1996年10月托福阅读全真试题

1996年10月托福阅读全真试题

Question1-8

WhenJulesVernewroteJourneytotheCenteroftheEarthin18，64thereweremanyconflictingtheoriesaboutthenatureoftheEarth'sinterior.Somegeologiststhoughtthatitcontainedahighlycompressedballofincandescentgas，whileotherssuspectedthatitconsistedofseparateshells，eachmadeofadifferentmaterial.Today，welloveracenturylater，thereisstilllittledirectevidenceofwhatliesbeneathourfeet.MostofourknowledgeoftheEarth'sinteriorcomesnotfromminesorboreholes，butfromthestudyofseismicwaves-powerfulpulsesofenergyreleasedbyearthquakes.

ThewaythatseismicwavestravelshowsthattheEarth'sinteriorisfarfromuniform.Thecontinentsandtheseabedareformedbythecrust-athinsphereofrelativelylight，solidrock.Beneaththecrustliesthemantle，averydifferentlayerthatextendsapproximatelyhalfwaytotheEarth'scenter.Theretherockisthesubjectofabattlebetweenincreasingheatandgrowingpressure.

Initshighlevels，themantleisrelativelycool；Atgreaterdepths，hightemperaturesmaketherockbehavemorelikealiquidthanasolid.Deeperstill，thepressureisevenmoreintense，preventingtherockfrommeltinginspiteofahighertemperature.

Beyondadepthofaround2，900kilometers，agreatchangetakesplaceandthemantlegiveswaytothecore.Someseismicwavescannotpassthroughthecoreandothersarebentbyit.Fromthisandotherevidenc，egeologistsconcludethattheoutercoreisprobablyliqui，dwithasolidcenter.Itisalmostcertainlymadeofiron，mixedwithsmalleramountsofotherelementssuchasnickel.

TheconditionsintheEarth'scoremakeitafarmorealienworldthanspace.

Itssolidironheartissubjectedtounimaginablepressureandhasatemperatureofabout9，000oF.Althoughscientistscanspeculateaboutitsnature，neitherhumansnormachineswilleverbeabletovisitit.

Theword"conflicting"inline2isclosestinmeaningto

（A）

controlling

（B）

outdated

（C）

opposing

（D）

important

Whatistoday'srichestsourceofinformationabouttheEarth'sinteriorforgeologists？

（A）

Boreholes

（B）

Shells

（C）

Seismicwaves

（D）

Mines

Theword"There"inline16referstothe

（A）

mantle

（B）

crust

（C）

seabed

D)Earth'scenter.

WhichofthefollowingisaprimarycharacteristicoftheEarth'smantl？e

（A）

Light，solidrock

（B）

Uniformityofcomposition

（C）

Dramaticallyincreasingpressure

（D）

Compressed，incandescentgas

Thephrase"giveswayto"inline24isclosestinmeaningto

（A）

runsalong

（B）

rubsagainst

（C）

turnsinto

（D）

floatson

Theword"it"inline26refersto

（A）

mantle

（B）

core

（C）

change

（D）

depth

Whydoestheauthorstateinline30-31thattheEarth'scoreis"morealien"

thanspace？

GovernmentfundsarenotavailabletostudytheEarth'score.

Scientistsaren'tinterestedinthecharacteristicsoftheEarth'score.

C)

D)

ItisimpossibletogototheEarth'scoretodoresearch.

TheEarth'scoreismadeofelementsthataredangeroustohumans.

A)

report

B)

learn

C)

worry

D)

hypothesize

Question

9-20

Theword"speculate"inline33isclosestinmeaningto

Despitetheroadimprovementsoftheturnpikeera(1790-1830)。Americanscontinuedasincolonialtimestodependwhereverpossibleonwaterroutesfortravelandtransportation.Thelargerrivers，especiallytheMississippiandtheOhio，becameincreasinglyusefulassteamboatsgrewinnumberandimprovedindesign.

RiverboatscarriedtoNewOrleansthecornandothercropsofnorthwesternfarmers，thecottonandtobaccoofsouthwesternplanters.FromNewOrleans，shipstookthecargoesontoeasternseaports.Neitherthefarmersofthewestnorthemerchantsoftheeastwerecompletelysatisfiedwiththispatternoftrade.Farmerscouldgetbetterpricesfortheircropsifthealternativeexistedofsendingthemdirectlyeastwardtomarketandmerchantscouldselllargerquantitiesoftheirmanufacturedgoodsifthesecouldbetransportedmoredirectlyandmoreeconomicallytothewest.

Newwaterwayswereneeded.Sectionaljealousiesandconstitutionalscruplesstoodinthewayofactionbythefederalgovernmentandnecessaryexpendituresweretoogreatforprivateenterprise.Ifextensivecanalsweretobedug，thejobwouldbeuptothevariousstates.

