新托福TPO真题阅读难句汇总.docx

新托福TPO真题阅读第一周难句汇总帖TPO1-11. Ordinary meteoric water is water that has soaked into the ground from the surface, from precipitation (rain and snow) and from lakes and streams.短语：soak into：渗入主干：Ordinary meteoric water is water that has soaked into the ground释义：普通气象水是那些通过地表，从降水和河流渗入到地下的水分。2. There it remains, sometimes for long periods, before emerging at the surface again. At first thought it seems incredible that there can be enough space in the “solid” ground underfoot to hold all this water.短语：at first thought：起初看来分句：there it remains before emerging at the surface again：指在重新涌出地表之前，气象水会存留（remains）在地下It seems incredible that：看上去是不可思议的释义：在重新涌出地表之前，有时候有相当长一段时间，地下水都会存于地下。然而起初看来，坚硬的地面下居然能有足够空间容纳这么多水是不可思议的。3. The commonest spaces are those among the particlessand grains and tiny pebblesof loose, unconsolidated sand and gravel.分句：particles of loose, unconsolidated sand and gravel：疏松沙石的颗粒（如沙粒和小鹅卵石：sand grains and tiny pebbles）释义：最普通的一种空隙存在于疏松而不坚实的沙石中的颗粒-沙粒和小鹅卵石-之间。4. They are found wherever fast rivers carrying loads of coarse sediment once flowed.短语：coarse sediment once flowed：曾经漂流的粗糙沉淀物loads of：一载载的，一堆堆的释义：只要哪里有湍急的河流载着粗糙的曾经漂流的沉淀物，哪里就能发现这种物质层。5. the water was always laden with pebbles, gravel, and sand, known as glacial outwash, that was deposited as the flow slowed down.短语：be laden with：负载着pebbles, gravel, and sand, known as glacial outwash：指冰水沉积物包括鹅卵石、碎石和沙子分句：that was deposited as the flow slowed down：随着水流渐缓而沉积下来释义：融化的水总是载着被称为冰水沉积物的鹅卵石、碎石和沙子，它们随着水流渐缓而沉积下来。6. The same thing happens to this day, though on a smaller scale, wherever a sediment-laden river or stream emerges from a mountain valley onto relatively flat land, dropping its load as the current slows: the water usually spreads out fanwise, depositing the sediment in the form of a smooth, fan-shaped slope.短语：a sediment-laden river or stream：载满沉积物的河流或小溪emerge fromonto：从发源，流至spreads out：向四周展开in the form of：以的形式a smooth, fan-shaped slope：光滑的扇形斜面释义：如今也发生着同样的事情，虽然规模较小。有满载沉淀物的河流或小溪从山谷出发向下蔓延到相对平坦的地面，当水流渐缓时便将沉淀物留下：河水通常呈扇形展开，将沉淀物以光滑的扇形斜面形式沉积下来。7. Sediments are also dropped where a river slows on entering a lake or the sea, the deposited sediments are on a lake floor or the seafloor at first, but will be located inland at some future date, when the sea level falls or the land rises; such beds are sometimes thousands of meters thick.分句：where a river slows on entering a lake or the sea：指河流在入湖或海（on entering a lake or sea）时流速减缓主干：Sediments are also dropped where, the deposited sediments are on, but will be located, when; such beds are thousands of meters thick释义：当河流接近湖泊或海洋时沉淀物也会被沉积下，沉积物起初会存在于湖床或海床，但随着未来当海平面下降或陆地上升时，沉积物便会移动到内陆去；这些沉积物层（such beds）有时有数千米厚。8. In lowland country almost any spot on the ground may overlie what was once the bed of a river that has since become buried by soil;分句：any spot on the ground：地面上任何一点what was once the bed of a river：河流曾经的河床地带，作may overlie的宾语a river that has since become buried by soil：已经被土壤所掩埋的河流释义：在低地国家，几乎地面上任何一点都有可能叠加在被土壤掩埋的河流的河床上。9. This is because the gaps among the original grains are often not totally plugged with cementing chemicals; also, parts of the original grains may become dissolved by percolating groundwater, either while consolidation is taking place or at any time afterwards.