GRE阅读真题机经及答案解析系列：Passage 49 -GRE阅读真题免费下载

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GRE阅读真题机经Passage 49

There is mounting evidence that the frequency and magnitude of landsliding is changing in many parts of the world in response to climate change. This is not surprising, given that precipitation is one of the two external triggering mechanisms—the other being seismic activity—involved in the formation of landslides. Evidence from the past clearly indicates that cycles of elevated landslide activity have been followed by cycles of low activity, and that these are correlated with climate fluctuations over a variety of timescales. What sets current changes in landslide activity apart is the likely influence of anthropogenic [i.e., human-caused] factors, either acting alone or in concert with climate, which can further modify the process of landsliding and the nature of ecosystem responses. Among these factors, deforestation and land-use change have the potential to influence the frequency and magnitude of landsliding because of their direct effects on vegetation attributes that influence slope stability. The extent and conditions under which mountain ecosystems are resilient to these changes—that is, the amount of disturbance they can absorb before changing into states with different structure and function—are not known. Addressing this issue is crucial for the long-term conservation of mountainscapes.

文章解析

第一部分：

There is mounting evidence that the frequency and magnitude of landsliding is changing in many parts of the world in response to climate change. 白话版讲解： 越来越多的证据表明，在世界许多地区，山体滑坡发生的频率和规模在随着气候的改变而改变。

第二部分：

This is not surprising, given that precipitation is one of the two external triggering mechanisms—the other being seismic activity—involved in the formation of landslides. 白话版讲解： 考虑到降水是两大触发山体滑坡发生的外部因素之一（另一个因素是地震），这并不令人感到意外，。山体滑坡情况是跟着降水变的，气候变化必然导致降水变化（降水情况是气候情况的一部分），所以山体滑坡情况跟着气候变，不令人意外。

第三部分：

Evidence from the past clearly indicates that cycles of elevated landslide activity have been followed by cycles of low activity, and that these are correlated with climate fluctuations over a variety of timescales. 白话版讲解： 过去的证据清楚地表明两个事情：第一个事情是，山体滑坡的频率和规模经过一个波峰期后，接下来就是一个波谷期；第二个事情是，（在同一个地方），山体滑坡到波峰期，气候也到波峰期，山体滑坡到波谷期，气候也到波谷期。山体滑坡的活动和气候活动正相关。在很多种timescale里去看，情况都是这样。over a variety of timescales怎么理解？有一个地区，山体滑坡是两年完成一个从波峰到波谷fluctuation cycle，气候变化也是两年完成一个从波峰到波谷的fluctuation cycle，峰对峰，谷对谷。另一个地区，山体滑坡是五年完成一个从波峰到波谷的fluctuation cycle，气候变化也是五年完成一个从波峰到波谷的fluctuation cycle，峰对峰，谷对谷。第三个地区，山体滑坡是十年完成一个从波峰到波谷的fluctuation cycle，气候变化也是十年完成一个从波峰到波谷的fluctuation cycle，峰对峰，谷对谷。两年、五年、十年就是三个timescale。这就叫“landslide activity和climate fluctuation两个事，are correlated over a variety of timescales”。

第四部分：

What sets current changes in landslide activity apart is the likely influence of anthropogenic [i.e., human-caused] factors, either acting alone or in concert with climate, which can further modify the process of landsliding and the nature of ecosystem responses. Among these factors, deforestation and land-use change have the potential to influence the frequency and magnitude of landsliding because of their direct effects on vegetation attributes that influence slope stability. 白话版讲解： 目前的山体滑坡活动变化情况和之前的山体滑坡活动变化情况有什么不同呢？不同就在于，目前的山体滑坡活动变动情况啊，对山体滑坡活动产生影响的因素里面，可能多了人类活动因素。人类活动因素，或单独、或和气候因素一起，可能会进一步影响山体滑坡的过程和生态系统（对山体滑坡）所作出反应的性质。在诸多人类活动中，其中有两个，一个是森林被砍伐光（过度砍伐），另一个是人类对土地用途的变化（耕地改林地，林地改牧场等），是可能对山体滑坡的频率和规模产生影响的。因为过度砍伐和土地用途的变化，会直接影响地表植被的性质，从而影响山体坡体的稳定性。

第五部分：

The extent and conditions under which mountain ecosystems are resilient to these changes—that is, the amount of disturbance they can absorb before changing into states with different structure and function—are not known. Addressing this issue is crucial for the long-term conservation of mountainscapes. 白话版讲解： 山地生态系统对人类活动因素引起的改变的承受力有多强？在什么情况下有承受力？即发生多少disturbance（树被砍光、耕地改牧场，都叫disturbancce），山地生态系统可以吸收吸纳？发生多少，山地生态系统光吸收吸纳就不行了，必须变化成结构和功能不同的形态（此处指发生山体滑坡）？对上述问题，我们都不知道。考虑并处理这个问题，对长期保护山景来说，至关重要。注解： resilient adj. （人或动物）对困境有承受力的；有复原力的；有抵抗力的 (of a person or animal) able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions 例句：The fish are resilient to most infections.这种鱼具有对大多数感染的抵抗力/复原力。 absorb vt.吸收，消减（声音，冲击） take up and reduce the effect or intensity of (sound or an impact)例句：Deep-pile carpets absorbed all sound of the outside world.长毛绒地毯吸收了外界的一切声音。

题目解析

1. The author of the passage cites “evidence from the past” in order to A. support a partial explanation. B. concede a potential objection. C. dismiss an apparent counterexample. D. highlight a scientific consensus. E. account for a historical anomaly.