NewYorkwasthefirsttoact.IthadthenaturaladvantageofacomparativelylevelroutebetweentheHudsonRiverandLakeEri，ethroughtheonlybreakintheentireAppalachianMountainchain.Yettheengineeringtaskswereimposing.Thedistancewasmorethan350milesandtherewereridgestocrossandawildernessofwoodsandswampstopenetrate.TheErieCanalbegunin1817andcompletedin18，25wasbyfarthegreatestconstructionjobthatAmericanshadeverundertaken.Itquicklyprovedafinancialsuccessaswell.TheprosperityoftheErieencouragedthestatetoenlargeitscanalsystembybuildingseveralbranches.TherangeoftheNewYorkcanalsystemwasstillfurtherextendedwhenthestatesofOhioandIndiana，inspiredbythesuccessoftheErieCanal，providedwaterconnectionsbetweenLakeErieandtheOhioRiver.

Whatdoesthepassagesuggestwastheprincipalroutefortransportingcropstotheeastpriorin1825？

（A）Rivertoroad

（B）Canaltoriver

（C）Rivertoocean

（D）Roadtocanal.

10.ItcanbeinferredfromthepassagethatshippingcargoeastbywayofNewOrleanswas

（A）Advantageousformanufactures

B）Inexpensiveformerchants

Noteconomicalforfarmers

（D）

Consideredeconomicalbythegovernment

Theword"alternative"inline13isclosestinmeaningto

（A）

option

（B）

transition

（C）

intention

（D）

authorization

Theword"them"inline9refersto

（A）

crops

（B）

farmers

（C）

prices

（D）

merchants

Whichofthefollowingproductswouldanorthwesternfarmerintheearly

nineteenthcenturybemostlikelytopurchasefromtheeast？

（A）

Grain

（B）

Vegetables

（C）

Textiles

Fruit.

Accordingtothepassage，wherewastheErieCanallocated？

（A）BetweenOhioandIndiana.

（B）AlongtheAppalachianMountains

（C）BetweenLakeErieandtheOhioRiver

（D）AcrossNewYorkState.

Theword"imposing"inline26couldbestbereplacedby

（A）impractical

（B）successful

（C）demanding

（D）misleading

Theword"penetrate"inline28isclosestinmeaningto

（A）cutdown

（B）gothrough

（C）fillup

（D）takeover

Theword"its"inline32refersto

（A）prosperity

B）Erie

System

（D）

State

Theword"extended"inline34isclosestinmeaningto

（A）

increased

（B）

constructed

（C）

deepened

（D）

measured

Accordingtothepassage，IndianaandOhiosupportedthedevelopmentofthe

NewYorkcanalsystemby

（A）

helpingtobuildtheErieCanal.

（B）

BuildingbranchestoconnectitwiththeOhioRiver

（C）

ProvidingmuchofthewaterfortheErieCanal.

（D）

Contributingfinanciallytotheconstructioncosts

Whatdoestheparagraphfollowingthepassageprobablydiscuss？

（A）

IndustryonLakeErie

（B）

CanalsinOhioandIndiana

（C）

SectionaljealousiesinIndianaandOhio

TravelontheErieCanal.

Question21-31

LegendhasitthatsometimetowardtheendoftheCivilWar(1861-1865)agovernmenttraincarryingoxentravelingthroughthenorthernplainsofeasternWyomingwascaughtinasnowstormandhadtobeabandoned.Thedriverreturnedthenextspringtoseewhathadbecomeofhiscargo.Insteadoftheskeletonshehadexpectedtofind，hesawhisoxen，living，fat，andhealthy.Howhadtheysurvived？

TheanswerlayinaresourcethatunknowingAmericanslandstrampledunderfootintheirhastetocrossthe"GreatAmericanDesert"toreachlandsthatsometimesprovedbarren.IntheeasternpartsoftheUnitedState，sthepreferredgrassforforagewasacultivatedplant.Itgrewwellwithenoughrain，thenwhencutandstoreditwouldcureandbecomenourishinghayforwinterfeed.ButinthedrygrazinglandsoftheWestthatfamiliarbluejointgrasswasoftenkilledbydrought.Toraisecattleoutthereseemedriskyorevenhopeless.

Whocouldimagineafairy-talegrassthatrequirednorainandsomehowmadeitpossibleforcattletofeedthemselvesallwinter？Butthesurprisingwesternwildgrassesdidjustthat.Theyhadwonderfullyconvenientfeaturesthatmadethemsuperiortothecultivatedeasterngrasses.Variouslyknownasbuffalograss，gramagrass，ormesquitegrass，notonlyweretheyimmunetodrought；buttheywereactuallypreservedbythelackofsummerandautumnrains.Theywerenotjuicylikethecultivatedeasterngrasses，buthadshort，hardstems.Andtheydidnotneedtobecuredinabarn，butdriedrightwheretheygrewontheground.Whentheydriedinthisway，theyremainednaturallysweetandnourishingthroughthewinter.Cattleleftoutdoorstofendforthemselvesthrivedonthishay.Andthecattlethemselveshelpedplantthefreshgrassyearafteryearfortheytrampledthenaturalseedsfirmlyintothesoiltobewateredbythemeltingsnowsofwinterandtheoccasionalrainsofspring.Thedrysummeraircuredthemmuchasstoringinabarncuredthecultivatedgrasses.

