版本一
Mesopotamia 的背景：美索不达米亚亚洲西南部 Tigris[‘taigris]底格里斯河和 Euphrates[ju:’freiti:z] 幼发拉底河 两河流域间的古王国,美索不达米亚古代西南亚介于底格里斯河和幼发拉底河之间的一个地区，位于现在的伊拉克境内。可能在公元前 5000 年以前就开始有人在此定居。这一地区孕育了众多的人类早期文明，其中包括苏美尔文明、阿卡德文明、巴比伦文明和亚述文明。蒙古侵略者在 公元 1258年破坏了该地区发达的灌溉系统之后，这一地区的重要性就此减小。其中巴比伦Babylon 文明以其成就斐然而成为两河流域文明的典范，古巴比伦王国与古埃及、古印度和中国构成了人们所说的世界四大文明古国。
尼罗河文明：发源于非洲尼罗河（Nile）流域，又称古埃及文明，其历史也可追溯到公元前 4000 年。公元前 3100 年左右，上埃及国王美尼斯统一上下埃及，开始了史称的埃及王朝时期，也就代表了古埃及文明的
正式开始。
美索布达米娅文化 Sumerian civilization
第一段：美文化和埃及文化同时，但因为美的地域限制一直没有统一。 （有题）平原，经常受到入侵，四周沙漠，生活好，不统一。开头，it is astonishing that...两个地方在同一时间产生了两种文化，并且互有交流。一个是尼罗河的埃及文化，一个是两河流域的 M 地文化。埃及文化仰仗尼罗河，河水孕育了富饶的土地，两岸有沙漠作为自然屏障。M地不一样，河水土地 narrow and shallow,周围没有起保护作用的天然屏障
第二段：直到一种 S人来统一，说了他们的来源和历史，他们建立了一种 s文化
第三段：S 文化的实物遗迹少，这又两方面原因：一当地石料不丰富二当地人没有厚葬的习惯。所以对 S的了解主要基于文字。当初美索不达米亚的居民生活好像挺好的，所以一直没有人提出统一的想法，很久以后才有，可是由于大量的花费在战争上什么的，很快就覆灭了。由于当时的环境条件，那里的人们都用泥土/木头盖房子，所以和埃及不一样，现在我们没找到什么当初留下的建筑物。 我们现在还挖出了许多陶器石板，上面刻着文字，只能通过这些推知历史。后来又变成什么苏美尔了，这是从外面迁徙过来的民族。
第四段：在S文化中最重要的是宗教，每一个城市有一个 local god, god无比神圣拥有一切， 代表本城在她的 fellow 中议事。 （有题）社会的经济市场就是以寺庙为中心，由牧师组织交易，所以很多的牧师纪录都与此
有关。
Mesopotamia culture一种 civilization（文明社会）
还和埃及比较了一下。关于两河 civilization 和 Egypt civilization（埃及社会）的。他们同时存在，有交流，
但没有一方压倒另一方。Egypt 的体制根两河的政治体制不一样，一个 united under 一个联合体制下，另外一个则由于地理条件的制约不存在 united format 联合体制。另外两河的文明很少有 tangible substance （确实的物质）留下来，因为他们的architecture structure（建筑结构） 与Egypt不一样，对他们文字的研究也是通过发掘fragment（碎片）的方法研究的。还讲了两河的 local lord（封建地主）,这人不是 fiction 的，他对他那个 city state 具有很大的 influence，文中讲到的是 economic aspect（经济方面）同时，他传话通过一个叫做人君的人传话。讲Mesopotamia 的culture，和Egypt的文化对比。因为两者是两河流域的同时发展起来的文化（考：Mesopotamia 文化是独立于independence Egypt的文化）然后讲述Mesopotamia culture的特点： 建筑物没有Egypt的牢固，文化没有文字记载等。好像有个考题：locationof Ur。）
下面涂黑的是答案：
1.The word astonishing in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) important (B) unknown (C) amazing (D) interesting
2.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) A great civilization arose in Mesopotamia, the “land between the rivers” under pharaonic rule.
(B) Egypt and another great civilization both developed in Mesopotamia between 3500 and 3000 B.C.
(C) A great civilization arose in Mesopotamia between 3500 and 3000 B.C. at the same time that ancient Egypt was being united.
(D) As Egypt was being united under pharaonic rule, a great civilization arose there.
