The surface-atmosphere relationships inside metropolitan areas produce a number of climatic peculiarities. For one thing, the presence or absence of moisture is affected by the special qualities of the urban surface. With much of the built-up landscape impenetrable by water, even gentle rain runs off almost immediately from rooftops, streets, and parking lots. Thus, city surfaces, as well as the air above them, tend to be drier between episodes of rain; with little water available for the cooling process of evaporation, relative humidities are usually lower. Wind movements are also modified in cities because buildings increase the friction on air flowing around them. This friction tends to slow the speed of winds, making them far less efficient at dispersing pollutants. On the other hand, air turbulence increases because of the effect of skyscrapers on airflow. Rainfall is also increased in cities. The cause appears to be in part greater turbulence in the urban atmosphere as hot air rises from the built-up surface.
Question: Cities create climatic conditions of their own through their physical structure and urban activities.
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Answer Choices
1. The amount of heat produced in a city will be reduced when cities use the heat from cars to warm houses.
2. The built up landscape of the city readily becomes a heat island, with greater water runoff and special climatic conditions such as low relative humidity and increased air turbulence.
3. The materials from which cities are built and the effects of pollution domes help make urban areas warmer than rural areas.
4. Cities tend to be warmer than their surrounding areas, in part because they produce heat by burning fuel for heating, powering vehicles, and industrial production.
5. In most cities, the heating that results from solar radiation is intensified by carbon dioxide, a gas that is present at very high concentrations in cities’ atmospheres.
6. During periods without rainfall, the air in cities heats up and causes winds to slow down with the result that pollutants are not dispersed.
阅读题干，可以知道题目要求选出符合“城市自身结构和城市活动会形成其自身的气候条件”这一说法的选项。
观察选项，第一项的意思是“城市产生的热量会受因汽车的使用等因素影响”，而这只是支持“城市活动会影响气候”这一观点的一个细节，没有概括地谈及气候的形成，因此不符合题意；
第二项主要讲的是“城市地貌特征很容易形成热岛”，是对文章最后两段的总结，因此符合题意；
第三项讲的是“城建材料和污染会使城市比农村更温暖”，是文章第三段提到的“两个影响气候的因素”的其中一个，因此符合题意；
第四项表述的是“城市中燃料的使用也会使温度升高”，这与文章第四段的观点相符，因此是正确选项；
第五项讲的是“城市大气中的二氧化碳能使太阳辐射产生的热量变得更多”；和第一个选项一样，这也是一个细节性的陈述；
第六项提到“在没有降雨的时期，城市中的空气会升温，使风速减慢，因此污染物不容易扩散”，这不符合题目的要求，因此可以确定不是正确选项。
图表题则需要考生在备选答案中选出正确的选项填入表格。要做好这道题，考生需要对文章的结构有一个清晰的了解。建立的文章结构大纲要包含重要的细节，以及作者的观点，这样才能有助于选择正确的答案。
三、必备阅读技巧
想在托福阅读考试中获得高分，除了熟悉考试中常见的单词、文章的特点，以及题目类型以外，掌握一些解题必备技巧也是必不可少的。
在实际考试中，我们可以参考以下这些有助于提高阅读成绩的技巧：
1. 在原文中找出处
在选择答案的时候，一定要回到原文中找到根据，否则很容易被干扰选项误导，做出错误的选择。
2. 通过关键词定位
托福阅读考试时间有限，因此要掌握略读的技巧。可以提取题目中的关键词，确定考查点，然后直接回到原文相应的段落定位答案，而其他不重要的信息则可以略过。
3. 通过上下文猜测词义
