托福TPO47阅读真题解析：Passage 3

TPO，即toefl Practice Online的首写字母，就是托福在线练习的意思，TPO可以为考生提供全真的模拟考试环境和过往真题，而TPO题库也是有着不断的更新。在托福阅读的备考过程中，除了大量的阅读之外，全面了解托福阅读的题型和解题方法也都是非常重要的环节。而对于很多备考托福的学生来说，TPO往往就是一个首先的备考材料。今天，小编就为大家带来托福TPO47阅读真题解析：Passage 3。

Termite Ingenuity

托福TPO47阅读Passage 3 ——Paragraph 1  【在线咨询】

1. The author mentions “white ants” in the beginning of the passage in order to【组织结构题】
A. correct a common misunderstanding about termites
B. introduce the idea that termites only take the form of ants during certain life stages
C. argue that not all white ants are social insects
D. Illustrate the large variety of insect species that live in colonies
答案：A

解析：原文But they are certainly not ants，说明作者想要表明白蚁并不是人们认为的蚂蚁，对应选项A中：correct a common misunderstanding about termites。

2. According to paragraph 1, which of the following is true about termites?【事实信息题】
A. They are a kind of ant, but they are unlike most ants in many ways.
B. They form colonies that grow at first and then gradually decline.
C. Their workers are all males, and their soldiers are all females.
D. They go through a life state called the nymph stage.
答案：D

解析：原文Termites … with only three life stage: egg, nymph, and adult，说明白蚁会经历蛹期，对应选项D中：They go through a life state called the nymph stage。白蚁不是蚂蚁，选项A错在a kind of ant。没有提到聚集地的大小变化，选项B错在colonies。白蚁中的工蚁有雄也有雌，选项C错在all males。

托福TPO47阅读Passage 3 ——Paragraph 2  【在线咨询】

Since termites are small and soft-bodied, they easily become desiccated and must live in moist places with a high relative humidity. They do best when the relative humidity in their nest is above 96 percent and the temperature is fairly high, an optimum of about 79°F for temperate zone species and about 86°F for tropical species. Subterranean termites, the destructive species that occurs commonly throughout the eastern United States, attain these conditions by nesting in moist soil that is in contact with wood, their only food. The surrounding soil keeps the nest moist and tends to keep the temperature at a more or less favorable level. When it is cold in winter, subterranean termites move to burrows below the frost line.

3. According to paragraph 2, termites need to live in nests with high humidity in order to【事实信息题】
A. keep their food moist
B. withstand cold temperatures in winter
C. protect their bodies from drying out
D. keep nest temperatures high
答案：C

解析：原文Since termites are small and soft-bodied, they easily become desiccated and must live in moist places with a high relative humidity，说明白蚁身体很容易干燥所以要生活在潮湿的地方，对应选项C中：protect their bodies from drying out。

4. The word “attain” in the passage is closet in meaning to【词汇题】
A. achieve
B. observe
C. overcome
D. reflect
答案：A

解析：attain, 获得。A选项取得，为同义替换，所以A选项正确。

托福TPO47阅读Passage 3 ——Paragraph 3  【在线咨询】

Some tropical termites are more ingenious engineers, constructing huge above-ground nests with built-in “air conditioning” that keeps the nest moist, at a constant temperature, and well supplied with oxygen. Among the most architecturally advanced of these termites is an African species, Macroternes natalensis. Renowned Swiss entomologist Martin Luscher described the mounds of this fungus-growing species as being as much as 16 feet tall, 16 feet in diameter at their base, and with a cement-like wall of soil mixed with termite saliva that is from 16 to 23 inches thick. The thick and dense wall of the mound insulates the interior microclimate from the variations in humidity and temperature of the outside atmosphere. Several narrow and relatively thin-walled ridges on the outside of the mound extend from near its base almost to its top.

5. The word “ingenious” in the passage is closest in meaning to 【词汇题】
A. determined
B. clever
C. ambitious
D. successful
答案：B

解析：ingenious, 聪颖的。B选项聪明的，为同义替换，所以B选项正确。

6. The word “Renowned” in the passage is closest in meaning to 【词汇题】
A. Skilled
B. Famous
C. Early
D. Revolutionary
答案：B

解析：renowned, 有名的。B选项出名的，为同义替换，所以B选项正确。

7. According to paragraph 3, the nests of some tropical termite species have the ability to 【事实信息题】
A. insulate the microclimate in one part of the nest from the microclimate in another part
B. Allow moist outside air to get inside regardless of whether it is warm or cool
C. rapidly decrease the humidity inside when it gets hot outside
D. Provide the oxygen needed in the nest
答案：D

解析：原文Some tropical termites are more ingenious engineers, constructing … nests … well supplied with oxygen，说明一些热带白蚁可以为巢穴提供氧气，对应选项D中：…oxygen needed in the nest。

