对于托福阅读的备考，同学们最重要就是要多练习，除了了解托福阅读考试的特点和适应托福阅读考试的考试形式，还可以增强做题语感，因为阅读题目最重要的就是语感。下面新航道托福小编跟大家分享托福阅读TPO6真题及答案：William Smith，供大家练习参考：

　　托福阅读TPO6真题：William Smith

　　In 1769 in a little town in　Oxfordshire, England, a child with the　very ordinary name of William Smith was　born into the poor family of a village　blacksmith. He received rudimentary　village schooling but mostly he roamed　his uncle's farm collecting the fossils that were so abundant in the rocks of the　Cotswold hills.When he grew older　William Smith taught himself surveying　from books he bought with his small　savings and at the age of eighteen he was　apprenticed to a surveyor of the local　parish. He then proceeded to teach　himself geology and when he was twenty-four, he went to work for the　company that was excavating the　Somerset Coal Canal in the south of　England.

　　This was before the steam　locomotive, and canal building was at its　height. The companies building the canals　to transport coal needed surveyors to help　them find the coal deposits worth mining as well as to determine the best courses　for the canals. This job gave Smith an　opportunity to study the fresh rock　outcrops created by the newly dug canal.He later worked on similar jobs across the　length and breadth of England all the　while studying the newly revealed strata　and collecting all the fossils he could　find.Smith used mail coaches to travel　as much as 10000 miles per year.In　1815 he published the first modern　geological map “A Map of the Strata of　England and Wales with a Part of　Scotland”, map so meticulously　researched that it can still be used today.

　　In 1831 when Smith was finally　recognized by the Geological Society of　London as the “father of English　geology”, was not only for his maps but　also for something even more　important.Ever since people had begun to catalog the strata in particular outcrops,there had been the hope that these could　somehow be used to calculate geological　time.But as more and more　accumulations of strata were cataloged in　more and more places, it became clear　that the sequences of rocks sometimes　differed from region to region and that no　rock type was ever going to become a　reliable time marker throughout the　world.Even without the problem of　regional differences, rocks present a　difficulty as unique time markers Quartz　is quartz-a silicon ion surrounded by　four oxygen ions-there’s no difference　at all between two-million-year-old　Pleistocene quartz and Cambrian quartz　created over 500 million years ago.

　　As he collected fossils from strata　throughout England, Smith began to see　that the fossils told a different story from the rocks Particularly in the younger　strata the rocks were often so similar that　he had trouble distinguishing the strata,　but he never had trouble telling the fossils　apart.While rock between two　consistent strata might in one place be　shale and in another sandstone, the fossils　in that shale or sandstone were always the　same.Some fossils endured through so　many millions of years that they appear In　many strata，but others occur only in a　few strata, and a few species had their　births and extinctions within one　particular stratum.Fossils are thus　identifying markers for particular periods　in Earth's history.

　　Not only could Smith identify rock　strata by the fossils they contained, he　could also see a pattern　emerging：certain fossils always appear　in more ancient sediments, while others　begin to be seen as the strata become　more recent.By following the　fossils.Smith was able to put all the　strata of England's earth into relative　temporal sequence.About the same　time,Georges Cuvier made the same　discovery while studying the rocks　around Paris.Soon it was realized that　this principle of faunal(animal)succession　was valid not only in England or France　but virtually everywhere.It was actually　a principle of floral succession as well,　because plants showed the same　transformation through time as did fauna.Limestone may be found in the Cambrian　or-300 million years later-in the Jurassic　strata but a trilobite-the ubiquitous　marine arthropod that had its birth in the　Cambrian-will never be found in　Jurassic strata, nor a dinosaur in the　Cambrian.

　　Paragraph 1:

　　1. The word rudimentary in the passage is　closest in meaning to

　　○thorough

　　○strict

　　○basic

　　○occasional

　　2. According to paragraph 1 which of the following statements about William Smith is NOT true?

　　○Smith learned surveying by reading and by apprenticing for a local surveyor

　　○Smith’s family lived in a small English town and possessed little wealth.

　　○Smith learned about fossils from books he borrowed from his uncle.

　　○Smith eventually left his village to work on the excavation of an English canal.

