tpo3閱讀翻譯和答案

　　TPO3閱讀真題(文本+答案+翻譯)

　　Architecture

　　Architecture is the art and science of designing structures that organize and enclose space for practical and symbolic purposes. Because architecture grows out of human needs and aspirations, it clearly communicates cultural values. Of all the visual arts, architecture affects our lives most directly for it determines the character of the human environment in major ways.

　　Architecture is a three-dimensional form. It utilizes space, mass, texture, line, light, and color. To be architecture, a building must achieve a working harmony with a variety of elements. Humans instinctively seek structures that will shelter and enhance their way of life. It is the work of architects to create buildings that are not simply constructions but also offer inspiration and delight. Buildings contribute to human life when they provide shelter, enrich space, complement their site, suit the climate, and are economically feasible. The client who pays for the building and defines its function is an important member of the architectural team. The mediocre design of many contemporary buildings can be traced to both clients and architects.

　　In order for the structure to achieve the size and strength necessary to meet its purpose, architecture employs methods of support that, because they are based on physical laws, have changed little since people first discovered them-even while building materials have changed dramatically. The world s architectural structures have also been devised in relation to the objective limitations of materials. Structures can be analyzed in terms of how they deal with downward forces created by gravity. They are designed to withstand the forces of compression (pushing together), tension (pulling apart), bending, or a combination of these in different parts of the structure.

　　Even development in architecture has been the result of major technological changes. Materials and methods of construction are integral parts of the design of architecture structures. In earlier times it was necessary to design structural systems suitable for the materials that were available, such as wood, stone, brick. Today technology has progressed to the point where it is possible to invent new building materials to suit the type of structure desired. Enormous changes in materials and techniques of construction within the last few generations have made it possible to enclose space with much greater ease and speed and with a minimum of material. Progress in this area can be measured by the difference in weight between buildings built now and those of comparable size built one hundred years ago.

　　Modern architectural forms generally have three separate components comparable to elements of the human body: a supporting skeleton or frame, an outer skin enclosing the interior spaces, and equipment, similar to the body s vital organs and systems. The equipment includes plumbing, electrical wiring, hot water, and air-conditioning. Of course in early architecture-such as igloos and adobe structures-there was no such equipment, and the skeleton and skin were often one.

　　Much of the world s great architecture has been constructed of stone because of its beauty, permanence, and availability. In the past, whole cities grew from the arduous task of cutting and piling stone upon. Some of the world s finest stone architecture can be seen in the ruins of the ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu high in the eastern Andes Mountains of Peru. The doorways and windows are made possible by placing over the open spaces thick stone beams that support the weight from above. A structural invention had to be made before the physical limitations of stone could be overcome and new architectural forms could be created. That invention was the arch, a curved structure originally made of separate stone or brick segments. The arch was used by the early cultures of the Mediterranean area chiefly for underground drains, but it was the Romans who first developed and used the arch extensively in aboveground structures. Roman builders perfected the semicircular arch made of separate blocks of stone. As a method of spanning space, the arch can support greater weight than a horizontal beam. It works in compression to divert the weight above it out to the sides, where the weight is borne by the vertical elements on either side of the arch. The arch is among the many important structural breakthroughs that have characterized architecture throughout the centuries.

　　Paragraph 1: Architecture is the art and science of designing structures that organize and enclose space for practical and symbolic purposes. Because architecture grows out of human needs and aspirations, it clearly communicates cultural values. Of all the visual arts, architecture affects our lives most directly for it determines the character of the human environment in major ways.

　　1. According to paragraph 1, all of the following statements about architecture are true EXCEPT:

　　○Architecture is visual art.

　　○Architecture reflects the cultural values of its creators.

　　○Architecture has both artistic and scientific dimensions.

　　○Architecture has an indirect effect on life.

　　Paragraph 2: Architecture is a three-dimensional form. It utilizes space, mass, texture, line, light, and color. To be architecture, a building must achieve a working harmony with a variety of elements. Humans instinctively seek structures that will shelter and enhance their way of life. It is the work of architects to create buildings that are not simply constructions but also offer inspiration and delight. Buildings contribute to human life when they provide shelter, enrich space, complement their site, suit the climate, and are economically feasible. The client who pays for the building and defines its function is an important member of the architectural team. The mediocre design of many contemporary buildings can be traced to both clients and architects.

　　2.The word feasible in the passage is closest in meaning to

　　○in existence

　　○without question

　　○achievable

　　○most likely

　　3. The word enhance in the passage is closest in meaning to

　　○protect

　　○improve

　　○organize

　　○match

　　Paragraph 3: In order for the structure to achieve the size and strength necessary to meet its purpose, architecture employs methods of support that, because they are based on physical laws, have changed little since people first discovered them-even while building materials have changed dramatically. The world s architectural structures have also been devised in relation to the objective limitations of materials. Structures can be analyzed in terms of how they deal with downward forces created by gravity. They are designed to withstand the forces of compression (pushing together), tension (pulling apart), bending, or a combination of these in different parts of the structure.

　　4. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

　　○Unchanging physical laws have limited the size and strength of buildings that can be made with materials discovered long ago.

　　○B(yǎng)uilding materials have changed in order to increase architectural size and strength, but physical laws of structure have not changed.

　　○When people first started to build, the structural methods used to provide strength and size were inadequate because they were not based on physical laws.

　　○Unlike building materials, the methods of support used in architecture have not changed over time because they are based on physical laws.

　　5. The word devised in the passage is closest in meaning to

　　○combined

　　○created

　　○introduced

　　○suggested

　　Paragraph 4: Even development in architecture has been the result of major technological changes. Materials and methods of construction are integral parts of the design of architecture structures. In earlier times it was necessary to design structural systems suitable for the materials that were available, such as wood, stone, brick. Today technology has progressed to the point where it is possible to invent new building materials to suit the type of structure desired. Enormous changes in materials and techniques of construction within the last few generations have made it possible to enclose space with much greater ease and speed and with a minimum of material. Progress in this area can be measured by the difference in weight between buildings built now and those of comparable size built one hundred years ago.

　　6. The word integral is closest in meaning to

　　○essential

　　○variable

　　○practical

　　○independent

　　7. According to paragraph 4, which of the following is true about materials used in the construction of buildings?

　　○B(yǎng)ecause new building materials are hard to find, construction techniques have changed very little from past generations.

　　○The availability of suitable building materials no longer limits the types of structures that may be built.

　　○The primary building materials that are available today are wood, stone, and brick.

　　○Architects in earlier times did not have enough building materials to enclose large spaces.

　　8. In paragraph 4, what does the author imply about modern buildings?

　　○They occupy much less space than buildings constructed one hundred years ago.

　　○They are not very different from the building of a few generations ago.

　　○They weigh less in relation to their size than buildings constructed one hundred years ago.

　　○They take a long time to build as a result of their complex construction methods.

　　Paragraph 5: Modern architectural forms generally have three separate components comparable to elements of the human body: a supporting skeleton or frame, an outer skin enclosing the interior spaces, and equipment, similar to the body s vital organs and systems. The equipment includes plumbing, electrical wiring, hot water, and air-conditioning. Of course in early architecture-such as igloos and adobe structures-there was no such equipment, and the skeleton and skin were often one.

　　9. Which of the following correctly characterizes the relationship between the human body and architecture that is described in paragraph 5?

　　○Complex equipment inside buildings is the one element in modern architecture that resembles a component of the human body.

　　○The components in early buildings were similar to three particular elements of the human body.

　　○Modern buildings have components that are as likely to change as the human body is.

　　○In general, modern buildings more closely resemble the human body than earlier buildings do.

　　Paragraph 6: Much of the world s great architecture has been constructed of stone because of its beauty, permanence, and availability. In the past, whole cities grew from the arduous task of cutting and piling stone upon. Some of the world s finest stone architecture can be seen in the ruins of the ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu high in the eastern Andes Mountains of Peru. The doorways and windows are made possible by placing over the open spaces thick stone beams that support the weight from above. A structural invention had to be made before the physical limitations of stone could be overcome and new architectural forms could be created. That invention was the arch, a curved structure originally made of separate stone or brick segments. The arch was used by the early cultures of the Mediterranean area chiefly for underground drains, but it was the Romans who first developed and used the arch extensively in aboveground structures. Roman builders perfected the semicircular arch made of separate blocks of stone. As a method of spanning space, the arch can support greater weight than a horizontal beam. It works in compression to divert the weight above it out to the sides, where the weight is borne by the vertical elements on either side of the arch. The arch is among the many important structural breakthroughs that have characterized architecture throughout the centuries.