托福TPO47阅读Passage 3 ——Paragraph 3和Paragraph 4  【在线咨询】

Some tropical termites are more ingenious engineers, constructing huge above-ground nests with built-in “air conditioning” that keeps the nest moist, at a constant temperature, and well supplied with oxygen. Among the most architecturally advanced of these termites is an African species, Macroternes natalensis. Renowned Swiss entomologist Martin Luscher described the mounds of this fungus-growing species as being as much as 16 feet tall, 16 feet in diameter at their base, and with a cement-like wall of soil mixed with termite saliva that is from 16 to 23 inches thick. The thick and dense wall of the mound insulates the interior microclimate from the variations in humidity and temperature of the outside atmosphere. Several narrow and relatively thin-walled ridges on the outside of the mound extend from near its base almost to its top.
According to luscher, a medium-sized nest of Macrotermes has a population of about 2 million individuals. The metabolism of so many termites and of the fungus that they grow in their gardens as food helps keep the interior of the nest warm and supplies some moisture to the air in the nest. The termites saturate the atmosphere of the nest, bringing it to about 100 percent relative humidity, by carrying water up from the soil.

8. According to paragraphs 3 and 4, all of the following are true of the nests of Macroternes natalensis EXCEPT: 【否定事实信息题】
A. The walls are built out of soil mixed with termite saliva.
B. The nests can be as tall as they are wide at the base.
C. The interior of the nest is kept as humid as possible.
D. The termites use hollow, thin-walled ridges to travel from one part of the nest to another.
答案：D

解析：原文Several narrow and relatively thin-walled ridges … extend … to …，选项D错在hollow。原文…as much as 16 feet tall, 16 feet in diameter at their base，说明高度和宽度一样，对应选项B中：…as tall as…wide。原文…and with a cement-like wall of soil mixed with termite saliva ...，说明墙体是土壤和白蚁唾液做成的，对应选项A中：…walls…soil…termite saliva。原文The termites saturate the atmosphere of the nest, bringing it to about 100 percent relative humidity...，说明要尽可能的保持巢穴潮湿，对应选项C中：as humid as possible。

托福TPO47阅读Passage 3 ——Paragraph 4  【在线咨询】

According to luscher, a medium-sized nest of Macrotermes has a population of about 2 million individuals. The metabolism of so many termites and of the fungus that they grow in their gardens as food helps keep the interior of the nest warm and supplies some moisture to the air in the nest. The termites saturate the atmosphere of the nest, bringing it to about 100 percent relative humidity, by carrying water up from the soil.

9. According to paragraph 4, how does the fungus grown by Macrotermes natalensis affect the environment of the nest? 【事实信息题】
A. It carries water up from the soil into the interior.
B. It dries the air by using up moisture as it grows.
C. It heats and adds humidity to the inside of the nest.
D. It lessens the effects of the metabolism of so many termites.
答案：C

解析：原文The metabolism … of the fungus … helps keep the interior of the nest warm and supplies some moisture to the air in the nest，说明菌类的新陈代谢保证巢穴的温度和湿度，对应选项C中：It heats and adds humidity to the inside of the nest。

托福TPO47阅读Passage 3 ——Paragraph 5  【在线咨询】

But how is this well-insulated nest ventilated? Its many occupants require over 250 quarts of oxygen (more than 1,200 quarts of aire) per day. How can so much oxygen diffuse through the thick walls of the mound? Even the pores in the wall are filled with water, which almost stops the diffusion of gases. The answer lies in the construction of the nest. The interior consists of a large central core in which the fungus is grown, below it is “cellar” of empty space, above it is an “attic” of empty space, and within the ridges on the outer wall of the nest, there are many small tunnels that connect the cellar and the attic. The warm air in the fungus gardens rises through the nest up to the attic. From the attic, the air passes into the tunnels in the ridges and flows back down to the cellar. Gases, mainly oxygen coming in and carbon dioxide going out, easily diffuse into or out of the ridges, since their walls are thin and their surface area is large because they protrude far our from the wall of the mound. Thus air that flows down into the cellar through the ridges is relatively rich in oxygen, and has lost much of its carbon dioxide. It supplies the nest’s inhabitants with fresh oxygen as it rises through the fungus-growing area back up to the attic.

