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托福TPO2阅读真题及答案Part

时间：2023年04月08日

来源：不高兴的小脑斧

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以下是小编精心整理的托福TPO2阅读真题及答案Part，本文共9篇，供大家阅读参考。本文原稿由网友“不高兴的小脑斧”提供。

篇1：托福TPO2阅读真题及答案Part1

Desert Formation

The deserts, which already occupy approximately a fourth of the Earth's land surface, have in recent decades been increasing at an alarming pace. The expansion of desert like conditions into areas where they did not previously exist is called desertification. It has been estimated that an additional one-fourth of the Earth's land surface is threatened by this process.

Desertification is accomplished primarily through the loss of stabilizing natural vegetation and the subsequent accelerated erosion of the soil by wind and water. In some cases the loose soil is blown completely away, leaving a stony surface. In other cases, the finer particles may be removed, while the sand-sized particles are accumulated to form mobile hills or ridges of sand.

Even in the areas that retain a soil cover, the reduction of vegetation typically results in the loss of the soil's ability to absorb substantial quantities of water. The impact of raindrops on the loose soil tends to transfer fine clay particles into the tiniest soil spaces, sealing them and producing a surface that allows very little water penetration. Water absorption is greatly reduced; consequently runoff is increased, resulting in accelerated erosion rates. The gradual drying of the soil caused by its diminished ability to absorb water results in the further loss of vegetation, so that a cycle of progressive surface deterioration is established.

In some regions, the increase in desert areas is occurring largely as the result of a trend toward drier climatic conditions. Continued gradual global warming has produced an increase in aridity for some areas over the past few thousand years. The process may be accelerated in subsequent decades if global warming resulting from air pollution seriously increases.

There is little doubt, however, that desertification in most areas results primarily from human activities rather than natural processes. The semiarid lands bordering the deserts exist in a delicate ecological balance and are limited in their potential to adjust to increased environmental pressures. Expanding populations are subjecting the land to increasing pressures to provide them with food and fuel. In wet periods, the land may be able to respond to these stresses. During the dry periods that are common phenomena along the desert margins, though, the pressure on the land is often far in excess of its diminished capacity, and desertification results.

Four specific activities have been identified as major contributors to the desertification processes: overcultivation, overgrazing, firewood gathering, and overirrigation. The cultivation of crops has expanded into progressively drier regions as population densities have grown. These regions are especially likely to have periods of severe dryness, so that crop failures are common. Since the raising of most crops necessitates the prior removal of the natural vegetation, crop failures leave extensive tracts of land devoid of a plant cover and susceptible to wind and water erosion.

The raising of livestock is a major economic activity in semiarid lands, where grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation. The consequences of an excessive number of livestock grazing in an area are the reduction of the vegetation cover and the trampling and pulverization of the soil. This is usually followed by the drying of the soil and accelerated erosion.

Firewood is the chief fuel used for cooking and heating in many countries. The increased pressures of expanding populations have led to the removal of woody plants so that many cities and towns are surrounded by large areas completely lacking in trees and shrubs. The increasing use of dried animal waste as a substitute fuel has also hurt the soil because this valuable soil conditioner and source of plant nutrients is no longer being returned to the land.

The final major human cause of desertification is soil salinization resulting from overirrigation. Excess water from irrigation sinks down into the water table. If no drainage system exists, the water table rises, bringing dissolved salts to the surface. The water evaporates and the salts are left behind, creating a white crustal layer that prevents air and water from reaching the underlying soil.

The extreme seriousness of desertification results from the vast areas of land and the tremendous numbers of people affected, as well as from the great difficulty of reversing or even slowing the process. Once the soil has been removed by erosion, only the passage of centuries or millennia will enable new soil to form. In areas where considerable soil still remains, though, a rigorously enforced program of land protection and cover-crop planting may make it possible to reverse the present deterioration of the surface.

Paragraph 1: The deserts, which already occupy approximately a fourth of the Earth's land surface, have in recent decades been increasing at an alarming pace. The expansion of desertlike conditions into areas where they did not previously exist is called desertification. It has been estimated that an additional one-fourth of the Earth's land surface is threatened by this process.

篇2：托福TPO2阅读真题及答案Part1

1. The word threatened in the passage is closest in meaning to

Restricted

Endangered

Prevented

Rejected

Paragraph 3: Even in the areas that retain a soil cover, the reduction of vegetation typically results in the loss of the soil's ability to absorb substantial quantities of water. The impact of raindrops on the loose soil tends to transfer fine clay particles into the tiniest soil spaces, sealing them and producing a surface that allows very little water penetration. Water absorption is greatly reduced; consequently runoff is increased, resulting in accelerated erosion rates. The gradual drying of the soil caused by its diminished ability to absorb water results in the further loss of vegetation, so that a cycle of progressive surface deterioration is established.

2. According to paragraph 3, the loss of natural vegetation has which of the following consequences for soil?

Increased stony content

Reduced water absorption

Increased numbers of spaces in the soil

Reduced water runoff

Paragraph 5: There is little doubt, however, that desertification in most areas results primarily from human activities rather than natural processes. The semiarid lands bordering the deserts exist in a delicate ecological balance and are limited in their potential to adjust to increased environmental pressures. Expanding populations are subjecting the land to increasing pressures to provide them with food and fuel. In wet periods, the land may be able to respond to these stresses. During the dry periods that are common phenomena along the desert margins, though, the pressure on the land is often far in excess of its diminished capacity, and desertification results.

3. The word delicate in the passage is closest in meaning to

Fragile

Predictable

Complex

Valuable

4. According to paragraph 5, in dry periods, border areas have difficulty

Adjusting to stresses created by settlement

Retaining their fertility after desertification

Providing water for irrigating crops

Attracting populations in search of food and fuel

Paragraph 6: Four specific activities have been identified as major contributors to the desertification processes: overcultivation, overgrazing, firewood gathering, and overirrigation. The cultivation of crops has expanded into progressively drier regions as population densities have grown. These regions are especially likely to have periods of severe dryness, so that crop failures are common. Since the raising of most crops necessitates the prior removal of the natural vegetation, crop failures leave extensive tracts of land devoid of a plant cover and susceptible to wind and water erosion.

5. The word progressively in the passage is closest in meaning to

Openly

Impressively

Objectively

Increasingly

6. According to paragraph 6, which of the following is often associated with raising crops?

Lack of proper irrigation techniques

Failure to plant crops suited to the particular area

Removal of the original vegetation

Excessive use of dried animal waste，

7. The phrase devoid of in the passage is closest in meaning to

Consisting of

Hidden by

Except for

Lacking in

Paragraph 9: The final major human cause of desertification is soil salinization resulting from over irrigation. Excess water from irrigation sinks down into the water table. If no drainage system exists, the water table rises, bringing dissolved salts to the surface. The water evaporates and the salts are left behind, creating a white crustal layer that prevents air and water from reaching the underlying soil.

8. According to paragraph 9, the ground’s absorption of excess water is a factor in desertification because it can

Interfere with the irrigation of land

Limit the evaporation of water

Require more absorption of air by the soil

Bring salts to the surface

9. All of the following are mentioned in the passage as contributing to desertification EXCEPT

Soil erosion

Global warming

Insufficient irrigation

The raising of livestock

Paragraph 10: The extreme seriousness of desertification results from the vast areas of land and the tremendous numbers of people affected, as well as from the great difficulty of reversing or even slowing the process. Once the soil has been removed by erosion, only the passage of centuries or millennia will enable new soil to form. In areas where considerable soil still remains, though, a rigorously enforced program of land protection and cover-crop planting may make it possible to reverse the present deterioration of the surface.

10. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage?

Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

Desertification is a significant problem because it is so hard to reverse and affects large areas of land and great numbers of people.

Slowing down the process of desertification is difficult because of population growth that has spread over large areas of land.

The spread of deserts is considered a very serious problem that can be solved only if large numbers of people in various countries are involved in the effort.

