GRE阅读机经真题答案详细解析之：Passage 28-「GRE阅读真题」免费下载

市面上流传的GRE阅读机经真题有三百多篇，同时又存在多种版本的答案和解析，有些疑难题目让考生不知道听谁的，还有些版本的解析像是用谷歌翻译把同题目和选项翻译了一下。TD GRE教研组认为，GRE阅读的解析，可以讲得再清楚一点。 GRE不光有技巧，不光有快速解题法，GRE更加考察大家的逻辑硬实力，文字理解实打实的深度。良好的GRE备考应当在课堂上向老师学习快速解题法，取同取反逻辑的同时，课下扎扎实实的读懂每一句话。读懂，是一切技巧使用的前提。皮之不存，毛将焉附？有感于此，我们尝试用比较长的时间，原创一个解析，力求做到超详细，大白话，包你懂。往期GRE阅读真题详细解析?：GRE阅读Passage 解析,今天继续为大家推出Passage 28（长阅读）解析，这篇阅读一共有5段，带4道题，TD版超详细「包你懂」系列对此篇文章进行了清楚地解析。

GRE真题阅读机经Passage 28

Based on evidence from tree rings, pollen samples and other records, scientists have for a long time assumed that interglacials—warm interludes between ice ages—were as mild and uniform as the Holocene, the present interglacial, has been for all of its 8,000 to 10,000 years. But new research in Greenland has put this assumption into question. Researchers on two teams, the Greenland Ice-Core Project (GRIP) and the Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2 (GISP2), have analyzed two different cylinders of ice, each about two miles in depth, pulled up from the Greenland ice sheet. Such ice cores trap gases, bits of dust, and other chemicals that were present in the snow that fell over Greenland for thousands of years and then became compressed into ice. By studying these components, scientists have obtained a detailed archive of many aspects of climate, including air temperatures, snowfall, and concentrations of greenhouses gases in the atmosphere. Findings from the upper sections of the cores have confirmed what scientists already knew climate during the last ice age fluctuated rapidly. But scientists were astonished by findings from the lower sections of the GRIP core, which provided a close look at an interglacial period other than our own, the Eemian interglacial, a period that lasted from 135,000 to 115,000 years ago. Data from GRIP seem to indicate that the Eemian climate swung at least as wildly as the climate of ice age periods. Researchers’ clues to the Eemian climate come from measurements of the ratios of two slightly different types of oxygen, isotopes oxygen-16 and oxygen-18, preserved in the GRIP core. These ratios register the fluctuations of air temperatures over the seasons and years. When the air was warm, vapor containing the heavier isotope, oxygen-18, condensed and formed precipitation, in the form of snow, more readily than did vapor containing oxygen-16. Thus, snow that fell during warmer periods contains proportionally more oxygen-18 than snow deposited during cold spells. Evidence of rapid climate shifts was also drawn from other sources, such as measurements of amounts of dust and calcium ions in the ice layers during cold periods: winds were strong, causing calcium- rich dust from loess deposits, which are composed of loose surface sediment, to blow across the ice sheet. Thus, differing amounts of dust in the layers also indicate changing climatic conditions. However, finds from the lower section of GISP 2 do not confirm those of GRIP. The wild climate swings shown by GRIP in the last interglacial are not seen in the GISP2 core. According to a GISP 2 scientist, the weight of flowing glacial ice above has stressed the lower sections of both cores. This may have deformed the lower ice, disrupting its annual layers and thereby causing the discrepancy between the records. Still, some climatologists believe GRIP’s record may be the more reliable of the two. It was drilled closer to a location called the ice divide, where stresses would have been lower, they say.