短语：be plugged with：被塞住cementing chemicals：胶黏性化学物质become dissolved by：被所溶解释义：这是因为原始沙石间的缝隙通常并未被胶黏的化学物质完全填塞；同时，部分原始沙石有可能被渗透下来的地下水溶解，溶解过程无论是在沙石坚化发生之时还是以后的某一时期都会进行。10. Most crystalline rocks are much more solid; a common exception is basalt, a form of solidified volcanic lava, which is sometimes full of tiny bubbles that make it very porous.短语：solidified volcanic lava：硬化后的火山岩浆释义：大多数结晶岩石更加坚硬；一个典型例外是玄武岩，一种硬化了的火山岩浆形式，它有时充满了小气泡，这使它非常多孔。11. But note that porosity is not the same as permeability, which measures the ease with which water can flow through a material; this depends on the sizes of the individual cavities and the crevices linking them.分句：“the ease with which water can flow through a material”：指水通过某一物质的容易程度cavities and the crevices linking them：连接沙石的空隙和裂缝释义：但需注意多孔性不同于可渗透性。可渗透性丈量的是水流通过某一物质的容易程度，它取决于连接沙石的单个空隙和裂缝的大小。12. The total volume of water in the saturated sample must therefore be thought of as consisting of water that can, and water that cannot, drain away.短语：be thought of as：被认为是释义：因此，浸水样本所含的所有水份必须被分为两部分：可排除的与不可排除的。13. If the pores are large, the water in them will exist as drops too heavy for surface tension to hold, and it will drain away; but if the pores are small enough, the water in them will exist as thin films, too light to overcome the force of surface tension holding them in place; then the water will be firmly held.分句：drops (that are) too heavy for surface tension to hold：由于过重而导致岩石表面张力无法收控住的水滴surface tension holding them in place：将（水滴）收控住的表面张力thin films, too light to overcome the force of surface tension：薄膜过轻，无法挣脱张力的控制主干：If the pores are large, the water will exist as and will drain away; but if the pores are small enough, the water will exist as, and then will be held释义：如果孔大，其中的水会变为水滴，水滴太沉，表面张力握不住，水便会排出；但如果孔足够小，其中的水会变成薄膜，薄膜很轻，无法挣脱表面张力的控制，这样水便会被紧紧收住。TPO1-21. In many semiarid areas there is also a lower timberline where the forest passes into steppe or desert at its lower edge, usually because of a lack of moisture.短语：semiarid areas：半干旱地区pass into：传递到，延伸到分句：at its lower edge：its指代“a lower timberline”，lower edge即指该树带界线的下限释义：在许多半干旱地区有一种较低的树带界线1，该线以内由于缺乏水分森林变为荒原或沙漠。2. It ranges from sea level in the Polar Regions to 4,500 meters in the dry subtropics and 3,500-4,500 meters in the moist tropics.短语：Polar Regions：极地地区释义：它的高度范围处于极地地区的海平面高度至干燥亚热带地区的4500米以及湿润热带地区的3500-4500米之间。3. Timberline trees are normally evergreens, suggesting that these have some advantage over deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves) in the extreme environments of the upper timberline.短语：have advantage over：与相比更具优势释义：树带界线1的树木通常是常青的，这表明在上树带界线1处极其恶劣的环境下，常青树比落叶树更有优势。4. This is particularly true for trees in the middle and upper latitudes, which tend to attain greater heights on ridges, whereas in the tropics the trees reach their greater heights in the valleys.短语：middle and upper latitudes：中高纬度地区reach greater heights：长得更高释义：这用来形容中高纬度地区的树木最贴切，那里的树木在山脊上长得更高；而在热带地区树木在山谷中长得更高。5. As the snow is deeper and lasts longer in the valleys, trees tend to attain greater heights on the ridges, even though they are more exposed to high-velocity winds and poor, thin soils there.短语：be exposed to：暴露在之中释义：（在中高纬地区）由于雪在山谷中更深并且持续时间更长，树木倾向于在山脊处长得更高，即便在那里它们要承受高风速和更加贫瘠的土壤。