托福閱讀答題技巧～細節題‧Part 4 - 英檢

現在托福閱讀考試的難度增加，很多時候不是簡單的定位就可找答案，

答案選項有時四個都同義改寫至面目全非。

所以若非對於原文句子有充分理解，要考到滿分難度其實很高！

但無論文章答案有多難咀嚼，只有先快速定位到對的句字，才有更多的時間來理解。

在此之前，先來補充一題上星期提到的細節題定位後找比較級關鍵字來解。

段落裡的比較級很愛考，要特別注意。

答案裡黃色反底是錯誤資訊、文章裡如藍色反底是關鍵字、綠色反底是定位字

一樣先提供題目先練習，接著才會給出解析～
希望大家可以邊看邊練～那麼下頁就開始練習囉！

<EX1>
Similarly important for the national administration was the ability to
control communications within Egypt. The Nile provided the easiest and
quickest artery of communication, and the national capital was, again,
ideally located in this respect. Recent geological surveys of the Memphis
region have shown much about its topography in ancient times. It appears that
the location of Memphis may have been even more advantageous for controlling
trade, transport, and communications than was previously appreciated. Surveys
and drill cores have shown that the level of the Nile floodplain has steadily
risen over the last five millenniums. When the floodplain was much lower, as
it would have been in pre-dynastic and early dynastic times, the outwash fans
(fan-shaped deposits of sediments) of various wadis (stream-beds or channels
that carry water only during rainy periods) would have been much more
prominent features on the east bank. The fan associated with the Wadi Hof
extended a significant way into the Nile floodplain, forming a constriction
in the vicinity of Memphis. The valley may have narrowed at this point to a
mere three kilometers, making it the ideal place for controlling river
traffic.

Recent research into the topography of the Memphis region in ancient times
suggests which of the following?

(A) The level of the Nile floodplains was much higher in predynastic and
dynastic times than in later times.

(B) The sediment deposits of wadis were not as noticeable in predynastic and
dynastic times than in later times.

(C) The Nile valley at the point of Memphis was narrower in predynastic and
dynastic times than it was in later times.

(D) Frequent rainy periods may have caused a significant reduction of trade
traffic during the predynastic and dynastic times.











<EX1>答案
Similarly important for the national administration was the ability to
control communications within Egypt. The Nile provided the easiest and
quickest artery of communication, and the national capital was, again,
ideally located in this respect. Recent geological surveys of the Memphis
region have shown much about its topography in ancient times. It
appears that the location of Memphis may have been even more advantageous for
controlling trade, transport, and communications than was previously
appreciated. Surveys and drill cores have shown that the level of the Nile
floodplain has steadily risen over the last five millenniums. When the
floodplain was much lower, as it would have been in pre-dynastic
and early dynastic times, the outwash fans (fan-shaped deposits of sediments)
of various wadis (stream-beds or channels that carry water only during rainy
periods) would have been much more prominent features on the east bank.
The fan associated with the Wadi Hof extended a significant way into the
Nile floodplain, forming a constriction in the vicinity of Memphis.
The valley may have narrowed at this point to a mere three kilometers, making
it the ideal place for controlling river traffic.

Recent research into the topography of the Memphis region in ancient
times suggests which of the following.

(A) The level of the Nile floodplains was much higher in
predynastic and dynastic times than in later times.
原文是以前的沖積平原比較低，答案與原文相反。

(B) The sediment deposits of wadis were not as noticeable in
predynastic and dynastic times than in later times.
定位回原文，發現定位句承接A選項的時間順序，以前比較顯著。這邊說反

(C) The Nile valley at the point of Memphis was narrower in
predynastic and dynastic times than it was in later times.

(D) Frequent rainy periods may have(方向：→) caused a significant
reduction of trade traffic during the predynastic and dynastic times.
返底部分和此答案的邏輯關係也沒提到

解析：同學如果怕弄混這題的比較級，可以在紙上寫筆記早期的是較大還是較小。C答案
選項定位回原文，繼續承接原文對於早期首都孟菲斯的地理位置分析。原文在早期的尼羅
河流域變窄，因此河上的交通容易控制。答案也是說明早期尼羅河流域較窄，答案選C。




