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1、托福考试阅读冲刺 为了让大家更好的准备托福考试，给大家整理了托福考试阅读冲刺,下面就和大家分享，来欣赏一下吧。托福考试阅读冲刺1It is estimated that over 99 percent of all species that ever existed have become extinct. What causes extinction? When a species is no longer adapted to a changed environment, it may perish. The exact causes of a species death vary fro
2、m situation to situation. Rapid ecological change may render an environment hostile to a species. For example, temperatures may change and a species may not be able to adapt. Food resources may be affected by environmental changes, which will then cause problems for a species requiring these resourc
3、es. Other species may become better adapted to an environment, resulting in competition and, ultimately, in the death of a species.The fossil record reveals that extinction has occurred throughout the history of Earth. Recent analyses have also revealed that on some occasions many species became ext
4、inct at the same time a mass extinction. One of the best-known examples of mass extinction occurred 65 million years ago with the demise of dinosaurs and many other forms of life. Perhaps the largest mass extinction was the one that occurred 225 million years ago, when approximately 95 percent of al
5、l species died, mass extinctions can be caused by a relatively rapid change in the environment and can be worsened by the close interrelationship of many species. If, for example, something were to happen to destroy much of the plankton in the oceans, then the oxygen content of Earth would drop, aff
6、ection even organisms not living in the oceans. Such a change would probably lead to a mass extinction.One interesting, and controversial, finding is that extinctions during the past 250 million years have tended to be more intense every 26 million years. This periodic extinction might be due to int
7、ersection of the Earths orbit with a cloud of comets, but this theory is purely speculative. Some researchers have also speculated that extinction may often be random. That is, certain species may be eliminated and others may survive for no particular reason. A species survival may have nothing to d
8、o with its ability or inability to adapt. If so, some of evolutionary history may reflect a sequence of essentially random events.1. The word it in line 3 refers to(A) environment(B) species(C) extinction(D) 99 percent2. The word ultimately in line 8 is closest in meaning to(A) exceptionally(B) dram
9、atically(C) eventually(D) unfortunately3. What does the author say in paragraph 1 regarding most species in Earths history(A) They have remained basically unchanged from their original forms.(B) They have been able to adapt to ecological changes.(C) They have caused rapid change in the environment.(
10、D) They are no longer in existence.4. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in paragraph 1 as resulting from rapid ecological change?(A) Temperature changes(B) Availability of food resources(C) Introduction of new species(D) Competition among species5. The word demise in line 12 is closest in mean
11、ing to(A) change(B) recovery(C) help(D) death6. Why is plankton mentioned in line 17?(A) To demonstrate the interdependence of different species.(B) To emphasize the importance of food resources in preventing mass extinction.(C) To illustrate a comparison between organisms that live on the land and
12、those that live in the ocean.(D) To point out that certain species could never become extinct.7. According to paragraph 2, evidence from fossils suggests that(A) Extinction of species has occurred from time to time throughout Earths history.(B) Extinctions on Earth have generally been massive(C) The
13、re has been only one mass extinction in Earths history.(D) Dinosaurs became extinct much earlier than scientists originally believed.8. The word finding in line 20 is closest in meaning to(A) published information(B) research method(C) ongoing experiment(D) scientific discovery9. Which of the follow
14、ing can be inferred about the theory mentioned in Line 21-23?(A) Many scientists could be expected to disagree with it.(B) Evidence to support the theory has recently been found.(C) The theory is no longer seriously considered.(D) Most scientists believe the theory to be accurate.10. In paragraph 3,
15、 the author makes which of the following statements about a species survival?(A) It reflects the interrelationship of many species.(B) It may depend on chance events.(C) It does not vary greatly from species to species(D) It is associated with astronomical conditions.11. According to the passage , i
16、t is believed that the largest extinction of a species occurred(A) 26 million years ago(B) 65 million years ago(C) 225 million years ago(D) 250 million years ago参考答案：BCDCD AADAB C托福考试阅读冲刺2Under the Earths topsoil, at various levels, sometimes under a layer of rock, there are deposits of clay. Look a
17、t cuts where highways have been built to see exposed clay beds; or look at a construction site, where pockets of clay may be exposed. Rivers also reveal clay along their banks, and erosion on a hillside may make clay easily accessible. What is clay made of? The Earths surface is basically rock, and
18、it is this rock that gradually decomposes into clay. Rain, streams, alternating freezing and thawing, roots of trees and plants forcing their way into cracks, earthquakes, volcanic action, and glaciers all of these forces slowly break down the Earths exposed rocky crust into smaller and smaller piec
19、es that eventually become clay.Rocks are composed of elements and compounds of elements. Feldspar, which is the most abundant mineral on the Earths surface, is basically made up of the oxides silica and alumina combined with alkalis like potassium and some so-called impurities such as iron. Feldspar
20、 is an essential component of granite rocks, and as such it is the basis of clay. When it is wet, clay can be easily shaped to make a variety of useful objects, which can then be fired to varying degrees of hardness and covered with impermeable decorative coatings of glasslike material called glaze.