6. In the tropics, the valleys appear to be more favorable because they are less prone to dry out, they have less frost, and they have deeper soils.短语：be prone to：倾向于释义：在热带地区，山谷则更适合树木生长，因为它们不容易干燥，并且有较少冰霜和较丰厚的土壤。7. Late-lying snow reduces the effective growing season to the point where seedlings cannot establish themselves.短语：Late-lying snow：久积不化的雪分句：where seedlings cannot establish themselves修饰point,establish意为“幼苗扎根生长”释义：持续不化的雪会减少树木有效生长的时间以至于幼苗无法扎根。8. Wind velocity also increases with altitude and may cause serious stress for trees, as is made evident by the deformed shapes at high altitudes.短语：is made evident：被证明主干：Wind velocity also increasesand may cause stress,as is made evident by释义：风速随着海拔升高而提升，并可能给树造成严重的压力，高海拔地区树木的变形已经证明了这一点。9. Some scientists have proposed that the presence of increasing levels of ultraviolet light with elevation may play a role, while browsing and grazing animals like the ibex may be another contributing factor.短语：increasing levels of ultraviolet light with elevation：指随海拔升高而加强的紫外线强度释义：一些科学家提出，随海拔升高而加强的紫外线强度可能是原因之一，而放养动物如野山羊等也可能是一个原因。10. Probably the most important environmental factor is temperature, for if the growing season is too short and temperatures are too low, tree shoots and buds cannot mature sufficiently to survive the winter months.分句：for引导原因从句释义：也许最为重要的环境因素是气温，因为如果生长季节过短且气温过低，树苗和花蕾便不能足够成熟，也就不能抵过冬天。11. Immediately adjacent to the timberline, the tundra consists of a fairly complete cover of low-lying shrubs, herbs, and grasses, while higher up the number and diversity of species decrease until there is much bare ground with occasional mosses and lichens and some prostrate cushion plants.短语：adjacent to：临近a fairly complete cover of：完全由组成的覆盖物prostrate cushion plants：伏地状垫状植物主干：the tundra consists of,while the number and diversity of species decrease until释义：苔原紧靠着树带界线1，它完全由低矮灌木，草本植物和草覆盖，而再往上则生物的数量和多样性都会下降，直到只剩下偶尔会有苔藓、地衣和伏地状垫状植物的大量秃地。12. This enables them to avoid the worst rigors of high winds and permits them to make use of the higher temperatures immediately adjacent to the ground surface.短语：the worst rigors of high winds：高处风的严酷打击分句：immediately adjacent to the ground surface修饰higher temperatures，指地表附近的相对较高的温度主干：This enables them to avoidand permits them to make use of释义：这使得它们能够避免经受高处风的酷烈打击并利用地表附近的较高温度。13. In an area where low temperatures are limiting to life, the importance of the additional heat near the surface is crucial.短语：where low temperatures are limiting to life：在那些迫近生命极线1的低温环境中，limiting此处可理解为“接近生命极线1的”释义：在那些迫近生命极限的低温环境中，贴近地表的额外热量是至关重要的。TPO1-31. In seeking to describe the origins of theater, one must rely primarily on speculation, since there is little concrete evidence on which to draw.短语：in seeking to：在寻求的过程中draw on：引用，凭借分句：“little concrete evidence on which to draw”即“little concrete evidence to draw on”释义：即试图描述戏剧的起源，人们必须主要依靠猜测，因为并没有多少确切证据可以引用。2. The most widely accepted theory, championed by anthropologists in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, envisions theater as emerging out of myth and ritual.短语：envisionas：把视为释义：最为广泛接受的理论得到了19世纪末20世纪初的人类学家们的拥护，该理论认为戏剧来源于神话和宗教仪式。3. Having little understanding of natural causes, it attributes both desirable and undesirable occurrences to supernatural or magical forces, and it searches for means to win the favor of these forces.