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2016年5月7日托福阅读考试解析

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2016年5月7日托福阅读考试解析

Passage 1

  Life on Mars

  文章解析

  文章要点概括:

  本文通过各种线索探究火星上是否有生命存在,要点包括:

  *火星表面没有水这一事实大大降低了火星存在生命性征的可能性

  *火星的陨石坠落到地球上,为科学家提供了有价值的研究依据:首先分析发现陨石中含有碳元素,然而碳只有在有水的条件的情况下才能形成,所以这个证据不足以证明火星上有生命。其次,陨石中还发现类似地球远古生物的物质,但是古生物学家对此反驳-这些生物太小不可能具有生物的基本性征,因此不足以证明火星存在生物

  *火星上是否有生命还需要更多的证据

  总结:

  对于火星的研究大多数关注火星上是否有水,本次考试出现的文章内容关注火星上是否有生命特征。作为比较热门的天体之一,相信各位考生对于火星题材已经比较熟悉。另外文章在探究生命的过程中运用了一些比较生僻的生物,化学类专有词汇,但是完全可以通过上下文了解大致信息,所以难度不大,属于中等难度。

  近期考试相关类型文章:

  2015.1.25 Early life-forms and Earth’s Atmosphere

  2015.3.7 Surface Fluids on Venus and Earth

  2016.1.24 Water and life on Mars

  阅读延伸:

  首先,作为热门题材,笔者在此还是建议各位考生对天文类的基础信息做到了解和熟悉,这样无论详细的研究方向如何变化,熟悉背景知识会在很大程度上降低文章的整体难度。

  TPO中涉及天文的文章包括:

  TPO16-3 Plants in our solar system

  TPO08-3 Running water on Mars (火星相关题材)

  TPO25-1 The surface of Mars (火星相关题材)

  TPO22-3 The Allende Meteorite

  TPO36-2 The origin of Earth Atmosphere

  TPO41-2 Climate of Venus

  passage 2

  Groundwater

  文章要点概括:

  *地下水储量巨大,是可供利用的水源之一

  *然而过度利用地下水,使其水量越来越少,并且多度利用导致很多严重的问题

  问题一:过度利用是蓄水层(acquifer)枯竭,地下水位(water table) 下降

  问题二:过度利用导致地表塌陷

  问题三:过度利用还会导致土壤盐碱化

  总结:

  整篇文章结构清晰,全文围绕地下水的过度利用导致的危害展开说明,每段主旨明确,例证丰富,专有词汇并不多,比较好把握。

  阅读延伸:

  目前TPO 中涉及地下水的文章包括TPO01-3 Groundwater

  TPO03-2 Depletion of the Ogallala Acquifer (第四段和本次考试内容相关)

  TPO28-1 Ground water

  Groundwater相关题材的文章在2015年的考试中几乎没有出现

  背景知识补充:

  地下水利用示意图

2016年5月7日托福阅读考试解析

  (Reference:http://www.montereyinstitute.org/noaa/lesson07/l7la2.htm)

  Potential Threats to Our Groundwater Overuse and Depletion

  Groundwater is the largest source of usable, fresh water in the world. In many parts of the world, especially where surface water supplies are not available, domestic, agricultural, and industrial water needs can only be met by using the water beneath the ground.

  The U.S. Geological Survey compares the water stored in the ground to money kept in a bank account. If the money is withdrawn at a faster rate than new money is deposited, there will eventually be account-supply problems. Pumping water out of the ground at a faster rate than it is replenished over the long-term causes similar problems.

  Groundwater depletion is primarily caused by sustained groundwater pumping. Some of the negative effects of groundwater depletion:

  Lowering of the Water Table

  Excessive pumping can lower the groundwater table, and cause wells to no longer be able to reach groundwater.

  Increased Costs

  As the water table lowers, the water must be pumped farther to reach the surface, using more energy. In extreme cases, using such a well can be cost prohibitive.

  Reduced Surface Water Supplies

  Groundwater and surface water are connected. When groundwater is overused, the lakes, streams, and rivers connected to groundwater can also have their supply diminished.