　　10. The word arduous in the passage is closest in meaning to

　　○difficult

　　○necessary

　　○skilled

　　○shared

　　11. Why does the author include a description of how the doorways and windows of Machu Picchu were constructed?

　　○To indicate that the combined skeletons and skins of the stone buildings of Machu Picchu were similar to igloos and adobe structures

　　○To indicate the different kinds of stones that had to be cut to build Machu Picchu

　　○To provide an illustration of the kind of construction that was required before arches were invented

　　○To explain how ancient builders reduced the amount of time necessary to construct buildings from stone

　　12．According to paragraph 6, which of the following statements is true of the arch?

　　○The Romans were the first people to use the stone arch.

　　○The invention of the arch allowed new architectural forms to be developed.

　　○The arch worked by distributing the structural load of a building toward the center of the arch.

　　○The Romans followed earlier practices in their use of arches.

　　Paragraph 5: █Modern architectural forms generally have three separate components comparable to elements of the human body; a supporting skeleton or frame, an outer skin enclosing the interior spaces, and equipment, similar to the body s vital organs and systems. █The equipment includes plumbing, electrical wiring, hot water, and air-conditioning. █Of course in early architecture-such as igloos and adobe structures-there was no such equipment, and the skeleton and skin were often one. █

　　13．Look at the four squares [█] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.

　　However, some modern architectural designs, such as those using folded plates of concreter or air-inflated structures, are again unifying skeleton and skin.

　　Where would the sentence best fit?

　　14．Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.

　　Architecture uses forms and space to express cultural values.

　　●

　　●

　　●

　　Answer choices

　　○Architects seek to create buildings that are both visually appealing and well suited for human use.

　　○Over the course of the history of building, innovations in material and methods of construction have given architects ever greater freedom to express themselves.

　　○Throughout history buildings have been constructed like human bodies, needing distinct organ systems in order to function.

　　○B(yǎng)oth clients and architects are responsible for the mediocre designs of some modern buildings.

　　○Modern buildings tend to lack the beauty of ancient stone buildings such as those of Machu Picchu.

　　○The discovery and use of the arch typifies the way in which architecture advances by developing more efficient types of structures.

　　本文關(guān)鍵字： 1

　　篇三：tpo3閱讀答案

　　TPO3閱讀真題(文本+答案+翻譯)：Part2 Depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer，更多托福TPO閱讀真題、TPO閱讀文本、TPO閱讀答案、TPO閱讀翻譯盡在新東方在線頻道！

　　Depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer

　　The vast grasslands of the High Plains in the central United States were settled by farmers and ranchers in the 1880s. This region has a semiarid climate, and for 50 years after its settlement, it supported a low-intensity agricultural economy of cattle ranching and wheat farming. In the early twentieth century, however, it was discovered that much of the High Plains was underlain by a huge aquifer (a rock layer containing large quantities of groundwater). This aquifer was named the Ogallala aquifer after the Ogallala Sioux Indians, who once inhabited the region.

　　The Ogallala aquifer is a sandstone formation that underlies some 583,000 square kilometers of land extending from northwestern Texas to southern South Dakota. Water from rains and melting snows has been accumulating in the Ogallala for the past 30,000 years. Estimates indicate that the aquifer contains enough water to fill Lake Huron, but unfortunately, under the semiarid climatic conditions that presently exist in the region, rates of addition to the aquifer are minimal, amounting to about half a centimeter a year.

　　The first wells were drilled into the Ogallala during the drought years of the early 1930s. The ensuing rapid expansion of irrigation agriculture, especially from the 1950s onward, transformed the economy of the region. More than 100,000 wells now tap the Ogallala. Modern irrigation devices, each capable of spraying 4.5 million liters of water a day, have produced a landscape dominated by geometric patterns of circular green islands of crops. Ogallala water has enabled the High Plains region to supply significant amounts of the cotton, sorghum, wheat, and corn grown in the United States. In addition, 40 percent of American grain-fed beef cattle are fattened here.

　　This unprecedented development of a finite groundwater resource with an almost negligible natural recharge rate-that is, virtually no natural water source to replenish the water supply-has caused water tables in the region to fall drastically. In the 1930s, wells encountered plentiful water at a depth of about 15 meters; currently, they must be dug to depths of 45 to 60 meters or more. In places, the water table is declining at a rate of a meter a year, necessitating the periodic deepening of wells and the use of ever-more-powerful pumps. It is estimated that at current withdrawal rates, much of the aquifer will run dry within 40 years. The situation is most critical in Texas, where the climate is driest, the greatest amount of water is being pumped, and the aquifer contains the least water. It is projected that the remaining Ogallala water will, by the year 2030, support only 35 to 40 percent of the irrigated acreage in Texas that is supported in 1980.

　　The reaction of farmers to the inevitable depletion of the Ogallala varies. Many have been attempting to conserve water by irrigating less frequently or by switching to crops that require less water. Others, however, have adopted the philosophy that it is best to use the water while it is still economically profitable to do so and to concentrate on high-value crops such as cotton. The incentive of the farmers who wish to conserve water is reduced by their knowledge that many of their neighbors are profiting by using great amounts of water, and in the process are drawing down the entire region s water supplies.

　　In the face of the upcoming water supply crisis, a number of grandiose schemes have been developed to transport vast quantities of water by canal or pipeline from the Mississippi, the Missouri, or the Arkansas rivers.

　　Unfortunately, the cost of water obtained through any of these schemes would increase pumping costs at least tenfold, making the cost of irrigated agricultural products from the region uncompetitive on the national and international markets. Somewhat more promising have been recent experiments for releasing capillary water (water in the soil) above the water table by injecting compressed air into the ground. Even if this process proves successful, however, it would almost triple water costs. Genetic engineering also may provide a partial solution, as new strains of drought-resistant crops continue to be developed. Whatever the final answer to the water crisis may be, it is evident that within the High Plains, irrigation water will never again be the abundant, inexpensive resource it was during the agricultural boom years of the mid-twentieth century.

　　Paragraph 1: The vast grasslands of the High Plains in the central United States were settled by farmers and ranchers in the 1880s. This region has a semiarid climate, and for 50 years after its settlement, it supported a low-intensity agricultural economy of cattle ranching and wheat farming. In the early twentieth century, however, it was discovered that much of the High Plains was underlain by a huge aquifer (a rock layer containing large quantities of groundwater). This aquifer was named the Ogallala aquifer after the Ogallala Sioux Indians, who once inhabited the region.

　　1．According to paragraph 1, which of the following statements about the High Plains is true?

　　○Until farmers and ranchers settled there in the 1880s, the High Plains had never been inhabited.

　　○The climate of the High Plains is characterized by higher-than-average temperatures.

　　○The large aquifer that lies underneath the High Plains was discovered by the Ogallala Sioux Indians.

　　○B(yǎng)efore the early 1900s there was only a small amount of farming and ranching in the High Plains.

　　Paragraph 2: The Ogallala aquifer is a sandstone formation that underlies some 583,000 square kilometers of land extending from northwestern Texas to southern South Dakota. Water from rains and melting snows has been accumulating in the Ogallala for the past 30,000 years. Estimates indicate that the aquifer contains enough water to fill Lake Huron, but unfortunately, under the semiarid climatic conditions that presently exist in the region, rates of addition to the aquifer are minimal, amounting to about half a centimeter a year.

　　2. According to paragraph 2, all of the following statements about the Ogallala aquifer are true EXCEPT:

　　○The aquifer stretches from South Dakota to Texas.

　　○The aquifer s water comes from underground springs.

　　○Water has been gathering in the aquifer for 30,000 years.

　　○The aquifer s water is stored in a layer of sandstone.

　　3. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

　　○Despite the current impressive size of the Ogallala aquifer, the region s climate keeps the rates of water addition very small.

　　○Although the aquifer has been adding water at the rate of only half a centimeter a year, it will eventually accumulate enough water of fill Lake Huron.

　　○B(yǎng)ecause of the region s present climatic conditions, water is being added each year to the aquifer.

　　○Even when the region experiences unfortunate climatic conditions, the rates of addition of water continue to increase.

　　Paragraph 3: The first wells were drilled into the Ogallala during the drought years of the early 1930s. The ensuing rapid expansion of irrigation agriculture, especially from the 1950s onward, transformed the economy of the region. More than 100,000 wells now tap the Ogallala. Modern irrigation devices, each capable of spraying 4.5 million liters of water a day, have produced a landscape dominated by geometric patterns of circular green islands of crops. Ogallala water has enabled the High Plains region to supply significant amounts of the cotton, sorghum, wheat, and corn grown in the United States. In addition, 40 percent of American grain-fed beef cattle are fattened here.