短语：attributeto：把归因于分句：“Having little understanding of natural causes”作原因状语从句释义：由于缺少对自然原因的了解，社会将好的与不好的现象都归因于超自然的或者魔法力量，并且它寻求得到这股力量好感的方式。4. Perceiving an apparent connection between certain actions performed by the group and the result it desires, the group repeats, refines and formalizes those actions into fixed ceremonies, or rituals.主干：Perceiving an connection between actions and the result,the group repeats,refines and formalizes actions into ceremonies or rituals释义：由于认为群体所表现的特定行为与其所期待的结果有明显联系，该群体重复、修正并将这些行为正式化，使其成为固定的典礼或宗教仪式。5. Frequently the myths include representatives of those supernatural forces that the rites celebrate or hope to influence.分句：that the rites celebrate or hope to influence修饰supernatural forces，指仪式所试图庆祝或去影响的超自然力量主干：the myths include representatives of supernatural forces释义：神话中频繁出现超自然力量的代表，这些力量正是仪式所试图庆祝或去影响的。6. But the myths that have grown up around the rites may continue as part of the groups oral tradition and may even come to be acted out under conditions divorced from these rites.短语：be divorced from：与远离，与相脱节分句：that have grown up around the rites修饰myths，指围绕着仪式所产生的神话故事主干：the myths may continue asand may even come to be acted out释义：但围绕着仪式所产生的神话很可能继续作为该群体口头讲述传统的一部分，并甚至可能在与原有仪式相脱节的情况下依然被表现出来。7. When this occurs, the first step has been taken toward theater as an autonomous activity, and thereafter entertainment and aesthetic values may gradually replace the former mystical and socially efficacious concerns.短语：be taken toward：向迈进autonomous activity：自主活动，autonomous原意为“自治的”，此处引申为“自主的”entertainment and aesthetic values：（戏剧的）娱乐和审美价值mystical and socially efficacious concerns：神话和迷信的观点释义：当这一情况发生时，戏剧作为自主活动便迈出了第一步，接着其娱乐和审美价值会渐渐取代人们先前对其神话和迷信作用的关注。8. Thus, the recalling of an event (a hunt, battle, or other feat) is elaborated through the narrators pantomime and impersonation and eventually through each role being assumed by a different person.短语：be assumed by：由来担任（角色）主干：the recalling of an event is elaborated and being assumed by person释义：这样，对某一事件（如打猎，战争等）的回忆被讲述者通过哑剧或模仿详细化，最终故事的每一角色都被不同的人来担任。9. A closely related theory sees theater as evolving out of dances that are primarily pantomimic, rhythmical or gymnastic, or from imitations of animal noises and sounds.短语：seeas：把视为evolve out of：从进化而来主干：a theory sees theater as evolving out of dances or from imitations释义：一个与之紧密相关的理论认为戏剧来源于舞蹈，这些舞蹈最初是哑剧的，有节奏的或者体操性质的，亦或者来源于对动物发出声音的模仿。10. Admiration for the performers skill, virtuosity, and grace are seen as motivation for elaborating the activities into fully realized theatrical performances.主干：admiration are seen as motivation for elaborating the activities into performances释义：对于表演者技巧，精湛技术和优雅的崇拜被认为是一种激励，它促使将这些活动精致化并使其最终成为夸张的表演。11. One, set forth by Aristotle in the fourth century B.C., sees humans as naturally imitativeas taking pleasure in imitating persons, things, and actions and in seeing such imitations.短语：be set forth by：由提出take pleasure in doing：从中获得乐趣主干：One sees human as imitativeas taking pleasure in imitating and in seeing释义：一种理论在公元前4世纪由亚里士多德提出，它认为人类天生具有模仿性-通过模仿他人、他物和动作以及观看这种模仿来获得欢愉。