托福TPO阅读33原文译文+答案解析
托福阅读真题第33套
Early Theories of Continental DriftThe idea that the past geography of Earth was different from today is not new.The earliest maps showing the east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa probably provided people with the first evidence that continents may have once been joined together,then broken apart and moved to their present positions.During the late nineteenth century,Austrian geologist Eduard Suess noted the similarities between the Late Paleozoic plant fossils of India,Australia, South Africa,and South America.The plant fossils comprise a unique group of plants that occurs in coal layers just above the glacial deposits on these southern continents.In this book The Face of the Earth(1885),he proposed the name“Gondwanaland”(called Gondwana here)for a supercontinent composed of the aforementioned southern landmasses.Suess thought these southern continents were connected by land bridges over which plants and animals migrated.Thus,in his view,the similarities of fossils on these continents were due to the appearance and disappearance of the connecting land bridges.The American geologist Frank Taylor published a pamphlet in1910 presenting his own theory of continental drift.He explained the formation of mountain ranges as a result of the lateral movements of continents.He also envisioned the present-day continents as parts of larger polar continents that eventually broke apart and migrated toward equator after Earth’s rotation was supposedly slowed by gigantic tidal forces.According to Taylor,these tidal forces were generated when Earth’s gravity captured the Moon about100 million years ago.Although we know that Taylor‘s explanation of continental drift is incorrect,one of his most significant contributions was his suggestion that the Mid-Atlantic Ridge—an underwater mountain chain discovered by the 1872-1876British HMS Challenger expeditions—might mark the site at which an ancient continent broke apart,forming the present-day Atlantic Ocean.However,it is Alfred Wegener,a German meteorologist,who is generally credited with developing the hypothesis of continental drift.In his monumental book,The Origin of Continents and Oceans(1915),Wegener proposed that all landmasses were originally united into a single supercontinent that he named“Pangaea.”Wegner portrayed his grand concept of continental movement in a series of maps showing the breakup of Pangaea and the movement of various continents to their present-day locations.What evidence did Wegener use to support his hypothesis of continental drift?First,Wegener noted that the shorelines of continents fit together,forming a large supercontinent and that marine,nonmarine,and glacial rock sequences of Pennsylvanian to Jurassic ages are almost identical for all Gondwana continents,strongly indicating that they were joined together at one time.Furthermore,mountain ranges and glacial deposits seem to match up in such a way that suggests continents could have once been a single landmass.And last,many of the same extinct plant and animal groups are found today on widely separated continents,indicating that the continents must have been in proximity at one time.Wegener argued that this vast amount of evidence from a variety of sources surely indicated the continents must have been close together at one time in the past.Alexander Du Toit,a South African geologist was one of Wegener’s ardent supporters.He noted that fossils of the Permian freshwater reptile “Mesosaurus”occur in rocks of the same age in both Brazil and South Africa. Because the physiology of freshwater and marine animals is completely different,it is hard to imagine how a freshwater reptile could have swum across the Atlantic Ocean and then found a freshwater environment nearly identical to its former habitat.Furthermore,if Mesosaurus could have swum across the ocean,its fossil remains should occur in other localities besides Brazil and South Africa.It is more logical to assume that Mesosaurus lived in lakes in what are now adjacent areas of South America and Africa but were then united in a single continent.Despite what seemed to be overwhelming evidence presented Wegener and later Du Toit and others,most geologists at the time refused to entertain the idea that the continents might have moved in the pastParagraph2During the late nineteenth century,Austrian geologist Eduard Suess noted the similarities between the Late Paleozoic plant fossils of India,Australia, South Africa,and South America.The plant fossils comprise a unique group of plants that occurs in coal layers just above the glacial deposits on thesesouthern continents.In this book The Face of the Earth(1885),he proposed the name“Gondwanaland”(called Gondwana here)for a supercontinent composed of the aforementioned southern landmasses.Suess thought these southern continents were connected by land bridges over which plants and animals migrated.Thus,in his view,the similarities of fossils on these continents were due to the appearance and disappearance of the connecting land bridges.1.According to paragraph2,Eduard Suess believed that similarities of plantand animal fossils on the southern continents were due toA.living in the southern climateB.crossing the land bridgesC.fossilization in the coal layersD.movements of the supercontinentParagraph3The American geologist Frank Taylor published a pamphlet in1910 presenting his own theory of continental drift.He explained the formation of mountain ranges as a result of the lateral movements of continents.He also envisioned the present-day continents as parts of larger polar continents that eventually broke apart and migrated toward equator after Earth’s rotation was supposedly slowed by gigantic tidal forces.According to Taylor,these tidal forces were generated when Earth’s gravity captured the Moon about100 million years ago.Although we know that Taylor‘s explanation of continental drift is incorrect,one of his most significant contributions was his suggestion that the Mid-Atlantic Ridge—an underwater mountain chain discovered by the 1872-1876British HMS Challenger expeditions—might mark the site at which an ancient continent broke apart,forming the present-day Atlantic Ocean.2.According to paragraph3,Frank Taylor believed thatA.present-day continents broke off from larger continents and drifted towardthe poles due to tidal forcesB.the lateral shifting of continents caused the formation of mountain rangesC.polar continents began to join together when Earth’s gravity captured theMoon100million years agoD.Earth’s gravity and speed of rotation created large polar continents3.Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph3about theMid-Atlantic Ridge?A.It was once above sea level.B.It formed at the same time that Earth’s gravity captured the Moon.C.It was much more extensive when it was first formed than it is today.D.It was unknown before the HMS Challenger voyages.4.The word“generated”in the passage is closest in meaning toA.strengthenedB.releasedC.producedD.presentParagraph4However,it is Alfred Wegener,a German meteorologist,who is generally credited with developing the hypothesis of continental drift.In his monumental book,The Origin of Continents and Oceans(1915),Wegener proposed that all landmasses were originally united into a single supercontinent that he named“Pangaea.”Wegner portrayed his grand concept of continental movement in a series of maps showing the breakup of Pangaea and the movement of various continents to their present-day locations. What evidence did Wegener use to support his hypothesis of continental drift? First,Wegener noted that the shorelines of continents fit together,forming a large supercontinent and that marine,nonmarine,and glacial rock sequences of Pennsylvanian to Jurassic ages are almost identical for all Gondwana continents,strongly indicating that they were joined together at one time. Furthermore,mountain ranges and glacial deposits seem to match up in such a way that suggests continents could