对于考查某个特定单词意思的问题，如果不认识这个词，那么一定不能放过它前后的句子，可以试着通过上下文推断出它的含义。
4. 熟悉错误答案的出题路数
平时在练习的时候，也要关注错误选项的出题路数。比如可能在选项中换掉那些修饰程度的副词，使选项涉及的范围扩大或缩小等。
Part 3 托福阅读话题词汇
自然科学篇
abundant［ə'bʌndənt］a. 大量的；充足的；丰富的
例句 1. By now, the most abundant type of groundwater is meteoric water that circulates as part of the water cycle. 到目前为止，种类最丰富的地下水是大气水，它是水文循环的一部分。
2. The early explorers and settlers said there were once abundant deer in the early 1800s and yet bemoaned the lack of game animal at that time. 早期的探险者和移民表示，这里在19世纪早期曾有大量的鹿，但令他们感到惋惜的是当时没有狩猎动物。
同义 plentiful（a. 大量的；充足的）
派生 abundantly（ad. 大量地；丰富地）
absorption［əb'zɔ:rpʃn］n. 吸收；专心致志
例句 In this area, water absorption of the rock is greatly reduced, thus runoff is increased, resulting in accelerated erosion rates. 在这个地区，岩石的吸水率急剧下降，因此导致水土流失的加剧，造成腐蚀速度的加快。
2. Due to the complete absorption in the research, he found the answer finally. 由于全心投入研究，他最终找到了答案。
同义 assimilation, reception（n. 吸收）
accumulation［əˌkju:mjə'leiʃn］n. 积累；堆积物
例句 1. Ecosystems include the circulation, transformation, and accumulation of energy and matter through the medium of living things and their activities. 生态系统包括以其中的生物及其活动为媒介的能量和物质的循环、转化和积累。
2. A number of members of the mustard family, spurge family, legume family, and grass family are top hyper accumulators; most of them are found in tropical and subtropical areas where accumulation of high concentrations of metals may provide some protection against plant-eating insects and microbial pathogens. 许多十字花科、大戟科、豆科以及禾本科的植物都是超积累植物；它们中的多数可在热带及亚热带地区生长，在这些地区，高浓度的金属元素积累可以为这些植物提供保障来抵抗那些以植物为食的昆虫和微生物致病体。
同义 amassing, cumulation（n. 积累）
altitude［'æltitu:d］n. 海拔，高度；［常 pl.］高处
搭配 pressure altitude 压力高度
例句 1. The trees at high altitudes with deformed shapes show that wind velocity, which increases with altitude, can cause serious hardship for trees. 生长在高海拔地区的畸形树木可以显示风速随着海拔的上升而加强，会给树木生长带来严重影响。
2. The increase of altitude leads to a sharp decrease in the number of trees. 随着海拔的升高，树木的数量急剧减少。
3. This plant failed to transport water to the area of high altitudes. 这家工厂无法把水运送到高海拔地区。
同义 height（n. 高度）
aquifer［'ækwifər］n. 含水土层；蓄水层
搭配 confined aquifer 承压含水层
例句 1. An aquifer is a kind of underground layer of rock or sediment, with blowholes or holes in it. 含水土层是一种有气孔或小洞的由岩石或沉淀物构成的地下层。
2. Water does not keep steady in an aquifer but can leak out at springs or leak into other aquifers. 水不会一直稳定地存在于含水层里，而是会渗漏到泉水中，或流入其他的含水层里。
3. The geologist estimates that with the rates of current withdrawal, much of the aquifer will dry up within decades. 这位地质学家估计，以目前抽取地下水的速率来看，许多含水土层将在几十年内干涸。
asteroid［'æstərɔid］n. 小行星
例句 Some scientists presume that the extinction of dinosaurs was the result of an asteroid collision with Earth. 一些科学家假设恐龙的灭绝是小行星撞击地球造成的后果。
同义 planetoid（n. 小行星）
biome［'baioum］n. 生物群系
搭配 aquatic biome 水生生物群
例句 1. This scientist's arguments aiming at climax and biome are suitable for ecosystems. 这位科学家针对顶级群落和生物群系的论点适用于生态系统。
