托福高分必备-老托福阅读经典文章21篇.pdf

托福高分必备老托福阅读经典文章 21 篇 Passage 1 The Montessori method of educating children is guided by perhaps a half-dozen major principles of education. The first affirms the biological programming of child development, the childs capacity for self - realization, for auto-education. The second calls for scientific pedagogy. A science of childhood based on observation. The third demands a natural environment in which self-development can be expressed and observed. Montessori believed that the school could be made into such an environment, thus becoming a laboratory for scientific pedagogy. This environment should be determined scientifically. In order to expand, children, left at liberty to exercise their activities, ought to find in their surroundings something organized in direct relation to the childrens internal organization. All of these principles imply the next, which Montessori calls the biological concept of liberty in pedagogy: the child must be free to act spontaneously and to interact with the prepared environment. The entire program is concerned with the individual child; the spontaneity, the needs, the observation, the freedom are always those of the individual. Finally, the modus operandi of the method is sensory training. 1. Which of the following is the best title for the passage? (A) Principles of the Montessori Method (B) Modern Principles of Education (C) Results of the Montessori Method (D) Stages of Child Development 2. In line 6, the phrase such an environment refers to which of the following kinds of environment? (A) Biological, accompanied by specimens (B) Scientific, accompanied by experiments (C) Pedagogical, in which ideology prevails (D) Natural, in which self-expression prevails 3. According to the passage, the Montessori method focuses on (A) the individual child (B) pairs of children (C) small groups of children (D) large groups of children 4.It can be inferred from the passage that the Montessori method was named after a (A) school (B) town (C) person (D) book 5.Which of the following would NOT be advocated by the Montessori method? (A) Tightly controlling childrens group activities (B) Carefully teaching children to listen and observe (C) Permitting children to work at their own pace (D) Allowing children to speak out at will during classes Passage 2 A summary of the physical and chemical nature of life must begin, not on the Earth, but in the Sun; in fact, at the Suns very center. It is here that is to be found the source of the energy that the Sun constantly pours out into space as light and heat. This energy is liberated at the center of the Sun as billions upon billions of nuclei of hydrogen atoms collide with each other and fuse together to form nuclei of helium, and, in doing so, release some of the energy that is stored in the nuclei of atoms. The output of light and heat of the Sun requires that some 600 million tons of hydrogen be converted into helium in the Sun every second. This the Sun has been doing for several thousands of millions of years. The nuclear energy is released at the Suns center as high-energy gamma radiation, a form of electromagnetic radiation like light and radio waves, only of very much shorter wavelength. This gamma radiation is absorbed by atoms inside the Sun, to be re-emitted at slightly longer wavelengths. This radiation, in its turn, is absorbed and re-emitted. As the energy filters through the layers of the solar interior, it passes through the x-ray part of the spectrum, eventually becoming light. At this stage, it has reached what we call the solar surface, and can escape into space, without being absorbed further by solar atoms. Avery small fraction of the Suns light and heat is emitted in such directions that, after passing unhindered through interplanetary space, it hits the Earth. 1.What does the passage mainly discuss? (A) the production of solar light and heat (B) the physical and chemical nature of life (C) The conversion of hydrogen to helium (D) Radiation in the x-ray part of the spectrum 2.According to the passage, energy is released in the Sun when (A) helium atoms bind with each other (B) gamma radiation escapes from the spectrum (C) radiation is absorbed by helium (D) nuclei of hydrogen atoms collide 3.The passage indicates that, in comparison to radio waves, gamma waves (A) produce louder sound (B) are less magnetic (C) do not form in the Suns center (D) are not as long 4.According to the passage, through which of the following does the energy released in the Sun pass before it becomes light? (A) The x-ray part of the spectrum (B) Electromagnetic space (C) The solar surface (D) Interplanetary space 5.It can be inferred from the passage that the Suns light travels (A) through solid objects in space (B) in many different directions (C) more slowly than scientists previously believed (D) further in summer than in winter Passage 3 As with most aspects of Plains Indian culture, music was closely bound up with religious beliefs. Instruments were