大學英語四級閱讀題文章精讀43
大學英語四級閱讀題文章精讀-43
Cryptic Coloring
Cryptic coloring is by far the commonest use of color in the struggle for existence. It is employed for the purpose of attack as well as of defense . The fact that the same method concealment, may be used both for attack and defense has been well explained by T.Belt who suggests as an illustration the rapidity of movement which is also made use of by both pursuer and pursued, which is similarly raised to a maximum in both by the gradual dying out of the slowest through a series of generations. Cryptic coloring is commonly associated with other aids in the struggle for life. Thus well-concealed mammals and birds, when discovered, will generally endeavor to escape by speed and will often attempt to defend themselves actively. On the other hand, small animals which have no means of active defense, such as large, numbers of insects, frequently depend upon concealment alone. Protective resemblance is far commoner among animals than aggressive resemblance, in correspondence with the fact that predaceous forms are as a rule much larger and much less numerous than their prey. In the case of insectivorous Vertebrata and their prey such differences exist in an exaggerated form. Cryptic coloring, whether used for defense of attack, may be either general or special. In general resemblance the animal, in consequence of its coloring, produces the same effect as its environment, but the conditions do not require any special adaptation of shape and outline. General resemblance is especially common among the animal inhabiting some uniformly colored expanse of the earths surface, such as an ocean or a desert. In the former, animals of all shapes are frequently protected by their transparent blue color, on the latter, equally diverse forms are defended by their sandy appearance. The effect of a uniform appearance may be produced by a combination of tints in startling contrast. Thus the black and white stripes of the zebra blend together at a little distance, and their proportion is such as exactly to match the pale tint which arid ground possesses when seen by moonlight. Special resemblance is far commoner than general and is the form which is usually met with on the diversified surface of the earth, on the shores, and in shallow water, as well as on the floating masses of algae on the surface of the ocean, such as the Sargasso Sea. In these environments the cryptic coloring of animals is usually aided by special modifications of shape, and by the instinct which leads them to assume particular attitudes. Complete stillness and the assumption of a certain attitude play an essential part in general resemblance on land; but in special resemblance the attitude is often highly specialized, and perhaps more important than any other element in the complex method by which concealment is effected. In special resemblance the combination of coloring, shape, and attitude is such as to produce a more or less exact resemblance to some one of the objects in the environment, such as a leaf of twig, a patch of lichen, a flake of bark. In all cases the resemblance is to some object which is of no interest to the enemy or prey respectively. The animal is not hidden from view by becoming indistinguishable from its background as in the case of general resemblance, but it is mistaken for some well-know object.
In seeking the interpretation of these most interesting and elaborate adaptations, attempts have been made along two lines. The first seeks to explain the effect as a result of the direct influence of the environment upon the individual , or by the inherited effects of efforts and the use and disuse of parts . The second believes that natural selection produced the result and afterwards maintained it by the survival of the best concealed in each generation. The former suggestion breaks down when the complex nature of numerous special resemblances is appreciated. Thus the arrangement of colors of many kinds into an appropriate pattern requires the cooperation of a suitable shape and the rigidly exact adoption of a certain elaborate attitude. The latter is instinctive and thus depends on the central nervous system. The cryptic effect is due to the exact cooperation of all these factors; and in the present state of science, the only possible hole of an interpretation lies in the theory of natural selection, which can accumulate any and every variation which tends toward survival. A few of the chief types of methods by which concealment is effected may be briefly described. The colors of large numbers of vertebrate animals are darkest on the back and become gradually lighter on the sides, passing into white on the belly. Abbot H. Thayer has suggested that this gradation obliterates the appearance of solidity, which is due to shadow. The color harmony, which is also essential to concealment, is produced because the back is of the same tint as the environment , bathed in the cold blue-white of the sky, while the belly, being cold blue-white and bathed in shadow and yellow earth reflections produces the same effects. This method of neutralizing shadow for the purpose of concealment by increased lightness of tint was first suggested by E.B.Poulton in the case of a larva and a pupa, but he did not appreciate the great importance of the principle. In an analogous method an animal in front of a background of dark shadow may have part of its body obliterated by the existence of a dark tint, the remainder resembling, e.g., a part of a leaf. This method of rendering invisible any part which would interfere with the resemblance is well know in mimicry.
1. The black and white stripes of the zebra are most useful form
[A]. hunters. [B]. nocturnal predators
[C]. lions and tigers. [C]. insectivorous Vertrbrata
2. Aggressive resemblance occurs when
[A]. a predaceous attitude is assumed.
[B]. special resemblance is utilized.
[C]. an animal relies on speed.
[D]. an animal blends in with its background.
3. Special resemblance differs from general resemblance in that the animal relies on
[A]. its ability to frighten its adversary. [B]. speed.