　　Paragraph 2:

　　3. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 2 about canal building?

　　○ Canals were built primarily in the south of England rather than in other regions.

　　○ Canal building decreased after the steam locomotive was invented.

　　○ Canal building made it difficult to study rock strata which often became damaged in the　process.

　　○ Canal builders hired surveyors like Smith to examine exposed rock strata.

　　4.Accordingto paragraph2，which of the following is true of the map published by William Smith?

　　○It indicates the locations of England's major canals

　　○It became most valuable when the steam locomotive made rail travel possible

　　○The data for the map were collected during Smith’s work on canals

　　○It is no longer regarded as a geological masterpiece

　　5. The word meticulously in the passage is closest in meaning to

　　○carefully

　　○quickly

　　○frequently

　　○obviously

　　Paragraph 3:

　　6. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

　　○The discovery of regional differences in the sequences of rocks led geologists to believe that rock types could someday become reliable time markers.

　　○Careful analysis of strata revealed that rocks cannot establish geological time because the pattern of rock layers varies from place to place.

　　○Smith's catalogs of rock strata indicated that the sequences of rocks are different from place to place and from region to region.

　　○Because people did not catalog regional differences in sequences of rocks. It was believed that rocks could never be reliable time markers

　　7. Why does the author use the phrase “Quartz is quartz"?

　　○To describe how the differences between Pleistocene and Cambrian quartz reveal information about dating rocks

　　○To point out that the chemical composition of quartz makes it more difficult to date than other rocks

　　○To provide an example of how regional differences in rock sequences can make a particular rock difficult to date

　　○To explain that rocks are difficult to use for dating because their chemical compositions always remain the same over time

　　Paragraph 4:

　　8.According to paragraph 4，it was difficult for Smith to distinguish rock strata because

　　○the rocks from different strata closely resembled each other

　　○he was often unable to find fossils in the younger rock strata

　　○their similarity to each other made it difficult for him to distinguish one rock type from another

　　○the type of rock between two consistent strata was always the same

　　9. The word endured in the passage is closest in meaning to

　　○vanished

　　○developed

　　○varied

　　○survived

　　Paragraph 5:

　　10. The word “virtually” in the passage is closest in meaning to

　　○possibly

　　○absolutely

　　○surprisingly

　　○nearly

　　11. Select the TWO answer choices that are true statements based upon the discussion of the principle of faunal succession in paragraph 5.To receive credit, you must select TWO answers.

　　○It was a principle that applied to fauna but not to flora.

　　○It was discovered independently by two different geologists，

　　○It describes how fossils are distributed in rock strata

　　○It explains why plants and animals undergo transformations through time.

　　12. In mentioning "trilobite”, the author is making which of the following points?

　　○Fossils cannot be found in more than one rock stratum.

　　○Faunal succession can help put rock layers in relative temporal sequence.

　　○Faunal succession cannot be applied to different strata composed of the same kind of rock.

　　○The presence of trilobite fossils makes it difficult to date a rock.

　　Paragraph 6:

　　13.Look at the four squares[ ]that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage The findings of these geologists inspired others to examine the rock and fossil records in different parts of the world.Where would the sentence best fit?

　　14. William Smith’s contributions to geology have increased our knowledge of the Each’s history.

　　Answer Choices

　　1. Smith found success easily in his profession because he came from a family of geologists and surveyors.

　　2.Smith’s work on canals allowed him to collect fossils and study rock layers all over England.

　　3.Smith found that fossils are much more reliable indicators of geological time than rock strata are.

　　4.Smith was named “the father of English geology” for his maps rather than for his other contributions to the field.

　　5.Smith and Cuvier discovered that fossil patterns are easier to observe in ancient rock strata than in younger rock strata.

　　6.The discovery of the principle of faunal succession allowed geologists to establish the relative age of Earth’s rock layers.

　　托福阅读TPO6真题：William Smith参考答案

　　6. ○ 1 7. ○ 1. 8. ○3 9. ○ 4 10. ○3

　　11. ○ 2 12. ○3 13. ○2 4 6

　　以上就是新航道托福小编跟大家分享的关于一篇托福阅读TOP6真题及答案，希望对大家有所帮助！最后预祝大家在托福考试中取得好成绩！