　　4. The word ensuing in the passage is closest in meaning to

　　○continuing

　　○surprising

　　○initial

　　○subsequent

　　5. In paragraph 3, why does the author provide the information that 40 percent of American cattle are fattened in the High Plains?

　　○To suggest that crop cultivation is not the most important part of the economy of the High Plains

　　○To indicate that not all economic activity in the High Plains is dependent on irrigation

　　○To provide another example of how water from the Ogallala has transformed the economy of the High Plains

　　○To contrast cattle-fattening practices in the High Plains with those used in other region of the United States

　　Paragraph 4: This unprecedented development of a finite groundwater resource with an almost negligible natural recharge rate-that is, virtually no natural water source to replenish the water supply-has caused water tables in the region to fall drastically. In the 1930s, wells encountered plentiful water at a depth of about 15 meters; currently, they must be dug to depths of 45 to 60 meters or more. In places, the water table is declining at a rate of a meter a year, necessitating the periodic deepening of wells and the use of ever-more-powerful pumps. It is estimated that at current withdrawal rates, much of the aquifer will run dry within 40 years. The situation is most critical in Texas, where the climate is driest, the greatest amount of water is being pumped, and the aquifer contains the least water. It is projected that the remaining Ogallala water will, by the year 2030, support only 35 to 40 percent of the irrigated acreage in Texas that is supported in 1980.

　　6. The word unprecedented in the passage is closest in meaning to

　　○difficult to control

　　○without any restriction

　　○unlike anything in the past

　　○rapidly expanding

　　7. The word virtually in the passage is closest in meaning to

　　○clearly

　　○perhaps

　　○frequently

　　○almost

　　8. According to paragraph 4, all of following are consequences of the heavy use of the Ogallala aquifer for irrigation EXCEPT:

　　○The recharge rate of the aquifer is decreasing.

　　○Water tables in the region are becoming increasingly lower.

　　○Wells now have to be dug to much greater depths than before.

　　○Increasingly powerful pumps are needed to draw water from the aquifer.

　　9. According to paragraph 4, compared with all other states that use Ogallala water for irrigation, Texas

　　○has the greatest amount of farmland being irrigated with Ogallala water

　　○contains the largest amount of Ogallala water underneath the soil

　　○is expected to face the worst water supply crisis as the Ogallala runs dry

　　○uses the least amount of Ogallala water for its irrigation needs

　　Paragraph 5: The reaction of farmers to the inevitable depletion of the Ogallala varies. Many have been attempting to conserve water by irrigating less frequently or by switching to crops that require less water. Others, however, have adopted the philosophy that it is best to use the water while it is still economically profitable to do so and to concentrate on high-value crops such as cotton. The incentive of the farmers who wish to conserve water is reduced by their knowledge that many of their neighbors are profiting by using great amounts of water, and in the process are drawing down the entire region s water supplies.

　　10. The word inevitable in the passage is closest in meaning to

　　○unfortunate

　　○predictable

　　○unavoidable

　　○final

　　11. Paragraph 5 mentions which of the following as a source of difficulty for some farmers who try to conserve water?

　　○Crops that do not need much water are difficult to grow in the High Plains.

　　○Farmers who grow crops that need a lot of water make higher profits.

　　○Irrigating less frequently often leads to crop failure.

　　○Few farmers are convinced that the aquifer will eventually run dry.

　　Paragraph 6: In the face of the upcoming water supply crisis, a number of grandiose schemes have been developed to transport vast quantities of water by canal or pipeline from the Mississippi, the Missouri, or the Arkansas rivers. Unfortunately, the cost of water obtained through any of these schemes would increase pumping costs at least tenfold, making the cost of irrigated agricultural products from the region uncompetitive on the national and international markets. Somewhat more promising have been recent experiments for releasing capillary water (water in the soil) above the water table by injecting compressed air into the ground. Even if this process proves successful, however, it would almost triple water costs. Genetic engineering also may provide a partial solution, as new strains of drought-resistant crops continue to be developed. Whatever the final answer to the water crisis may be, it is evident that within the High Plains, irrigation water will never again be the abundant, inexpensive resource it was during the agricultural boom years of the mid-twentieth century.

　　12．According to paragraph 6, what is the main disadvantage of the proposed plans to transport river water to the High Plains?

　　○The rivers cannot supply sufficient water for the farmer s needs.

　　○Increased irrigation costs would make the products too expensive.

　　○The costs of using capillary water for irrigation will increase.

　　○Farmers will be forced to switch to genetically engineered crops.

　　Paragraph 5: The reaction of farmers to the inevitable depletion of the Ogallala varies. Many have been attempting to conserve water by irrigating less frequently or by switching to crops that require less water. █Others, however, have adopted the philosophy that it is best to use the water while it is still economically profitable to do so and to concentrate on high-value crops such as cotton. █The incentive of the farmers who wish to conserve water is reduced by their knowledge that many of their neighbors are profiting by using great amounts of water, and in the process are drawing down the entire region s water supplies. █

　　Paragraph 6: In the face of the upcoming water supply crisis, a number of grandiose schemes have been developed to transport vast quantities of water by canal or pipeline from the Mississippi, the Missouri, or the Arkansas rivers. █Unfortunately, the cost of water obtained through any of these schemes would increase pumping costs at least tenfold, making the cost of irrigated agricultural products from the region uncompetitive on the national and international markets. Somewhat more promising have been recent experiments for releasing capillary water (water in the soil) above the water table by injecting compressed air into the ground. Even if this process proves successful, however, it would almost triple water costs. Genetic engineering also may provide a partial solution, as new strains of drought-resistant crops continue to be developed. Whatever the final answer to the water crisis may be, it is evident that within the High Plains, irrigation water will never again be the abundant, inexpensive resource it was during the agricultural boom years of the mid-twentieth century.

　　13．Look at the four squares [█] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage

　　But even if uncooperative farmers were to join in the conservation efforts, this would only delay the depletion of the aquifer.

　　Where would the sentence best fit? Click on a square to add the sentence to the passage.

　　14．Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.

　　The Ogallala aquifer is a large underground source of water in the High Plains region of the United States.

　　●

　　●

　　●

　　Answer choices

　　○The use of the Ogallala for irrigation has allowed the High Plains to become one of the most productive agricultural regions in the United States.

　　○Given the aquifer s low recharge rate, its use for irrigation is causing water tables to drop and will eventually lead to its depletion.

　　○Releasing capillary water and introducing drought-resistant crops are less-promising solutions to the water supply crisis than bringing in river water

　　○The periodic deepening of wells and the use of more-powerful pumps would help increase the natural recharge rate of the Ogallala.

　　○In Texas, a great deal of attention is being paid to genetic engineering because it is there that the most critical situation exists.

　　○Several solutions to the upcoming water supply crisis have been proposed, but none of them promises to keep the costs of irrigation low.

　　本文關(guān)鍵字： 1

　　篇四：tpo3閱讀答案

　　摘要：托福閱讀原文Architectureistheartandscienceofdesigningstructuresthatorganizeandenclosespaceforpracticalands 閱讀原文

　　Architectureistheartandscienceofdesigningstructuresthatorganizeandenclosespaceforpracticalandsymbolicpurposes.Becausearchitecturegrowsoutofhumanneedsandaspirations,itclearlycommunicatesculturalvalues.Ofallthevisualarts,architectureaffectsourlivesmostdirectlyforitdeterminesthecharacterofthehumanenvironmentinmajorways.

　　Architectureisathree-dimensionalform.Itutilizesspace,mass,texture,line,light,andcolor.Tobearchitecture,abuildingmustachieveaworkingharmonywithavarietyofelements.Humansinstinctivelyseekstructuresthatwillshelterandenhancetheirwayoflife.Itistheworkofarchitectstocreatebuildingsthatarenotsimplyconstructionsbutalsoofferinspirationanddelight.Buildingscontributetohumanlifewhentheyprovideshelter,enrichspace,complementtheirsite,suittheclimate,andareeconomicallyfeasible.Theclientwhopaysforthebuildinganddefinesitsfunctionisanimportantmemberofthearchitecturalteam.Themediocredesignofmanycontemporarybuildingscanbetracedtobothclientsandarchitects.