have once been a single landmass.And last, many of the same extinct plant and animal groups are found today on widely separated continents,indicating that the continents must have been in proximity at one time.Wegener argued that this vast amount of evidence from a variety of sources surely indicated the continents must have been close together at one time in the past.5.The word“monumental”in the passage is closest in meaning toA.finalB.persuasiveC.well-knownD.great and significant6.The word“portrayed”in the passage is closest in meaning toA.provedB.formedC.depictedD.defended7.The word“vast”in the passage is closest in meaning toA.enormousB.significantC.convincingD.additional8.According to paragraph4,Wegener felt confident that his theory are correctin part becauseA.contemporary scientists were unable to successfully challenge his evidenceB.many different types of evidence seemed to support his theoryC.his theory accounted for phenomena that earlier theories could not explainD.he had used the most advanced techniques available to gather his evidence9.According to paragraph4,Wegener pointed to all of the following insupport of his theory of continental drift EXCEPT:A.Plants and animals now living on some continents appear to be descendedfrom plants and animals that originated on other continents.B.Rock sequences associated with the continents are extremely similar.C.The coastlines of some continents seem to fit together.D.Mountains on some continents would be adjacent to mountains on othercontinents if these continents were joined.Paragraph5Alexander Du Toit,a South African geologist was one of Wegener’s ardent supporters.He noted that fossils of the Permian freshwater reptile “Mesosaurus”occur in rocks of the same age in both Brazil and South Africa. Because the physiology of freshwater and marine animals is completely different,it is hard to imagine how a freshwater reptile could have swum across the Atlantic Ocean and then found a freshwater environmentnearly identical to its former habitat.Furthermore,if Mesosaurus could have swum across the ocean,its fossil remains should occur in other localities besides Brazil and South Africa.It is more logical to assume that Mesosaurus lived in lakes in what are now adjacent areas of South America and Africa but were then united in a single continent.10.Why does the author mention the fact that“the physiology offreshwater and marine animals is completely different”？A.To explain why Du Toit was able to determine that Mesosaurus was afreshwater reptileB.To explain why Du Toit concluded that certain fossils in rocks in Brazil andSouth Africa were those of the same animalC.To cast doubt on the idea that Mesosaurus could have swum from onelandmass to anotherD.To show Du Toit determined which landmass Mesosaurus originated on11.The word“logical”in the passage is closest in meaning toA.satisfactoryB.modernC.reasonableD.popular12.Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph5about the PermianMesosaurus of Brazil and South Africa?A.It was the dominant animal in the habitats in which it livedB.It lived in similar environments in both places.C.It was a weak swimmer compared with other freshwater reptiles.D.Its physiology differed from that of modern freshwater reptiles. Paragraph5Alexander Du Toit,a South African geologist was one of Wegener’s ardent supporters._He noted that fossils of the Permian freshwater reptile “Mesosaurus”occur in rocks of the same age in both Brazil and South Africa.■Because the physiology of freshwater and marine animals is completely different,it is hard to imagine how a freshwater reptile could have swum across the Atlantic Ocean and then found a freshwater environment nearly identical to its former habitat.■Furthermore,if Mesosaurus could have swum across theocean,its fossil remains should occur in other localities besides Brazil and South Africa.■It is more logical to assume that Mesosaurus lived in lakes in what are now adjacent areas of South America and Africa but were then united in a single continent.13.Look at the four squares[■]that indicates where the following sentencecould be added to the passage.In addition to supplying new geological evidence for continental drift,he crafted convincing arguments based on ancient life forms.Where would the sentence best fit?14.Directions:An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage isprovides plete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage.Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage.This question is worth2points.Several theories involving the movement of continents were proposed in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuriesAnswer ChoicesA.Early maps showing the coastlines of South America and Africa inspiredEduard Suess to search for fossil evidence that today’s southern continents had once been joined in a single landmass.B.To Eduard Suess,continental drift accounted for the presence of the sametypes of fossils on different continents that had at times been connected by land bridges.C.Du Toit’s study of the freshwater reptile Mesosaurus added to the alreadyconsiderable body of evidence that Alfred Wegener had gathered in support of the idea of continental drift.D.Frank Taylor expanded on Eduard Suess’s theory of continental drift byarguing that tidal forces100million years ago had broken continents apart and caused the rise of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.E.Alfred Wegener,who first developed the theory of continental drift arguedthat all landmasses were originally part of a supercontinent that broke upinto separate continents.F.Early theories of continental drift were not widely accepted at the timebecause they failed to explain why continents moved.Early Theories of Continental Drift1.B2.B3.D4.C5.D6.C7.A8.B9.A10.C11.C12.B13. A14.BCEBioluminescence in Marine Creatures At night along the sea’s edge,the ocean sometimes seems to glow,as if lit from within.This glow is the result of bioluminescence,a phenomenon exhibited by many of the sea’s zooplankton.Bioluminescence is the production of cold light through internal biological processes,as opposed to phosphorescence or fluorescence,both of which are re-emitted light that was initially absorbed from an external source.Many of the sea’s creatures,including squid,dinoflagellates,bacteria, worms,crustaceans,and fish,are known to produce light.The process that marine creatures use to create light is like that of the common firefly and similar to that which creates the luminous green color seen in plastic glow sticks, often used as children’s toys or for illumination during nighttime events.When a glow stick in bent,two chemicals mix,react,and create a third substance that gives off light.Bioluminescent organisms do essentially the same thing;they have a substance,called luciferin,that reacts with oxygen in the presence of enzyme,luciferase.When the reaction is complete,a new molecule is formed that gives off light—glowing blue—green in the underwater world.This biologically driven chemical reaction occurs within the organism’s special light-producing cells,called photocyptes,or light-producing organs,called photophores.Probably one of the most complex light-producing systems is that of the squid.Some squid have both photophores and chromatophores(organs for changing color)with their skin,thus enabling them to control both the color and intensity of the light produced.Recent research has also revealed that in some squid and fish,bioluminescent light may be produced by bacteria that live in a mutually beneficial partnership inside the animal’s light organs.How and why bioluminescence occurs is not fully understood;however,in the undersea realm,it appears to be used in a variety of interesting and ingenious ways.The most commonly observed form of bioluminescence in the sea id the pinpoint sparking of light at night that can create cometlike trails behind moving objects.Almost always,this is the result of dinoflagellates reacting to water motion.The