托福阅读真题PASSAGE 12.docx

托福阅读真题PASSAGE 12摘 要：小编整理的是老托福阅读真题PASSAGE 12，练习真题是最重要也最有效的复习方法，大家在复习托福阅读考试的时候一定要对真题重视起来。托福阅读的思维方式就是托福阅读的出题方式，只有掌握了这种思维方式，才有可能在做题之前，预测到新托福阅读题的出题形式和特点，为找答案节省时间。老托福阅读试题的核心价值，在于其最贴近真题的阅读思维方式。此外老托福阅读真题比新托福IBT阅读文章要短，比较容易适应。这也是大家在备考托福的时候非常重要的一点。因为前期的入手如果能从容易的开始，就会形成一个循序渐进的过程方式，让大家的练习有一个提高的过程。既然老托福阅读试题有这样的效果，那我们如何利用那有限的真题来达到锻炼自己的目的呢?事实上这就一个办法，就是坚持。本期为大家推荐老托福阅读的真题PASSAGE 12，附有原文及答案，希望对托福考生备考有所帮助。Among the species of seabirds that use the windswept cliffs of the Atlantic coast of Canada in the summer to mate, lay eggs, and rear their young are common murres, Atlantic puffins, black-legged kittiwakes, and northern gannets. Of all the birds on these cliffs, the black-legged kittiwake gull is the best suited for nesting on narrow ledges. Although its nesting habits are similar to those of gulls that nest on flat ground, there are a number of important differences related to the cliff-nesting habit.The advantage of nesting on cliffs is the immunity it gives from foxes, which cannot scale the sheer rocks, and from ravens and other species of gulls, which have difficulty in landing on narrow ledges to steal eggs. This immunity has been followed by a relaxation of the defenses, and kittiwakes do not react to predators nearly as fiercely as do ground-nesting gulls. A colony of Bonapartes gulls responds to the appearance of a predatory herring gull by flying up as a group with a clamor of alarm calls, followed by concerted mobbing, but kittiwakes simply ignore herring gulls, since they pose little threat to nests on cliffs. Neither do kittiwakes attempt to conceal their nest. Most gulls keep the nest area clear of droppings, and remove empty eggshells after the chicks have hatched, so that the location of the nest is not given away. Kittiwakes defecate over the edge of the nest, which keeps it clean, but this practice, as well as their tendency to leave the nest littered with eggshells, makes its location very conspicuous.On the other hand, nesting on a narrow ledge has its own peculiar problems, and kittiwake behavior has become adapted to overcome them. The female kittiwake sits when mating, whereas other gulls stand, so the pair will not overbalance and fall off the ledge. The nest is a deep cup, made of mud or seaweed, to hold the eggs safely, compared with the shallow scrape of other gulls, and the chicks are remarkably immobile until fully grown. They do not run from their nests when approached, and if they should come near to the cliff edge, they instinctively turn back.1. What aspect of the kittiwake gull does the passage mainly discuss?(A) Its defensive behavior(B) It interactions with other gull species(C) Its nesting habits(D) Its physical difference from other gull species2. The word rear in line 2 is closest in meaning to(A) visit(B) watch(C) reverse(D) raise3. The word scale in line 8 is closest in meaning to(A) climb(B) avoid(C) approach(D) measure4. The word immunity in line 9 is closest in meaning to(A) distance(B) transition(C) protection(D) reminder5. Why is it difficult for ravens to steal the kittiwakes eggs?(A) The kittiwakes can see the ravens approaching the nest.(B) The ravens cannot land on the narrow ledges where kittiwakes nest.(C) The kittiwakes eggs are too big for the ravens to carry.(D) The female kittiwakes rarely leave the nest.6. The author mentions that eggshells litter around the nests of kittiwakes in order to(A) demonstrate that kittiwakes are not concerned about predators(B) prove how busy kittiwakes are in caring for their offspring(C) show a similarity to other types of gulls(D) illustrate kittiwakes lack of concern for their chicks7. According to the passage , it can be inferred that which of the following birds conceal their nest?(A) Bonapartes gulls(B) Atlantic puffins(C) Kittiwake gulls(D) Northern gannets8. The word it in line 17 refers to(A) location(B) edge(C) nest(D) practice9. The word conspicuous in line 18 is closest in meaning to(A) disordered(B) suspic