2026年托福《阅读》iBT真题

2026年托福《阅读》iBT真题

Passage1

Theconceptof“rewilding”hasgainedsignificanttractioninconservationbiologyoverthepastfewdecades.Initiallyproposedasaradicalapproachtoecosystemrestoration,rewildinggoesbeyondtraditionalconservation,whichoftenaimstopreserveorrestoreecosystemstoaspecifichistoricalbaseline.Instead,rewildingemphasizestherestorationofkeyecologicalprocessesandthereintroductionofapexpredatorsandotherkeystonespeciestocreateself-sustaining,resilientecosystems.Thecoreideaisthatbyreintroducingspeciesthatplaycriticalrolesinshapingtheirenvironment—suchaswolvesregulatingdeerpopulationsorbeaverscreatingwetlands—conservationistscaninitiatetrophiccascadesthatrestorebiodiversityandecologicalfunctiononalandscapescale.

OneofthemostfamousexamplesofrewildingisthereintroductionofgraywolvestoYellowstoneNationalParkintheUnitedStatesin1995.Afteranabsenceofnearly70years,thewolves’returnhadprofoundandoftenunexpectedeffects.Thewolvespreyedonelk,whichhadoverpopulatedintheirabsenceandovergrazedwillowandaspensaplingsalongriverbanks.Withelkpopulationsreducedandtheirbehavioraltered(theyavoidedriskyareaslikevalleys),vegetationbegantorecover.Thisregenerationstabilizedriverbanks,reducederosion,andcreatedhabitatsforbirdsandbeavers.Thebeavers,inturn,builtdamsthatformedponds,furtherenhancingbiodiversity.Thisseriesofchanges,triggeredbyasinglespeciesreintroduction,vividlyillustratestheconceptofatrophiccascadeandthepowerofrewildingtorestoreecologicalcomplexity.

However,rewildingisnotwithoutitscontroversiesandchallenges.Criticsarguethattheconceptisoftenpoorlydefinedandcanbebasedonaromanticized,pre-human“wilderness”thatmayneverhaveexistedinastaticform.Ecosystemsaredynamic,andclimatechangefurthercomplicatestheideaofrestoringapaststate.Therearealsosignificantsocio-economicconsiderations.Reintroducinglargepredatorslikewolvesorbearscanleadtoconflictswithlocalcommunities,particularlyfarmersandranchersconcernedaboutlivestocklosses.Landusepriorities,funding,andpublicacceptancearemajorhurdles.Furthermore,Pleistocenerewilding—anextremeformproposingthereintroductionofproxiesforextinctmegafauna(likeusingelephantstostandinformammoths)—raisesseriousethicalandecologicalquestionsaboutintroducingnon-nativespeciesandplaying“ecologicalgod.”

Despitethesechallenges,rewildingprojectsarebeingimplementedinvariousformsacrosstheglobe.InEurope,projectsliketheOostvaardersplassenintheNetherlandshaveexperimentedwithcreating“self-regulating”landscapesusinglargeherbivores.IntheUK,effortsareunderwaytoreintroducebeaversandconsiderthepotentialreturnoflynx.Thesuccessoftheseprojectsoftendependsoncarefulplanning,long-termmonitoring,and,crucially,communityengagementandeducation.Proponentsarguethatinaneraofmassextinctionandclimatecrisis,bold,process-orientedapproacheslikerewildingarenecessarytobuildecosystemresilienceandensurethesurvivalofcountlessspecies,includingourown.

Questions1-5:

1.Theword“traction”inparagraph1isclosestinmeaningto

A)friction

B)popularity

C)resistance

D)understanding

2.Accordingtoparagraph1,howdoesrewildingDIFFERfromtraditionalconservation?

A)Itfocusesonprotectingindividualendangeredspecies.

B)Itaimstorestoreecosystemstoaprecisehistoricalcondition.

C)Itemphasizesrestoringecologicalprocessesandkeystonespecies.

D)Itisprimarilyconcernedwithcreatingurbangreenspaces.

3.Inparagraph2,theauthordiscussesthereintroductionofwolvestoYellowstoneprimarilyto

A)arguethatallpredatorreintroductionsareequallysuccessful.

B)highlightthedangersofintroducingnon-nativespecies.

