英语六级阅读理解真题及答案

时间：2022-10-05 14:48:00

英语六级阅读理解真题及答案7篇六级英语阅读理解题库

　　下面是范文网小编整理的英语六级阅读理解真题及答案7篇六级英语阅读理解题库，供大家参考。

英语六级阅读理解真题及答案7篇六级英语阅读理解题库

英语六级阅读理解真题及答案1

　　托福阅读真题1

　　Pheromones are substances that serve as chemical signals between members of the same species. They are secreted to the outside of the body and cause other individuals of the species to have specific reactions. Pheromones, which are sometimes called social hormones, affect a group of individuals somewhat like hormones do an individual animal. Pheromones are the predominant medium of communication among insects (but rarely the sole method). Some species have simple pheromone systems and produce only a few pheromones, but others produce many with various functions. Pheromone systems are the most complex in some of the so-called social insects, insects that live in organized groups.

　　Chemical communication differs from that by sight or sound in several ways. Transmission is relatively slow (the chemical signals are usually airborne), but the signal can be persistent, depending upon the volatility of the chemical, and is sometimes effective over a very long range. Localization of the signal is generally poorer than localization of a sound or visual stimulus and is usually effected by the animal's moving upwind in response to the stimulus. The ability to modulate a chemical signal is limited, compared with communication by visual or acoustic means, but some pheromones may convey different meanings and consequently result in different behavioral or physiological responses, depending on their concentration or when presented in combination. The modulation of chemical signals occurs via the elaboration of the number of exocrine glands that produce pheromones. Some species, such as ants, seem to be very articulate creatures, but their medium of communication is difficult for humans to study and appreciate because of our own olfactory, insensitivity and the technological difficulties in detecting and analyzing these pheromones. Pheromones play numerous roles in the activities of insects. They may act as alarm substances, play a role in individual and group recognition, serve as attractants between sexes, mediate the formation of aggregations, identify foraging trails, and be involved in caste determination. For example, pheromones involved in caste determination include the queen substance produced by queen honey bees. Aphids, which are particularly vulnerable to predators because of their gregarious habits and sedentary nature, secrete an alarm pheromone when attacked that causes nearby aphids to respond by moving away.

　　1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) How insects use pheromones to communicate

(B) How pheromones are produced by insects

(D) The different uses of pheromones among various insect species

　　2. The word serve in line 1 is closest in meaning to

(A) improve

(B) function

(D) rely

　　3. The purpose of the second mention of hormones in line 4 is to point out

(A) chemical signals that are common among insects

(B) specific responses of various species to chemical signals

(D) how insects produce different chemical substances

　　4. The word sole in line 6 is closest in meaning to

(A) obvious

(B) best

(D) final

　　5. The passage suggests that the speed at which communication through pheromones occurs is

　　dependent on how quickly they

(A) lose their effectiveness

(B) evaporate in the air

(D) are produced by the body

　　6. According to the passage , the meaning of a message communicated through a pheromone

　　may vary when the

(A) chemical structure of the pheromone is changed

(B) pheromone is excreted while other pheromones are also being excreted

(D) pheromone is released near certain specific organisms

　　7. The word detecting in line 23 is closest in meaning to

(A) controlling

(B) storing

(D) finding

　　8. According to paragraph 2, which of the following has made the study of pheromones difficult?

(A) Pheromones cannot be easily reproduced in chemical laboratories.

(B) Existing technology cannot fully explore the properties of pheromones.

(D) Pheromone signals are constantly changing.

　　9. The word They in line 24 refers to

(A) pheromones

(B) roles

(D) insects

　　10. The word sedentary in line 29 is closest in meaning to

(A) inactive

(B) inefficient

(D) unbalanced

　　11. Pheromone systems are relatively complex in insects that

(A) also communicate using sight and sound

(B) live underground

(D) live in organized groups

　　PASSAGE 95 ABCCB ADBAAD

　　托福阅读真题2

　　The Homestead Act of 1862 gave heads of families or individuals aged twenty-one or older the right to own 160 acres of public land in the western United States after five years of residence and improvement. This law was intended to provide land for small farmers and to prevent land from being bought for resale at a profit or being owned by large landholders. An early amendment to the act even prevented husbands and wives from filing separate claims. The West, land reformers had assumed, would soon contain many 160-acre family farms.

　　They were doomed to disappointment. Most landless Americans were too poor to become farmers even when they could obtain land without cost. The expense of moving a family to the ever-receding frontier exceeded the means of many, and the cost of tools, draft animals, a wagon, a well, fencing, and of building the simplest house, might come to $1,000 — a formidable barrier. As for the industrial workers for whom the free land was supposed to provide a safety valve, they had neither the skills nor the inclination to become farmers. Homesteaders usually came from districts not far removed from frontier conditions. And despite the intent of the law, speculators often managed to obtain large tracts. They hired people to stake out claims, falsely swear that they had fulfilled the conditions laid down in the law for obtaining legal title, and then deed the land over to their employers.

　　Furthermore, 160 acres were not enough for raising livestock or for the kind of commercial agriculture that was developing west of the Mississippi. The national government made a feeble attempt to make larger holdings available to homesteaders by passing the Timber Culture Act of 1873, which permitted individuals to claim an additional 160 acres if they would agree to plant a quarter of it in trees within ten years. This law proved helpful to some farmers in the largely treeless states of Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas. Nevertheless, fewer than 25 percent of the 245,000 who took up land under the Act obtained final title to the property.

