2002年9月TOEFL托福真题
2010-05-05来源:和谐英语
Section Three: Reading Comprehension Question 1-10
Hunting is at best a precarious way of procuring food, even when the diet is supplemented with
seeds and fruits. Not long after the last Ice Age, around 7,000 B.C. (during the Neolithic period),
some hunters and gatherers began to rely chiefly on agriculture for their sustenance. Others
continued the old pastoral and nomadic ways. Indeed, agriculture itself evolved over the course of
(5) time, and Neolithic peoples had long known how to grow crops. The real transformation of human
life occurred when huge numbers of people began to rely primarily and permanently on the grain
they grew and the animals they domesticated.
Agriculture made possible a more stable and secure life. With it Neolithic peoples flourished,
fashioning an energetic, creative era. They were responsible for many fundamental inventions and
(10)innovations that the modern world takes for granted. First, obviously, is systematic agriculture---
that is, the reliance of Neolithic peoples on agriculture as their primary, not merely subsidiary,
source of food.
Thus they developed the primary economic activity of the entire ancient world and the basis of all
modern life. With the settled routine of Neolithic farmers came the evolution of towns and
(15)eventually cities. Neolithic farmers usually raised more food than they could consume, and their
surpluses permitted larger, healthier populations. Population growth in turn created an even
greater reliance on settled farming, as only systematic agriculture could sustain the increased
numbers of people. Since surpluses o food could also be bartered for other commodities, the
Neolithic era witnessed the beginnings of large-scale exchange of goods. In time the increasing
(20)complexity of Neolithic societies led to the development of writing, prompted by the need to keep
records and later by the urge to chronicle experiences, learning, and beliefs.
The transition to settled life also had a profound impact on the family. The shared needs and
pressures that encourage extended-family ties are less prominent in settled than in nomadic
societies. Bonds to the extended family weakened. In towns and cities, the nuclear family was
(25)more dependent on its immediate neighbors than on kinfolk.
1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A). Why many human societies are dependent on agriculture
B). the changes agriculture brought to human life
C). How Neolithic peoples discovered agriculture
D). Why the first agricultural societies failed
2. The word "precarious" in line 1 is closest in meaning to
A). uncertain
B). humble
C). worthy
D). unusual
3. The author mentions "seeds and fruits" in line 2 as examples of
A). the first crops cultivated by early agricultural societies
B). foods eaten by hunters and gatherers as a secondary food source
C). types of food that hunters and gatherers lacked in their diets
D). the most common foods cultivated by early agricultural societies
4. The word "settled" in line 15 is closest in
meaning to
A). advanced
B). original
C). involved
D). stable
5. According to the passage, agricultural societies produced larger human populations because
agriculture
A). created more varieties of food
B). created food surpluses
C). resulted in increases in leisure time
D). encouraged bartering
6. According to the passage, all of the following led to the development of writing EXCEPT the
A). need to keep records
B). desire to write down beliefs
C). extraction of ink from plants
D).growth of social complexity
7. The word "{chronicle" in line 23 is closest in meaning to
A}. repeat
B}. exchange
C}. understand
D}. describe
8. According to the passage, how did the shift to agricultural societies impact people's family
relationships?
A). the extended family became less important.
B). Immediate neighbors often became family members.
C). the nuclear family became self-sufficient.
D). Family members began to wok together to raise food.
9. The author mentions all of the following as results of the shift to agricultural societies EXCEPT
A). an increase in invention and innovation
B). emergence of towns and cities
C). development of a system of trade
D). a decrease in warfare
10. Which of the following is true about the human diet prior to the Neolithic period?
A). It consisted mainly of agricultural products
B). It varied according to family size.
C). It was based on hunting and gathering.
D). It was transformed when large numbers of people no longer depended on the grain they grew
themselves
Question 11-21
In the North American colonies, red ware, a simple pottery fired at low temperatures, and stone
ware, a strong, impervious grey pottery fired at high temperatures, were produced from two
different native clays. These kind of pottery were produced to supplement imported European
pottery. When the American Revolution (1775-1783) interrupted the flow of the superior European
(5) ware, there was incentive for American potters to replace the imports with comparable domestic
goods. Stoneware, which had been simple, utilitarian kitchenware, grew increasingly ornate
throughout the nineteenth century, and in addition to the earlier scratched and drawn designs,
three-dimensional molded relief decoration became popular. Representational motifs largely
replaced the earlier abstract decorations. Birds and flowers were particularly evident, but other
(10)subjects---lions, flags, and clipper ships--- are found. Some figurines, mainly of dogs and lions,
were made in this medium. Sometimes a name, usually that of the potter, was die-stamped onto a
piece.
