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TOEFL阅读真题

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“凌静”通过精心收集，向本站投稿了8篇TOEFL阅读真题，下面是小编为大家整理后的TOEFL阅读真题，欢迎阅读与收藏。

TOEFL阅读真题

篇1：TOEFL阅读真题精选

托福阅读真题1

There are only a few clues in the rock record about climate in the Proterozoic eon. Much of our information about climate in the more recent periods of geologic history comes from the fossil record, because we have a reasonably good understanding of the types of environment in which many fossil organisms flourished. The scarce fossils of the Proterozoic, mostly single-celled bacteria, provide little evidence in this regard. However, the rocks themselves do include the earliest evidence for glaciation, probably a global ice age.

The inference that some types of sedimentary rocks are the result of glacial activity is based on the principle of uniformitarianism, which posits that natural processes now at work on and within the Earth operated in the same manner in the distant past. The deposits associated with present-day glaciers have been well studied, and some of their characteristics are quite distinctive. In 2.3-billion-year-old rocks in Canada near Lake Huron (dating from the early part of the Proterozoic age), there are thin laminae of fine-grained sediments that resemble varves, the annual layers of sediment deposited in glacial lakes. Typically, present-day varves show two-layered annual cycle, one layer corresponding to the rapid ice melting and sediment transport of the summer season, and the other, finer-grained, layer corresponding to slower winter deposition. Although it is not easy to discern such details in the Proterozoic examples, they are almost certainly glacial varves. These fine-grained, layered sediments even contain occasional large pebbles or dropstones, a characteristic feature of glacial environments where coarse material is sometimes carried on floating ice and dropped far from its source, into otherwise very fine grained sediment. Glacial sediments of about the same age as those in Canada have been found in other parts of North America and in Africa, India, and Europe. This indicates that the glaciation was global, and that for a period of time in the early Proterozoic the Earth was gripped in an ice age.

Following the early Proterozoic glaciation, however, the climate appears to have been fairly benign for a very long time. There is no evidence for glaciation for the next 1.5 billion years or so. Then, suddenly, the rock record indicates a series of glacial episodes between about 850 and 600 million year ago, near the end of the Proterozoic eon.

1. Which of the following does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) How patterns in rock layers have been used to construct theories about the climate of the

Proterozoic age

(B) What some rare fossils indicate about glacial conditions during the late Proterozoic age

(D) The number of glacial episodes that the Earth has experienced since the Proterozoic age

2. According to the passage , the fossil record of the Proterozoic eon is

(A) highly regarded because it preserves the remains of many kinds of organisms

(B) less informative than the fossil record of more recent periods

(D) more useful to researchers than otheraspects of the rock record

3. The word scarce in line 4 is closest in meaning to

(A) ancient

(B) tiny

(D) rare

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the principle of uniformitarianism indicates

(A) similar conditions produce similar rock formations

(B) rock layers in a given region remain undisturbed over time

(D) each continent has its own distinctive pattern of sediment layers

5. The word resemble in line 14 is closest in meaning to

(A) result from

(B) penetrate

(D) replace have similar origins

6. According to the passage , the layers in varves are primarily formed by

(A) fossilized bacteria

(B) pieces of ancient dropstones

(D) annual cycles of sediment transport and deposition

7. The phrase the other in line 17 refers to another

(A) annual cycle

(B) glacial lake

(D) season

8. According to the passage , the presence of dropstones indicates that

(A) the glacial environment has been unusually servere

(B) the fine-grained sediment has built up very slowly

(D) coarse rock material has been carried great distances

9. Why does the author mention Canada, North America, Africa, India, and Europe in lines 23-24?

(A) To demonstrate the global spread of dropstones

(B) To explain the principles of varve formation

(D) To illustrate the varied climatic changes of the Proterozoic eon in different parts of the globe

10. Which of the following terms is defined in the passage ?

(A) fossil record (line 3)

(B) laminae (line 13)

(D) glacial episodes (line 28)

PASSAGE 92 ABDAC DCCCC

托福阅读真题2

In 1900 the United States had only three cities with more than a million residents — New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. By 1930, it had ten giant metropolises. The newer ones experienced remarkable growth, which reflected basic changes in the economy.

The population of Los Angeles (114,000 in 1900) rose spectacularly in the early decades of the twentieth century, increasing a dramatic 1,400 percent from 1900 to 1930. A number of circumstances contributed to the meteoric rise of Los Angeles. The agricultural potential of the area was enormous if water for irrigation could be found, and the city founders had the vision and dating to obtain it by constructing a 225-mile aqueduct, completed in 1913, to tap the water of the Owens River. The city had a superb natural harbor, as well as excellent rail connections. The climate made it possible to shoot motion pictures year-round; hence Hollywood. Hollywood not only supplied jobs; it disseminated an image of the good life in Southern California on screens all across the nation. The most important single industry powering the growth of Los Angeles, however, was directly linked to the automobile. The demand for petroleum to fuel gasoline engines led to the opening of the Southern California oil fields, and made Los Angeles North America's greatest refining center.

Los Angeles was a product of the auto age in another sense as well: its distinctive spatial organization depended on widespread private ownership of automobiles. Los Angeles was a decentralized metropolis, sprawling across the desert landscape over an area of 400 square miles. It was a city without a real center. The downtown business district did not grow apace with the city as a whole, and the rapid transit system designed to link the center with outlying areas withered away from disuse. Approximately 800,000 cars were registered in Los Angeles County in 1930, one per 2.7 residents. Some visitors from the east coast were dismayed at the endless urban sprawl and dismissed Los Angeles as a mere collection of suburbs in search of a city. But the freedom and mobility of a city built on wheels attracted floods of migrants to the city.

1. What is the passage mainly about?

(A) The growth of cities in the United States in the early 1900's

(B) The development of the Southern California oil fields

(D) Industry and city planning in Los Angeles

2. The author characterizes the growth of new large cities in the United States after 1900 as

resulting primarily from

(A) new economic conditions

(B) images of cities shown in movies

(D) a large migrant population

3. The word meteoric in line 6 is closest in meaning to

(A) rapid

(B) famous

(D) methodical

(A) aqueduct

(B) vision

(D) agricultural potential

5. According to the passage , the most important factor in the development of agriculture around

Los Angeles was the

(A) influx of new residents to agricultural areas near the city

(B) construction of an aqueduct

(D) development of new connections to the city's natural harbor

6. According to the passage , the initial success of Hollywood' s motion picture industry was due

largely to the

(A) availability of many skilled workers

(B) beauty of the countryside

(D) region's climate and good weather

7. It can be inferred from the passage that in 1930 the greatest number of people in the Los

Angeles area were employed in

(A) farming

(B) oil refining

(D) the motion picture industry

8. According to the passage , the Southern California oil fields were initially exploited due to

(A) the fuel requirements of Los Angeles' rail system

(B) an increase in the use of gasoline engines in North America

(D) innovative planning on the part of the city founders

9. The phrase apace with in line 21 is closest in meaning to

(A) anew with

(B) apart from

(D) at the middle of

10. It can be inferred from the passage that the spatial organization of Los Angeles contributed to

the relative decline there of

(A) public transportation

(B) industrial areas

(D) oil fields

11. The visitors from the east coast mentioned in the passage thought that Los Angeles

(A) was not accurately portrayed by Hollywood images

(B) lacked good suburban areas in which to live

(D) was not really a single city

PASSAGE 93 CAACB DCBCA D

托福阅读真题3

Industrialization came to the United State after 1790 as North American entrepreneurs increased productivity by reorganizing work and building factories. These innovations in manufacturing boosted output and living standards to an unprecedented extent; the average per capita wealth increased by nearly 1 percent per year — 30 percent over the course of a generation. Goods that had once been luxury items became part of everyday life.

The impressive gain in output stemmed primarily from the way in which workers made goods, since the 1790's, North American entrepreneurs — even without technological improvements — had broadened the scope of the outwork system that made manufacturing more efficient by distributing materials to a succession of workers who each performed a single step of the production process. For example, during the 1820's and 1830's the shoe industry greatly expanded the scale and extend of the outwork system. Tens of thousands of rural women, paid according to the amount they produced, fabricated the uppers of shoes, which were bound to the soles by wage-earning journeymen shoemakers in dozens of Massachusetts towns, whereas previously journeymen would have made the entire shoe. This system of production made the employer a powerful shoe boss and eroded workers' control over the pace and conditions of labor. However, it also dramatically increased the output of shoes while cutting their price.