　　Inorderforthestructuretoachievethesizeandstrengthnecessarytomeetitspurpose,architectureemploysmethodsofsupportthat,becausetheyarebasedonphysicallaws,havechangedlittlesincepeoplefirstdiscoveredthem—evenwhilebuildingmaterialshavechangeddramatically.Theworld’sarchitecturalstructureshavealsobeendevisedinrelationtotheobjectivelimitationsofmaterials.Structurescanbeanalyzedintermsofhowtheydealwithdownwardforcescreatedbygravity.Theyaredesignedtowithstandtheforcesofcompression(pushingtogether),tension(pullingapart),bending,oracombinationoftheseindifferentpartsofthestructure.

　　Evendevelopmentinarchitecturehasbeentheresultofmajortechnologicalchanges.Materialsandmethodsofconstructionareintegralpartsofthedesignofarchitecturestructures.Inearliertimesitwasnecessarytodesignstructuralsystemssuitableforthematerialsthatwereavailable,suchaswood,stone,brick.Todaytechnologyhasprogressedtothepointwhereitispossibletoinventnewbuildingmaterialstosuitthetypeofstructuredesired.Enormouschangesinmaterialsandtechniquesofconstructionwithinthelastfewgenerationshavemadeitpossibletoenclosespacewithmuchgreatereaseandspeedandwithaminimumofmaterial.Progressinthisareacanbemeasuredbythedifferenceinweightbetweenbuildingsbuiltnowandthoseofcomparablesizebuiltonehundredyearsago.

　　Modernarchitecturalformsgenerallyhavethreeseparatecomponentscomparabletoelementsofthehumanbody:asupportingskeletonorframe,anouterskinenclosingtheinteriorspaces,andequipment,similartothebody’svitalorgansandsystems.Theequipmentincludesplumbing,electricalwiring,hotwater,andair-conditioning.Ofcourseinearlyarchitecture—suchasigloosandadobestructures—therewasnosuchequipment,andtheskeletonandskinwereoftenone.

　　Muchoftheworld’sgreatarchitecturehasbeenconstructedofstonebecauseofitsbeauty,permanence,andavailability.Inthepast,wholecitiesgrewfromthearduoustaskofcuttingandpilingstoneupon.Someoftheworld’sfineststonearchitecturecanbeseenintheruinsoftheancientIncacityofMachuPicchuhighintheeasternAndesMountainsofPeru.Thedoorwaysandwindowsaremadepossiblebyplacingovertheopenspacesthickstonebeamsthatsupporttheweightfromabove.Astructuralinventionhadtobemadebeforethephysicallimitationsofstonecouldbeovercomeandnewarchitecturalformscouldbecreated.Thatinventionwasthearch,acurvedstructureoriginallymadeofseparatestoneorbricksegments.ThearchwasusedbytheearlyculturesoftheMediterraneanareachieflyforundergrounddrains,butitwastheRomanswhofirstdevelopedandusedthearchextensivelyinabovegroundstructures.Romanbuildersperfectedthesemicirculararchmadeofseparateblocksofstone.Asamethodofspanningspace,thearchcansupportgreaterweightthanahorizontalbeam.Itworksincompressiontodiverttheweightaboveitouttothesides,wheretheweightisbornebytheverticalelementsoneithersideofthearch.Thearchisamongthemanyimportantstructuralbreakthroughsthathavecharacterizedarchitecturethroughoutthecenturies.

　　試題

　　1.Accordingtoparagraph1,allofthefollowingstatementsaboutarchitecturearetrueEXCEPT:

　　A.Architectureisvisualart.

　　B.Architecturereflectstheculturalvaluesofitscreators.

　　C.Architecturehasbothartisticandscientificdimensions.

　　D.Architecturehasanindirecteffectonlife.

　　2.Theword“feasible”inthepassage(paragraph2)isclosestinmeaningto

　　A.inexistence

　　B.withoutquestion

　　C.achievable

　　D.mostlikely

　　3.Theword“enhance”inthepassage(paragraph2)isclosestinmeaningto

　　A.protect

　　B.improve

　　C.organize

　　D.match

　　4.Whichofthesentencesbelowbestexpressestheessentialinformationinthehighlightedsentenceinthepassage(paragragh3) ?Incorrectchoiceschangethemeaninginimportantwaysorleaveoutessentialinformation.

　　A.Unchangingphysicallawshavelimitedthesizeandstrengthofbuildingsthatcanbemadewithmaterialsdiscoveredlongago.

　　B.Buildingmaterialshavechangedinordertoincreasearchitecturalsizeandstrength,butphysicallawsofstructurehavenotchanged.

　　C.Whenpeoplefirststartedtobuild,thestructuralmethodsusedtoprovidestrengthandsizewereinadequatebecausetheywerenotbasedonphysicallaws.

　　D.Unlikebuildingmaterials,themethodsofsupportusedinarchitecturehavenotchangedovertimebecausetheyarebasedonphysicallaws.

　　5.Theword“devised”inthepassage(paragragh3)isclosestinmeaningto

　　A.combined

　　B.created

　　C.introduced

　　D.suggested

　　6.Theword“integral”(paragraph4)isclosestinmeaningto

　　A.essential

　　B.variable

　　C.practical

　　D.independent

　　7.Accordingtoparagraph4,whichofthefollowingistrueaboutmaterialsusedintheconstructionofbuildings?

　　A.Becausenewbuildingmaterialsarehardtofind,constructiontechniqueshavechangedverylittlefrompastgenerations.

　　B.Theavailabilityofsuitablebuildingmaterialsnolongerlimitsthetypesofstructuresthatmaybebuilt.

　　C.Theprimarybuildingmaterialsthatareavailabletodayarewood,stone,andbrick.

　　D.Architectsinearliertimesdidnothaveenoughbuildingmaterialstoencloselargespaces.

　　8.Inparagraph4,whatdoestheauthorimplyaboutmodernbuildings?

　　A.Theyoccupymuchlessspacethanbuildingsconstructedonehundredyearsago.

　　B.Theyarenotverydifferentfromthebuildingofafewgenerationsago.

　　C.Theyweighlessinrelationtotheirsizethanbuildingsconstructedonehundredyearsago.

　　D.Theytakealongtimetobuildasaresultoftheircomplexconstructionmethods.

　　9.Whichofthefollowingcorrectlycharacterizestherelationshipbetweenthehumanbodyandarchitecturethatisdescribedinparagraph5?

　　A.Complexequipmentinsidebuildingsistheoneelementinmodernarchitecturethatresemblesacomponentofthehumanbody.

　　B.Thecomponentsinearlybuildingsweresimilartothreeparticularelementsofthehumanbody.

　　C.Modernbuildingshavecomponentsthatareaslikelytochangeasthehumanbodyis.

　　D.Ingeneral,modernbuildingsmorecloselyresemblethehumanbodythanearlierbuildingsdo.

　　10.Theword“arduous”inthepassage(paragraph6)isclosestinmeaningto

　　A.difficult

　　B.necessary

　　C.skilled

　　D.shared

　　11.Whydoestheauthorincludeadescriptionofhowthe“doorwaysandwindows”(paragraph6)ofMachuPicchuwereconstructed?

　　A.ToindicatethatthecombinedskeletonsandskinsofthestonebuildingsofMachuPicchuweresimilartoigloosandadobestructures

　　B.ToindicatethedifferentkindsofstonesthathadtobecuttobuildMachuPicchu

　　C.Toprovideanillustrationofthekindofconstructionthatwasrequiredbeforearcheswereinvented

　　D.Toexplainhowancientbuildersreducedtheamountoftimenecessarytoconstructbuildingsfromstone

　　12.Accordingtoparagraph6,whichofthefollowingstatementsistrueofthearch?

　　A.TheRomanswerethefirstpeopletousethestonearch.

　　B.Theinventionofthearchallowednewarchitecturalformstobedeveloped.

　　C.Thearchworkedbydistributingthestructuralloadofabuildingtowardthecenterofthearch.

　　D.TheRomansfollowedearlierpracticesintheiruseofarches.

　　13.Lookatthefoursquares[█]thatindicatewherethefollowingsentencecouldbeaddedtothepassage.

　　█ 【A】Modernarchitecturalformsgenerallyhavethreeseparatecomponentscomparabletoelementsofthehumanbody;asupportingskeletonorframe,anouterskinenclosingtheinteriorspaces,andequipment,similartothebody’svitalorgansandsystems. █ 【B】Theequipmentincludesplumbing,electricalwiring,hotwater,andair-conditioning. █ 【C】Ofcourseinearlyarchitecture—suchasigloosandadobestructures—therewasnosuchequipment,andtheskeletonandskinwereoftenone. █ 【D】

　　Wherewouldthesentencebestfit?