As more and more large kilns were built to create the high-fired stoneware, experiments revealed
that the same clay used to produce low-fired red ware could produce a stronger, paler pottery if
(15)fired at a hotter temperature. The result was yellow ware, used largely for serviceable items; but a
further development was Rockingham ware--- one of the most important American ceramics of the
nineteenth century. (The name of the ware was probably derived from its resemblance to English
brown-glazed earthenware made in South Yorkshire.) It was created by adding a brown glaze to
the fired clay, usually giving the finished product a mottled appearance. Various methods of
(20)spattering or sponging the glaze onto the ware account for the extremely wide variations in color
and add to the interest of collecting Rockingham. An advanced form of Rockingham was flint
enamel, created by dusting metallic powders onto the Rockingham glaze to produce brilliant
varicolored streaks.
Articles for nearly every household activity and ornament could be bought in Rockingham ware:
(25)dishes and bowls, of course; also bedpans, foot warmers, cuspidors, lamp bases, doorknobs,
molds, picture frames, even curtain tiebacks. All these items are highly collectible today and are
eagerly sought. A few Rockingham specialties command particular affection among collectors and
correspondingly high prices.
11. Why did the potters discussed in the passage change the kind of pottery they made?
A). They discovered a new kind of clay.
B). They were compensation for the loss of an overseas supplier.
C). They studied new techniques in Europe.
D). The pottery they had been producing was not very strong.
12. The word "ornate" in line 7 is closest in meaning to
A). elaborate
B). puzzling
C). durable
D). common
13. The passage suggests that the earliest stoneware
A). was decorated with simple, abstract designs
B). used three-dimensional decorations
C). was valued for its fancy decorations
D). had no decoration
14. How did yellow ware achieve its distinctive color?
A). By sponging on a glaze
B). By dusting on metallic powders
C). By brown-glazing
D). By firing at a high temperature
15. The phrase "derived from" in line 19 is closest in meaning to
A). ruined by
B). warned against
C). based on
D). sold by
16. The word "It" in line 20 refers to
A). red ware
B). yellow ware
C). Rockingham ware
D). English brown-glazed earthenware
17. The word “Various" in line 21 is closest in meaning to
A). complicated
B). accepted
C). careful
D). different
18. The phrase "account for" in line 22 is closest in meaning to
A). explain
B). restrict
C). finance
D). supplement
19. What was special about flint enamel?
A). Its even metallic shine
B). Its mottled appearance
C). Its spattered effect
D). Its varicolored streaks
20. Which of the following kinds of Rockingham ware were probably produced in the greatest
quantity?
A). Picture frames
B). Dishes and bowls
C). Curtain tiebacks
D). Doorknobs
21. The passage would most probably continue with a discussion of
A). what bedpans, foot warmers, and cuspidors were used for
B). well-known, modern-day potters who make Rockingham ware
C). examples of Rockingham ware that collectors especially want
D). pieces of Rockingham ware that are inexpensive in today's market
Hunting is at best a precarious way of procuring food, even when the diet is supplemented with
seeds and fruits. Not long after the last Ice Age, around 7,000 B.C. (during the Neolithic period),
some hunters and gatherers began to rely chiefly on agriculture for their sustenance. Others
continued the old pastoral and nomadic ways. Indeed, agriculture itself evolved over the course of
(5) time, and Neolithic peoples had long known how to grow crops. The real transformation of human
life occurred when huge numbers of people began to rely primarily and permanently on the grain
they grew and the animals they domesticated.
Agriculture made possible a more stable and secure life. With it Neolithic peoples flourished,
fashioning an energetic, creative era. They were responsible for many fundamental inventions and
(10)innovations that the modern world takes for granted. First, obviously, is systematic agriculture---
that is, the reliance of Neolithic peoples on agriculture as their primary, not merely subsidiary,
source of food.
Thus they developed the primary economic activity of the entire ancient world and the basis of all
modern life. With the settled routine of Neolithic farmers came the evolution of towns and
(15)eventually cities. Neolithic farmers usually raised more food than they could consume, and their
surpluses permitted larger, healthier populations. Population growth in turn created an even
greater reliance on settled farming, as only systematic agriculture could sustain the increased
numbers of people. Since surpluses o food could also be bartered for other commodities, the
Neolithic era witnessed the beginnings of large-scale exchange of goods. In time the increasing
(20)complexity of Neolithic societies led to the development of writing, prompted by the need to keep
records and later by the urge to chronicle experiences, learning, and beliefs.
The transition to settled life also had a profound impact on the family. The shared needs and
pressures that encourage extended-family ties are less prominent in settled than in nomadic
societies. Bonds to the extended family weakened. In towns and cities, the nuclear family was
(25)more dependent on its immediate neighbors than on kinfolk.
1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A). Why many human societies are dependent on agriculture
B). the changes agriculture brought to human life
C). How Neolithic peoples discovered agriculture
D). Why the first agricultural societies failed
2. The word "precarious" in line 1 is closest in meaning to
A). uncertain
B). humble
C). worthy
D). unusual
3. The author mentions "seeds and fruits" in line 2 as examples of
A). the first crops cultivated by early agricultural societies
B). foods eaten by hunters and gatherers as a secondary food source
C). types of food that hunters and gatherers lacked in their diets
D). the most common foods cultivated by early agricultural societies
4. The word "settled" in line 15 is closest in
meaning to
A). advanced
B). original
C). involved
D). stable
5. According to the passage, agricultural societies produced larger human populations because
agriculture
A). created more varieties of food
B). created food surpluses
C). resulted in increases in leisure time
D). encouraged bartering
6. According to the passage, all of the following led to the development of writing EXCEPT the
A). need to keep records
B). desire to write down beliefs
C). extraction of ink from plants
D).growth of social complexity
7. The word "{chronicle" in line 23 is closest in meaning to
A}. repeat
B}. exchange
C}. understand
D}. describe
8. According to the passage, how did the shift to agricultural societies impact people's family
relationships?
