Lesson 2

听力部分

听力练习

一级练习：［难度系数★］

本课的主题“spiders”在六级听力里出现。先听一段简单的文章，试一试！

1. A. How to handle spiders.

B. Spiders in the United States.

C. People's fear of spiders.

D. A special kind of spider.

2. A. Most spiders will not bite even when handled.

B. Most spiders are poisonous and dangerous.

C. Most spiders are likely to attack people.

D. Most spiders have sharp eyes.

3. A. Because she cannot find a husband for herself.

B. Because the female spider is larger than the male one.

C. Because the female spider often eats her husband.

D. Because she is a black female spider.

［六级真题］

听力原文如下：

You should not fear spiders because of their poison. Of all the spiders in North America, only one kind is very dangerous and most would not bite even if they were handled. They much prefer to run away or to drop to the ground on a thread of silk. Even so, when a spider runs directly toward a person, it gives the impression that it is about to attack. Actually, it cannot see the person in its way. The spider is too short-sighted to see things at a distance. It only wants to go where it won't be disturbed. In the United States one kind of spider is responsible for the frightening reputation of the rest. It is the Black Widow. So called because the female, which is larger than the male, often eats her husband after making love. The Black Widow is found in all states but is most common in the south and the west. She constructs a loose, irregular web under a pile of rowans or near the foundations of buildings where she is seldom disturbed. She is not an attacking spider and many people have proven this by letting her crawl over their hands. When she bites, it is usually in self-defense. In spite of the stories you may have heard, it is rare for a person to be bitten by a Black Widow and even more unusual for the bite to prove fatal. But remember that her poison is powerful and even though she is shy, she should be respected.

Q:

1. What is this passage mainly about?

2. What do we learn about the spiders from the passage?

3. Why is the spider you just heard about called the Black Widow?

二级练习：［难度系数★★］

本次的主题“spiders”在较长的TOEFL听力段落题里出现。依然是你熟悉的主题和词汇，挑战一下吧！

1. A. How most species of spiders reproduce.

B. How one species of spider feeds its young.

C. How spiders defend their territory.

D. How Darwin experimented with spiders.

2. A. They eat one another.

B. They eat insects that they catch.

C. They build a new nest.

D. They are attacked by other species of spiders.

3. A. No two members of a species are exactly alike.

B. A single species may evolve into two separate species.

C. Primitive life-forms evolve into more advanced life-forms.

D. The survival of the strongest in a species contributes to the survival of that species.

［TOEFL真题］

听力原文如下：

Before moving on to a new topic, I want to finish up our unit on arachnid, by looking at what may seem a very unusual aspect of spider behavior—a species where the young spiders actually consume the body of their mother. Unlike most other spiders this species lays one—and only one—clutch of forty eggs in a life time. The young spiders hatch in mid-spring or early summer inside a nest of eucalyptus leaves. Their mother spends the warm summer months bringing home large insects—often ten times their weight—for meals. The catch is always significantly more than her young spiders can eat. So the mother fattens herself up on this extra prey, and stores the nutrients in her extra unfertilized eggs. As the weather turns colder, there are fewer insect prey to hunt. That's when the nutrients stored in those extra eggs begin to seep into the mother's blood stream. So when there are no more insects to feed their young spiders, they attach themselves to the mother's leg joints and draw nourishment by sucking the nutrient-rich blood. After several weeks, the mother is depleted of all nutrients and she dies. But then how do the young get nourishment? They start to feed on one another. Now if you recall our discussion of Darwin, you'll see the evolutionary value of this. Only the strongest spiders of the clutch will survive this cannibalism. And the mother spider will ensure that her genes have an increased chance of survival through future generations.