3.The phrase its substance refers to
(A) the political history of ancient Mesopotamia古代美索不达米亚政治的历史
(B) divine kingship
(C) Egypt
(D) the sudden collapse of military power
4.The word obscure in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) unclear (B) unique (C) controversial (D) important
5.The author mentions Nor did they share the Egyptians’ concern with the hereafter, in order to作者提到 也不分享埃及人关于从今以后的担忧 为了。。。
(A) To provide one explanation for the relatively few physical remains of ancient Sumerian society.为相对少的关于古代苏美尔社会物理遗迹提供一个解释
(B) To explain why ancient Sumerian built with mud brick and wood rather than with stone.
(C) To help account for the fact that tombs and vaulted chambers have been found only at Ur.
(D) To counter the claim that all ancient societies paid great attention to the afterlife.
6.According to the passage, it can be inferred that the City of Ur is located in Ur 城（乌尔城）位于
(A) Egypt (B) Persia (C) northern Mesopotamia
(D) near the confluence of Tigris and Euphrates底格里斯河和幼发拉底河的交汇处
7.The word vast in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) random (B) very large (C) surprising (D) relatively small
8.According to paragraph 2 and 3, the physical characteristics of Mesopotamia affected Sumerian
civilization in all of the following ways EXCEPT:
根据 2、3、段美索不达米亚影响苏美尔文明，除了哪方面
(A) Foreign invasions were made easy.
(B) Creating and maintaining political stability was made difficult.
(C) Continuity of cultural and artistic traditions could not be achieved. 文化和艺术传统的一致性得不到
(D) Sumerian architecture could not produce long-lasting structures
9.Look at the four [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage. Click on a square [■] to add the sentence to the passage.
Despite these achievements, scholars know much less about Sumerian life than they would like. 尽管这些成就，学者们对于苏美尔人的生活知道的更少，比起他们爱好什么而言 Where would the sentence best fit? 选第四方块
10.According to paragraph 4, what evidence is used to support the claim that the idea of divine ownership was not “a mere pious fiction”? 对于神的所有权并不仅仅“是虔诚的虚构”这一论点支持的证据是
(A) The idea of divine ownership originated with the kings of Sumerian city-state.
(B) The idea of divine ownership was the reason why a large part of the harvest was offered to the god.
(C) The idea of divine ownership eventually came to replace “theocratic socialism”.
(D) The idea of divine ownership served as the basis for the economic organization of Sumerian society.
神的所有权服务于苏美尔社会的经济组织形式的基础
11.，The word considerable in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) substantial (B) fixed (C) valuable (D) limited.
12，In the above passage, all of the following were true of the local god EXCEPT 哪项不是关于当地的神的事实
(A) The local god owned everything and everyone in the city-state.
(B) The local god represented the subjects of the city-state to other gods.
(C) The local god communicated with the people of the city-state through a human ruler.
(D) The local god sometimes fought against the local gods of rival city-states 当地的神有时候同竞争的
城邦的神作战
13，fill in a table問題
Ancient Egyptian Civilization
（1）政治统一了很久时间 （2）有相当多建筑物遗址
Sumerian Civilization
（1） 城邦city-state国家是一个特色（2）从文件中所记载（3）这一个文明受到外部侵略
答案
1.c, 2.c, 3.a, 4.a, 5.a 6.d 7.b 8.c 9.d 10.a 11.d 12.d 13.a, f / c, d, g
版本二
1
It is an astonishing fact that human civilization should have emerged into the light of history in two separate places at just about the same time. Between 3,500 and 3,000 B.C. when Egypt was being united under pharaonic rule, another great civilization arose in Mesopotamia, the “land between the rivers.” And for close to three thousand years, the two rival centers retained their distinct characters, even though they had contact with each other from their earliest beginnings, and their destinies were interwoven in many ways. The pressure that forced the inhabitants of both regions to abandon the pattern of Neolithic village life may well have been the same. But the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, unlike that of the Nile, is not a narrow fertile strip protected by desert on either side. It resembles a wide, shallow trough with few natural defenses, crisscrossed by two great rivers and their tributaries, and is easily encroached upon from any direction.
1. The word astonishing in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) important
(B) unknown
(C) amazing
(D) interesting
2. 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) A great civilization arose in Mesopotamia, the “land between the rivers” under pharaonic rule.
(B) Egypt and another great civilization both developed in Mesopotamia between 3500 and 3000 B.C.
(C) A great civilization arose in Mesopotamia between 3500 and 3000 B.C. at the same time that ancient Egypt was being united.
(D) As Egypt was being united under pharaonic rule, a great civilization arose there.
