雅思阅读（学术类）模拟题精讲

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Reading

READING PASSAGE 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1–13, which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.

MAKING TIME FOR SCIENCE

Chronobiology might sound a little futuristic – like something from a science fiction novel, perhaps – but it’s actually a field of study that concerns one of the oldest processes life on this planet has ever known: short-term rhythms of time and their effect on flora and fauna.

This can take many forms. Marine life, for example, is influenced by tidal patterns. Animals tend to be active or inactive depending on the position of the sun or moon. Numerous creatures, humans included, are largely diurnal – that is, they like to come out during the hours of sunlight. Nocturnal animals, such as bats and possums, prefer to forage by night. A third group are known as crepuscular: they thrive in the low-light of dawn and dusk and remain inactive at other hours.

When it comes to humans, chronobiologists are interested in what is known as the circadian rhythm. This is the complete cycle our bodies are naturally geared to undergo within the passage of a twenty-four hour day. Aside from sleeping at night and waking during the day, each cycle involves many other factors such as changes in blood pressure and body temperature. Not everyone has an identical circadian rhythm. ‘Night people’, for example, often describe how they find it very hard to operate during the morning, but become alert and focused by evening. This is a benign variation within circadian rhythms known as a chronotype.

Scientists have limited abilities to create durable modifications of chronobiological demands. Recent therapeutic developments for humans such as artificial light machines and melatonin administration can reset our circadian rhythms, for example, but our bodies can tell the difference and health suffers when we breach these natural rhythms for extended periods of time. Plants appear no more malleable in this respect; studies demonstrate that vegetables grown in season and ripened on the tree are far higher in essential nutrients than those grown in greenhouses and ripened by laser.

Knowledge of chronobiological patterns can have many pragmatic implications for our day-to-day lives. While contemporary living can sometimes appear to subjugate biology – after all, who needs circadian rhythms when we have caffeine pills, energy drinks, shift work and cities that never sleep? – keeping in synch with our body clock is important.

The average urban resident, for example, rouses at the eye-blearing time of 6.04 a.m., which researchers believe to be far too early. One study found that even rising at 7.00 a.m. has deleterious effects on health unless exercise is performed for 30 minutes afterward. The optimum moment has been whittled down to 7.22 a.m.; muscle aches, headaches and moodiness were reported to be lowest by participants in the study who awoke then.

Once you’re up and ready to go, what then? If you’re trying to shed some extra pounds, dieticians are adamant: never skip breakfast. This disorients your circadian rhythm and puts your body in starvation mode. The recommended course of action is to follow an intense workout with a carbohydrate-rich breakfast; the other way round and weight loss results are not as pronounced.

Morning is also great for breaking out the vitamins. Supplement absorption by the body is not temporal-dependent, but naturopath Pam Stone notes that the extra boost at breakfast helps us get energised for the day ahead. For improved absorption, Stone suggests pairing supplements with a food in which they are soluble and steering clear of caffeinated beverages. Finally, Stone warns to take care with storage; high potency is best for absorption, and warmth and humidity are known to deplete the potency of a supplement.

After-dinner espressos are becoming more of a tradition – we have the Italians to thank for that – but to prepare for a good night’s sleep we are better off putting the brakes on caffeine consumption as early as 3 p.m. With a seven hour half-life, a cup of coffee containing 90 mg of caffeine taken at this hour could still leave 45 mg of caffeine in your nervous system at ten o’clock that evening. It is essential that, by the time you are ready to sleep, your body is rid of all traces.

Evenings are important for winding down before sleep; however, dietician Geraldine Georgeou warns that an after-five carbohydrate-fast is more cultural myth than chronobiological demand. This will deprive your body of vital energy needs. Overloading your gut could lead to indigestion, though. Our digestive tracts do not shut down for the night entirely, but their work slows to a crawl as our bodies prepare for sleep. Consuming a modest snack should be entirely sufficient.

>>>雅思阅读协助定位常见同义词：

Questions 1–7

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?