For tasks that were not suited to the outwork system, entrepreneurs created an even more important new organization, the modem factory, which used power-driven machines and assembly-line techniques to turn out large quantities of well-made goods. As early as 1782 the prolific Delaware inventor Oliver Evans had built a highly automated, laborsaving flour mill driven by water power. His machinery lifted the grain to the top of the mill, cleaned it as it fell into containers known as hoppers, ground the grain into flour, and then conveyed the flour back to the top of the mill to allow it to cool as it descended into barrels. Subsequently, manufacturers made use of new improved stationary steam engines to power their mills. This new technology enabled them to build factories in the nation's largest cities, taking advantage of urban concentrations of inexpensive labor, good transportation networks, and eager customers.

1. What is the passage mainly about?

(A) The difficulties of industrialization in North America

(B) The influence of changes in manufacturing on the growth of urban centers

(D) Improved ways of organizing the manufacturing of goods

2. The word boosted in line 3 is closest in meaning to

(A) ensured

(B) raised

(D) discouraged

3. The word scope in line 9 is closest in meaning to

(A) value

(B) popularity

(D) diversity

4. The author mentions the shoe industry in the second paragraph to provide an example of how

(A) entrepreneurs increased output by using an extended outwork system

(B) entrepreneurs used technological improvements to increase output

(D) changes in the outwork system improved the quality of shoes

5. All of the following are mentioned as effects of changes in the shoe industry during the 1820's

and 1830's EXCEPT

(A) an increase in the worker's dependence on entrepreneurs

(B) an increase in the wages paid to journeymen shoemakers

(D) a decrease in the price of shoes

6. All of the following are true of the outwork system EXCEPT

(A) It involved stages of production.

(B) It was more efficient than the systems used before 1790.

(D) It did not necessarily involve any technological improvements.

7. The word prolific in line 23 is closest in meaning to

(A) efficient

(B) productive

(D) progressive

8. According to the passage , how did later mills differ from the mills differ from the mill built by

Oliver Evans?

(A) They were located away from large cities.

(B) They used new technology to produce power.

(D) They combined technology with the outwork system.

9. The word it in line 25 refers to

(A) water power

(B) machinery

(D) mill

10. The passage mentions which of the following as a result of improvements in factory

machinery?

(A) It become easier for factory' owners to find workers and customers.

(B) Manufacturers had to employ more highly skilled workers.

(D) Factories could operate more than one engine at a time.

11. The word eager in line 30 is closest in meaning to

(A) wealthy

(B) knowledgeable

(D) enthusiastic

PASSAGE 94 DBCAB CBBCA D

篇2：TOEFL阅读真题

托福阅读真题1

PASSAGE 46

Pennsylvania's colonial ironmasters forged iron and a revolution that had both industrial and political implications. The colonists in North America wanted the right to the profits gained from their manufacturing. However, England wanted all of the colonies' rich ores and raw materials to feed its own factories, and also wanted the colonies to be a market for its finished goods. England passed legislation in 1750 to prohibit colonists from making finished iron products, but by 1771, when entrepreneur Mark Bird established the Hopewell blast furnace in Pennsylvania, iron making had become the backbone of American industry. It also had become one of the major issues that fomented the revolutionary break between England and the British colonies. By the time the War of Independence broke out in 1776, Bird, angered and determined, was manufacturing cannons and shot at Hopewell to be used by the Continental Army.

After the war, Hopewell, along with hundreds of other iron plantations, continued to form the new nation's industrial foundation well into the nineteenth century. The rural landscape became dotted with tall stone pyramids that breathed flames and smoke, charcoal-fueled iron furnaces that produced the versatile metal so crucial to the nation's growth. Generations of ironmasters, craftspeople, and workers produced goods during war and peace-ranging from cannons and shot to domestic items such as cast-iron stoves, pots, and sash weights for windows.

The region around Hopewell had everything needed for iron production: a wealth of iron ore near the surface, limestone for removing impurities from the iron, hardwood forests to supply the charcoal used for fuel, rushing water to power the bellows that pumped blasts of air into the furnace fires, and workers to supply the labor. By the 1830's, Hopewell had developed a reputation for producing high quality cast-iron stoves, for which there was a steady market. As Pennsylvania added more links to its transportation system of roads, canals, and railroads, it became easier to ship parts made by Hopewell workers to sites all over the east coast. There they were assembled into stoves and sold from Rhode Island to Maryland as the Hopewell stove. By the time the last fires burned out at Hopewell ironworks in 1883, the community had produced some 80,000 cast-iron stoves.

1. The word implications in line 2 is closest in meaning to

(A) significance

(B) motives

(D) progress

2. It can be inferred that the purpose of the legislation passed by England in 1750 was to

(A) reduce the price of English-made iron goods sold in the colonies

(B) prevent the outbreak of the War of Independence

(D) keep the colonies from establishing new markets for their raw materials.

3. The author compares iron furnaces to which of the following?

(A) cannons

(B) pyramids

(D) windows

4. The word rushing in line 21 is closest in meaning to

(A) reliable

(B) fresh

(D) rapid

5. Pennsylvania was an ideal location for the Hopewell ironworks for all of the following reasons

EXCEPT

(A) Many workers were available in the area.

(B) The center of operations of the army was nearby.

(D) There was an abundance of wood.

6. The passage mentions roads, canals, and railroads in line 25 in order to explain that

(A) improvements in transportation benefited the Hopewell ironworks

(B) iron was used in the construction of various types of transportation

(D) Hopewell never became a major transportation center

7. The word they in line 26 refers to

(A) links

(B) parts

(D) sites

8. The word some in line 28 is closest in meaning to

(A) only

(B) a maximum of

(D) a variety of

PASSAGE 46 ACBDB ABC

托福阅读真题2

PASSAGE 47

As the twentieth century began, the importance of formal education in the United States increased. The frontier had mostly disappeared and by 1910 most Americans lived in towns and cities. Industrialization and the bureaucratization of economic life combined with a new emphasis upon credentials and expertise to make schooling increasingly important for economic and social mobility. Increasingly, too, schools were viewed as the most important means of integrating immigrants into American society.

The arrival of a great wave of southern and eastern European immigrants at the turn of the century coincided with and contributed to an enormous expansion of formal schooling. By 1920 schooling to age fourteen or beyond was compulsory in most states, and the school year was greatly lengthened. Kindergartens, vacation schools, extracurricular activities, and vocational education and counseling extended the influence of public schools over the lives of students, many of whom in the larger industrial cities were the children of immigrants. Classes for adult immigrants were sponsored by public schools, corporations, unions, churches, settlement houses, and other agencies.

Reformers early in the twentieth century suggested that education programs should suit the needs of specific populations. Immigrant women were one such population. Schools tried to educate young women so they could occupy productive places in the urban industrial economy, and one place many educators considered appropriate for women was the home.

Although looking after the house and family was familiar to immigrant women, American education gave homemaking a new definition. In preindustrial economies, homemaking had meant the production as well as the consumption of goods, and it commonly included income-producing activities both inside and outside the home, in the highly industrialized early-twentieth-century United States, however, overproduction rather than scarcity was becoming a problem. Thus, the ideal American homemaker was viewed as a consumer rather than a producer. Schools trained women to be consumer homemakers cooking, shopping, decorating, and caring for children efficiently in their own homes, or if economic necessity demanded, as employees in the homes of others. Subsequent reforms have made these notions seem quite out-of-date.

1. It can be inferred from paragraph 1 that one important factor in the increasing importance of education in the United States was

(A) the growing number of schools in frontier communities

(B) an increase in the number of trained teachers

(D) the increased urbanization of the entire country

2. The word means in line 6 is closest in meaning to

(A) advantages

(B) probability

(D) qualifications

3. The phrase coincided with in line 8 is closest in meaning to

(A) was influenced by

(B) happened at the same time as

(D) ensured the success of

4. According to the passage , one important change in United States education by the 1920's was

that

(A) most places required children to attend school

(B) the amount of time spent on formal education was limited

(D) adults and children studied in the same classes

5. Vacation schools and extracurricular activities are mentioned in lines 10-11 to illustrate

(A) alternatives to formal education provided by public schools

(B) the importance of educational changes

(D) the increased impact of public schools on students.

6. According to the passage , early-twentieth century education reformers believed that

(A) different groups needed different kinds of education

(B) special programs should be set up in frontier communities to modernize them

(D) more women should be involved in education and industry

7. The word it in line 22 refers to

(A) consumption

(B) production

(D) education

PASSAGE 47 DCBAD AC

托福阅读真题3

PASSAGE 48

According to sociologists, there are several different ways in which a person may become recognized as the leader of a social group in the United States. In the family, traditional cultural patterns confer leadership on one or both of the parents. In other cases, such as friendship groups, one or more persons may gradually emerge as leaders, although there is no formal process of selection. In larger groups, leaders are usually chosen formally through election or recruitment.

