2014年4月27日托福考前冲刺题(一)_第4页

　　With its radiant color and plantlike shape, the sea anemone looks more like a flower thanan animal. More specifically, the sea anemone is formed quite like the flower for which it isnamed, with a body like a stem and tentacles like petals in brilliant shades of blue, green, pink,and red. Its diameter varies from about six millimeters in some species to more than ninetycentimeters in the giant varieties of Australia. Like corals, hydras, and jellyfish, sea anemonesare coelenterates. They can move slowly, but more often they attach the lower part of theircylindrical bodies to rocks, shells, or wharf pilings. The upper end of the sea anemone has amouth surrounded by tentacles that the animal uses to capture its food. Stingingcells in thetentacles throw out tiny poison threads that paralyze other small sea animals. The tentaclesthen drag this prey into the sea anemone's mouth. The food is digested in the large inner bodycavity. When disturbed, a sea anemone retracts its tentacles and shortens its body so that itresembles a lump on a rock. Anemones may reproduce by forming eggs, dividing in half, ordeveloping buds that grow and break off as independent animals.

　　27.Based on the information in the passage, all of the following statements about sea anemones are true EXCEPT that they _____.

　　(A) are usually tiny

　　(B) have flexible bodies

　　(C) are related to jellyfish

　　(D) are usually brightly colored

　　PASSAGE 6

　　In the past oysters were raised in much the same way as dirt farmers raised potatos-by transplanting them. First, farmers selected the oyster bed, cleared the bottom of old shells and other debris, then scattered clean shells about. Next, they "planted" fertilized oyster eggs, which within two or three weeks hatched into larvae. The larvae drifted until they attached themselves to the clean shells on the bottom. There they remained and in time grew into baby oysters called seed or spat. The spat grew larger by drawing in seawater from which they derived microscopic particles of food. Before long, farmers gathered the baby oysters, transplanted them in other waters to speed up their growth, then transplanted them once more into another body of water to fatten them up.

　　Until recently the supply of wild oysters and those crudely farmed were more than enoughto satisfy people's needs. But today the delectable seafood is no longer available in abundance. The problem has become so serious that some oyster beds have vanished entirely.

　　Fortunately, as far back as the early 1900's marine biologists realized that if new measures were not taken, oysters would become extinct or at best a luxury food. So they set up well equipped hatcheries and went to work. But they did not have the proper equipmentor and the skill to handle the eggs. They did not know when, what, and how to feed the larvae. And they knew little about the predators that attack and eat baby oysters by the millions.

　　The marine biologists discovered that by raising the temperature of the water, they could induce oysters to spawn not only in the summer but also in the fall, winter, and spring. Later they developed a technique for feeding the larvae and rearing them to spat. Going still further, they succeeded in breeding new strains that were resistant to diseases, grew faster and larger, and flourished in water of different salinities and temperatures. In addition, the cultivated oysters tasted better!

　　28.Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage?

　　(A) Step by step description of the evolution of marine biology

　　(B) Discussion of chronological events concerning oyster production

　　(C) Random presentation of facts about oysters

　　(D) Description of oyster production at different geographic locations

　　29.According to the passage, which of the following words best describes the efforts of the marine biologists working with oysters?

　　(A) Persistent

　　(B) Intermittent

　　(C) Traditional

　　(D) Fruitless