relatively short,momentary displays of light may have evolved to startle,distract,or frighten would-be predators.Collection nets brought up from the sea’s depths at night frequently glow green at great distance.Slowly fading green blobs or pulses of light can be seen coming fromthe organisms within,often from gelatinous creatures.This type of light display may be used to stun disorient,or lure prey.Like a wide-eyed deer caught on a road and dazed by headlights,undersea creatures living within the ocean’s darkness may be momentarily disoriented by short flashes of bioluminescent light.Another of the sea’s light-producing organisms is a small copepod(a type of crustacean)named Sapphirina iris.In the water,Sapphirina creates short flashes of a remarkably rich,azure blue light.But its appearance under a microscope is even more spectacular,the living copepod appears as if constructed of delicately handcrafted,multicolored pieces of stained glass. Within the deep sea,some fish also have a dangling bioluminescent lure or a patch of luminescent skin near the mouth,which may be used to entice unsuspecting prey.Other sea creatures have both light-sensing and light-producing organs. These creatures are thought to use bioluminescence as a form of communication or as a means of identifying an appropriate mate.In the lantern fish,the pattern of photophores distinguishes one species from another.In other fish,bioluminescence may help to differentiate males from females.The squid uses light as a means of camouflage.By producing light from the photophores on its underside,the squid can match light form above and become nearly invisible to predators looking up from below.Squid,as well as some of the gelatinous zooplankton,have also been known to release luminescent clouds or strands of organic material,possibly as a decoy to facilitate escape.And finally,because what they eat is often bioluminescent, many of the transparent deep-sea creatures have red or black stomachs to hide the potentially flashing contents of ingested bioluminescent creatures.Without such a blacked-out stomach,their digestive organs would flash like a neon sign that says,“Eat me,eat me!”Paragraph2Many of the sea’s creatures,including squid,dinoflagellates,bacteria, worms,crustaceans,and fish,are known to produce light.The process that marine creatures use to create light is like that of the common firefly and similar to that which creates the luminous green color seen in plastic glow sticks, often used as children’s toys or for illumination during nighttime events.Whena glow stick in bent,two chemicals mix,react,and create a third substance that gives off light.Bioluminescent organisms do essentially the same thing;they have a substance,called luciferin,that reacts with oxygen in the presence of enzyme,luciferase.When the reaction is complete,a new molecule is formed that gives off light—glowing blue—green in the underwater world.This biologically driven chemical reaction occurs within the organism’s special light-producing cells,called photocyptes,or light-producing organs,called photophores.Probably one of the most complex light-producing systems is that of the squid.Some squid have both photophores and chromatophores(organs for changing color)with their skin,thus enabling them to control both the color and intensity of the light produced.Recent research has also revealed that in some squid and fish,bioluminescent light may be produced by bacteria that live in a mutually beneficial partnership inside the animal’s light organs.1.Why does the author mention the common firefly in the passage?A.To relate the light production of marine creature to that of a familiarlight-producing speciesB.To compare the light production of an insect with the more complex lightproduction of marine creaturesC.To provide an example of a species that does not use a chemical reaction toproduce lightD.To support the point that bioluminescence usually occurs at night2.Which of the following statements about the chemical reaction thatproduces bioluminescence is NOT true,according to paragraph2?A.It occurs when luciferin reacts with oxygen.B.It produces a glowing blue-green light.C.It is much like the process by which children’s toys are illuminated.D.It requires organs called chromatophores.3.Paragraph2demonstrates the complexity of certain squid by stating thatA.the squid employs its bioluminescent light to prevent bacteria fromentering its organsB.the squid controls both the color and intensity of the light it producesC.the squid’s light has greater intensity than that of fishD.the squid produces the enzyme luciferase when it produces light4.The phrase“mutually beneficial”in the passage is closest in meaning toA.helpful to one anotherB.generally practicalC.efficiently balancedD.temporary by design5.Which of the following statements about bioluminescent creatures isimplied by paragraph2?A.Bioluminescent creatures cannot produce light if bacteria enter their lightorgans.B.Not all bioluminescent creatures have both photophores andchromatophores.C.Most bioluminescent organisms do not need the enzyme luciferase in orderto produce light.D.Creatures with light-producing organs are much more common than thosethat have only light producing cells.Paragraph3How and why bioluminescence occurs is not fully understood;however,in the undersea realm,it appears to be used in a variety of interesting and ingenious ways.The most commonly observed form of bioluminescence in the sea id the pinpoint sparking of light at night that can create cometlike trails behind moving objects.Almost always,this is the result of dinoflagellates reacting to water motion.The relatively short,momentary displays of light may have evolved to startle,distract,or frighten would-be predators.Collection nets brought up from the sea’s depths at night frequently glow green at great distance.Slowly fading green blobs or pulses of light can be seen coming from the organisms within,often from gelatinous creatures.This type of light display may be used to stun disorient,or lure prey.Like a wide-eyed deer caught on a road and dazed by headlights,undersea creatures living within the ocean’s darkness may be momentarily disoriented by short flashes of bioluminescent light.Another of the sea’s light-producing organisms is a small copepod(a type of crustacean)named Sapphirina iris.In the water,Sapphirina creates short flashes of a remarkably rich,azure blue light.But its appearance under a microscope is even more spectacular,the living copepod appears as if constructed of delicately handcrafted,multicolored pieces of stained glass.Within the deep sea,some fish also have a dangling bioluminescent lure or a patch of luminescent skin near the mouth,which may be used to entice unsuspecting prey.6.The word“ingenious”in the passage is closet in meaning toA.inventiveB.importantC.unusualD.specialized7.According to paragraph3,when do dinoflagellates produce pinpointsparkling displays of light?A.When they are caught in collection netsB.When they are hunting foodC.When there is a sudden movement of the water around themD.When they are stunned or disoriented8.According to paragraph3,what is notable when looking at Sapphirina irisunder a microscope?A.It produces brief flashes of light.B.Its body is a rich azure blue color.C.It has luminescent skin on its mouth.D.It looks as if it is made of glass of many colors.9.Which of the following is NOT mentioned in paragraph3as a possiblereason for the use of bioluminescence?A.To provide a means of lighting the dark marine watersB.To momentarily disorient other creaturesC.To frighten away potential predatorsD.To attract prey10.The word“delicately”in the passage is closet in meaning toA.individuallyB.brilliantlyC.unusuallyD.finelyParagraph4Other sea creatures have both light-sensing and light-producing organs. These creatures are thought to use bioluminescence as a form ofcommunication or as a means of identifying an appropriate mate.In the lantern fish,the pattern of photophores distinguishes