Q:

1. What is the talk mainly about?

2. What happens after the mother of the young spiders dies?

3. What idea of Darwin does the professor relate to the spider's behavior?

听说练习

一级练习：听写填空［难度系数★］

本次的主题“spiders”在段落听写练习里出现。在这里我们加大了段落题的难度，加入了口语练习，但录音的速度适当放慢了。依然是你所熟悉的主题和词汇，先用听写填空的方式挑战一下吧！

Contrary to popular belief, ______________________________________. Of the 40,000 species of spiders, only about ________ produce bites that ______________. Spiders rarely attack humans unless ________________, and if they do bite, ________________________. There is absolutely no reason ____________________________ __________ if you have spiders in your house. As an old English saying goes, “________________________________________!”

二级练习：口语复读与背诵［难度系数★★］

听写填空练习的答案是“spiders”主题的关键表达，一定要积累成自己的口语素材。在今后同类主题的听力口语考试中，回忆起来，从容应对。

第一步：看着上面的听力原文跟读一遍。

第二步：自己试着完整地背诵一遍。（计时3分钟，背诵开始…）

词汇部分

一级练习：［难度系数★］

本课新学的词汇出现在六级考试中。这些词汇如果在题干里出现，是否减轻了你的阅读负担呢？如果在选项里出现（可它们不一定是正确选项），你能选对吗？试一试吧！

临考情境模拟：每题控制在1分钟内，本级测试限时4分钟，请把计时器调到4分钟。计时开始！

考查词汇：insect

1. It is a common theme in many fiction stories that the world may one day be ______ by insects.

A. broken in

B. run over

C. taken over

D. filled in

［六级真题］

考查词汇：terminate

2. It is unfortunate that, owing to lack of money, these experiments must now be ______ before the objective has been achieved.

A. transferred

B. testified

C. terminated

D. transformed

［六级真题］

3. If we ______ our relations with that country, we'll have to find another supplier of raw materials.

A. diffuse

B. diminish

C. terminate

D. preclude

［六级真题］

考查词汇：authorize

4. Some American colleges are state-supported, others are privately ______, and still others are supported by religious organizations.

A. ensured

B. attributed

C. authorized

D. endowed

［六级真题］

二级练习：［难度系数★★］

这次新学的词汇在考研考试里出现，挑战一下吧！

临考情境模拟：每题控制在2分钟内，本级测试限时3分钟，请把计时器调到6分钟。计时开始！

改错题

［考研真题］

［考研真题］

选择题

3. He is planning another tour abroad, yet his passport will ______ at the end of this month.

A. expire

B. exceed

C. terminate

D. cease

［考研真题］

阅读部分

一级练习：［难度系数★］

本课的主题在TOEFL阅读里出现。下面的文章和题目中有你熟悉的主题和词汇，试一试！

临考情境模拟：请在5分钟内读完文章，6分钟做完题。请把计时器调到11分钟。计时开始！

Fungi, of which there are over 100,000 species, including yeasts and other single-celled organisms as well as the common molds and mushrooms, were formerly classified as members of the plant kingdom. However, in reality they are very different from plants and today they are placed in a separate group altogether. The principal reason for this is that none of them possesses chlorophyll, and since they cannot synthesize their own carbohydrates, they obtain their supplies either from the breakdown of dead organic matter or from other living organisms. Furthermore, the walls of fungal cells are not made of cellulose, as those of plants are, but of another complex sugar-like polymer called chitin, the material from which the hard outer skeletons of shrimps, spiders, and insects are made. The difference between the chemical composition of the cell walls of fungi and those of plants is of enormous importance because it enables the tips of the growing hyphae, the threadlike cells of the fungus, to secrete enzymes that break down the walls of plant cells without having any effect on those of the fungus itself. It is these cellulose-destroying enzymes that enable fungi to attack anything made from wood, wood pulp, cotton, flax, or other plant material. The destructive power of fungi is impressive. They are a major cause of structural damage to building timbers, a cause of disease in animals and humans, and one of the greatest causes of agricultural losses. Entire crops can be wiped out by fungal attacks both before and after harvesting. Some fungi can grow at +50℃, while others can grow at -5℃, so even food in cold storage may not be completely safe from them. On the other hand, fungi bring about the decomposition of dead organic matter, thus enriching the soil and returning carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. They also enter into a number of mutually beneficial relationships with plants and other organisms. In addition, fungi are the source of many of the most potent antibiotics used in clinical medicine, including penicillin.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. Differences between simple and complex fungi.

