2001年8月TOEFL試題閱讀部分及答案【1】

　　Section Three： Reading Comprehension

　　Questions 1-9

　　Glass fibers have a long history. The Egyptians made coarse fibers by 1600 B.C.， and

　　fibers survive as decorations on Egyptian pottery dating back to 1375 B c. During the

　　Renaissance ， glassmakers from Venice used glass

　　Line fibers to decorate the surfaces of plain glass vessels. However， glassmakers guarded their

　　secrets so carefully that no one wrote about glass fiber production until the early

　　seventeenth century.

　　The eighteenth century brought the invention of “spun glass“ fibers. Rene-Antoine de

　　Reaumur， a French scientist， tried to make artificial feathers from glass. He made fibers

　　by rotating a wheel through a pool of molten glass， pulling threads of glass where the hot

　　thick liquid stuck to the wheel. His fibers were short and fragile， but he predicted that

　　spun glass fibers as thin as spider silk would be flexible and could be woven into fabric.

　　By the start of the nineteenth century， glassmakers learned how to make longer， stronger

　　fibers by pulling them from molten glass with a hot glass tube. Inventors wound the

　　cooling end of the thread around a yarn reel， then turned the reel rapidly to pull more fiber

　　from the molten glass. Wandering tradespeople began to spin glass fibers at fairs， making

　　decorations and ornaments as novelties for collectors， but this material was of little

　　practical use; the fibers were brittle， ragged， and no longer than ten feet， the circumference

　　of the largest reels. By the mid-1870’s， however， the best glass fibers were finer than silk

　　and could be woven into fabrics or assembled into imitation ostrich feathers to decorate

　　hats. Cloth of white spun glass resembled silver; fibers drawn from yellow-orange glass

　　<

　　looked golden.

　　Glass fibers were little more than a novelty until the 1930’s， when their thermal and

　　electrical insulating properties were appreciated and methods for producing continuous

　　filaments were developed. In the modern manufacturing process， liquid glass is fed

　　directly from a glass-melting furnace into a bushing， a receptacle pierced with hundreds

　　of fine nozzles， from which the liquid issues in fine streams. As they solidify， the streams

　　of glass are gathered into a single strand and wound onto a reel.

　　1. Which of the following aspects of glass fiber does the passage mainly discuss

　　The major developments in its production

　　Its relationship with pottery making

　　Important inventors in its long history

　　The variety of its uses in modern industry

　　2. The word “coarse“ in line 1 is closest in meaning to

　　decorative

　　natural

　　crude

　　weak

　　3. Why was there nothing written about the making of Renaissance glass fibers until the seventeenth century

　　Glassmakers were unhappy with the quality of the fibers they could make.

　　Glassmakers did not want to reveal the methods they used.

　　Few people were interested in the Renaissance style of glass fibers.

　　Production methods had been well known for a long time.

　　4. According to the passage， using a hot glass tube rather than a wheel to pull fibers from molten glass made the fibers

　　quicker to cool

　　harder to bend

　　shorter and more easily broken

　　longer and more durable

　　5. The phrase “this material“ in line 16 refers to

　　glass fibers

　　decorations

　　ornaments

　　novelties for collectors

　　6. The word “brittle“ in line 17 is closest in meaning to

　　easily broken

　　roughly made

　　hairy

　　shiny

　　7. The production of glass fibers was improved in the nineteenth century by which of the following

　　Adding silver to the molten glass

　　Increasing the circumference of the glass tubes

　　Putting silk thread in the center of the fibers

　　Using yam reels

　　8. The word “appreciated“ in line 23 is closest in meaning to

　　experienced

　　recognized

　　explored

　　increased

　　9. Which of the following terms is defined in the passage

　　invention

　　circumference

　　manufacturing process

　　bushing

　　Questions 10-19

　　The most thoroughly studied cases of deception strategies employed by ground-nesting

　　birds involve plovers， small birds that typically nest on beaches or in open fields， their

　　nests merely scrapes in the sand or earth. Plovers also have an effective repertoire of tricks

　　Line for distracting potential nest predators from their exposed and defenseless eggs or chicks.

　　The ever-watchful plover can detect a possible threat at a considerable distance. When

　　she does， the nesting bird moves inconspicuously off the nest to a spot well away from

　　eggs or chicks. At this point she may use one of several ploys. One technique involves

　　first moving quietly toward an approaching animal and then setting off noisily through

　　the grass or brush in a low， crouching run away from the nest， while emitting rodent like

　　squeaks. The effect mimics a scurrying mouse or vole， and the behavior rivets the

　　attention of the type of predators that would also be interested in eggs and chicks.