A). the extended family became less important.
B). Immediate neighbors often became family members.
C). the nuclear family became self-sufficient.
D). Family members began to wok together to raise food.
9. The author mentions all of the following as results of the shift to agricultural societies EXCEPT
A). an increase in invention and innovation
B). emergence of towns and cities
C). development of a system of trade
D). a decrease in warfare
10. Which of the following is true about the human diet prior to the Neolithic period?
A). It consisted mainly of agricultural products
B). It varied according to family size.
C). It was based on hunting and gathering.
D). It was transformed when large numbers of people no longer depended on the grain they grew
themselves
Question 11-21
In the North American colonies, red ware, a simple pottery fired at low temperatures, and stone
ware, a strong, impervious grey pottery fired at high temperatures, were produced from two
different native clays. These kind of pottery were produced to supplement imported European
pottery. When the American Revolution (1775-1783) interrupted the flow of the superior European
(5) ware, there was incentive for American potters to replace the imports with comparable domestic
goods. Stoneware, which had been simple, utilitarian kitchenware, grew increasingly ornate
throughout the nineteenth century, and in addition to the earlier scratched and drawn designs,
three-dimensional molded relief decoration became popular. Representational motifs largely
replaced the earlier abstract decorations. Birds and flowers were particularly evident, but other
(10)subjects---lions, flags, and clipper ships--- are found. Some figurines, mainly of dogs and lions,
were made in this medium. Sometimes a name, usually that of the potter, was die-stamped onto a
piece.
As more and more large kilns were built to create the high-fired stoneware, experiments revealed
that the same clay used to produce low-fired red ware could produce a stronger, paler pottery if
(15)fired at a hotter temperature. The result was yellow ware, used largely for serviceable items; but a
further development was Rockingham ware--- one of the most important American ceramics of the
nineteenth century. (The name of the ware was probably derived from its resemblance to English
brown-glazed earthenware made in South Yorkshire.) It was created by adding a brown glaze to
the fired clay, usually giving the finished product a mottled appearance. Various methods of
(20)spattering or sponging the glaze onto the ware account for the extremely wide variations in color
and add to the interest of collecting Rockingham. An advanced form of Rockingham was flint
enamel, created by dusting metallic powders onto the Rockingham glaze to produce brilliant
varicolored streaks.
Articles for nearly every household activity and ornament could be bought in Rockingham ware:
(25)dishes and bowls, of course; also bedpans, foot warmers, cuspidors, lamp bases, doorknobs,
molds, picture frames, even curtain tiebacks. All these items are highly collectible today and are
eagerly sought. A few Rockingham specialties command particular affection among collectors and
correspondingly high prices.
11. Why did the potters discussed in the passage change the kind of pottery they made?
A). They discovered a new kind of clay.
B). They were compensation for the loss of an overseas supplier.
C). They studied new techniques in Europe.
D). The pottery they had been producing was not very strong.
12. The word "ornate" in line 7 is closest in meaning to
A). elaborate
B). puzzling
C). durable
D). common
13. The passage suggests that the earliest stoneware
A). was decorated with simple, abstract designs
B). used three-dimensional decorations
C). was valued for its fancy decorations
D). had no decoration
14. How did yellow ware achieve its distinctive color?
A). By sponging on a glaze
B). By dusting on metallic powders
C). By brown-glazing
D). By firing at a high temperature
15. The phrase "derived from" in line 19 is closest in meaning to
A). ruined by
B). warned against
C). based on
D). sold by
16. The word "It" in line 20 refers to
A). red ware
B). yellow ware
C). Rockingham ware
D). English brown-glazed earthenware
17. The word “Various" in line 21 is closest in meaning to
A). complicated
B). accepted
C). careful
D). different
18. The phrase "account for" in line 22 is closest in meaning to
A). explain
B). restrict
C). finance
D). supplement
19. What was special about flint enamel?
A). Its even metallic shine
B). Its mottled appearance
C). Its spattered effect
D). Its varicolored streaks
20. Which of the following kinds of Rockingham ware were probably produced in the greatest
quantity?
A). Picture frames
B). Dishes and bowls
C). Curtain tiebacks
D). Doorknobs
21. The passage would most probably continue with a discussion of
A). what bedpans, foot warmers, and cuspidors were used for
B). well-known, modern-day potters who make Rockingham ware
C). examples of Rockingham ware that collectors especially want
D). pieces of Rockingham ware that are inexpensive in today's market
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