白话版讲解：

问文章作者举“过去的证据”当例子是为了…… A“支持一个部分的、不完全的解释” B“（不情愿地承认）一个（别人可能会提出的）反对观点是正确的” C“对一个貌似真实的反例表示不屑” D“强调一个科学共识” E“解释一个历史反差现象” 这道题有的机构给答案说选A，有的机构给答案说选D。我们还是倾向于选A。认为A错误的人，认为文章中根本不存在explanation。我们倾向于文章第一句话包含了一个explanation。这句话想表达的意思是，世界上很多地区，山体滑坡发生的频率和规模发生了改变，为什么会改变呢？这种改变是由于要应对气候的改变（in response to climate change）而发生的。第一句也简要说了支持这个解释的证据越来越多。然后文章第三句话（即第1题问其功能的这句话）详细具体说了过去的证据，详细说了第一句话“……is changing ……in response to ……change”的情况到底是什么样的。而文章第二句话，是在用已经存在的理论（降水是触发山体滑坡的两大因素之一）来支持第一句话提出的解释。也就是第三句话是在支持第一句话，而不是在强调第二句话。第二句话的关于降水会引发山体滑坡这个常识性老理论的内容，叫它是个consensus，比较勉强。另外，第三句话是在说climate，和第一句话也是在说climate，而第二句话是在说precipitaion。也就是说，假如把第二句话删除，我们可以比较清晰看到第一句话提出了一个explanation，并且说，现在（支持这个explanation的）证据在不断增加。第三句话则详细说了过去（支持这个explanation）的证据也很多。第一句话和第三句话构成了总述和分述、简述和详述的关系。 注解：

cite vt. 提到某事作为例子以支持某理论 to bring forward or call to another's attention especially as an example, proof, or precedent; to mention something as proof for a theory or as a reason why something has happened 例句：She cited three reasons why people get into debt. 她举出了人们为何负债的3个原因。 The company cited a 13 percent decline in new orders as evidence that overall demand for its products was falling. 公司举出新订单减少13%这一事实，以此来证明对其产品的总需求在下降。 concede vt. （不情愿地）承认（或同意）…为事实（或正确） to accept as true, valid, or accurate；admit or agree that something is true or valid after first denying or resisting it 例句：The right of the state to tax is generally conceded. 州收税的权利通常是被承认的。 dismiss vt. 认为……不值得考虑；对…不予理会，摒弃，（从头脑中）去除 to decide that something or someone is not important and not worth considering 例句：Let's not just dismiss the idea before we've even thought about it. 我们还是别不假思索就把这种想法排除在外。

2. The passage makes which of the following claims?

A. A rise in precipitation resulting from human factors has increased the frequency and magnitude of landsliding. B. Human factors have led to greater changes in landsliding activity than have cyclical climate fluctuations. C. Decreases in landsliding activity have historically been accompanied by changes in climate. D. Slope stability is more influenced by seismic activity than it is by human factors. E. Changes in land-use patterns in mountain ecosystems are generally correlated with changes in climate. 白话版讲解： 问文章做了下列哪个断言？因为文章没有说降水是人类活动因素导致的，所以A选项错误。因为文章没有比较人类活动因素和气候变化，哪一个对山体滑坡的影响更大，所以B选项错误。根据文章第一自然段第三句话，C选项正确。因为文章没有比较地震和人类活动因素，哪一个对山坡稳定性的影响更大，所以D选项错误。因为文章没有说山地生态中土地用途的变化通常和气候变化正相关，所以E选项错误。本题ABDE四个选项都属于“无中生有”，比较好排除。本题答案：C Consider each of the choices separately and select all that apply. 3. The author of the passage suggests which of the following about the role of human factors in landsliding activity? A. Human factors can intensify or alter the effects of climate change on landsliding activity. B. It is likely that human factors affect landsliding activity more than climate change does. C. Until recently, human factors did not have much impact on landsliding activity.

白话版讲解：

问，关于人类活动因素对山体滑坡活动情况的影响，文章作者暗示了下列哪个说法？根据文章第二自然段第一句话，A选项正确。因为文章没有比较人类活动因素和气候变化，哪一个对山体滑坡的影响更大，所以B选项错误。请注意，孤立地看B选项这句话，这句话是没错的。但是题目问的作者暗示了什么，作者没有暗示的，就不能选。根据文章第二自然段第一句话，“目前的山体滑坡活动变化情况和之前的山体滑坡活动变化情况有什么不同呢？不同就在于，目前的山体滑坡活动变动情况啊，对山体滑坡活动产生影响的因素里面，可能多了人类活动因素”，言下之意就是之前的山体滑坡活动的观察，是没有观察到人类活动因素的，所以C选项正确。本题答案：AC