Desertification is extremely hard to reverse unless the population is reduced in the vast areas affected.

11. It can be inferred from the passage that the author most likely believes which of the following about the future of desertification?

Governments will act quickly to control further desertification.

The factors influencing desertification occur in cycles and will change in the future.

Desertification will continue to increase.

Desertification will soon occur in all areas of the world.

Paragraph 7:■ The raising of livestock is a major economic activity in semiarid lands, where grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation. ■The consequences of an excessive number of livestock grazing in an area are the reduction of the vegetation cover and the trampling and pulverization of the soil. ■This is usually followed by the drying of the soil and accelerated erosion.■

12. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence can be added to the passage.

This economic reliance on livestock in certain regions makes large tracts of land susceptible to overgrazing.

Where would the sentence best fit?

13-14. Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some answer choices do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.

Many factors have contributed to the great increase in desertification in recent decades.

●

Answer Choices

1. Growing human populations and the agricultural demands that come with such growth have upset the ecological balance in some areas and led to the spread of deserts.

2. As periods of severe dryness have become more common, failures of a number of different crops have increased.

3. Excessive numbers of cattle and the need for firewood for fuel have reduced grasses and trees, leaving the land unprotected and vulnerable.

4. Extensive irrigation with poor drainage brings salt to the surface of the soil, a process that reduces water and air absorption.

5. Animal dung enriches the soil by providing nutrients for plant growth.

6. Grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation in semiarid lands

篇3：托福TPO2阅读真题及答案Part1

参考答案：

1. 2

2. 2

3. 1

4. 1

5. 4

6. 3

7. 4

8. 4

9. 3

10. 1

11. 3

12. 2

13-14.1 3 4

托福TPO2阅读真题Part1原文翻译：

众所周知，鲸类动物是哺乳动物,如鲸鱼、鼠海豚和海豚。它们用肺呼吸，而不是鳃，属于胎生。鲸类动物呈流线型的身体，后腿的消失，尾片和气孔的出现，这些特征都不能掩饰它们和陆生哺乳动物的相似之处。然而，想知道世上第一只鲸长什么样并非易事，不像还原海獭及鳍足类动物(四肢水陆两用如海豹，海狮，海象)的原貌那么简单。一些完全水生的鲸类动物虽然已经灭绝，但仍可通过化石来对它们进行考察。陆栖哺乳动物和海洋鲸类之间有何联系?近期发现的化石已经可以很清晰地帮助人们了解这个问题，以及他们之间的过渡关系。

科学家们通过一些令人振奋的发现重现了鲸类动物几近真实的起源。1979 年，在巴基斯坦北部，一个寻找化石的考察队发掘到了最古老的鲸鱼化石。这块化石被官方命名为Pakicifus，以纪念人们发现它的地方。这块化石是在一条河的沉积岩中发现的，这条河有 5200 万年的历史，离古地中海不远。

Pakicifus 包括一个完整原始动物的头盖骨，它的主人是现代鲸类的祖先。尽管只是个头盖骨，但它却提供了研究原始鲸类动物起源的珍贵信息。这个头盖骨和鲸类动物的很像，但它的下颌骨和现代鲸类略有不同，现代鲸类动物的下颌骨中含有额外的空间储存脂肪或者油脂来吸收水下的声音。Pakicifus 的主人可能会像陆生哺乳动物那样通过张开的耳朵来探测声音。另外，这个头盖骨没有呼吸孔，而鲸类动物有，这便是鲸类动物为了适应水生环境的另一种适应性表现。然而，专家认为 Pakicifus 的其它特征表明它们是已灭绝的食肉哺乳动物(中兽科动物)和鲸类动物的过渡型。有人认为 Pakicifus 靠吃浅水的鱼类为生，未能适应在辽阔的大海里生活。它们很有可能在陆地进行生育繁殖。

1989年，在埃及有了另一个重大发现。人们在古地中海残留的沉积物中发现了另一类早期鲸鱼 Basilosaurus 的一些骨骸，这些骨骸如今暴露在撒哈拉大沙漠上。Basilosaurus 生活在大约 4000 万年前，比 Pakicifus 鲸鱼晚了 1200 万年。尽管发现的这些骨骼并不完整，但这是专家们第一次在原始动物身上发现完整的后肢，它有三个小脚趾作为的足部特征。可这些后肢还太小，远无法支撑 50 英尺长的Basilosaurus 在陆地行走。因此，Basilosaurus 必定是完全水生的鲸鱼，它们的后肢已经不起任何作用，或者说已经退化。

1994年，巴基斯坦报道了一个更令人兴奋的发现。目前已经灭绝的鲸鱼Ambulocetus natans(可以步行的鲸类)4900 万年前曾在古地中海生活过。比Pakicetus 晚大约300 万年，比 Basilosaurus 早900 万年左右。幸运的是，被发现的 Ambulocetus natans 保留着完整的后肢。它的后肢很强壮，底部有长足，非常像现在的鳍足类动物。这些后肢使得他们既能在陆地行走又能在海里游行。虽然 Ambulocetus natans 保留了尾巴，但它们缺少现代水生鲸类动物用于行动的主要身体部位——尾片。不过，从 Ambulocetus 的脊椎结构上可以看出，即使缺少尾片，它们也能像现代鲸鱼那样通过身体背部的上下摆动来游走。大的后肢通常被当作是水中前行的发动机。在它们可能交配繁殖的陆地上，Ambulocetus 行动起来非常像现代海狮。毫无疑问，鲸鱼是连接着陆地生命和海洋生命的物种。

篇4：托福阅读真题及答案

北美地区6月8日托福考试真题回忆

206月8日北美地区托福考试都考了哪些题目?以下是年6月8日北美地区托福真题，大家可以练习使用。

托福机经阅读

我遇到了加试，还不是经典加试，人品差哇。

有一篇是讲地球的形成的，先讲了星球大概形成的一个过程。然后具体说了地球内部的硅浮上来，重物质下去。还讲了地幔和地壳的形成。然后还有什么一开始是一些神马物质，后来这些物质就走掉了，还有水汽，还有其他氢啊神马的进来，然后形成最终状态。

有个著名的帝国破灭了，分成了东和西。然后东比较好，需要防卫的边界线不是很多，还有很多资源;西的话就比较悲惨，要各种防卫，内忧外患。还有西的话君主特别年轻，8岁和5岁还是神马的就登基了，然后权臣当道，等他们成年了，也没有发言权了。然后就说很多人都是为了自己的利益来的，牺牲民众的利益，外敌就入侵了。

还有一篇讲一个国家内战求民主，但是结果很不理想，想要的木有达到。穷苦民众无力去撼动大地主的利益，然后教堂啥的影响很小，商人首创严重，大地主反而获利很大。还讲了这个国家对周边国家的一些影响，有些国家出乎意料还从中受益了。

还有一篇一点印象都木有了!