In boxes 1–7 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

1 Chronobiology is the study of how living things have evolved over time.

2 The rise and fall of sea levels affects how sea creatures behave.

3 Most animals are active during the daytime.

4 Circadian rhythms identify how we do different things on different days.

5 A ‘night person’ can still have a healthy circadian rhythm.

6 New therapies can permanently change circadian rhythms without causing harm.

7 Naturally-produced vegetables have more nutritional value.

ANSWERS

1. FALSE：答案见原文第1段：but it’s actually a field of study that concerns one of the oldest processes life on this planet has ever known: short-term rhythms of time and their effect on flora and fauna. 而题目中是说Chronobiology是研究生物如何进化的，与原文表述不符。

2. TRUE：见原文第2段Marine life, for example, is influenced by tidal patterns.这句话是说海洋生活受潮涨潮落影响。题目中的The rise and fall of sea levels= tidal patterns，sea creatures海洋生物包含在Marine life中，而且下文也提到Animals怎样受到了影响。

3. NOT GIVEN：题目是说多数动物在白天活跃，而原文中低2段是说有的动物白天活动，有的动物夜间活动，并没有说多数动物都是白天活动。

4. FALSE：见原文第3段This is the complete cycle our bodies are naturally geared to undergo within the passage of a twenty-four hour day.原文是说Circadian rhythms（生理规律）是人们身体在一天24小时内的自然运行规律，并不能识别人们在不同的日期如何做不同的事情。

5. TRUE：见原文第3段最后1句话This is a benign variation within circadian rhythms known as a chronotype.是说‘night person’是人体生理规律一种良性变异，所以是healthy的。

6. FALSE：见原文第4段Recent therapeutic developments for humans such as artificial light machines and melatonin administration can reset our circadian rhythms, for example, but our bodies can tell the difference and health suffers when we breach these natural rhythms for extended periods of time.原文是说therapeutic developments可改变circadian rhythms，但是如果长期破坏自然规律，我们的身体会发生差异并遭遇健康问题。而题目是说新的治疗方法可以持久改变生理规律而不会造成伤害，所以是错误的。

7. TRUE：见原文第4段最后一句话studies demonstrate that vegetables grown in season and ripened on the tree are far higher in essential nutrients than those grown in greenhouses and ripened by laser.是说研究表明，按季节生长并自然成熟的蔬菜的基本的营养要高于在温室中生产并催熟的蔬菜，所以，题目中说自然生长的蔬菜具有更高的营养价值是正确的。

Questions 8–13

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write the correct letter in boxes 8–13 on your answer sheet.

8 What did researchers identify as the ideal time to wake up in the morning?

A 6.04

B 7.00

C 7.22

D 7.30

9 In order to lose weight, we should

A avoid eating breakfast

B eat a low carbohydrate breakfast

C exercise before breakfast

D exercise after breakfast

10 Which is NOT mentioned as a way to improve supplement absorption?

A avoiding drinks containing caffeine while taking supplements

B taking supplements at breakfast

C taking supplements with foods that can dissolve them

D storing supplements in a cool, dry environment

11 The best time to stop drinking coffee is

A mid-afternoon

B 10 p.m.

C only when feeling anxious

D after dinner

12 In the evening, we should

A stay away from carbohydrates

B stop exercising

C eat as much as possible

D eat a light meal

13 Which of the following phrases best describes the main aim of Reading Passage 1?

A to suggest healthier ways of eating, sleeping and exercising

B to describe how modern life has made chronobiology largely irrelevant

C to introduce chronobiology and describe some practical applications

D to plan a daily schedule that can alter our natural chronobiological rhythms

ANSWERS

8. C：见原文第6段The optimum moment has been whittled down to 7.22 a.m.最佳的叫醒时间是在7.22 a.m，后面描述了原因。

9. C：见原文第7段The recommended course of action is to follow an intense workout with a carbohydrate-rich breakfast; the other way round and weight loss results are not as pronounced.是说建议早餐前进行锻炼，不提倡其他的方式或减肥，文中提倡吃早餐（never skip breakfast）。所以题目A选项中的不吃早餐、B选项中吃低碳水化合物的早餐本身是不正确的描述

