托福TPO41閱讀真題解析：Passage 2

TPO，即toefl Practice Online的首寫字母，就是托福在線練習(xí)的意思，TPO可以為考生提供全真的模擬考試環(huán)境和過往真題，而TPO題庫也是有著不斷的更新。在托福閱讀的備考過程中，除了大量的閱讀之外，全面了解托福閱讀的題型和解題方法也都是非常重要的環(huán)節(jié)。而對于很多備考托福的學(xué)生來說，TPO往往就是一個首先的備考材料。今天，小編就為大家?guī)�來托福TPO41閱讀真題解析：Passage 2。

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Trade and Early State Formation

Paragraph 1
Bartering was a basic trade mechanism for many thousands of years; often sporadic and usually based on notions of reciprocity, it involved the mutual exchange of commodities or objects between individuals or groups. Redistribution of these goods through society lay in the hands of chiefs, religious leaders, or kin groups. Such redistribution was a basic element in chiefdoms. The change from redistribution to formal trade—often based on regulated commerce that perhaps involved fixed prices and even currency—was closely tied to growing political and social complexity and hence to the development of the state in the ancient world.

1. The word "notions" in the passage is closest in meaning to 【詞匯題】
A. ideas
B. rules
C. degrees
D. traditions
答案：A

解析：notions, 概念，見解，打算。
Ideas, 概念，想法。Rules, 規(guī)則，條例。Degrees, 程度，等級。 Traditions, 慣例，傳統(tǒng)。
所以A選項正確。

2. According to paragraph 1, what development occurred as political and social complexity increased?【事實信息題】
A. The prices of most commodities rose.
B. Formal trade emerged.
C. Chiefs became more powerful
D. Bartering became the preferred means of trade.
答案：B

解析：根據(jù)題干中的“political and social complexity”,定位至最后一句話。根據(jù)原文“The change from redistribution to formal trade”, B選項為同義替換，正式貿(mào)易的出現(xiàn)，因此選項B正確。

Paragraph 2
In the 1970s, a number of archaeologists gave trade a primary role in the rise of ancient states. British archaeologist Colin Renfrew attributed the dramatic flowering of the Minoan civilization on Crete and through the Aegean to intensified trading contacts and to the impact of olive and vine cultivation on local communities. As agricultural economies became more diversified and local food supplies could be purchased both locally and over longer distances, a far-reaching economic interdependence resulted. Eventually, this led to redistribution systems for luxuries and basic commodities, systems that were organized and controlled by Minoan rulers from their palaces. As time went on, the self-sufficiency of communities was replaced by mutual dependence. Interest in long­-distance trade brought about some cultural homogeneity from trade and gift exchange, and perhaps even led to piracy. Thus, intensified trade and interaction, and the flowering of specialist crafts, in a complex process of positive feedback, led to much more complex societies based on palaces, which were the economic hubs of a new Minoan civilization.

3. The word “diversified” in the passage is closest in meaning to 【詞匯題】
A. organized
B. selective
C. varied
D. efficient
答案：C

解析：diversified, 多樣化的，各種的。
Organized, 有組織的，安排有秩序的。Selective, 選擇性的。Varied, 多變的，各式各樣的。Efficient, 有效率的。因此C選項正確。

4. According to paragraph 2, which of the following controlled the systems of redistribution of goods in ancient Crete? 【事實信息題】
A. Local community leaders
B. Olive growers
C. Minoan rulers
D. Long-distance traders
答案：C

解析：根據(jù)原文第四句話“Eventually, this led to redistribution systems for luxuries and basic commodities, systems that were organized and controlled by Minoan rulers from their palaces. ”可知此系統(tǒng)由Minoan rulers控制，因此C選項正確。

5. According to paragraph 2, Renfrew believed that one effect of long-distance trade in the Aegean was 【事實信息題】
A. a greater effort to control piracy
B. greater cultural similarity throughout the region
C. a decline in local olive production
D. a decline in the use of luxuries for gift exchanges
答案：B

解析：根據(jù)原文第六句話“Interest in long­-distance trade brought about some cultural homogeneity from trade and gift exchange”, 其中的cultural homogeneity意為文化趨同，和B選項中的cultural similarity互為同意，因此B選項正確。

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Paragraph 3
Renfrew’s model made some assumptions that are now discounted. For example, he argued that the introduction of domesticated vines and olives allowed a substantial expansion of land under cultivation and helped to power the emergence of complex society. Many archaeologists and paleobotanists now question this view, pointing out that the available evidence for cultivated vines and olives suggests that they were present only in the later Bronze Age. Trade, nevertheless, was probably one of many variables that led to the emergence of palace economies in Minoan Crete.