12. Another, advanced in the twentieth century, suggests that humans have a gift for fantasy, through which they seek to reshape reality into more satisfying forms than those encountered in daily life.分句：“through which they seek to reshape”作定语从句修饰fantasy主干：Another suggests that human have a gift for fantansy释义：另一在12世纪得到发展的理论认为人类具有幻想的天赋，通过幻想人类试图重塑现实，使其变得比现实生活中所遇到的更加令人满意。13. Thus, fantasy or fiction (of which drama is one form) permits people to objectify their anxieties and fears, confront them, and fulfill their hopes in fiction if not fact.主干：fantasy or fiction permits people to objectify,confrontand fulfill释义：这样，幻想和虚拟作品允许人们将他们的焦虑、恐惧具现化，并面对它们，同时满足在现实中不能满足的愿望。14. The theater, then, is one tool whereby people define and understand their world or escape from unpleasant realities.分句：whereby意为“据此”，“whereby people define and understand”作定语修饰tool主干：theater is one tool释义：这样，戏剧便成为人类定义生活，理解生活或者逃避痛苦现实的工具。15. For example, one sign of this condition is the appearance of the comic vision, since comedy requires sufficient detachment to view some deviations from social norms as ridiculous rather than as serious threats to the welfare of the entire group.词汇：detachment原指“偏离”，此处指一种超脱的观点短语：deviations from social norms：指与社会准则相偏离的表现主干：one sign is the appearance of the comic vision,since comedy requires detachment to view deviation as ridiculous rather than as threats释义：例如，这种情况的一个标志是喜剧观点的出现，因为喜剧要求人们充分地从痛苦中脱离，并将一些与社会准则相偏离的表现看做滑稽可笑的而不是视其为对群体利益的巨大威胁。16. For example, some early societies ceased to consider certain rites essential to their well-being and abandoned them, nevertheless, they retained as parts of their oral tradition the myths that had grown up around the rites and admired them for their artistic qualities rather than for their religious usefulness.短语：cease to：停止（做某事）retain as：将作为保留下来分句：“they retained as parts of their oral tradition the myths that had grown up around the rites”为倒装，实际上即“they retained the myths（that had grown up around the rites）as parts of their oral tradition”;主干：some societies ceased to consider rites essential and abandoned them, nevertheless, they retained myths as oral tradition and admired them释义：例如，一些早期社会不再认为特定仪式与他们的安康息息相关从而抛弃了这些仪式，然而，他们将围绕仪式产生的神话变为口头传授传统的一部分，并且对其所具有的艺术价值而不是宗教价值进行赞美。新托福TPO真题阅读第二周难句汇总TPO2-11. Their streamlined bodies, the absence of hind legs, and the presence of a fluke and blowhole cannot disguise their affinities with land dwelling mammals.短语：cannot disguise their affinities with：不能掩盖它们与的姻亲关系 land dwelling mammals：陆栖哺乳动物释义：鲸类动物的流线型身体，后肢的缺少，三角状尾鳍的存在以及头顶的出气孔（以上都是典型的海洋动物特点）并不能掩盖它们与陆栖哺乳动物的姻亲关系。2.However, unlike the cases of sea otters and pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, and walruses, whose limbs are functional both on land and at sea), it is not easy to envisionwhat the first whales looked like.短语：unlike the case of:与的情况不同 it is not easy to envision:很难想象的样子释义：与海獭和其他鳍足动物不同，人们很难想象最初鲸类的模样。逻辑转换：人们很难想象最初鲸类动物的模样，但与之相反，设想海獭等动物的原始样貌应较为容易。3.How was thegap between a walking mammal and a swimming whale bridged?释义：本段主旨句，提出文章所讨论的中心问题：从陆栖哺乳动物到水生鲸类之间到底是如何进化的？4. Pakicetus was found embedded in rocks formed from river deposits that were 52 million years old.分句：“formed from river deposits that were 52 million years old”：形成于距今52 million年前的河流沉积物中，修饰rocks释义：化石P被发现镶嵌在岩石中，该岩石从距今52 million年前的河流沉积物中演化而来。