one species from another.In other fish,bioluminescence may help to differentiate males from females.The squid uses light as a means of camouflage.By producing light from the photophores on its underside,the squid can match light form above and become nearly invisible to predators looking up from below.Squid,as well as some of the gelatinous zooplankton,have also been known to release luminescent clouds or strands of organic material,possibly as a decoy to facilitate escape.And finally,because what they eat is often bioluminescent, many of the transparent deep-sea creatures have red or black stomachs to hide the potentially flashing contents of ingested bioluminescent creatures. Without such a blacked-out stomach,their digestive organs would flash like a neon sign that says,“Eat me,eat me!”11.According to paragraph4,squid use bioluminescence tomunicate with other squidB.locate matesC.tell males and females apartD.hide from predators12.The word“ingested”in the passage is closet in meaning toA.remainingB.eatenC.livingD.nutritiousParagraph4Other sea creatures have both light-sensing and light-producing organs. These creatures are thought to use bioluminescence as a form of communication or as a means of identifying an appropriate mate.■In the lantern fish,the pattern of photophores distinguishes one species from another.■In other fish,bioluminescence may help to differentiate males from females.■The squid uses light as a means of camouflage.■By producing light from the photophores on its underside,the squid can match light form above and become nearly invisible to predators looking up from below.Squid,as well as some of the gelatinous zooplankton,have also been known to release luminescent clouds or strands of organic material,possibly as a decoy tofacilitate escape.And finally,because what they eat is often bioluminescent, many of the transparent deep-sea creatures have red or black stomachs to hide the potentially flashing contents of ingested bioluminescent creatures.Without such a blacked-out stomach,their digestive organs would flash like a neon sign that says,“Eat me,eat me!”13.Look at the four squares[■]that indicate where the following sentencecould be added to the passageYet,certain species use bioluminescence for exactly the opposite purpose—to blend in with surroundings and become less identifiable.Where would the sentence best fit?14.Directions:An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage isprovides plete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage.Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage.This question is worth2points.Many of the sea’s creatures produce light through bioluminescence.Answer ChoicesA.Bioluminescent creature use a substance called luciferin and an enzyme toproduce light in a biologically driven chemical reaction.B.Bioluminescence can be used to achieve various and sometimes seeminglyopposite goals such as frightening away predators or luring prey.C.Bioluminescence can be used by some sea creatures as a form ofcommunication or as a means of identifying an appropriate mate.D.The majority of bioluminescent creatures are gelatinous in nature,allowingthem to produce light.E.The same bioluminescent creature cannot have both light-sensing andlight-producing organs.F.Sea creatures that eat bioluminescent material possess special chemicalsthat keep their stomach contents from flashing.Bioluminescence in Marine Creatures1.A2.D3.B4.A5.B6.A7.C8.D9.A10.D11.D12.B13. C14.ABC。
托福TPO33口语Task3阅读文本+听力文本+题目+满分范文
为了帮助大家高效备考托福，为大家带来托福TPO33口语Task3阅读文本+听力文本+题目+满分范文，希望对大家备考有所帮助。
托福TPO33口语Task3阅读文本： Bicycle Borrowing Program It’s great that the university has a program where students can borrow bicycles from the gym. However, two changes would make the program more convenient. First, the borrowing period should be shortened to four hours maximum so that more bikes would be available when students want to borrow them. Second, currently, students who borrow bikes have to leave a cash deposit, which is returned to them when they return the bikes, but I think students should be required to leave their student identification cards instead, so they don’t have to remember to bring cash. Sincerely, Susan Lee 托福TPO33口语Task3听力文本： Now listen to two students discussing the letter. (woman) Hey, did you read that letter? What do you think? (man) Yeah, I read it. I understand what she's saying but I really don't agree with hersuggestions. (woman) How come? (man) Well, students often need to borrow the bikes for longer periods of time, sometimes a whole day. (woman) What for? (man) Well, like, to do stuff off-campus, for instance, my friends and I on the weekends, sometimes we like to ride bikes to the state park outside of town and do some hiking there. And it basically takes a whole day. It's night time by the time when we get back. (woman) So if you had less time you wouldn't be able to do that. (man) Right, and also her other suggestion doesn't seem practical to me. (woman) The card thing? (man) Yeah, that's not gonna work. What if you want to enter a campus building? Even though you can get into most of the classroom buildings without a card, there are certain buildings on campus where you need to show your card to get in, like the library and dining hall. (woman) Yeah, that's true, so students wouldn't be able to go to any of those places till they got their cards back. 托福TPO33口语Task3题目： The man expresses his opinion about the proposal described in the letter. Briefly summarize the proposal then state his opinion about the proposal and explain the reasons he gives for holding that opinion. 托福TPO33口语Task3满分范文： Well according to the proposal, the student is asking for two changes to make the university bicycle-borrowing-program more convenient. However the man disagrees with the proposal for two main reasons. First of all the man says that the students usually borrow the bikes for a longer time, sometimes for a whole day because they go off campus. For example the man usually rides with his friends out of town on weekends for some hiking and goes back late, so if they have less time they wouldn't be able to return their bikes. Second the man also points out that leaving students' ID is not a good idea either, simply because the students can not go to some other facilities on campus without their IDs, which means if one borrows a bike he or she can't be able to get access to like the library and dining hall, till he or she returns the bike. It is not at all convenient and practical. So the man disagrees with the letter for the reasons stated above. (172 words) 以上是给大家整理的托福TPO33口语Task3阅读文本+听力文本+题目+满分范文，希望对你有所帮助!。
托福TPO33阅读Passage2原文文本+题目+答案解析
为了帮助大家高效备考托福，为大家带来托福TPO33阅读Passage2原文文本+题目+答案解析，希望对大家备考有所帮助。
Railroads and Commercial Agriculture in Nineteenth-Century United States By 1850 the United States possessed roughly 9,000 miles of railroad track;then years later it had over 30,000 miles,more than the rest of the world combined.Much of the new construction during the 1850s occurred west of the Appalachian Mountains–over 2,000 miles in the states of Ohio and Illinois alone. The effect of the new railroad lines rippled outward through the economy.Farmers along the tracks began to specialize in corps that they could market in distant locations.With their profits they purchased manufactured goods that earlier they might have made at home.Before the railroad reached Tennessee,the state produced about 25,000 bushels(or 640 tons)of wheat,which sold for less than 50 cents a bushel.Once the railroad came,farmers in the same counties grew 400,000 bushels(over 10,000 tons)and sold their crop at a dollar a bushel. The new railroad networks shifted the direction of western trade.In 1840 most northwestern grain was shipped south down the Mississippi River to the bustling port of New Orleans.But low water made steamboat travel hazardous in summer,and ice shut down traffic in winter.Products such as lard,tallow,and cheese quickly spoiled if stored in New Orleans’hot and humid