　　Another deception begins with quiet movement to an exposed and visible location well

　　away from the nest. Once there， the bird pretends to incubate a brood. When the predator

　　approaches， the parent flees， leaving the false nest to be searched. The direction in which

　　the plover “escapes“ is such that if the predator chooses to follow， it will be led still further

　　away from the true nest.

　　The plover’s most famous stratagem is the broken-wing display， actually a continuum

　　of injury-mimicking behaviors spanning the range from slight disability to near-complete

　　helplessness. One or both wings are held in an abnormal position， suggesting injury. The

　　bird appears to be attempting escape along an irregular route that indicates panic. In the

　　most extreme version of the display， the bird flaps one wing in an apparent attempt to

　　take to the air， flops over helplessly， struggles back to its feet， runs away a short distance，

　　seemingly attempts once more to take off， flops over again as the “useless“ wing fails to

　　provide any lift， and so on. Few predators fail to pursue such obviously vulnerable prey.

　　Needless to say， each short run between “flight attempts“ is directed away from the nest.

　　10. What does the passage mainly discuss

　　The nest-building techniques of plovers

　　How predators search for plovers

　　The strategies used by plovers to deceive predators

　　Why plovers are vulnerable to predators

　　11. The word “merely“ in fine 3 is closest in meaning to

　　often

　　only

　　usually

　　at first

　　12. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage about plovers

　　Their eggs and chicks are difficult to find.

　　They are generally defenseless when away From their nests.

　　They are slow to react in dangerous situations.

　　Their nests are on the surface of the ground.

　　13. The word “emitting“ in line 9 is closest in meaning to

　　bringing

　　attracting

　　producing

　　minimizing

　　14. In the deception technique described in paragraph 2. the plover tries to

　　stay close to her nest

　　attract the predator’s attention

　　warn other plovers of danger

　　frighten the approaching predator

　　15. The word “spanning“ in line 18 is closest in meaning to

　　covering

　　selecting

　　developing

　　explaining

　　16. According to paragraph 4， which of the following aspects of the plover’s behavior gives the appearance that it is frightened

　　Abnormal body position

　　Irregular escape route

　　Unnatural wing movement

　　Unusual amount of time away from the nest

　　17. The word “pursue“ in line 24 is closest in meaning to

　　catch

　　notice

　　defend

　　chase

　　18. According to the passage， a female plover utilizes all of the following deception techniques EXCEPT

　　appearing to be injured

　　sounding like another animal

　　pretending to search for prey

　　pretending to sit on her eggs

　　19. Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage

　　A description of the sequence of steps involved in plovers nest building

　　A generalization about plover behavior followed by specific examples

　　A comparison and contrast of the nesting behavior of plovers and other ground nesting birds

　　A cause-and-efleet analysis of the relationship between a prey and a predator

　　Questions 20-28

　　The interrelationship of science， technology， and industry is taken for granted

　　today—summed up， not altogether accurately， as “research and development.“ Yet

　　historically this widespread faith in the economic virtues of science is a relatively recent

　　Line phenomenon， dating back in the United States about 150 years， and in the Western world

　　as a whole not over 300 years at most. Even in this current era of large scale， intensive

　　research and development， the interrelationships involved in this process are frequently

　　misunderstood. Until the coming of the Industrial Revolution， science and technology

　　evolved for the most part independently of each other. Then as industrialization became

　　increasingly complicated， the craft techniques of preindustrial society gradually gave way

　　to a technology based on the systematic application of scientific knowledge and scientific

　　methods. This changeover started slowly and progressed unevenly. Until late in the

　　nineteenth century， only a few industries could use scientific techniques or cared about

　　using them. The list expanded noticeably after 1870， but even then much of what passed

　　for the application of science was “engineering science“ rather than basic science.

　　Nevertheless， by the middle of the nineteenth century， the rapid expansion of scientific

　　knowledge and of public awareness-if not understanding-of it had created a belief that the

　　advance of science would in some unspecified manner automatically generate economic

　　benefits. The widespread and usually uncritical acceptance of this thesis led in turn to the

　　assumption that the application of science to industrial purposes was a linear process， starting

　　with fundamental science， then proceeding to applied science or technology， and through

　　them to industrial use. This is probably the most common pattern， but it is not invariable. New

　　areas of science have been opened up and fundamental discoveries made as a result of

　　attempts to solve a specific technical or economic problem. Conversely， scientists who mainly

　　do basic research also serve as consultants on projects that apply research in practical ways.

　　In sum， the science-technology-industry relationship may flow in several different ways， and

　　the particular channel it will follow depends on the individual situation. It may at times even

　　be multidirectional.