C)provideaspecificcasestudyofarewildingoutcome.

D)criticizethecostoflarge-scaleconservationprojects.

4.Theword“profound”inparagraph2isclosestinmeaningto

A)temporary

B)deep

C)negative

D)predictable

5.Accordingtoparagraph2,whatwasanindirecteffectofthewolfreintroduction?

A)Theimmediateextinctionoftheelkpopulation.

B)Thecreationofnewhabitatsbybeavers.

C)Thedeliberateplantingofwillowtreesbyparkrangers.

D)Theintroductionofnewbirdspeciesfromothercontinents.

Questions6-10:

6.Inparagraph3,criticsofrewildingraiseconcernsaboutallofthefollowingEXCEPT:

A)Thepotentialforconflictbetweenhumansandreintroducedanimals.

B)Thedifficultyofdefiningastablehistoricalbaselineforecosystems.

C)Theprovenineffectivenessoftrophiccascadesinallenvironments.

D)Theethicalissuesofintroducingspeciesproxiesforextinctanimals.

7.Thephrase“playing‘ecologicalgod’”inparagraph3referstothecriticismthatrewildingadvocates

A)followreligiousprinciplesintheirconservationwork.

B)makedecisionswithunpredictableandfar-reachingconsequences.

C)ignoretheimportanceofpredatorsinecosystems.

D)believethathumansarenotpartofnature.

8.Accordingtoparagraph4,whatisakeyfactorforthesuccessofrewildingprojects?

A)Theexclusiveuseofnativespeciesfromtheexacthistoricalperiod.

B)Theinvolvementandsupportoflocalcommunities.

C)Thefocusonsmall-scale,short-termexperiments.

D)Theavoidanceofanyspeciesthatcouldposearisktoagriculture.

9.Theword“resilience”inparagraph4isclosestinmeaningto

A)fragility

B)recovery

C)simplicity

D)stability

10.Whichofthefollowingbestexpressestheessentialinformationinthehighlightedsentenceinparagraph4?Incorrectchoiceschangethemeaninginimportantwaysorleaveoutessentialinformation.10.Whichofthefollowingbestexpressestheessentialinformationinthehighlightedsentenceinparagraph4?Incorrectchoiceschangethemeaninginimportantwaysorleaveoutessentialinformation.

Proponentsarguethatinaneraofmassextinctionandclimatecrisis,bold,process-orientedapproacheslikerewildingarenecessarytobuildecosystemresilienceandensurethesurvivalofcountlessspecies,includingourown.

A)Supportersbelievethatrewilding,aboldstrategyfocusedonprocesses,iscrucialforstrengtheningecosystemsandpromotingsurvivalinatimeofenvironmentalemergencies.

B)Criticsstatethatduringatimeofextinction,cautiousapproachesarebetterthanboldoneslikerewildingforprotectingspecies.

C)Inatimeofcrisis,thesurvivalofhumansdependsmoreontechnologythanonecosystemapproachessuchasrewilding.

D)Rewildingisaprocessthatitsproponentsclaimwilldirectlycausemassextinctionifnotimplementedcarefully.

Passage2

ThedeciphermentoftheMayascriptstandsasoneofthegreatintellectualdetectivestoriesofthetwentiethcentury.Forcenturies,theintricatehieroglyphsadorningMayamonumentsandcodices(foldedbark-paperbooks)wereconsideredimpenetrable,meredecorativesymbolsormysticalcalendars.Theprevailingview,heavilyinfluencedbyearlyscholarslikeJ.EricS.Thompson,wasthattheMayawerepeacefulastronomer-priestspreoccupiedwithtimeandcosmology,andtheirwritingdidnotrecordhistoricaleventslikethechroniclesoftheOldWorld.Thisperceptionbegantocrumbleinthe1950sand1960s,thankstothesynergisticworkofseveralkeyfigures.

AmajorbreakthroughcamefromtheRussianlinguistYuriKnorozov,who,workingintheSovietUnion,proposedinthe1950sthatMayawritingwasatleastpartlyphonetic—thatis,itssymbolsrepresentedsoundsofthespokenlanguage.HeappliedadeciphermentmethodusedonEgyptianhieroglyphs,suggestingthatthescriptwasamixoflogograms(symbolsforwholewords)andsyllabicsigns.HisworkwasinitiallydismissedbytheWesternacademicestablishment,particularlyThompson,whoderidedthephoneticapproach.However,Knorozov’stheoreticalframeworkprovedtobefundamentallycorrect.

