1996年10月托福阅读全真试题

1996年10月托福阅读全真试题Question1-8WhenJulesVernewroteJourneytotheCenteroftheEarthin1864thereweremanyconflictingtheoriesaboutthenatureoftheEarth,sinterior.Somegeologiststhoughtthatitcontainedahighlycompressedballofincandescentgas,whileotherssuspectedthatitconsistedofseparateshells,eachmadeofadifferentmaterial.Today,welloveracenturylaterthereisstilllittledirectevidenceofwhatliesbeneathourfeet.MostofourknowledgeoftheEarth,sinteriorcomesnotfromminesorboreholes,butfromthestudyofseismicwaves-powerfulpulsesofenergyreleasedbyearthquakes.ThewaythatseismicwavestravelshowsthattheEarth,sinteriorisfarfromuniform.Thecontinentsandtheseabedareformedbythecrust-athinsphereofrelativelylight,solidrock.Beneaththecrustliesthemantle,averydifferentlayerthatextendsapproximatelyhalfwaytotheEarth,scenter.Theretherockisthesubjectofabattlebetweenincreasingheatandgrowingpressure.InitshighlevelsthemantleisrelativelycoolAtgreaterdepths,hightemperaturesmaketherockbehavemorelikealiquidthanasolid.Deeperstill,thepressureisevenmoreintense,preventingtherockfrommeltinginspiteofahighertemperature.Beyondadepthofaround2,900kilometers,agreatchangetakesplaceandthemantlegiveswaytothecore.Someseismicwavescannotpassthroughthecoreandothersarebentbyit.Fromthisandotherevidencegeologistsconcludethattheoutercoreisprobablyliqui,dwithasolidcenter.Itisalmostcertainlymadeofiron,mixedwithsmalleramountsofotherelementssuchasnickel.TheconditionsintheEarth,scoremakeitafarmorealienworldthanspace.Itssolidironheartissubjectedtounimaginablepressureandhasatemperatureofabout9,000oF.Althoughscientistscanspeculateaboutitsnature,neitherhumansnormachineswilleverbeabletovisitit.Theword"conflicting"inline2isclosestinmeaningtocontrollingoutdatedopposingimportantWhatistoday,srichestsourceofinformationabouttheEarth,sinteriorforgeologists?BoreholesShellsSeismicwavesMinesTheword“There“inline16referstothemantlecrustseabed(D)Earth,scenter.WhichofthefollowingisaprimarycharacteristicoftheEarth,smantleLight,solidrockUniformityofcompositionDramaticallyincreasingpressureCompressed,incandescentgasThephrase"giveswayto“inline24isclosestinmeaningtorunsalongrubsagainstturnsintofloatsonTheword"it"inline26referstomantlecorechangedepthWhydoestheauthorstateinline30-31thattheEarth,scoreis"morealienthanspace?GovernmentfundsarenotavailabletostudytheEarth,score.Scientistsaren,tinterestedinthecharacteristicsoftheEarth,score.ItisimpossibletogototheEarth,scoretodoresearch.TheEarth,scoreismadeofelementsthataredangeroustohumans.Theword"speculate"inline33isclosestinmeaningtoreportlearnworryhypothesizeQuestion9-20Despitetheroadimprovementsoftheturnpikeera(1790-1830)。Americanscontinuedasincolonialtimestodependwhereverpossibleonwaterroutesfortravelandtransportation.Thelargerrivers,especiallytheMississippiandtheOhio,becameincreasinglyusefulassteamboatsgrewinnumberandimprovedindesign.RiverboatscarriedtoNewOrleansthecornandothercropsofnorthwesternfarmers,thecottonandtobaccoofsouthwesternplanters.FromNewOrleans,shipstookthecargoesontoeasternseaports.Neitherthefarmersofthewestnorthemerchantsoftheeastwerecompletelysatisfiedwiththispatternoftrade.Farmerscouldgetbetterpricesfortheircropsifthealternativeexistedofsendingthemdirectlyeastwardtomarketandmerchantscouldselllargerquantitiesoftheirmanufacturedgoodsifthesecouldbetransportedmoredirectlyandmoreeconomicallytothewest.Newwaterwayswereneeded.Sectionaljealousiesandconstitutionalscruplesstoodinthewayofactionbythefederalgovernmentandnecessaryexpendituresweretoogreatforprivateenterprise.Ifextensivecanalsweretobedug，thejobwouldbeuptothevariousstates.NewYorkwasthefirsttoact.IthadthenaturaladvantageofacomparativelylevelroutebetweentheHudsonRiverandLakeEri,ethroughtheonlybreakintheentireAppalachianMountainchain.Yettheengineeringtaskswereimposing.Thedistancewasmorethan350milesandtherewereridgestocrossandawildernessofwoodsandswampstopenetrate.TheErieCanalbegunin1817andcompletedin1825wasbyfarthegreatestconstructionjobthatAmericanshadeverundertaken.Itquicklyprovedafinancialsuccessaswell.TheprosperityoftheErieencouragedthestatetoenlargeitscanalsystembybuildingseveralbranches.TherangeoftheNewYorkcanalsystemwasstillfurtherextendedwhenthestatesofOhioandIndiana，inspiredbythesuccessoftheErieCanal，providedwaterconnectionsbetweenLakeErieandtheOhioRiver.Whatdoesthepassagesuggestwastheprincipalroutefortransportingcropstotheeastpriorin1825？RivertoroadCanaltoriverRivertooceanRoadtocanal.ItcanbeinferredfromthepassagethatshippingcargoeastbywayofNewOrleanswasAdvantageousformanufacturesInexpensiveformerchantsNoteconomicalforfarmersConsideredeconomicalbythegovernment.Theword"alternative"inline13isclosestinmeaningto(A)option(B)transition(C)intention(D)authorization.Theword"them"inline9refersto(A)crops(B)farmers(C)prices(D)merchants.Whichofthefollowingproductswouldanorthwesternfarmerintheearlynineteenthcenturybemostlikelytopurchasefromtheeast？(A)Grain(B)Vegetables(C)Textiles(D)Fruit..Accordingtothepassage,wherewastheErieCanallocated?BetweenOhioandIndiana.AlongtheAppalachianMountainsBetweenLakeErieandtheOhioRiverAcrossNewYorkState..Theword"imposing"inline26couldbestbereplacedbyimpracticalsuccessfuldemandingmisleading.Theword"penetrate"inline28isclosestinmeaningtocutdowngothroughfilluptakeover.Theword"its"inline32refersto(A)prosperity(B)Erie(C)System(D)State.Theword"extended"inline34isclosestinmeaningto(A)increased(B)constructed(C)deepened(D)measured.Accordingtothepassage，IndianaandOhiosupportedthedevelopmentoftheNewYorkcanalsystembyhelpingtobuildtheErieCanal.BuildingbranchestoconnectitwiththeOhioRiverProvidingmuchofthewaterfortheErieCanal.Contributingfinanciallytotheconstructioncosts.Whatdoestheparagraphfollowingthepassageprobablydiscuss？IndustryonLakeErieCanalsinOhioandIndianaSectionaljealousiesinIndianaandOhioTravelontheErieCanal.Question21-31LegendhasitthatsometimetowardtheendoftheCivilWar(1861-1865)agovernmenttraincarryingoxentravelingthroughthenorthernplainsofeasternWyomingwascaughtinasnowstormandhadtobeabandoned.Thedriverreturnedthenextspringtoseewhathadbecomeofhiscargo.Insteadoftheskeletonshehadexpectedtofind，hesawhisoxen，living，fat，andhealthy.Howhadtheysurvived？TheanswerlayinaresourcethatunknowingAmericanslandstrampledunderfootintheirhastetocrossthe"GreatAmericanDesert"toreachlandsthatsometimesprovedbarren.IntheeasternpartsoftheUnitedStatesthepreferredgrassforforagewasacultivatedplant.Itgrewwellwithenoughrain，thenwhencutandstoreditwouldcureandbecomenourishinghayforwinterfeed.ButinthedrygrazinglandsoftheWestthatfamiliarbluejointgrasswasoftenkilledbydrought.Toraisecattleoutthereseemedriskyorevenhopeless.Whocouldimagineafairy-talegrassthatrequirednorainandsomehowmadeitpossibleforcattletofeedthemselvesallwinter？