warehouses.Increasingly,traffic from the Midwest flowed west to east,over the new rail lines.Chicago became the region’s hub,linking the farms of the upper Midwest to New York and other eastern cities by more than 2,000 miles of track in 1855.Thus while the value of goods shipped by river to New Orleans continued to increase,the South’s overall share of western trade dropped dramatically. A sharp rise in demand for grain abroad also encouraged farmers in the Northeast and Midwest to become more commercially oriented.Wheat,which in 1845 commanded$1.08 a bushel in New York City,fetched$2.46 in 1855;in similar fashion the price of corn nearly doubled.Farmers responded by specializing in cash crops,borrowing to purchase more land,and investing in equipment to increase productivity. As railroad lines fanned out from Chicago,farmers began to acquire open prairie land in Illinois and then Iowa,putting the fertile,deep black soil into production. Commercial agriculture transformed this remarkable treeless environment.To settlers accustomed to eastern woodlands,the thousands of square miles of tall grass were an awesome sight.Indian grass,Canada wild rye,and native big bluestem all grew higher than a person.Because eastern plows could not penetrate the densely tangled roots of prairie grass,the earliest settlers erected farms along the boundary separating the forest from the prairie.In 1837,however,John Deere patented a sharp-cutting steel plow that sliced through the sod without soil sticking to the blade.Cyrus McCormick refined a mechanical reaper that harvested fourteen times more wheat with the same amount of labor.By the 1850s McCormick was selling 1,000 reapers a year and could not keep up with demand,while Deere turned out 10,000 plows annually. The new commercial farming fundamentally altered the Midwestern landscape and the environment.Native Americans had grown corn in the region for years,but never in such large fields as did later settlers who became farmers,whose surpluses were shipped east.Prairie farmers also introduced new crops that were not part of the earlier ecological system,notably wheat,along with fruits and vegetables. Native grasses were replaced by a small number of plants cultivated as commodities.Corn had the best yields,but it was primarily used to feed livestock.Because bread played a key role in the American and European diet,wheat became the major cash crop.Tame grasses replaced native grasses in pastures for making hay. Western farmers altered the landscape by reducing the annual fires that had kept the prairie free from trees.In the absence of these fires,trees reappeared on land not in cultivation and,if undisturbed,eventually formed woodlots.The earlier unbroken landscape gave way to independent farms,each fenced off in a precise checkerboard pattern.It was an artificial ecosystem of animals,woodlots,and crops,whose large,uniform layout made western farms more efficient than the more-irregular farms in the East. 译文：十九世纪美国的铁路和商品农业 在1850年之前美国有约9，000英里铁轨，几年之后铁轨的长度增加到30,000多英里，比世界上其他地方的总和还要多。
托福阅读tpo33R-2原文+译文+题目+答案+背景知识
托福阅读tpo33R-2原文+译文+题目+答案+背景知识原文Railroads and Commercial Agriculture In Nineteenth-Century United States①By1850the United States possessed roughly9,000miles of railroad track;ten years later it had over30,000miles,more than the rest of the world combined. Much of the new construction during the1850s occurred west of the Appalachian Mountains–over2,000miles in the states of Ohio and Illinois alone.②The effect of the new railroad lines rippled outward through the economy. Farmers along the tracks began to specialize in crops that they could market in distant locations.With their profits they purchased manufactured goods that earlier they might have made at home.Before the railroad reached Tennessee,the state produced about25,000bushels(or640tons)of wheat,which sold for less than50cents a bushel.Once the railroad came,farmers in the same counties grew 400,000bushels(over10,000tons)and sold their crop at a dollar a bushel.③The new railroad networks shifted the direction of western trade.In1840most northwestern grain was shipped south down the Mississippi River to the bustling port of New Orleans.But low water made steamboat travel hazardous in summer, and ice shut down traffic in winter.Products such as lard,tallow,and cheese quickly spoiled if stored in New Orleans’hot and humid warehouses.Increasingly, traffic from the Midwest flowed west to east,over the new rail lines.Chicago became the region’s hub,linking the farms of the upper Midwest to New York and other eastern cities by more than2,000miles of track in1855.Thus while the value of goods shipped by river to New Orleans continued to increase,the South’s overall share of western trade dropped dramatically.④A sharp rise in demand for grain abroad also encouraged farmers in the Northeast and Midwest to become more commercially oriented.Wheat,which in 1845commanded$1.08a bushel in New York City,fetched$2.46in1855;in similar fashion the price of corn nearly doubled.Farmers responded by specializing in cash crops,borrowing to purchase more land,and investing in equipment to increase productivity.⑤As railroad lines fanned out from Chicago,farmers began to acquire open prairie land in Illinois and then Iowa,putting the fertile,deep black soil into production. Commercial agriculture transformed this remarkable treeless environment.To settlers accustomed to eastern woodlands,the thousands of square miles of tall grass were an awesome sight.Indian grass,Canada wild rye,and native big bluestem all grew higher than a person.Because eastern plows could not penetrate the densely tangled roots of prairie grass,the earliest settlers erected farms along the boundary separating the forest from the prairie.In1837,however, John Deere patented a sharp-cutting steel plow that sliced through the sod without soil sticking to the blade.Cyrus McCormick refined a mechanical reaper that harvested fourteen times more wheat with the same amount of labor.By the 1850s McCormick was selling1,000reapers a year and could not keep up with demand,while Deere turned out10,000plows annually.⑥The new commercial farming fundamentally altered the Midwestern landscape and the environment.Native Americans had grown corn in the region for years,but never in such large fields as did later settlers who became farmers,whose surpluses were shipped east.Prairie farmers also introduced new crops that were not part of the earlier ecological system,notably wheat,along with fruits and vegetables.⑦Native grasses were replaced by a small number of plants cultivated as commodities.Corn had the best yields,but it was primarily used to feed livestock. Because bread played a key role in the American and European diet,wheat became the major cash crop.Tame grasses replaced native grasses in pastures for making hay.⑧Western farmers altered the landscape by reducing the annual fires that had kept the prairie free from trees.In the absence of these fires,trees reappeared on land not in cultivation and,if undisturbed,eventually formed woodlots.The earlier unbroken landscape gave way to independent farms,each fenced off in a precise checkerboard pattern.It was an artificial ecosystem of animals,woodlots,and crops,whose large,uniform layout made western farms more efficient than the more-irregular farms in the East.译文十九世纪的美国铁路和商贸农业①到1850年，美国拥有大约9000英里的铁路；十年后，美国铁路变成了30,000多英里，超过了世界其他地区所有铁路的总和。
托福阅读TPO33原文答案解析译文