　　14.Directions:Anintroductorysentenceforabriefsummaryofthepassageisprovidedbelow.CompletethesummarybyselectingtheTHREEanswerchoicesthatexpressthemostimportantideasinthepassage.Somesentencesdonotbelonginthesummarybecausetheyexpressideasthatarenotpresentedinthepassageorareminorideasinthepassage.Thisquestionisworth2points.

　　Architectureusesformsandspacetoexpressculturalvalues.

　　A.Architectsseektocreatebuildingsthatarebothvisuallyappealingandwellsuitedforhumanuse.

　　B.Overthecourseofthehistoryofbuilding,innovationsinmaterialandmethodsofconstructionhavegivenarchitectsevergreaterfreedomtoexpressthemselves.

　　C.Throughouthistorybuildingshavebeenconstructedlikehumanbodies,needingdistinct“organ”systemsinordertofunction.

　　D.Bothclientsandarchitectsareresponsibleforthemediocredesignsofsomemodernbuildings.

　　E.ModernbuildingstendtolackthebeautyofancientstonebuildingssuchasthoseofMachuPicchu.

　　F.Thediscoveryanduseofthearchtypifiesthewayinwhicharchitectureadvancesbydevelopingmoreefficienttypesofstructures.

　　托福閱讀答案

　　1.EXCEPT題排除法，以visualart做關(guān)鍵詞定位至本段最后一句，A對，不選；以culturalvalues做關(guān)鍵詞定位至第二句，B對，不選；以artisticandscientificdimensions做關(guān)鍵詞定位至第一句，C對，不選；D選項(xiàng)與A選項(xiàng)在同一句，indirecteffect和directly的原文說反，錯(cuò)，選

　　2.feasible可行的，原文說了建筑的若干優(yōu)點(diǎn)，比如提供遮風(fēng)避雨的場所，豐富了空間，經(jīng)濟(jì)上怎么樣，肯定是個(gè)正面的詞，A存在中性，錯(cuò)；B沒有問題，雖然是正面但太過，不選，C正確，D非�？赡茈m然正面，但程度不足，不選

　　3.詞匯題，問的是第二段第三句中的enhance，備選項(xiàng)分別是protect,improve,organize,match，enhance提高，原文中與enhancetheirwayoflife并列的動(dòng)詞是shelter，庇護(hù)之意，所以再選protect的話重疊，而且也不應(yīng)該是保護(hù)他們的生活方式；organize組織match搭配都不能與庇護(hù)并列，所以improve改善生活方式最靠譜

　　4.Inorderfor只是一個(gè)表目的的狀語，暫時(shí)放棄不看，同時(shí)because那部分插入語不看，整個(gè)句子就變成了建筑師們采用的方法是不變的，盡管建筑材料發(fā)生了很大變化。A沒說原文的建筑材料發(fā)生了很大變化，而且law沒有限制sizeandstrength，所以完全不對；B錯(cuò)在inorder的那個(gè)狀語部分，increase原文沒說；C說notbasedonphysicallaws與原文相反，錯(cuò)，D正確

　　5.devise設(shè)計(jì)，所在句說全世界的建筑也要怎么樣根據(jù)簡直材料的限制，因?yàn)橛衋lso，所以是接著前一句的，前句在上題中已經(jīng)分析過了，說建筑師為了達(dá)到要求采用了多種方法，說明建筑的產(chǎn)生應(yīng)該是一個(gè)從無到有的過程，所以B選項(xiàng)create最合適，A聯(lián)合C介紹，引進(jìn)D建議，表明都不對

　　6.integral完整的，構(gòu)成整體的，原文說建筑材料和建筑方法是建筑什么樣的部分，代入選項(xiàng)也知道應(yīng)該是A重要的部分，B可變的C實(shí)際的都不靠譜，D獨(dú)立的雖然意思基本說的通，但明顯違反原文，建筑材料和方法應(yīng)該是互相影響的，不能獨(dú)立

　　7.以material為關(guān)鍵詞定位至本段第二句和第三句，說以前必須根據(jù)建筑材料來設(shè)計(jì)建筑，現(xiàn)在我們可以發(fā)明新材料，A說不容易找到新材料，反了；C的三種材料應(yīng)該是以前不是現(xiàn)在；D沒說；B說現(xiàn)在建筑材料充分，不會(huì)再影響建筑設(shè)計(jì)，是原文的意思，正確

　　8.以modernbuildings做關(guān)鍵詞定位至最后一句，說比較現(xiàn)在和一百年前大小相似的建筑的重量我們就能發(fā)現(xiàn)建筑技術(shù)所取得的進(jìn)步，也就是以前的重現(xiàn)在的輕，所以答案是C，其他的都沒說

　　9.本段將建筑結(jié)構(gòu)與人體的結(jié)構(gòu)進(jìn)行了比較，發(fā)現(xiàn)；額三個(gè)共同點(diǎn)，排除法，A以equipment做關(guān)鍵詞定位至第一句的最后半句，equipment像的應(yīng)該是vitalorgansandsystems，不是一個(gè)component；以earlybuilding做關(guān)鍵詞定位至文章最后一句，skeleton和skin是一樣的，所以和人不同；C的change原文沒說；D正確因?yàn)樵�文說現(xiàn)代建筑像人體，以前的建筑的skeleton和skin是一個(gè)，所以現(xiàn)代建筑比之前的建筑更像人體

　　10.arduous艱巨的，困難的。原文說過去整個(gè)城市都是靠切割和堆積石頭搞定的，這個(gè)任務(wù)肯定是比較困難的，而代入原文的話似乎有技巧的和有必要的也是靠譜的，但D分享的一定不對，如果說切割是需要技巧的話，堆積應(yīng)該是不需要的，注意不要聯(lián)想。堆積和切割石頭一定是造城市的必要任務(wù)么？可以用木頭和其他的建筑材料，所以necessary太偏了，正確答案difficult

　　11.修辭目的題，讀doorwaysandwindows所在的一句話，說門窗是通過把承的石頭橫梁放在space上面形成的，讀前一句的時(shí)候發(fā)現(xiàn)也是個(gè)例子，所以不是答案，往下句看，說想克服石頭帶給建筑的障礙，必須有一個(gè)新發(fā)明。按照原文，門窗的形成是一種克服石頭帶來的障礙的一種方法，所以答案是C

　　12.以arch為關(guān)鍵詞定位至thatinventionwasthearch句，接上題看到的那句，想克服石頭帶給建筑的障礙，必須有一個(gè)新發(fā)明，這個(gè)發(fā)明就是arch，所以說arch的出現(xiàn)使得其他建筑方法成為可能，B正確。羅馬人是第一個(gè)把a(bǔ)rch廣泛用在地上建筑的，不是第一個(gè)用arch的，A錯(cuò)，也沒follow前人的方法，D錯(cuò)；是把壓力分散，divert，不是往中點(diǎn)集中，C說反

　　13.however和againunifying都說明正確插入點(diǎn)之前必須說把skeletonandskin分開，所以A和B不對，C之后的suchequipment指代C之前的內(nèi)容，過渡緊密，不適合插入句子，所以D是正確答案

　　14.Architects選項(xiàng)對應(yīng)全文首段首句，正確

　　Over選項(xiàng)對應(yīng)第四段第三句和第三段首句，正確

　　Throughout選項(xiàng)與第五段首句相反，錯(cuò)

　　Both選項(xiàng)是細(xì)節(jié)，不選

　　Modern選項(xiàng)錯(cuò)，因?yàn)樵�文沒說現(xiàn)代的建筑不好看，不選

　　Thediscovery選項(xiàng)第六段最后一句，正確

　　托福閱讀譯文

　　建筑是一門出于實(shí)用和象征的雙重目的，通過組織和利用空間來實(shí)現(xiàn)設(shè)計(jì)結(jié)構(gòu)的藝術(shù)和科學(xué)。。因?yàn)榻ㄖ�源于人類的需求和愿望，同樣也可以清楚地傳達(dá)文化價(jià)值。在所有的視覺藝術(shù)中，建筑最直接地影響了我們的生活，因?yàn)樗�在很多方面決定了我們生存的環(huán)境特征。

