官方真题Official3托福阅读Passage2原文文本+真题+答案解析

官方真题Official3托福阅读Passage2题目

Question 1 of 14

According to paragraph 1, which of the following statements about the High Plains is true?

A. Until farmers and ranchers settled there in the 1880s, the High Plains had never been inhabited..

B. The climate of the High Plains is characterized by higher-than-average temperatures..

C. The large aquifer that lies underneath the High Plains was discovered by the Ogallala Sioux Indians..

D. Before the early 1900s there was only a small amount of farming and ranching in the High Plains..

Question 2 of 14

According to paragraph 2, all of the following statements about the Ogallala aquifer are true EXCEPT:

A. The aquifer stretches from South Dakota to Texas..

B. The aquifer’s water comes from underground springs..

C. Water has been gathering in the aquifer for 30,000 years..

D. The aquifer’s water is stored in a layer of sandstone..

Question 3 of 14

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.

A. Despite the current impressive size of the Ogallala aquifer, the region’s climate keeps the rates of water addition very small..

B. Although the aquifer has been adding water at the rate of only half a centimeter a year, it will eventually accumulate enough water of fill Lake Huron..

C. Because of the region’s present climatic conditions, water is being added each year to the aquifer..

D. Even when the region experiences unfortunate climatic conditions, the rates of addition of water continue to increase..

Question 4 of 14

The word “ensuing ” in the passage is closest in meaning to

A. continuing.

B. surprising.

C. initial.

D. subsequent.

Question 5 of 14

In paragraph 3, why does the author provide the information that 40 percent of American cattle are fattened in the High Plains?

A. To suggest that crop cultivation is not the most important part of the economy of the High Plains.

B. To indicate that not all economic activity in the High Plains is dependent on irrigation.

C. To provide another example of how water from the Ogallala has transformed the economy of the High Plains.

D. To contrast cattle-fattening practices in the High Plains with those used in other region of the United States.

Question 6 of 14

The word “unprecedented ” in the passage is closest in meaning to

A. difficult to control.

B. without any restriction.

C. unlike anything in the past.

D. rapidly expanding.

Question 7 of 14

The word “virtually ” in the passage is closest in meaning to

A. clearly.

B. perhaps.

C. frequently.

D. almost.

Question 8 of 14

According to paragraph 4, all of following are consequences of the heavy use of the Ogallala aquifer for irrigation EXCEPT:

A. The recharge rate of the aquifer is decreasing..

B. Water tables in the region are becoming increasingly lower..

C. Wells now have to be dug to much greater depths than before..

D. Increasingly powerful pumps are needed to draw water from the aquifer..

Question 9 of 14

According to paragraph 4, compared with all other states that use Ogallala water for irrigation, Texas

A. has the greatest amount of farmland being irrigated with Ogallala water.

B. contains the largest amount of Ogallala water underneath the soil.

C. is expected to face the worst water supply crisis as the Ogallala runs dry.

D. uses the least amount of Ogallala water for its irrigation needs.

Question 10 of 14

The word “inevitable ” in the passage is closest in meaning to

A. unfortunate.

B. predictable.

C. unavoidable.

D. final.

Question 11 of 14

Paragraph 5 mentions which of the following as a source of difficulty for some farmers who try to conserve water?

A. Crops that do not need much water are difficult to grow in the High Plains..

B. Farmers who grow crops that need a lot of water make higher profits..

C. Irrigating less frequently often leads to crop failure..

D. Few farmers are convinced that the aquifer will eventually run dry..

Question 12 of 14

According to paragraph 6, what is the main disadvantage of the proposed plans to transport river water to the High Plains?

A. The rivers cannot supply sufficient water for the farmer’s needs..

B. Increased irrigation costs would make the products too expensive..

C. The costs of using capillary water for irrigation will increase..

D. Farmers will be forced to switch to genetically engineered crops..

Question 13 of 14

Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?.

But even if uncooperative farmers were to join in the conservation efforts, this would only delay the depletion of the aquifer..

Question 14 of 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. The Ogallala aquifer is a large underground source of water in the High Plains region of the United States. .

A.The use of the Ogallala for irrigation has allowed the High Plains to become one of the most productive agricultural regions in the United States..

B.Given the aquifer’s low recharge rate, its use for irrigation is causing water tables to drop and will eventually lead to its depletion..

C.Releasing capillary water and introducing drought-resistant crops are less-promising solutions to the water supply crisis than bringing in river water.

D.The periodic deepening of wells and the use of more-powerful pumps would help increase the natural recharge rate of the Ogallala..

E.In Texas, a great deal of attention is being paid to genetic engineering because it is there that the most critical situation exists..

F.Several solutions to the upcoming water supply crisis have been proposed, but none of them promises to keep the costs of irrigation low..

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