文章解析

第一自然段：

Based on evidence from tree rings, pollen samples and other records, scientists have for a long time assumed that interglacials—warm interludes between ice ages—were as mild and uniform as the Holocene, the present interglacial, has been for all of its 8,000 to 10,000 years. But new research in Greenland has put this assumption into question. Researchers on two teams, the Greenland Ice-Core Project (GRIP) and the Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2 (GISP2), have analyzed two different cylinders of ice, each about two miles in depth, pulled up from the Greenland ice sheet. Such ice cores trap gases, bits of dust, and other chemicals that were present in the snow that fell over Greenland for thousands of years and then became compressed into ice. By studying these components, scientists have obtained a detailed archive of many aspects of climate, including air temperatures, snowfall, and concentrations of greenhouses gases in the atmosphere. 白话版讲解： 在地球的历史上，一个（寒冷的）ice age过后，会有一个（温暖的）interglacial时期，然后又来一个ice age，再然后又来一个interglacial时期。地球目前正处于一个interglacial时期，这个时期从大概8000年到10000年前开始，目前仍然在进行中，它专门有个名字，叫Holocene。根据一些来自树的年轮、花粉的证据和其他记录，科学家们很长时间以来一直认为地球历史上经历过的所有interglacial时期，都像Holocene这个interglacial一样，气候温和且稳定不太变。但是（最近）在Greenland搞了一个研究，研究结果就引起了对“所有interglacial时期气候都很温和”这个观点的怀疑。分别有两个研究组，一个叫GRIP，另一叫GISP2，分别从地表以下两英里处挖出来一根大冰柱。雪落到地上，里面会有一些气体、尘埃和化学物，雪结成冰时，这些雪中的物质会被锁（trap）在冰中。大冰柱中的这些物质，保留了（可能是几千年前几万年前）结冰时的原样。通过研究大冰柱中这些物质，科学家们已经获取了关于气候各方面情况的详细的档案库，这些关于气候各方面的情况，包括（可能是几千年前几万年前）结冰当时的气温高低、降雪量、各种温室气体的浓度等。

第二自然段：

Findings from the upper sections of the cores have confirmed what scientists already knew: climate during the last ice age fluctuated rapidly. But scientists were astonished by findings from the lower sections of the GRIP core, which provided a close look at an interglacial period other than our own, the Eemian interglacial, a period that lasted from 135,000 to 115,000 years ago. Data from GRIP seem to indicate that the Eemian climate swung at least as wildly as the climate of ice age periods. 白话版讲解： 科学家们之前就已经知道，上一个ice age时期，气候情况是迅速上下波动变化的。这一次在冰柱上部找到的证据，确证了这一观点。但是这次GRIP组研究的那根冰柱下部的一些发现（这部分的冰柱可以让研究人员仔细观察从135000年前持续到115000年的另一个interglacial时期的情况，这个interglacial时期，也专门有个名字，叫Eemian），令科学家们大吃一惊。这一次GRIP组新搞到的数据显示，Eemian时期，气候情况至少像众多ice age时期一样发生过明显的变化（并不像之前认为的那样mild和uniform）。

第三自然段第一部分：

Researchers’ clues to the Eemian climate come from measurements of the ratios of two slightly different types of oxygen, isotopes oxygen-16 and oxygen-18, preserved in the GRIP core. These ratios register the fluctuations of air temperatures over the seasons and years. When the air was warm, vapor containing the heavier isotope, oxygen-18, condensed and formed precipitation, in the form of snow, more readily than did vapor containing oxygen-16. Thus, snow that fell during warmer periods contains proportionally more oxygen-18 than snow deposited during cold spells. 白话版讲解： GRIP研究组是怎样推出Eemian时期气候情况的呢？主要是通过测量冰柱里被锁住的两种氧元素同位素的比例（ratio）来推的。这两种同位素分别是氧-18和氧-16，其中氧18原子的质量要大一些。在气候较温暖的时期，含氧-18的水蒸气比含氧-16的水蒸气更容易凝结成雪降到地面。所以在气候较温暖的时期，下的雪，其中氧-18的含量比氧-16的含量高（相应地，气候较温暖的时期，结的冰，其中也是氧-18的含量比氧-16的含量高）。所以如果发现冰柱的某一部分冰层是氧-18的含量比氧-16的含量高，就可以判断这一部分冰是气候较温暖的时期结的。如果发现冰柱中一层一层接连着都是氧-18的含量和氧-16的含量比这个数值比较高，说明很长一段时间，气候都较温暖。但是GRIP发现冰柱中某一层是氧-18的含量比氧-16的含量高，紧接着一层却是氧-16的含量比氧-18的含量高，然后又接着一层，又变成了氧-18的含量比氧-16的含量高。这就说明气候发生过从暖到冷再到暖的变化（即出现过fluctuations）。

第三自然段第二部分：

Evidence of rapid climate shifts was also drawn from other sources, such as measurements of amounts of dust and calcium ions in the ice layers during cold periods: winds were strong, causing calcium- rich dust from loess deposits, which are composed of loose surface sediment, to blow across the ice sheet. Thus, differing amounts of dust in the layers also indicate changing climatic conditions. 白话版讲解： 除了看氧，还可以看尘埃和碳离子含量。在气候较寒冷的时期，风比较大，会把表面比较稀松的黄土中的尘埃吹到Greenland的冰层上来。这些尘埃中富含碳离子。如果发现冰柱中某部分含有大量碳离子，就说明这部分冰是在气候较寒冷的时候形成的。如果气候稳定，那么冰柱中各部分的碳离子含量应该都差不多。但是研究人员发现，冰柱中不同部分冰中的碳离子的含量不同，这也说明有些冰是气候暖的时候结的，有些冰是气候冷的时候结的，气候发生过较大的变化。