　　建筑是一種利用空間、質(zhì)量、紋理、線條、光線和顏色的三維立體形式。一幢建筑物必須實(shí)現(xiàn)各種要素的和諧搭配。人類本能地希望可以提供居住并且改善他們生活質(zhì)量的建筑。建筑師們創(chuàng)造出來的建筑物不單純的是建筑物，還為人們帶來了靈感和喜悅。建筑物為人類的生活提供了遮蔽處和豐富的空間、增加人們的活動(dòng)場所、完善人們的居所、幫助人們適應(yīng)氣候的變化，同時(shí)在經(jīng)濟(jì)上也可承受。建筑團(tuán)隊(duì)中，最重要的是那些為建筑支付建設(shè)費(fèi)用并且設(shè)計(jì)其功能的人，許多當(dāng)代建筑平庸的根源在于客戶和建筑師雙反。

　　為了達(dá)到建筑的目的，一定的大小和強(qiáng)度是必須的。盡管建筑材料已經(jīng)發(fā)生了翻天覆地的變化，建筑采用的各種支撐方法自從人們發(fā)現(xiàn)它們以來鮮有改變，因?yàn)檫@些方法都建立在物理定律的基礎(chǔ)上。世界的建筑結(jié)構(gòu)也因?yàn)榭朔�材料限制的目的而發(fā)展起來。建筑師們在設(shè)計(jì)建筑結(jié)構(gòu)的時(shí)候需要將重力對材料的影響考慮在內(nèi)，通過結(jié)構(gòu)設(shè)計(jì)使建筑不同部分能抵抗壓力、拉力、彎曲力或混合的壓力。

　　甚至建筑的發(fā)展也是由重大的技術(shù)變革造成的。材料和建設(shè)方法是建筑結(jié)構(gòu)設(shè)計(jì)整體的組成部分。早期，人們必須設(shè)計(jì)結(jié)構(gòu)系統(tǒng)來配合當(dāng)前可用的材料，如木頭、石頭和磚�，F(xiàn)今的技術(shù)已經(jīng)發(fā)展到能夠創(chuàng)造新的建筑材料來適應(yīng)想要應(yīng)用的建筑結(jié)構(gòu)。近幾代建筑材料和科技的巨大變化使得包圍空間更加簡單、快速，并且用更少的材料。在這一領(lǐng)域的進(jìn)步可以用現(xiàn)在修建的建筑和100年前建造的同規(guī)模建筑之間的重量差異來衡量。

　　類似人類的身體結(jié)構(gòu)，現(xiàn)代建筑可以劃分為三個(gè)獨(dú)立的部分：支撐骨架或框架、圍住內(nèi)部空間的外殼以及像人體內(nèi)器官一樣重要的設(shè)施。這些設(shè)施包括管道、電線、熱水和空調(diào)。當(dāng)然，在早期的圓頂建筑和土坯建筑中并沒有這樣的設(shè)施，皮膚和骨骼也往往是合在一起的。

　　世界上大多數(shù)偉大的建筑都是石料建筑，因?yàn)槭�料建筑不僅外形漂亮、持久耐用，而且石頭隨處可得。在過去，整個(gè)城市的建筑物都是從艱苦的石塊切割和堆砌發(fā)展起來的。在秘魯安第斯山脈東部的馬丘比丘印加古城遺址，可以看到世界上最棒的石質(zhì)建筑。在開闊的空間上放置厚石板來支撐上面的石頭，使門和窗的修建成為可能。設(shè)計(jì)師們必須在克服石頭的物理限制以及新建筑形式發(fā)展之前發(fā)明出建筑結(jié)構(gòu)，這就是拱形結(jié)構(gòu)，即最初由分段的石頭或磚塊構(gòu)成的弧形結(jié)構(gòu)。拱最初在地中海早期文化中用來建設(shè)地下水渠，但古羅馬人最先開發(fā)和廣泛的利用它作為地上建筑的結(jié)構(gòu)，他們完善了由分段的石塊組成的半圓形拱。作為跨越空間的一種方式，拱可以比水平橫梁支撐更大的重量。它使得其上的壓力轉(zhuǎn)移到兩側(cè)，由兩側(cè)垂直的部分來承擔(dān)壓力。拱形結(jié)構(gòu)只是近百年來眾多重要建筑結(jié)構(gòu)的突破之一。

　　托福閱讀TPO3(試題+答案+譯文)第1篇:Architecture建筑是否引起了你對托福TPO的一些感受，歡迎發(fā)帖和大家分享你的想法和補(bǔ)充。發(fā)帖請自覺遵守互聯(lián)網(wǎng)相關(guān)的政策法規(guī)。

　　篇五：tpo3閱讀答案

　　TPO3閱讀文本答案解析+翻譯:Depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer

　　托福tpo3閱讀原文

　　The vast grasslandsof the High Plains in the central United States were settled by farmers andranchers in the 1880s. This region has a semiarid climate, and for 50 yearsafter its settlement, it supported a low-intensity agricultural economy ofcattle ranching and wheat farming. In the early twentieth century, however, itwas discovered that much of the High Plains was underlain by a huge aquifer (arock layer containing large quantities of groundwater). This aquifer was namedthe Ogallala aquifer after the Ogallala Sioux Indians, who once inhabited theregion.

　　The Ogallalaaquifer is a sandstone formation that underlies some 583,000 square kilometersof land extending from northwestern Texas to southern South Dakota. Water fromrains and melting snows has been accumulating in the Ogallala for the past30,000 years.Estimates indicate that the aquifer contains enough water tofill Lake Huron, but unfortunately, under the semiarid climatic conditions thatpresently exist in the region, rates of addition to the aquifer are minimal,amounting to about half a centimeter a year.

　　The first wellswere drilled into the Ogallala during the drought years of the early 1930s. Theensuingrapid expansion of irrigation agriculture, especially from the1950s onward, transformed the economy of the region. More than 100,000 wellsnow tap the Ogallala. Modern irrigation devices, each capable of spraying 4.5million liters of water a day, have produced a landscape dominated by geometricpatterns of circular green islands of crops. Ogallala water has enabled theHigh Plains region to supply significant amounts of the cotton, sorghum, wheat,and corn grown in the United States. In addition, 40 percent of Americangrain-fed beef cattle are fattened here.

　　This unprecedented development of a finite groundwater resource with an almost negligible naturalrecharge rate that is,virtually no natural water source to replenish the water supply hascaused water tables in the region to fall drastically. In the 1930s, wellsencountered plentiful water at a depth of about 15 meters; currently, they mustbe dug to depths of 45 to 60 meters or more. In places, the water table isdeclining at a rate of a meter a year, necessitating the periodic deepening ofwells and the use of ever-more-powerful pumps. It is estimated that at currentwithdrawal rates, much of the aquifer will run dry within 40 years. Thesituation is most critical in Texas, where the climate is driest, the greatestamount of water is being pumped, and the aquifer contains the least water. Itis projected that the remaining Ogallala water will, by the year 2030, supportonly 35 to 40 percent of the irrigated acreage in Texas that is supported in1980.

　　The reaction offarmers to the inevitabledepletion of the Ogallala varies. Many havebeen attempting to conserve water by irrigating less frequently or by switchingto crops that require less water. Others, however, have adopted the philosophythat it is best to use the water while it is still economically profitable todo so and to concentrate on high-value crops such as cotton. The incentive ofthe farmers who wish to conserve water is reduced by their knowledge that manyof their neighbors are profiting by using great amounts of water, and in theprocess are drawing down the entire region s water supplies.

　　In the face of theupcoming water supply crisis, a number of grandiose schemes have been developedto transport vast quantities of water by canal or pipeline from theMississippi, the Missouri, or the Arkansas rivers. Unfortunately, the cost ofwater obtained through any of these schemes would increase pumping costs atleast tenfold, making the cost of irrigated agricultural products from theregion uncompetitive on the national and international markets. Somewhat morepromising have been recent experiments for releasing capillary water (water inthe soil) above the water table by injecting compressed air into the ground.Even if this process proves successful, however, it would almost triple watercosts. Genetic engineering also may provide a partial solution, as new strainsof drought-resistant crops continue to be developed. Whatever the final answerto the water crisis may be, it is evident that within the High Plains,irrigation water will never again be the abundant, inexpensive resource it wasduring the agricultural boom years of the mid-twentieth century.

　　托福tpo3閱讀試題

　　1. According toparagraph 1, which of the following statements about the High Plains is true?

　　A.Until farmers andranchers settled there in the 1880s, the High Plains had never been inhabited.

　　B.The climate ofthe High Plains is characterized by higher-than-average temperatures.