6. According to paragraph 3, what was a major problem with Renfrew’s model? 【事實信息題】
A. He overlooked the fact that only the Minoan palaces had access to domesticated vines and olives.
B. He wrongly assumed that the introduction of domesticated vines and olives led to the cultivation of more land.
C. Trade in domesticated plants was much more important to the emergence of Minoan palace economies than he thought.
D. Domesticated vines and olives do not appear to have been available as early as he thought
答案：D

解析：根據(jù)原文第三句話“pointing out that the available evidence for cultivated vines and olives suggests that they were present only in the later Bronze Age.”可知D選項為同意替換，家養(yǎng)的葡萄藤和橄欖沒有Renfrew預(yù)想中出現(xiàn)的那么早。其中they were present only in the later Bronze Age對應(yīng)D選項中的do not appear to have been available as early as he thought. 所以D選項正確。

Paragraph 4
American archaeologist William Rathje developed a hypothesis that considered an explosion in long-distance exchange a fundamental cause of Mayan civilization in Mesoamerica. He suggested that the lowland Mayan environment was deficient in many vital resources, among them obsidian, salt, stone for grinding maize, and many luxury materials. All these could be obtained from the nearby highlands, from the Valley of Mexico, and from other regions, if the necessary trading networks came into being. Such connections, and the trading expeditions to maintain them, could not be organized by individual villages. The Maya lived in a relatively uniform environment, where every community suffered from the same resource deficiencies. Thus, argued Rathje, long­-distance trade networks were organized through local ceremonial centers and their leaders. In time, this organization became a state, and knowledge of its functioning was exportable, as were pottery, tropical bird feathers, specialized stone materials, and other local commodities.

7. According to paragraph 4, which of the following was true about ancient Mayan communities?【事實信息題】
A. They each created their own separate trading networks with communities in the nearby highlands.
B. They all had many luxury materials that they were able to trade for resources that they lacked.
C. They all needed to obtain a number of important materials through trade with other regions.
D. They all gradually reduced their trading activities with communities in the Valley of Mexico and developed trading networks with other regions.
答案：C

解析：根據(jù)原文第三句話“All these could be obtained from the nearby highlands, from the Valley of Mexico, and from other regions,” 可明顯看出選項C為同意替換，其中from other regions對應(yīng)C選項中的 with other regions. 因此選項C正確。

8. What can be inferred from the fact that the Maya lived in a “relatively uniform environment”? 【推理題】
A. The communities could not obtain resources they lacked by trading with each other.
B. The communities’ ceremonial centers were all organized in much the same way.
C. Increased competition between the communities to export their local commodities expanded commercial networks beyond the nearby highlands.
D. Different communities tended to specialize in the production of different commodities.
答案：A

解析：因為瑪雅人都居住在一個相對統(tǒng)一的環(huán)境中，所以肯定無法與彼此進行貿(mào)易往來以獲取所需資源，所以A選項正確。

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Paragraph 5
Rathje’s hypothesis probably explains part of the complex process of Mayan state formation, but it suffers from the objection that suitable alternative raw materials can be found in the lowlands. It could be, too, that warfare became a competitive response to population growth and to the increasing scarcity of prime agricultural land, and that it played an important role in the emergence of the Mayan states.
Paragraph 4
American archaeologist William Rathje developed a hypothesis that considered an explosion in long-distance exchange a fundamental cause of Mayan civilization in Mesoamerica. He suggested that the lowland Mayan environment was deficient in many vital resources, among them obsidian, salt, stone for grinding maize, and many luxury materials. All these could be obtained from the nearby highlands, from the Valley of Mexico, and from other regions, if the necessary trading networks came into being. Such connections, and the trading expeditions to maintain them, could not be organized by individual villages. The Maya lived in a relatively uniform environment, where every community suffered from the same resource deficiencies. Thus, argued Rathje, long­-distance trade networks were organized through local ceremonial centers and their leaders. In time, this organization became a state, and knowledge of its functioning was exportable, as were pottery, tropical bird feathers, specialized stone materials, and other local commodities.

9. The word “prime” in the passage is closest in meaning to 【詞匯題】
A. low-lying
B. easily accessible
C. unused
D. high-quality
答案：D

解析：prime,主要的，最好的。
Low-lying, 低洼的。Easily accessible, 容易進入的。Unused, 未使用的。High-quality, 高質(zhì)量的。因此D選項正確。

10. What is the role of paragraph 5 in relation to paragraph 4? 【組織結(jié)構(gòu)題】
A. It restates the hypothesis presented in paragraph 4 and reinforces it with further evidence.
B. It presents evidence that the hypothesis discussed in paragraph 4 confuses cause and effect.
C. It presents a critical assessment of the hypothesis presented in paragraph 4.
D. It explains how the hypothesis discussed in paragraph 4 was initially formulated.
答案：C

解析：在第五段中，作者說Rathje的假設(shè)或許可以解釋瑪雅形成的復(fù)雜過程中的一部分，但是它也承受著可以在低地找到原材料合適的替代品的異議。所以可以看出作者的態(tài)度是帶有批判性的，因此C選項正確。

Paragraph 6
Now that we know much more about ancient exchange and commerce, we know that, because no one aspect of trade was an overriding cause of cultural change or evolution in commercial practices, trade can never be looked on as a unifying factor or as a primary agent of ancient civilization. Many ever-changing variables affected ancient trade, among them the demand for goods. There were also the logistics of transportation, the extent of the trading network, and the social and political environment. Intricate market networks channeled supplies along well-defined routes. Authorities at both ends might regulate the profits fed back to the source, providing the incentive for further transactions. There may or may not have been a market organization. Extensive long­-distance trade was a consequence rather than a cause of complex societies.

11. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information. 【句子簡化題】
A. We now know that ancient trade cannot be considered a main factor in the rise of civilization, because no one aspect of it caused change in culture or commercial practices.
B. We now know that the growth of civilization was an important factor in causing cultural change and in improving commercial practices.
C. We now know much more about how ancient trade and commerce led to cultural changes and the evolution of commercial practices.
D. We now know much more about the main factors and agents that led to ancient civilization, because we know what aspects of trade affected culture and commercial practices.
答案：A

解析：highlighted部分意為，現(xiàn)在我們已經(jīng)了解了更多關(guān)于古代交換和貿(mào)易的內(nèi)容，我們知道因為沒有一個單一方面的貿(mào)易可以作為文化改變或者商業(yè)實踐中的演變最重要的原因，貿(mào)易永遠不會被視為一個統(tǒng)一因子或者是一個古代文明的重要媒介。因此根據(jù)句子主干，只有A選項符合。

12. According to paragraph 6, all of the following statements about trade in ancient civilizations are true EXCEPT: 【否定事實信息題】
A. The spread of trade was influenced by many variables, none of which was the main cause.
B. Political conditions were more important than demand for goods in the development of trade.
C. Some markets had clearly established trading routes.
D. The regulation of profits provided incentives for future trade.
答案：B

解析：根據(jù)原文第三句話“There were also the logistics of transportation, the extent of the trading network, and the social and political environment.”可知，商業(yè)網(wǎng)以及社會與政治環(huán)境的重要性是并列的，并且均沒有對商品的需求更加重要。因此選擇B選項。

13. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage. 【句子插入題】
But demand for locally unobtainable resources was clearly only a part of the story.
Where would the sentence best fit? Click on a square [■] to add the sentence to the passage.
Now that we know much more about ancient exchange and commerce, we know that, because no one aspect of trade was an overriding cause of cultural change or evolution in commercial practices, trade can never be looked on as a unifying factor or as a primary agent of ancient civilization. [■] Many ever-changing variables affected ancient trade, among them the demand for goods. [■] There were also the logistics of transportation, the extent of the trading network, and the social and political environment. [■] Intricate market networks channeled supplies along well-defined routes. [■] Authorities at both ends might regulate the profits fed back to the source, providing the incentive for further transactions. There may or may not have been a market organization. Extensive long­-distance trade was a consequence rather than a cause of complex societies.
答案：B

解析：B選項的句子列舉了運輸物流，商業(yè)網(wǎng)的延伸，以及社會和政治環(huán)境。均為待插入句子中所提及的本地難以獲得的資源。所以選擇B選項。

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 2 points.【概要小結(jié)題】
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.
Various attempts have been made to explore the role that trade played in the rise of ancient states.
Answer Choices
A. Barter, a basic trade mechanism that involved the direct exchange of goods or services, depended on a high degree of social complexity.
B. It was only in the 1970s that most archaeologists began to realize that the long-distance trade typical of Minoan communities varied significantly from that of lowland Mayan communities.
C. Renfrew and Rathje are recognized today for having correctly analyzed the basic relationship between trade and the emergence of states, even though they were wrong about many details.
D. Renfrew suggested that an organized state emerged in Minoan Crete because of intensified trade, but current views indicate that trade was probably only one of many variables.
E. Rathje's hypothesis that long-distance trade led to the emergence of a Mayan state has been objected to, and it is argued that other factors such as warfare may have played an important role too.
F. Current views indicate that trade was not the most important agent of ancient civilization and that long-distance trade was a result rather than a cause of complex societies.
答案：D, E, F

解析：根據(jù)原文第一段可看出，bartering與社會的復(fù)雜程度是緊密相關(guān)的，was closely tied to growing political and social complexity, 并非完全依賴于此。并且A選項過于細節(jié)，不屬于文章主旨。所以A選項錯誤。
根據(jù)1970s定位至原文第二段，發(fā)現(xiàn)文中并未提及Minoan communities與lowland Mayan communities之間典型的長途貿(mào)易的差別。所以B選項錯誤。
文章并沒有說Renfrew 和Rathje的理論中的細節(jié)是錯誤的。所以C選項錯誤。
根據(jù)原文Trade, nevertheless, was probably one of many variables that led to the emergence of palace economies in Minoan Crete.所以D選項正確。
根據(jù)原文Rathje’s hypothesis probably explains part of the complex process of Mayan state formation, but it suffers from the objection that suitable alternative raw materials can be found in the lowlands. It could be, too, that warfare became a competitive response to population growth and to the increasing scarcity of prime agricultural land, and that it played an important role in the emergence of the Mayan states.其中but it suffers from the objection對應(yīng)E選項中的has been objected to. 所以E選項正確。
根據(jù)原文because no one aspect of trade was an overriding cause of cultural change or evolution in commercial practices, trade can never be looked on as a unifying factor or as a primary agent of ancient civilization.和Extensive long­-distance trade was a consequence rather than a cause of complex societies.可知F選項正確。

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