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1、 为了帮助大家高效备考托福， 为大家带来托福 TPO43 阅读 Passage3 原文文本+题目+答案 解析，希望对大家备考有所帮助。 El Nino The cold Humboldt Current of the Pacific Ocean flows toward the equator along the coasts of Ecuador and Peru in South America.When the current approaches the equator,the westward-flowing trade winds cause nutrient-rich cold
2、water along the coast to rise from deeper depths to more shallow ones.This upwelling of water has economic repercussions.Fishing,especially for anchovies,is a major local industry. Every year during the months of December and January,a weak,warm countercurrent replaces the normally cold coastal wate
3、rs.Without the upwelling of nutrients from below to feed the fish,fishing comes to a standstill.Fishers in this region have known the phenomenon for hundreds of years.In fact,this is the time of year they traditionally set aside to tend to their equipment and await the return of cold water.The resid
4、ents of the region have given this phenomenon the name of El Nino,which is Spanish for“the child”,because it occurs at about the time of the celebration of birth of the Christ child. While the warm-water countercurrent usually lasts for two months or less,there are occasions when the disruption to t
5、he normal flow lasts for many months.In these situations,water temperatures are raised not just along the coast,but for thousands of kilometers offshore.Over the last few decades,the term El Nino has come to be used to describe these exceptionally strong episodes and not the annual event.During the
6、past 60 years,at least ten El Ninos have been observed.Not only do El Ninos affect the temperature of the equatorial Pacific,but the strongest of them impact global weather. The processes that interact to produce an El Nino involve conditions all across the Pacific,not just in the waters off South A
7、merica.Over 60 years ago,Sir Gilbert Walker,a British scientist,discovered a connection between surface pressure readings at weather stations on the eastern and western sides of the Pacific.He noted that a rise in atmospheric pressure in the eastern Pacific is usually accompanied by a fall in pressu
8、re in the western Pacific and vice versa.He called this seesaw pattern the Southern Oscillation.It was later realized that there is a close link between El Nino and the Southern Oscillation.In fact,the link between the two is so great that they are often referred to jointly as ENSO(El Nino-Southern
9、Oscillation). During a typical year,the eastern Pacific has a higher pressure than the western Pacific does.This east-to-west pressure gradient enhances the trade winds over the equatorial waters.This results in a warm surface current that moves east to west at the equator.The western Pacific develo
10、ps a thick,warm layer of water while the eastern Pacific has the cold Humboldt Current enhanced by upwelling.However,in other years the Southern Oscillation,for unknown reasons,swings in the opposite direction,dramatically changing the usual conditions described above,with pressure increasing in the
11、 western Pacific and decreasing in the eastern Pacific.This change in the pressure gradient causes the trade winds to weaken or,in some cases,to reverse.This then causes the warm water in the western Pacific to flow eastward,increasing sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific.The
12、eastward shift signals the beginning of an El Nino. Scientists try to document as many past El Nino events as possible by piecing together bits of historical evidence,such as sea-surface temperature records,daily observations of atmospheric pressure and rainfall,fisheriesrecords from South America,a