2. This resulted in the biome that combines coexisting flora with fauna. 这导致了“生物群系”的形成，包括共生植物区系及动物区系的结合。
blooming［'blu:miŋ］a. 盛开的
例句 1. The seeds of grasses and flowers, as well as the blooming trees made up the long trips to these islands. 花草的种子和繁盛的树木构成了通往这些岛屿的漫长旅途。
2. The angiosperm, one type of seed-bearing plant, includes all forms of blooming vegetation. 被子植物包括所有的开花植物，是种子植物的一种。
同义 bloomy（a. 盛开的）
branch［brænʧ］n. 树枝；分部；分支
例句 With snow falling on the ground, the bushy understory is uncovered; meanwhile snow and wind bring down leafy branches of cedar, hemlock, red alder, and other arboreal fodder. 随着大雪落地，浓密的林下叶层露了出来；同时，雪和风还使雪松、铁杉树、赤杨树和其他树木的枝干掉落下来。
同义 sticks（n. 树枝）
browse［brauz］v. 吃嫩叶或草；浏览 n. 浏览；吃草
例句 1. Biologists believe that it is necessary to find another open area with browse immediately. 生物学家认为必须尽快找到另一块开放的牧草地。
2. The sales would be hopefully promoted if the customers browse the website. 如果顾客浏览该网站，销售额就有望得到提升。
同义 scan（v. 浏览）
carnivore［'kɑ:rnivɔ:r］n. 食肉动物
例句 1. At last, just like other carnivores, this kind of viper occupies a higher position on the food chain. 最终，这种毒蛇如同其他食肉动物一样，在食物链中占据了较高的位置。
2. The reduced level of photosynthesis resulted in a massive decline in plant life and then caused massive starvation, at first herbivores and subsequently carnivores. 光合作用水平的减弱导致了植物寿命的严重缩短，进而导致了大规模的饥荒，首先是食草动物，随后也影响到了食肉动物。
3. Bears, tigers, lions and wolves are all defined as carnivores. 熊、老虎、狮子以及狼都被定义为食肉动物。
同类 其他种类的生物：herbivore 食草动物；scavenger 食腐动物；omnivore 杂食动物
chondrule［'kandrul］n. 陨石球粒
例句 A few chondrules surviving the melting must have formed when compact masses of nebular dust were fused at high temperatures approaching 1,700 degrees Celsius. 那些少数没有融化的陨石球粒一定是在紧密的星云尘埃物被1700摄氏度的高温熔化时形成的。
要点 chondrule在托福阅读有关地质学的文章中出现频率比较高，考生应特别注意。
climax［'klaimæks］n. 高潮，最令人兴奋的部分；顶点
例句 The process of succession and the stability of a climax community are able to change as time goes by. 演替的过程和顶级群落的稳定性会随时间而变化。
派生 climactic（a. 高潮的）
compact［'kɑ:mpækt］a. 紧凑的；简洁的 n. 契约［kəm'pækt］v. 压缩
搭配 a compact car 小型车；compact disk 压缩光盘（CD）；the compact industrial city 工业密集型城市
例句 1. The gravel is compacted to form a firm foundation. 碎石被压缩在一起形成坚实的地基。
2. The vegetation of these areas becomes more compact during these years. 这几年，这些地区的植被变得更加密集了。
同义 concise（a. 简洁的）；compress（v. 压缩）
派生 compaction（n. 压紧；凝结）
compress［kəm'pres］v. 压缩；缩短；摘要叙述
例句 1. Glaciers contain 80 percent of Earth's freshwater, formed when the accumulated snow is compressed and recrystallized into ice over several years. 冰川是由积雪在数年间被压缩并结晶成冰而形成的，地球上80%的淡水都包含其中。
2. Some geologists think there is a highly compressed ball of incandescent gas inside the Earth. 一些地质学家认为，地球内部存在一个高度压缩的炽热的气体球。
同义 condense（v. 压缩）；shorten（v. 缩短）
派生 compression（n. 压缩）
configuration［kənˌfigjə'reiʃn］n. 布局，结构；配置
例句 1. An accurate configuration of a heat island relies on many factors. 一个精确的热岛结构依赖许多因素。