3.The phrase its substance refers to
(A) the political history of ancient Mesopotamia
(B) divine kingship
(C) Egypt
(D) the sudden collapse of military power
4.The word obscure in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) unclear
(B) unique
(C) controversial
(D) important
5.The author mentions Nor did they share the Egyptians’ concern with the hereafter, in order to
(A) To provide one explanation for the relatively few physical remains of ancient Sumerian society.
(B) To explain why ancient Sumerian built with mud brick and wood rather thanwith stone.
(C) To help account for the fact that tombs and vaulted chambers have been found only at Ur.
(D) To counter the claim that all ancient societies paid great attention to the afterlife.
6.According to the passage, it can be inferred that the City of Ur is located in
(A) Egypt
(B) Persia
(C) northern Mesopotamia
(D) near the confluence of Tigris and Euphrates
7.The word vast in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) random
(B) very large
(C) surprising
(D) relatively small
8.According to paragraph 2 and 3, the physical characteristics of Mesopotamia affected Sumerian civilization in all of the following ways EXCEPT
(A) Foreign invasions were made easy.
(B) Creating and maintaining political stability was made difficult.
(C) Continuity of cultural and artistic traditions could not be achieved.
(D) Sumerian architecture could not produce long-lasting structures.
9. Look at the four [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage. Click on a square [■] to add the sentence to the passage. Despite these achievements, scholars know much less about Sumerian life than they would like.
Where would the sentence best fit?
10.According to paragraph 4, what evidence is used to support the claim that the idea of divine ownership was not a mere pious fiction”?
(A) The idea of divine ownership originated with the kings of Sumerian city-state.
(B) The idea of divine ownership was the reason why a large part of the harvest was offered to the god.
(C) The idea of divine ownership eventually came to replace “theocratic socialism”.
(D) The idea of divine ownership served as the basis for the economic organization of Sumerian society.
11.The word considerable in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) substantial
(B) fixed
(C) valuable
(D) limited
12. In the above passage, all of the following were true of the local god EXCEPT
(A) The local god owned everything and everyone in the city-state.
(B) The local god represented the subjects of the city-stat to other gods.
(C) The local god communicated with the people of the city-state through a human ruler.
(D) The local god sometimes fought against the local god of rival city-states.
SUMERIAN CIVILIZATION 答案
1. astonishing = amazing
2. sentence simplification =
A great civilization arose in Mesopotamia between 3,50 and 3,000 B.C. at the same time that ancient Egypt was being united.
3. its substance refers to - the political history of ancient Mesopotamia
4. obscure = unclear
5. 原文提到 the ancient Sumerians did not “share the Egyptian’s concern with the afterlife 〞之reason原因= to provide one explanation for the relatively few physicaremains of ancient Sumerian society
6. the “city of Ur”位置= near the confluence of Tigris anEuphrates rivers.
7. vast = very large
8. EXCEPT問題= continuity of cultural and artistic traditions could not bachieved.
9.不是宗教事 简单的证据= the idea of divine ownership served as the basis for the economic organization of Sumerian society.
10. considerable= substantial
11. EXCEPT問題= The local god sometimes fought against the local gods of rival city-stated.