Whatdoesthepassagemainlydiscuss？

（A）

WesternmigrationaftertheCivilWar

（B）

TheclimateofthewesternUnitedStates

（C）

Theraisingofcattle.

（D）

Atypeofwildvegetation

Whatcanbeinferredbythephrase"Legendhasit"inline1？

（A）

Thestoryofthetrainmaynotbecompletelyfactual.

（B）

Mosthistorybooksincludethestoryofthetrain.

（C）

Thedriverofthetraininventedthestory.

（D）

Thestoryofthetrainissimilartootheronesfromthattimeperiod.

Theword"they"inline7refersto

（A）

plains

（B）

skeletons

（C）

oxen

（D）

Americans

Whatcanbeinferredaboutthe"GreatAmericanDesert"mentionedinline9-10？

（A）

Itwasnotoriginallyassumedtobeafertilearea.

Manyhadsettledtherebythe1860's.

ItwasapopularplacetoraisecattlebeforetheCivilWar.

（D）

Itwasnotdiscovereduntilthelate1800's.

25.The

word"barren"inline10isclosestinmeaningto

（A）

lonely

（B）

dangerous

（C）

uncomfortable

（D）

infertile.

Theword"preferred"inline11isclosestinmeaningto

A）

ordinary

B）

available

C）

required

D）

favored

Whichofthefollowingcanbeinferredaboutthecultivatedgrassmentionedinthesecondparagraph？

A)CattleraisedinthewesternUnitedStatesrefusedtoeatit.

B)ItwouldprobablynotgrowinthewesternUnitedStates.

IthadtobeimportedintotheUnitedStates.

Itwasdifficultforcattletodigest.

WhichofthefollowingwasNOToneofthenamesgiventotheWesterngrasses？

（A）

Gramagrass

（B）

Bluejointgrass

（C）

Buffalograss

（D）

Mesquitegrass

WhichofthefollowingwasNOTmentionedasacharacteristicofwesterngrasses？

（A）

Theyhavetoughstems.

（B）

Theyarenotaffectedbydryweather.

（C）

Theycanbegrownindoors.

（D）

Theycontainlittlemoisture.

Theword"hard"inline26isclosestinmeaningto

（A）

firm

（B）

severe

（C）

difficult

（D）

bitter

Accordingtothepassage，thecattlehelpedpromotethegrowthofthewild

grassesby

steppingonandpressingtheseedsintotheground

（B）naturallyfertilizingthesoil

（C）continuallymovingfromonegrazingareatoanother

（D）eatingonlysmallquantitiesofgrass.

Question32-44

Seventeenth-centuryhousesincolonialNorthAmericaweresimplestructuresthatwereprimarilyfunctionalcarryingovertraditionaldesignsthatwentbacktotheMiddleAges.Duringthefirsthalfoftheeighteenthcentury，however，housesbegantoshowanewelegance.Aswealthincreased，moreandmorecolonistsbuiltfinehouses.

Sincearchitecturewasnotyetaspecializedprofessioninthecolonie，sthedesignofbuildingswaslefteithertoamateurdesignersortocarpenterswhoundertooktointerpretarchitecturalmanualsimportedfromEngland.Inventoriesofcoloniallibrariesshowanastonishingnumberofthesehandbooksforbuilders，andthehouseserectedduringtheeighteenthcenturyshowtheirinfluence.Nevertheless，mostdomesticarchitectureofthefirstthree-quartersoftheeighteenthcenturydisplaysawidedivergenceoftasteandfreedomofapplicationoftheruleslaiddowninthesebooks.

Increasingwealthandgrowingsophisticationthroughoutthecoloniesresultedinhousesofimproveddesign，whetherthematerialwaswood，stone，orbrick.NewEnglandstillfavoredwood，thoughbrickhousesbecamecommoninBostonandothertowns，wherethedangeroffiregaveanimpetustotheuseofmoredurablematerial.AfewhousesinNewEnglandwerebuiltofstone，butonlyinPennsylvaniaandadjacentareaswasstonewidelyusedindwellings.AnincreaseduseofbrickinhousesandoutbuildingsisnoticeableinVirginiaandMaryland，butwoodremainedthatmostpopularmaterialeveninhousesbuiltbywealthylandowners.IntheCarolinas，evenincloselypackedCharleston，woodenhousesweremuchmorecommonthanbrickhouses.

Eighteenth-centuryhousesshowedgreatinteriorimprovementsovertheirpredecessors.Windowsweremadelargerandshuttersremoved.Large，clearpanesreplacedthesmallleadedglassoftheseventeenthce