Although leaders are often thought to be people with unusual personal ability, decades of research have failed to produce consistent evidence that there is any category of natural leaders. It seems that there is no set of personal qualities that all leaders have in common; rather, virtually any person may be recognized as a leader if the person has qualities that meet the needs of that particular group.

Furthermore, although it is commonly supposed that social groups have a single leader, research suggests that there are typically two different leadership roles that are held by different individuals. Instrumental leadership is leadership that emphasizes the completion of tasks by a social group. Group members look to instrumental leaders to get things done. Expressive leadership, on the other hand, is leadership that emphasizes the collective well-being of a social group's members. Expressive leaders are less concerned with the overall goals of the group than with providing emotional support to group members and attempting to minimize tension and conflict among them. Group members expect expressive leaders to maintain stable relationships within the group and provide support to individual members. Instrumental leaders are likely to have a rather secondary relationship to other group members. They give orders and may discipline group members who inhibit attainment of the group's goals. Expressive leaders cultivate a more personal or primary relationship to others in the group. They offer sympathy when someone experiences difficulties or is subjected to discipline, are quick to lighten a serious moment with humor, and try to resolve issues that threaten to divide the group. As the differences in these two roles suggest, expressive leaders generally receive more personal affection from group members; instrumental leaders, if they are successful in promoting group goals, may enjoy a more distant respect.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) The problems faced by leaders

(B) How leadership differs in small and large groups

(D) The role of leaders in social groups

2. The passage mentions all of the following ways by which people can become leaders EXCEPT

(A) recruitment

(B) formal election process

(D) traditional cultural patterns

3. In mentioning natural leaders in line 9, the author is making the point that

(A) few people qualify as natural leaders

(B) there is no proof that natural leaders exist

(D) natural leaders share a similar set of characteristics

4. Which of the following statements about leadership can be inferred from paragraph 2?

(A) A person who is an effective leader of a particular group may not be an effective leader in

another group.

(B) Few people succeed in sharing a leadership role with another person.

(D) Most people desire to be leaders but can produce little evidence of their qualifications.

5. The passage indicates that instrumental leaders generally focus on

(A) ensuring harmonious relationships

(B) sharing responsibility with group members

(D) achieving a goal

6. The word collective in line 17 is closest in meaning to

(A) necessary

(B) typical

(D) particular

7. The word them in line 19 refers to

(A) expressive leaders

(B) goals of the group

(D) tension and conflict

8. A secondary relationship mentioned in line 22 between a leader and the members of a group

could best be characterized as

(A) distant

(B) enthusiastic

(D) personal

9. The word resolve in line 27 is closest in meaning to

(A) avoid repeating

(B) talk about

(D) find a solution for

10. Paragraphs 3 and 4 organize the discussion of leadership primarily in term of

(A) examples that illustrate a problem

(B) cause and effect analysis

(D) comparison and contrast

PASSAGE 48 DCBAD CCADD

篇3：TOEFL阅读真题

托福阅读真题1

PASSAGE 40

According to anthropologists, people in preindustrial societies spent 3 to 4 hours per day or about 20 hours per week doing the work necessary for life. Modern comparisons of the amount of work performed per week, however, begin with the Industrial Revolution (1760-1840) when 10- to 12-hour workdays with six workdays per week were the norm. Even with extensive time devoted to work, however, both incomes and standards of living were low. As incomes rose near the end of the Industrial Revolution, it became increasingly common to treat Saturday afternoons as a half-day holiday. The half holiday had become standard practice in Britain by the 1870's, but did not become common in the United States until the 1920's.

In the United States, the first third of the twentieth century saw the workweek move from 60 hours per week to just under 50 hours by the start of the 1930's. In 1914 Henry Ford reduced daily work hours at his automobile plants from 9 to 8. In 1926 he announced that henceforth his factories would close for the entire day on Saturday. At the time, Ford received criticism from other firms such as United States Steel and Westinghouse, but the idea was popular with workers.

The Depression years of the 1930's brought with them the notion of job sharing to spread available work around; the workweek dropped to a modem low for the United States of 35 hours. In 1938 the Fair Labor Standards Act mandated a weekly maximum of 40 hours to begin in 1940, and since that time the 8-hour day, 5-day workweek has been the standard in the United States. Adjustments in various places, however, show that this standard is not immutable. In 1987, for example, German metalworkers struck for and received a 37.5-hour workweek; and in 1990 many workers in Britain won a 37-hour week. Since 1989, the Japanese government has moved from a 6- to a 5-day workweek and has set a national target of 1,800 work hours per year for the average worker. The average amount of work per year in Japan in 1989 was 2,088 hours per worker, compared to 1,957 for the United States and 1,646 for France.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) Why people in preindustrial societies worked few hours per week

(B) Changes that have occurred in the number of hours that people work per week

(D) Working conditions during the Industrial Revolution

2. Compared to preiudustrial times, the number of hours in the workweek in the nineteenth century

(A) remained constant

(B) decreased slightly

(D) increased significantly

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

(A) minimum.

(B) example

(D) standard

4. The word henceforth in line 13 is closest in meaning to

(A) in the end

(B) for a brief period

(D) on occasion

5. The idea mentioned in line 15 refers to

(A) the 60-hour workweek

(B) the reduction in the cost of automobiles

(D) the criticism of Ford by United States Steel and Westinghouse

6. What is one reason for the change in the length of the workweek for the average worker in the

United States during the 1930's?

(A) Several people sometimes shared a single job.

(B) Labor strikes in several countries influenced labor policy in the United States.

(D) The United States government instituted a 35-hour workweek.

7. Which of the following is mentioned as one of the purposes of the Fair Labor Standards Act of

1938 ?

(A) to discourage workers from asking for increased wages

(B) to establish a limit on the number of hours in the workweek

(D) to restrict trade with countries that had a long workweek

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

(A) required

(B) recommended

(D) considered

9. The word immutable in line 21 is closest in meaning to

(A) unmatched

(B) irregular

(D) unchangeable

10. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as evidence that the length of the workweek has

been declining since the nineteenth century?

(A) The half-day holiday (line 7)

(B) Henry Ford (lines 11-12)

(D) German metalworkers (line 21)

11. According to the passage , one goal of the Japanese government is to reduce the average

annual amount of work to

(A) 1,646 hours

(B) 1,800 hours

(D) 2,088 hours

PASSAGE 40 BDDCC ABADCB

托福阅读真题2

PASSAGE 41

Biological diversity has become widely recognized as a critical conservation issue only in the past two decades. The rapid destruction of the tropical rain forests, which are the ecosystems with the highest known species diversity on Earth, has awakened people to the importance and fragility of biological diversity. The high rate of species extinctions in these environments is jolting, but it is important to recognize the significance of biological diversity in all ecosystems. As the human population continues to expand, it will negatively affect one after another of Earth's ecosystems. In terrestrial ecosystems and in fringe marine ecosystems (such as wetlands), the most common problem is habitat destruction. In most situations, the result is irreversible. Now humans are beginning to destroy marine ecosystems through other types of activities, such as disposal and run off of poisonous waste; in less than two centuries, by significantly reducing the variety of species on Earth, they have unraveled cons of evolution and irrevocably redirected its course.

Certainly, there have been periods in Earth's history when mass extinctions have occurred. The extinction of the dinosaurs was caused by some physical event, either climatic or cosmic. There have also been less dramatic extinctions, as when natural competition between species reached an extreme conclusion. Only .01 percent of the species that have lived on Earth have survived to the present, and it was largely chance that determined which species survived and which died out.

However, nothing has ever equaled the magnitude and speed with which the human species is altering the physical and chemical world and demolishing the environment. In fact, there is wide agreement that it is the rate of change humans are inflicting, even more than the changes themselves, that will lead to biological devastation. Life on Earth has continually been in flux as slow physical and chemical changes have occurred on Earth, but life needs time to adapt — time for migration and genetic adaptation within existing species and time for the proliferation of new genetic material and new species that may be able to survive in new environments.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) The causes of the extinction of the dinosaur

(B) The variety of species found in tropical rain forests.