21、 Just as volcanic action, with its intense heat, fuses the elements in certain rocks into a glasslike rock called obsidian, so can we apply heat to earthen materials and change them into a hard, dense material. Different clays need different heat levels to fuse, and some, the low-fire clays, never b
22、ecome nonporous and watertight like highly fired stoneware. Each clay can stand only a certain amount of heat without losing its shape through sagging or melting. Variations of clay composition and the temperatures at which they are fired account for the differences in texture and appearance between
23、 a china teacup and an earthenware flowerpot.1. The authors main point in paragraph 1 is that clay deposits(A) conceal layers of rock(B) can be found in various places(C) are usually small(D) must be removed from construction sites2. It can be inferred from the passage that clay is LEAST likely to b
24、e plentiful in which of the following areas?(A) in desert sand dunes(B) in forests(C) on hillsides(D) near rivers3. The word accessible in line 4 is closest in meaning to(A) buried(B) improved(C) available(D) workable4. According to the passage , rock breaks down into clay under all of the following
25、 conditions EXCEPT when(A) it is exposed to freezing and thawing(B) roots of trees force their way into cracks(C) it is combined with alkalis(D) natural forces wear away the Earths crust5. Why does the author mention feldspar in line 10?(A) It is often used as a substitute for clay.(B) It is damaged
26、 by the oxides in clay.(C) Its presence indicates inferior clay.(D) It is a major component of clay.6. The word it in line 13 refers to(A) iron(B) feldspar(C) granite(D) clay7. Based on the information in the passage , it can be inferred that low-fire clays are MOST appropriate for making objects th
27、at(A) must be strong(B) can be porous(C) have a smooth texture(D) are highly decorated8. The phrase account for in line 22 is closest in meaning to(A) reduce(B) explain(C) combine with(D) list all of9. The passage supports which of the following conclusions?(A) Clay deposits are only found deep in t
28、he Earth.(B) If clay contains too much iron it will melt when fired.(C) Only certain types of clay are appropriate for making china teacups.(D) If sufficient heat is applied, all clay will become nonporous.参考试题：BACCD BBBC托福考试阅读冲刺3Many prehistoric people subsisted as hunters and gatherers. Undoubtedl
29、y, game animals, including some very large species, provided major components of human diets. An important controversy centering on the question of human effects on prehistoric wildlife concerns the sudden disappearance of so many species of large animals at or near the end of the Pleistocene epoch.
30、 Most paleontologists suspect that abrupt changes in climate led to the mass extinctions. Others, however, have concluded that prehistoric people drove many of those species to extinction through overhunting. In their Pleistocene overkill hypothesis, they cite what seems to be a remarkable coinciden
31、ce between the arrival of prehistoric peoples in North and South America and the time during which mammoths, giant ground sloths, the giant bison, and numerous other large mammals became extinct.Perhaps the human species was driving others to extinction long before the dawn of history. Hunter-gather
32、ers may have contributed to Pleistocene extinctions in more indirect ways. Besides overhunting, at least three other kinds of effects have been suggested: direct competition, imbalances between competing species of game animals, and early agricultural practices. Direct competition may have brought a
33、bout the demise of large carnivores such as the saber-toothed cats. These animals simply may have been unable to compete with the increasingly sophisticated hunting skills of Pleistocene people.Human hunters could have caused imbalances among game animals, leading to the extinctions of species less
34、able to compete. When other predators such as the gray wolf prey upon large mammals, they generally take high proportions of each years crop of young. Some human hunters, in contrast, tend to take the various age-groups of large animals in proportion to their actual occurrence. If such hunters first
35、 competed with the larger predators and then replaced them, they may have allowed more young to survive each year, gradually increasing the populations of favored species. As these populations expanded, they in turn may have competed with other game species for the same environmental niche, forcing
36、the less hunted species into extinction. This theory, suggests that human hunters played an indirect role in Pleistocene extinctions by hunting one species more than another.1. What does the passage mainly discuss?(A) The effects of human activities on prehistoric wildlife(B) The origins of the hunt
37、er-gatherer way of life(C) The diets of large animals of the Pleistocene epoch(D) The change in climate at the end of the Pleistocene epoch2. The word Undoubtedly in line 1 is closest in meaning to(A) occasionally(B) unexpectedly(C) previously(D) certainly3. The word components in line 2 is closest
38、in meaning to(A) parts(B) problems(C) changes(D) varieties4. Which of the following is mentioned as supporting the Pleistocene overkill hypothesis?(A) Many of the animals that became extinct were quite large.(B) Humans migrated into certain regions around the time that major extinctions occurred.(C)
39、 There is evidence that new species were arriving in areas inhabited by humans.(D) Humans began to keep and care for certain animals.5. The word Besides in line 14 is closest in meaning to(A) caused by(B) whereas(C) in addition to(D) in favor of6. The author mentions saber-toothed cats in line 17 as
40、 an example of a carnivore that(A) became extinct before the Pleistocene epoch(B) was unusually large for its time(C) was not able to compete with humans(D) caused the extinction of several species7. The word they in line 22 refers to(A) human hunters(B) game animals(C) other predators(D) large mamm
41、als8. According to the passage , what is one difference between the hunting done by some humans and the hunting done by gray wolves?(A) Some humans hunt more frequently than gray wolves.(B) Gray wolves hunt in larger groups than some humans.(C) Some humans can hunt larger animals than gray wolves ca
42、n hunt.(D) Some humans prey on animals of all ages, but gray wolves concentrate their efforts on young animals.9. The word favored in line 26 is closest in meaning to(A) large(B) escaping(C) preferred(D) local10. According to the passage , the imbalances discussed in paragraph 3 may have resulted from(A) the effect of climate changes on large game animals(B) large animals moving into a new environment(C) humans hunting some species more than others(D) older animals not being able to compete with younger animals参考答案：ADABC CCDCC