　　1. Which aspect of the Homestead Act of 1862 does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) How it transformed the western United States into a place of small farms

(B) Why it was an improvement over previous attempts at land reform

(D) How it failed in the largely treeless states of Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas

　　2. An amendment added to the Homestead Act of 1862 specified that

(A) five years of residence was required for landownership

(B) husbands and wives could not file separate claims

(D) land could not be resold for a profit

　　3. The word formidable in line 12 is closest in meaning to

(A) obvious

(B) predictable

(D) manageable

　　4. It can be inferred that the safety valve in line 13 refers to

(A) a new kind of machinery

(B) an alternative for urban workers

(D) a procedure designed to protect workers

　　5. The word intent in line 15 is closest in meaning to

(A) purpose

(B) power

(D) invention

　　6. According to the passage , why did the government pass the Timber Culture Act of 1873?

(A) to make larger tracts of land available to small farmers

(B) to settle Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas

(D) to increase the variety of trees growing in the western states

　　7. The word they in line 23 refers to

(A) larger holdings

(B) individuals

(D) trees

　　8. According to the passage , how many of the farmers who settled land under the Timber

　　Culture Act of 1873 received final title to the property?

(A) fewer than 25%

(B) more than 160

(D) 245,000

　　9. The passage mentions all of the following as reasons the Homestead Act of 1862 did not

　　achieve its aims EXCEPT:

(A) Most landless Americans could not afford the necessary tools and provisions.

(B) Industrial workers lacked the necessary farming skills.

(D) Homesteaders usually came from areas relatively close to the frontier.

　　10. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about the Timber Culture Act of

　　1873?

(A) It especially helped farmers with large holdings of land.

(B) It was most important to farmers living in states that had plenty of trees.

(D) The majority of farmers did not need the extra 160 acres it provided.

　　PASSAGE 96 CBCDA ABACC

　　托福阅读真题3

　　The Moon, which has undergone a distinct and complex geological history, presents a striking appearance. The moon may be divided into two major terrains: the Maria (dark lowlands) and the Terrace (bright highlands). The contrast in the reflectivity (the capability of reflecting light) of these two terrains suggested to many early observers that the two terrains might have different compositions, and this supposition was confirmed by missions to the Moon such as Surveyor and Apollo. One of the most obvious differences between the terrains is the smoothness of the Maria in contrast to the roughness of the highlands. This roughness is mostly caused by the abundance of craters: the highlands are completely covered by large craters (greater than 40-50 km in diameter), while the craters of the Maria tend to be much smaller. It is now known that the vast majority of the Moon's craters were formed by the impact of solid bodies with the lunar surface.

　　most of the near side of the Moon was thoroughly mapped and studied from telescopic pictures years before the age of space exploration. Earth-based telescopes can resolve objects as small as a few hundred meters on the lunar surface. Close observation of craters, combined with the way the Moon diffusely reflects sunlight, led to the understanding that the Moon is covered by a surface layer, or regolith, that overlies the solid rock of the Moon. Telescopic images permitted the cataloging of a bewildering array of land forms. Craters were studied for clues to their origin; the large wispy marks were seen. Strange, sinuous features were observed in the Maria. Although various land forms were catalogued, the majority of astronomers' attention was fixed on craters and their origins.

　　astronomers have known for a fairly long time that the shape of craters changes as they increase in size. Small craters with diameters of less than 10-15 km have relatively simple shapes. They have rim crests that are elevated above the surrounding terrain, smooth, bowl-shaped interiors, and depths that are about one-sixth their diameters. The complexity of shape increases for larger craters.

　　1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) What astronomers learned from the Surveyor and Apollo space missions.

(B) Characteristics of the major terrains of the Moon.

(D) Techniques used to catalogue the Moon's land forms.

　　2. The word undergone in line 1 is closest in meaning to

(A) altered

(B) substituted

(D) preserved

　　3. According to the passage , the Maria differ from the Terrace mainly in terms of

(A) age

(B) manner of creation

(D) composition

　　4. The passage supports which of the following statements about the Surveyor and Apollo missions

(A) They confirmed earlier theories about the Moon's surface.

(B) They revealed that previous ideas about the Moon's craters were incorrect.

(D) They were unable to identify how the Moon's craters were made.

　　5. The word vast in line 11 is closest in meaning to

(A) special

(B) known

(D) great

　　6. All of the following are true of the Maria EXCEPT:

(A) They have small craters.

(B) They have been analyzed by astronomers.

(D) They tend to be darker than the terrace.

　　7. All of the following terms are defined in the passage EXCEPT

(A) Moon (line 1)

(B) reflectivity (line 3)

(D) Maria (line 2)

　　8. The author mentions wispy marks in line 19 as an example of

(A) an aspect of the lunar surface discovered through lunar missions

(B) a characteristic of large craters

(D) features that astronomers observed to be common to the Earth and the Moon

　　9. According to the passage , lunar researchers have focused mostly on

(A) the possibility of finding water on the Moon

(B) the lunar regolith

(D) craters and their origins

　　10. The passage probably continues with a discussion of

(A) the reasons craters are difficult to study

(B) the different shapes small craters can have

(D) some difference in the ways small and large craters were formed

　　PASSAGE 97 BCDAD CACDC

英语六级阅读理解真题及答案2

　　who's really addicting you to Technology?

　　a.“Nearly everyone i know is addicted in some measure to the internet, ”wrote tony Schwartz in The New York Times. it's a common complaint these days. A steady stream of similar headlines accuse the net and its offspring apps, social media sites and online games of addicting us to distraction

　　B. There's little doubt that nearly everyone who comes in contact with the net has difficulty concentration than it takes to post a status update. as one person ironically put it in the comments section of Schwartz's online article, “As I was reading this very excellent article.I stopped at least half a dozen times to cheek my email.

