托福阅读历年真题精选33
Questions 12-20In the early decades of the United States ,the agrarian movement promoted the farmer
as society’s hero. In the minds of agrarian thinkers and writers ,the farmer was a person on whose well-being the health of the new country depended .The period between the
Revolution, which ended in 1783,and the Civil War ,which ended in 1865 ,was the age of
(5 )the farmer in the United States .Agrarian philosophers ,represented most eloquently by
Thomas Jefferson, celebrated farmers extravagantly for their supposed centrality in a good
society, their political virtue ,and their Superior morality .And virtually all policy makers, whether they subscribed to the tenets of the philosophy held by Jefferson or not, recognized agriculture as the key component of the American economy .Consequently ,government at
(10) all levels worked to encourage farmers as a social group and agriculture as economic
enterprise.
Both the national and state governments developed transportation infrastructure,building canals, roads, bridges, and railroads ,deepening harbors ,and removing obstructions from navigable streams .The national government imported plant and animal varieties and
(15) launched exploring expeditions into prospective farmlands in the West .In addition ,
government trade policies facilitated the exporting of agricultural products.
For their part ,farmers seemed to meet the social expectations agrarian philosophers
had for them ,as their broader horizons and greater self-respect, both products of the Revolution ,were reflected to some degree in their behavior .Farmers seemed to become
(20) more scientific ,joining agricultural societies and reading the farm newspapers that sprang
up throughout the country .They began using improved implements, tried new crops and
pure animal breeds , and became more receptive to modern theories of soil improvement .
They also responded to inducements by national and state governments .Farmers
streamed to the West ,filling frontier lands with stunning rapidity .But farmers responded
(25) less to the expectations of agrarians and government inducements than to growing market opportunities .European demand for food from the United States seemed insatiable . War, industrialization , and urbanization all kept demand high in Europe . United States cities
and industries grew as well; even industries not directly related to farming thrived because
of the market, money ,and labor that agriculture provided .
12.What does the passage mainly discuss?
(a)The agrarian philosophy of Thomas Jefferson
(b)The role of the national government in the development of agriculture
(c)Improvements in farming techniques
(d)The impact of the increased importance of the farmer
托福阅读历年真题精选33
13.The word “depended” in line 3 is closest in meaning to</p>(a)improved(b)relied
(c)demanded
(d)explained
14.The author mentions Thomas Jefferson in paragraph 1 as an example of
(a)a leader during the Revolution
(b)an inventor of new farming techniques
(c)a philosopher who believed farmers were essential to the creation of a good society
(d)a farmer who guided the agrarian movement toward an emphasis on economic development
15.The phrase “subscribed to” in line 8 is closest in meaning to
(a)contributed to
(b)agreed with
(c)thought about
(d)expanded on
16.Which of the following statements is supported by the information in paragraph 1?
(a)All government policy makers accepted Jefferson’s views of agriculture and farmers.
(b)Agricultural production declined between 1783 and 1861.
(c)The majority of farmers worked for the government.
(d)Agriculture was a vital part of the nation’s economy.
17.According to the passage , the national and state governments did all of the following EXCEPT
(a)build roads
(b)import new plant varieties
(c)give farmers money for their crops
(d)develop policies that helped farmers export their products
18.All of the following are mentioned as examples of farmers’ meeting the expectations of agrarian philosophers EXCEPT
(a)obtaining information from farm newspapers
(b)accumulating personal wealth
(c)planting new crops
(d)becoming more scientific
19.The word “stunning” in line 24 is closest in meaning to
(a)predictable
(b)impressive
(c)famous
(d)gradual
20.Which of the following statements is best supported by paragraph 4?
(a)Agricultural development contributed to development in other parts of the economy.
(b)European agricultural products were of a higher quality than those produced in the United States.
(c)The growing settlement of the West led to a decrease in agricultural production.
(d)Farmers were influenced more by government policies than by market opportunities.
页:
[1]