托福机经听力

有一道是去找教授的，我没听太清楚。姑娘写了篇论文，和教授分析自己的论文。貌似选择的题目是和网络还有杂志相关的，我没听清楚到底是网络对纸质媒介的影响，还是网络规范的制定神马的，这里有题目的。姑娘说自己找了很多资料，教授表示挺惊讶的，估计觉着资料很难找。然后姑娘天马行空，想写的东西特别多，还想比较1970年的和现在的情况。教授让她不要弄那么大的题目，最后她绝对专注于目前。

还有一篇是讲一个男孩选了两门生物课，一门钢琴课。然后导师劝他放弃其中一门课。男孩说自己非常喜欢生物，也很爱音乐，但是自己确实没有那么多的时间，每天两个小时的弹琴也没有能保证。导师也说他是个很好的学生，但是最近的成绩确实不够理想。让他想清楚自己到底想做神马。学校里有选不同方向的学生，但是他们一般两个方向都是相关的。她问男孩是不是想弹钢琴去讲生物神马的。男孩一开始不肯放弃，后来被劝着劝着觉着导师挺有道理的，决定回家仔细想想放弃哪一门。

有一篇讲百老汇的。说18x.x年有一个新的方式出现了。那段时间新兴了很多中产阶级，需要娱乐，这里有题。新出来的和普通的不一样，有很多新点子，引入了芭蕾神马的，还全美巡演，还有移动舞台，给观众全新的体验。

还有一篇讲电影的，教授说这些名字你们都很熟悉吧，但是你们不一定知道全部的信息。然后就具体讲了迪士尼的动画。说了其中一部，非常重要，重要的原因貌似是第一部盈利的，这里有题。然后讲了一个拍摄的新技巧，说镜头拉近，附近的东西会变大，树啊栅栏啊啥的都变大了，但是太阳不会变大。这个就挺难弄的，如果让画家画的话太费力了。然后有个人去看了部舞台剧，舞台剧是有背景的，给了灵感，这里有题。然后就弄了滤片啥的在相机里拍摄，就解决问题啦。

托福机经口语

1、有三个了解大学的选择

a. 周末学校一日游

b. 周末两天在playground玩

c. 参加大学的课程

问选择哪种去最好的了解学校

2、有人送了一块地，问是用来养花种菜呢还是建儿童游乐园

3、阅读：有人给学校写了封建议信，刊登在学校的报纸上。学校附近有一个小咖啡厅兮兮的东西，提供饮料和小cookie。这是非常好的，但是有两个建议，一个是提供一些耐吃的食物，三明治神马的;一个是建议多一些轻音乐。

对话：一男一女，女孩说觉得这个建议非常赞啊。说那里是休息的一个好地方，吃点东西神马的太便利了。但是饿的时候小cookie木有用，确实需要一些其他的吃的;然后音乐太吵了，自己在那里完全没有办法看书，只能回宿舍。

4、阅读：一个协同作战之类的词，讲动物之间一般会一起做一样的事情。而且协同作战还会让他们更团结，抵抗外敌。

听力：教授举了某种动物做例子，说在迁徙的时候，如果一只口渴停下来喝水，其他不渴的也会停下来喝，喝完再一起继续迁徙。为嘛他们要一起呢，因为在dry open grass上有很危险的敌人，有狮子神马的。如果单独行动太危险了，很有可能丧命。

5、一男一女对话。男孩很苦恼，遇到问题了。他现在住的屋子的房东准备把屋子卖了，然后有个看上的买家非常着急要买，他还有一周多一些的时间可以搬家。他现在有两个选择方案，一个是他的朋友在学校附近有个屋子在招租，但是他觉着这样他就没法定下心来学习了;还有就是和父母住一起，但是父母住的地方忒远了。很难抉择。

6、有关动物的。说动物有两个适应特性，一个是Physical适应，一个是habit适应还是神马的。讲了一个动物在极度寒冷的地方，为了保持自身的热量如何很好地用两种方法来适应。一个是他们的颜色是黑色的，黑色能吸收更多的太阳光，热量传到身体里面。一个是它们平时站在冰块上，于是它们采取不同于寻常的站立方式，木有用两只脚，而是用了脚后跟。

托福机经写作

1、阅读材料

科学家们和在两个相隔1500Mile的地方发现一个我不认识的物种，这个动物正常情况下是黑色带有少许白色斑点，结果两次发现的是全白色的，这个发现非常神奇。但是科学家们仔细分析了下，说这两个东西不是同一物种，并从三个方面给出了分析。

a. 轻微的颜色差异：第一次非常白，第二次微白;

b. 相隔太远：两次相隔了1500mile，他们在岸边不会走这么远;

c. 年龄估计：第一次估计是20岁，那就意味着第二次得要30岁，科学家表示不太可能，我没太能弄懂这个的意思，但是就是这么说的。

综上所述，这两个物种不是同一个。

听力材料

教授的观点是认为他们是同一个物种，从三点分别驳斥了这些科学家的观点

a. 这个生物生活的地方会长貌似是藻类alga,然后这个藻类不同季节的生长情况不太一样。不同季节会对这个动物的颜色有一定的影响，有可能白还是不白时候是被这个藻类覆盖了。

b. 这个生物按生活习性分为两类，一类是hunting，一类是fishing，有可能被发现的是fishing的，它待在冰上，随着冰漂移mi也是很容易滴，所以在这两个地方发现同一个是很有可能的。

c. 年龄有可能被预估错误了，这个生物到20岁以后就没啥变化了，20岁和30岁长得很像的。科学家认为是20岁，万一是25捏?反正就是年龄预估这事不靠谱。

综上所述，教授认为，很有可能是同一个物种

2、有些人认为成绩应该由许多小assignment的成绩综合，有些人认为应该1-2次大成绩。写出自己的观点，并给出案例和分析。

托福阅读真题及答案

Timberline Vegetation on Mountains

The transition from forest to treeless tundra on a mountain slope is often a dramatic one. Within a vertical distance of just a few tens of meters, trees disappear as a life-form and are replaced by low shrubs, herbs, and grasses. This rapid zone of transition is called the upper timberline or tree line. In many semiarid areas there is also a lower timberline where the forest passes into steppe or desert at its lower edge, usually because of a lack of moisture.

The upper timberline, like the snow line, is highest in the tropics and lowest in the Polar Regions. It ranges from sea level in the Polar Regions to 4,500 meters in the dry subtropics and 3,500-4,500 meters in the moist tropics. Timberline trees are normally evergreens, suggesting that these have some advantage over deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves) in the extreme environments of the upper timberline. There are some areas, however, where broadleaf deciduous trees form the timberline. Species of birch, for example, may occur at the timberline in parts of the Himalayas.

At the upper timberline the trees begin to become twisted and deformed. This is particularly true for trees in the middle and upper latitudes, which tend to attain greater heights on ridges, whereas in the tropics the trees reach their greater heights in the valleys. This is because middle- and upper- latitude timberlines are strongly influenced by the duration and depth of the snow cover. As the snow is deeper and lasts longer in the valleys, trees tend to attain greater heights on the ridges, even though they are more exposed to high-velocity winds and poor, thin soils there. In the tropics, the valleys appear to be more favorable because they are less prone to dry out, they have less frost, and they have deeper soils.

There is still no universally agreed-on explanation for why there should be such a dramatic cessation of tree growth at the upper timberline. Various environmental factors may play a role. Too much snow, for example, can smother trees, and avalanches and snow creep can damage or destroy them. Late-lying snow reduces the effective growing season to the point where seedlings cannot establish themselves. Wind velocity also increases with altitude and may cause serious stress for trees, as is made evident by the deformed shapes at high altitudes. Some scientists have proposed that the presence of increasing levels of ultraviolet light with elevation may play a role, while browsing and grazing animals like the ibex may be another contributing factor. Probably the most important environmental factor is temperature, for if the growing season is too short and temperatures are too low, tree shoots and buds cannot mature sufficiently to survive the winter months.

Above the tree line there is a zone that is generally called alpine tundra. Immediately adjacent to the timberline, the tundra consists of a fairly complete cover of low-lying shrubs, herbs, and grasses, while higher up the number and diversity of species decrease until there is much bare ground with occasional mosses and lichens and some prostrate cushion plants. Some plants can even survive in favorable microhabitats above the snow line. The highest plants in the world occur at around 6,100 meters on Makalu in the Himalayas. At this great height, rocks, warmed by the sun, melt small snowdrifts.

The most striking characteristic of the plants of the alpine zone is their low growth form. This enables them to avoid the worst rigors of high winds and permits them to make use of the higher temperatures immediately adjacent to the ground surface. In an area where low temperatures are limiting to life, the importance of the additional heat near the surface is crucial. The low growth form can also permit the plants to take advantage of the insulation provided by a winter snow cover. In the equatorial mountains the low growth form is less prevalent.

