托福阅读的常见文章结构
了解托福阅读的常见文章结构对我们做题是非常有帮助的，为了方便大家备考，下面小编给大家带来托福阅读的常见文章结构，来看看吧!
托福阅读的常见文章结构
托福考试作为一门专业衡量语言能力的测试，无论是阅读还是听力，所涉及的篇章都是属于学术性的，尤其是阅读这一部分，根据ETS在《新托福考试官方指南》中所说，阅读文章均摘录于大学教科书，一般是对某一学科或主题的介绍性内容，主要目的是评估考生对"学术性文章"的理解程度。而从ETS十大题型的设置来看，阅读考试考察的是由最基本的词汇到句子，再到文章逻辑关系以及段落理解，最后还通过小结题和图表题考察对全文的掌握。对于很多考生来说，最后一大题也就是文章小结和表格题最为头疼，因为所要看的内容实在太多，在有限的时间限制之下实在是毫无头绪，只能乱选一气。但其实只要我们搞清楚托福阅读文章常见的结构，完全可以在很短时间内抓住文章脉络拿下最后一道大题。
所有的阅读文章，无论文章背景是什么，结构无非会分为以下几种，《新托福考试官方指南》上把托福文章结构类型大致分为四类：classification(分类)，comparison/contrast(比较)，cause/effect(因果)，problem/solution(问题与解决方法)。
Classification指的是文章对某一个大的话题进行分类讨论，这类文章结构非常清晰，能够让我们一目了然。以TPO17的《Symbiotic Relationships》为例，文章讨论的大的话题是symbiotic relationship(共生关系)，然后再第一段就直接写明有3种symbiotic relationships，然后接下来分段论述3种共生关系分别有什么样的特点：paragrph2-3-- parasitism(寄生), paragraph4--commensAlism(片利共生), paragraph5--mutualism(互利共生),最后再用很简短的一句话稍作总结。这样的结构对于我们做小结题非常有利，因为summary通常就是把所分的几个小类分别用一个选项概括出来，比如这篇文章的最后一题3个正确选项：Parasitic relationships involve the interplay of aggression by the parasite and resistance and adaptation by the host对应文章第二段讲述parasitism部分的内容;Mutualism is unique among symbiotic relationships in that it benefits both partners involved in the relationship对应文章第五段讲述mutualism部分内容;The rarity of commensal relationships stems from the difficulty of finding relationships that benefit one species without affecting the other对应文章第4段讲述commensalism部分内容。把握住了文章的3种共生关系的主要特点，最后一题也就手到擒来了。 同样属于分类结构的文章还有TPO13的《Types of Social Groups》、TPO16的《Planets of Our Solar Systems》、TPO20的《Fossil Preservation》等等，读文章时注意在笔记上几下各个类型的主要特点，在面对最后一题时即便时间有限也可以从容不迫。
Comparison/contrast指的是文章中含有两种相关事物，将这两种事物在各个方面进行了一系列的比较，其实整体结构类似于上面所说的分类。比较典型的文章例如TPO12的《Water in the desert》，文中主要介绍了沙漠中的水，将其中的河流分为两大类：Endogenous Rivers(内流河)和Exogenous Rivers(外流河)，然后分别论述这两大类的主要特征—内流河起源于沙漠内部，往往来源于地下水，容易干涸;外流河只是途经沙漠，往往是一些比较大的河流等等。在碰到这种类型的文章时，往往最后会出到表格题，需要总结两个比较对象的特征。表格题区别于小结题的一大特点是，选项中包含的细节比较多，不同于小结题的选项高度概括，表格题本质上其实是基于全文的细节题，需要看的内容比较多，所以在前面看文章时需要记好笔记，将文章主要行文结构弄清楚，这两类事物本质区别是什么?分别是在哪些段落讲述了各自的特征?确定好大的框架，最后做题时进行定位不至于慌乱。类似的文章还有官方指南的《Applied Arts and Fine Arts》，《Artisan and Industrialization》，《Nineteenth-Century Politics In the United States》 ，《Early Cinema》以及TPO7的《Ancient Rome and Greece》，TPO30的《The Pace of Evolutionary Change》等等。
Cause/effect又称现象解释型文章，所指的是一篇文章讨论的话题是一个现象，就这个现象的形成原因或是产生的结果花了大量篇幅进行介绍。最为典型的一篇文章就是官方指南《Desert Formation》，文章主要就是在介绍沙漠化形成的各种原因：植被减少，气候干燥，人类活动等等，最后文章小结也就是将这些原因当中比较重要的几点总结出来，所以概括时主要关注每个段落的topic sentence即可。 官方指南《Green Icebergs》，《The Expression of Emotions》以及TPO16的《Trade and Ancient Middle East》等都属于此类文章。