B. Functions of chlorophyll in plants.

C. Functions of sugar in the walls of fungal cells.

D. Differences between fungi and plants.

2. Which of the following is mentioned as a major change in how scientists approach the study of fungi?

A. Fungi are no longer classified as plants.

B. Some single-celled organisms are no longer classified as fungi.

C. New methods of species identification have been introduced.

D. Theories about the chemical composition of fungi have been revised.

3. The word “principal” in line 3 is closest in meaning to ______.

A. true

B. main

C. logical

D. obvious

4. According to the passage, how do fungi obtain carbohydrates?

A. They absorb carbohydrates from their own cell walls.

B. They synthesize chlorophyll to produce carbohydrates.

C. They produce carbohydrates by breaking down chitin.

D. They acquire carbohydrates from other organic matter, both living and dead.

5. The passage mentions shrimps, spiders, and insects in line 7 because their skeletons ______.

A. can be destroyed by fungi

B. have unusual chemical compositions

C. contain a material found in the walls of fungal cells

D. secrete the same enzymes as the walls of fungal cells do

6. Which of the following terms is defined in the passage?

A. “chlorophyll” （line 4）

B. “polymer” （line 6）

C. “hyphae” （line 9）

D. “enzymes” （line 9）

7. The word “those” in line 8 refers to ______.

A. tips

B. hyphae

C. enzymes

D. walls

8. Fungi have all of the following characteristics EXCEPT ______.

A. they grow hyphae

B. they secrete enzymes

C. they synthesize cellulose

D. they destroy crops

9. The word “entire” in line 13 is closest in meaning to ______.

A. certain

B. whole

C. mature

D. diseased

10. The passage describes the negative effects of fungi on all the following EXCEPT ______.

A. buildings

B. animals

C. food

D. soil

11. The phrase “bring about” in line 15 is closest in meaning to ______.

A. cause

B. join

C. take

D. include

12. The passage mentions “penicillin” in line 18 as an example of ______.

A. a medicine derived from plants

B. a beneficial use of fungi

C. a product of the relationship between plants and fungi

D. a type of fungi that grows at extreme temperatures

［TOEFL真题］

二级练习：［难度系数★★］

这次主题在较难的TOEFL阅读里出现。依然是你熟悉的主题和词汇，挑战一下吧！

临考情境模拟：请在5分钟内读完文章，4分钟做完题。请把计时器调到9分钟。计时开始！

Butterflies are among the most extensively studied insects—it is estimated that 90 percent of the world's species have scientific names. As a consequence, they are perhaps the best group of insects for examining patterns of terrestrial（陆地的） biotic（生物的） diversity and distribution. Butterflies also have a favorable image with the general public. Hence, they are an excellent group for communicating information on science and conservation issues such as diversity.

Perhaps the aspect of butterfly diversity that has received the most attention over the past century is the striking difference in species richness between tropical and temperate （温和的） regions. For example, in 1875 one biologist pointed out the diversity of butterflies in the Amazon when he mentioned that about 700 species were found within an hour's walk, whereas the total number found on the British islands did not exceed 66, and the whole of Europe supported only 321. This early comparison of tropical and temperate butterfly richness has been well confirmed （确定）.