托福阅读TPO33原⽂答案解析译⽂智课⽹TOEFL备考资料托福阅读TPO33原⽂+答案解析+译⽂摘要：⽹上有关托福阅读TPO的资料有不少，但是不⼀定会适合你，原因是那些个内容可能⾥⾯只有有关和题⽬，甚⾄有的题⽬都没有，更别说答案解析的，为了弥补这⼀不⾜，⼩编特备来为⼤家分享⼀下⾃⼰整理的这⼀套资料，需要的不要吝啬，猛戳下载哦！托福阅读TPO33原⽂+答案解析+译⽂：TPO33-1-1 The First CivilizationsEvidence suggests that an important stimulus behind the rise of early civilizations was the development of settled agriculture, which unleashed a series of changes in the organization of human communities that culminated in the rise of large ancient empires.The exact time and place that crops were first cultivated successfully is uncertain. Many prehistorians believe that farming may have emerged in dependently in several different areas of the world when small communities, driven by increasing population and a decline in available food resources, began to plant seeds in the ground in an effort to guarantee their survival. The first farmers, who may have lived as long as 10,000 years ago, undoubtedly used simple techniques and still relied primarily on other forms of food production, such as hunting, foraging, or pastoralism. The real breakthrough took place when farmers began to cultivate crops along the floodplains of river systems. The advantage was that crops grown in such areas were not as dependent on rainfall and therefore produced a more reliable harvest. An additional benefit was that the sediment carried by the river waters deposited nutrients in the soil, thus enabling the farmer to cultivate a single plot of ground for many years without moving to a new location. Thus, the first truly sedentary (that is, nonmigratory) societies were born. As time went on, such communities gradually learned how to direct the flow of water to enhance the productive capacity of the land, while the introduction of the iron plow eventually led to the cultivation of heavy soils not previously susceptible to agriculture.The spread of this river valley agriculture in various parts of Asia and Africa was the decisive factor in the rise of the first civilizations. The increase in food production in these regions led to a significant growth in population, while efforts to control the flow of water to maximize the irrigation of cultivated areas and to protect the local inhabitants from hostile forces outside the community provoked the first steps toward cooperative activities on a large scale. The need to oversee the entire process brought about the emergence of an elite that was eventually transformed into a government.The first clear steps in the rise of the first civilizations took place in the fourth and third millennia B.C. in Mesopotamia, northern Africa, India, and China. How the first governments took shape in these areas is not certain, but anthropologists studying the evolution of human communities in various parts of the world havediscovered that one common stage in the process is the emergence of what are called “big men” within a single village or a collection of villages. By means of their military prowess, dominant personalities, or political talents, these people gradually emerge as the leaders of that community. In time, the “big men” become formal symbols of authority and pass on that authority to others within their own family. As the communities continue to grow in size and material wealth, the “big men”assume hereditary status, and their allies and family members are transformed into a hereditary monarchy.The appearance of these sedentary societies had a major impact on the social organizations, religious beliefs, and way of life of the peoples living within their boundaries. ￠ With the increase in population and the development ofcentralized authority came the emergence of the cities. ￠ While some of these urban centers were identified with a particular economic function, such as proximity to gold or iron deposits or a strategic location on a major trade route, others served primarily as administrative centers or the site of temples for the official cult or other ritual observances. ￠ Within these cities, new forms of livelihood appeared to satisfy the growing need for social services and consumer goods. ￠ Some people became artisans or merchants, while others became warriors, scholars, or priests. In some cases, the physical division within the first cities reflected the strict hierarchical character of the society as a whole, with a royal palace surrounded by an imposing wall and separate from the remainder of the urban population. In other instances, such as the Indus River Valley, the cities lacked a royal precinct and the ostentatious palaces that marked their contemporaries elsewhere.1. The phrase “culminated in” in the passage is closest in meaning toA) reached a high point withB) logically followed fromC) partly contributed toD) marked2. According to paragraph 2, which of the following statements is true of early farmers?A) They used farming to supplement other food sources.B) They were driven out of small communities.C) They were victims of flooding.D) They farmed several plots of land at once.3. The word “undoubtedly” in the passage is closest in meaning toA) increasinglyB) certainlyC) in generalD) apparently4. According to paragraph 2, what are TWO reasons why farmers chose river valleys for cultivation? To receive credit you must select TWO answer choices.A) The soils in river valleys were rich in nutrients.B) The crops grown in river valleys were not completely dependent on rainwater.。
托福TPO33综合写作阅读原文+听力原文+满分范文
为了帮助大家高效备考托福，为大家带来托福TPO33综合写作阅读原文+听力原文+满分范文，希望对大家备考有所帮助。
托福TPO33综合写作阅读原文文本： Carved stone balls are a curious type of artifact found at a number of locations in Scotland. They date from the late Neolithic period, around 4,000 years ago. They are round in shape; they were carved from several types of stone; most are about 70 mm in diameter; and many are ornamented to some degree. Archaeologists do not agree about their purpose and meaning, but there are several theories. One theory is that the carved stone balls were weapons used in hunting or fighting. Some of the stone balls have been found with holes in them, and many have grooves on the surface. It is possible that a cord was strung through the holes or laid in the grooves around the ball. Holding the stone balls at the end of the cord would have allowed a person to swing it around or throw it. A second theory is that the carved stone balls were used as part of a primitive system of weights and measures. The fact that they are so nearly uniform in size – at 70 mm in diameter – suggests that the balls were interchangeable and represented some standard unit of measure. They could have been used as standard weights to measure quantities of grain or other food, or anything that needed to be measured by weight on a balance or scale for the purpose of trade.A third theory is that the carved stone balls served a social purpose as opposed to a practical or utilitarian one. This view is supported by the fact that many stone balls have elaborate designs. The elaborate carving suggests that the stones may have marked the important social status of their owners. 托福TPO33综合写作听力原文文本： None of the three theories presented in the reading passage are very convincing.First, the stone balls as hunting weapons, common Neolithic weapons such as arrowheads and had axes generally show signs of wear, so we should expect that if the stone balls had been used as weapons for hunting of fighting, they too would show signs of that us. Marry of the stone balls would be cracked or have pieces broken off. However, the surfaces of the balls are generally well preserved, showing little or no wear or damage.Second, the carved stone balls maybe remarkably uniform in size, but their masses vary too considerably to have been sued as uniform weights. This is because the stone balls were made of different types of stone including sandstone, green stone and quartzite. Each type of stone has a different density. Some types of stone are heavier than others just as a handful of feathers weighs less than a handful of rocks. Two balls of the same size are different weights depending on the type of stone they are made of. Therefore, the balls could not have been used as a primitive weighing system.Third, it's unlikely that the main purpose of the balls was as some kind of social marker. A couple of facts are inconsistent with this theory. For one thing, while some of the balls are carved with intricate patterns, many others have markings that are extremely simple, too simple to make the balls look like statussymbols. Furthermore, we know that in Neolithic Britain, when someone died, particularly a high-ranking person, they were usually buried with their possessions. However, none of the carved stone balls have been actually found in tombs or graves. That makes it unlikely that the balls were personal possessions that marked a person's status within the community. 