10. According to paragraph 5, what does the thinness of the ridge walls make possible? 【事实信息题】
A. The concentration of cool air in the cellar
B. The construction of exceptionally long tunnels
C. The even distribution of oxygen from attic to cellar
D. The diffusion of gases into and out of the ridges
答案：D

解析：原文Gases … easily diffuse into or out of the ridges, since their walls are thin …，说明墙体薄的地方是为了让气体进入和排出，对应选项D中：The diffusion of gases into and out of the ridges。

11. According to paragraph 5, what happens to the air in the ridge tunnels of Macrotermes natalensis nests? 【事实信息题】
A. It becomes more humid as water vapor diffuses into the tunnels.
B. It loses carbon dioxide and gains oxygen.
C. It reaches the interior of the nest through pores in the walls.
D. It moves in the same direction as the air in the center of the nest.
答案：B

解析：原文Gases, mainly oxygen coming in and carbon dioxide going out, easily diffuse into or out of the ridges ...，说明氧气进入，二氧化碳排出，对应选项B中：It loses carbon dioxide and gains oxygen。

12. Paragraph 5 supports which of the following about the air that flows through the interior of a Macrotermes natalensis mound? 【事实信息题】
A. It has a higher concentration of oxygen in the cellar than in the attic.
B. It is the same temperature as the air on the outside of the mound.
C. It contains over 250 quarts of oxygen which circulate continuously.
D. It is most humid in the cellar and gradually loses moisture as it rises to the attic.
答案：A

解析：原文From the attic, the air … flows back down to the cellar. .... Thus air that flows down into the cellar … is relatively rich in oxygen, and has lost much of its carbon dioxide，说明顶楼的空气会流回地下室，在这个过程中会失去二氧化碳得到氧气，所以地下室氧气要比顶楼的氧气多，对应选项A中：… higher concentration of oxygen … cellar than … attic.

13. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
If not through the walls or its pores, how does oxygen enter the nest at all, since the nest has a closed surface? 【句子插入题】
Where would the sentence best fit? Click on a square [■] to add the sentence to the passage.
But how is this well-insulated nest ventilated? Its many occupants require over 250 quarts of oxygen (more than 1,200 quarts of aire) per day. How can so much oxygen diffuse through the thick walls of the mound? [■] Even the pores in the wall are filled with water, which almost stops the diffusion of gases. [■] The answer lies in the construction of the nest. [■] The interior consists of a large central core in which the fungus is grown, below it is “cellar” of empty space, above it is an “attic” of empty space, and within the ridges on the outer wall of the nest, there are many small tunnels that connect the cellar and the attic. [■] The warm air in the fungus gardens rises through the nest up to the attic. From the attic, the air passes into the tunnels in the ridges and flows back down to the cellar. Gases, mainly oxygen coming in and carbon dioxide going out, easily diffuse into or out of the ridges, since their walls are thin and their surface area is large because they protrude far our from the wall of the mound. Thus air that flows down into the cellar through the ridges is relatively rich in oxygen, and has lost much of its carbon dioxide. It supplies the nest’s inhabitants with fresh oxygen as it rises through the fungus-growing area back up to the attic.
答案：B

解析：待插入句子意为，如果不是通过墙壁和气孔，氧气如何进入巢穴的呢，因为巢穴表面也是密封的。可以推出这句句子前面的话是在描述墙壁和气孔无法让氧气进入，也就是How can so much oxygen diffuse through the thick walls of the mound? [■] Even the pores in the wall are filled with water, which almost stops the diffusion of gases，还可以推出这句句子后面的话可能给出了答案，也就是The answer lies in the construction of the nest，所以待插入句子只能放在B处。

14. Directions: 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 3 points. 【概要小结题】
Drag your answer choices to the spaces where they belong. To remove an answer choice, click on it.
To review the passage, click VIEW TEXT.
Termites are social insects that live in large, often elaborately constructed nests.
Answer Choices
A. Although termites resemble ants in terms of size, metarmorphosis, and social organization, they actually belong to a different order of insects.
B. Some termites build their nests under ground, while other construct above-ground structures with thick, insulating wall.
C. Some termite species grow a fungus in their nests so that it will purify the air by taking in carbon dioxide and giving off oxygen.
D. Termites are sensitive to dryness and to changes in temperature, so their nests are designed to minimize these factors.
E. Whether they lie above ground or below ground, termite nests must include special pores that allow air to enter the nests.
F. The nests of Macrotermes natalensis consist of a series of chambers and tunnels that allow for the circulation of air and the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
答案：BDF

解析：文章首先介绍一些巢穴在地下的白蚁以及另一些巢穴在地上的白蚁，对应选项B中：Some … nests underground, while other … above-ground …;然后再介绍白蚁会建造湿度和温度都恒定的巢穴，对应选项D中：Termites are sensitive to dryness and to changes in temperature, so their nests are designed to minimize these factors，文章最后介绍Macrotermes natalensis建造的巢穴有许多房间和通道可以让空气循环交换氧气和二氧化碳，对应选项F中：… Macrotermes natalensis … chambers and tunnels … the circulation of air and the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide。白蚁的蜕变期以及社会组织和蚂蚁不同，选项A错在metarmorphosis, and social organization。菌类新陈代谢是释放二氧化碳，选项C错在taking in carbon dioxide。气孔并不能使空气进入，选项E错在special pores that allow air to enter。

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