13、nd the writings of Spanish colonists dating back to the fifteenth century.From such historical evidence we know that El Ninos have occurred as far back as records go.It would seem that they are becoming more frequent.Records indicate that during the sixteenth century,an El Nino occurred on average e
14、very six years.Evidence gathered over the past few decades indicates that El Ninos are now occurring on average a little over every two years.Even more alarming is the fact that they appear to be getting stronger.The 1997-1998 El Nino brought copious and damaging rainfall to the southern United Stat
15、es,from California to Florida.Snowstorms in the northeast portion of the United States were more frequent and intense than in most years. Paragraph 1 The cold Humboldt Current of the Pacific Ocean flows toward the equator along the coasts of Ecuador and Peru in South America.When the current approac
16、hes the equator,the westward-flowing trade winds cause nutrient-rich cold water along the coast to rise from deeper depths to more shallow ones.This upwelling of water has economic repercussions.Fishing,especially for anchovies,is a major local industry. 1.The word“approaches”in the passage is close
17、st in meaning to A.nears B.crosses C.travels along D.leaves 2.According to paragraph 1,what happens when the Humboldt Current interacts with westward flowing trade winds? A.Anchovies from southern waters are carried northward. B.Cold water from lower depths is brought closer to the surface. C.The Hu
18、mboldt Current stops flowing toward the equator. D.The Humboldt Current begins to flow closer to the coasts of Ecuador and Peru. Paragraph 2 Every year during the months of December and January,a weak,warm countercurrent replaces the normally cold coastal waters.Without the upwelling of nutrients fr
19、om below to feed the fish,fishing comes to a standstill.Fishers in this region have known the phenomenon for hundreds of years.In fact,this is the time of year they traditionally set aside to tend to their equipment and await the return of cold water.The residents of the region have given this pheno
20、menon the name of El Nino,which is Spanish for“the child”,because it occurs at about the time of the celebration of birth of the Christ child. 3.Which of the following questions about the El Nino phenomenon is NOT answered in paragraph 2? A.Why is the El Nino phenomenon called El Nino? B.How do fish
21、ers spend their time during the El Nino season? C.How do coastal fish obtain enough nutrients during the El Nino season? D.Is the temperature of coastal waters different during the El Nino season than it is the rest of the year? Paragraph 3 While the warm-water countercurrent usually lasts for two m
22、onths or less,there are occasions when the disruption to the normal flow lasts for many months.In these situations,water temperatures are raised not just along the coast,but for thousands of kilometers offshore.Over the last few decades,the term El Nino has come to be used to describe these exceptio
23、nally strong episodes and not the annual event.During the past 60 years,at least ten El Ninos have been observed.Not only do El Ninos affect the temperature of the equatorial Pacific,but the strongest of them impact global weather. 4.The word“exceptionally”,in the passage is closest in meaning to A.
24、obviously B.unusually C.relatively D.occasionally 5.Paragraph 3 supports which of the following statements about El Ninos,as that term is now used? A.El Ninos can originate in areas other than the Pacific Ocean. B.El Ninos can arise when warm currents last for two months or less. C.El Ninos affect w
25、ater temperatures long distances from the South American coast. D.Multiple El Ninos can arise within a single calendar year. Paragraph 4 The processes that interact to produce an El Nino involve conditions all across the Pacific,not just in the waters off South America.Over 60 years ago,Sir Gilbert
