託福閱讀題來源是哪裏

我們經常強調要通過真題備考託福閱讀，也鼓勵各位TOEFLer多閱讀一些和託福閱讀真題水平接近的泛英文材料來輔助提高託福閱讀能力，那麼到底什麼樣的文章是最接近真題的呢?託福閱讀考試時選取的文章都是從哪兒來的?下面小編分享給大家。

從來源去找最“真”的真題：託福閱讀文章都從哪兒來?

所謂”真“，也就是有”託福相“的文章，應該從兩方面去考慮：內容和難度。內容就是文章在“講什麼”，而難度則是文章“怎樣講”。用內容和難度都與託福一樣的文章練出來的能力，一定是最符合托福考試要求的。

出現在託福閱讀考試中的文章，都是學術性文章，渾身上下都是科普範。它們基本都來自涉及自然、生物、人文、社科等各個領域的期刊或雜誌，來源十分廣泛。

下面送上整理好的託福閱讀選材範圍清單一份(附官方網址)：

1.《紐約時報》The New York Times:

2.《紐約客》The New Yorker:

3.《泰晤士報》 Times:

4.《衛報》 The Guardian:

5.《觀察家報》 The Observer:

6.《星期日報》The Sunday Times:

7.《每日快報》 The Daily Express:

8.《每日郵報》 The Daily Mail:

9.《世界新聞報》 The News of the World:

10.《國家地理》National Geographic:

11.《大西洋月刊》The Atlantic Monthly:

12.《經濟學人》The economist

13.《旁觀者》The Spectator:

14.《新政治家》The New Statesman:

15.《婦女界》The Woman’s Own:

16.《泰晤士報文學增刊》The Times Literary Supplement:

17.《新共和》The New Republic:

18《連線》Wired:

19.《高等教育紀事報》The Chronicle of Higher Education:

有了這些資源，我們從內容上已經離真題之源很近了，下一步就是再繼續縮小範圍，在這些文章裏找到難度也跟託福類似的那些了。

託福閱讀的出題來源

一、出題來源

事實上,託福閱讀文章主要來自美國大學的教科書,一方面希望考生熟悉美國的教育,留學後可以更快地適應美國大學的課堂生活,另一方面也能讓考生了解美國文化,畢竟文化的力量是很強的,一個民族的底蘊都是透過文化傳達給人們的。

此外，部分題材來源於出題人對相關文章的整理，使所呈現出來的文章難度度能夠與託福閱讀題相匹配，能夠有效區分和測試不同考生的英語水平。

託福閱讀部分的內容涵蓋了廣泛的知識層面，從自然科學到生物科學，還有一定程度的美國曆史和藝術，以及一些社會科學或人文學科。考生如果仔細研究就會發現託福閱讀的考試內容就是人類的發展史，由最開始的自然界發展變化，包括地理、氣候等，慢慢演變到對生物的探究，如動植物、微生物等。

自人類出現後，人們的生活逐漸變得越來越豐富多彩，他們渴望探索越來越多的領域。這不僅是文化的積澱，也是對歷史的回顧和探索

二、閱讀考點

1.詞彙和語法

對於語言類考試來說，都會涉及到詞彙和語法的考察，但不同的考試中，詞彙和語法的考試形式會有一定的差異，如有的考試是在閱讀中考察單詞，有的考試是在單句填空中考察單詞。因此，在備考託福閱讀中，要科學背單詞和語法。

2文章觀點

在一篇文章中，所提供的信息並不是同等重要的。有些信息更重要，有些則不那麼重要。因此，這部分其實是考察考生對託福閱讀文章信息的甄別能力即認知能力。

大多數學生在閱讀一篇文章時，大腦裏都留下了一堆零碎的信息，但最終發現，所有的記住的信息都不是考試的內容，最直接的考察方法就是問因果，如：文章中提到了……是因爲……。實際上考察的就是觀點之間的關係。

3.組織結構

讀完一篇文章之後，是否形成了清晰完整的文章結構框架，也叫作思維框架。託福閱讀中的多項選擇題，就是考察對文章架構的掌握，在此基礎上，篩選主要信息的能力。

TPO託福閱讀真題答案及解析　

託福閱讀真題：

The Long-Term Stability of Ecosystems

Plant communities assemble themselves flexibly, and their particular structure depends on the specific history of the area. Ecologists use the term “succession” to refer to the changes that happen in plant communities and ecosystems over time. The first community in a succession is called a pioneer community, while the long-lived community at the end of succession is called a climax community. Pioneer and successional plant communities are said to change over periods from 1 to 500 years. These changes—in plant numbers and the mix of species—are cumulative. Climax communities themselves change but over periods of time greater than about 500 years.