(D) The time required for species to adapt to new environments

2. The word critical in line 1 is closest in meaning to

(A) negative

(B) essential

(D) complicated

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

(A) predicted

(B) shocking

(D) illuminating

4. The author mentions the reduction of the variety of species on Earth in line 12 to suggest that

(A) new habitats can be created for species

(B) humans are often made ill by polluted water

(D) an understanding of evolution can prevent certain species from disappearing

5. The author mentions all of the following as examples of the effect of humans oil the world's

ecosystems EXCEPT

(A) destruction of the tropical rain forests

(B) habitat destruction in wetlands

(D) the introduction of new varieties of plant species

6. The author mentions the extinction of the dinosaurs in the second paragraph to emphasize

that

(A) the cause of the dinosaurs extinction is unknown

(B) Earth's climate has changed significantly since the dinosaurs' extinction,

(D) actions by humans could not stop the irreversible process of a species' extinction

7. The word magnitude in line 20 is closest in meaning to

(A) concern

(B) determination

(D) extent

8. According to the passage , natural evolutionary change is different from changes caused by

humans in that changes caused by humans

(A) are occurring at a much faster rate

(B) are less devastating to most species

(D) are reversible

9. With which of the following statements would the author be most likely to agree?

(A) Human influence on ecosystems should not be a factor in determining public policy.

(B) The extinction of a few species is an acceptable consequence of human progress.

(D) Humans should be more conscious of the influence they have on ecosystems

PASSAGE 41 CBBCD CDAD

托福阅读真题3

PASSAGE 42

Railroads reshaped the North American environment and reoriented North American behavior. In a quarter of a century, claimed the Omaha Daily Republican in 1883, they have made the people of the United States homogeneous, breaking through the peculiarities and provincialisms which marked separate and unmingling sections.

The railroad simultaneously stripped the landscape of the natural resources, made velocity of transport and economy of scale necessary parts of industrial production, and carried consumer goods to households; it dispatched immigrants to unsettled places, drew emigrants away from farms and villages to cities, and sent men and guns to battle. It standardized time and travel, seeking to annihilate distance and space by allowing movement at any time and in any season or type of weather. In its grand and impressive terminals and stations, architects recreated historic Roman temples and public baths, French chateaus and Italian bell towers — edifices that people used as stages for many of everyday life's high emotions: meeting and parting, waiting and worrying, planning new starts or coming home.

Passenger terminals, like the luxury express trains that hurled people over spots, spotlight the romance of railroading. (The twentieth-Century Limited sped between Chicago and New York in twenty hours by 1915). Equally important to everyday life were the slow freight trans chugging through industrial zones, the morning and evening commuter locals shuttling back ions and urban terminals, and the incessant comings and goings that occurred in the classifications, or switching, yards. Moreover, in addition to its being a transportation pathway equipped with a mammoth physical plant of tracks signals, crossings, bridges, and junctions, plus telegraph and telephone lines the railroad nurtured factory complexes, coat piles, warehouses, and generating stations, forming along its right-of-way what has aptly been called the metropolitan corridor of the American landscape.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) The influence of ancient architecture on the design of railroad terminals

(B) The importance of natural resources in the development of railroads

(D) Technological improvements in the area of communication in the nineteenth century

2. It can be inferred from the quote from the Omaha Daily Republican (line 2-4) that railroads

(A) made all sections of the nation much wealthier

(B) brought more unity to what had been a fragmented nation

(D) had no effect on the environment of the United States

3. The word it in line 7 refers to

(A) transport

(B) scale

(D) railroad

4. The word drew in line 8 is closest

(A) obliged

(B) designed

(D) attracted

5. The word annihilate in line 9 is closest in meaning to

(A) conquer

(B) utilize

(D) mechanize

6. The word Moreover in line 20 is closest in meaning to

(A) consequently

(B) furthermore

(D) because

7. All of the following were true of impressive passenger terminals EXCEPT:

(A) Their architecture was influenced by the architecture of Europe.

(B) Luxury express trains traveled between them.

(D) They were important to many commuters.

8. According to the passage , which type of development lined the area along the metropolitan

corridor?

(A) Stores and shopping areas

(B) Recreational areas

(D) Agricultural

9. The word aptly in line 24 is closest in meaning to

(A) appropriately

(B) virtually

(D) incessantly

10. The author mentions the Twentieth-Century Limited as an example of

(A) a freight train

(B) a commuter train

(D) an underground train

11. The author gives a synonym for which of the following words?

(A) homogeneous (line 3)

(B) standardized (line 9)

(D) classification(line 20)

PASSAGE 42 CBDDA BCCAC D

篇4：TOEFL阅读理解真题精选

托福阅读真题1

Pheromones are substances that serve as chemical signals between members of the same species. They are secreted to the outside of the body and cause other individuals of the species to have specific reactions. Pheromones, which are sometimes called social hormones, affect a group of individuals somewhat like hormones do an individual animal. Pheromones are the predominant medium of communication among insects (but rarely the sole method). Some species have simple pheromone systems and produce only a few pheromones, but others produce many with various functions. Pheromone systems are the most complex in some of the so-called social insects, insects that live in organized groups.

Chemical communication differs from that by sight or sound in several ways. Transmission is relatively slow (the chemical signals are usually airborne), but the signal can be persistent, depending upon the volatility of the chemical, and is sometimes effective over a very long range. Localization of the signal is generally poorer than localization of a sound or visual stimulus and is usually effected by the animal's moving upwind in response to the stimulus. The ability to modulate a chemical signal is limited, compared with communication by visual or acoustic means, but some pheromones may convey different meanings and consequently result in different behavioral or physiological responses, depending on their concentration or when presented in combination. The modulation of chemical signals occurs via the elaboration of the number of exocrine glands that produce pheromones. Some species, such as ants, seem to be very articulate creatures, but their medium of communication is difficult for humans to study and appreciate because of our own olfactory, insensitivity and the technological difficulties in detecting and analyzing these pheromones. Pheromones play numerous roles in the activities of insects. They may act as alarm substances, play a role in individual and group recognition, serve as attractants between sexes, mediate the formation of aggregations, identify foraging trails, and be involved in caste determination. For example, pheromones involved in caste determination include the queen substance produced by queen honey bees. Aphids, which are particularly vulnerable to predators because of their gregarious habits and sedentary nature, secrete an alarm pheromone when attacked that causes nearby aphids to respond by moving away.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) How insects use pheromones to communicate

(B) How pheromones are produced by insects

(D) The different uses of pheromones among various insect species

2. The word serve in line 1 is closest in meaning to

(A) improve

(B) function

(D) rely

3. The purpose of the second mention of hormones in line 4 is to point out

(A) chemical signals that are common among insects

(B) specific responses of various species to chemical signals

(D) how insects produce different chemical substances

4. The word sole in line 6 is closest in meaning to

(A) obvious

(B) best

(D) final

5. The passage suggests that the speed at which communication through pheromones occurs is

dependent on how quickly they

(A) lose their effectiveness

(B) evaporate in the air

(D) are produced by the body

6. According to the passage , the meaning of a message communicated through a pheromone

may vary when the

(A) chemical structure of the pheromone is changed

(B) pheromone is excreted while other pheromones are also being excreted

(D) pheromone is released near certain specific organisms

7. The word detecting in line 23 is closest in meaning to

(A) controlling

(B) storing

(D) finding

8. According to paragraph 2, which of the following has made the study of pheromones difficult?

(A) Pheromones cannot be easily reproduced in chemical laboratories.

(B) Existing technology cannot fully explore the properties of pheromones.

(D) Pheromone signals are constantly changing.

9. The word They in line 24 refers to

(A) pheromones

(B) roles

(D) insects

10. The word sedentary in line 29 is closest in meaning to

(A) inactive

(B) inefficient

(D) unbalanced

11. Pheromone systems are relatively complex in insects that

(A) also communicate using sight and sound

(B) live underground

(D) live in organized groups

PASSAGE 95 ABCCB ADBAAD

托福阅读真题2

The Homestead Act of 1862 gave heads of families or individuals aged twenty-one or older the right to own 160 acres of public land in the western United States after five years of residence and improvement. This law was intended to provide land for small farmers and to prevent land from being bought for resale at a profit or being owned by large landholders. An early amendment to the act even prevented husbands and wives from filing separate claims. The West, land reformers had assumed, would soon contain many 160-acre family farms.

They were doomed to disappointment. Most landless Americans were too poor to become farmers even when they could obtain land without cost. The expense of moving a family to the ever-receding frontier exceeded the means of many, and the cost of tools, draft animals, a wagon, a well, fencing, and of building the simplest house, might come to $1,000 — a formidable barrier. As for the industrial workers for whom the free land was supposed to provide a safety valve, they had neither the skills nor the inclination to become farmers. Homesteaders usually came from districts not far removed from frontier conditions. And despite the intent of the law, speculators often managed to obtain large tracts. They hired people to stake out claims, falsely swear that they had fulfilled the conditions laid down in the law for obtaining legal title, and then deed the land over to their employers.

