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tpo3阅读翻译和答案
TPO3阅读真题(文本+答案+翻译)
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.
○Building 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?
○Because 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.
○Both 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.
本文关键字： 1
篇三：tpo3阅读答案
TPO3阅读真题(文本+答案+翻译)：Part2 Depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer，更多托福TPO阅读真题、TPO阅读文本、TPO阅读答案、TPO阅读翻译尽在新东方在线频道！
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.
○Before 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.
○Because 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.
本文关键字： 1
篇四：tpo3阅读答案
摘要：托福阅读原文Architectureistheartandscienceofdesigningstructuresthatorganizeandenclosespaceforpracticalands 阅读原文
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.
试题
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.
托福阅读答案
1.EXCEPT题排除法，以visualart做关键词定位至本段最后一句，A对，不选；以culturalvalues做关键词定位至第二句，B对，不选；以artisticandscientificdimensions做关键词定位至第一句，C对，不选；D选项与A选项在同一句，indirecteffect和directly的原文说反，错，选
2.feasible可行的，原文说了建筑的若干优点，比如提供遮风避雨的场所，丰富了空间，经济上怎么样，肯定是个正面的词，A存在中性，错；B没有问题，虽然是正面但太过，不选，C正确，D非常可能虽然正面，但程度不足，不选
3.词汇题，问的是第二段第三句中的enhance，备选项分别是protect,improve,organize,match，enhance提高，原文中与enhancetheirwayoflife并列的动词是shelter，庇护之意，所以再选protect的话重叠，而且也不应该是保护他们的生活方式；organize组织match搭配都不能与庇护并列，所以improve改善生活方式最靠谱
4.Inorderfor只是一个表目的的状语，暂时放弃不看，同时because那部分插入语不看，整个句子就变成了建筑师们采用的方法是不变的，尽管建筑材料发生了很大变化。A没说原文的建筑材料发生了很大变化，而且law没有限制sizeandstrength，所以完全不对；B错在inorder的那个状语部分，increase原文没说；C说notbasedonphysicallaws与原文相反，错，D正确
5.devise设计，所在句说全世界的建筑也要怎么样根据简直材料的限制，因为有also，所以是接着前一句的，前句在上题中已经分析过了，说建筑师为了达到要求采用了多种方法，说明建筑的产生应该是一个从无到有的过程，所以B选项create最合适，A联合C介绍，引进D建议，表明都不对
6.integral完整的，构成整体的，原文说建筑材料和建筑方法是建筑什么样的部分，代入选项也知道应该是A重要的部分，B可变的C实际的都不靠谱，D独立的虽然意思基本说的通，但明显违反原文，建筑材料和方法应该是互相影响的，不能独立
7.以material为关键词定位至本段第二句和第三句，说以前必须根据建筑材料来设计建筑，现在我们可以发明新材料，A说不容易找到新材料，反了；C的三种材料应该是以前不是现在；D没说；B说现在建筑材料充分，不会再影响建筑设计，是原文的意思，正确