12. insertion問題=第 4个方块
13. fill in a table問題= Ancient Egyptian Civilization
]政治统一了很久时间
]有相当多建筑物遗址
Sumerian Civilization
]城邦国家是一个特色
]从文件中所记载
]这一个文明受到外部的侵略
一、 托福阅读经典加试三: 威尼斯盐业
版本一：
说威尼斯的盐事业，说威尼斯本来自己产盐，跟另外一个城市竞争， 但是威尼斯的盐是细盐，要粗盐还要进口，另外自然灾害来了，那个威尼斯专门产盐的地方被端了，所以他只能进口了（有两项选择）。然后说没想到，威尼斯做盐贸易作发财了，然后越做越好，盐的贸易刺激了其他产品的买卖，然后还说政府制定一些规定，说政府虽然不拥有盐，但是管理盐，跟中国不一样（有题，问中国什么样）然后威尼斯就很牛了，开始跟其他国家签合同，说你们只能卖我的，不能卖别人的，（有词汇题， stipulate)然后还在海上查岗，跟海上警察一样。）
版本二：
第一段： 威尼斯原本也是产盐的， 但是产fine salt 经验，但是需要粗盐coarse salt的时候，就要进口；以及有一次天灾，产盐区 1/3 都受到影响，所以要 import. (问什么时候要进口，双选)。
第二段：**给盐商补偿金 subsidy.（好像这里有一个指代题）这个补偿金后来越来越高，商人宁愿花高价去收
购盐，以获得它。补偿金enable商人从东地中海 eastern Mediterranean进口印度香料spice, 以及rice,再贩卖到西欧。 （有问他们为什么愿意花高价买盐）。说香料和米利润高，于是威尼斯就发达了。
第三段：和中国**不一样，威尼斯官方不拥有盐，但是对盐业起到调节作用。（此处有问中国是什么样的。我选的是官方是拥有盐的，并且对盐业调节）。威尼斯给商人发牌照license,还制定盐的价格，要求在哪里买等。它们还负责maintain一些建筑（此处有一个词汇题，是形容建筑的。 选项以是 numerous, 二是 magnificent） . (又有一问，是排除列举题，问一下哪一个不是威尼斯**的职能。我选的是permit商人制定的价格。貌似价格是**定的。其他三个选项是：发牌照；定价格；保护建筑)
第四段：说他们的生意越做越大，从哪里到哪里（range from……to…..这个貌似是插入题）。
第五段： 威尼斯很注重它们的reputation.重视 state, 签订contract 合同。合同里规定 stipulate(词汇题，选项为require; assume; suggest) 威尼斯是它们的唯一供应商。
第六段：好像有一次希腊那边供给出了问题，威尼斯还是履行了合同，就是为了维护他的市场。(有考到词汇题ruthlessly 无情地; 答案应该是 without mercy) 威尼斯还有了自己的舰队，也是为了让大家 conform with。(有问关于舰队的题目，问为什么提到它。好像是因为它也是一种手段)
最后一题是全文总结题。
前面的分段不一定很准确，但是大意就是这样了
二、 托福阅读加试: 蜜蜂（貌似很少考到）
Entomology（昆虫学）
蜜蜂的沟通模式 讲小蜜蜂。分为 honeybee和 worker bee。讲了 honeybee是怎麼寻找蜜源和如何告诉同伴蜜源的位置的。开头先说蜜蜂和 termite 白蚁 与很多 Species 不同，他们是 social。蜜蜂是一个是由社会分工合作的动物（有题问他们有什麼共同点），交流因此就变得很重要（有题）。然后科学家们就开始用他们的聪明才智研究小蜜蜂了。开始以为是 honeybee是靠 scent交流，然后某德国科学家研究发现 scout 用舞蹈来告诉工蜂蜜源的远近，远的用八字舞，近的用圆圈舞。他因此获得炸药奖。交流的内容靠跳 8 字舞或者 circle 区别 distance，而不是食物的类别（有题） 。原来 发现蜜蜂找到窝以后跳舞是指示food type，后来发现 more than that。跳舞还指示出了direction and distance。跳舞分两种一种是 nectar 花蜜 dance 另一种 pollen花粉 dance，有一道题问这个的，nectar 是跳圆圈舞，pollen 是跳 8 字舞。但是一直有科学家怀疑 这个说法直到 1989 年，一些科学家为了验证他的理论做了 machine bees 模仿 scout，就是不去有食物处（这里有考题问机器蜜蜂和其他小蜜蜂有什麼不同） ，发现 robot使用这些动作果然可以向工蜂有效传递资讯。采蜜只是跳舞来做一些指示。最后发 现了小蜜蜂带回来的资讯和 wind 无关（这里有考题问 except 的问题，其他选项是 direction, distance 还有一个忘了）
Bees
Flowers provide food for bees. The bees collect tiny grains of pollen and a sweet liquid called nectar from the blossoms they visit. They make honey from the nectar, and use both honey and pollen as food.
During their food-gathering flights, bees spread pollen from one flower to another, thus pollinating (fertilizing) the plants they visit. This enables the plants to reproduce.
The honey bee colony
A typical honey bee colony is made up of one queen, tens of thousands of workers, and a few hundred drones 雄峰.
Honey bees live in hives. The hive is a storage space, such as a hollow 空的 tree or a box, which contains a honeycomb蜂窝. The honeycomb is a mass of six-sided compartments隔间 called cells.
Worker bees build the honeycomb of wax produced by their bodies. The wax oozes渗出 through small pores (holes) in the body and forms tiny white flakes on the outside of the abdomen.
They also collect a sticky substance bee glue, from certain kinds of trees.
The body of the honey bee
A bee has five eyes-three small ones that form a triangle on top of its head, and a large compound eye on each side of its head.
Honey bees were the first insects known to be able to distinguish colors. Bees have three kinds of color-sensitive cells in their eyes. These visual cells are especially sensitive to blue, yellow, and ultraviolet rays, which humans cannot see.
The sting of a worker bee is straight, with barbs (hooks) on it. When the bee thrusts the sting into flesh, the barbs hold tight, and the stinger 蛰针 pulls out of the bee‘s body.