Furthermore, 160 acres were not enough for raising livestock or for the kind of commercial agriculture that was developing west of the Mississippi. The national government made a feeble attempt to make larger holdings available to homesteaders by passing the Timber Culture Act of 1873, which permitted individuals to claim an additional 160 acres if they would agree to plant a quarter of it in trees within ten years. This law proved helpful to some farmers in the largely treeless states of Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas. Nevertheless, fewer than 25 percent of the 245,000 who took up land under the Act obtained final title to the property.

1. Which aspect of the Homestead Act of 1862 does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) How it transformed the western United States into a place of small farms

(B) Why it was an improvement over previous attempts at land reform

(D) How it failed in the largely treeless states of Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas

2. An amendment added to the Homestead Act of 1862 specified that

(A) five years of residence was required for landownership

(B) husbands and wives could not file separate claims

(D) land could not be resold for a profit

3. The word formidable in line 12 is closest in meaning to

(A) obvious

(B) predictable

(D) manageable

4. It can be inferred that the safety valve in line 13 refers to

(A) a new kind of machinery

(B) an alternative for urban workers

(D) a procedure designed to protect workers

5. The word intent in line 15 is closest in meaning to

(A) purpose

(B) power

(D) invention

6. According to the passage , why did the government pass the Timber Culture Act of 1873?

(A) to make larger tracts of land available to small farmers

(B) to settle Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas

(D) to increase the variety of trees growing in the western states

7. The word they in line 23 refers to

(A) larger holdings

(B) individuals

(D) trees

8. According to the passage , how many of the farmers who settled land under the Timber

Culture Act of 1873 received final title to the property?

(A) fewer than 25%

(B) more than 160

(D) 245,000

9. The passage mentions all of the following as reasons the Homestead Act of 1862 did not

achieve its aims EXCEPT:

(A) Most landless Americans could not afford the necessary tools and provisions.

(B) Industrial workers lacked the necessary farming skills.

(D) Homesteaders usually came from areas relatively close to the frontier.

10. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about the Timber Culture Act of

1873?

(A) It especially helped farmers with large holdings of land.

(B) It was most important to farmers living in states that had plenty of trees.

(D) The majority of farmers did not need the extra 160 acres it provided.

PASSAGE 96 CBCDA ABACC

托福阅读真题3

The Moon, which has undergone a distinct and complex geological history, presents a striking appearance. The moon may be divided into two major terrains: the Maria (dark lowlands) and the Terrace (bright highlands). The contrast in the reflectivity (the capability of reflecting light) of these two terrains suggested to many early observers that the two terrains might have different compositions, and this supposition was confirmed by missions to the Moon such as Surveyor and Apollo. One of the most obvious differences between the terrains is the smoothness of the Maria in contrast to the roughness of the highlands. This roughness is mostly caused by the abundance of craters: the highlands are completely covered by large craters (greater than 40-50 km in diameter), while the craters of the Maria tend to be much smaller. It is now known that the vast majority of the Moon's craters were formed by the impact of solid bodies with the lunar surface.

Most of the near side of the Moon was thoroughly mapped and studied from telescopic pictures years before the age of space exploration. Earth-based telescopes can resolve objects as small as a few hundred meters on the lunar surface. Close observation of craters, combined with the way the Moon diffusely reflects sunlight, led to the understanding that the Moon is covered by a surface layer, or regolith, that overlies the solid rock of the Moon. Telescopic images permitted the cataloging of a bewildering array of land forms. Craters were studied for clues to their origin; the large wispy marks were seen. Strange, sinuous features were observed in the Maria. Although various land forms were catalogued, the majority of astronomers' attention was fixed on craters and their origins.

Astronomers have known for a fairly long time that the shape of craters changes as they increase in size. Small craters with diameters of less than 10-15 km have relatively simple shapes. They have rim crests that are elevated above the surrounding terrain, smooth, bowl-shaped interiors, and depths that are about one-sixth their diameters. The complexity of shape increases for larger craters.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) What astronomers learned from the Surveyor and Apollo space missions.

(B) Characteristics of the major terrains of the Moon.

(D) Techniques used to catalogue the Moon's land forms.

2. The word undergone in line 1 is closest in meaning to

(A) altered

(B) substituted

(D) preserved

3. According to the passage , the Maria differ from the Terrace mainly in terms of

(A) age

(B) manner of creation

(D) composition

4. The passage supports which of the following statements about the Surveyor and Apollo missions

(A) They confirmed earlier theories about the Moon's surface.

(B) They revealed that previous ideas about the Moon's craters were incorrect.

(D) They were unable to identify how the Moon's craters were made.

5. The word vast in line 11 is closest in meaning to

(A) special

(B) known

(D) great

6. All of the following are true of the Maria EXCEPT:

(A) They have small craters.

(B) They have been analyzed by astronomers.

(D) They tend to be darker than the terrace.

7. All of the following terms are defined in the passage EXCEPT

(A) Moon (line 1)

(B) reflectivity (line 3)

(D) Maria (line 2)

8. The author mentions wispy marks in line 19 as an example of

(A) an aspect of the lunar surface discovered through lunar missions

(B) a characteristic of large craters

(D) features that astronomers observed to be common to the Earth and the Moon

9. According to the passage , lunar researchers have focused mostly on

(A) the possibility of finding water on the Moon

(B) the lunar regolith

(D) craters and their origins

10. The passage probably continues with a discussion of

(A) the reasons craters are difficult to study

(B) the different shapes small craters can have

(D) some difference in the ways small and large craters were formed

PASSAGE 97 BCDAD CACDC

篇5：TOEFL阅读理解真题

托福阅读真题1

In eighteenth-century colonial America, flowers and fruit were typically the province of the botanical artist interested in scientific illustration rather than being the subjects of fine art. Early in the nineteenth century, however, the Peale family of Philadelphia established the still life, a picture consisting mainly of inanimate objects, as a valuable part of the artist's repertoire. The fruit paintings by James and Sarah Miriam Peale are simple arrangements of a few objects, handsomely colored, small in size, and representing little more than what they are. In contrast were the highly symbolic, complex compositions by Charles Bird King, with their biting satire and critical social commentary. Each of these strains comminuted into and well past mid-century.

John F. Francis (1808-86) was a part of the Pennsylvania still-life tradition that arose, at least in part, from the work of the Peales. Most of his still lifes date from around 1850 to 1875. Luncheon Still Life looks like one of the Peales' pieces on a larger scale, with greater complexity resulting from the number of objects. It is also indebted to the luncheon type of still life found in seventeenth-century Dutch painting. The opened bottles of wine and the glasses of wine partially consumed suggest a number of unseen guests. The appeal of the fruit and nuts to our sense of taste is heightened by the juicy orange, which has already been sliced. The arrangement is additive, that is, made up of many different parts, not always compositionally integrated, with all objects of essentially equal importance.

About 1848, Severin Roesen came to the United States from Germany and settled in New York City, where he began to paint large, lush still lifes of flowers, fruit, or both, often measuring over four feet across. Still Life with fruit and champagne is typical in its brilliance of color, meticulous rendering of detail, compact composition, and unabashed abundance. Rich in symbolic overtones, the beautifully painted objects carry additional meanings — butterflies or fallen buds suggest the impermanence of life, a bird's nest with eggs means fertility, and so on. Above all, Roesen's art expresses the abundance that America symbolized to many of its citizens.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) The artwork of James and Sarah Miriam Peale

(B) How Philadelphia became a center for art in the nineteenth century

(D) How botanical art inspired the first still-life paintings

2. Which of the following is mentioned as a characteristic of the still lifes of James and Sarah

Miriam Peale?