第四自然段：

However, finds from the lower section of GISP 2 do not confirm those of GRIP. The wild climate swings shown by GRIP in the last interglacial are not seen in the GISP2 core. 白话版讲解： GRIP组研究人员通过他们搞到的那块冰柱，得出了结论：在Eemian时期，气候发生过猛烈的气候大变化。但是GISP 2组研究人员，在他们搞到的那块冰柱靠下的那部分，发现了一些数据，这些数据不支持GRIP组研究人员的结论。

第五自然段：

According to a GISP 2 scientist, the weight of flowing glacial ice above has stressed the lower sections of both cores. This may have deformed the lower ice, disrupting its annual layers and thereby causing the discrepancy between the records. Still, some climatologists believe GRIP’s record may be the more reliable of the two. It was drilled closer to a location called the ice divide, where stresses would have been lower, they say. 白话版讲解： GISP 2组中的一位科学家说，在两块冰柱上方浮动的冰层很重，GRIP组和GISP 2组所研究的冰柱的下方都受到了冰层的挤压。冰柱下方可能受压变形，本来按结冰年份先后一年一年堆积的冰层（请注意这里的annual这个词，对理解全文和为什么树的年轮中也可以留下关于有关古代气候情况的证据很重要）被打乱了，所以研究人员发现的数据才会出现不一致的现象（discrepancy）。尽管这位科学家这样解释了（两组的科学家都没错，是冰被压变形了导致的），有一些气候学家还是认为GRIP组的数据可能比GISP 2组的数据更可靠。GRIP组搞来的这块冰柱，它本来所在的位置更靠近一个叫“冰分界处”的地方，那个地方的冰柱受到的来自上方浮动冰层的压力应该要小一些（GRIP组搞来的这块冰柱可能没因为受压而变形）。

题目解析

1. The passage is primarily concerned with A. refuting certain scientific theories about Earth’s climatic history. B. outlining new findings concerning Earth’s climate during ice ages. C. discussing new research that may challenge a long-held scientific assumption about Earth’s climatic history. D. describing the climatic changes that occurred when Earth moved from an ice age into an interglacial period. E. reconciling conflicting evidence concerning climatic changes.

白话版讲解：

实际上是问全文的修辞功能。 A“驳斥一些关于地球气候发展史的理论” 因为theory的意思是“一个推测或一系列想法，意图想解释某事情”（a supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain something）。比如为了解释“恐龙为什么会灭绝”，有人说“因为有一个行星撞了地球，然后产生太多灰尘，挡住了阳光，所以恐龙灭绝了”，这是一个theory。而文章开头提到的interglacial时期气温一直很mild，只是一个assumption，并没有解释什么事情，所以严格来说，这个assumption不是theory。所以A错误。 B“概述一些关于ice age时期地球气候情况的新结论” 因为文章内容主要是关于interglacial时期的，所以B错误。 C“讨论一些新研究，这些新研究可能会质疑一个人们很长时间都相信的关于地球气候发展史的观点”文章开头介绍了一个assumption，后来介绍的新研究都是质疑这个assumption的，所以C选项正确。 D“描述历史上地球从一个ice age转而进入一个interglacial period，期间的气候变化情况” 文章描述的interglacial period时期之内的情况，所以C错误。 E“调和关于气候变化的互相矛盾的证据” 文章最后确实给discrepancy找了个理由，但是那不是整个文章的修辞功能。所以E错误。 注解： finding（常作findings）n.（查询、调查、审判的）结果，结论 a conclusion reached as a result of an inquiry, investigation, or trial 本题答案：C 2. Which of the following describes research that is most clearly analogous to the testing done by GRIP scientists? A. Scientists studying the formation of the Sahara desert measure the rate of topsoil erosion in the region. B. Scientists seeking to determine the age of a particular fossil measure the percentage of its carbon atoms that have decayed. C. Scientists researching vision in flies measure and compare the amounts of vitamin A found in the retinas of several fly species. D. Scientists investigating the development of life on Earth measure and compare the amount of oxygen used by various organisms along the evolutionary scale. E. Scientists plotting the fluctuations in rainfall in the early rain forests measure the presence of certain gases trapped in tree rings of older trees.