　　20. What is the author’s main purpose in the passage

　　To show how technology influenced basic science

　　To describe the scientific base of nineteenth-century American industries

　　To correct misunderstandings about the connections between science， technology， and industry

　　To argue that basic science has no practical application

　　21. The word “altogether“ in line 2 is closest in meaning to

　　completely

　　realistically

　　individually

　　understandably

　　22. The word “intensive“ in line 5 is closest in meaning to

　　decreased

　　concentrated

　　creative

　　advanced

　　23. The “list“ mentioned in line 13 refers to

　　types of scientific knowledge

　　changes brought by technology

　　industries that used scientific techniques

　　applications of engineering science

　　24. The understanding of research and development in the late nineteenth century is based on which of the following

　　Engineering science is not very important.

　　Fundamental science naturally leads to economic benefits.

　　The relationship between research and development should be criticized.

　　Industrial needs should determine what areas fundamental science focuses on.

　　25. The word “it“ in line 16 refers to

　　understanding

　　public awareness

　　scientific knowledge

　　expansion

　　26. The word “assumption“ in line 19 is closest in meaning to

　　regulation

　　belief

　　contract

　　confusion

　　27. Why does the author mention “consultants“ in line 24

　　To show how new areas of science have given rise to new professions

　　To distinguish between scientists who work in industry and those who do not

　　To explain the ways in which scientists find financial support for their work

　　To show how scientists who work in basic research contribute to applied science

　　28. Which of the following statements does the passage support

　　The development of science and of industry is now interdependent.

　　Basic scientific research cannot generate practical applications.

　　Industries should spend less money on research and development.

　　Science and technology are becoming more separate

　　Questions 29-39

　　The economic depression in the late-nineteenth-century United States contributed

　　significantly to a growing movement in literature toward realism and naturalism. After the

　　1870’ s， a number of important authors began to reject the romanticism that had prevailed

　　Line immediately following the Civil War of 1861-1865 and turned instead to realism.

　　Determined to portray life as it was， with fidelity to real life and accurate representation

　　without idealization， they studied local dialects， wrote stories which focused on life in

　　specific regions of the country， and emphasized the “true“ relationships between people. In

　　doing so， they reflected broader trends in the society， such as industrialization，

　　evolutionary theory which emphasized the effect of the environment on humans， and the

　　influence of science.

　　Realists such as Joel Chandler Harris and Ellen Glasgow depicted life in the South;

　　Hamlin Garland described life on the Great Plains; and Sarah One Jewett wrote about

　　everyday life in rural New England. Another realist， Bret Harte， achieved fame with stories

　　that portrayed local life in the California mining camps.

　　Samuel Clemens， who adopted the pen name Mark Twain， became the country’s most

　　outstanding realist author， observing life around him with a humorous and skeptical eye. In

　　his stories and novels， Twain drew on his own experiences and used dialect and common

　　speech instead of literary language， touching off a major change in American prose style.

　　Other writers became impatient even with realism. Pushing evolutionary theory to its

　　limits， they wrote of a world in which a cruel and merciless environment determined

　　human fate. These writers， called naturalists， often focused on economic hardship，

　　studying people struggling with poverty， and other aspects of urban and industrial life.

　　Naturalists brought to their writing a passion for direct and honest experience.

　　Theodore Dreiser， the foremost naturalist writer， in novels such as Sister Carrie， grimly

　　portrayed a dark world in which human beings were tossed about by forces beyond their

　　understanding or control. Dreiser thought that writers should tell the truth about human

　　affairs， not fabricate romance， and Sister Carrie， he said， was “not intended as a piece of

　　literary craftsmanship， but was a picture of conditions.“

　　29. Which aspect of late-nineteenth-century United States literature does the passage mainly discuss

　　The influence of science on literature

　　The importance of dialects for realist writers

　　The emergence of realism and naturalism

　　The effects of industrialization on romanticism

　　30. The word “prevailed“ in line 3 is closest in meaning to

　　dominated

　　transformed

　　entered

　　generalized

　　31. The word “they“ in line 8 refers to

　　authors

　　dialects

　　stories

　　relationships

　　32. According to the passage， a highly significant factor in the development of realist and naturalist literature was

　　the Civil War

　　a recognition that romanticism was unpopular

　　an increased interest in the study of common speech

　　an economic depression

　　33. Realist writers took an interest in all of the following EXCEPT

　　human relationships

　　characteristics of different regions

　　the idealization of life

　　social and historical theories

　　34. The word “depicted“ in line 11 is closest in meaning to

　　emphasized

　　described

　　criticized

　　classified

　　35. Why does the author mention mining camps in line 14

　　To contrast the themes of realist and naturalist writers

　　To illustrate how Bret Harte differed from other authors

　　As an example of a topic taken up by realist writers

　　As an example of how setting can influence literary style

　　36. Which of the following wrote about life in rural New England

　　Ellen Glasgow

　　Sarah Orne Jewett

　　Hamlin Garland

　　Mark Twain

　　37. Mark Twain is considered an important literary figure because he

　　was the first realist writer in the United States

　　rejected romanticism as a literary approach

　　wrote humorous stories and novels

　　influenced American prose style through his use of common speech

　　38. The word “foremost“ in line 24 is closest in meaning to

　　most difficult

　　interesting

　　most focused

　　leading

　　39. Which of the following statements about Theodore Dreiser is supported by

　　the passage

　　He mainly wrote about historical subjects such as the Civil War.