(A) simplicity

(B) symbolism

(D) social commentary

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

(A) simple

(B) sorrowful

(D) sharp

4. The word It in line 13 refers to

(A) Luncheon Still Life

(B) one of the Peales' pieces

(D) the number of objects

5. The word heightened in line 16 is closest in meaning to

(A) complicated

(B) directed

(D) increased

6. The word meticulous in line 23 is closest in meaning to

(A) careful

(B) significant

(D) believable

7. Which of the following terms is defined in the passage ?

(A) repertoire (line 5)

(B) satire (line 8)

(D) rendering (line 23)

8. All of the following are mentioned as characteristics of Roesen's still lifes EXCEPT that they

(A) are symbolic

(B) use simplified representations of flowers and fruit

(D) are large in size

9. Which of the following is mentioned as the dominant theme in Roesen's painting?

(A) Fertility

(B) Freedom

(D) Abundance

PASSAGE 89 CADAD ACBD

托福阅读真题2

Perhaps one of the most dramatic and important changes that took place in the Mesozoic era occurred late in that era, among the small organisms that populate the uppermost, sunlit portion of the oceans — the plankton. The term plankton is a broad one, designating all of the small plants and animals that float about or weakly propel themselves through the sea. In the late stages of the Mesozoic era, during the Cretaceous period, there was a great expansion of plankton that precipitated skeletons or shells composed of two types of mineral: silica and calcium carbonate.

This development radically changed the types of sediments that accumulated on the seafloor, because, while the organic parts of the plankton decayed after the organisms died, their mineralized skeletons often survived and sank to the bottom. For the first time in the Earth's long history, very large quantities of silica skeletons, which would eventually harden into rock, began to pile up in parts of the deep sea. Thick deposits of calcareous ooze made up of the tiny remains of the calcium carbonate-secreting plankton also accumulated as never before. The famous white chalk cliffs of Dover, in the southeast of England, are just one example of the huge quantities of such material that amassed during the Cretaceous period; there are many more. Just why the calcareous plankton were so prolific during the latter part of the Cretaceous period is not fully understood. Such massive amounts of chalky sediments have never since been deposited over a comparable period of time.

The high biological productivity of the Cretaceous oceans also led to ideal conditions for oil accumulation. Oil is formed when organic material trapped in sediments is slowly buried and subjected to increased temperatures and pressures, transforming it into petroleum. Sediments rich in organic material accumulated along the margins of the Tethys Seaway, the tropical east-west ocean that formed when Earth's single landmass (known as Pangaea) split apart during the Mesozoic era. Many of today's important oil fields are found in those sediments — in Russia, the Middle East, the Gulf of Mexico, and in the states of Texas and Louisiana in the United States.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) How sediments were built up in oceans during the Cretaceous period

(B) How petroleum was formed in the Mesozoic era

(D) The differences between plankton found in the present era and Cretaceous plankton

2. The passage indicates that the Cretaceous period occurred

(A) in the early part of the Mesozoic era

(B) in the middle part of the Mesozoic era

(D) after the Mesozoic era

3. The passage mentions all of the following aspects of plankton EXCEPT

(A) the length of their lives

(B) the level of the ocean at which they are found

(D) their size

4. The word accumulated in line 8 is closest in meaning to

(A) depended

(B) matured

(D) collected

5. According to the passage , the most dramatic change to the oceans caused by plankton during

the Cretaceous period concerned

(A) the depth of the water

(B) the makeup of the sediment on the ocean floor

(D) a decline in the quantity of calcareous ooze on the seafloor

6. The white chalk cliffs of Dover are mentioned in line 14 of the passage to

(A) show where the plankton sediment first began to build up

(B) provide an example of a plankton buildup that scientists cannot explain

(D) indicate the largest single plankton buildup on Earth

7. The word prolific in line 17 is closest in meaning to

(A) fruitful

(B) distinct

(D) energetic

8. The word ideal in line 20 is closest in meaning to

(A) common

(B) clear

(D) immediate

9. The word it in line 22 refers to

(A) biological productivity

(B) oil

(D) petroleum

PASSAGE 90 CCADB CACC

托福阅读真题3

The term art deco has come to encompass three distinct but related design trends of the 1920's and 1930's. The first was what is frequently referred to as zigzag moderne — the exotically ornamental style of such skyscrapers as the Chrysler Building in New York City and related structures such as the Paramount Theater in Oakland, California. The word zigzag alludes to the geometric and stylized ornamentation of zigzags, angular patterns, abstracted plant and animal motifs, sunbursts, astrological imagery, formalized fountains, and related themes that were applied in mosaic relief, and mural form to the exterior and interior of the buildings. Many of these buildings were shaped in the ziggurat form, a design resembling an ancient Mesopotamian temple tower that recedes in progressively smaller stages to the summit, creating a staircase-like effect. The second manifestation of art deco was the 1930's streamlined moderne style — a Futuristic-looking aerodynamic style of rounded corners and horizontal bands known as speed stripes. In architecture, these elements were frequently accompanied by round windows, extensive use of glass block, and flat rooftops.

The third style, referred to as either international stripped classicism, or simply classical moderne, also came to the forefront during the Depression, a period of severe economic difficult in the 1930's. This was a more conservative style, blending a simplified modernistic style with a more austere form of geometric and stylized relief sculpture and other ornament, including interior murals. Many buildings in this style were erected nationwide through government programs during the Depression.

Although art deco in its many forms was largely perceived as thoroughly modern, it was strongly influenced by the decorative arts movements that immediately preceded it. For example, like art nouveau (1890-1910), art deco also used plant motifs, but regularized the forms into abstracted repetitive patterns rather than presenting them as flowing, asymmetrical foliage, like the Viennese craftspeople of the Wiener Werkstatte, art deco designers worked with exotic materials, geometricized shapes, and colorfully ornate patterns. Furthermore, like the artisans of the Arts and Crafts Movement in England and the United States, art deco practitioners considered it their mission to transform the domestic environment through well-designed furniture and household accessories.

1. What aspect of art deco does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) The influence of art deco on the design of furniture and household accessories

(B) Ways in which government programs encouraged the development of art deco

(D) Reasons for the popularity of art deco in New York and California

2. The word encompass in line 1 is closest in meaning to

(A) separate

(B) include

(D) enhance

3. The phrase The first in line 2 refers to

(A) the term art deco

(B) design trends

(D) skyscrapers

4. In line 9, the author mentions an ancient Mesopotamian temple tower in order to

(A) describe the exterior shape of certain art deco buildings

(B) explain the differences between ancient and modern architectural steles

(D) argue for a return to more traditional architectural design

5. The streamlined moderne style is characterized by all of the following EXCEPT

(A) animal motifs

(B) flat roofs

(D) speed stripes

6. The phrase came to the forefront in line 16 is closest in meaning to

(A) grew in complexity

(B) went through a process

(D) became important

7. According to the passage , which of the following statements most accurately describes the

relationship between art deco and art nouveau?

(A) They were art forms that competed with each other for government support during the

Depression era.

(B) They were essentially the same art form.

(D) Art deco became important in the United States while art nouveau became popular in

England.

8. According to the passage , a building having an especially ornate appearance would most

probably have been designed in the style of

(A) zigzag moderne

(B) streamlined moderne

(D) the Arts and Crafts Movement

9. According to the passage , which of the following design trends is known by more than one

name?

(A) Zigzag moderne

(B) Streamlined moderne

(D) Arts and Crafts Movement

10. The passage is primarily developed as

(A) the historical chronology of a movement

(B) a description of specific buildings that became famous for their unusual beauty

(D) an argument of the advantages of one artistic form over another

PASSAGE 91 CBBAA DCACC

篇6：TOEFL阅读理解真题

托福阅读真题1

Cities develop as a result of functions that they can perform. Some functions result directly from the ingenuity of the citizenry, but most functions result from the needs of the local area and of the surrounding hinterland (the region that supplies goods to the city and to which the city furnishes services and other goods). Geographers often make a distinction between the situation and the site of a city. Situation refers to the general position in relation to the surrounding region, whereas site involves physical characteristics of the specific location. Situation is normally much more important to the continuing prosperity of a city. If a city is well situated in regard to its hinterland, its development is much more likely to continue. Chicago, for example, possesses an almost unparalleled situation: it is located at the southern end of a huge lake that forces east-west transportation lines to be compressed into its vicinity, and at a meeting of significant land and water transport routes. It also overlooks what is one of the world's finest large farming regions. These factors ensured that Chicago would become a great city regardless of the disadvantageous characteristics of the available site, such as being prone to flooding during thunderstorm activity.