Paragraph 1: The transition from forest to treeless tundra on a mountain slope is often a dramatic one. Within a vertical distance of just a few tens of meters, trees disappear as a life-form and are replaced by low shrubs, herbs, and grasses. This rapid zone of transition is called the upper timberline or tree line. In many semiarid areas there is also a lower timberline where the forest passes into steppe or desert at its lower edge, usually because of a lack of moisture.

1. The word “dramatic” in the passage is closest in meaning to

○gradual

○complex

○visible

○striking

2. Where is the lower timberline mentioned in paragraph 1 likely to be found?

○In an area that has little water

○In an area that has little sunlight

○Above a transition area

○On a mountain that has on upper timberline.

3. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 1 about both the upper and lower timberlines?

○Both are treeless zones.

○Both mark forest boundaries.

○Both are surrounded by desert areas.

○Both suffer from a lack of moisture.

Paragraph 2: The upper timberline, like the snow line, is highest in the tropics and lowest in the Polar Regions. It ranges from sea level in the Polar Regions to 4,500 meters in the dry subtropics and 3,500-4,500 meters in the moist tropics. Timberline trees are normally evergreens, suggesting that these have some advantage over deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves) in the extreme environments of the upper timberline. There are some areas, however, where broadleaf deciduous trees form the timberline. Species of birch, for example, may occur at the timberline in parts of the Himalayas.

4. Paragraph 2 supports which of the following statements about deciduous trees?

○They cannot grow in cold climates.

○They do not exist at the upper timberline.

○They are less likely than evergreens to survive at the upper timberline.

○They do not require as much moisture as evergreens do.

Paragraph 3: At the upper timberline the trees begin to become twisted and deformed. This is particularly true for trees in the middle and upper latitudes, which tend to attain greater heights on ridges, whereas in the tropics the trees reach their greater heights in the valleys. This is because middle- and upper- latitude timberlines are strongly influenced by the duration and depth of the snow cover. As the snow is deeper and lasts longer in the valleys, trees tend to attain greater heights on the ridges, even though they are more exposed to high-velocity winds and poor, thin soils there. In the tropics, the valleys appear to be more favorable because they are less prone to dry out, they have less frost, and they have deeper soils.

5. The word “attain” in the passage is closest in meaning to

○require

○resist

○achieve

○endure

6. The word “they” in the passage refers to

○valleys

○trees

○heights

○ridges

7. The word “prone” in the passage is closest in meaning to，bj.xhd.cn/toefl/来源：北京新航道托福培训

○adapted

○likely

○difficult

○resistant

8. According to paragraph 3, which of the following is true of trees in the middle and upper latitudes?

○Tree growth is negatively affected by the snow cover in valleys.

○Tree growth is greater in valleys than on ridges.

○Tree growth on ridges is not affected by high-velocity winds.

○Tree growth lasts longer in those latitudes than it does in the tropics.

Paragraph 4：There is still no universally agreed-on explanation for why there should be such a dramatic cessation of tree growth at the upper timberline. Various environmental factors may play a role. Too much snow, for example, can smother trees, and avalanches and snow creep can damage or destroy them. Late-lying snow reduces the effective growing season to the point where seedlings cannot establish themselves. Wind velocity also increases with altitude and may cause serious stress for trees, as is made evident by the deformed shapes at high altitudes. Some scientists have proposed that the presence of increasing levels of ultraviolet light with elevation may play a role, while browsing and grazing animals like the ibex may be another contributing factor. Probably the most important environmental factor is temperature, for if the growing season is too short and temperatures are too low, tree shoots and buds cannot mature sufficiently to survive the winter months.

9. Which of the sentences below best express the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? In correct choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

○Because of their deformed shapes at high altitudes, trees are not likely to be seriously harmed by the strong winds typical of those altitudes.

○As altitude increases, the velocity of winds increase, leading to a serious decrease in the number of trees found at high altitudes.

○The deformed shapes of trees at high altitudes show that wind velocity, which increase with altitude, can cause serious hardship for trees.

○Increased wind velocity at high altitudes deforms the shapes of trees, and this may cause serious stress for trees.

10. In paragraph 4, what is the author’s main purpose in the discussion of the dramatic cessation of tree growth at the upper timberline?

○To argue that none of several environment factors that are believed to contribute to that phenomenon do in fact play a role in causing it.

○To argue in support of one particular explanation of that phenomenon against several competing explanations

○To explain why the primary environmental factor responsible for that phenomenon has not yet been identified

○To present several environmental factors that may contribute to a satisfactory explanation of that phenomenon

Paragraph 6: The most striking characteristic of the plants of the alpine zone is their low growth form. This enables them to avoid the worst rigors of high winds and permits them to make use of the higher temperatures immediately adjacent to the ground surface. In an area where low temperatures are limiting to life, the importance of the additional heat near the surface is crucial. The low growth form can also permit the plants to take advantage of the insulation provided by a winter snow cover. In the equatorial mountains the low growth form is less prevalent.

11. The word “prevalent” in the passage is closest in meaning to

○predictable

○widespread

○successful

○developed

12. According to paragraph 6, all of the following statements are true of plants in the alpine zone EXCEPT:

○Because they are low, they are less exposed to strong winds.

○Because they are low, the winter snow cover gives them more protection from the extreme cold.

○In the equatorial mountains, they tend to be lower than in mountains elsewhere.

○Their low growth form keeps them closer to the ground, where there is more heat than further up.

Paragraph 5: Above the tree line there is a zone that is generally called alpine tundra. █Immediately adjacent to the timberline, the tundra consists of a fairly complete cover of low-lying shrubs, herbs, and grasses, while higher up the number and diversity of species decrease until there is much bare ground with occasional mosses and lichens and some prostrate cushion plants. █Some plants can even survive in favorable microhabitats above the snow line. The highest plants in the world occur at around 6,100 meters on Makalu in the Himalayas. █At this great height, rocks, warmed by the sun, melt small snowdrifts. █

13. Look at the four squares [█] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.

This explains how, for example, alpine cushion plants have been found growing at an altitude of 6,180 meters.

Where would the sentence best fit?

14. Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.

At the timberline, whether upper or lower, there is a profound change in the growth of trees and other plants.

Answer choices

○Birch is one of the few species of tree that can survive in the extreme environments of the upper timberline.

○There is no agreement among scientists as to exactly why plant growth is sharply different above and below the upper timberline.

○The temperature at the upper timberline is probably more important in preventing tree growth than factors such as the amount of snowfall or the force of winds.

○The geographical location of an upper timberline has an impact on both the types of trees found there and their physical characteristics.

○High levels of ultraviolet light most likely play a greater role in determining tree growth at the upper timberline than do grazing animals such as the ibex.

○Despite being adjacent to the timberline, the alpine tundra is an area where certain kinds of low trees can endure high winds and very low temperatures.

参考答案：

1. ○4

2. ○1

3. ○2

4. ○3

5. ○3

6. ○2

7. ○2

8. ○1

9. ○3

10. ○4

11. ○2

12. ○3

13. ○4

14. There is no agreement among…

The temperature at the upper …

The geographical location of…

托福阅读真题及答案

The Origins of Theater

In seeking to describe the origins of theater, one must rely primarily on speculation, since there is little concrete evidence on which to draw. The most widely accepted theory, championed by anthropologists in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, envisions theater as emerging out of myth and ritual. The process perceived by these anthropologists may be summarized briefly. During the early stages of its development, a society becomes aware of forces that appear to influence or control its food supply and well-being. Having little understanding of natural causes, it attributes both desirable and undesirable occurrences to supernatural or magical forces, and it searches for means to win the favor of these forces. Perceiving an apparent connection between certain actions performed by the group and the result it desires, the group repeats, refines and formalizes those actions into fixed ceremonies, or rituals.