An ecologist who studies a pond today may well find it relatively unchanged in a year’s time. Individual fish may be replaced, but the number of fish will tend to be the same from one year to the next. We can say that the properties of an ecosystem are more stable than the individual organisms that compose the ecosystem.

At one time, ecologists believed that species diversity made ecosystems stable. They believed that the greater the diversity the more stable the ecosystem. Support for this idea came from the observation that long-lasting climax communities usually have more complex food webs and more species diversity than pioneer communities. Ecologists concluded that the apparent stability of climax ecosystems depended on their complexity. To take an extreme example, farmlands dominated by a single crop are so unstable that one year of bad weather or the invasion of a single pest can destroy the entire crop. In contrast, a complex climax community, such as a temperate forest, will tolerate considerable damage from weather to pests.

The question of ecosystem stability is complicated, however. The first problem is that ecologists do not all agree what “stability” means. Stability can be defined as simply lack of change. In that case, the climax community would be considered the most stable, since, by definition, it changes the least over time. Alternatively, stability can be defined as the speed with which an ecosystem returns to a particular form following a major disturbance, such as a fire. This kind of stability is also called resilience. In that case, climax communities would be the most fragile and the least stable, since they can require hundreds of years to return to the climax state.

Even the kind of stability defined as simple lack of change is not always associated with maximum diversity. At least in temperate zones, maximum diversity is often found in mid-successional stages, not in the climax community. Once a redwood forest matures, for example, the kinds of species and the number of individuals growing on the forest floor are reduced. In general, diversity, by itself, does not ensure stability. Mathematical models of ecosystems likewise suggest that diversity does not guarantee ecosystem stability—just the opposite, in fact. A more complicated system is, in general, more likely than a simple system to break down. A fifteen-speed racing bicycle is more likely to break down than a child’s tricycle.

Ecologists are especially interested to know what factors contribute to the resilience of communities because climax communities all over the world are being severely damaged or destroyed by human activities. The destruction caused by the volcanic explosion of Mount St. Helens, in the northwestern United States, for example, pales in comparison to the destruction caused by humans. We need to know what aspects of a community are most important to the community’s resistance to destruction, as well as its recovery.

Many ecologists now think that the relative long-term stability of climax communities comes not from diversity but from the “patchiness” of the environment, an environment that varies from place to place supports more kinds of organisms than an environment that is uniform. A local population that goes extinct is quickly replaced by immigrants from an adjacent community. Even if the new population is of a different species, it can approximately fill the niche vacated by the extinct population and keep the food web intact.

Paragraph 1: Plant communities assemble themselves flexibly, and their particular structure depends on the specific history of the area. Ecologists use the term “succession” to refer to the changes that happen in plant communities and ecosystems over time. The first community in a succession is called a pioneer community, while the long-lived community at the end of succession is called a climax community. Pioneer and successional plant communities are said to change over periods from 1 to 500 years. These changes—in plant numbers and the mix of species—are cumulative. Climax communities themselves change but over periods of time greater than about 500 years.

1. The word “particular” in the passage is closest in meaning to

○Natural

○Final

○Specific

○Complex

2. According to paragraph 1, which of the following is NOT true of climax communities?

○They occur at the end of a succession.

○They last longer than any other type of community.

○The numbers of plants in them and the mix of species do not change.

○They remain stable for at least 500 years at a time.

Paragraph 2: An ecologist who studies a pond today may well find it relatively unchanged in a year’s time. Individual fish may be replaced, but the number of fish will tend to be the same from one year to the next. We can say that the properties of an ecosystem are more stable than the individual organisms that compose the ecosystem.

3. According to paragraph 2, which of the following principles of ecosystems can be learned by studying a pond?

○Ecosystem properties change more slowly than individuals in the system.

○The stability of an ecosystem tends to change as individuals are replaced.

○Individual organisms are stable from one year to the next.

○A change in the members of an organism does not affect an ecosystem’s properties

Paragraph 3: At one time, ecologists believed that species diversity made ecosystems stable. They believed that the greater the diversity the more stable the ecosystem. Support for this idea came from the observation that long-lasting climax communities usually have more complex food webs and more species diversity than pioneer communities. Ecologists concluded that the apparent stability of climax ecosystems depended on their complexity. To take an extreme example, farmlands dominated by a single crop are so unstable that one year of bad weather or the invasion of a single pest can destroy the entire crop. In contrast, a complex climax community, such as a temperate forest, will tolerate considerable damage from weather of pests.