26、Walker,a British scientist,discovered a connection between surface pressure readings at weather stations on the eastern and western sides of the Pacific.He noted that a rise in atmospheric pressure in the eastern Pacific is usually accompanied by a fall in pressure in the western Pacific and vice ve
27、rsa.He called this seesaw pattern the Southern Oscillation.It was later realized that there is a close link between El Nino and the Southern Oscillation.In fact,the link between the two is so great that they are often referred to jointly as ENSO(El Nino-Southern Oscillation). 6.The phrase“is usually
28、 accompanied by”in the passage is closest in meaning to A.usually develops before B.usually occurs together with C.is usually indicated by D.is usually caused by 7.The word“jointly”in the passage is closest in meaning to A.together B.therefore C.rightfully D.simply 8.According to paragraph 4,what di
29、d Sir Gilbert Walker discover? A.There is a close link between El Nino and the Southern Oscillation. B.Surface pressure readings all across the Pacific first rise and then fall before an El Nino occurs. C.Surface pressure on one side of the Pacific tends to fall when pressure rises on the opposite s
30、ide. D.The formation of an El Nino depends on conditions all across the Pacific,not just in the waters off of South America. Paragraph 5 During a typical year,the eastern Pacific has a higher pressure than the western Pacific does.This east-to-west pressure gradient enhances the trade winds over the
31、 equatorial waters.This results in a warm surface current that moves east to west at the equator.The western Pacific develops a thick,warm layer of water while the eastern Pacific has the cold Humboldt Current enhanced by upwelling.However,in other years the Southern Oscillation,for unknown reasons,
32、swings in the opposite direction,dramatically changing the usual conditions described above,with pressure increasing in the western Pacific and decreasing in the eastern Pacific.This change in the pressure gradient causes the trade winds to weaken or,in some cases,to reverse.This then causes the war
33、m water in the western Pacific to flow eastward,increasing sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific.The eastward shift signals the beginning of an El Nino. 9.According to paragraph 5,what is the end result of the east-to-west pressure gradient in the eastern Pacific during a typic
34、al year? A.The formation of a thick,warm layer of water in the western Pacific B.The reversal of the pressure gradient to west-to-east by the end of the year C.A change in the direction of the Southern Oscillation D.The eastward flow of warm water from the western Pacific 10.According to paragraph 5
35、,all of the following changes occur in the Pacific before an El Nino begins EXCEPT: A.Pressure increases in the western Pacific and decreases in the eastern Pacific. B.The trade winds decrease in intensity or reverse in the direction. C.Surface temperatures increase in the central and eastern Pacifi
36、c. D.Ocean currents speed up as they move eastward. 11.What can be inferred about El Ninos from the historical evidence mentioned in paragraph 6? A.They have often brought damaging weather to parts of the United States. B.They have been occurring since at least the fifteenth century. C.They occurred
37、 less frequently in the sixteenth century than in the fifteenth. D.They have had stronger weather effects on the United States in recent decades than on other locations. 12.Why does the author include the information that in 1997-1998“Snowstorms in the northeast portion of the United States were mor