Ｄ.題目問負面字，那就回原文找負面訊息，如：

<EX2>
It has long been accepted that the Americas were colonized by a migration of
peoples from Asia, slowly traveling across a land bridge called Beringia (now
the Bering Strait between northeastern Asia and Alaska) during the last Ice
Age. The first water craft theory about this migration was that around
11,000-12,000 years ago there was an ice-free corridor stretching from
eastern Beringia to the areas of North America south of the great northern
glaciers. It was this mid-continental corridor between two massive ice sheets
–the Laurentide to the east and the Cordilleran to the west–that enabled
the southward migration. But belief in this ice-free corridor began to
crumble when paleoecologist Glen MacDonald demonstrated that some of the most
important radiocarbon dates used to support the existence of an ice-free
corridor were incorrect. He persuasively contended that such an ice-free
corridor did not exist until much later, when the continental ice began its
final retreat.

The theory that people first migrated to the Americans by way of an ice-free
corridor was seriously called into question by


(A) paleoecologist Glen MacDonald's argument that the original migration
occurred much later than had previously been believed

(B) the demonstration that certain previously accepted radiocarbon dates were
incorrect

(C) evidence that the continental ice initiated its final retreat much later
than had previously been believed

(D) research showing that the ice-free corridor was not as long lasting as
had been widely assumed











<EX2>答案

It has long been accepted that the Americas were colonized by a migration of
peoples from Asia, slowly traveling across a land bridge called Beringia (now
the Bering Strait between northeastern Asia and Alaska) during the last Ice
Age. The first water craft theory about this migration was that around
11,000-12,000 years ago there was an ice-free corridor stretching from
eastern Beringia to the areas of North America south of the great northern
glaciers. It was this mid-continental corridor between two massive ice sheets
–the Laurentide to the east and the Cordilleran to the west–that enabled
the southward migration. But belief in this ice-free corridor began to crumble
when paleoecologist Glen MacDonald demonstrated that some of the most
important radiocarbon dates used to support the existence of an ice-free
corridor were incorrect. He persuasively contended that such an ice-free
corridor did not exist until much later, when the continental ice began its
final retreat.

The theory that people first migrated to the Americans by way of an ice-free
corridor was seriously called into question by



(A) paleoecologist Glen MacDonald's argument that the original migration
occurred much later than had previously been believed
原文最後一句是，麥當勞先生說無冰通道(ice-free corridor)是在後期才出現的，
不是在說最早遷徙(original migration)

(B) the demonstration that certain previously accepted radiocarbon dates were
incorrect

(C) evidence that the continental ice initiated its final retreat much later
than had previously been believed
much later 和 previously believed 指的是ice-free corridor，錯的邏輯跟A一樣

(D) research showing that the ice-free corridor was not as long lasting as
had been widely assumed 原文無此比較和資訊。

解析：題目問是甚麼讓此理論被嚴重質疑呢? 用關鍵字but(轉折後面最愛考)協助定位，
發現這樣的一個信念開始動搖當(when, 關鍵字表原因)理論背後測量的碳放射性資料是不
正確(incorrect)的。因此答案選C。結果是不好，原因通常也會是不好，定位後記得要找
負面訊息



<EX3>
Play appears to be a developmental traits of animals with fairly
sophisticated nervous systems, mainly birds and mammals. Play has been
studied most extensively in primates and canids (dogs). Exactly why animals
play is still a matter debated in the research literature, and the reasons
may not be the same for every species that plays. Determining the functions
of play is difficult because the functions may be long-term, with beneficial
effects not showing up until the animal’s adulthood.

Which of the following presents a particular challenge to researchers who
study play behavior in animals?

(A) The delay between activities (play) and the benefits the animal derives
from them.
(B)The difficulty in determining which animal species play and which do not.

(C) The fact that for most animals, there is no clear transition from youth
to full adulthood.

(D) The lack of research on the play behavior of animals other than canid and
primates.

<EX3>答案
Play appears to be a developmental traits of animals with fairly
sophisticated nervous systems, mainly birds and mammals. Play has been
studied most extensively in primates and canids (dogs). Exactly why animals
play is still a matter debated in the research literature, and the reasons
may not be the same for every species that plays. Determining the functions
of play is difficult because the functions may be long-term,
with beneficial effects not showing up until the animal’s adulthood.

Which of the following presents a particular challenge to researchers who
study play behavior in animals?

(A) The delay between activities (play) and the benefits the animal derives
from them.