played individually and during public dances, and there was music for almost every occasion. In public ceremonies singing was combined with dancing and with music from a variety of instruments. The dancers shook rattles or pounded hand - held drums to underscore their foot-beats. Rattles were made of gourds or of turtle shells filled with pebbles or seeds. Drums generally were made by soaking a strip of wood in hot water and bending it into a circle; then the drum skin was tightly strapped over the circle with rawhide laces. While some Plains Indian drums had a single drum skin, as a tambourine has, there were others, such as the drums of the Ute that had skins lashed onto both sides. The whistle and flute were the only Plains Indian wind instruments. Whistles were made from the wing bone of an eagle. the bird that symbolized courage. The recorder-like flutes, with finger holes along the top, were carved from a length of soft, straight - grained wood, like willow or box elder. that was split in half and hollowed out; the halves were rejoined with glue made from boiled hide scrapings and bound together with rawhide lace to make them airt4ght. 1. What is the main topic of the passage? (A) American flutes and drums (B) Plains Indian muisical instruments (C) The Utes and their music (D) Ceremonies on the western plains 2. The passage mentions that dancers did all of the following EXCEPT (A) play the tambourine (B) pound their feet (C) shake rattles (D) beat on drums 3 In Line 7, to what does the word it refer? (A) Hot water (B) A circle (C) A strip of wood (D) A drum skin 4. According to the passage, how did the drums of the Ute differ from many other drums? (A) They were two-sided. (B) They were filled with stones or seeds. (C) They were hand- held. (D) They were wind instruments. 5. According to the passage, whistles were made from (A) gourds (B) turtle shells (C) feathers (D) eagle bones 6. According to the passage, boiled hide scrapings were used to make (A) finger holes (B) boxes (C) rawhide lace (D) glue Passage 4 Artificial flowers are used for scientific as well as for decorative purposes. They are made from a variety of materials, such as wax and glass, so skillfully that they can scarcely be distinguished from natural flowers. In making such models, painstaking skill and artistry are called for, as well as thorough knowledge of plant structure. The collection of glass flowers in the Botanical Museum of Harvard University is the most famous in North America and is widely known throughout the scientific world. In all, there are several thousand models in colored glass, the work of two artist - naturalists, Leopold Blaschka and his son Rudolph. The intention was to have the collection represent at least one member of each flower family native to the United States. Although it was never completed, it contains more than seven hundred species representing 164 families of flowering plants, a group of fruits showing the effect of fungus diseases, and thousands of flower parts and magnified details. Every detail of these is accurately reproduced in color and structure. The models are kept in locked cases as they are too valuable and fragile for classroom use. 1. Which of the following is the best title for the passage. (A)An Extensive Collection of Glass Flowers (B)The Lives of Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka (C)Flowers Native to the United States. (D) Materials Used For Artificial Flowers 2. Which of the following statements about Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka is true? (A) They were brothers. (B) They were artists. (C) They were florists. (D) They were farmers. 3.It can be inferred from the passage that the goal of Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka was to (A) create a botanical garden where only exotic flowers grew (B) do a thorough study of plant structure (C) make a copy of one member of each United States flower family (D) show that glass flowers are more realistic than wax flowers 4. In line 9, the word it refers to which of the following phrases? (A) The intention (line 8) (B) the collection (line 8) (C) one member(line 8) (D) each flower family(lines S9) 5.Which of the following is NOT included in the display at the Botanical Museum of Harvard University? (A) Models of 164 families of flowering plants (B) Magnified details of flower parts (C) Several species of natives birds (D) A group of diseased fruits 6.Which of the following statements is true of the flowers at Harvard University? (A) They form a completed collection. (B) They have a marvelous, fragrance (C) They are loaned to schools for classroom use. (D)They are authentic representations. Passage 5 In the late sixteenth century the glass lathe was introduced, making it possible to grind several lenses at once and also to produce-as objects of curiosity-powerful, thick concave lenses. Thin concave lenses had been used for more than a century, but thick concave lenses were now sold to people caught up with painting