2006年考试新辅导之托福写作题库新增试题二十一

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Question 1-9

Although social changes in the United States were being wrought¹ throughout most of the nineteenth-century,, public awareness² of the changes increased to new levels in the 1890's. The acute, growing public awareness of the social changes that had been taking place for some time was tied to tremendous growth in popular journalism⁴ in the late nineteenth century, including growth in quantity and circulation of both magazines and newspapers. These developments, in addition to the continued growth of cities, were significant factors in the transformation⁵ of society from one characterized by relatively⁶ isolated⁷ self-contained communities into an urban, industrial nation. The decade of the 1870's, for example, was a period in which the sheer number of newspapers doubled, and by 1880 the New York Graphic⁸ had published the first photographic reproduction in a newspaper, portending⁹ a dramatic rise in newspaper readership. Between 1882 and 1886 alone, the price of daily newspapers dropped from four cents a copy to one cent, made possible in part by a great increase in demand. Further more, the introduction in 1890 of the first successful linotype machine promised even further growth. In 1872 only two daily newspapers could claim a circulation of over 100,000,but by 1892 seven more newspapers exceeded that figure. A world beyond the immediate¹⁰ community was rapidly becoming visible.

But it was not newspapers alone that were bringing the new awareness to people In the United States in the late nineteenth century. Magazines as they are known today began publication around 1882, and, in fact, the circulation of weekly magazines exceeded that of newspapers in the period which followed. By 1892, for example, the circulation of the Ladies' Home Journal had reached an astounding¹¹ 700,000. An increase in book readership also played a significant part in this general trend. For example, Edward Bellamy's utopian novel, Looking Backward, sold over a million copies in 1888, giving rise to the growth of organizations dedicated¹² to the realization¹³ of Bellamy's vision of the future. The printed word, unquestionably. was intruding¹⁴ on the insulation¹⁵ that had characterized United Slates¹⁶ society in an earlier period.

1. The word "acute" in line 3 is closest in meaning to

(A) useful

(B) intense

(C) genuine

(D)controversial

2. According to the passage, the expansion of popular journalism was linked to

(A) changes in the distribution system

(B) a larger supply of paper

(C) an increase in people's awareness of social changes

(D) greater numbers of journalists

3.According to the passage , the New York Graphic's inclusion of photographs contributed to

(A) the closing of newspapers that did not use photographs

(B) newspapers becoming more expensive

(C) an increase in the number of people reading newspapers

(D) a reduction in the cost of advertising¹⁷

4. Why was there a drop in the price of daily newspapers between 1882 and 1886 ?

(A) There was a rise in demand.

(B) Newspapers had fewer pages.

(C) Newspapers contained photographic reproductions.

(D) Magazines began to compete with newspapers.

5.The word "exceeded" in line 16 is closest in meaning to

(A) controlled

(B) surpassed

(C) affected¹⁸

(D) equaled

6. What does the author mean by the statement " A world beyond the immediate community was rapidly becoming visible" in lilies 16-11 ?

(A) Photographs made newspapers more interesting.

(B) The United Slates exported newspapers to other countries.

(C) People were becoming increasingly aware of national and international issues.

(D) Communities remained isolated despite the growth of popular journalism

7. The word " that" in line 21 refers to

(A) century

(B) publication

(C) circulation

(D) period

8. The word "astounding" in line 22 is closest in meaning to

(A) surprising

(B) estimated

(C) encouraging

(D) sudden

9. Why does the author mention Edward Bellamy's novel Looking Backward?

(A) To illustrate¹⁹ how advanced the technology of printing had become

(B) To emphasize the influence of the printed word on a society undergoing rapid change

(C) To document its prediction about the popularity of newspapers

(D) To demonstrate that hooks had replaced newspapers and magazines as the leading source of information

Question 10-19

Glass is a remarkable²⁰ substance made from the simplest raw materials. It can be colored or colorless, monochrome or polychrome, transparent²¹, translucent²², or opaque²³. It is lightweight impermeable²⁴ to liquids, readily cleaned and reused , durable²⁵ yet fragile, and often very beautiful Glass can be decorated in multiple ways and its optical properties are exceptional. In all its myriad²⁶ forms – as table ware³, containers, in architecture and design – glass represents a major achievement in the history of technological²⁷ developments.

Since the Bronze Age about 3,000 B.C., glass lias been used for making various kinds of objects. It was first made from a mixture of silica, line and an alkali such as soda²⁸ or potash, and these remained the basic ingredients of glass until the development of lead glass in the seventeenth century. When heated , the mixture becomes soft and malleable²⁹ and can be formed by various techniques into a vast array of shapes and sizes. The homogeneous mass thus formed by melting then cools to create glass, but in contrast to most materials formed in this way (metals, for instance), glass lacks the crystalline structure normally associated with solids, and instead retains the random³⁰ molecular³¹ structure of a liquid. In effect, as molten glass cools, it progressively stiffens³² until rigid³³, but does so without setting up a network of interlocking crystals customarily associated with that process. This is why glass shatters so easily when dealt a blow. Why glass deteriorates³⁴ over time, especially when exposed to moisture, and why glassware must be slowly reheated and uniformly cooled after manufacture to release internal stresses Induced by uneven³⁵ cooling.

Another unusual feature of glass is the manner in which its viscosity³⁶ changes as it turns from a cold substance into a hot, ductile³⁷ liquid. Unlike metals that flow or "freeze" at specific temperatures glass progressively softens³⁸ as the temperature rises, going through varying stages of malleability³⁹ until it flows like a thick syrup⁴⁰. Each stage of malleability allows the glass to be manipulated into various forms, by different techniques, and if suddenly cooled the object retains the shape achieved at that point. Glass is thus amenable⁴¹ to a greater number of heat-forming techniques than most other materials.

10. Why does the author list the characteristics of glass in lines 1-5?

(A) To demonstrate how glass evolved

(B) To show the versatility⁴² of glass

(C) To explain glassmaking technology

(D) To explain the purpose of each component⁴³ of glass

11. The word "durable"' in hue⁴⁴ 3 is closest in meaning to

(A) lasting⁴⁵

(B) delicate

(C) heavy

(D) Plain

12. What does the author imply about the raw materials used to make glass?

(A) They were the same for centuries.

(B) They arc liquid

(C) They are transparent

(D) They are very heavy.

13. According to the passage, how is glass that has cooled and become rigid different from most other rigid substances?

(A) It has an interlocking crystal network.

(B) It has an unusually low melting temperature.

(C) It has varying physical properties.

(D) It has a random molecular structure.

14. The word "customarily" in line 13 is closest in meaning to

(A) naturally

(B) necessarily

(C) usually

(D) certainly

15. The words "exposed to" in line 19 are closest in meaning to

(A) hardened by

(B) chilled with

(C) subjected to

(D) deprived of

16. What must be done to release the internal stresses that build up in glass products during manufacture?

(A) the glass must be reheated and evenly cooled.

(B) the glass must be cooled quickly.

(C) The glass must be kept moist until cooled.

(D) The glass must be shaped to its desired form immediately

17. The word "induced" in line 21 is closest in meaning to

(A) joined

(B) missed

(C) caused

(D) lost

18. The word "it" in line 22 refers to

(A) feature

(B) glass

(C) manner

(D) viscosity

19. According to the passage. why can glass be more easily shaped into specific forms than can metals

(A)It resists breaking when heated

(B)It has better optical properties.

(C)It retains heat while its viscosity changes.

(D) It gradually becomes softer as its temperature rises