　　C.There's something different about this technology: it is both invasive and persuasive. but who's at fault for its overuse? To find solutions, it's important to understand what we’re dealing with.There are four parties conspiring to keep you connected the tech, your boss, your friends and you.

　　d.The technologies themselves and their makers, are the easiest suspects to blame for our diminishing attention spans. Nicholas Carr,author of The Shallows： what the internet is doing Our brains, wrote, The net is designed to be an interruption system, a machine geared to dividing attention.

　　E.Online services like Facebook, twitter and the like, are called out of manipula-tion--making，products so good that people can't stop using them. after studying these products for several years, I wrote a book about how they do it. I learned it all starts with the business model. since these services rely on advertising revenue, The more frequently you use money they make.It’s no winder these companies employ teams of people focused on engineering their services to be as engaging as possible. these products aren't habit-forming by chance; it's by design. they have an incentive to keep us hooked.

　　F.However, as good as these services are, there are simple steps we can take to keep them at bay.For example, we can change how often we receive the distracting notifications that trigger our urge to check.According to adam marchick, ceo of mobile marketing company kahuna, less than 15 percent of smartphone users ever bother to adjust their notification setlings--meaning the remaining 85 percent of us default to the app makers' every preset trigger.Google and Apple have made it far too difficult to adjust these settings so it's up to us to take steps ensure we set these triggers to suit our own needs, not the needs of the app makers.

　　G.While companies like Facebook harvest attention to generate revenue from advertisers, other technologies have no such agenda. take email, for example. this system couldn't care less how often you use it. Yet to many, email is the most habit-forming medium of all.We check email at all hours of the day--we're obsessed, but why? Because that's what the boss wants.For almost all white-collar jobs, A slow

　　Response to a message could hurt not only your reputation but also your livelihood.

　　H.Your friends are also responsible.Think about this familiar scene.People gathered around a table, enjoying food and each others company. there's laughter and a bit of kidding. Then, during an interval in the conversation, someone takes out their phone to check who knows what.Barely anyone notices and no one says a thing.

　　I.Now imagine the same dinner,but instead of checking their phone, the person belches(打嗝)-loudly.Everyone notices. unless the meal takes place in a beer house, this is considered bad manners. The impolite act violates the basic rules of etiquette. one has to wonder why don’t we apply the same social norms to checking phones during meals, meetings and conversations as we do to other antisocial behaviors somehow, we accept it and say nothing when someone offends.

　　J.The reality is taking one's phone out at the wrong time is worse than belching because, unlike other minor offense, checking tech is contagious. once one person looks at their phone,other people feel compelled to do the same, starting a chain reaction. the more people are on their phones, the fewer people are talking until finally you are the only one left not reading email or checking twitter. from a societal perspective, phone checking is less like belching in public and more like another bad habit. our phones are like cigarettes-something to do when were bored or when our fingers need something to toy with seeing others enjoy a smoke,or sneak a quick glance, is too tempting to resist and soon everyone is doing it.

　　K.The technology, your boss, and your friends, all influence how often you find yourself using (or overusing )these gadgets. but there's still someone who deserves scrutiny--the person holding the phone.

　　L. I have a confession. even though i study habit-forming technology for a living, disconnecting is not easy for me.I'm online far more than I'd like like Schwartz and so many others, I often find myself distracted and off tack.I wanted to know why so i began self-monitoring to try to understand my behavior. that's when i discovered an uncomfortable truth. i use technology as an escape. when I'm doing something I'd rather not do, or when I'm someplace I'd rather not attention was often a good thing, like when passing time on public transportation, but frequently my tech use was not so benign. when i faced difficult work, like thinking through an article idea or editing the same draft for the hundredth time, for example, a more sinister screen would draw me in. i could easily escape discomfort.temporarlly.by answering email or browsing ing the web under the pretense of so-called”research. “though I desperately wanted to lay blame elsewhere, i finally had to admit that my bad habits had less to do with new-age.technology and more to do with old-fashioned procrastination(拖延)

　　m.it's easy to blame technology for being so distracting, but distraction is nothing new. Aristotle and Socrates dehated nature of “akrasia”--our tendency to do things agninst our interests. If we're honest with ourselves, tech is just another way to occupy our time and minds,if we weren’t on our devices. We’d likely do similarly unproductive.

　　N.personal technology is indeed more engaging than ever, and there's no doubt companies are engineering their products and services to be more compelling and attractive but would want it any other way the intended result of making something better is that people use it more. that's not necessarily a problem, that's progress.

　　O.These improvements don't mean we shouldn't attempt to control our use of technology. In order to make sure it doesn't control us, we should come to terms with the fact that it's more than the technology itself that’s responsible for our habits. our workplace culture, social norns and individual behaviors all play a part to put technology in its place, we must be conscious not only of how technology is changing, but also of how it is changing us.

　　36.Online services are so designed that the more they are used, the more profit they generate.

　　37. The author admits using technology as an escape from the task at hand.

　　38. Checking phones at dinners is now accepted as normal but not belching

　　39. To make proper use of technology, we should not only increase our awareness of how it is changing but also how it is impacting us.