8.以modernbuildings做关键词定位至最后一句，说比较现在和一百年前大小相似的建筑的重量我们就能发现建筑技术所取得的进步，也就是以前的重现在的轻，所以答案是C，其他的都没说
9.本段将建筑结构与人体的结构进行了比较，发现；额三个共同点，排除法，A以equipment做关键词定位至第一句的最后半句，equipment像的应该是vitalorgansandsystems，不是一个component；以earlybuilding做关键词定位至文章最后一句，skeleton和skin是一样的，所以和人不同；C的change原文没说；D正确因为原文说现代建筑像人体，以前的建筑的skeleton和skin是一个，所以现代建筑比之前的建筑更像人体
10.arduous艰巨的，困难的。原文说过去整个城市都是靠切割和堆积石头搞定的，这个任务肯定是比较困难的，而代入原文的话似乎有技巧的和有必要的也是靠谱的，但D分享的一定不对，如果说切割是需要技巧的话，堆积应该是不需要的，注意不要联想。堆积和切割石头一定是造城市的必要任务么？可以用木头和其他的建筑材料，所以necessary太偏了，正确答案difficult
11.修辞目的题，读doorwaysandwindows所在的一句话，说门窗是通过把承的石头横梁放在space上面形成的，读前一句的时候发现也是个例子，所以不是答案，往下句看，说想克服石头带给建筑的障碍，必须有一个新发明。按照原文，门窗的形成是一种克服石头带来的障碍的一种方法，所以答案是C
12.以arch为关键词定位至thatinventionwasthearch句，接上题看到的那句，想克服石头带给建筑的障碍，必须有一个新发明，这个发明就是arch，所以说arch的出现使得其他建筑方法成为可能，B正确。罗马人是第一个把arch广泛用在地上建筑的，不是第一个用arch的，A错，也没follow前人的方法，D错；是把压力分散，divert，不是往中点集中，C说反
13.however和againunifying都说明正确插入点之前必须说把skeletonandskin分开，所以A和B不对，C之后的suchequipment指代C之前的内容，过渡紧密，不适合插入句子，所以D是正确答案
14.Architects选项对应全文首段首句，正确
Over选项对应第四段第三句和第三段首句，正确
Throughout选项与第五段首句相反，错
Both选项是细节，不选
Modern选项错，因为原文没说现代的建筑不好看，不选
Thediscovery选项第六段最后一句，正确
托福阅读译文
建筑是一门出于实用和象征的双重目的，通过组织和利用空间来实现设计结构的艺术和科学。。因为建筑源于人类的需求和愿望，同样也可以清楚地传达文化价值。在所有的视觉艺术中，建筑最直接地影响了我们的生活，因为它在很多方面决定了我们生存的环境特征。
建筑是一种利用空间、质量、纹理、线条、光线和颜色的三维立体形式。一幢建筑物必须实现各种要素的和谐搭配。人类本能地希望可以提供居住并且改善他们生活质量的建筑。建筑师们创造出来的建筑物不单纯的是建筑物，还为人们带来了灵感和喜悦。建筑物为人类的生活提供了遮蔽处和丰富的空间、增加人们的活动场所、完善人们的居所、帮助人们适应气候的变化，同时在经济上也可承受。建筑团队中，最重要的是那些为建筑支付建设费用并且设计其功能的人，许多当代建筑平庸的根源在于客户和建筑师双反。
为了达到建筑的目的，一定的大小和强度是必须的。尽管建筑材料已经发生了翻天覆地的变化，建筑采用的各种支撑方法自从人们发现它们以来鲜有改变，因为这些方法都建立在物理定律的基础上。世界的建筑结构也因为克服材料限制的目的而发展起来。建筑师们在设计建筑结构的时候需要将重力对材料的影响考虑在内，通过结构设计使建筑不同部分能抵抗压力、拉力、弯曲力或混合的压力。
甚至建筑的发展也是由重大的技术变革造成的。材料和建设方法是建筑结构设计整体的组成部分。早期，人们必须设计结构系统来配合当前可用的材料，如木头、石头和砖。现今的技术已经发展到能够创造新的建筑材料来适应想要应用的建筑结构。近几代建筑材料和科技的巨大变化使得包围空间更加简单、快速，并且用更少的材料。在这一领域的进步可以用现在修建的建筑和100年前建造的同规模建筑之间的重量差异来衡量。
类似人类的身体结构，现代建筑可以划分为三个独立的部分：支撑骨架或框架、围住内部空间的外壳以及像人体内器官一样重要的设施。这些设施包括管道、电线、热水和空调。当然，在早期的圆顶建筑和土坯建筑中并没有这样的设施，皮肤和骨骼也往往是合在一起的。