A general theory of diversity would have to predict not only this difference between temperate and tropical zones, but also patterns within each region, and how these patterns vary among different animal and plant groups. However, for butterflies, variation of species richness within temperate or tropical regions, rather than between them, is poorly understood. Indeed, comparisons of numbers of species among the Amazon basin, tropical Asia, and Africa are still mostly “personal communication” citations （引用）, even for vertebrates （脊椎动物）. In other words, unlike comparison between temperate and tropical areas, these patterns are still in the documentation phase. In documenting geographical variation in butterfly diversity, some arbitrary （武断的）, practical decisions are made. Diversity, number of species, and species richness are used synonymously （同义地）; little is known about the evenness （平均） of butterfly distribution. The New World butterflies make up the preponderance（优势） of examples because they are the most familiar species. It is hoped that by focusing on them, the errors generated by imperfect and incomplete taxonomy （分类法） will be minimized.

1. Which aspect of butterflies does the passage mainly discuss?

A. Their physical characteristics.

B. Their names.

C. Their adaptation to different habitats.

D. Their variety.

2. The word “consequence” in line 2, para. 1 is closest in meaning to ______.

A. result

B. explanation

C. analysis

D. requirement

3. Butterflies are a good example for communicating information about conservation issues because they ______.

A. are simple in structure

B. are viewed positively by people

C. have been given scientific names

D. are found mainly in temperate climates

4. The word “striking” in line 2, para. 2 is closest in meaning to ______.

A. physical

B. confusing

C. noticeable

D. successful

5. The word “exceed” in line 4, para. 2 is closest in meaning to ______.

A. locate

B. allow

C. go beyond

D. come close to

6. All of the following are mentioned as being important parts of a general theory of diversity EXCEPT ______.

A. differences between temperate and tropical zones

B. patterns of distribution of species in each region

C. migration among temperate and tropical zones

D. variation of patterns of distribution of species among different animals and plants

7. The author mentions tropical Asia in line 4, para. 3 as an example of a location where ______.

A. butterfly behavior varies with climate

B. a general theory of butterfly diversity has not yet been firmly established

C. butterflies are affected by human populations

D. documenting plant species is more difficult than documenting butterfly species

8. Which of the following is NOT well understood by biologists?

A. European butterfly habitats.

B. Differences in species richness between temperate and tropical regions.

C. Differences in species richness within a temperate or a tropical region.

D. Comparisons of behavior patterns of butterflies and certain animal groups.

9. The word “generated” in line 10, para. 3 is closest in meaning to ______.

A. requested

B. caused

C. assisted

D. estimated

［TOEFL真题］

写作部分

本文讲述了野生动物的重要性，涉及非常重要的动物保护问题，这里给大家提供这方面的写作素材，方便大家积累下来，在以后遇到的野生动物的话题中结合课文使用。

真题举例：

投资野生动物，还是投资人类？

写作素材：

Animal Protection

I was distressed beyond description when I learned the other day that tens of wild bears had been illegally captivated and had their bile wretchedly extracted twice a day in Sichuan Province, Southwestern China, till they were rescued by animal conservationists. Such a barbarity makes it easier for us to answer the question as to whether we should continue to invest more on protection of wild animals.

The fundamental importance of protecting wild fauna falls into two categories. Firstly, to protect wild animals serves the interest of humanity directly. Human survival has, so to speak, always hinged on the assistance of wild animals. Who would claim the invention of submarines has nothing to do with fish? Who would deny birds diligently disperse seed for us, and mammals, or practically all animals, are excellent fertilizer agents? And who would still neglect the relationship between human life and equilibrium of ecosystem, in which wild animals play a crucial role? Secondly, protecting wild animals can produce economic benefits. As the number of people who look for natural reserves for getting close to wild animals increases, the maintenance of wild fauna also provides tourist exploitation. Bird watching, for example, is gaining in popularity among those who are in want of fresh air, blue sky, and the sound of nature.

All these being said, I am by no means saying we should not spend money on human population. Our entry into a new millennium presents us with no less problems waiting to be solved: alleviating poverty, combating AIDS, reducing drug abuse, embracing globalization, and so on. They take a large sum of money, and certainly are worthy of it.

In general, while we continue to create greater peace and harmony for mankind, the money spent on animals should never be curtailed.