4. According to paragraph 3, ecologists once believed that which of the following illustrated the most stable ecosystems?

○Pioneer communities

○Climax communities

○Single-crop farmlands

○Successional plant communities

Paragraph 4: The question of ecosystem stability is complicated, however. The first problem is that ecologists do not all agree what “stability” means. Stability can be defined as simply lack of change. In that case, the climax community would be considered the most stable, since, by definition, it changes the least over time. Alternatively, stability can be defined as the speed with which an ecosystem returns to a particular form following a major disturbance, such as a fire. This kind of stability is also called resilience. In that case, climax communities would be the most fragile and the least stable, since they can require hundreds of years to return to the climax state.

5. According to paragraph 4, why is the question of ecosystem stability complicated?

○The reasons for ecosystem change are not always clear.

○Ecologists often confuse the word “stability” with the word “resilience.”

○The exact meaning of the word “stability” is debated by ecologists.

○There are many different answers to ecological questions.

6. According to paragraph 4, which of the following is true of climax communities?

○They are more resilient than pioneer communities.

○They can be considered both the most and the least stable communities.

○They are stable because they recover quickly after major disturbances.

○They are the most resilient communities because they change the least over time.

Paragraph 5: Even the kind of stability defined as simple lack of change is not always associated with maximum diversity. At least in temperate zones, maximum diversity is often found in mid-successional stages, not in the climax community. Once a redwood forest matures, for example, the kinds of species and the number of individuals growing on the forest floor are reduced. In general, diversity, by itself, does not ensure stability. Mathematical models of ecosystems likewise suggest that diversity does not guarantee ecosystem stability—just the opposite, in fact. A more complicated system is, in general, more likely than a simple system to break down. (A fifteen-speed racing bicycle is more likely to break down than a child’s tricycle.)

7. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 5 about redwood forests?

○They become less stable as they mature.

○They support many species when they reach climax.

○They are found in temperate zones.

○They have reduced diversity during mid-successional stages.

8. The word “guarantee” in the passage is closest in meaning to

○Increase

○Ensure

○Favor

○Complicate

9. In paragraph 5, why does the author provide the information that “(A fifteen-speed racing bicycle is more likely to break down than a child’s tricycle)”?

○To illustrate a general principle about the stability of systems by using an everyday example

○To demonstrate that an understanding of stability in ecosystems can be applied to help understand stability in other situations

○To make a comparison that supports the claim that, in general, stability increases with diversity

○To provide an example that contradicts mathematical models of ecosystems

Paragraph 6: Ecologists are especially interested to know what factors contribute to the resilience of communities because climax communities all over the world are being severely damaged or destroyed by human activities. The destruction caused by the volcanic explosion of Mount St. Helens, in the northwestern United States, for example, pales in comparison to the destruction caused by humans. We need to know what aspects of a community are most important to the community’s resistance to destruction, as well as its recovery.

10. The word “pales” in the passage is closest in meaning to

○Increases proportionally

○Differs

○Loses significance

○Is common

Paragraph 7：Many ecologists now think that the relative long-term stability of climax communities comes not from diversity but from the “patchiness” of the environment, an environment that varies from place to place supports more kinds of organisms than an environment that is uniform. A local population that goes extinct is quickly replaced by immigrants from an adjacent community. Even if the new population is of a different species, it can approximately fill the niche vacated by the extinct population and keep the food web intact.

h of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incurred choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

○Ecologists now think that the stability of an environment is a result of diversity rather than patchiness.

○Patchy environments that vary from place to place do not often have high species diversity.

○Uniform environments cannot be climax communities because they do not support as many types of organisms as patchy environments.

○A patchy environment is thought to increase stability because it is able to support a wide variety of organisms.

word “adjacent” in the passage is closest in meaning to

○Foreign

○Stable

○Fluid

○Neighboring

Paragraph 6: Ecologists are especially interested to know what factors contribute to the resilience of communities because climax communities all over the world are being severely damaged or destroyed by human activities. The destruction caused by the volcanic explosion of Mount St. Helens, in the northwestern United States, for example, pales in comparison to the destruction caused by humans. We need to know what aspects of a community are most important to the community’s resistance to destruction, as well as its recovery.

at the four squares [ ] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.

