托福阅读：TPO3(Architecture)原文及答案

　　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 closet 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 closet 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.来源：北京新航道托福培训

　　○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.