Butthesurprisingwesternwildgrassesdidjustthat.Theyhadwonderfullyconvenientfeaturesthatmadethemsuperiortothecultivatedeasterngrasses.Variouslyknownasbuffalograss，gramagrass，ormesquitegrass，notonlyweretheyimmunetodrought；buttheywereactuallypreservedbythelackofsummerandautumnrains.Theywerenotjuicylikethecultivatedeasterngrasses，buthadshort，hardstems.Andtheydidnotneedtobecuredinabarn，butdriedrightwheretheygrewontheground.Whentheydriedinthisway，theyremainednaturallysweetandnourishingthroughthewinter.Cattleleftoutdoorstofendforthemselvesthrivedonthishay.Andthecattlethemselveshelpedplantthefreshgrassyearafteryearfortheytrampledthenaturalseedsfirmlyintothesoiltobewateredbythemeltingsnowsofwinterandtheoccasionalrainsofspring.Thedrysummeraircuredthemmuchasstoringinabarncuredthecultivatedgrasses..Whatdoesthepassagemainlydiscuss?WesternmigrationaftertheCivilWarTheclimateofthewesternUnitedStatesTheraisingofcattle.Atypeofwildvegetation.Whatcanbeinferredbythephrase"Legendhasit“inline1？Thestoryofthetrainmaynotbecompletelyfactual.Mosthistorybooksincludethestoryofthetrain.Thedriverofthetraininventedthestory.Thestoryofthetrainissimilartootheronesfromthattimeperiod..Theword"they"inline7refersto(A)plains(B)skeletons(C)oxen(D)Americans.Whatcanbeinferredaboutthe"GreatAmericanDesert"mentionedinline9-10?Itwasnotoriginallyassumedtobeafertilearea.Manyhadsettledtherebythe1860's.ItwasapopularplacetoraisecattlebeforetheCivilWar.Itwasnotdiscovereduntilthelate1800,s..Theword“barren“inline10isclosestinmeaningto(A)lonely(B)dangerous(C)uncomfortable(D)infertile..Theword"preferred"inline11isclosestinmeaningto(A)ordinary(B)available(C)required(D)favored.Whichofthefollowingcanbeinferredaboutthecultivatedgrassmentionedinthesecondparagraph?CattleraisedinthewesternUnitedStatesrefusedtoeatit.ItwouldprobablynotgrowinthewesternUnitedStates.IthadtobeimportedintotheUnitedStates.Itwasdifficultforcattletodigest..WhichofthefollowingwasNOToneofthenamesgiventotheWesterngrasses?GramagrassBluejointgrassBuffalograssMesquitegrass.WhichofthefollowingwasNOTmentionedasacharacteristicofwesterngrasses？Theyhavetoughstems.Theyarenotaffectedbydryweather.Theycanbegrownindoors.Theycontainlittlemoisture..Theword"hard"inline26isclosestinmeaningtofirmseveredifficultbitter.Accordingtothepassagethecattlehelpedpromotethegrowthofthewildgrassesbysteppingonandpressingtheseedsintothegroundnaturallyfertilizingthesoilcontinuallymovingfromonegrazingareatoanothereatingonlysmallquantitiesofgrass.Question32-44Seventeenth-centuryhousesincolonialNorthAmericaweresimplestructuresthatwereprimarilyfunctionalcarryingovertraditionaldesignsthatwentbacktotheMiddleAges.Duringthefirsthalfoftheeighteenthcentury，however，housesbegantoshowanewelegance.Aswealthincreased，moreandmorecolonistsbuiltfinehouses.SincearchitecturewasnotyetaspecializedprofessioninthecoloniesthedesignofbuildingswaslefteithertoamateurdesignersortocarpenterswhoundertooktointerpretarchitecturalmanualsimportecfromEngland.Inventoriesofcoloniallibrariesshowanastonishingnumberofthesehandbooksforbuilders,andthehouseserectedduringtheeighteenthcenturyshowtheirinfluence.Nevertheless,mostdomesticarchitectureofthefirstthree-quartersoftheeighteenthcenturydisplaysawidedivergenceoftasteandfreedomofapplicationoftheruleslaiddowninthesebooks.Increasingwealthandgrowingsophisticationthroughoutthecoloniesresultedinhousesofimproveddesign，whetherthematerialwaswood，stone，orbrick.NewEnglandstillfavoredwood，thoughbrickhousesbecamecommoninBostonandothertowns，wherethedangeroffiregaveanimpetustotheuseofmoredurablematerial.AfewhousesinNewEnglandwerebuiltofstone,butonlyinPennsylvaniaandadjacentareaswasstonewidelyusedindwellings.AnincreaseduseofbrickinhousesandoutbuildingsisnoticeableinVirginiaandMarylandbutwoodremainedthatmostpopularmaterialeveninhousesbuiltbywealthylandowners.IntheCarolinas，evenincloselypackedCharleston,woodenhousesweremuchmorecommonthanbrickhouses.Eighteenth-centuryhousesshowedgreatinteriorimprovementsovertheirpredecessors.Windowsweremadelargerandshuttersremoved.Large,clearpanesreplacedthesmallleadedglassoftheseventeenthcentury.Doorwayswerelargerandmoredecorative.Fireplacesbecamedecorativefeaturesofrooms.Wallsweremadeofplasterorwood，sometimeselaboratelypaneled.Whitepaintbegantotaketheplaceofblues，yellows，greens，andleadcolorswhichhadbeenpopularforwallsintheearlieryears.Afterabout1730，advertisementsforwallpaperstylesinscenicpatternsbegantoappearincolonialnewspapers..Whatdoesthepassagemainlydiscuss？Theimproveddesignofeighteenth-centurycolonialhouses.Acomparisonofeighteenth-centuryhousesandmodernhouses.Thedecorationsusedineighteenth-centuryhouses.Theroleofcarpentersinbuildingeighteenth-centuryhouses.Whatwasoneofthemainreasonsforthechangeinarchitecturalstyleineighteenth-centuryNorthAmerica？Morearchitectsarrivedinthecolonies.Thecolonistsdevelopedaninterestinclassicalarchitecture.Bricksweremorereadilyavailable.Thecolonistshadmoremoneytospendonhousing..Accordingtothepassage，whowasresponsiblefordesigninghousesineighteenth-centuryNorthAmerica？（A）Professionalarchitects(B)Customers(C)Interiordecorators(D)Carpenters..Thepassageimpliesthattherulesoutlinedinarchitecturalmanualsweregenerallyignoredlegallybindingnotstrictlyadheredtoonlyfollowedbyolderbuilders.Theword"divergence"inline15isclosestinmeaningto(A)description(B)development(C)difference(D)display.Theword"durable"inline22isclosestinmeaningto(A)attractive(B)expensive(C)refined(D)long-lasting.Wherewasstonecommonlyusedtobuildhouses?(A)Virginia(B)Pennsylvania(C)Boston(D)Charleston.Theword"dwellings"inline24isclosestinmeaningto(A)houses(B)towns(C)outbuildings(D)ruralareas.Theword"predecessors"inline31referstocolonistwhoarrivedinNorthAmericaintheseventeenthcentury.housesconstructedbeforetheeighteenthcenturyinteriorimprovementswoodenhousesinCharleston41.Theauthormentionselaboratelypaneledwallsinline35-36asanexampleofhowtheinteriordesignofcolonialhouseswasimproved.whywallsweremadeofwoodorplaster.Howwallsweremadestrongerintheeighteenthcentury.Whatkindofwoodwasusedforwallsafter1730..Theword"elaborately"inline35-36isclosestinmeaningtodoneingreatdetailputtogethercarefullyusingmanycolorsreinforcedstructurally.Whatdoestheauthorimplyabouttheuseofwallpaperbefore1730？Wallpapersamplesappearedinthearchitecturalmanuals.WallpaperwasthesamecolorasthewallpaintsusedPatternedwallpaperwasnotwidelyused.Wallpaperwasnotusedinstonehouse..Whereinthepassagedoestheauthorgiveareasonwhybrickwasthepreferredmaterialforhousesinsomeurbanareas？Lines9-11Lines13-15Lines17-19Lines23-24Question45-50Bloodhoundsarebiologicallyadaptedtotrailingtheirprey.Theprocessbywhichthenoserecognizesanodorisnotfullyunderstood，butthereareapparentlyspecificreceptorsitesforspecificodors.Inoneexplanationrecognitionoccurswhenascentmoleculefitsintoitscorrespondingreceptorsitelikeakeyintoalockcausingamechanicalorchemicalchangeinthecell.Bloodhoundsapparentlyhavedenserconcentrationsofreceptorsitestunedto