托福TPO33综合写作满分范文： The author in the reading passage explores three major functions of the carved stone balls. However, in the lecture, the professor respectively contradicts all his assertions by using three specific points as supports. First, even though the reading passage suggests that the stone balls were weapons because of the holes and grooves on their surface, the professor argues that the stone balls didn’t show signs of use, which means they are neither cracked nor broken and thus cannot be used as weapons. Second, despite the statement in the reading passage that the stone balls were used as primitive weighing system due to their uniform size, the professor contends that their masses vary too considerably from each other. Therefore, the balls could not function as weighing system. Third, the author asserts that the stone balls served a social purpose owing to their elaborate designs while the professor proves that this claim is indefensible by pointing out that the balls were carved with not only intricate patterns but also simple ones, besides, none of the balls were found in the ancient tombs or graves. Consequently, it’s impossible that the balls were social markers. 以上是给大家整理的托福TPO33综合写作阅读原文+听力原文+满分范文，希望对你有所帮助!。
托福备考托福阅读34套TPO样题+解析+译文TPO 33—2 铁路和商品化农业
托福考试 复习TPO 33—2 铁路和商品化农业原文：Railroads and Commercial Agriculture in Nineteenth-Century United States【1】By 1850 the United States possessed roughly 9,000 miles of railroad track; Ten years later it had over 30,000 miles, more than the rest of the world combined. Much of the new construction during the 1850s occurred west of the Appalachian Mountains—over 2,000 miles in the states of Ohio and Illinois alone.【2】The effect of the new railroad lines rippled outward through the economy. Farmers along the tracks began to specialize in corps that they could market in distant locations. With their profits they purchased manufactured goods that earlier they might have made at home. Before the railroad reached Tennessee, the state produced about 25,000 bushels (or 640 tons) of wheat, which sold for less than 50 cents a bushel. Once the railroad came, farmers in the same counties grew 400,000 bushels (over 10,000 tons) and sold their crop at a dollar a bushel.【3】The new railroad networks shifted the direction of western trade. In 1840 most northwestern grain was shipped south down the Mississippi River to the bustling port of New Orleans. But low water made steamboat travel hazardous in summer, and ice shut down traffic in winter. Products such as lard, tallow, and cheese quickly spoiled if stored in New Orleans’ hot and humid warehouses. Increasingly, traffic from the Midwest flowed west to east, over the new rail lines. Chicago became the region’s hub, linking the farms of the upper Midwest to New York and other eastern cities by more than 2,000 miles of track in 1855. Thus while the value ofgoods shipped by river to New Orleans continued to increase, the South’s overall share of western trade dropped dramatically.【4】A sharp rise in demand for grain abroad also encouraged farmers in the Northeast and Midwest to become more commercially oriented. Wheat, which in 1845 commanded $1.08 a bushel in New York City, fetched $2.46 in 1855; in similar fashion the price of corn nearly doubled. Farmers responded by specializing in cash crops, borrowing to purchase more land, and investing in equipment to increase productivity.【5】As railroad lines fanned out from Chicago, farmers began to acquire open prairie land in Illinois and then Iowa, putting the fertile, deep black soil into production. Commercial agriculture transformed this remarkable treeless environment. To settlers accustomed to eastern woodlands, the thousands of square miles of tall grass were an awesome sight. Indian grass, Canada wild rye, and native big bluestem all grew higher than a person. Because eastern plows could not penetrate the densely tangled roots of prairie grass, the earliest settlers erected farms along the boundary separating the forest from the prairie. In 1837, however, John Deere patented a sharp-cutting steel plow that sliced through the sod without soil sticking to the blade. Cyrus McCormick refined a mechanical reaper that harvested fourteen times more wheat with the same amount of labor. By the 1850s McCormick was selling 1,000 reapers a year and could not keep up with demand, while Deere turned out 10,000 plows annually.【6】The new commercial farming fundamentally altered the Midwestern landscapeand the environment. Native Americans had grown corn in the region for years, but never in such large fields as did later settlers who became farmers, whose surpluses were shipped east. Prairie farmers also introduced new crops that were not part of the earlier ecological system, notably wheat, along with fruits and vegetables. 【7】Native grasses were replaced by a small number of plants cultivated as commodities. Corn had the best yields, but it was primarily used to feed livestock. Because bread played a key role in the American and European diet, wheat became the major cash crop. Tame grasses replaced native grasses in pastures for making hay.【8】Western farmers altered the landscape by reducing the annual fires that had kept the prairie free from trees. In the absence of these fires, trees reappeared on land not in cultivation and, if undisturbed, eventually formed woodlots. The earlier unbroken landscape gave way to independent farms, each fenced off in a precise checkerboard pattern. It was an artificial ecosystem of animals, woodlots, and crops, whose large, uniform layout made western farms more efficient than the more-irregular farms in the East.题目：1.According to paragraph 1, each of the following is true about railroad track in the United States EXCEPT:A.In 1850 the United States had less than 10,000 miles of railroad track.B.By the end of the 1850s, Ohio and Illinois contained more railroad track than anyother state in the country.C.Much of the railroad track built in the United States during the 1850s was located west of the Appalachian Mountain.D.By 1860 there were more miles of railroad track in the United States than in any other country.2.It can be inferred from paragraph 2 that the new railroads had which of the following effects on farm communities?A.Most new farms were located along the tracks.B.Farmers began to grow wheat as a commercial corp.C.Many farmers decided to grow a wider variety of crops.D.Demand for manufactured goods increased among farmers.3.The word "bustling" in the passage (paragraph 3) is closest in meaning toA.famous.B.important.C.growing.D.busy.4.According to paragraph 3, in what way did the new rail networks change western trade?A.Northwestern farmers almost completely stopped shipping goods by steamboat.B.Many western goods began to be shipped east by way of Chicago rather than south to New Orleans.C.Chicago largely replaced New York and other eastern cities as the final market forgoods for the West.D.The value of goods shipped west soon became greater than the value of goods shipped east.5.According to paragraph 3, what was a disadvantage of shipping goods from northwestern areas to New Orleans?A.There was no reliable way to get goods from New Orleans to eastern cities.B.The cost of shipping goods by river to New Orleans continued to increase.C.Goods shipped from New Orleans' neighboring areas had a significant competitive advantage because of their lower transportation costs.D.The temperatures and humidity.6.Paragraph 4 supports the idea that the price of wheat more than doubled between 1845 and 1855 becauseA.the price of corn nearly doubled during that same period.B.demand for grain increased sharply outside the United States.C.farmers in the Northeast and Midwest began