2. If the configuration of the laboratory is awkward, it would be very inefficient. 如果实验室的布局不合理的话，那么它就不会很实用。
同义 allocation（n. 配置）
conserve［kən'sə:rv］v. 保存，保藏；保护
例句 1. Even with insulation and countercurrent exchange systems, hatchlings are simply too small to conserve body heat. 即使有保温和逆流交换系统，雏鸟也因为体型太小而无法保持体温。
2. The urban planners are managing to secure and conserve some of the open spaces in the city. 城市规划者们正在试图保护城市里的一些空地。
同义 retain, preserve（v. 保存，保藏）
cortex［'kɔ:rteks］n.（植物的）皮层，皮质；树皮；外层
搭配 cerebral cortex 大脑皮层
例句 When he used the tool to carve the stone, he found the inerior color of the stone was different from its cortex. 当他使用工具雕刻石头的时候，他发现内部的颜色与外层不同。
同义 skinniness（n. 皮层）
crater［'kreitər］n. 火山口；陨石坑；弹坑
例句 1. The presence of craters can be seen as an important evidence to the theory that an asteroid impact caused the late Cretaceous event. 该理论认为白垩纪晚期的各种事件皆因一颗小行星的撞击而引起，而火山口的存在可以看作这一理论的重要证据。
2. The asteroid with this size would leave a huge crater, even though the asteroid itself was also disintegrated by the impact. 这般大小的行星会制造一个巨大的陨石坑，尽管其本身也在撞击中碎裂。
cretaceous［kri'teiʃəs］a. 白垩纪的；似白垩的 n. 白垩纪
例句 Between the last layer of Cretaceous rock and the first layer of Cenozoic rock, a thin layer of clay often exists here. 在白垩纪岩层的最后一层和新生代岩层的最新一层之间，通常存在一个薄薄的黏土层。
同义 chalklike（a. 似白垩的）
crust［krʌst］n. 地壳；外壳；（一片）面包片
搭配 lower crust 下部地壳
例句 1. Individual specimens are covered with a glassy crust which formed when their outers melted. 个体的样本外有玻璃似的外壳覆盖，这是在它的表面融化时形成的。
2. The earth's crust contains a little of this element, but it can be found in most asteroids. 这种元素在地壳中的含量很少，但在大部分小行星中都可以发现。
crustal［'krʌstl］a. 地壳的；外壳的
例句 1. Mediterranean salt domes shaped after crustal movements, which opened the straits between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, and then refilled Mediterranean with water. 地中海盐丘是在地壳运动之后形成的，地壳运动打通了地中海和大西洋之间的海峡，随后使地中海被海水灌满。
2. As a result of crustal adjustments, a single sea area with spectacular cascades of water between the straits was formed. 地壳的调整形成了一片独立的海域，这片海域的海峡之间有壮观的瀑布。
crystalline［'kristəlain］a. 水晶的；透明的
搭配 crystalline salt 结晶盐
例句 1. Most crystalline rocks are solid; an exception is basalt that has a form of solidified volcanic lava. 大部分的结晶岩都是固体的，而由凝固的火山熔岩形成的玄武岩是一个例外。
2. When they dove into the central and deepest part of the Mediterranean, the scientists took solid, shiny, crystalline salt. 当科学家们潜入地中海最深的中心区域时，他们取到了有光泽的固体结晶盐。
要点 在托福阅读中，crystalline经常出现在地质学相关文章中，比如：crystalline salt，以及basalt is a crystalline rock that is very porous。
deciduous［di'sidjuəs］a. 落叶的；非永久的，短暂的
搭配 deciduous trees 落叶树
例句 As a kind of cordgrass, it is a deciduous, perennial flowering plant, and native to the United States. 作为带状草地的一种，这种原产于美国的植物是落叶性多年生开花植物。
decomposition［ˌdi:kɑ:mpə'ziʃn］n. 分解；腐烂
例句 The decomposition of ferns produces minerals that are used by lichens. 蕨类植物的分解作用会产生矿物，这些矿物将为地衣所用。
同义 dissolution（n. 分解）
deforest［ˌdi:'fɑ:rist］v. 采伐森林，清除树林