　　40. Most of us find it hard to focus on our immediate tasks because of internet distractions

　　41. when one person starts checking their phone, the others will follow suit.

　　42.The great majority of smartphone users don' t take the trouble to adjust their settings to suit their own purposes.

　　43.The internet is regarded by some as designed to distract our attention.

　　44. The author attributes his tech addiction chiefly to his habit of putting off doing what he should

　　45.White-collar workers check email round the clock because it is required by their employers

　　42.The great majority of smartphone users don' t take the trouble to adjust their settings to suit their own purposes.

　　43.The internet is regarded by some as designed to distract our attention.

　　44. The author attributes his tech addiction chiefly to his habit of putting off doing what he should

　　45.White-collar workers check email round the clock because it is required by their employers

英语六级阅读理解真题及答案3

　　托福阅读真题1

　　Cities develop as a result of functions that they can perform. Some functions result directly from the ingenuity of the citizenry, but most functions result from the needs of the local area and of the surrounding hinterland (the region that supplies goods to the city and to which the city furnishes services and other goods). Geographers often make a distinction between the situation and the site of a city. Situation refers to the general position in relation to the surrounding region, whereas site involves physical characteristics of the specific location. Situation is normally much more important to the continuing prosperity of a city. If a city is well situated in regard to its hinterland, its development is much more likely to continue. Chicago, for example, possesses an almost unparalleled situation: it is located at the southern end of a huge lake that forces east-west transportation lines to be compressed into its vicinity, and at a meeting of significant land and water transport routes. It also overlooks what is one of the world's finest large farming regions. These factors ensured that Chicago would become a great city regardless of the disadvantageous characteristics of the available site, such as being prone to flooding during thunderstorm activity.

　　Similarly, it can be argued that much of New York City's importance stems from its early and continuing advantage of situation. Philadelphia and Boston both originated at about the same time as New York and shared New York's location at the western end of one of the world's most important oceanic trade routes, but only New York possesses an easy-access functional connection (the Hudson-Mohawk lowland) to the vast Midwestern hinterland. This account does not alone explain New York's primacy, but it does include several important factors. Among the many aspects of situation that help to explain why some cities grow and others do not, original location on a navigable waterway seems particularly applicable. Of course, such characteristic as slope, drainage, power resources, river crossings, coastal shapes, and other physical characteristics help to determine city location, but such factors are normally more significant in early stages of city development than later.

　　1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) The development of trade routes through United States cities

(B) Contrasts in settlement patterns in United States

(D) The importance of geographical situation in the growth of United States cities

　　2. The word ingenuity in line 2. is closest in meaning to

(A) wealth

(B) resourcefulness

(D) organization

　　3. The passage suggests that a geographer would consider a city's soil type part of its

(A) hinterland

(B) situation

(D) function

　　4. According to the passage , a city's situation is more important than its site in regard to the

　　City's

(A) long-term growth and prosperity

(B) ability to protect its citizenry

(D) need to import food supplies

　　5. The author mentions each of the following as an advantage of Chicago's location EXCEPT its

(A) hinterland

(B) nearness to a large lake

(D) flat terrain

　　6. The word characteristics in line 14 is closest in meaning to

(A) choices

(B) attitudes

(D) inhabitants

　　7. The primary purpose of paragraph 1 is to

(A) summarize past research and introduce a new study

(B) describe a historical period

(D) define a term and illustrate it with an example

　　8. According to the passage , Philadelphia and Boston are similar to New York City in

(A) size of population

(B) age

(D) availability of rail transportation

　　9. The word functional in line 20 is closest in meaning to

(A) alternate

(B) unknown

(D) usable

　　10. The word it in line 21 refers to

(A) account

(B) primacy

(D) hinterland

　　11. The word significant in line 26 is closest in meaning to

(A) threatening

(B) meaningful

(D) available

　　PASSAGE 71 DBCAD CDCDA B

　　托福阅读真题2

　　The Harlem Renaissance, a movement of the 1920's, marked the twentieth century's first period of intense activity by African Americans in the field of literature, art, and music in the United States. The philosophy of the movement combined realism, ethnic consciousness, and Americanism. Encouraged by the example of certain Americans of European descent such as Thomas Eakins, Robert Henri, and George Luks, who had included persons of African descent in their paintings as serious studies rather than as trivial or sentimental stereotypes, African American artists of this period set about creating a new portrayal of themselves and their lives in the United States. As they began to strive for social and cultural independence. Their attitudes toward themselves changed, and, to some extent, other segments of American society began to change their attitudes toward them. Thus, though the Harlem Renaissance was a short-lived movement, its impact on American art and culture continues to the present.

　　The district in New York City known as Harlem was the capital of the movement. In 1925 an issue of Survey Graphic magazine devoted exclusively to Harlem and edited by philosopher Alain Locke became the manifesto of the African American artistic movement. Locke strongly suggested that individuals, while accepting their Americanism, take pride in their African ancestral arts and urged artists to look to Africa for substance and inspiration. Far from advocating a withdrawal from American culture, as did some of his contemporaries, Locke recommended a cultural pluralism through which artists could enrich the culture of America. African Americans were urged by Locke to be collaborators and participators with other Americans in art, literature, and music; and at the same time to preserve, enhance, and promote their own cultural heritage.

　　artists and intellectuals from many parts of the United States and the Caribbean had been attracted to Harlem by the pulse and beat of its unique and dynamic culture. From this unity created by the convergence of artists from various social and geographical backgrounds came a new spirit, which, particularly in densely populated Harlem, was to result in greater group awareness and self-determination. African American graphic artists took their place beside the poets and writers of the Harlem Renaissance and carried on efforts to increase and promote the visual arts.