世界上大多数伟大的建筑都是石料建筑，因为石料建筑不仅外形漂亮、持久耐用，而且石头随处可得。在过去，整个城市的建筑物都是从艰苦的石块切割和堆砌发展起来的。在秘鲁安第斯山脉东部的马丘比丘印加古城遗址，可以看到世界上最棒的石质建筑。在开阔的空间上放置厚石板来支撑上面的石头，使门和窗的修建成为可能。设计师们必须在克服石头的物理限制以及新建筑形式发展之前发明出建筑结构，这就是拱形结构，即最初由分段的石头或砖块构成的弧形结构。拱最初在地中海早期文化中用来建设地下水渠，但古罗马人最先开发和广泛的利用它作为地上建筑的结构，他们完善了由分段的石块组成的半圆形拱。作为跨越空间的一种方式，拱可以比水平横梁支撑更大的重量。它使得其上的压力转移到两侧，由两侧垂直的部分来承担压力。拱形结构只是近百年来众多重要建筑结构的突破之一。
托福阅读TPO3(试题+答案+译文)第1篇:Architecture建筑是否引起了你对托福TPO的一些感受，欢迎发帖和大家分享你的想法和补充。发帖请自觉遵守互联网相关的政策法规。
篇五：tpo3阅读答案
TPO3阅读文本答案解析+翻译:Depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer
托福tpo3阅读原文
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阅读试题
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阅读答案
1.排除法，以1880s做关键词定位至第一句，说1880s农牧民定居在High Plains，没说1880前没有人，A错;以climate做关键词定位至第二句，原文说semiarid，没说温度，B错;以人名做关键词定位至最后一句，说这个人是inhabit在这儿的，没说是他发现的，C错;D中small amount of farming and ranching和原文中的low-density是同义替换，选
2.排除法，以两个地名做关键词定位至第一句，A和D都对，不选;以30000 years做关键词定位至第二句，C对，不选;同时可以看到地下水是来自rain and melting snow，不是泉水，所以B错，选
3.原文的结构是估计水很多，足以填满休伦湖，但补充的少;A答案完整地反映了这两个方面，正确;B强调的点搞反，原句强调的是补充的少，B强调的是现在的量大;C的因果关系是原文没有的;D说补充的持续增长，原文没说
4.ensue跟随，接下来，所以subsequent是答案。原文说第一批水井是1930s挖掘的，ensuing所在的那句话又说1950s什么样的农业的快速扩张，这两个时间说明动作是有先后的，而且first一般必然有下文的，所以应该是接着的。注意continuing是个很大的迷惑项，继续是指一个动作的延续，而接下来是两件事情接着发生，B令人吃惊和C最初的，起始的都不对
5.修辞目的题，40%明显是一个例子，往前看，说这个地方的水养活了high plains地区的很多农作物，in addition说明进一步，也就是除了农业还有牧业，所以是C，provide another example，没有说农业和牧业谁重要，A错;牧业确实不依赖灌溉，但也依赖这个地方的水，所以B无关;没有对比，D错
6.unprecedented史无前例的，un表示没有，pre前，想到precede，在 之前。A难以控制和B毫无限制都有轻微贬义，而原词只是在叙述一个事实，属中性。D快速扩张也不沾边，而且A/B/D三个选项在意思上有共同点，唯独C不同，只要知道pre是前就一定能选出答案
7.virtually几乎。注意virtual有虚拟和真实两个截然相反的意思，破折号之前说negligible recharge rate，补给可以忽略，就是很少，但还是有的，后面解释说什么没有水补充，如果选除了almost之外的三项，都说明可能没水，与原文意思不符
8.排除法，分别以recharge rate，water tables，wells，powerfulpumps做关键词定位至本段前三句，B/C/D三项在原文中都有说，所以A错，选。而且跳出这道题看，随着地下水位的下降，井必须打得更深，水泵必须功率更大，这是一系列的因果关系，只有A不是这个因果序列中的
9.以Texas为关键词定位至倒数第二句，说德州气候最干燥，地下水最少，面临的问题最严峻，C是原文的同义改写
