阅读模拟题第一页

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　　SAT阅读试题:SAT Reading Comprehension Test 7

　　That large animals require a luxuriant vegetation, has

　　been a general assumption which has passed from

　　one work to another; but I do not hesitate to say that

　　it is completely false, and that it has vitiated the

　　5 reasoning of geologists on some points of great

　　interest in the ancient history of the world. The

　　prejudice has probably been derived from India, and

　　the Indian islands, where troops of elephants, noble

　　forests, and impenetrable jungles, are associated

　　10 together in every one's mind. If, however, we refer to

　　any work of travels through the southern parts of

　　Africa, we shall find allusions in almost every page

　　either to the desert character of the country, or to the

　　numbers of large animals inhabiting it. The same

　　15 thing is rendered evident by the many engravings

　　which have been published of various parts of the

　　interior.

　　Dr. Andrew Smith, who has lately succeeded in

　　passing the Tropic of Capricorn, informs me that,

　　20 taking into consideration the whole of the southern

　　part of Africa, there can be no doubt of its being a

　　sterile country. On the southern coasts there are some

　　fine forests, but with these exceptions, the traveller

　　may pass for days together through open plains,

　　25 covered by a poor and scanty vegetation. Now, if we

　　look to the animals inhabiting these wide plains, we

　　shall find their numbers extraordinarily great, and

　　their bulk immense. We must enumerate the elephant,

　　three species of rhinoceros, the hippopotamus, the

　　30 giraffe, the bos caffer, two zebras, two gnus, and

　　several antelopes even larger than these latter

　　animals. It may be supposed that although the species

　　are numerous, the individuals of each kind are few.

　　By the kindness of Dr. Smith, I am enabled to show

　　35 that the case is very different. He informs me, that in

　　lat. 24', in one day's march with the bullock-wagons,

　　he saw, without wandering to any great distance on

　　either side, between one hundred and one hundred

　　and fifty rhinoceroses - the same day he saw several

　　40 herds of giraffes, amounting together to nearly a

　　hundred. At the distance of a little more than one

　　hour's march from their place of encampment on the

　　previous night, his party actually killed at one spot

　　eight hippopotamuses, and saw many more. In this

　　45 same river there were likewise crocodiles. Of course

　　it was a case quite extraordinary, to see so many great

　　animals crowded together, but it evidently proves that

　　they must exist in great numbers. Dr. Smith describes

　　the country passed through that day, as 'being thinly

　　50 covered with grass, and bushes about four feet high,

　　and still more thinly with mimosa-trees.'

　　Besides these large animals, every one the least

　　acquainted with the natural history of the Cape, has

　　read of the herds of antelopes, which can be

　　55 compared only with the flocks of migratory birds.

　　The numbers indeed of the lion, panther, and hyena,

　　and the multitude of birds of prey, plainly speak of

　　the abundance of the smaller quadrupeds: one

　　evening seven lions were counted at the same time

　　60 prowling round Dr. Smith's encampment. As this able

　　naturalist remarked to me, the carnage each day in

　　Southern Africa must indeed he terrific! I confess it is

　　truly surprising how such a number of animals can

　　find support in a country producing so little food. The

　　65 larger quadrupeds no doubt roam over wide tracts in

　　search of it; and their food chiefly consists of

　　underwood, which probably contains much nutriment

　　in a small bulk. Dr. Smith also informs me that the

　　vegetation has a rapid growth; no sooner is a part

　　70 consumed, than its place is supplied by a fresh stock.

　　There can be no doubt, however, that our ideas

　　respecting the apparent amount of food necessary for

　　the support of large quadrupeds are much

　　exaggerated.

　　75 The belief that where large quadrupeds exist, the

　　vegetation must necessarily be luxuriant, is the more

　　remarkable, because the converse is far from true. Mr.

　　Burchell observed to me that when entering Brazil,

　　nothing struck him more forcibly than the splendour of

　　80 the South American vegetation contrasted with that of

　　South Africa, together with the absence of all large

　　quadrupeds. In his Travels, he has suggested that the

　　comparison of the respective weights (if there were

　　sufficient data) of an equal number of the largest

　　85 herbivorous quadrupeds of each country would be

　　extremely curious. If we take on the one side, the

　　elephants hippopotamus, giraffe, bos caffer, elan,five

　　species of rhinoceros; and on the American side, two

　　tapirs, the guanaco, three deer, the vicuna, peccari,

　　90 capybara (after which we must choose from the

　　monkeys to complete the number), and then place

　　these two groups alongside each other it is not easy to

　　conceive ranks more disproportionate in size. After the

　　above facts, we are compelled to conclude, against

　　95 anterior probability, that among the mammalia there

　　exists no close relation between the bulk of the

　　species, and the quantity of the vegetation, in the

　　countries which they inhabit.

阅读模拟题第二页

　　1. The author is primarily concerned with

　　A. discussing the relationship between the size of mammals and the nature of vegetation in their habitats

　　B. contrasting ecological conditions in India and Africa

　　C. proving the large animals do not require much food

　　D. describing the size of animals in various parts of the world

　　E. explaining that the reasoning of some geologists is completely false

　　2. The word ‘vitiated’ (line 4) most nearly means

　　A. infiltrated

　　B. occupied

　　C. impaired

　　D. invigorated

　　E. strengthened

　　3. According to the author, the ‘prejudice’ (line 7) has lead to

　　A. errors in the reasoning of biologists

　　B. false ideas about animals in Africa

　　C. incorrect assumptions on the part of geologists

　　D. doubt in the mind of the author

　　E. confusion in natural history

　　4. The author uses information provided by Dr. Smith to

　　I supply information on quality and quantity of plant life in South Africa

　　II indicate the presence of large numbers of animals

　　III give evidence of numbers of carnivorous animals

　　A. I only

　　B. II only

　　C. III only

　　D. I and II only

　　E. I, II and III

　　5. The flocks of migratory birds (line 55)are mentioned to

　　A. describe an aspect of the fauna of South Africa

　　B. illustrate a possible source of food for large carnivores

　　C. contrast with the habits of the antelope

　　D. suggest the size of antelope herds

　　E. indicate the abundance of wildlife

　　6. The ‘carnage’ (line 61) refers to the

　　A. number of animals killed by hunters

　　B. number of prey animals killed by predators

　　C. number of people killed by lions

　　D. amount of food eaten by all species

　　E. damage caused by large animals

　　7. To account for the ‘surprising’ (line 63) number of animals in a ‘country producing so little food’ (line 64), Darwin suggests all of the following as partial explanations except

　　A. food which is a concentrated source of nutrients

　　B. rapid regrowth of plant material

　　C. large area for animals to forage in

　　D. mainly carnivorous animals

　　E. food requirements have been overestimated

　　8. The author makes his point by reference to all of the following except

　　A. travel books

　　B. published illustrations

　　C. private communications

　　D. recorded observations

　　E. historical documents

　　9. Darwin quotes Burchell’s observations in order to

　　A. counter a popular misconception

　　B. describe a region of great splendor

　　C. prove a hypothesis

　　D. illustrate a well-known phenomenon

　　E. account for a curious situation

　　10. Darwin apparently regards Dr. Smith as

　　A. reliable and imaginative

　　B. intrepid and competent

　　C. observant and excitable

　　D. foolhardy and tiresome

　　E. incontrovertible and peerless

　　11. Darwin’s parenthetical remark (line 83-84) indicates that

　　A. Burchell’s data are not reliable

　　B. Burchell’s ideas are not to be given much weight

　　C. comparison of the weights of herbivores is largely speculative

　　D. Darwin’s views differ from Burchell’s

　　E. more figures are needed before any comparison can be attempted

　　12. Anterior probability (line 95) refers to

　　A. what might have been expected

　　B. ideas of earlier explorers

　　C. likelihood based on data from India

　　D. hypotheses of other scientists

　　E. former information

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参考答案

　　SAT阅读试题:SAT Reading Comprehension Test 7参考答案

　　1.Correct Answer: A

　　Explanation:

　　Both the first and the last sentence of the excerpt indicate that the author is concerned with the size of mammals and the amount of vegetation. Hence answer A. (Note that strong words like ‘prove’ and ‘completely’ are not usually answers to primary purpose questions. This fact can help you eliminate answer choices.)