　　1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) African American paintings in the 1920's

(B) An arts movement of the 1920's

(D) Some ways in which African culture inspired American literature, art and music

　　2. According to the passage , Tomas Eakins, Robert Henri, and George Luks were important because of

(A) the philosophical contributions they made to the Harlem Renaissance

(B) their development of a new style of African American art

(D) their independence from European artistic traditions

　　3. The word them in line 11 refers to

(A) Americans of European descent

(B) paintings

(D) attitudes

　　4. According to the passage , African American artists of the 1920's differed from earlier African

　　american artists in terms of their feelings about

(A) themselves

(B) other artists

(D) stereotypes

　　5. The word urged in line 17 is closest in meaning to

(A) prepared

(B) defined

(D) encouraged

　　6. Alain Locke believed all of the following to be important to the African American artistic

　　movement EXCEPT

(A) pride in African art

(B) cultural pluralism

(D) withdrawal from American culture

　　7. In mentioning the pulse and beat (line 25) of Harlem during the 1920's, the author is

　　Characterizing the district as one that

(A) depended greatly on its interaction with other parts of the city

(B) grew economically in a short period of time

(D) was in danger of losing population

　　8. The word convergence in line 26 is closest in meaning to

(A) gathering

(B) promotion

(D) influence

　　9. According to the passage , all of the following were true of Harlem in the 1920's EXCEPT:

(A) Some Caribbean artists and intellectuals lived there.

(B) It attracted people from various regions of United States.

(D) It was a unique cultural center.

　　10. The phrase carried on in line 30 is closest in meaning to

(A) continued

(B) praised

(D) connected

　　PASSAGE 72 BCCAD DCACA

　　托福阅读真题3

　　Ffeterd spanning in line 18d- The interrelationship of science, technology, and industry is taken for granted today — summed up, not altogether accurately, as research and development. Yet historically this widespread faith in the economic virtues of science is a relatively recent phenomenon, dating back in the United States about 150 years, and in the Western world as a whole not over 300 years at most. Even in this current era of large scale, intensive research and development, the interrelationships involved in this process are frequently misunderstood. Until the coming of the Industrial Revolution, science and technology evolved for the most part independently of each other. Then as industrialization became increasingly complicated, the craft techniques of preindustrial society gradually gave way to a technology based on the systematic application of scientific knowledge and scientific methods. This changeover started slowly and progressed unevenly. Until late in the nineteenth century, only a few industries could use scientific techniques or cared about using them. The list expanded noticeably after 1870, but even then much of what passed for the application of science was engineering science rather than basic science.

　　Nevertheless, by the middle of the nineteenth century, the rapid expansion of scientific knowledge and of public awareness — if not understanding — of it had created a belief that the advance of science would in some unspecified manner automatically generate economic benefits. The widespread and usually uncritical acceptance of this thesis led in turn to the assumption that the application of science to industrial purposes was a linear process, starting with fundamental science, then proceeding to applied science or technology, and through them to industrial use. This is probably the most common pattern, but it is not invariable. New areas of science have been opened up and fundamental discoveries made as a result of attempts to solve a specific technical or economic problem. Conversely, scientists who mainly do basic research also serve as consultants on projects that apply research in practical ways.

　　In sum, the science-technology-industry relationship may flow in several different ways, and the particular channel it will follow depends on the individual situation. It may at times even be multidirectional.

　　1. What is the author's main purpose in the passage ?

(A) To show how technology influenced basic science

(B) To describe the scientific base of nineteenth-century American industries

(D) To argue that basic science has no practical application

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

(A) completely

(B) realistically

(D) understandably

　　3. The word intensive in line 5 is closest in meaning to

(A) decreased

(B) concentrated

(D) advanced

　　4. The list mentioned in line 13 refers to

(A) types of scientific knowledge

(B) changes brought by technology

(D) applications of engineering science

　　5. The understanding of research and development in the late nineteenth century is based on

　　which of the following?

(A) Engineering science is not very important.

(B) Fundamental science naturally leads to economic benefits.

(D) Industrial needs should determine what areas fundamental science focuses on.

　　6. The word it in line 16 refers to

(A) understanding

(B) public awareness

(D) expansion

　　7. The word assumption in line 19 is closest in meaning to

(A) regulation

(B) belief

(D) confusion

　　8. Why does the author mention consultants in line 25?

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

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

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

　　9. Which of the following statements does the passage support?

(A) The development of science and of industry is now interdependent.

(B) Basic scientific research cannot generate practical applications.

(D) Science and technology are becoming more separate.

　　PASSAGE 73 CABCB CBDA

英语六级阅读理解真题及答案4

　　托福阅读真题1

　　In eighteenth-century colonial America, flowers and fruit were typically the province of the botanical artist interested in scientific illustration rather than being the subjects of fine art. Early in the nineteenth century, however, the Peale family of Philadelphia established the still life, a picture consisting mainly of inanimate objects, as a valuable part of the artist's repertoire. The fruit paintings by James and Sarah Miriam Peale are simple arrangements of a few objects, handsomely colored, small in size, and representing little more than what they are. In contrast were the highly symbolic, complex compositions by Charles Bird King, with their biting satire and critical social commentary. Each of these strains comminuted into and well past mid-century.