or visual illusions of perspective, who used them as perspective glasses. Once the new lens became available, it suddenly became possible to see a rather interesting effect by combining two lenses. We now know that there are many different things that can be done with a pair of lenses. Both the Keplerian telescope and the microscope use combinations of perfectly focused convex lenses. The Galilean type of telescope began with the idea that as soon as you hold a powerful concave lens to the eye and a simple weak convex lens at arm 5 length, the clock in the church tower jumps out at you. Many artisans from around the world enjoyed that illusion in the early 1600s, but it was two lens grinders from Middelburg in the Low Countries who first decided to market the telescope as a military invention, a device for spying on enemy armies. In fact, the telescopes narrow field of vision made it an unlikely spying device - but the two lens grinders thought they could sell it anyway. When the telescope was used militarily centuries later, it was used, not for spying, but for signaling. 1.Which of the following is the main topic of this passage? (A) Grass lathes (B) Innovative signaling equipment (C) Early uses of lenses (D) Galileo and Kepier 2.According to the passage the invention of the glass lathe made it possible to produce the first (A)thin concave lenses (B) thick concave lenses (C)thin convex lenses (D)thick convex lenses 3.The passage indicates that convex lenses in combination were used in (A) the Keplerican telescope and the microscope (B) microscopes and perspective glasses (C) perspective glasses and signaling (D) the military telescope and the Keplerian telescope 4.The clause the clock in the church tower jumps out at you in lines II - 12 mentioned to illustrate the effect of a (A) perspective glass (B)Galilean telescope (C) spying device (D) Kepierian telescope 5.Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about the telescope developed in Middelburg? (A)It was made without grinding lenses. (B) It proved to Le valuable for military spying. (C) Clockmakers around the world copied many of its features. (D) Initial attempts at marketing it were not very successful. Passage 6 Three years of research at an abandoned coal mine in Argonne Illinois, have resulted in findings that scientists believe can help reclaim thousands of mine disposal sites that scar the coal-rich regions of the United States. In a pilot reclamation protect, they tested the growth possibilities of eight species of plants in the old mines huge pile of acidic and toxic wastes. The researchers applied ground limestone, put a thin layer of topsoil on it, and sowed the plant seeds on the refuse, consisting of waste coal, rock, clay, and mining debris. Initially. the plots were dominated by invading annual weeds, but in the second and third growing seasons desirable grasses and other plants became well-established The scientists findings are believed to be the first step toward restoring some 22, 500 acres of coal refuse sites in Illinois and thousands of acres in other states. 1. What is the main topic of the passage. (A) Abandoned coal mines (B) Reclamation of a mine disposal site (C) New species of plants (D) Regions where coal has caused scars 2. According to the passage, what have scientists been testing? (A) How to locate abandoned mines (B) The disposal of toxic wastes (C) The growth potential of certain plants (D) How to convert refuse into useable energy 3. How many kinds of plants did the scientists test? (A) One (B) Two (C) Three (D) Eight 4. According to the passage. what did researchers do to prepare the area. (A) They ground up the rocks (B) They added some topsoil. (C) They added fertilizer (D). They refused to do anything. 5. What happened during the first year of the study (A)The grasses became well established. (B)Weeds took over the area. (C)The soil became too acidic. (D)Plants were unable to grow. 6. It can be inferred from the passage that in the United States, abandoned coal mines exist (A) primarily in Illinois (B) in limited numbers (C) in several states (D)near operational mines 7 It can be inferred from the passage that widespread applications of the scientists findings should lead to (A) less coal being mined (B) new varieties of grasses (C) more refuse sites (D)less barren land Passage 7 When the persuading and the planning for the Western railroads had finally been completed, the really challenging task remained: the danoerous, sweaty, backbreaking, brawling business of actually building the lines. The men who took Ii on comprised the most cosmopolitan work crew in American history. They included Civil War veteran and freed slaves, Irish and German immigrants. Mormons and atheists. Shoshonis. Palutes, Washos. and Chinese. At the peak of their labors, the work crews laid two to five miles of track a day. The men filled ravines. ran spidery trestles across rivers and valleys, and punched holes through mountains. And they did alt these jobs