10.inevitable不可避免的，必然的。上段整个都在说地下水位在剧烈下降，depletion指的是水用光，承上启下应该是地下水一定会用光，作者只是在陈述事实，没有好坏之说，所以unfortunate不对，不要主观猜想水没了对当地人一定不好;predictable可预见的夜不对，因为原文没给出任何预见性的信息;就单词本身看，in前缀表示否定，所以必须答案也有类似的部分，unavoidable无疑是最好的选项
11.以some farmers who try to conserve water为关键词定位至最后一句，说那些不省水的农民因为没有节约水获得利润，众多选项中只有B提到了利润问题，是正确答案
12.以transport water做关键词定位至本段第一句，第二句开始的unfortunately清楚的表明了这句话会说一个运水产生的问题，就是成本太贵，使产品价格失去竞争力，B和C提到成本，而只有B提到了产品价格升高，正确
13.两个决定点，第一个是uncooperative farmers，那些不合作的农民，根据这个点，A和C是可能的答案，第二个点就是evenif的让步，既然待插入句说即使那些人愿意合作，正确插入点之前就必须的说那些人不合作，所以C是正确答案，而且A前后的many一句和other一句衔接很紧密，不插入句子
14.The use选项对应原文第三段，改变了当地经济，正确
Given选项对应原文第四、第五段首句，正确
Releasing选项与原文意思相反，但即使正确也是细节，不选
The periodic选项原文没说，不选，即使说了也是细节，不选
In Texas选项太细节，不选
Several选项对应原文第六段第一句，正确
托福tpo3阅读译文
19世纪80年代，在美国中部北美大平原的广阔草原上定居着农场主们和牧场主们。这里有着半干旱的气候，在人们定居50年后，它支撑了一个以畜牧业和小麦种植为主的低密度农业经济。然而，在20世纪初，人们发现北美大平原的大部地下是巨大的蓄水层(含有大量地下水的岩层)。这个蓄水层因曾经在这里定居过的奥加拉拉苏族印第安人而得名，被称作奥加拉拉蓄水层。
奥加拉拉蓄水层属于砂岩结构，在从德克萨斯州西北到南达科塔州南部的地下绵延了58.3万平方公里。雨水和融雪自3万年前便开始在奥加拉拉蓄积。据估计，奥加拉拉蓄水层的含水量足以填满休伦湖，但不幸的是，在目前该地区半干旱的气候条件下，奥加拉拉蓄水层的蓄水能力极低，每年仅半厘米左右。
20世纪30年代初，奥加拉拉正处于干旱时期，人们打出了第一口井。灌溉农业的迅速扩张，特别是20世纪50年代之后，改变了这一地区的经济。目前人们已经在奥加拉拉地区共开凿了10万多口井。日喷水量达到450万升的现代灌溉设备，形成了一个圆形绿岛作物为主的景观。奥加拉拉蓄水层支撑了北美大平原地区棉花、高粱、小麦、玉米的灌溉需求。此外，美国40%谷饲养的肉牛在这里被育肥。
考虑到几乎没有补充率(实质上没有自然水资源进行补充)，这种有限地下水资源前所未有的发展已经引起了该地区地下水位的急剧下降。在20世纪30年代，井下15米就有丰富的水资源，而现在，必须挖掘到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达到了每年1米，迫使人们周期性的加深水井并使用更有力的水泵。按现今的下降速度来估计，大部分地下蓄水将在40年内耗尽。这种现象在气候最干旱的德克萨斯州尤为严重。大量的水被从地下抽起，蓄水层含水量最少。据估计，到2030年，德克萨斯州余下的奥加拉拉含水只能支持1980年灌溉面积的35%到40%。
农场主们对无法避免的奥加拉拉蓄水层枯竭的反应各不相同。很多人已经开始尝试通过降低灌溉频率或者改种需水较少的庄稼来节约水资源。而另外一些人却抱着趁水资源还能产生经济效益就应抓紧利用的想法，继续种植高价值的棉花等农作物。当那些想节水的农场主得知邻居们通过大量耗水的种植而盈利的时候，他们的热情降低了，从而导致了整个区域的供水量的减少。
在即将到来的水资源供应危机面前，人们提出了一些宏伟的供水计划，比如将密西西比河、密苏里河或者阿肯色河的水通过运河或管道运到需要用水的地方。不幸的是，通过以上任何一种方式获得水资源都会将抽水的成本提高10倍以上，进而导致这一地区的灌溉农产品成本在国内和国际市场上失去竞争力。最近一些有希望获得成功的试验试图通过向土壤中注入压力，释放水层上方土壤中的毛细管水。即使这样行之有效，抽水成本会变到原来的3倍。基因工程也会通过继续研发抗旱作物新品种，帮助解决部分难题。无论这次水资源危机的最终结果如何，显然，北美大平原地区灌溉水资源再也不会像20世纪中期农业繁荣时期的那样充足并且廉价了。
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