　　John F. Francis (1808-86) was a part of the Pennsylvania still-life tradition that arose, at least in part, from the work of the Peales. Most of his still lifes date from around 1850 to 1875. Luncheon Still Life looks like one of the Peales' pieces on a larger scale, with greater complexity resulting from the number of objects. It is also indebted to the luncheon type of still life found in seventeenth-century Dutch painting. The opened bottles of wine and the glasses of wine partially consumed suggest a number of unseen guests. The appeal of the fruit and nuts to our sense of taste is heightened by the juicy orange, which has already been sliced. The arrangement is additive, that is, made up of many different parts, not always compositionally integrated, with all objects of essentially equal importance.

　　about 1848, Severin Roesen came to the United States from Germany and settled in New York City, where he began to paint large, lush still lifes of flowers, fruit, or both, often measuring over four feet across. Still Life with fruit and champagne is typical in its brilliance of color, meticulous rendering of detail, compact composition, and unabashed abundance. Rich in symbolic overtones, the beautifully painted objects carry additional meanings — butterflies or fallen buds suggest the impermanence of life, a bird's nest with eggs means fertility, and so on. Above all, Roesen's art expresses the abundance that America symbolized to many of its citizens.

　　1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) The artwork of James and Sarah Miriam Peale

(B) How Philadelphia became a center for art in the nineteenth century

(D) How botanical art inspired the first still-life paintings

　　2. Which of the following is mentioned as a characteristic of the still lifes of James and Sarah

　　miriam Peale?

(A) simplicity

(B) symbolism

(D) social commentary

　　3. The word biting in line 8 is closest in meaning to

(A) simple

(B) sorrowful

(D) sharp

　　4. The word It in line 13 refers to

(A) Luncheon Still Life

(B) one of the Peales' pieces

(D) the number of objects

　　5. The word heightened in line 16 is closest in meaning to

(A) complicated

(B) directed

(D) increased

　　6. The word meticulous in line 23 is closest in meaning to

(A) careful

(B) significant

(D) believable

　　7. Which of the following terms is defined in the passage ?

(A) repertoire (line 5)

(B) satire (line 8)

(D) rendering (line 23)

　　8. All of the following are mentioned as characteristics of Roesen's still lifes EXCEPT that they

(A) are symbolic

(B) use simplified representations of flowers and fruit

(D) are large in size

　　9. Which of the following is mentioned as the dominant theme in Roesen's painting?

(A) Fertility

(B) Freedom

(D) Abundance

　　PASSAGE 89 CADAD ACBD

　　托福阅读真题2

　　Perhaps one of the most dramatic and important changes that took place in the Mesozoic era occurred late in that era, among the small organisms that populate the uppermost, sunlit portion of the oceans — the plankton. The term plankton is a broad one, designating all of the small plants and animals that float about or weakly propel themselves through the sea. In the late stages of the Mesozoic era, during the Cretaceous period, there was a great expansion of plankton that precipitated skeletons or shells composed of two types of mineral: silica and calcium carbonate.

　　This development radically changed the types of sediments that accumulated on the seafloor, because, while the organic parts of the plankton decayed after the organisms died, their mineralized skeletons often survived and sank to the bottom. For the first time in the Earth's long history, very large quantities of silica skeletons, which would eventually harden into rock, began to pile up in parts of the deep sea. Thick deposits of calcareous ooze made up of the tiny remains of the calcium carbonate-secreting plankton also accumulated as never before. The famous white chalk cliffs of Dover, in the southeast of England, are just one example of the huge quantities of such material that amassed during the Cretaceous period; there are many more. Just why the calcareous plankton were so prolific during the latter part of the Cretaceous period is not fully understood. Such massive amounts of chalky sediments have never since been deposited over a comparable period of time.

　　The high biological productivity of the Cretaceous oceans also led to ideal conditions for oil accumulation. Oil is formed when organic material trapped in sediments is slowly buried and subjected to increased temperatures and pressures, transforming it into petroleum. Sediments rich in organic material accumulated along the margins of the Tethys Seaway, the tropical east-west ocean that formed when Earth's single landmass (known as Pangaea) split apart during the Mesozoic era. Many of today's important oil fields are found in those sediments — in Russia, the Middle East, the Gulf of Mexico, and in the states of Texas and Louisiana in the United States.

　　1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) How sediments were built up in oceans during the Cretaceous period

(B) How petroleum was formed in the Mesozoic era

(D) The differences between plankton found in the present era and Cretaceous plankton