例句 Great tracts of lowland deforested by logging or fire had become ideal feeding grounds for herbivores. 大片因砍伐或火烧而被清除了树木的低地成为了食草动物的理想觅食区。
派生 deforestation（n. 森林砍伐）
dense［dens］a. 密集的，浓密的
例句 1. Water is denser than both oil and gas. 水的密度比油和气体的大。
2. The terrestrial planets, mostly rocks, often contain dense rocky and metallic material. 类地行星主要由岩石构成，通常含有高密度的岩石和金属物质。
deposit［di'pɑ:zit］v. 使沉淀；堆积；储蓄；寄存 n. 沉积物；存款；押金
例句 1. When they mapped glacial deposits, the geologists realized that there were several layers of drift and the lower ones might be formed in earlier ice ages. 当地质学家绘制了冰川沉积地图之后，他们意识到有一些漂流层的存在，而那些较低的漂流层可能形成于更早的冰河时代。
2. This sediment has been deposited for a comparable period of time. 这些沉淀物已经堆积了相当长的一段时间。
同义 settle（v. 使沉淀）；accumulate（v. 堆积）；accumulation（n. 堆积物）
要点 deposit在托福阅读中出现的频率很高，作动词时多用作“使沉淀”的词义；作名词时则多用作“沉积物，堆积物”的词义。
desertification［diˌzə:rtifi'keiʃn］n. 沙漠化
例句 1. Due to the desertification process, millions of hectares of productive land are lost every year. 在沙漠化的过程中，每年有上百万公顷的肥沃土地消失。
2. There is no controversy that desertification in most areas is the result of human activities rather than natural processes. 多数地区的沙漠化由人类活动造成，而不是在自然过程中形成的，这一点毫无争议。
要点 沙漠化是人们十分关注的话题，它是指由于自然因素和人类活动的影响而引起的生态系统的破坏，使非沙漠地区出现了类似沙漠环境的变化过程。
dinosaur［'dainəsɔ:r］n. 恐龙
例句 Before the Cretaceous period, there were almost no climate changes, so dinosaurs flourished. 在白垩纪之前几乎没有气候变化，因此恐龙繁衍起来。
要点 谈及恐龙时通常会谈到它的灭绝，因此一定要掌握与之搭配的短语：the extinction of the dinosaurs。
dissolution［ˌdisə'lu:ʃn］n. 瓦解；溶解
例句 If the empty shells of snails or clams are durable enough and resistant to dissolution, they may keep the original shape for a long period. 如果蜗牛和蛤蜊的空壳足够坚实，而且不会被溶解，那么它们在很长的一段时间之内都能保持其原本的形状。
同义 decomposition（n. 分解）
dissolve［di'zɑ:lv］v.（使）溶解；清除；解散
例句 The stones found on that mountain cannot be dissolved even if put into sulfuric acid. 从那座山上找到的石头即使被放入硫酸中也不会溶解。
同义 melt, liquefy（v. 溶解）；eliminate（v. 清除）
diversification［daiˌvə:rsifi'keiʃn］n. 变化；多样化
例句 The Cambrian explosion led to a rapid evolutionary diversification, followed by the extinction of many animals. 寒武纪大爆发导致了迅速进化的多样化进程，随后许多动物灭绝了。
要点 diversification多出现在讨论生物多样性的文章中，其含义就是：the mergence of many varieties。
diversity［dai'və:rsəti］n. 多样性，千变万化
搭配 biological diversity 生物差异；species diversity 物种多样性
例句 1. In temperate zones, at least, maximum diversity often occurs in mid-successional stages, not in the climax community. 至少在温带地区，最丰富的生物多样性通常出现在演替中期阶段，而不是出现在顶级群落之中。
2. The greatest Native American languages diversity emerges along the west coast of the Americans, this fact lends strength to Fradmark's hypothesis. 最大规模的美国本土语言多样性出现在美国西海岸沿岸地区，这一事实为弗莱德马克的假说增加了力证。
同义 multiplicity（n. 多样性）
domesticate［də'mestikeit］v. 驯养，驯化 n. 驯养的动物；移植的植物
例句 1. Within the space of a few generations, peasants at that time switched abruptly to herding domesticated goats and sheep and to growing einkorn, pulses, and other cereal grasses. 在很少的几代人之间，当时的农民突然转为驯养鹅和羊，并且开始种植单粒小麦、豆类以及其他谷物作物。