Problem/solution解决方法类文章指的是文章一开头就抛出一个问题，而主题内容是在就这个问题进行探讨给出答案。此类文章最明显的特征就是在开头段背景引入部分会引入问题，然后下面给出几种可能的解释。例如TPO17《Europe's Early Sea Trade with Asia》这篇文章，开头段讲东西方人都想要彼此进行贸易，但是苦于陆上交通被阻隔掉了，因此需要海上贸易，可是又存在一系列的问题。接着文章就具体描述存在的问题以及是如何克服掉这些阻碍的：航船的改变，导航仪的改进，海上行为规则的制定等等。主要问题介绍完了整篇文章也就差不多了，而最后的小结题总结出来的三个选项也是跟这些主要问题相关。与此类似的，TPO1的《The Origins of Theater》研究的问题是究竟戏院的起源是什么以及为什么它会发展起来，TPO6的《Infantile Amnesia》讨论的问题是婴儿为什么记不得自己三岁之前的事情，TPO18《The Mystery of Yawning》探究的是人为什么会打哈欠。类似的文章还是比较多的，做小结题时需要概括的就是给出的几种主要答案。
在平时做题过程中，考生需要学会对所做的每一篇文章进行总结，快速识别对应的文章类型，可以帮助我们在最短的时间内抓住文章的主要内容，从而提高最后一题的正确率。
托福阅读的十大出题原则是什么
一、列举和并列句
列举指的是： FirstFirst,……Second,……Third,……等逐条列出。;等逐条列出。并列句是指： A ， B and C ，即逐项列出。它们共同的特征是列出二点或三点以上的条目。该类型语言点常考的题型是“细节性问题”，主要有两种：
1. Which 题型
该题型只要求从并列的三顶中选一项作为答案，其它条目与题目无关。这种情况下，往往题目的答案出自最后一个选项 。
2 . Except 题型
该题型俗称“三缺一”题型，即题目 4 个选项中有三个符合文章内容，剩下一个不符合，题目便是要求选出这个不符合文章内容的选项。例如： All of the following are mentioned as types of evidence concerning handedness EXCEPT ???
这种题型只适合于考并列、列举句，这是因为它要求其三个选项一定是文章中出现的，也就是并列或列举之处。利用这一特点.我们在读文章的时候就可多留意，如看到并列、列举句，可预想其有可能被考到;如发现题目中有“三缺一”题型，则应到并列、列举处找答案。
二、否定及转折句
否定句是指带有 NO 或 NOT ， NEVER 等否定词的句子，而转折句则指带有 HOWEVER ， BUT 或 RATHER 等关联词引导的句子，它们可以用下面的句型说明： A is not B ， as C ， but is D 。对于以上的句型常出“推断性问题”。
三、举例句
句中由 as 或 such as ， for example 等引导的短语或句子为举例句，常考“推断性问题”和“细节性问题”。上面句型中的 as C 为插入的举例句。
四、数字与年代
文中的数字、年代、日期等常常是出题者注意的考题点，如 1996 年 10 月第 48 题。
五、最高级及绝对性词汇
文章中若出现 must ， all ， only ， anyone ， always ， never 等绝对性词汇或 first ， most beautiful 等最高级词汇，往往是考题要点，一般出“细节性题目”。这是因为它们都有一个共同的特点，那就是 概念绝对 ， 答案唯一 ，无论是出题还是做题，不会产出歧义和疑问，因此很容易出题，答案绝对正确。相反地，如果文章中出现相对性的词汇、例如 Some of the people chose red hats,some chose green hats,and others blue ones. 其中 some 为相对性词汇，如果我们出这样一道题： What color hats did some people choose? 那么就没有唯一正确的答案，因为有可能为 red,green 或 blue ，给评卷带来困难。
六、比较级及比喻
如果文中含有 more than 或 as ??? as ， like ( a fly )等句型，则为比较级或比喻句结构，往往也是考题点，一般出“推断性题目”。
七、同位语及插入语
文章中带有由 that is ， i.e. ， or 等词汇引导的名词词组，放在一个名词后面，为同位语;插入语是指副词、不定式、分词、从句等结构故在句首，句中或句尾，不做句子成分，但修饰整个句子、表达作者感情的语法结构。 这些用逗号隔开的持殊结构往往也是考查的重点，一般会出“细节性题目”。
八、因果句
句中若有如下结构或词汇的称为因果句：
(1) 因果连词： because ， since ， for ， as ， therefore ， so ， consequently 等
(2) 表示因果的动词： cause ， result in ， originate from 等;
(3) 表示因果的名词： base, basis, result,consequence 等，这些因果句都是指明某两个事件之间因果关系的，尤为出题者所青陈.因为通过出题可以考查文中两个事件内在的因果关系。此种句型一般出“推断性问题”。
九、段落句