(B) The difficulty in determining which animal species play and which do not.
無此資訊

(C) The fact that for most animals, there is no clear transition from youth to
full adulthood. 原文無此資訊


(D) The lack of research on the play behavior of animals other than canid and
primates.
原文第二句說犬科和靈長類動物最被廣泛研究，不等於其他類動物缺乏研究。

解析：題目問甚麼東西讓研究員感到挑戰，通常開心的東西應該不會構成挑戰，應該是困
難的東西，回原文定位負號字，找到difficult，又看到關鍵字because，原因就是最後一
句話了。最後一句說動物玩耍的作用很難判定因為作用可能是一個長期過程才能顯現，它
的好處可能要到動物長大了才看的出來。對應到選項A。














<EX4>

The new railroad networks shifted the direction of western trade. In 1840
most northwestern grain was shipped south down the Mississippi River to the
hectic port of New Orleans. But low water made steamboat travel hazardous in
summer, and ice shut down traffic in winter. Products such as lard, tallow,
and cheese quickly spoiled if stored in New Orleans’ hot and humid
warehouses. Increasingly, traffic from the Midwest flowed west to east, over
the new rail lines. Chicago became the region’s hub, linking the farms of
the upper Midwest to New York and other eastern cities by more than 2,000
miles of track in 1855. Thus while the value of goods shipped by river to New
Orleans continued to increase, the South’s overall share of western trade
dropped dramatically.


What was a disadvantage of shipping goods from northwestern areas to New
Orleans?





(A) There was no reliable way to get goods from New Orleans to eastern
cities.

(B) The cost of shipping goods by river to New Orleans continued to increase.

(C) Goods shipped from New Orleans’ adjacent areas had a significant
competitive advantage because of their lower transportation costs.

(D) The temperatures and humidity.













<EX4>答案

The new railroad networks shifted the direction of western trade. In 1840
most northwestern grain was shipped south down the Mississippi River to the
hectic port of New Orleans. But low water made steamboat travel hazardous in
summer, and ice shut down traffic in winter. Products such as lard, tallow,
and cheese quickly spoiled if stored in New Orleans’hot and humid warehouses.
Increasingly, traffic from the Midwest flowed west to east, over the new rail
lines. Chicago became the region’s hub, linking the farms of the upper
Midwest to New York and other eastern cities by more than 2,000 miles of track
in 1855.Thus while the value of goods shipped by river to New Orleans continued
to increase, the South’s overall share of western trade dropped dramatically.

What was a disadvantage of shipping goods from northwestern areas to New
Orleans?







(A) There was no reliable way to get goods from New Orleans to eastern
cities.
答非所問，選項說從紐奧爾良運到東岸城市，跟題目問從西北區運送到紐奧爾良不
在同一個基礎上。

(B) The cost of shipping goods by river to New Orleans continued to increase.

(C) Goods shipped from New Orleans’ adjacent areas had a significant
competitive advantage because of their lower transportation costs.
原文提到芝加哥，但在靠五大湖的北方，紐奧爾良在南邊，因此選項說的臨近南方
紐奧爾良的城市並無提到。

(D) The temperatures and humidity.
此選項的影響是針對貨物在紐奧爾良倉庫的保存，答非所問


解析：

這題真的要擦亮雙眼緊盯題目才能解的出來。題目問：從西北運送貨物到紐奧爾良
有甚麼缺點。題目問有甚麼缺點我們就來找負面訊息。前面hazardous (危險的) 和
shut down (關閉)指的是此水路的不穩定性，A選項乍看對但細看後讓我們失望了。
Spoil (腐壞)也並非直接原因，跳過。直到最後一句的負面訊息dropped dramatically才
對應到選項B。這句段落最後一句以Thus關鍵字開頭也是表達作者對經紐奧爾良運輸此路
徑的最後結論。但到底哪裡有跟選項B對到呢？最後一句的負面訊息要稍做推測。整體的
貨物運量減少，高價值的貨物才會藉由不穩定的水道運送，意味著運輸成本過高，運送
高價值的貨物才有利潤可圖。如果還是看不懂句子，同學可以用我的絕招丟兩個負號進
去句子，最後一句變成價值低的貨物就不經紐奧爾良水道了，為什麼呢? 因為運輸成本變
高賠錢生意沒人做啊。




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