中做好标记，必要时可以罗列笔记。
这种方法对于结构化阅读并解答最后一题有很大的帮助。
对应的TPO话题有：TPO1-3/TPO9-3/TPO16-3
第三篇文章重复2014年1月18日大陆考题，仍属于生物类话题，具体是动物类。
此类文章大家应该都已经比较熟悉了，就是采用不同的标准对同种生物进行分类。
结构比较明显，逻辑清晰。
再次强调看文章时做好标记，避免信息混乱。
另外，平时多积累生物类高频词汇，比如说捕食者，被捕食者等等，能大大提高阅读的速度与理解力。
对应的TPO话题有：TPO2-1/TPO15-1/TPO17-2。