Stories (myths) may then grow up around a ritual. Frequently the myths include representatives of those supernatural forces that the rites celebrate or hope to influence. Performers may wear costumes and masks to represent the mythical characters or supernatural forces in the rituals or in accompanying celebrations. As a person becomes more sophisticated, its conceptions of supernatural forces and causal relationships may change. As a result, it may abandon or modify some rites. But the myths that have grown up around the rites may continue as part of the group’s oral tradition and may even come to be acted out under conditions divorced from these rites. When this occurs, the first step has been taken toward theater as an autonomous activity, and thereafter entertainment and aesthetic values may gradually replace the former mystical and socially efficacious concerns.

Although origin in ritual has long been the most popular, it is by no means the only theory about how the theater came into being. Storytelling has been proposed as one alternative. Under this theory, relating and listening to stories are seen as fundamental human pleasures. Thus, the recalling of an event (a hunt, battle, or other feat) is elaborated through the narrator’s pantomime and impersonation and eventually through each role being assumed by a different person.

A closely related theory sees theater as evolving out of dances that are primarily pantomimic, rhythmical or gymnastic, or from imitations of animal noises and sounds. Admiration for the performer’s skill, virtuosity, and grace are seen as motivation for elaborating the activities into fully realized theatrical performances.

In addition to exploring the possible antecedents of theater, scholars have also theorized about the motives that led people to develop theater. Why did theater develop, and why was it valued after it ceased to fulfill the function of ritual? Most answers fall back on the theories about the human mind and basic human needs. One, set forth by Aristotle in the fourth century B.C., sees humans as naturally imitative—as taking pleasure in imitating persons, things, and actions and in seeing such imitations. Another, advanced in the twentieth century, suggests that humans have a gift for fantasy, through which they seek to reshape reality into more satisfying forms than those encountered in daily life. Thus, fantasy or fiction (of which drama is one form) permits people to objectify their anxieties and fears, confront them, and fulfill their hopes in fiction if not fact. The theater, then, is one tool whereby people define and understand their world or escape from unpleasant realities.

But neither the human imitative instinct nor a penchant for fantasy by itself leads to an autonomous theater. Therefore, additional explanations are needed. One necessary condition seems to be a somewhat detached view of human problems. For example, one sign of this condition is the appearance of the comic vision, since comedy requires sufficient detachment to view some deviations from social norms as ridiculous rather than as serious threats to the welfare of the entire group. Another condition that contributes to the development of autonomous theater is the emergence of the aesthetic sense. For example, some early societies ceased to consider certain rites essential to their well-being and abandoned them, nevertheless, they retained as parts of their oral tradition the myths that had grown up around the rites and admired them for their artistic qualities rather than for their religious usefulness.

Paragraph 1: In seeking to describe the origins of theater, one must rely primarily on speculation, since there is little concrete evidence on which to draw. The most widely accepted theory, championed by anthropologists in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, envisions theater as emerging out of myth and ritual. The process perceived by these anthropologists may be summarized briefly. During the early stages of its development, a society becomes aware of forces that appear to influence or control its food supply and well-being. Having little understanding of natural causes, it attributes both desirable and undesirable occurrences to supernatural or magical forces, and it searches for means to win the favor of these forces. Perceiving an apparent connection between certain actions performed by the group and the result it desires, the group repeats, refines and formalizes those actions into fixed ceremonies, or rituals.

1. The word “championed” in the passage is closest in meaning to

○changed

○debated

○created

○supported

2. The word “attributes” in the passage is closest in meaning to

○ascribes

○leaves

○limits

○contrasts

3. According to paragraph 1, theories of the origins of theater

○are mainly hypothetical

○are well supported by factual evidence

○have rarely been agreed upon by anthropologists

○were expressed in the early stages of theater’s development

4. According to paragraph 1, why did some societies develop and repeat ceremonial actions?

○To establish a positive connection between the members of the society

○To help society members better understand the forces controlling their food supply

○To distinguish their beliefs from those of other societies

○To increase the society’s prosperity

Paragraph 2: Stories (myths) may then grow up around a ritual. Frequently the myths include representatives of those supernatural forces that the rites celebrate or hope to influence. Performers may wear costumes and masks to represent the mythical characters or supernatural forces in the rituals or in accompanying celebrations. As a person becomes more sophisticated, its conceptions of supernatural forces and causal relationships may change. As a result, it may abandon or modify some rites. But the myths that have grown up around the rites may continue as part of the group’s oral tradition and may even come to be acted out under conditions divorced from these rites. When this occurs, the first step has been taken toward theater as an autonomous activity, and thereafter entertainment and aesthetic values may gradually replace the former mystical and socially efficacious concerns.

5. The word “this” in the passage refers to

○the acting out of rites

○the divorce of ritual performers from the rest of society

○the separation of myths from rites

○the celebration of supernatural forces

6. The word “autonomous” in the passage is closest in meaning to

○artistic

○important

○independent

○established

7. According to paragraph 2, what may cause societies to abandon certain rites?

○Emphasizing theater as entertainment

○Developing a new understanding of why events occur

○Finding a more sophisticated way of representing mythical characters

○Moving from a primarily oral tradition to a more written tradition，来源：北京新航道托福培训

Paragraph 5: In addition to exploring the possible antecedents of theater, scholars have also theorized about the motives that led people to develop theater. Why did theater develop, and why was it valued after it ceased to fulfill the function of ritual? Most answers fall back on the theories about the human mind and basic human needs. One, set forth by Aristotle in the fourth century B.C., sees humans as naturally imitative—as taking pleasure in imitating persons, things, and actions and in seeing such imitations. Another, advanced in the twentieth century, suggests that humans have a gift for fantasy, through which they seek to reshape reality into more satisfying forms than those encountered in daily life. Thus, fantasy or fiction (of which drama is one form) permits people to objectify their anxieties and fears, confront them, and fulfill their hopes in fiction if not fact. The theater, then, is one tool whereby people define and understand their world or escape from unpleasant realities.

8. All of following are mentioned in paragraph 5 as possible reasons that led societies to develop theater EXCEPT:

○Theater allows people to face that they are afraid of.

○Theater gives an opportunity to imagine a better reality.

○Theater is a way to enjoy imitating other people.

○Theater provides people the opportunity to better understand the human mind.

9. Which of the following best describes the organization of paragraph 5?

○The author presents two theories for a historical phenomenon.

○The author argues against theories expressed earlier in the passage.

○The author argues for replacing older theories with a new one.

○The author points out problems with two popular theories.

Paragraph 6: But neither the human imitative instinct nor a penchant for fantasy by itself leads to an autonomous theater. Therefore, additional explanations are needed. One necessary condition seems to be a somewhat detached view of human problems. For example, one sign of this condition is the appearance of the comic vision, since comedy requires sufficient detachment to view some deviations from social norms as ridiculous rather than as serious threats to the welfare of the entire group. Another condition that contributes to the development of autonomous theater is the emergence of the aesthetic sense. For example, some early societies ceased to consider certain rites essential to their well-being and abandoned them, nevertheless, they retained as parts of their oral tradition the myths that had grown up around the rites and admired them for their artistic qualities rather than for their religious usefulness.

10. The word “penchant” in the passage is closest in meaning to

○compromise

○inclination

○tradition

○respect

11. Why does the author mention “comedy”?

○To give an example of early types of theater

○To explain how theater helps a society respond to threats to its welfare

○To help explain why detachment is needed for the development of theater

○To show how theatrical performers become detached from other members of society

12. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

○A society’s rites were more likely to be retained in the oral tradition if its myths were admired for artistic qualities.

○The artistic quality of a myth was sometimes an essential reason for a society to abandon it from the oral tradition.

○Some early societies stopped using myths in their religious practices when rites ceased to be seen as

useful for social well-being.

○Myths sometimes survived in a society’s tradition because of their artistic qualities even after they were no longer deemed religiously beneficial.

Paragraph 3: █Although origin in ritual has long been the most popular, it is by no means the only theory about how the theater came into being. █Storytelling has been proposed as one alternative. █Under this theory, relating and listening to stories are seen as fundamental human pleasures. █Thus, the recalling of an event (a hunt, battle, or other feat) is elaborated through the narrator’s pantomime and impersonation and eventually through each role being assumed by a different person.