白话版讲解：

问下列研究，哪一个和GRIP组做的测试相似？ A“为了研究撒哈拉沙漠是怎样形成的，科学家们该地区表土层被风（沙）化的速度” 某块地的topsoil发生erosion以后，这块地就会变成desert。选项中的formation的意思是the action of forming，所以要翻译成“形成”，不能翻译成“组成”，不是为了研究撒哈拉沙漠的“组成结构”。 B“为了研究某块化石的年份，测量化石中有百分之多少的碳原子已经发生了衰变” C“为了搞清楚各种蝇的视觉，测量并比较几种蝇视网膜中的维生素A的含量” D“为了研究地球上生命的发展，科学家们测量并比较物种进化表上不同生物所耗的氧气量” 选项中scale的意思是“按等级或顺序排列的表”（a graduated series or scheme of rank or order） E“为了用图表说明早期热带雨林的降雨量的上下波动情况，科学家们测量在古树年轮中是否锁住了某些气体” 答对这道题，关键在于找到GRIP组研究的两个关键特点： 第一个是研究是为了知道很早以前的情况，第二是借助 “something trapped in another thing”。很早以前的情况，需要借助很早以前存在，因为某种原因被锁（trap）在另一种东西里面，从而被保留至今的某种东西来判断。通过某种被锁在琥珀、冰块、年轮中的东西，来判断。五个选项所说的研究中，符合这两个关键特点的，存在一种东西被锁在另一种东西里面的情况的，只有E。本题答案：E 3. According to the passage, which of the following is the most accurate statement of what scientists believed, prior to the GRIP findings, about Earth’s climate? A. Over the course of Earth’s history, interglacials have become progressively milder. B. Earth’s overall climate has been generally mild since the planet’s formation. C. During both interglacials and ice ages, Earth’s climate has fluctuated violently. D. During ice ages, Earth’s climate has been highly variable, whereas during interglacials it has been mild and stable. E. During interglacials, Earth’s climate has been highly variable, whereas during ice ages it has been uniformly cold and icy.

白话版讲解：

问：在GRIP研究组得出新结论（findings是conclusion的意思）前，科学家们认为地球的气候……？ A“在整个地球发展史中，总是一个interglacial比上一个interglacial更温和” B“自从地球形成以来，地球整体气候就一直很温和和” C“无论是在ice ages时期还是在interglacials时期，地球气候都激烈地上下波动” D“在ice ages时期，地球气候变化比较大；在interglacials时期，地球气候暖和、稳定” E“在interglacials时期，地球气候变化较大；在ice ages时期，地球气候一直很冷也没什么变化” 根据文章第一自然第一句话和第二自然段最后一句话，可知选项D正确。本题答案：D 4. The passage suggests that which of the following is most likely to have been true of the oxygen-16 and oxygen-18 isotopes found in the lower sections of the GRIP core? A. There was significantly more isotope oxygen-18 than isotope oxygen-16 in the ice layers. B. There was significantly more isotope oxygen-16 than isotope oxygen-18 in the ice layers. C. Ratios of isotopes oxygen-18 and oxygen-16 varied in the ice layers. D. Layers containing isotope oxygen-18 placed stress on the layers containing isotope oxygen-16, possibly distorting them. E. Isotope oxygen-16, being lighter, was located mainly in the upper layers, whereas oxygen-18 had settled into the lower layers.

白话版讲解：

问文章暗示，关于GRIP组搞到的那块冰柱靠下的部分，其所含氧-16和氧-18的情况，哪一个选项的说法，最可能为真？ A“在各冰层中，都是氧-18比氧-16多得多” B“在各冰层中，都是氧-16比氧-18多得多” C“在各冰层中，氧-18含量和氧-16含量的比值，不同” 根据文章第三自然段第一部分，ratios会有fluctuations，即ratios会有variations。所以选项A、B错误，选项C正确。 D“含氧-18的冰层给含氧-16的冰层施加了压力，使后者变形了” 是冰柱的整个lower sections都可能被冰柱上方的浮冰压变形了，不是lower section内部的一个冰层压了另一个冰层。所以D错误 E“因为氧-16的质量小，氧-18的质量大，所以在上层冰中，氧-16的含量多；在下层冰中，氧-18的含量多” 文章说的是“氧-18原子的质量要大一些。在气候较温暖的时期，含氧-18的水蒸气比含氧-16的水蒸气更容易凝结成雪降到地面。”并没有说氧-16和氧-18会出现在上层还是下层。所以E错误。本题答案：C