對于GRE閱讀部分來說，大家可以先從官方指南開始備考。這樣對大家之后的復習方向有更好的幫助。下面小編就為經典整理了OG內容，供大家參考訓練。

GRE閱讀真題之OG Passage 14

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Passage 14

Whether the languages of the ancient American peoples were used for expressing abstract universal concepts can be clearly answered in the case of Nahuatl. Nahuatl, like Greek and German, is a language that allows the formation of extensive compounds. By the combination of radicals or semantic elements, single compound words can express complex conceptual relations, often of an abstract universal character.

The tlamatinime (those who know) were able to use this rich stock of abstract terms to express the nuances of their thought. They also availed themselves of other forms of expression with metaphorical meaning, some probably original, some derived from Toltec coinages. Of these forms, the most characteristic in Nahuatl is the juxtaposition of two words that, because they are synonyms, associated terms, or even contraries, complement each other to evoke one single idea. Used metaphorically, the juxtaposed terms connote specific or essential traits of the being they refer to, introducing a mode of poetry as an almost habitual form of expression.

For the following question, consider each of the choices separately and select all that apply.

1. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage regarding present-day research relating to Nahuatl?

A. Some record or evidence of the thought of the tlamatinime is available.

B. For at least some Nahuatl expressions, researchers are able to trace their derivation from another ancient American language.

C. Researchers believe that in Nahuatl, abstract universal concepts are always expressed metaphorically.

2. Select the sentence in the passage in which the author introduces a specific Nahuatl mode of expression that is not identified as being shared with certain European languages.

3. In the context in which it appears, “coinages” (line 9) most nearly means

A. adaptations

B. creations

C. idiosyncrasies

D. pronunciations

E. currencies

GRE閱讀真題之OG Passage 15

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Passage 15

At a certain period in Earth’s history, its atmosphere contained almost no oxygen, although plants were producing vast quantities of oxygen. As a way of reconciling these two facts, scientists have hypothesized that nearly all of the oxygen being produced was taken up by iron on Earth’s surface. Clearly, however, this explanation is inadequate. New studies show that the amount of iron on Earth’s surface was not sufficient to absorb anywhere near as much oxygen as was being produced. Therefore, something in addition to the iron on Earth’s surface must have absorbed much of the oxygen produced by plant life.

1. In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

A. The first is a claim made by the argument in support of a certain position; the second is that position.

B. The first is a judgment made by the argument about a certain explanation; the second is that explanation.

C. The first expresses the argument’s dismissal of an objection to the position it seeks to establish; the second is that position.

D. The first sums up the argument’s position with regard to a certain hypothesis; the second provides grounds for that position.

E. The first is a concession by the argument that its initial formulation of the position it seeks to establish requires modification; the second presents that position in a modified form.

GRE閱讀真題之OG Passage 16

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Passage 16

Animal signals, such as the complex songs of birds, tend to be costly. A bird, by singing, may forfeit time that could otherwise be spent on other important behaviors such as foraging or resting. Singing may also advertise an individual’s location to rivals or predators and impair the ability to detect their approach. Although these types of cost may be important, discussions of the cost of singing have generally focused on energy costs. Overall the evidence is equivocal: for instance, while Eberhardt found increases in energy consumption during singing for Carolina wrens, Chappell found no effect of crowing on energy consumption in roosters.

To obtain empirical data regarding the energy costs of singing, Thomas examined the relationship between song rate and overnight changes in body mass of male nightingales. Birds store energy as subcutaneous fat deposits or “body reserves”; changes in these reserves can be reliably estimated by measuring changes in body mass. If singing has important energy costs, nightingales should lose more body mass on nights when their song rate is high. Thomas found that nightingales reached a significantly higher body mass at dusk and lost more mass overnight on nights when their song rate was high.

These results suggest that there may be several costs of singing at night associated with body reserves. The increased metabolic cost of possessing higher body mass contributes to the increased overnight mass loss. The strategic regulation of evening body reserves is also likely to incur additional costs, as nightingales must spend more time foraging in order to build up larger body reserves. The metabolic cost of singing itself may also contribute to increased loss of reserves. This metabolic cost may arise from the muscular and neural activity involved in singing or from behaviors associated with singing. For example, birds may expend more of their reserves on thermoregulation if they spend the night exposed to the wind on a song post than if they are in a sheltered roost site. Thomas’s data therefore show that whether or not singing per se has an important metabolic cost, metabolic costs associated with singing can have an important measurable effect on a bird’s daily energy budget, at least in birds with high song rates such as nightingales.

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

A. compare the different types of cost involved for certain birds in singing

B. question a hypothesis regarding the energy costs of singing for certain birds

C. present evidence suggesting that singing has an important energy cost for certain birds

D. discuss the benefits provided to an organism by a behavior that is costly in energy

E. describe an experiment that supports an alternative model of how birdsong functions

For the following question, consider each of the choices separately and select all that apply.

2. The passage implies that during the day before a night on which a male nightingale’s song rate is high, that nightingale probably does which of the following?

A. Expends less of its reserves on thermoregulation than on other days

B. Stores more energy as body reserves than on other days

C. Hides to avoid predators

3. Select the sentence in the first or second paragraph that presents empirical results in support of a hypothesis about the energy costs of singing.

For the following question, consider each of the choices separately and select all that apply.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that compared with other costs of singing, which of the following is true of the energy costs of singing?

A. They are the single greatest cost to an individual bird.

B. They have generally received more attention from scientists.

C. They vary less from one bird species to another.

GRE官方指南(OG)中的閱讀真題答案

Passage 第一題 第二題 第三題 第四題

14 AB “Of … idea.” B

15 D

16 C B “Thomas … high.” B

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