38、e frequent and intense than in most years”? A.To provide evidence supporting the claim that El Ninos are getting stronger B.To explain why the southern United States experienced copious and damaging rainfall in 1997-1998 C.To show that traditional methods are not adequate for documenting the effects
39、 of El Ninos D.To identify a consequence of the fact that El Ninos are now occurring a little over once every two years 13.Look at the four squaresthat indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage. There is clear support for this view in the available documents. Where would th
40、e sentence best fit?Click on a squareto add the sentence to the passage. 14.Drag your choices to the spaces where they belong.To review the passage,click on View Text As it is currently used,the term El Nino refers to a strong and lengthy disruption to the normal pattern of ocean currents,water temp
41、eratures,and winds in the Pacific. Answer Choices A.An El Nino typically begins when the Humboldt Current causes upwelling as it travels toward the equator along the coast of Peru and Ecuador. B.El Ninos are preceded by the reversal of the usual east-to-west pressure gradient in the Pacific,the weak
42、ening or reversal of the trade winds,and the movement of warm water eastward. C.Comparisons of historical records with recent past events show that El Ninos are becoming more frequent and stronger. D.In an El Nino,warm surface currents replace the Humboldt Current for many months,raising ocean tempe
43、ratures far from the coast. E.Scientists discovered the Southern Oscillation by taking surface-pressure readings at weather stations on both sides of the Pacific. F.In recent decades,El Ninos have begun to occur north of the equator and thereby affect weather conditions in the United States. 厄尔尼诺 太平
44、洋洪堡寒流沿着南美厄瓜多尔和秘鲁海岸流向赤道。当寒流接近赤道时，向西流动 的信风导致海岸沿线富含营养物的冷水从较深的海底流向较浅的海面。这种海水上涌也有经 济影响。渔业，尤其是凤尾鱼，是当地的主要产业。 每年的 12 月和 1 月， 一股微弱但温暖的逆流取代了通常冰冷的沿海水域。 没有从海底上 涌的营养物质来喂鱼，捕鱼业就陷入了停顿。数百年来这一地区的渔民早已懂得这种现象。 事实上，一年中的这个时候，他们往往休渔去检修设备并且等待冷水的回流。该地区居民称 这一现象为厄尔尼诺，它在西班牙语中是“小孩”的意思，因为它大约发生在庆祝圣婴耶稣 出生的时候。 尽管暖水逆流通常持续两个月或更短，而有时候正
45、常洋流的中断会持续好几个月。在这 些情况下，不仅沿岸水温会升高，离岸数千公里的水温也会上升。在过去的几十年中，厄尔 尼诺现象已被用来描述这些异常强烈的一段时间，而不是年度性事件。在过去的 60 年间，至 少有 10 次厄尔尼诺现象被观测到。 厄尔尼诺现象不仅影响赤道太平洋地区的温度， 最强的还 会影响全球天气。 交互作用产生厄尔尼诺的过程包括整个太平洋的环境，而不只是在南美洲海域。60 多年 前，英国科学家吉尔伯特沃克爵士发现了太平洋东、西两侧气象站表面压力读数之间的联 系。他指出，东太平洋大气压力的上升通常伴随着西太平洋压力的下降，反之亦然。他将这 种跷跷板模式称为南方涛动。后来人们才意识到
46、厄尔尼诺现象和南方涛动之间的密切联系。 事实上，这两者之间的联系是如此之大，所以它们经常联合起来被称为 ENSO(厄尔尼诺-南 方涛动现象)。 在典型的年份，东太平洋的压力比西太平洋的压力要高。这种东、西太平洋气压梯度增 强了赤道海域的信风，导致一股温暖的表层洋流在赤道处从东向西移动。西太平洋就形成了 一层又厚又暖的水面，而东太平洋就形成了由海水上涌而得到增强的洪堡寒流。然而在其他 年份，南方涛动不知因为什么原因朝相反方向摆动，急剧改变了上述所描述的状况，西太平 洋的气压上升而东太平洋的气压下降。这种气压梯度的变化使得信风减弱，或在某些情况下 发生逆转。然后就导致西太平洋暖水向东流动，增加了太
47、平洋中部和东部海面温度。这种东 移现象预示着厄尔尼诺的开始。 通过拼凑点滴的历史证据，例如海洋表面温度记录，日常观测的大气压力和降雨，南美 洲的渔业记录，以及可追溯到十五世纪西班牙殖民者的文字记录，科学家们试图尽可能多地 去记录过去所发生的厄尔尼诺事件。从这些历史证据中我们可以得知，厄尔尼诺现象在有历 史记录之前就出现了。现在看来，这些现象似乎正在变得更加频繁。历史记录表明，在十六 世纪，厄尔尼诺现象平均每六年发生一次。过去几十年收集的证据表明，厄尔尼诺现象现在 平均每两年多就出现一次。然而更令人担忧的是，它们的影响似乎变得越来越大。19971998 年发生的厄尔尼诺现象给美国南部造成了大量的
48、破坏性降水，从加利福尼亚州一直延伸到佛 罗里达州。美国东北部的暴风雪也比大多数年份发生得更加频繁和剧烈。 Passage 3 Q 1 正确答案：A 解析：原文意思是，当洋流接近赤道时，向西移动的信风就会导致营养丰富的沿岸冷水 从深处上升到更浅的水域。 approach 意为 “接近” ， 同 nears 意思相同。 其他三项分别意为 “穿 过” 、 “沿移动”和“离开” ，与上下文语境不符。 Q 2 正确答案：B 解析：B 是对 nutrient-rich cold water along the coast to rise from deeper depths to more shallow
49、 ones 的同义复现。 其余三项均是对本段中细节信息胡乱嫁接形成的干扰项。 Q 3 正确答案：C 解析：A 对应该段最后一句的内容。B 对应该段第 4 句的内容。C 是针对该段第 2 句设置 的干扰项， 文中并未提及 El Nifio season 期间 coastal fish 是怎么获得养料的。 D 对应该段 第 1 句的内容。 Q 4 正确答案：B 解析：原文的意思是，在过去的几十年里，厄尔尼诺这个术语是用于描述这些极其强烈 的发作期， 而不是每年都会发作的。 该句的 exceptionally 意为 “极其， 非常” ， 和 unusually 意思相同。其他三项分别意为“明显地” 、 “相对地”和“偶然地” ，与原文单词的词义不符。 Q 5 正确答案：C 解析：本段主要讲述了厄尔尼诺对海水温度的影响，C 是对第 2 句 In these situations,water temperatures are raised not just along the coast,but for thousands of kilometers offshore.的同义转述。A 是针对最后一句中的 the equatorial Pacific 设置 的干扰项。A 是针对第 1 句设置的干扰项。D 与倒数第二句的内容 During the p