　　His novels often contained elements of humor.

　　He viewed himself more as a social commentator than as a literary artist.

　　He believed writers should emphasize the positive aspects of life

　　Questions 40-50

　　In 1900 the United States had only three cities with more than a million residents-

　　New York， Chicago， and Philadelphia. By 1930， it had ten giant metropolises. The newer

　　ones experienced remarkable growth， which reflected basic changes in the economy.

　　Line The population of Los Angelesrose spectacularly in the early

　　decades of the twentieth century， increasing a dramatic 1，400 percent from 1900 to 1930.

　　A number of circumstances contributed to the meteoric rise of Los Angeles. The

　　agricultural potential of the area was enormous if water for irrigation could be found， and

　　the city founders had the vision and dating to obtain it by constructing a 225-mile

　　aqueduct， completed in 1913， to tap the water of the Owens River. The city had a superb

　　natural harbor， as well as excellent rail connections. The climate made it possible to shoot

　　motion pictures year-round; hence Hollywood. Hollywood not only supplied jobs; it

　　disseminated an image of the good life in Southern California on screens all across the

　　nation. The most important single industry powering the growth of Los Angeles， however，

　　was directly linked to the automobile. The demand for petroleum to fuel gasoline engines

　　led to the opening of the Southern California oil fields， and made Los Angeles North

　　America’s greatest refining center.

　　Los Angeles was a product of the auto age in another sense as well： its distinctive

　　spatial organization depended on widespread private ownership of automobiles. Los

　　Angeles was a decentralized metropolis， sprawling across the desert landscape over an

　　area of 400 square miles. It was a city without a real center. The downtown business

　　district did not grow apace with the city as a whole， and the rapid transit system designed

　　to link the center with outlying areas withered away from disuse. Approximately 800，000

　　cars were registered in Los Angeles County in 1930， one per 2.7 residents. Some visitors

　　from the east coast were dismayed at the endless urban sprawl and dismissed Los

　　Angeles as a mere collection of suburbs in search of a city. But the freedom and mobility

　　of a city built on wheels attracted floods of migrants to the city.

　　40. What is the passage mainly about

　　The growth of cities in the United States in the early 1900’s

　　The development of the Southern California oil fields

　　Factors contributing to the growth of Los Angeles

　　Industry and city planning in Los Angeles

　　41. The author characterizes the growth of new large cities in the United States after

　　1900 as resulting primarily from

　　new economic conditions

　　images of cities shown in movies

　　new agricultural techniques

　　a large migrant population

　　42. The word “meteoric“ in line 6 is closest in meaning to

　　rapid

　　famous

　　controversial

　　methodical

　　43. The word “it“ in line 8 refers to

　　aqueduct

　　vision

　　water

　　agricultural potential

　　44. According to the passage， the most important factor in the development of agriculture around Los Angeles was the

　　influx of “new residents to agricultural areas near the city

　　construction of an aqueduct

　　expansion of transportation facilities

　　development of new connections to the city’s natural harbor

　　45. According to the passage， the initial success of Hollywood’ s motion picture industry was due largely to the

　　availability of many skilled workers

　　beauty of the countryside

　　region’s reputation for luxurious lifestyles

　　region’s climate and good weather

　　46. It can be inferred from the passage that in 1930 the greatest number of people in the Los Angeles area were employed in

　　farming

　　oil refining

　　automobile manufacturing

　　the motion picture industry

　　47. According to the passage， the Southern California oil fields were initially exploited due to

　　the fuel requirements of Los Angeles’ rail system

　　an increase in the use of gasoline engines in North America

　　a desire to put unproductive desert land to good use

　　innovative planning on the part of the city founders

　　48. The phrase “apace with“ in line 21 is closest in meaning to

　　anew with

　　apart from

　　as fast as

　　at the middle of

　　49. It can be inferred from the passage that the spatial organization of Los Angeles contributed to the relative decline there of

　　public transportation

　　industrial areas

　　suburban neighborhoods

　　oil fields

　　50. The visitors from the east coast mentioned in the passage thought that Los Angeles

　　was not accurately portrayed by Hollywood images

　　lacked good suburban areas in which to live

　　had an excessively large population

　　was not really a single city

　　答案

　　ACBDA ADBDC BDCBA BDCBC ABCBC BDACA ADCBC BDDCC AACBD BBCAD