托福模拟试题（上）

　　36. Hummingbirds are(A) the only(B) birds(C) that can fly to

backwards(D).

　　37. Fluorine, a greenish-yellow gas that is slightly heavy(A) than air

is

　　poisonous(B)and corrosive and has a penetrating and disagreeable(D)

odor.

　　38. The Everglades, a large swamp area(A) is an(B) unique wilderness(C)

　　extending over much(D) of southern Florida.

　　39. Each year(A) millions of tons(B) of fertile topsoil that could(C)

　　produce good crops washed(D) away by rains.

　　40. Since the(A) 1950's, folk' music has had(B) a significant(C)

Influence on many(D) popular vocal and instrumental music.

　　Questions 1-11

　　Before the 1500’s, the western plains of North America were dominated by

farmers. One group, the Mandans, lived in the upper Missouri River country,

primarily in present-day North Dakota. They had large villages of houses built

close together. The tight arrangement enabled the Mandans to protect themselves

more easily from the attacks of others who might seek to obtain some of the food

these highly capable farmers stored from one year to the next.

　　The women had primary responsibility for the fields. They had to exercise

considerable skill to produce the desired results, for their northern location

meant fleeting growing seasons. Winter often lingered; autumn could be ushered

in by severe frost. For good measure, du ring the spring and summer, drought,

heat, hail, grasshoppers, and other

　　frustrations might await the wary grower.

　　Under such conditions, Mandan women had to grow maize capable of weathering

adversity. They began as early as it appeared feasible to do so in the spring.

clearing the land, using fire to clear stubble from the fields and

　　then planting. From this point until the first green corn could be

harvested, the crop required labor and vigilance.

　　Harvesting proceeded in two stages. In August the Mandans picked a smaller

amount of the crop before it had matured fully. This green corn was boiled,

dried, and shelled, with some of the maize slated for immediate consumption and

the rest stored in animal-skin bags. Later in the fall, the people picked corn.

They saved the best of the harvest for seeds or for trade, with the remainder

eaten right away or stored for later use in underground reserves. With

appropriate banking of the extra food, the Mandans protected themselves against

the disaster of crop failure and accompanying hunger.

　　The women planted another staple, squash, about the first of June, and

harvested it near the time of the green corn harvest. After they picked it, they

sliced it, dried it, and strung the slices before they stored them. Once again,

they saved the seed from the best of the year’s crop. The Mandans also grew

sunflowers and tobacco; the latter was the particular task of the old men.

　　1. The Mandans built their houses close together in order to

　　(A) guard their supplies of food

　　(B) protect themselves against the weather

　　(C) allow more room for growing corn

　　(D) share farming implements

　　2. The word "enabled" in line 4 is closest in meaning to

　　(A)covered

　　(B) reminded

　　(C)helped

　　(D)isolated

　　3.The word "considerable" in line 8 is closest in meaning to

　　(A) planning

　　(B) much

　　(C) physical

　　(D) flew

　　4.Why does the author believe that the Mandans were skilled farmers?

　　(A) They developed effective fertilizers.

　　(B) They developed new varieties of corn.

　　(C) They could grow crops in most types of soil.

　　(D) They could grow crops despite adverse weather.

　　5. Tile word "consumption" in line 18 is closest in meaning to

　　(A) decay

　　(B) planting

　　(C) eating

　　(D) conversion

　　6. Which of the following processes does the author imply was done by both men and women?

　　(A) Clearing fields

　　(B) Planting corn

　　(C) Harvesting corn

　　D) harvesting squash.

　　7. The word "disaster" in line 22 is closest in meaning to

　　(A)control

　　(B)catastrophe

　　(C)avoidance

　　(D)history

　　8. According to the passage, the Mandans preserved their food by

　　(A)smoking

　　(B)drying

　　(C)freezing.

　　(D)salting

　　9. The word "it" in line 25 refers to

　　(A)June

　　(B)corn

　　(C)time

　　(D)squash

　　10. Which of the following crops was cultivated primarily by men

　　(A) Corn

　　(B)Squash

　　(C)Sunflower

　　(D)Tobacco

　　11. Throughout the passage, the author implies that the Mandans

　　(A)planned for the future

　　(B) valued individuality

　　(C)were open to strangers

　　(D)were very adventurous

　　D) harvesting squash.