13. Look at the four squares [█] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.

To enhance their listeners’ enjoyment, storytellers continually make their stories more engaging and memorable.

Where would the sentence best fit?

Anthropologists have developed many theories to help understand why and how theater originated.

Answer choices

○The presence of theater in almost all societies is thought to have occurred because early storytellers traveled to different groups to tell their stories.

○Many theorists believe that theater arises when societies act out myths to preserve social well-being.

○The more sophisticated societies became, the better they could influence desirable occurrences through ritualized theater.

○Some theories of theater development focus on how theater was used by group leaders to group leaders govern other members of society.

○Theater may have come from pleasure humans receive from storytelling and moving rhythmically.

○The human capacities for imitation and fantasy are considered possible reasons why societies develop theater.

参考答案：

1. ○4

2. ○1

3. ○1

4. ○4

5. ○3

6. ○3

7. ○2

8. ○4

9. ○1

10. ○2

11. ○3

12. ○4

13. ○4

14. Many theorists believe that…

Theater may have come from…

The human capacities for imitation…

篇5：托福阅读真题及答案解析

托福阅读真题练习：声音的文本+题目+答案

托福阅读文本：

A number of factors related to the voice reveal the personality of the speaker. The first is the broad area of communication, which includes imparting information by use of language, communicating with a group or an individual, and specialized communication through performance. A person conveys thoughts and ideas through choice of words, by a tone of voice that is pleasant or unpleasant, gentle or harsh, by the rhythm that is inherent within the language itself, and by speech rhythms that are flowing and regular or uneven and hesitant, and finally, by the pitch and melody of the utterance. When speaking before a group, a person's tone may indicate unsureness or fright, confidence or calm. At interpersonal levels, the tone may reflect ideas and feelings over and above the words chosen, or may belie them. Here the conversant's tone can consciously or unconsciously reflect intuitive sympathy or antipathy, lack of concern or interest, fatigue, anxiety, enthusiasm or excitement, all of which are usually discernible by the acute listener. Public performance is a manner of communication that is highly specialized with its own techniques for obtaining effects by voice and /or gesture. The motivation derived from the text, and in the case of singing, the music, in combination with the performer's skills, personality, and ability to create empathy will determine the success of artistic, political, or pedagogic communication.

Second, the voice gives psychological clues to a person's self-image, perception of others, and emotional health. Self-image can be indicated by a tone of voice that is confident, pretentious, shy, aggressive, outgoing, or exuberant, to name only a few personality traits. Also the sound may give a clue to the facade or mask of that person, for example, a shy person hiding behind an overconfident front. How a speaker perceives the listener's receptiveness, interest, or sympathy in any given conversation can drastically alter the tone of presentation, by encouraging or discouraging the speaker. Emotional health is evidenced in the voice by free and melodic sounds of the happy, by constricted and harsh sound of the angry, and by dull and lethargic qualities of the depressed.

托福阅读题目：

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) The function of the voice in performance

(B) The connection between voice and personality

(D) The production of speech

2. What does the author mean by stating that, “At interpersonal levels, tone may reflect ideas and

feelings over and above the words chosen” (lines 9-10)?

(A) Feelings are expressed with different words than ideas are.

(B) The tone of voice can carry information beyond the meaning of words.

(C)A high tone of voice reflects an emotional communication.

(D) Feelings are more difficult to express than ideas.

3. The word “Here” in line 10 refers to

(A) interpersonal interactions

(B) the tone

(D) words chosen

4. The word “derived” in line 15 is closest in meaning to

(A) discussed

(B) prepared

(D) obtained

5. Why does the author mention “artistic, political, or pedagogic communication” in line 17?

(A)As examples of public performance

(B)As examples of basic styles of communication

(D) To introduce the idea of self-image

6.According to the passage , an exuberant tone of voice, may be an indication of a person's

(A) general physical health

(B) personality

(D) vocal quality

7.According to the passage , an overconfident front may hide

(A) hostility

(B) shyness

(D) strength

8. The word “drastically” in line 24 is closest in meaning to

(A) frequently

(B) exactly

(D) easily

9. The word “evidenced” in line 25 is closest in meaning to

(A) questioned

(B) repeated

(D) exaggerated

10.According to the passage , what does a constricted and harsh voice indicate?

(A) lethargy

(B) depression

(D) anger

托福阅读答案：

BBADABBCCD

托福阅读真题练习：水彩画的文本+题目+答案

托福阅读文本：

The year 1850 may be considered the beginning of a new epoch in America art, with respect to the development of watercolor painting. In December of that year, a group of thirty artists gathered in the studio of John Falconer in New York City and drafted both a constitution and bylaws, establishing The Society for the Promotion of Painting in Water Color. In addition to securing an exhibition space in the Library Society building in lower Manhattan, the society founded a small school for the instruction of watercolor painting. Periodic exhibitions of the members' paintings also included works by noted English artists of the day, borrowed from embryonic private collections in the city. The society's activities also included organized sketching excursions along the Hudson River. Its major public exposure came in 1853, when the society presented works by its members in the “Industry of All Nations” section of the Crystal Palace Exposition in New York.

The society did not prosper, however, and by the time of its annual meeting in 1854 membership had fallen to twenty-one. The group gave up its quarters in the Library Society building and returned to Falconer's studio, where it broke up amid dissension. No further attempt to formally organize the growing numbers of watercolor painters in New York City was made for more than a decade. During that decade, though, Henry Warren's Painting in Water Color was published in New York City in 1856 — the book was a considerable improvement over the only other manual of instruction existing at the time, Elements of Graphic Art, by Archibald Roberson,published in 1802 and by the 1850's long out of print.

In 1866 the NationalAcademy of Design was host to an exhibition of watercolor painting in its elaborate neo-Venetian Gothic building on Twenty-Third Street in New York City. The exhibit was sponsored by an independent group called The Artists Fund Society. Within a few months of this event, forty-two prominent artists living in and near New York City founded The American Society of Painters in Water Colors.

托福阅读题目：

1. This passage is mainly about

(A) the most influential watercolor painters in the mid-1800's

(B) efforts to organize watercolor painters in New York City during the mid-1800's

(D) styles of watercolor painting in New York City during the mid-1800's

2. The year 1850 was significant in the history of watercolor painting mainly because

(A) a group of artists established a watercolor painting society

(B) watercolor painting was first introduced to New York City

(D) The first book on watercolor painting was published

3. The word “securing” in line 5 is closest in meaning to

(A) locking

(B) creating

(D) acquiring

4. All of the following can be inferred about the Society for the promotion of Painting in

Watercolor EXCEPT:

(A) The society exhibited paintings in lower Manhattan.

(B) Instruction in watercolor painting was offered by members of the society

(D) Scenes of the Hudson River appeared often in the work of society members.

5. The exhibition at the Crystal Palace of the works of the Society for the Promotion of Painting in

Watercolor was significant for which of the following reasons?

(A) It resulted in a dramatic increase in the popularity of painting with watercolor.

(B) It was the first time an exhibition was funded by a private source.

(D) It resulted in a large increase in the membership of the society.

6. The word “it” in line 15 refers to

(A) time

(B) group

(D) studio

7. Which of the following is true of watercolor painters in New York City in the late 1850's?

(A) They increased in number despite a lack of formal organization.

(B) They were unable to exhibit their paintings because of the lack of exhibition space.

Colors.

(D) They formed a new society because they were not allowed to join groups run by other kinds of

artists.

8. Henry Warren's Painting in Water Color was important to artists because it

(A) received an important reward

(B) was the only textbook published that taught painting

(D) attracted the interest of art collectors

9. The word “considerable” in line 19 is closest in meaning to

(A) sensitive

(B) great

(D) planned

10. The year 1866 was significant for watercolor painting for which of the following reasons?

(A) Elements of GraphicArt was republished.

(B) Private collections of watercolors were first publicly exhibited.