ThebatonwaspickedupbyarchaeologistsandepigraphersworkingatMayasites.TatianaProskouriakoff’sanalysisoftheinscriptionsatPiedrasNegras,Guatemala,waspivotal.Bymeticulouslystudyingthepatternsofglyphsonstelae(stonemonuments),shedemonstratedin1960thattheyrecordedthelifeeventsofspecificrulers—theirbirths,accessionstothethrone,militaryvictories,anddeaths.ThisprovedconclusivelythatMayawritingwasindeedhistorical,shatteringtheold“priestly”paradigm.Herworkprovidedthecontextualkeythatallowedphoneticdeciphermenttoadvance.

Subsequentscholars,mostnotablyDavidStuartandhisfatherGeorgeStuart,alongwithotherslikeLindaSchele,builtuponthisfoundation.TheybegantomatchspecificglyphstosyllablesinMayanlanguages,manyofwhicharestillspokentoday.Forexample,theydecipheredtheemblemglyphsthatsignifiedspecificcity-statesandtheglyphsforroyaltitles.Thecombinedeffortsrevealedaworldofpowerful,competingcity-statesledbydivinekings(“k’uhulajaw”)whoengagedincomplexpolitics,diplomacy,andoftenbrutalwarfare.TheMayarecordedtheirhistory,rituals,andevenpoeticlanguagewithsophistication.Subsequentscholars,mostnotablyDavidStuartandhisfatherGeorgeStuart,alongwithotherslikeLindaSchele,builtuponthisfoundation.TheybegantomatchspecificglyphstosyllablesinMayanlanguages,manyofwhicharestillspokentoday.Forexample,theydecipheredtheemblemglyphsthatsignifiedspecificcity-statesandtheglyphsforroyaltitles.Thecombinedeffortsrevealedaworldofpowerful,competingcity-statesledbydivinekings(“k’uhulajaw”)whoengagedincomplexpolitics,diplomacy,andoftenbrutalwarfare.TheMayarecordedtheirhistory,rituals,andevenpoeticlanguagewithsophistication.

Theimpactofdeciphermenthasbeenrevolutionary.IthastransformedourunderstandingofMayacivilizationfromasocietyofpeacefultime-watcherstoadynamic,politicallyfragmentedworldsimilartoancientGreeceorRenaissanceItaly.WenowknowthenamesofkingslikePakalofPalenqueandShieldJaguarofYaxchilán,andwecanreadabouttheiralliancesandconflicts.Thishasallowedarchaeologiststointerpretsitesnotjustasceremonialcentersbutascapitalsofrivalpolities.Thedeciphermentisongoing,withnewglyphsandtextsbeinginterpretedregularly,continuallyrefiningourpictureofthisremarkableMesoamericancivilization.

Questions11-15:

11.Theword“impenetrable”inparagraph1isclosestinmeaningto

A)beautiful

B)understandable

C)mysterious

D)historical

12.Accordingtoparagraph1,whatwasthepre-1950sviewofMayawriting?

A)Itwasapurelyphoneticsystemforrecordingpoetry.

B)Itdetailedthehistoricalrecordsofwarsandkings.

C)Itwasprimarilynon-historicalandrelatedtocalendarsandcosmology.

D)Itwasasimplesystemofpictureswithnolinguisticstructure.

13.WhydoestheauthormentionJ.EricS.Thompsoninparagraph1and2?

A)Toidentifyhimasthescholarwhofinallydecipheredthescript.

B)Toillustratetheacademicresistancetothephonetictheory.

C)TocredithimfordiscoveringthefirstMayaphoneticglyph.

D)ToshowhiscollaborationwithYuriKnorozov.

14.Accordingtoparagraph2,YuriKnorozov’skeycontributionwasproposingthatMayascript

A)wasidenticaltoancientEgyptianhieroglyphs.

B)containedsymbolsrepresentingsounds.

C)couldonlybeunderstoodbymodernMayapriests.

D)waspurelylogographic,withnophoneticcomponent.