10. B：见原文倒数第3段For improved absorption, Stone suggests pairing supplements with a food in which they are soluble and steering clear of caffeinated beverages. Finally, Stone warns to take care with storage; high potency is best for absorption, and warmth and humidity are known to deplete the potency of a supplement.所以improve supplement absorption的方式中，B项是没有提到的。

11. A：见原文倒数第2段but to prepare for a good night’s sleep we are better off putting the brakes on caffeine consumption as early as 3 p.m.原文中putting the brakes on是说停止，所以停止喝咖啡的最佳时间是下午3点，也就是mid-afternoon。

12. D：见原文最后一段an after-five carbohydrate-fast is more cultural myth than chronobiological demand. Overloading your gut could lead to indigestion, though. Consuming a modest snack should be entirely sufficient.是说不要过度摄入碳水化合物，会导致消化不良，适量的小吃就足够了。所以，题目中A（远离碳水化合物）、B、C均为错误选项。

13. C：文章的写作目的首先是介绍chronobiology，并描述了人们应该如何遵循生理规律，即一些实际的操作。所以C选项为最为贴切的答案。

雅思考试阅读(学术类)部分共有三篇文章，考生需要回答40道题目。每一篇文章所需要回答的问题数量并不相同。每一道问题相对应一个分数。文章内容和题目均出现于试卷中。

READING PASSAGE 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14–26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.

The Triune (three-in-one) Brain

The first of our three brains to evolve is what scientists call the reptilian cortex. This brain sustains the elementary activities of animal survival such as respiration, adequate rest and a beating heart. We are not required to consciously “think” about these activities. The reptilian cortex also houses the “startle centre”, a mechanism that facilitates swift reactions to unexpected occurrences in our surroundings. That panicked lurch you experience when a door slams shut somewhere in the house, or the heightened awareness you feel when a twig cracks in a nearby bush while out on an evening stroll are both examples of the reptilian cortex at work. When it comes to our interaction with others, the reptilian brain offers up only the most basic impulses: aggression, mating, and territorial defence. There is no great difference, in this sense, between a crocodile defending its spot along the river and a turf war between two urban gangs.

Although the lizard may stake a claim to its habitat, it exerts total indifference toward the well-being of its young. Listen to the anguished squeal of a dolphin separated from its pod or witness the sight of elephants mourning their dead, however, and it is clear that a new development is at play. Scientists have identified this as the limbic cortex. Unique to mammals, the limbic cortex impels creatures to nurture their offspring by delivering feelings of tenderness and warmth to the parent when children are nearby. These same sensations also cause mammals to develop various types of social relations and kinship networks. When we are with others of “our kind” – be it at soccer practice, church, school or a nightclub – we experience positive sensations of togetherness, solidarity and comfort. If we spend too long away from these networks, then loneliness sets in and encourages us to seek companionship.

Only human capabilities extend far beyond the scope of these two cortexes. Humans eat, sleep and play, but we also speak, plot, rationalise and debate finer points of morality. Our unique abilities are the result of an expansive third brain – the neocortex –which engages with logic, reason and ideas. The power of the neocortex comes from its ability to think beyond the present, concrete moment. While other mammals are mainly restricted to impulsive actions (although some, such as apes, can learn and remember simple lessons), humans can think about the “big picture”. We can string together simple lessons (for example, an apple drops downwards from a tree; hurting others causes unhappiness) to develop complex theories of physical or social phenomena (such as the laws of gravity and a concern for human rights).

The neocortex is also responsible for the process by which we decide on and commit to particular courses of action. Strung together over time, these choices can accumulate into feats of progress unknown to other animals. Anticipating a better grade on the following morning’s exam, a student can ignore the limbic urge to socialise and go to sleep early instead. Over three years, this ongoing sacrifice translates into a first class degree and a scholarship to graduate school; over a lifetime,it can mean ground-breaking contributions to human knowledge and development. The ability to sacrifice our drive for immediate satisfaction in order to benefit later is a product of the neocortex.