Similarly, it can be argued that much of New York City's importance stems from its early and continuing advantage of situation. Philadelphia and Boston both originated at about the same time as New York and shared New York's location at the western end of one of the world's most important oceanic trade routes, but only New York possesses an easy-access functional connection (the Hudson-Mohawk lowland) to the vast Midwestern hinterland. This account does not alone explain New York's primacy, but it does include several important factors. Among the many aspects of situation that help to explain why some cities grow and others do not, original location on a navigable waterway seems particularly applicable. Of course, such characteristic as slope, drainage, power resources, river crossings, coastal shapes, and other physical characteristics help to determine city location, but such factors are normally more significant in early stages of city development than later.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) The development of trade routes through United States cities

(B) Contrasts in settlement patterns in United States

(D) The importance of geographical situation in the growth of United States cities

2. The word ingenuity in line 2. is closest in meaning to

(A) wealth

(B) resourcefulness

(D) organization

3. The passage suggests that a geographer would consider a city's soil type part of its

(A) hinterland

(B) situation

(D) function

4. According to the passage , a city's situation is more important than its site in regard to the

city's

(A) long-term growth and prosperity

(B) ability to protect its citizenry

(D) need to import food supplies

5. The author mentions each of the following as an advantage of Chicago's location EXCEPT its

(A) hinterland

(B) nearness to a large lake

(D) flat terrain

6. The word characteristics in line 14 is closest in meaning to

(A) choices

(B) attitudes

(D) inhabitants

7. The primary purpose of paragraph 1 is to

(A) summarize past research and introduce a new study

(B) describe a historical period

(D) define a term and illustrate it with an example

8. According to the passage , Philadelphia and Boston are similar to New York City in

(A) size of population

(B) age

(D) availability of rail transportation

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

(A) alternate

(B) unknown

(D) usable

10. The word it in line 21 refers to

(A) account

(B) primacy

(D) hinterland

11. The word significant in line 26 is closest in meaning to

(A) threatening

(B) meaningful

(D) available

PASSAGE 71 DBCAD CDCDA B

托福阅读真题2

The Harlem Renaissance, a movement of the 1920's, marked the twentieth century's first period of intense activity by African Americans in the field of literature, art, and music in the United States. The philosophy of the movement combined realism, ethnic consciousness, and Americanism. Encouraged by the example of certain Americans of European descent such as Thomas Eakins, Robert Henri, and George Luks, who had included persons of African descent in their paintings as serious studies rather than as trivial or sentimental stereotypes, African American artists of this period set about creating a new portrayal of themselves and their lives in the United States. As they began to strive for social and cultural independence. Their attitudes toward themselves changed, and, to some extent, other segments of American society began to change their attitudes toward them. Thus, though the Harlem Renaissance was a short-lived movement, its impact on American art and culture continues to the present.

The district in New York City known as Harlem was the capital of the movement. In 1925 an issue of Survey Graphic magazine devoted exclusively to Harlem and edited by philosopher Alain Locke became the manifesto of the African American artistic movement. Locke strongly suggested that individuals, while accepting their Americanism, take pride in their African ancestral arts and urged artists to look to Africa for substance and inspiration. Far from advocating a withdrawal from American culture, as did some of his contemporaries, Locke recommended a cultural pluralism through which artists could enrich the culture of America. African Americans were urged by Locke to be collaborators and participators with other Americans in art, literature, and music; and at the same time to preserve, enhance, and promote their own cultural heritage.

Artists and intellectuals from many parts of the United States and the Caribbean had been attracted to Harlem by the pulse and beat of its unique and dynamic culture. From this unity created by the convergence of artists from various social and geographical backgrounds came a new spirit, which, particularly in densely populated Harlem, was to result in greater group awareness and self-determination. African American graphic artists took their place beside the poets and writers of the Harlem Renaissance and carried on efforts to increase and promote the visual arts.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) African American paintings in the 1920's

(B) An arts movement of the 1920's

(D) Some ways in which African culture inspired American literature, art and music

2. According to the passage , Tomas Eakins, Robert Henri, and George Luks were important because of

(A) the philosophical contributions they made to the Harlem Renaissance

(B) their development of a new style of African American art

(D) their independence from European artistic traditions

3. The word them in line 11 refers to

(A) Americans of European descent

(B) paintings

(D) attitudes

4. According to the passage , African American artists of the 1920's differed from earlier African

American artists in terms of their feelings about

(A) themselves

(B) other artists

(D) stereotypes

5. The word urged in line 17 is closest in meaning to

(A) prepared

(B) defined

(D) encouraged

6. Alain Locke believed all of the following to be important to the African American artistic

movement EXCEPT

(A) pride in African art

(B) cultural pluralism

(D) withdrawal from American culture

7. In mentioning the pulse and beat (line 25) of Harlem during the 1920's, the author is

characterizing the district as one that

(A) depended greatly on its interaction with other parts of the city

(B) grew economically in a short period of time

(D) was in danger of losing population

8. The word convergence in line 26 is closest in meaning to

(A) gathering

(B) promotion

(D) influence

9. According to the passage , all of the following were true of Harlem in the 1920's EXCEPT:

(A) Some Caribbean artists and intellectuals lived there.

(B) It attracted people from various regions of United States.

(D) It was a unique cultural center.

10. The phrase carried on in line 30 is closest in meaning to

(A) continued

(B) praised

(D) connected

PASSAGE 72 BCCAD DCACA

托福阅读真题3

ffeterd spanning in line 18d- The interrelationship of science, technology, and industry is taken for granted today — summed up, not altogether accurately, as research and development. Yet historically this widespread faith in the economic virtues of science is a relatively recent phenomenon, dating back in the United States about 150 years, and in the Western world as a whole not over 300 years at most. Even in this current era of large scale, intensive research and development, the interrelationships involved in this process are frequently misunderstood. Until the coming of the Industrial Revolution, science and technology evolved for the most part independently of each other. Then as industrialization became increasingly complicated, the craft techniques of preindustrial society gradually gave way to a technology based on the systematic application of scientific knowledge and scientific methods. This changeover started slowly and progressed unevenly. Until late in the nineteenth century, only a few industries could use scientific techniques or cared about using them. The list expanded noticeably after 1870, but even then much of what passed for the application of science was engineering science rather than basic science.

Nevertheless, by the middle of the nineteenth century, the rapid expansion of scientific knowledge and of public awareness — if not understanding — of it had created a belief that the advance of science would in some unspecified manner automatically generate economic benefits. The widespread and usually uncritical acceptance of this thesis led in turn to the assumption that the application of science to industrial purposes was a linear process, starting with fundamental science, then proceeding to applied science or technology, and through them to industrial use. This is probably the most common pattern, but it is not invariable. New areas of science have been opened up and fundamental discoveries made as a result of attempts to solve a specific technical or economic problem. Conversely, scientists who mainly do basic research also serve as consultants on projects that apply research in practical ways.

In sum, the science-technology-industry relationship may flow in several different ways, and the particular channel it will follow depends on the individual situation. It may at times even be multidirectional.

1. What is the author's main purpose in the passage ?

(A) To show how technology influenced basic science

(B) To describe the scientific base of nineteenth-century American industries

(D) To argue that basic science has no practical application

2. The word altogether in line 2 is closest in meaning to

(A) completely

(B) realistically

(D) understandably

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

(A) decreased

(B) concentrated

(D) advanced

4. The list mentioned in line 13 refers to

(A) types of scientific knowledge

(B) changes brought by technology

(D) applications of engineering science

5. The understanding of research and development in the late nineteenth century is based on

which of the following?

(A) Engineering science is not very important.

(B) Fundamental science naturally leads to economic benefits.

(D) Industrial needs should determine what areas fundamental science focuses on.

6. The word it in line 16 refers to

(A) understanding

(B) public awareness

(D) expansion

7. The word assumption in line 19 is closest in meaning to

(A) regulation

(B) belief

(D) confusion

8. Why does the author mention consultants in line 25?

(A) To show how new areas of science have given rise to new professions

(B) To distinguish between scientists who work in industry and those who do not

(D) To show how scientists who work in basic research contribute to applied science

9. Which of the following statements does the passage support?

(A) The development of science and of industry is now interdependent.

(B) Basic scientific research cannot generate practical applications.

(D) Science and technology are becoming more separate.

PASSAGE 73 CABCB CBDA

篇7：TOEFL阅读真题整合

托福阅读真题1

Elizabeth Hazen and Rachel Brown copatented one of the most widely acclaimed wonder drugs of the post-Second World War years. Hazen and Brown's work was stimulated by the wartime need to find a cure for the fungus infections that afflicted many military personnel. Scientists had been feverishly searching for an antibiotic toxic enough to kill the fungi but safe enough for human use, since, unfortunately, the new wonder drugs such as penicillin and streptomycin killed the very bacteria in the body that controlled the fungi. It was to discover a fungicide without that double effect that Brown, of New York State's Department of Health Laboratories at Albany, and Hazen, senior microbiologist at the Department of Health in New York, began their long-distance collaboration. Based upon Hazen's previous research at Columbia University, where she had built an impressive collection of fungus cultures, both were convinced that an antifungal organism already existed in certain soils.