15.Theword“pivotal”inparagraph3isclosestinmeaningto

A)controversial

B)preliminary

C)central

D)artistic

Questions16-20:

16.TatianaProskouriakoff’sworkwassignificantbecauseit

A)provedthatKnorozov’sphonetictheorywasentirelywrong.

B)providedthefirstevidencethatglyphsrecordedhistoricaleventsofrulers.

C)focusedsolelyondecipheringtheMayacalendarsystem.

D)wasconductedincollaborationwithThompson.

17.Accordingtoparagraph4,thedeciphermentofemblemglyphshelpedrevealthattheMayawereorganizedinto

A)asingle,unifiedempire.

B)peaceful,independentvillages.

C)competingcity-states.

D)coloniesofaforeignpower.

18.Itcanbeinferredfromparagraph5thatbeforethedecipherment,archaeologistslikelyviewedmajorMayasitesprimarilyas

A)bustlingmarketcities.

B)fortifiedmilitaryoutposts.

C)centersforreligiousandastronomicalstudy.

D)residentialsuburbs.

19.Theword“refining”inparagraph5isclosestinmeaningto

A)replacing

B)improving

C)challenging

D)simplifying

20.Directions:Anintroductorysentenceforabriefsummaryofthepassageisprovidedbelow.CompletethesummarybyselectingtheTHREEanswerchoicesthatexpressthemostimportantideasinthepassage.Somesentencesdonotbelonginthesummarybecausetheyexpressideasthatarenotpresentedinthepassageorareminorideasinthepassage.

ThedeciphermentofMayascriptradicallychangedourunderstandingoftheircivilization.

A)Earlyscholarsbelievedtheglyphswerenon-phoneticanddealtmainlywithtimeandastronomy.

B)TheMayabuilttheircitieswithoutanywrittenrecords,relyingsolelyonoraltradition.

C)KeybreakthroughsincludedKnorozov’sphonetictheoryandProskouriakoff’sdemonstrationofhistoricalcontent.

D)Moderndeciphermenthasrevealedalandscapeofpoliticallycomplex,oftenwarringcity-statesledbydivinekings.

E)TheMayacalendarissoaccuratethatitpredictedastronomicaleventscenturiesinadvance.

F)AllMayaglyphshavenowbeenfullydeciphered,leavingnomysteriesforscholars.

Passage3

Thephenomenonofbioluminescence—theproductionandemissionoflightbylivingorganisms—isaspectacularexampleofevolution’singenuity.Whileitmayseemlikeararemagictrickofnature,itisactuallywidespread,occurringindiversetaxaacrossmarine,terrestrial,andevensomefreshwaterenvironments.Fromtheflickeringfirefliesinasummermeadowtotheeerieglowofdeep-seafish,organismshaveevolvedthisabilityindependentlymultipletimes,suggestingitconferssignificantadaptiveadvantages.Thebiochemicalbasisisgenerallysimilar:alight-emittingmoleculecalledaluciferinreactswithoxygen,catalyzedbyanenzymecalledluciferase,releasingenergyintheformoflightwithverylittleheat—a“coldlight.”

Inthepitch-blackdepthsoftheocean,wheresunlightcannotpenetrate,bioluminescencebecomesaprimarymodeofcommunication.Itisestimatedthatover90%ofdeep-seaorganismsarebioluminescent.Thefunctionsarevariedandcriticalforsurvival.Oneofthemostcommoniscounter-illumination,aformofcamouflageusedbymanymid-waterfishandsquid.Thesecreatureshavelight-producingorgans(photophores)ontheirundersidesthatmatchtheintensityandcolorofthefaintdownwellingsunlightfromabove.Whenviewedfrombelow,theirsilhouettedisappearsagainstthebrightsurface,makingtheminvisibletopredatorslurkingunderneath.

Anotherkeyfunctionispredation.Theanglerfish,aclassicdeep-seadenizen,usesabioluminescentlure(esca)danglingfromamodifiedfinrayaboveitsmouthtoattractcuriouspreywithinstrikingdistance.Somespeciesofdragonfishevenemitredlight,whichisinvisibletomostotherdeep-seaanimals,allowingthemtoilluminatepreywithoutalertingthemorattractinglargerpredators.Conversely,bioluminescenceisusedfordefense.Thesuddenflashofbrightlightcanstartleortemporarilyblindapredator,allowingthepreytoescape.Somesquidandcrustaceansejectacloudofbioluminescentmucusasasmokescreen,confusingtheirattacker.