　　C.The large aquiferthat lies underneath the High Plains was discovered by the Ogallala SiouxIndians.

　　D.Before the early1900s there was only a small amount of farming and ranching in the High Plains.

　　2. According toparagraph 2, all of the following statements about the Ogallala aquifer aretrue EXCEPT:

　　A.The aquiferstretches from South Dakota to Texas.

　　B.The aquifer s water comes from underground springs.

　　C.Water has beengathering in the aquifer for 30,000 years.

　　D.The aquifer s water is stored in a layer ofsandstone.

　　3. Which of thesentences below best expresses the essential information in thehighlightedsentencein the passage (paragragh 2)? Incorrect choices change the meaningin important ways or leave out essential information.

　　A.Despite thecurrent impressive size of the Ogallala aquifer, the region s climate keeps the rates of wateraddition very small.

　　B.Although theaquifer has been adding water at the rate of only half a centimeter a year, itwill eventually accumulate enough water of fill Lake Huron.

　　C.Because of theregion s present climaticconditions, water is being added each year to the aquifer.

　　D.Even when theregion experiences unfortunate climatic conditions, the rates of addition ofwater continue to increase.

　　4. The word ensuing in the passage (paragraph 3) is closest inmeaning to

　　A.continuing

　　B.surprising

　　C.initial

　　D.subsequent

　　5. In paragraph 3,why does the author provide the information that 40 percent of American cattleare fattened in the High Plains?

　　A.To suggest thatcrop cultivation is not the most important part of the economy of the HighPlains

　　B.To indicate thatnot all economic activity in the High Plains is dependent on irrigation

　　C.To provideanother example of how water from the Ogallala has transformed the economy ofthe High Plains

　　D.To contrastcattle-fattening practices in the High Plains with those used in other regionof the United States

　　6. The word unprecedented in the passage (paragraph 4) is closest in meaning to

　　A.difficult tocontrol

　　B.without anyrestriction

　　C.unlike anythingin the past

　　D.rapidly expanding

　　7. The word virtually in the passage (paragraph 4) is closest in meaning to

　　A.clearly

　　B.perhaps

　　C.frequently

　　D.almost

　　8. According toparagraph 4, all of following are consequences of the heavy use of the Ogallalaaquifer for irrigation EXCEPT:

　　A.The recharge rateof the aquifer is decreasing.

　　B.Water tables inthe region are becoming increasingly lower.

　　C.Wells now have tobe dug to much greater depths than before.

　　D.Increasinglypowerful pumps are needed to draw water from the aquifer.

　　9. According toparagraph 4, compared with all other states that use Ogallala waterforirrigation, Texas

　　A.has the greatestamount of farmland being irrigated with Ogallala water

　　B.contains thelargest amount of Ogallala water underneath the soil

　　C.is expected toface the worst water supply crisis as the Ogallala runs dry

　　D.uses the leastamount of Ogallala water for its irrigation needs

　　10. The word inevitable in the passage (paragraph 5) is closest in meaning to

　　A.unfortunate

　　B.predictable

　　C.unavoidable

　　D.final

　　11. Paragraph 5 mentionswhich of the following as a source of difficulty for some farmers who try toconserve water?

　　A.Crops that do notneed much water are difficult to grow in the High Plains.

　　B.Farmers who growcrops that need a lot of water make higher profits.

　　C.Irrigating lessfrequently often leads to crop failure.

　　D.Few farmers areconvinced that the aquifer will eventually run dry.

　　12. According toparagraph 6, what is the main disadvantage of the proposed plans to transportriver water to the High Plains?

　　A.The rivers cannotsupply sufficient water for the farmer s needs.

　　B.Increasedirrigation costs would make the products too expensive.

　　C.The costs ofusing capillary water for irrigation will increase.

　　D.Farmers will beforced to switch to genetically engineered crops.

　　13. Look at thefour squares that indicate wherethe following sentence could be added to the passage.But even ifuncooperative farmers were to join in the conservation efforts, this would onlydelay the depletion of the aquifer.

　　The reaction offarmers to the inevitable depletion of the Ogallala varies. Many have beenattempting to conserve water by irrigating less frequently or by switching tocrops that require less water. Others, however, have adopted the philosophy that it is best to usethe water while it is still economically profitable to do so and to concentrateon high-value crops such as cotton.The incentive ofthe farmers who wish to conserve water is reduced by their knowledge that manyof their neighbors are profiting by using great amounts of water, and in theprocess are drawing down the entire region s watersupplies.

　　In the face of theupcoming water supply crisis, a number of grandiose schemes have been developedto transport vast quantities of water by canal or pipeline from the Mississippi,the Missouri, or the Arkansas rivers. Unfortunately, the cost of water obtained through any of theseschemes would increase pumping costs at least tenfold, making the cost ofirrigated agricultural products from the region uncompetitive on the nationaland international markets. Somewhat more promising have been recent experimentsfor releasing capillary water (water in the soil) above the water table byinjecting compressed air into the ground. Even if this process provessuccessful, however, it would almost triple water costs. Genetic engineeringalso may provide a partial solution, as new strains of drought-resistant cropscontinue to be developed. Whatever the final answer to the water crisis may be,it is evident that within the High Plains, irrigation water will never again bethe abundant, inexpensive resource it was during the agricultural boom years ofthe mid-twentieth century.

　　Where would the sentencebest fit? Click on a square to add the sentence to the passage.

　　14. Directions: Anintroductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below.Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express themost important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in thesummary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or areminor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.

　　The Ogallalaaquiferis a large underground source of water in the High Plains region of theUnitedStates.

　　A.The use of theOgallala for irrigation has allowed the High Plains to become one of the mostproductive agricultural regions in the United States.

　　B.Given the aquifer s low recharge rate, its use forirrigation is causing water tables to drop and will eventually lead to itsdepletion.

　　C.Releasingcapillary water and introducing drought-resistant crops are less-promisingsolutions to the water supply crisis than bringing in river water

　　D.The periodicdeepening of wells and the use of more-powerful pumps would help increase thenatural recharge rate of the Ogallala.

　　E.In Texas, a greatdeal of attention is being paid to genetic engineering because it is there thatthe most critical situation exists.

　　F.Several solutionsto the upcoming water supply crisis have been proposed, but none of thempromises to keep the costs of irrigation low.

　　托福tpo3閱讀答案

　　1.排除法，以1880s做關(guān)鍵詞定位至第一句，說1880s農(nóng)牧民定居在High Plains，沒說1880前沒有人，A錯(cuò);以climate做關(guān)鍵詞定位至第二句，原文說semiarid，沒說溫度，B錯(cuò);以人名做關(guān)鍵詞定位至最后一句，說這個(gè)人是inhabit在這兒的，沒說是他發(fā)現(xiàn)的，C錯(cuò);D中small amount of farming and ranching和原文中的low-density是同義替換，選

　　2.排除法，以兩個(gè)地名做關(guān)鍵詞定位至第一句，A和D都對，不選;以30000 years做關(guān)鍵詞定位至第二句，C對，不選;同時(shí)可以看到地下水是來自rain and melting snow，不是泉水，所以B錯(cuò)，選

　　3.原文的結(jié)構(gòu)是估計(jì)水很多，足以填滿休倫湖，但補(bǔ)充的少;A答案完整地反映了這兩個(gè)方面，正確;B強(qiáng)調(diào)的點(diǎn)搞反，原句強(qiáng)調(diào)的是補(bǔ)充的少，B強(qiáng)調(diào)的是現(xiàn)在的量大;C的因果關(guān)系是原文沒有的;D說補(bǔ)充的持續(xù)增長，原文沒說

　　4.ensue跟隨，接下來，所以subsequent是答案。原文說第一批水井是1930s挖掘的，ensuing所在的那句話又說1950s什么樣的農(nóng)業(yè)的快速擴(kuò)張，這兩個(gè)時(shí)間說明動(dòng)作是有先后的，而且first一般必然有下文的，所以應(yīng)該是接著的。注意continuing是個(gè)很大的迷惑項(xiàng)，繼續(xù)是指一個(gè)動(dòng)作的延續(xù)，而接下來是兩件事情接著發(fā)生，B令人吃驚和C最初的，起始的都不對

　　5.修辭目的題，40%明顯是一個(gè)例子，往前看，說這個(gè)地方的水養(yǎng)活了high plains地區(qū)的很多農(nóng)作物，in addition說明進(jìn)一步，也就是除了農(nóng)業(yè)還有牧業(yè)，所以是C，provide another example，沒有說農(nóng)業(yè)和牧業(yè)誰重要，A錯(cuò);牧業(yè)確實(shí)不依賴灌溉，但也依賴這個(gè)地方的水，所以B無關(guān);沒有對比，D錯(cuò)