Understanding the triune brain can help us appreciate the different natures of brain damage and psychological disorders. The most devastating form of brain damage, for example, is a condition in which someone is understood to be brain dead. In this state a person appears merely unconscious – sleeping, perhaps – but this is illusory. Here, the reptilian brain is functioning on autopilot despite the permanent loss of other cortexes.

Disturbances to the limbic cortex are registered in a different manner. Pups with limbic damage can move around and feed themselves well enough but do not register the presence of their littermates. Scientists have observed how, after a limbic lobotomy (surgical cutting of brain nerves) “one impaired monkey stepped on his outraged peers as if treading on a log or a rock”. In our own species, limbic damage is closely related to sociopathic behaviour. Sociopaths in possession of fully-functioning neocortexes are often shrewd and emotionally intelligent people but lack any ability to relate to, empathise with or express concern for others.

One of the neurological wonders of history occurred when a railway worker named Phineas Gage survived an incident during which a metal rod skewered his skull, taking a considerable amount of his neocortex with it. Though Gage continued to live and work as before, his fellow employees observed a shift in the equilibrium of his personality. Gage’s animal propensities were now sharply pronounced while his intellectual abilities suffered; garrulous or obscene jokes replaced his once quick wit. New findings suggest, however, that Gage managed to soften these abrupt changes over time and rediscover an appropriate social manner. This would indicate that reparative therapy has the potential to help patients with advanced brain trauma to gain an improved quality of life.

Questions 14–22

Classify the following as typical of

A the reptilian cortex

B the limbic cortex

C the neocortex

Write the correct letter, A, B or C, in boxes 14–22 on your answer sheet.

14 giving up short-term happiness for future gains

15 maintaining the bodily functions necessary for life

16 experiencing the pain of losing another

17 forming communities and social groups

18 making a decision and carrying it out

19 guarding areas of land

20 developing explanations for things

21 looking after one’s young

22 responding quickly to sudden movement and nois

Answers：

14. C

15. A

16. B

17. B

18. C

19. A

20. C

21. B

22. A

解析：

本文讲述了大脑的三个区域the reptilian cortex、the limbic cortex以及he neocortex的工作原理及作用，14-22题列出的是一些行为动作，要求根据原文描述来判断这一行为是受大脑的哪个区域所控制。

原文第一段描述the reptilian cortex，（This brain sustains the elementary activities of animal survival such as respiration, adequate rest and a beating heart. We are not required to consciously “think” about these activities.）这句话是说大脑的这个区域是来维持呼吸、充足的休息以及心跳等身体活动的，不需要持续对这些活动进行思考。顾名思义，就是说the reptilian cortex是来维持一些日常生理活动的。后面描述了the reptilian cortex帮助对突发情况进行快速反应以及对aggression, mating, and territorial defence作出反应。所以，15、19和22题选择A选项。

第二段描述the limbic cortex，（the limbic cortex impels creatures to nurture their offspring by delivering feelings of tenderness and warmth to the parent when children are nearby.）这句话是说the limbic cortex使生物养育自己的后代，孩子对父母有亲近之感，后文（These same sensations also cause mammals to develop various types of social relations and kinship networks.）是说该大脑区域还刺激生物寻求社会关系和亲属关系。因此，16、17和21题选B选项。

第三、四段描述the neocortex，（Only human capabilities extend far beyond the scope of these two cortexes.）是说the neocortex是人脑特有的区域，使人区别于动物。后文主要描述the neocortex是人具有思维。所以，14、18和20题是通过思考才能完成的行为，选C选项。

Questions 23–26

Complete the sentences below.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 23–26 on your answer sheet.

23 A person with only a functioning reptilian cortex is known as ………………….

24 ………………… in humans is associated with limbic disruption.

25 An industrial accident caused Phineas Gage to lose part of his ………………….

26 After his accident, co-workers noticed an imbalance between Gage’s

………………… and higher-order thinking.

Answers:

23. brain dead：见原文倒数第三段。

24. sociopathic behaviour：原文倒数第二段。

25. neocortex：见原文最后一段。

26. animal propensities：见原文最后一段。