  Land Subsidence

  Land subsidence occurs when there is a loss of support below ground. This is most often caused by human activities, mainly from the overuse of groundwater, when the soil collapses, compacts, and drops.

  Water Quality Concerns

  Excessive pumping in coastal areas can cause saltwater to move inland and upward, resulting in saltwater contamination of the water supply.

  Reference:

  http://www.groundwater.org/get-informed/groundwater/overuse.html

  passage 3

  Aquatic animals in desert

  文章要点概括:

  文章关注两栖动物(amphibian)如何在沙漠中生存

  *两栖动物在干旱季节会利用各种手段存活,比如穴居冬眠。在冬眠过程中,特殊的皮肤构造可以减少水分的蒸发,保持住水分使自己存活

  *湿润季节来临时,两栖动物会利用短暂的时间交配,繁殖,延续种族的繁衍。对此,文章举了蟾蜍(toad)和虾(shrimp)的例子来详细阐述动物是如何度过干旱季节和水分丰富的雨季的

  总结:

  文章属于常考的动物类题材,主要关注两栖动物在沙漠中如何生存。本文的难点在于出现了大量的和动物行为相关的生词,不太好理解,对考生理解文章会产生很大的干扰作用。

  阅读延伸:

  TPO 中的动物类文章包括:

  TPO 15-1 A warm-blooded turtle

  TPO 17-2 Animal signals in the rain forest

  TPO 28-3 Buck rubs and buck scrapes

  TPO 30-1 Role pf play in development

  TPO 32-3 Distributions of tropical bee colonies

  TPO 40-3 Amphibian Thermoregulation (两栖动物相关)

  近期考试相关文章:

  两栖动物相关题材:

  2015.9.13Mating Songs of Frogs

  2015.5.9Vocalization of Frogs

  动物适应环境相关题材:

  2015.10.11 The Adaptations of Marine Mammals

  2015.6.27 Sea Life Adaptations in the Deep Ocean

  背景知识补充:

  Toads living at the sand dunes presumably bury themselves in a permanently wet layer in the sand. Adults appear to retain several layers of partially shed skin, which presumably form semi-impermeable membranes that reduce moisture loss. Body fluids of field animals just after emergence contain very high osmotic concentrations (approximately 20 ‰ compared to hydrated animals (7 to 8 ‰). This also presumably tends to reduce water loss, perhaps even to aid in extracting moisture from a damp environment. In the laboratory, eggs require less than 48 hours for hatching at room temperature, and tadpoles produce legs within ten days.

  Reference:

  Mayhew, W. W.. (1965). Adaptations of the Amphibian, Scaphiopus couchi, to Desert Conditions. The American Midland Naturalist, 74(1), 95–109. http://doi.org/10.2307/2423123

  词汇题汇总

  diminishing-reducing

  rudimentary-primitive

  hasten-hurry

  readily-quickly

  prolong-extend

  divert-redirect

  hence-thus

  widespread-common

  excessive-too much

  controversial-debated

重点单词   查看全部解释    
aquatic [ə'kwætik]

想一想再看

n. 水生动物,水草 adj. 水生的,水中的,水上的

联想记忆
damp [dæmp]

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adj. 潮湿的,有湿气的,沮丧的
n. 潮湿

 
potential [pə'tenʃəl]

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adj. 可能的,潜在的
n. 潜力,潜能

 
contamination [kən.tæmi'neiʃən]

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n. 污染,污染物

 
approximately [ə'prɔksimitli]

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adv. 近似地,大约

 
temperature ['tempritʃə(r)]

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n. 温度,气温,体温,发烧

 
turtle ['tə:tl]

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n. 海龟

联想记忆
sustained [səs'teind]

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adj. 持久的,经久不衰的

 
supply [sə'plai]

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n. 补给,供给,供应,贮备
vt. 补给,供

联想记忆
survey [sə:'vei]

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v. 调查,检查,测量,勘定,纵览,环视
n.

 

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