　　6.unprecedented史無前例的，un表示沒有，pre前，想到precede，在 之前。A難以控制和B毫無限制都有輕微貶義，而原詞只是在敘述一個(gè)事實(shí)，屬中性。D快速擴(kuò)張也不沾邊，而且A/B/D三個(gè)選項(xiàng)在意思上有共同點(diǎn)，唯獨(dú)C不同，只要知道pre是前就一定能選出答案

　　7.virtually幾乎。注意virtual有虛擬和真實(shí)兩個(gè)截然相反的意思，破折號之前說negligible recharge rate，補(bǔ)給可以忽略，就是很少，但還是有的，后面解釋說什么沒有水補(bǔ)充，如果選除了almost之外的三項(xiàng)，都說明可能沒水，與原文意思不符

　　8.排除法，分別以recharge rate，water tables，wells，powerfulpumps做關(guān)鍵詞定位至本段前三句，B/C/D三項(xiàng)在原文中都有說，所以A錯(cuò)，選。而且跳出這道題看，隨著地下水位的下降，井必須打得更深，水泵必須功率更大，這是一系列的因果關(guān)系，只有A不是這個(gè)因果序列中的

　　9.以Texas為關(guān)鍵詞定位至倒數(shù)第二句，說德州氣候最干燥，地下水最少，面臨的問題最嚴(yán)峻，C是原文的同義改寫

　　10.inevitable不可避免的，必然的。上段整個(gè)都在說地下水位在劇烈下降，depletion指的是水用光，承上啟下應(yīng)該是地下水一定會(huì)用光，作者只是在陳述事實(shí)，沒有好壞之說，所以unfortunate不對，不要主觀猜想水沒了對當(dāng)?shù)厝艘欢ú缓?predictable可預(yù)見的夜不對，因?yàn)樵�文沒給出任何預(yù)見性的信息;就單詞本身看，in前綴表示否定，所以必須答案也有類似的部分，unavoidable無疑是最好的選項(xiàng)

　　11.以some farmers who try to conserve water為關(guān)鍵詞定位至最后一句，說那些不省水的農(nóng)民因?yàn)闆]有節(jié)約水獲得利潤，眾多選項(xiàng)中只有B提到了利潤問題，是正確答案

　　12.以transport water做關(guān)鍵詞定位至本段第一句，第二句開始的unfortunately清楚的表明了這句話會(huì)說一個(gè)運(yùn)水產(chǎn)生的問題，就是成本太貴，使產(chǎn)品價(jià)格失去競爭力，B和C提到成本，而只有B提到了產(chǎn)品價(jià)格升高，正確

　　13.兩個(gè)決定點(diǎn)，第一個(gè)是uncooperative farmers，那些不合作的農(nóng)民，根據(jù)這個(gè)點(diǎn)，A和C是可能的答案，第二個(gè)點(diǎn)就是evenif的讓步，既然待插入句說即使那些人愿意合作，正確插入點(diǎn)之前就必須的說那些人不合作，所以C是正確答案，而且A前后的many一句和other一句銜接很緊密，不插入句子

　　14.The use選項(xiàng)對應(yīng)原文第三段，改變了當(dāng)?shù)亟?jīng)濟(jì)，正確

　　Given選項(xiàng)對應(yīng)原文第四、第五段首句，正確

　　Releasing選項(xiàng)與原文意思相反，但即使正確也是細(xì)節(jié)，不選

　　The periodic選項(xiàng)原文沒說，不選，即使說了也是細(xì)節(jié)，不選

　　In Texas選項(xiàng)太細(xì)節(jié)，不選

　　Several選項(xiàng)對應(yīng)原文第六段第一句，正確

　　托福tpo3閱讀譯文

　　19世紀(jì)80年代，在美國中部北美大平原的廣闊草原上定居著農(nóng)場主們和牧場主們。這里有著半干旱的氣候，在人們定居50年后，它支撐了一個(gè)以畜牧業(yè)和小麥種植為主的低密度農(nóng)業(yè)經(jīng)濟(jì)。然而，在20世紀(jì)初，人們發(fā)現(xiàn)北美大平原的大部地下是巨大的蓄水層(含有大量地下水的巖層)。這個(gè)蓄水層因曾經(jīng)在這里定居過的奧加拉拉蘇族印第安人而得名，被稱作奧加拉拉蓄水層。

　　奧加拉拉蓄水層屬于砂巖結(jié)構(gòu)，在從德克薩斯州西北到南達(dá)科塔州南部的地下綿延了58.3萬平方公里。雨水和融雪自3萬年前便開始在奧加拉拉蓄積。據(jù)估計(jì)，奧加拉拉蓄水層的含水量足以填滿休倫湖，但不幸的是，在目前該地區(qū)半干旱的氣候條件下，奧加拉拉蓄水層的蓄水能力極低，每年僅半厘米左右。

　　20世紀(jì)30年代初，奧加拉拉正處于干旱時(shí)期，人們打出了第一口井。灌溉農(nóng)業(yè)的迅速擴(kuò)張，特別是20世紀(jì)50年代之后，改變了這一地區(qū)的經(jīng)濟(jì)。目前人們已經(jīng)在奧加拉拉地區(qū)共開鑿了10萬多口井。日噴水量達(dá)到450萬升的現(xiàn)代灌溉設(shè)備，形成了一個(gè)圓形綠島作物為主的景觀。奧加拉拉蓄水層支撐了北美大平原地區(qū)棉花、高粱、小麥、玉米的灌溉需求。此外，美國40%谷飼養(yǎng)的肉牛在這里被育肥。

　　考慮到幾乎沒有補(bǔ)充率(實(shí)質(zhì)上沒有自然水資源進(jìn)行補(bǔ)充)，這種有限地下水資源前所未有的發(fā)展已經(jīng)引起了該地區(qū)地下水位的急劇下降。在20世紀(jì)30年代，井下15米就有豐富的水資源，而現(xiàn)在，必須挖掘到45米到60米甚至更深的地方才行。有的地方地下水位的下降速度甚至達(dá)到了每年1米，迫使人們周期性的加深水井并使用更有力的水泵。按現(xiàn)今的下降速度來估計(jì)，大部分地下蓄水將在40年內(nèi)耗盡。這種現(xiàn)象在氣候最干旱的德克薩斯州尤為嚴(yán)重。大量的水被從地下抽起，蓄水層含水量最少。據(jù)估計(jì)，到2030年，德克薩斯州余下的奧加拉拉含水只能支持1980年灌溉面積的35%到40%。

　　農(nóng)場主們對無法避免的奧加拉拉蓄水層枯竭的反應(yīng)各不相同。很多人已經(jīng)開始嘗試通過降低灌溉頻率或者改種需水較少的莊稼來節(jié)約水資源。而另外一些人卻抱著趁水資源還能產(chǎn)生經(jīng)濟(jì)效益就應(yīng)抓緊利用的想法，繼續(xù)種植高價(jià)值的棉花等農(nóng)作物。當(dāng)那些想節(jié)水的農(nóng)場主得知鄰居們通過大量耗水的種植而盈利的時(shí)候，他們的熱情降低了，從而導(dǎo)致了整個(gè)區(qū)域的供水量的減少。

　　在即將到來的水資源供應(yīng)危機(jī)面前，人們提出了一些宏偉的供水計(jì)劃，比如將密西西比河、密蘇里河或者阿肯色河的水通過運(yùn)河或管道運(yùn)到需要用水的地方。不幸的是，通過以上任何一種方式獲得水資源都會(huì)將抽水的成本提高10倍以上，進(jìn)而導(dǎo)致這一地區(qū)的灌溉農(nóng)產(chǎn)品成本在國內(nèi)和國際市場上失去競爭力。最近一些有希望獲得成功的試驗(yàn)試圖通過向土壤中注入壓力，釋放水層上方土壤中的毛細(xì)管水。即使這樣行之有效，抽水成本會(huì)變到原來的3倍�；�因工程也會(huì)通過繼續(xù)研發(fā)抗旱作物新品種，幫助解決部分難題。無論這次水資源危機(jī)的最終結(jié)果如何，顯然，北美大平原地區(qū)灌溉水資源再也不會(huì)像20世紀(jì)中期農(nóng)業(yè)繁榮時(shí)期的那樣充足并且廉價(jià)了。

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