(D) The NationalAcademy of Design held an exhibition of watercolor paintings.

11. The word “prominent” in line 25 is closest in meaning to

(A) wealthy

(B) local

(D) organized

托福阅读答案：

BADCC BACBD C

托福阅读真题练习：霍霍坎的文本+题目+答案

托福阅读文本：

The observation of the skies has played a special part in the lives and cultures of peoples since the earliest of times. Evidence obtained from a site known as the Hole in the Rock, in Papago Park in Phoenix, Arizona, indicates that it might have been used as an observatory by a prehistoric people known as the Hohokam.

The physical attributes of the site allow its use as a natural calendar/clock. The “hole” at Hole in the Rock is formed by two large overhanging rocks coming together at a point, creating a shelter with an opening large enough for several persons to pass through. The northeast-facing overhang has a smaller opening in its roof. It is this smaller hole that produces the attributes that may have been used as a calendar/clock.

Because of its location in the shelter's roof, a beam of sunlight can pass through this second hole and cast a spot onto the shelter's wall and floor. This spot of light travels from west to east as the sun moves across the sky. It also moves from north to south and back again as the Earth travels around the Sun, the west-to-east movement could have been used to establish a daily clock, much like a sundial, while the north-to-south movement could have been used to establish a seasonal calendar.

The spot first appears and starts down the surface of the wall of the shelter at different times of the morning depending on the time of the year. The spot grows in size from its first appearance until its maximum size is achieved roughly at midday. It then continues its downward movement until it reaches a point where it jumps to the floor of the shelter. As the Sun continues to move to the west, the spot continues to move across the shelter floor and down the butte, or hill, toward a group of small boulders. If a person is seated on a certain one of these rocks as the spot reaches it, the Sun can be viewed through the calendar hole. This occurs at different times in the afternoon depending on the time of year.

托福阅读题目：

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) observations of the stars by ancient people

(B) rock formations of Arizona

(D) the movement of the earth around the Sun

2. The word “obtained” in line 2 is closest in meaning to

(A) acquired

(B) transported

(D) removed

3. The word “attributes” in line 5 is closest in meaning to

(A) changes

(B) characteristics

(D) dimensions

4. The word “its” in line 10 refers to

(A) roof

(B) beam

(D) spot

5. The word “establish” in line 15 is closest in meaning to

(A) create

(B) locate

(D) choose

6. Which of the following is NOT true of the spot of light?

(A) It is caused by sunlight passing through a hole.

(B) It travels across the roof of the shelter.

(D) It movement could have been used to estimate the time of day.

7. From which of the following can be the time of year be determined?

(A) The movement of the spot of light from west to east

(B) The speed with which the spot of light moves

(D) The size of the sport of light at midday

8. The word “roughly” in line 18 is closest in meaning to

(A) finally

(B) harshly

(D) approximately

9. The passage mentions that the Hole in the Rock was used as all of the following EXCEPT

(A) a calendar

(B) a home

(D) an observatory

10. Which of the following can be inferred from the fourth paragraph?

(A) The boulders are located below the rock shelter.

(B) The person seated on the rock cannot see the shelter.

(C)After it passes the boulders, the spot of light disappears.

(D) The spot of light is largest when it first appears.

托福阅读答案：

CABCA BCDBA

篇6：往年托福阅读真题及答案

托福(TOEFL)历年真题的重要性不言而喻，这是目前托福考试出题思路的唯一参考资料，因此现今每场托福考试中都会出现大量的旧题，那么能拿到最高效的真题资料就尤为关键了。下面给大家带来托福阅读真题，希望对你们有所帮助。

往年托福阅读真题及答案

In discussing the growth of cities in the United States in the nineteenth century, one cannot really use the term “urban planning,” as it suggests modern concerns for spatial and service organization which, in most instances, did not exist before the planning revolution called the City Beautiful Movement that began in the 1890s.While there certainly were urban areas that were “planned” in the comprehensive contemporary sense of the word before that date, most notably Washington, D.C., these were the exception. Most “planned” in the nineteenth century was limited to areas much smaller than a city and was closely associated with developers trying to make a profit from a piece of land. Even when these small-scale plans were well designed, the developers made only those improvements that were absolutely necessary to attract the wealthy segment of the market. Indeed, it was the absence of true urban planning that allowed other factors to play such an important role in shaping the nineteenth-century American city.

1. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

A.Understanding the growth of cities in nineteenth-century America requires recognizing how the City Beautiful Movement of the 1890s changed “urban planning.”

B.For the most part, there was no “urban planning,” as that term is understood today, before the beginning of the City Beautiful Movement in the 1890s.

C.oncerns for spatial and service organization had little impact on the growth of cities before the 1890s when the City Beautiful Movement began.

D.The growth of cities in nineteenth-century America resulted in the creation of the City Beautiful Movement in the 1890s and the rise of the term “urban planning.”

首先我们先明确题目的要求，其实题目中一共应该是3个核心重点要求：

(1)best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage

(2)Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways

(3)or leave out essential information.

通过对题目的分析我们不难发现，essential这个单词出现了2次，换言之，题目要求大家做的是“找出句子的核心含义”，那么什么算是“核心含义”呢?要明白这个问题就要深刻理解一个概念：英语句内逻辑结构

比如

although A, B 中 AB两部分为让步转折关系，核心点是转折后的B句，because A, B中 AB两部分为因果关系，核心点是结论B句。根据这样的理论我们来对之前的句子进行以下处理：

(1)找到逻辑关系词：

A, as B 因果关系，核心是结论A

(2)找到从句/分句链接词和从句/分句

(分句)In discussingthe growth of cities in the United States in the nineteenth century,one cannot really use the term “urban planning,” as it suggests modern concerns for spatial and service organization which,(从句)in most instances, did not exist before the planning revolution called the City Beautiful Movement that began in the 1890s.

(3)剔除次要成分，从句，分句，仅保留句子主干

one cannot really use the term “urban planning,”

(4)根据句子逻辑按照重要级进行排列

①one cannot really use the term “urban planning,”

②as it suggests modern concerns for spatial and service organization

③which, in most instances, did not exist before the planning revolution called the City Beautiful Movement that began in the 1890s.

④In discussing the growth of cities in the United States in the nineteenth century,

到此为止，我们已经顺利完成了对这句话的拆分，也明白了整句话中那部分是最重要的，那部分是次要的，下一步就应该考虑选项的选择了。

因为题目的要求是：Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

所以正确选项的逻辑应该是：在保证有重点①的情况下，越详细越好，但只要没有重点①，那就一定是错误选项。

到此，其实正确答案已经顺利浮出水面，就是B选项：For the most part, there was no “urban planning,” as that term is understood today, before the beginning of the City Beautiful Movement in the 1890s.

给备考TOEFL的同学们提几点建议

从3月份开始TOEFL考试出现了以下几点特点：

(1)多套题目并行考试

特点：同一场考试会有4-5套题同时在考，这就相当于是10几篇阅读，10几篇听力等

应对措施：坚持面授集训真题课程长线作战，上考场前尽可能熟悉-全盘TOEFL考场原题，上课+自习室刷题，在提高实力的同时，增强考运。

(2)阅读加试频繁

特点：之前甚至很多同学不知“阅读加试”为何物，很简单，当你看到你的阅读倒计时为“79:59”的时候，就是表示你需要完成4篇阅读，其中1篇为加试。

应对措施：从容!淡定!其实你要知道阅读加试总比听力加试爽一些吧?

(3)听力难度加大

特点：从20开始TOEFL就有难度提升的趋势，尤其是在听力方面体现的更加突出，非常喜欢在很细节的小点上出题

应对措施：“以听为主，以记为辅”，需要明白的是听力考试的本质还是在于“听懂”，很多同学花了大把大把的时间去记笔记，但最后发现记的都没考，考的都没记，需要明白的是，在听力考试过程中最重要的依然是“听懂”，笔记很大程度上来说只是一个辅助!而不是听力考试的全部!