　　2. The passage indicates that the Cretaceous period occurred

(A) in the early part of the Mesozoic era

(B) in the middle part of the Mesozoic era

(D) after the Mesozoic era

　　3. The passage mentions all of the following aspects of plankton EXCEPT

(A) the length of their lives

(B) the level of the ocean at which they are found

(D) their size

　　4. The word accumulated in line 8 is closest in meaning to

(A) depended

(B) matured

(D) collected

　　5. According to the passage , the most dramatic change to the oceans caused by plankton during

　　The Cretaceous period concerned

(A) the depth of the water

(B) the makeup of the sediment on the ocean floor

(D) a decline in the quantity of calcareous ooze on the seafloor

　　6. The white chalk cliffs of Dover are mentioned in line 14 of the passage to

(A) show where the plankton sediment first began to build up

(B) provide an example of a plankton buildup that scientists cannot explain

(D) indicate the largest single plankton buildup on Earth

　　7. The word prolific in line 17 is closest in meaning to

(A) fruitful

(B) distinct

(D) energetic

　　8. The word ideal in line 20 is closest in meaning to

(A) common

(B) clear

(D) immediate

　　9. The word it in line 22 refers to

(A) biological productivity

(B) oil

(D) petroleum

　　PASSAGE 90 CCADB CACC

　　托福阅读真题3

　　The term art deco has come to encompass three distinct but related design trends of the 1920's and 1930's. The first was what is frequently referred to as zigzag moderne — the exotically ornamental style of such skyscrapers as the Chrysler Building in New York City and related structures such as the Paramount Theater in Oakland, California. The word zigzag alludes to the geometric and stylized ornamentation of zigzags, angular patterns, abstracted plant and animal motifs, sunbursts, astrological imagery, formalized fountains, and related themes that were applied in mosaic relief, and mural form to the exterior and interior of the buildings. Many of these buildings were shaped in the ziggurat form, a design resembling an ancient Mesopotamian temple tower that recedes in progressively smaller stages to the summit, creating a staircase-like effect. The second manifestation of art deco was the 1930's streamlined moderne style — a Futuristic-looking aerodynamic style of rounded corners and horizontal bands known as speed stripes. In architecture, these elements were frequently accompanied by round windows, extensive use of glass block, and flat rooftops.

　　The third style, referred to as either international stripped classicism, or simply classical moderne, also came to the forefront during the Depression, a period of severe economic difficult in the 1930's. This was a more conservative style, blending a simplified modernistic style with a more austere form of geometric and stylized relief sculpture and other ornament, including interior murals. Many buildings in this style were erected nationwide through government programs during the Depression.

　　although art deco in its many forms was largely perceived as thoroughly modern, it was strongly influenced by the decorative arts movements that immediately preceded it. For example, like art nouveau (1890-1910), art deco also used plant motifs, but regularized the forms into abstracted repetitive patterns rather than presenting them as flowing, asymmetrical foliage, like the Viennese craftspeople of the Wiener Werkstatte, art deco designers worked with exotic materials, geometricized shapes, and colorfully ornate patterns. Furthermore, like the artisans of the Arts and Crafts Movement in England and the United States, art deco practitioners considered it their mission to transform the domestic environment through well-designed furniture and household accessories.

　　1. What aspect of art deco does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) The influence of art deco on the design of furniture and household accessories

(B) Ways in which government programs encouraged the development of art deco

(D) Reasons for the popularity of art deco in New York and California

　　2. The word encompass in line 1 is closest in meaning to

(A) separate

(B) include

(D) enhance

　　3. The phrase The first in line 2 refers to

(A) the term art deco

(B) design trends

(D) skyscrapers

　　4. In line 9, the author mentions an ancient Mesopotamian temple tower in order to

(A) describe the exterior shape of certain art deco buildings

(B) explain the differences between ancient and modern architectural steles

(D) argue for a return to more traditional architectural design

　　5. The streamlined moderne style is characterized by all of the following EXCEPT

(A) animal motifs

(B) flat roofs

(D) speed stripes

　　6. The phrase came to the forefront in line 16 is closest in meaning to

(A) grew in complexity

(B) went through a process

(D) became important

　　7. According to the passage , which of the following statements most accurately describes the

　　Relationship between art deco and art nouveau?

(A) They were art forms that competed with each other for government support during the

　　depression era.

(B) They were essentially the same art form.

(D) Art deco became important in the United States while art nouveau became popular in

　　England.

　　8. According to the passage , a building having an especially ornate appearance would most

　　Probably have been designed in the style of

(A) zigzag moderne

(B) streamlined moderne

(D) the Arts and Crafts Movement

　　9. According to the passage , which of the following design trends is known by more than one

　　Name?

(A) Zigzag moderne

(B) Streamlined moderne

(D) Arts and Crafts Movement

　　10. The passage is primarily developed as

(A) the historical chronology of a movement

(B) a description of specific buildings that became famous for their unusual beauty

(D) an argument of the advantages of one artistic form over another

　　PASSAGE 91 CBBAA DCACC

英语六级阅读理解真题及答案5

　　Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.

　　more than 100 years ago, American sociologist W. E. B. Du Bois was concerned that race was being used as a biological explanation for what he understood to be social and cultural differences between different populations of people. He spoke out against the idea of “white” and “black” as distinct groups, claiming that these distinctions ignored the scope of human diversity.

　　Science would favor Du Bois. Today, the mainstream belief among scientists is that race is a social construct without biological meaning. In an article published in the journal Science, four scholars say racial categories need to be phased out. “Essentially, I could not agree more with the authors,” said Svante Pbo, a biologist and director of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany. In one example that demonstrated genetic differences were not fixed along racial lines, the full genomes (基因组) of James Watson and Craig Venter, two famous American scientists of European ancestry, were compared to that of a Korean scientist, Seong-Jin Kim. It turned out that Watson and Venter shared fewer variations in their genetic sequences than they each shared with Kim.

　　michael Yudell, a professor of public health at Drexel University in Philadelphia, said that modem genetics research is operating in a paradox: on the one hand, race is understood to be a useful tool to illuminate human genetic diversity, but on the other hand, race is also understood to be a poorly defined marker of that diversity.

　　assumptions about genetic differences between people of different races could be particularly dangerous in a medical setting. “If you make clinical predictions based on somebody's race, you're going to be wrong a good chunk of the time,” Yudell told Live Science. In the paper, he and his colleagues used the example of cystic fibrosis, which is underdiagnosed in people of African ancestry because it is thought of as a “white” disease.