　　2.Correct Answer: C

　　Explanation:

　　‘Vitiated’ usually means ‘weakened’. Here the author argues that false ideas have ‘vitiated the reasoning of geologists’. False ideas would harm or ‘impair’ reasoning. Hence, answer C.

　　3.Correct Answer: C

　　Explanation:

　　The ‘prejudice’ talked about here is the same as the false reasoning in sentence 1. This prejudice/false reasoning has led to false ideas on the part of geologists. Answer C.

　　4.Correct Answer: E

　　Explanation:

　　Dr. Smith is mentioned extensively. His experience is quoted on all of the points mentioned in the question. Plant life in lines 49-51, large numbers of animals in lines 38 onwards, and number of carnivores in lines 56-60. Hence, answer E

　　5.Correct Answer: D

　　Explanation:

　　Remember that this is an ‘except’ question. Four choices will give things that the author does suggest as an explanation for the numbers, and one (the right answer) will not. That the food contains a concentrated source of nutrients is given by the phrase ‘much nutriment in small bulk’ (line 67). Rapid regrowth is covered by ‘has a rapid growth' (line 69). Large area by ‘roam over wide tracts’ (line 65). Overestimate of requirements is covered by ‘much exaggerated’ (line 74). This leaves D as the right answer.

　　6.Correct Answer: B

　　Explanation:

　　To be sure of the answer we need to read the sentence before the reference to carnage. The mention of predators such as the lion, panther and hyena, as well as the birds of prey, indicates that the author is thinking of all the animals that must be killed by these predators each day. Hence, answer B.

　　7.Correct Answer: D

　　Explanation:

　　Remember that this is an ‘except’ question. Four choices will give things that the author does suggest as an explanation for the numbers, and one (the right answer) will not. That the food contains a concentrated source of nutrients is given by the phrase ‘much nutriment in small bulk’ (line 67). Rapid regrowth is covered by ‘has a rapid growth' (line 69). Large area by ‘roam over wide tracts’ (line 65). Overestimate of requirements is covered by ‘much exaggerated’ (line 74). This leaves D as the right answer.

　　8.Correct Answer: E

　　Explanation:

　　The author mentions travel books (line 11), illustrations (engravings, line 15), private communication (Dr. Smith informed the author personally, line 19), and he refers to recorded observations in various places (e.g. line 82). But there are no mentions of historical documents (only contemporary ones are mentioned). This makes E the correct answer.

　　9.Correct Answer: A

　　Explanation:

　　Darwin quotes Burchell to show how the latter was struck by the luxuriant vegetation and absence of large mammals in South America. He does this to contradict the belief that large animals are found where there is abundant vegetation (line 75). Since a misconception is a wrong belief, answer A is correct.

　　10.Correct Answer: B

　　Explanation:

　　Darwin places heavy reliance on Dr. Smith’s observations. So we can eliminate D because of the negative words. Reliable in A is a good word, but imaginative is inappropriate for one who records facts. There is no evidence that he is excitable, which leaves us to consider B and E. The discussion of the expedition (lines 18 onwards ) supports the idea that Darwin thinks him intrepid (brave and adventurous), and B is the best choice. (The words in E are really too strong. Incontrovertible means cannot be contradicted, and peerless means without equal).

　　11.Correct Answer: C

　　Explanation:

　　The remarks indicate that there are not enough data, and so an actual comparison cannot be made. The comparison attempted here is, therefore, highly speculative. (Speculative means based on guesswork or supposition.) Answer C.

　　12.Correct Answer: A

　　Explanation:

　　Anterior probability here suggests that the observations contradict what might have been expected, answer A.