文章各段第一句 ( 段首句 ) 和末段员后一句 ( 文尾句 ) 都是十分重要的地方，往往是文章作者表达中思想，进行总结综述的地方，因此常出： (1) 主题性问题 (2) 细节性问题 (3) 结构性问题。
十、特殊标点
有一些特殊标点的含义也属于考查范围，它们是：
(1) 破折号，表示解释.考细节性问题;
(2) 括号，表示解释.考细节性问题;
(3) 冒号，一股同上，有时冒号也表示列举，则考“ EXCEPT ”题目;
(4) 引号，表示引用，考细节性问题：
(5) 惊叹号，表示作者感情，考态度性问题。
综上所述，我们可以利用上面所介绍的考题点，作为“路标”，迅速地指引我们找到正确答案;同时作为出题规律，检验自己所选答案的正确性。
托福阅读真题1
From their inception, most rural neighborhoods in colonial North America included at least one carpenter, joiner, sawyer, and cooper in woodworking; a weaver and a tailor for clothing production; a tanner, currier, and cordwainer (shoemaker) for fabricating leather objects; and a blacksmith for metalwork. Where stone was the local building material, a mason was sure to appear on the list of people who paid taxes. With only an apprentice as an assistant, the rural artisan provided the neighborhood with common goods from furniture to shoes to farm equipment in exchange for cash or for goods in kind from the customer's field, pasture, or dairy. Sometimes artisans transformed material provided by the customer; wove cloth of yarn spun at the farm from the wool of the family sheep; made chairs or tables from wood cut in the customer's own woodlot; produced shoes or leather breeches from cow, deer, or sheepskin tanned on the farm.
Like their farming neighbors, rural artisans were part of an economy scene, by one historian, as an orchestra conducted by nature. Some tasks could not be done in the winter, other had to be put off during harvest time, and still others waited on raw materials that were only produced seasonally. As the days grew shorter, shop hours kept pace, since few artisans could afford enough artificial light to continue work when the Sun went down. To the best of their ability, colonial artisans tried to keep their shops as efficient as possible and to regularize their schedules and methods of production for the best return on their investment in time, tools, and materials. While it is pleasant to imagine a woodworker, for example, carefully matching lumber, joining a chest together without resort to nails or glue, and applying all thought and energy to carving beautiful designs on the finished piece, the time required was not justified unless the customer was willing to pay extra for the quality — and few in rural areas were. Artisans, therefore, often found it necessary to employ as many shortcuts and economics as possible while still producing satisfactory products.