(4)旧题频繁

特点：尤其是在听力和阅读部分几乎每场考试都有大量之前考过的旧题出现，目前TOEFL考试中复现概率最高的是20-年题目

应对措施：多做多练，而且请不要再只关注TPO(那是早就被ETS所废弃的题目，坚决不会出现在实际考试中!)

篇7：托福阅读真题

PASSAGE 4

The term Hudson River school was applied to the foremost representatives ofnineteenth-century North American landscape painting. Apparently unknown during the goldendays of the American landscape movement, which began around 1850 and lasted until the late1860's, the Hudson River school seems to have emerged in the 1870's as a direct result of thestruggle between the old and the new generations of artists, each to assert its own style as therepresentative American art. The older painters, most of whom were born before 1835, practicedin a mode often self-taught and monopolized by landscape subject matter and were securelyestablished in and fostered by the reigning American art organization, the National Academy ofDesign. The younger painters returning home from training in Europe worked more with figuralsubject matter and in a bold and impressionistic technique; their prospects for patronage in theirown country were uncertain, and they sought to attract it by attaining academic recognition inNew York. One of the results of the conflict between the two factions was that what in previousyears had been referred to as the American, native, or, occasionally, New York school — the mostrepresentative school of American art in any genre — had by 1890 become firmly established inthe minds of critics and public alike as the Hudson River school.

The sobriquet was first applied around 1879. While it was not intended as flattering, it washardly inappropriate. The Academicians at whom it was aimed had worked and socialized in NewYork, the Hudson's port city, and had painted the river and its shores with varying frequency.Most important, perhaps, was that they had all maintained with a certain fidelity a manner oftechnique and composition consistent with those of America's first popular landscape artist,Thomas Cole, who built a career painting the Catskill Mountain scenery bordering the HudsonRiver. A possible implication in the term applied to the group of landscapists was that many ofthem had, like Cole, lived on or near the banks of the Hudson. Further, the river had long servedas the principal route to other sketching grounds favored by the Academicians, particularly theAdirondacks and the mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) The National Academy of Design

(B) Paintings that featured the Hudson River

(D) The training of American artists in European academies

(A) Figural painting

(B) Landscape painting

(D) Historical painting

3. The word struggle in line 5 is closest in meaning to

(A) connection

(B) distance

(D) competition

4. The word monopolized in line 7 is closest in meaning to

(A) alarmed

(B) dominated

(D) pursued

5. According to the passage , what was the function of the National Academy of Design for the

painters born before 1835?

(A) It mediated conflicts between artists.

(B) It supervised the incorporation of new artistic techniques.

(D) It supported their growth and development.

6. The word it in line 12 refers to

(A) matter

(B) technique

(D) country

7. The word factions in line 13 is closest in meaning to

(A) sides

(B) people

(D) images

8. The word flattering in line 18 is closest in meaning to

(A) expressive

(B) serious

(D) flashy

9. Where did the younger generation of painters receive its artistic training?

(A) In Europe

(B) In the Adirondacks

(D) In New Hampshire

PASSAGE 4 BBDBD CACA

篇8：托福阅读真题

PASSAGE 5

Perhaps the most obvious way artistic creation reflects how people live is by mirroring theenvironment — the materials and technologies available to a culture. Stone, wood, tree bark, clay,and sand are generally available materials. In addition, depending on the locality, other resourcesmay be accessible: shells, horns, gold, copper, and silver. The different uses to which societies putthese materials are of interest to anthropologists who may ask, for example, why people chooseto use clay and not copper when both items are available. Although there are no conclusiveanswers yet, the way in which a society views its environment is sometimes apparent in its choiceand use of artistic materials. The use of certain metals, for example, may be reserved forceremonial objects of special importance. Or the belief in the supernatural powers of a stone ortree may cause a sculptor to be sensitive to that material.

What is particularly meaningful to anthropologist is the realization that although thematerials available to a society may to some extent limit or influence what it can do artistically,the materials by no means determine what is done. Why do the artists in Japanese society rakesand into patterns; and the artists in Roman society melt sand to form glass? Moreover, evenwhen the same material is used in the same way by members of different societies, the form orstyle of the work varies enormously from culture to culture. A society may simply choose torepresent objects or phenomena that are important to its population. An examination of the artof the Middle Ages tells us something about the medieval preoccupation with theologicaldoctrine. In addition to revealing the primary concerns of a society, the content of that society'sart may also reflect the culture's social stratification.

1. According to the passage , gold, copper, and silver are

(A) more difficult to handle than wood and

(B) of their stable social conditions

(D) available only in specific locations

2. The word conclusive in line 7 is closest in meaning to

(A) definitive

(B) controversial

(D) realistic

3. The word apparent in line 8 is closest in meaning to

(A) attractive

(B) logical

(D) distinct

4. Why does the author mention the supernatural powers of a stone or tree in line 10?

(A) to show that some sculptors avoid working with specific materials

(B) to emphasize the unusual properties of certain materials

(D) as an illustration of the impact of the environment on religious beliefs

5. The word it in line 13 refers to

(A) realization

(B) society

(D) influence

6. It can be inferred that the author mentions the Japanese and Roman societies because

(A) they influenced each other stone

(B) commonly used by artists in all societies

(D) they used the same artistic material in very different ways

7. According to the passage , all of the following statements about sand are true EXCEPT

(A) It is used to create glass.

(B) Roman artists mix it into their paints.

(D) Japanese artists use it to create artistic patterns.

8. The word Moreover in line 16 is closest in meaning to

(A) similarly

(B) in addition

(D) frequently

9. The word preoccupation in line 20 is closest in meaning to

(A) involvement

(B) separation

(D) argument

10. The word primary in line 21 is closest in meaning to

(A) discrete

(B) preliminary

(D) fundamental

PASSAGE 5 DACCB DBBAD

篇9：托福阅读真题

PASSAGE 6

Potash (the old name for potassium carbonate) is one of the two alkalis (the other being soda,sodium carbonate) that were used from remote antiquity in the making of glass, and from theearly Middle Ages in the making of soap: the former being the product of heating a mixture ofalkali and sand, the latter a product of alkali and vegetable oil. Their importance in thecommunities of colonial North America need hardly be stressed.

Potash and soda are not interchangeable for all purposes, but for glass- or soap-making eitherwould do. Soda was obtained largely from the ashes of certain Mediterranean sea plants, potashfrom those of inland vegetation. Hence potash was more familiar to the early European settlersof the North American continent.

The settlement at Jamestown in Virginia was in many ways a microcosm of the economy ofcolonial North America, and potash was one of its first concerns. It was required for theglassworks, the first factory in the British colonies, and was produced in sufficient quantity topermit the inclusion of potash in the first cargo shipped out of Jamestown. The second ship toarrive in the settlement from England included among its passengers experts in potash making.

The method of making potash was simple enough. Logs was piled up and burned in the open,and the ashes collected. The ashes were placed in a barrel with holes in the bottom, and waterwas poured over them. The solution draining from the barrel was boiled down in iron kettles. Theresulting mass was further heated to fuse the mass into what was called potash.

In North America, potash making quickly became an adjunct to the clearing of land foragriculture, for it was estimated that as much as half the cost of clearing land could be recoveredby the sale of potash. Some potash was exported from Maine and New Hampshire in theseventeenth century, but the market turned out to be mainly domestic, consisting mostly ofshipments from the northern to the southern colonies. For despite the beginning of the trade atJamestown and such encouragements as a series of acts to encourage the making of potash,beginning in 1707 in South Carolina, the softwoods in the South proved to be poor sources of thesubstance.

1. What aspect of potash does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) How it was made

(B) Its value as a product for export

(D) Its importance in colonial North America

2. All of the following statements are true of both potash and soda EXPECT:

(A) They are alkalis.

(B) They are made from sea plants.

(D) They are used in making glass.

3. They phrase the latter in line 4 refers to

(A) alkali

(B) glass

(D) soap