Onland,themostfamiliarbioluminescentorganismsarefireflies(lightningbugs).Theyusepreciselycontrolledflashesoflightincomplexspecies-specificpatternstoattractmates.Eachspecieshasitsownuniqueflashingcode,ensuringreproductiveisolation.Somespeciesengageinsynchronousflashing,wherethousandsofmalesflashinunison,creatingabreathtakingnaturaldisplaywhoseevolutionarypurposeisstilldebated—itmayenhancethesignaltofemalesorconfusepredators.Fungalbioluminescence,seenincertainmushroomslikethejack-o’-lanternmushroom,islessunderstoodbutmayattractinsectsthathelpdispersespores.

Thestudyofbioluminescencehasyieldedprofoundbenefitsforhumanscienceandmedicine.ThegenesresponsibleforbioluminescenceinorganismslikethejellyfishAequoreavictoria(whichproducesgreenfluorescentprotein,GFP)havebeenisolated.GFPisnowaubiquitoustoolinmolecularandcellularbiology.ScientistscanattachtheGFPgenetoothergenesofinterest,makingitpossibletovisuallytracktheexpressionandlocationofproteinsinlivingcellsandorganisms.Thishasrevolutionizedresearchinneuroscience,developmentalbiology,andcancerresearch,allowingreal-timeobservationofprocessesthatwereonceinvisible.Thestudyofbioluminescencehasyieldedprofoundbenefitsforhumanscienceandmedicine.ThegenesresponsibleforbioluminescenceinorganismslikethejellyfishAequoreavictoria(whichproducesgreenfluorescentprotein,GFP)havebeenisolated.GFPisnowaubiquitoustoolinmolecularandcellularbiology.ScientistscanattachtheGFPgenetoothergenesofinterest,makingitpossibletovisuallytracktheexpressionandlocationofproteinsinlivingcellsandorganisms.Thishasrevolutionizedresearchinneuroscience,developmentalbiology,andcancerresearch,allowingreal-timeobservationofprocessesthatwereonceinvisible.

Questions21-25:

21.Theword“ingenuity”inparagraph1isclosestinmeaningto

A)simplicity

B)creativity

C)weakness

D)randomness

22.Accordingtoparagraph1,whatdoestheindependentevolutionofbioluminescenceinmanyspeciessuggest?

A)Itisaverysimpletraittoevolvebiochemically.

B)Itprovidesimportantsurvivalbenefitsinvariousenvironments.

C)Allbioluminescentorganismsshareacommonancestorthatcouldglow.

D)Thechemicalreactioninvolvingluciferinisdifferentineveryspecies.

23.Theauthordiscussescounter-illuminationinparagraph2inorderto

A)provideanexampleofhowbioluminescenceisusedforcamouflage.

B)arguethatitisthemostimportantfunctionofbioluminescence.

C)explainwhymostdeep-seacreatureshaveeyessensitivetobluelight.

D)contrastdeep-seacamouflagemethodswiththoseusedonland.

24.Theword“conversely”inparagraph3isclosestinmeaningto

A)similarly

B)inaddition

C)ontheotherhand

D)asaresult

25.Accordingtoparagraph3,whatisauniquefeatureofsomedragonfish’sbioluminescence?

A)Itisusedtoattractmateswithcomplexflashpatterns.

B)Itproducesacloudoflighttoconfusepredators.

C)Itemitsredlight,whichisinvisibletomanyotherdeep-seaanimals.

D)Itmimicsthelightofthesunforcounter-illumination.

Questions26-30:

26.Accordingtoparagraph4,theprimaryfunctionoffireflybioluminescenceis

A)tostartleanddeterpotentialpredators.

B)toilluminatethegroundfornavigation.

C)toattractinsectsforthefirefliestoeat.

D)tofacilitatematingthroughspecies-specificsignals.

27.Theword“ubiquitous”inparagraph5isclosestinmeaningto

A)expensive

B)controversial

C)everywhere

D)temporary

28.Accordingtoparagraph5,howhasgreenfluorescentprotein(GFP)revolutionizedbiologicalresearch?