1. What aspect of rural colonial North America does the passage mainly discuss?
(A) Farming practices
(B) The work of artisans
(C) The character of rural neighborhoods
(D) Types of furniture that were popular
2. The word inception in line 1 is closest in meaning to
(A) investigation
(B) location
(C) beginning
(D) records
3. The word fabricating in line 3 is closest in meaning to
(A) constructing
(B) altering
(C) selecting
(D) demonstrating
4. It can be inferred from the passage that the use of artificial light in colonial times was
(A) especially helpful to woodworkers
(B) popular in rural areas
(C) continuous in winter
(D) expensive
5. Why did colonial artisans want to regularize their schedules and methods (line 18)?
(A) to enable them to produce high quality products
(B) to enable them to duplicate an item many times
(C) to impress their customers
(D) to keep expenses low
6. The phrase resort to in line 21 is closest in meaning to
(A) protecting with
(B) moving toward
(C) manufacturing
(D) using
7. The word few' in lines 23 refers to
(A) woodworkers
(B) finished pieces
(C) customers
(D) chests
8. It can be inferred that the artisans referred to in the passage usually produced products that
were
(A) simple
(B) delicate
(C) beautifully decorated
(D) exceptionally long-lasting
PASSAGE 61 BCADD DCA
托福阅读真题2
Molting is one of the most involved processes of a bird's annual life cycle. Notwithstanding preening and constant care, the marvelously intricate structure of a bird's feather inevitably wears out. All adult birds molt their feathers at least once a year, and upon close observation, one can recognize the frayed, ragged appearance of feathers that are nearing the end of their useful life. Two distinct processes are involved in molting. The first step is when the old, worn feather is dropped, or shed. The second is when a new feather grows in its place. When each feather has been shed and replaced, then the molt can be said to be complete. This, however, is an abstraction that often does not happen: incomplete, overlapping, and arrested molts are quite common.
Molt requires that a bird find and process enough protein to rebuild approximately one-third of its body weight. It is not surprising that a bird in heavy molt often seems listless and unwell. But far from being random, molt is controlled by strong evolutionary forces that have established an optimal time and duration. Generally, molt occurs at the time of least stress on the bird. Many songbirds, for instance, molt in late summer, when the hard work of breeding is done but the weather is still warm and food still plentiful. This is why the woods in late summer often seem so quiet, when compared with the exuberant choruses of spring.
Molt of the flight feathers is the most highly organized part of the process. Some species, for example, begin by dropping the outermost primary feathers on each side (to retain balance in the air) and wait until the replacement feathers are about one-third grown before shedding the next outermost, and so on. Others always start with the innermost primary feathers and work outward. Yet other species begin in the middle and work outward on both sides. Most ducks shed their wing feathers at once, and remain flightless for two or three weeks while the replacement feathers grow.
1. The passage mainly discusses how
(A) birds prepare for breeding
(B) bird feathers differ from species
(C) birds shed and replace their feathers
(D) birds are affected by seasonal changes
2. The word Notwithstanding in line 2 is closest in meaning to
(A) despite
(B) because of
(C) instead of
(D) regarding
3. The word intricate in line 2 is closest in meaning to
(A) regular
(B) complex
(C) interesting
(D) important
4. The word random in line 12 is closest in meaning to
(A) unfortunate
(B) unusual
(C) unobservable
(D) unpredictable
5. The word optimal in line 13 is closest in meaning to
(A) slow
(B) frequent
(C) best
(D) early
6. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a reason that songbirds molt in the late summer?
(A) Fewer predators are in the woods.
(B) The weathers are still warm.
(C) The songbirds have finished breeding.
(D) Food is still available.
7. Some birds that are molting maintain balance during flight by
(A) constantly preening and caring for their remaining feathers
(B) dropping flight feathers on both sides at the same time
(C) adjusting the angle of their flight to compensate for lost feathers
(D) only losing one-third of their feathers
8. The word Others in line 21 refers to
(A) ducks
(B) sides
(C) species
(D) flight feathers
9. The author discusses ducks in order to provide an example of birds that
(A) grow replacement feathers that are very long
(B) shed all their wing feathers at one time
(C) keep their innermost feathers
(D) shed their outermost feathers first
10. It can be inferred from the discussion about ducks that the molting of their flight feathers
takes
(A) a year
(B) a season
(C) several months
(D) a few weeks
PASSAGE 62 CABDC ABCBD