They divided the work. Hazen methodically screened and cultured scores of soil samples, which she then sent to her partner, who prepared extracts, isolated and purified active agents, and shipped them back to New York, where Hazen could study their biological properties. On a 1948 vacation, Hazen fortuitously collected a clump of soil from the edge of W.B. Nourse's cow pasture in Fauquier County, Virginia, that, when tested, revealed the presence of the microorganisms. In farm owner Nourse's honor, Hazen named it Streptomyces Noursei, and within a year the two scientists knew that the properties of their substance distinguished it from previously described antibiotics. After further research they eventually reduced their substance to a fine, yellow powder, which they first named fungiciden. Then renamed nystatin (to honor the New York State laboratory) when they learned the previous name was already in use. Of their major discovery, Brown said lightly that it simply illustrated how unpredictable consequences can come from rather modest beginnings.

1. What is the main topic of the passage ?

(A) The lives of Hazen and Brown.

(B) The development of a safe fungicide.

(D) The development of penicillin.

2. What can be inferred from the passage about penicillin?

(A) It effectively treats fungus infections.

(B) It was developed before nystatin.

(D) One of its by-products is nystatin.

3. Why does the author mention Columbia University in line 10?

(A) Hazen and Brown developed nystatin there.

(B) Brown was educated there.

(D) It awarded a prize to Hazen and Brown.

4. The word both in line 11 refers to

(A) Hazen and Brown

(B) penicillin and streptomycin

(D) double effect

5. What substance did Brown and Hazen analyze?

(A) Dirt

(B) Streptomycin

(D) Penicillin

6. Who was W. B. Nourse?

(A) A microbiologist

(B) A teacher of Hazen's

(D) A farmer

PASSAGE 43 BBCAA D

托福阅读真题2

The nervous system of vertebrates is characterized by a hollow, dorsal nerve cord that ends in the head region as an enlargement, the brain. Even in its most primitive form this cord and its attached nerves are the result of evolutionary specialization, and their further evolution from lower to higher vertebrate classes is a process that is far from fully understood. Nevertheless, the basic arrangements are similar in all vertebrates, and the study of lower animals gives insight into the form and structure of the nervous system of higher animals. Moreover, for any species, the study of the embryological development of the nervous system is indispensable for an understanding of adult morphology.

In any vertebrate two chief parts of the nervous system may be distinguished. These are the central nervous system (the nerve cord mentions above), consisting of the brain and spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system, consisting of the cranial, spinal, and peripheral nerves, together with their motor and sensory endings. The term autonomic nervous system refers to the parts of the central and peripheral systems that supply and regulate the activity of cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, and many glands.

The nervous system is composed of many millions of nerve and glial cells, together with blood vessels and a small amount of connective tissue. The nerve cells, or neurons, are characterized by many processes and are specialized in that they exhibit to a great degree the phenomena of irritability and conductivity. The glial cells of the central nervous system are supporting cells collectively termed neuroglia. They are characterized by short processes that have special relationships to neurons, blood vessels, and connective tissue. The comparable cells in the peripheral nervous system are termed neurilemmal cells.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) The parts of a neuron

(B) The structure of animals' nerve

(D) The development of the brain

2. According to the passage , the nerve cord of vertebrates is

(A) large

(B) hollow

(D) embryological

3. The author implies that a careful investigation of a biological structure in an embryo may

(A) Improved research of the same structure in other species

(B) A better understanding of the fully developed structure

(D) A method by which scientists can document the various stages of development

4. The two main parts of the central nervous system are the brain and the

(A) sensory endings

(B) cranial nerve

(D) peripheral nerves

5. All of the following are described as being controlled by the autonomic nervous system EXCEPT

(A) connective tissue

(B) cardiac muscle

(D) smooth muscle

6. In what lines does the author identify certain characteristic of nerve cells?

(A) lines 1-2

(B) lines 9-12

(D) lines 16-18

PASSAGE 44 CBBCA D

托福阅读真题3

PASSAGE 45

By the turn of the century, the middle-class home in North American had been transformed. The flow of industry has passed and left idle the loom in the attic, the soap kettle in the shed, Ellen Richards wrote in 1908. The urban middle class was now able to buy a wide array of food products and clothing — baked goods, canned goods, suits, shirts, shoes, and dresses. Not only had household production waned, but technological improvements were rapidly changing the rest of domestic work. Middle-class homes had indoor running water and furnaces, run on oil, coal, or gas, that produced hot water. Stoves were fueled by gas, and delivery services provided ice for refrigerators. Electric power was available for lamps, sewing machines, irons, and even vacuum cleaners. No domestic task was unaffected. Commercial laundries, for instance, had been doing the wash for urban families for decades; by the early 1900's the first electric washing machines were on the market.

One impact of the new household technology was to draw sharp dividing lines between women of different classes and regions. Technological advances always affected the homes of the wealthy first, filtering downward into the urban middle class. But women who lived on farms were not yet affected by household improvements. Throughout the nineteenth century and well into the twentieth, rural homes lacked running water and electric power. Farm women had to haul large quantities of water into the house from wells or pumps for every purpose. Doing the family laundry, in large vats heated over stoves, continued to be a full day's work, just as canning and preserving continued to be seasonal necessities. Heat was provided by wood or coal stoves. In addition, rural women continued to produce most of their families' clothing. The urban poor, similarly, reaped few benefits from household improvements. Urban slums such as Chicago's nineteenth ward often had no sewers, garbage collection, or gas or electric lines; and tenements lacked both running water and central heating. At the turn of the century, variations in the nature of women's domestic work were probably more marked than at any time before.

1. What is the main topic of the passage ?

(A) The creation of the urban middle class

(B) Domestic work at the turn of the century

(D) Overcrowding in American cities.

2. According to the passage , what kind of fuel was used in a stove in a typical middle-class household?

(A) oil

(B) coal

(D) wood

3. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a household convenience in the passage ?

(A) the electric fan

(B) the refrigerator

(D) the washing machine

4. According to the passage , who were the first beneficiaries of technological advances?

(A) Farm women

(B) The urban poor

(D) The wealthy

5. The word reaped in line 23 is closest in meaning to

(A) gained

(B) affected

(D) accepted

6. Which of the following best characterizes the passage 's organization?

(A) analysis of a quotation

(B) chronological narrative

(D) comparison and contrast

7. Where in the passage does the author discuss conditions in poor urban neighborhoods?

(A) lines 3-5

(B) lines 6-7

(D) lines 22-23

PASSAGE 45 BCADA DD

篇8：TOEFL托福阅读真题精选

PASSAGE 34

Matching the influx of foreign immigrants into the larger cities of the United States during the late nineteenth century was a domestic migration, from town and farm to city, within the United States. The country had been overwhelmingly rural at the beginning of the century, with less than 5 percent of Americans living in large towns or cities. The proportion of urban population began to grow remarkably after 1840, increasing from 11 percent that year to 28 percent by 1880 and to 46 percent by 1900. A country with only 6 cities boasting a population of more than 8,000 in 1800 had become one with 545 such cities in 1900. Of these, 26 had a population of more than 100,000 including 3 that held more than a million people. Much of the migration producing an urban society came from smaller towns within the United States, but the combination of new immigrants and old American settlers on America's urban frontier in the late nineteenth century proved extraordinary.

The growth of cities and the process of industrialization fed on each other. The agricultural revolution stimulated many in the countryside to seek a new life in the city and made it possible for fewer farmers to feed the large concentrations of people needed to provide a workforce for growing numbers of factories. Cities also provided ready and convenient markets for the products of industry, and huge contracts in transportation and construction — as well as the expanded market in consumer goods — allowed continued growth of the urban sector of the overall economy of the Untied States.

Technological developments further stimulated the process of urbanization. One example is the Bessemer converter (an industrial process for manufacturing steel), which provided steel girders for the construction of skyscrapers. The refining of crude oil into kerosene, and later the development of electric lighting as well as of the telephone, brought additional comforts to urban areas that were unavailable to rural Americans and helped attract many of them from the farms into the cities. In every era the lure of the city included a major psychological element for country people: the bustle and social interaction of urban life seemed particularly intriguing to those raised in rural isolation.

1. What aspects of the United States in the nineteenth century does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) Technological developments

(B) The impact of foreign immigrants on cities

(D) The relationship between industrialization and urbanization

2. The word influx in line 1 is closest in meaning to

(A) working

(B) processing

(D) attraction

3. The paragraph preceding the passage most probably discuss

(A) foreign immigration

(B) rural life

(D) famous cities of the twentieth century