to specialize in cash crops.D.many farmers had borrowed heavily to purchase land and equipment for raising wheat.7.The word "transformed" in the passage (paragraph 5) is closest in meaning toA.dominated.B.changed.C.improved.D.created.8.The word "erected" in the passage (paragraph 5) is closest in meaning toA.looked for.B.lived on.C.preferred.D.built.9.Why does author point out that "Indian grass, Canada wild rye, and native big bluestem all grew higher than a person"(paragraph 5)?A.T o provide a reason why people from the eastern woodlands of the United States were impressed when they saw the prairie.B.To identify an obstacles to the development of the railroad lines fanning out from Chicago.C.To explain why the transformation of the prairies by commercial agriculture was so remarkable.D.T o provide evidence supporting the claim that the prairies had fertile, deep black soil.10.According to paragraph 5, the first settlers generally did not farm open prairie land becauseA.they could not plow it effectively with the tools that were available.B.prairie land was usually very expensive to buy.C.the soil along boundaries between the forest and the prairie was more fertile than the soil of the open prairie.D.the railroad lines had not yet reached the open prairie when the first settlersarrived.11.The word "surpluses" in the passage (paragraph 6) is closest in meaning toA.extra goodsmercial goodsC.unprocessed goodsD.transportable goods12.According to paragraph 8, prairie farmers changed the landscape by doing all of the following EXCEPT:A.Reducing annual fires.B.Dividing the land into large, regularly-shaped lots.C.Planting trees that eventually formed woodlots.D.Fencing off their farms.13. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit? The problems were not limited to routes of transport.The new railroad networks shifted the direction of western trade. ■【A】In 1840 most northwestern grain was shipped south down the Mississippi River to the bustling port of New Orleans. ■【B】But low water made steamboat travel hazardous in summer, and ice shut down traffic in winter. ■【C】Products such as lard, tallow, and cheese quickly spoiled if stored in New Orleans' hot and humid warehouses. ■【D】Increasingly, traffic from the Midwest flowed west to east, over the new rail lines. Chicago became the region's hub, linking the farms of the upper Midwest to NewYork and other eastern cities by more than 2,000 miles of track in 1855. Thus while the value of goods shipped by river to New Orleans continued to increase, the South's overall share of western trade dropped dramatically.14. Prose SummaryThe huge expansion of rail lines in Midwestern United States during the 1850s had major economic and environmental effects.A.Construction of new rail lines into the Midwest had been effectively stopped by the Appalachian Mountains, but by 1850 improved construction technology had made further advances possible.B.Rail lines to Chicago and on to the East made it easier to get Midwestern goods to distant markets, while growing demand encouraged crop specialization and led to higher crop prices.C.Because of the growing volume of traffic coming by rail from the Northeast and Midwest, the value of goods arriving in New Orleans for shipment to markets abroad increased dramatically.D.Access to rail lines combined with the development of more-efficient farming equipment allowed e fertile land of the open prairies to be used for large-scale commercial agriculture.E.Reduction of annual prairie fires allowed trees to reappear, and native grasses were replaced by a few commercially grown plants as previously unbroken grasslands were divided into large fenced fields.F.Native Americans had grown corn on the prairies for years but had not producedlarge surpluses because the varieties they planted had far poorer yields than those introduced by commercial farmers.答案：1.否定细节题：定位句By 1850 the United States possessed roughly 9,000 miles of railroad track;对应A 选项。
TPO33阅读详细答案
解析：词汇题。
答案A∙culminated in意为“到达…顶点，以…为终点”故选A: reached a high point with 迷惑选项∙ B logically followed from意为“逻辑上从…..跟随……”∙ C partly contributed to意为“部分的归因于…..”∙ D marked意为“标记，痕迹”解析：真实信息题。
答案A∙与原文信息The first farmers, who may have lived as long as 10,000 years ago, undoubtedly used simple techniques and still relied primarily on other forms of food production, such as hunting, foraging, or pastoralism. The realbreakthrough took place when farmers began to cultivate crops along thefloodplains of river systems相符迷惑选项∙ B 信息杂糅，原文信息为Many prehistorians believe that farming may have emerged in dependently in several different areas of the world when small communities, driven by increasing population and a decline in available food resources, began to plant seeds in the ground in an effort to guarantee their survival，原文核心描述为small communities began to plant seeds in theground而不是They were driven out of small communities∙ C 与原文相矛盾，原文信息为The advantage was that crops grown in such areas were not as dependent on rainfall and therefore produced a morereliable harvest即为农民受利于flood∙ D 与原文相矛盾，原文信息为thus enabling the farmer to cultivate a single plot of ground for many years without moving to a new location即农民是一次耕种一片地方解析：词汇题。
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The First Civilizations
Evidence suggests that an important stimulus behind the rise of early
civilizations was the development of settled agriculture, which unleashed a
series of changes in the organization of human communities that culminated in
the rise of large ancient empires.
证据显示，早期文明兴起的一个重要刺激因素就是定居农业的发展。
它导致了人类群落的组织结构出现一系列变更，在古代大型帝国的兴起时达到了顶峰。
The exact time and place that crops were first cultivated successfully is
uncertain. Many prehistorians believe that farming may have emerged
independently in several different areas of the world when small communities,
driven by increasing population and a decline in available food resources, began
to plant seeds in the ground in an effort to guarantee their survival. The first
farmers, who may have lived as long as 10,000 years ago, undoubtedly used simple
techniques and still relied primarily on other forms of food production, such as
hunting, foraging, or pastoralism. The real breakthrough took place when farmers
began to cultivate crops along the floodplains of river systems. The advantage
was that crops grown in such areas were not as dependent on rainfall and
therefore produced a more reliable harvest. An additional benefit was that the
sediment carried by the river waters deposited nutrients in the soil, thus
enabling the farmer to cultivate a single plot of ground for many years without
moving to a new location. Thus, the first truly sedentary (that is,
non-migratory) societies were born. As time went on, such communities gradually
learned how to direct the flow of water to enhance the productive capacity of
the land, while the introduction of the iron plow eventually led to the
cultivation of heavy soils not previously susceptible to agriculture.
庄稼究竟是何时何地被首次成功开垦种植还不得而知。
很多史前学家认为农业可能是当小型
群落迫于不断增长人口和日益减少的食物资源压力而开始在地里种植种子试图维持他们的生计时，进而在世界不同区域独自兴起的。
出现在 10,000
年前的最早的农民，毫无疑问地使用着简单的技术，并且仍主要依赖着其他的食物生产方式，比如狩猎，觅食或放牧。
当农
民开始在河川系统的泛滥平原沿岸种植庄稼的时候，真正的突破发生了。
它的优点是，在这
些区域种植的庄稼不会过于依赖降水，因此会带来更可靠地收成。
它另外一个好处就是由河
流带来的沉淀物会把营养物质沉积在土壤里，这就使得农民能够在常年耕作一块土地而不用
去开垦新的耕地。
这样，第一个真正的定居(即不用迁徙的)社会就形成了。
随着时间的推
移，这些社群逐渐知道了如何引导水流来加强土地的生产能力，铁犁的引入也终于使之前不受用于农业的重质土壤得以开垦种植。
The spread of this river valley agriculture in various parts of Asia and
Africa was the decisive factor in the rise of the first civilizations. The
increase in food production in these regions led to a significant growth in
population, while efforts to control the flow of water to maximize the
irrigation of cultivated areas and to protect the local inhabitants from hostile
forces outside the community provoked the first steps toward cooperative
activities on a large scale. The need to oversee the entire process brought
about the emergence of an elite that was eventually transformed into a
government.
这种河谷农业在亚洲和非洲不同地区的传播是首次文明兴起的决定性因素。
这些地区食物。