　　So what other variables could be used if the racial concept is thrown out? Yudell said scientists need to get more specific with their language, perhaps using terms like “ancestry” or “population” that might more precisely reflect the relationship between humans and their genes, on both the individual and population level. The researchers also acknowledged that there are a few areas where race as a construct might still be useful in scientific research: as a political and social, but not biological, variable.

“While we argue phasing out racial terminology (术语) in the biological sciences, we also acknowledge that using race as a political or social category to study racism, although filled with lots of challenges, remains necessary given our need to understand how structural inequities and discrimination produce health disparities (差异) between groups. ” Yudell said.

　　51. Du Bois was opposed to the use of race as ________.

　　a. a basis for explaining human genetic diversity

　　B. an aid to understanding different populations

　　C. an explanation for social and cultural differences

　　d. a term to describe individual human characteristics

　　52. The study by Svante Pbo served as an example to show ________.

　　a. modern genetics research is likely to fuel racial conflicts

　　B. race is a poorly defined marker of human genetic diversity

　　C. race as a biological term can explain human genetic diversity

　　d. genetics research should consider social and cultural variables

　　53. The example of the disease cystic fibrosis underdiagnosed in people of African ancestry demonstrates that ________.

　　a. it is absolutely necessary to put race aside in making diagnosis

　　B. it is important to include social variables in genetics research

　　C. racial categories for genetic diversity could lead to wrong clinical predictions

　　d. discrimination against black people may cause negligence in clinical treatment

　　54. What is Yudell's suggestion to scientists?

　　a. They be more precise with the language they use.

　　B. They refrain from using politically sensitive terms.

　　C. They throw out irrelevant concepts in their research.

　　d. They examine all possible variables in their research.

　　55. What can be inferred from Yudell's remark in the last paragraph?

　　a. Clinging to racism prolongs inequity and discrimination.

　　B. Physiological disparities are quite striking among races.

　　C. Doing away with racial discrimination is challenging.

　　d. Racial terms are still useful in certain fields of study.

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英语六级阅读理解真题及答案6

　　Section A

　　directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.

　　In the past 12 months,Nigeria has suffered from a shrinking economy, a sliding currency, and a prolonged fuel shortage. Now, Africa’s largest in facing a food crisis as major tomato fields have been destroyed by an insect,leading to a nationwide shortage and escalating prices.

　　The insect, Tutaabsoluta, has destroyed 80% of farms in Kaduna, Nigeria's largest tomato producing state, leading the government there to declare a state of

　　26 .The insect, also known as the tomato leaf miner, devastates crops by 27 on fruits and digging into and moving through stalks.It 28 incredibly quickly,

　　Breeding up to 12 generations per year if conditions are favorable. it is believed to have 29 in South America in the early 1900s, and later spread to Europe before crossing over to sub-Saharan Africa.

　　In Nigeria, where tomatoes are a staple of local diets,the insect's effects are devastating. Retail prices for a 30 of tomatoes at local markets have risen from $0. 50 to $2.50. Farmers are reporting steep losses and a new $20 million tomato-paste factory has 31 production due to the shortages.

　　Given the moth's ability also to attack crops like pepper and potatoes, Audu Ogbeh, Nigeria's minister of agriculture, has warned that the pest may”create serious problems for food 32 “in the country.Ogbeh says experts are investigating how to control the pest’s damage and prevent its spread, which has gone largely 33 until now.

　　despite being the continent's second-largest producer of tomatoes, Nigeria is 34 on $1 billion worth of tomato-paste imports every year.as around 75% of the local harvest goes to waste thanks to a lack of proper storage facilities. A further 35 in local supplies is yet another unwelcome setback to the industry.

　　a) dependent I)originated

　　B) Embarking J) reduction

　　C) emergenc K) reproduces

　　d) feeding L)security

　　E) grazes M)terror

　　F) halted N) unchecked

　　G) handful O)unchecked

　　H) multitude

　　Section B

　　directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.

　　who's really addicting you to Technology?

　　a.”Nearly everyone i know is addicted in some measure to the internet, “wrote tony Schwartz in The New York Times. it's a common complaint these days. A steady stream of similar headlines accuse the net and its offspring apps, social media sites and online games of addicting us to distraction

　　B. There's little doubt that nearly everyone who comes in contact with the net has difficulty concentration than it takes to post a status update. as one person ironically put it in the comments section of Schwartz's online article, ”As I was reading this very excellent article.I stopped at least half a dozen times to cheek my email.

　　Response to a message could hurt not only your reputation but also your livelihood.

　　L. I have a confession. even though i study habit-forming technology for a living, disconnecting is not easy for me.I'm online far more than I'd like like Schwartz and so many others, I often find myself distracted and off tack.I wanted to know why so i began self-monitoring to try to understand my behavior. that's when i discovered an uncomfortable truth. i use technology as an escape. when I'm doing something I'd rather not do, or when I'm someplace I'd rather not attention was often a good thing, like when passing time on public transportation, but frequently my tech use was not so benign. when i faced difficult work, like thinking through an article idea or editing the same draft for the hundredth time, for example, a more sinister screen would draw me in. i could easily escape discomfort.temporarlly.by answering email or browsing ing the web under the pretense of so-called“research. ”though I desperately wanted to lay blame elsewhere, i finally had to admit that my bad habits had less to do with new-age.technology and more to do with old-fashioned procrastination(拖延)