5. The fossil consists of a complete skull of an archaeocyte, an extinct group of ancestors of modern cetaceans.短语：a complete skull：完整的头骨分句：“an extinct group of ancestors of modern cetaceans”修饰archaeocyte,即archaeocyte是鲸类动物的一种已灭绝的祖先释义：此句为事实1，化石P具有一个完整的鲸类始祖archaeocyte的头骨。6. The skull is cetacean-like but its jawbones lack the enlarged space that is filled with fat or oil and used for receiving underwater sound in modern whales.分句：“that is filled with fat or oil and used for receiving underwater sound in modern whales”部分修饰enlarged space释义：化石P的颚骨（jawbones）缺少现代鲸类具有的扩大性空间，这部分空间通常由脂肪和油脂填充并用来收听水下声音。此句为事实2。7. Pakicetusprobably detected sound through the ear opening as in land mammals.释义：注意probably,此句为猜测1，化石P可能和陆栖动物一样通过耳孔来接受声音。8. The skull also lacks a blowhole, another cetacean adaptation for diving.释义：此句为事实3，P头骨缺少气孔，该气孔是鲸类适应潜水活动的结构。9. Other features, however, show experts thatPakicetusis a transitional form between a group of extinct flesh-eating mammals, the mesonychids, and cetaceans.分句： “a group of extinct flesh-eating mammals”修饰“the mesonychid”，即M动物是一类已灭绝的食肉哺乳动物主干：Pakicetus is a transitional form between the mesonychids and cetaceans释义：此句指明化石P正是食肉哺乳动物M与鲸类的过渡阶段形态，为本段结论。10.It has been suggested thatPakicetusfed on fish in shallow water and was not yet adapted for life in the open ocean.短语：fed on fish：以鱼为食shallow water：浅水区释义：注意suggested,此句为猜测2，即化石P可能生前靠浅水区鱼类为食并尚未适应海洋生活。11. It probably bred and gave birth on land.释义：“it”指代化石P，此句为猜测3，指出Pakicetus可能在陆地繁殖。12.Several skeletons of another early whale, Basilosaurus, were found in sediments left by the Tethys Sea and now exposed in the Sahara desert.词汇：exposed意为“暴露在”，此处指“处于，位于”。分句：“left by the Tethys Sea”修饰sediments,即B骨架发现于T海遗留的沉积物中释义：人们在Tethys海遗留的沉积物中发现了若干Basilosaurus的骨架，这些骨架现在位于撒哈拉沙漠中。13. This whale lived around 40 million years ago, 12 million years afterPakicefus.释义：此句为事实1，即Basilosaurus生活于40 million年前，比化石P晚12 million年。14. Many incomplete skeletons were found but they included, for the first time in an archaeocyte, a complete hind leg that features a foot with three tiny toes.分句：“a complete hind leg that features a foot with three tiny toes”即B具有完全的后肢，包括包括一只脚和三个脚趾释义： 此句为事实2。注意archaeocyte是鲸类动物的一种已灭绝的祖先（已在上段中指出），由此可知原始鲸类Basilosaurus也是archaeocyte进化过程中的阶段性形态。15.Such legs would have been far too small to have supported the 50-foot-longBasilosauruson land.Basilosauruswas undoubtedly a fully marine whale with possibly nonfunctional, or vestigial, hind legs.短语：“nonfunctional, or vestigial, hind legs”：无实用作用的，退化了的后肢。分句：“would have been too small to have supported the 50-foot-longBasilosauruson land”:（这后肢）太小以至于不可能支撑50英尺长的Basilosaurus在陆地活动释义：此句为本段结论，即Basilosaurus绝对已是（undoubtedly）完全的海洋鲸类。16. The now extinct whaleAmbulocetus natanslived in the Tethys Sea 49 million years ago. It lived around 3 million years afterPakicetusbut 9 million beforeBasilosaurus.主干：Ambulocetus natans lived after Pakicetus but before Basilosaurus释义：此句为事实1。指出Ambulocetus natans生活于49million年前的Tethys海中，它晚于Pakicetus 3million 年，但早于Basilosaurus 9 million年。17.The fossil luckily includes a good portion of the hind legs. The legs were strong and ended in long feet very much like those of a modern pinniped. The legs were certainly functional both on land and at sea.短语：a good portion