In fact, damage to the environment by humans is often much more severe than damage by natural events and processes.

Where would the sentence best fit? Click on a square to add the sentence to the passage.

ctions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.

The process of succession and the stability of a climax community can change over time.

Answer choices

○The changes that occur in an ecosystem from the pioneer to the climax community can be seen in one human generation.

○A high degree of species diversity does not always result in a stable ecosystem.

○The level of resilience in a plant community contributes to its long-term stability.

○Ecologists agree that climax communities are the most stable types of ecosystems.

○Disagreements over the meaning of the term “stability” make it difficult to identify the most stable ecosystems.

○The resilience of climax communities makes them resistant to destruction caused by humans.

託福閱讀真題參考答案：

1. ○3　　2. ○3　　3. ○1　　4. ○2　　5. ○3　　6. ○2　　7. ○3　　8. ○2　　9. ○1　　10. ○3　　11. ○4　　12. ○4　　13. ○2　　14. ○2 3 5

託福閱讀真題譯文：

生態系統的長期穩定

植物羣體可以自由地聚集，他們特殊的結構取決於聚集區域的具體歷史。生態學家使用“演替”來詮釋植物羣落和生態系統隨着時間推移所發生的變化。演替中的第一個羣落被稱作先鋒羣落，而處於演替最後那個長期生存的羣落被稱爲頂極羣落。先鋒羣落和緊接着的植物羣落的變化週期是從1到500年不等，植物數量和混合種類數量的變化是慢慢積累的。頂極羣落本身也改變，但其變化週期超過500年。

現代一個研究池塘的生態學會發現池塘在一年當中相對而言是不變的。個別魚類可能被替換，但一年一年魚的總數都趨於一致。也就是說，生態系統自身的性質比組成生態系統的單個生物體更爲穩定。

生態學家們一度認爲物種的多樣性使生態系統穩定，生態系統物種越多樣則生態系統越穩定。通過觀察得出的結論支持了這個觀點，長期持久的頂極羣落通常要比先鋒羣落具備更爲複雜的食物網和更多的物種。生態學家家們得出的結論是：頂點生態系統的穩定性明顯取決於他們的複雜化程度。舉個極端的例子，在單一作物的農田中，一年的惡劣天氣或單一害蟲的入侵就可以摧毀所有作物。與此相反，在一個複雜的頂極羣落裏，如溫帶森林，他們便可以抵禦來自氣候和害蟲的入侵。

不管怎樣，生態系統穩定性的問題非常複雜。首先，不是所有的生態學家都贊同“穩定”的含義。穩定性可以簡單地定義爲缺乏變化。如果是這樣的話，頂極羣落將被視爲最穩定的，因爲根據定義，他們隨着時間推移而變化是最少。另外，穩定性也可以界定爲生態系統在經歷了嚴重破壞之後回覆原貌的速度，比如火災。這種穩定性也被稱作彈性。在這種情況下，頂極羣落將是最脆弱和最不穩定的，因爲他們可能需要數百年時間才能恢復到頂點狀態。

即使是這種被定義爲簡單地缺乏變化的穩定性並非總是與最多樣的物種聯繫起來。至少在溫帶地區，會經常在演替過程中發現最多物種，而不是在頂極羣落中。例如，紅樹林一旦成熟，其中的物種數量以及單個物種的數量都會減少。總的來說，多樣性本身並不能保證穩定性，生態系統的數學模型也可以得出同樣的結論。一般來說，一個更復雜的系統可能比一個簡單的系統更容易被破壞(一個十五速的賽車比一個孩子的三輪車更容易損壞)。

生態學家們更想弄清楚到底哪些因素有助於促成羣落的恢復，因爲世界各地的頂極羣落都因爲人類活動而遭受到嚴重的損壞或毀壞。就像美國西北部聖海倫火山的猛烈噴發所造成的破壞，在人類活動對環境造成的的破壞面前也相形見絀。我們必須瞭解對羣落抵抗破壞和恢復來說哪些是最重要的。

現在的很多生態學家們認爲，頂極羣落相對長期的穩定性並非來於自多樣性，而是來自環境的“補綴”，隨處變化的環境比統一的環境更有利於多種有機體的生存。當地物種滅亡後，馬上就會被相鄰羣落的移民取代。即便是另一種不同的物種，他們也可以填補那些已滅絕生物的空缺，並保持食物網的完整。