A)Ithasprovidedanewsourceofnaturallightforlaboratories.

B)Itallowsscientiststovisuallytrackspecificproteinsinlivingcells.

C)Ithasledtothecreationofnewbioluminescentpetfish.

D)Ithelpsdeep-seaorganismssurviveinlaboratoryconditions.

29.Directions:Lookatthepartofthepassagethatisdisplayedintheboxbelow.Theletters(A),(B),(C),(D)indicatewherethefollowingsentencecouldbeadded.

Thisabilitytoproducelightwithoutsignificantheatisremarkablyefficient.

Wherewouldthesentencebestfit?

(A)Thephenomenonofbioluminescence—theproductionandemissionoflightbylivingorganisms—isaspectacularexampleofevolution’singenuity.(B)Whileitmayseemlikeararemagictrickofnature,itisactuallywidespread,occurringindiversetaxaacrossmarine,terrestrial,andevensomefreshwaterenvironments.(C)Fromtheflickeringfirefliesinasummermeadowtotheeerieglowofdeep-seafish,organismshaveevolvedthisabilityindependentlymultipletimes,suggestingitconferssignificantadaptiveadvantages.(D)Thebiochemicalbasisisgenerallysimilar:alight-emittingmoleculecalledaluciferinreactswithoxygen,catalyzedbyanenzymecalledluciferase,releasingenergyintheformoflightwithverylittleheat—a“coldlight.”

30.Directions:Selecttheappropriatephrasesfromtheanswerchoicesandmatchthemtothefunctionofbioluminescencetowhichtheyrelate.TWOoftheanswerchoiceswillNOTbeused.Thisquestionisworth3points.

Functions:

Predation

Defense

Reproduction

AnswerChoices:

A)Firefliesusingspecificflashpatternstofindmates.

B)Asquidejectingaglowingcloudtoconfuseapredator.

C)Deep-seafishusingventralphotophorestomatchdownwellinglight.

D)Ananglerfishusingalightedluretoattractprey.

E)Fungiglowingtopossiblyattractspore-dispersinginsects.

F)Dragonfishusingredlighttoilluminatepreyunseen.

G)TheuseofGFPinlaboratoryresearchtotrackgenes.

AnswerKey&Explanations

Passage1:Rewilding

1.B)popularity."Traction"inthiscontextmeansgainingacceptance,support,ormomentum,whichisclosestto"popularity."

2.C)Itemphasizesrestoringecologicalprocessesandkeystonespecies.Thepassagestatesrewilding"goesbeyond"traditionalconservationbyfocusingonprocessesandkeystonespecies,notahistoricalbaseline.

3.C)provideaspecificcasestudyofarewildingoutcome.TheYellowstoneexampleisusedtoillustratetheconceptofatrophiccascaderesultingfromrewilding.

4.B)deep."Profound"meanshavingdeepmeaningorsignificanteffect.

5.B)Thecreationofnewhabitatsbybeavers.Thisisdescribedasanindirecteffectfollowingvegetationrecovery.

6.C)Theprovenineffectivenessoftrophiccascadesinallenvironments.Criticsmentiondefinitionproblems,humanconflict,climatechange,andethicalissues,butnotthattrophiccascadesareuniversallyineffective.

7.B)makedecisionswithunpredictableandfar-reachingconsequences.Thephrasecriticizesthehubrisofmakinglarge-scaleecologicalchangeswithunknownoutcomes.

8.B)Theinvolvementandsupportoflocalcommunities.Thelastparagraphstatessuccessdependson"communityengagementandeducation."

9.B)recovery."Resilience"herereferstotheabilitytowithstandorrecoverfromdisturbances.

10.A)Supportersbelievethatrewilding,aboldstrategyfocusedonprocesses,iscrucialforstrengtheningecosystemsandpromotingsurvivalinatimeofenvironmentalemergencies.Thiscorrectlycapturesthecoreargumentofthesentence.

Passage2:MayaScriptDecipherment

11.C)mysterious."Impenetrable"meansimpossibletounderstandordecipher.

12.C)Itwasprimarilynon-historicalandrelatedtocalendarsandcosmology.Thepassagesaystheywereseenas"meredecorativesymbo