[C]. its ability to assume an attitude. [D]. mistaken identify
4. The title below that best expresses the ides of this passage is
[A]. Cryptic coloration for Protection. [B]. How Animals Survive.
[C]. The uses of Mimicry in Nature. [D]. Resemblances of Animals.
5. Of the following which is the least common?
[A]. protective resemblance. [B]. General resemblance.
[C]. Aggressive resemblance. [D]. Special resemblance.
Vocabulary
1. cryptic 隱藏的，保護的
cryptic coloring 保護色，隱藏色
2. predaceous 食肉的，捕食其他動物的。
3. vertebrate 脊椎動物門
4. tint 色澤，色彩
5. zebra 斑馬
6. Sargasso 果本馬尾藻
7. twig 嫩枝
8. lichen 地衣
9. flake 一片
10. gradation 等級，層次，分等
11. obliterate 涂抹，擦去，使消失
12. larva 幼蟲，幼體
13. pupa 蛹
14. mimicry 模仿，擬態
15. nocturnal 夜間發生的，夜出的
16. insectivorous 食蟲的
17. procryptic 有保護色的，保護性的
難句譯注
1. the rapidity of movement which is also made use of by both pursuer and pursued, which is similarly raised to a maximum in both by the gradual dying out of the slowest through a series of generations.
[參考譯文] 追捕動物和被追的動物也利用快速的動作。這種快速的運動同樣是通過幾代更迭，逐漸消除了慢速，而發展到快速頂峰。
2. Protective resemblance is far commoner among animals than aggressive resemblance, in correspondence with the fact that predaceous forms are as a rule much larger and much less numerous than their prey.
[參考譯文] 保護性模仿遠比侵犯行模仿要普遍得多，這是和下述的情況想配合的：食肉的動物，按慣律總是比他們捕食的對象要大而且多得多。
3. The effect of a uniform appearance may be produced by a combination of tints in startling contrast.
[參考譯文] 在驚人的對比中，色澤的綜合可能產生外形一致的效果。
4. their proportion is such as exactly to match the pale tint which arid ground possesses when seen by moonlight.
[參考譯文] 比例正好和在月光下觀看貧瘠土地所具有的蒼白色澤相吻合。
5. In these environments the cryptic coloring of animals is usually aided by special modifications of shape, and by the instinct which leads them to assume particular attitudes.
[參考譯文] 在這些環境中，動物的保護色常常得到特定的形狀變化和本能的協作，這種本能會使動物采取特定的姿勢。
6. Complete stillness and the assumption of a certain attitude play an essential part in general resemblance on land; but in special resemblance the attitude is often highly specialized
[參考譯文] 絕對靜態和采取一般姿勢在陸地的一般模仿中起很大作用，而在專門模仿中，姿勢常常是高度專門化的。
7. Thus the arrangement of colors of many kinds into an appropriate pattern requires the cooperation of a suitable shape and the rigidly exact adoption of a certain elaborate attitude.
[參考譯文] 因此許多類顏色排列成恰當的模式/形式，要求把合適的外形和嚴格的采用一定的精心設計的姿勢相結合。
8. The cryptic effect is due to the exact cooperation of all these factors; and in the present state of science, the only possible hole of an interpretation lies in the theory of natural selection, which can accumulate any and every variation which tends toward survival.
[參考譯文] 保護效果是由于所以這些因素確切合作而形成。根據目前科學水平，唯一的解釋就是自然選擇理論，它可以累積要生存的各種變異/變種。
寫作方法與文章大意
文章以一般到具體的協作和分類方式寫作，第一段點出生物界生存競爭中最常用的一種顏色是保護色，保護色可分為兩類：進犯型和防衛型。一般是防御性保護色多于進攻型。而兩種類型都可歸納為一般性模仿和專門模仿。居住在單一色澤的地方的動物，如海洋或沙漠，常采用模仿性保護色 如透明的綠色，土色等，而特定摸剛的動物則棲息在多樣性的地方，如海岸，淺水，海洋表面等。特定模仿還需要有改變形狀姿勢之協作，使其看起來像客觀環境中的某物，某種身份mistaken identify.
第二段涉及有關模仿性的解釋的探索，結果為二。一種觀點是環境直接影響的結果。第二種是自然選擇的結果。當人們理解了許多特定模仿的復雜特性時，第一種解釋就不能成立了。這說明保護效果是一切因素 合適的外形和某種精心設計的姿勢等 合作而成。按現在科學水平來解釋，只能歸之 自然選擇 理論，然后是用具體例子來證實。
答案祥解
1. B. 夜間活動的食肉動物。見難句譯注4，斑馬的黑白相間顏色的比例正好和月光下所見的貧瘠土地的蒼白的色澤相吻合。當然能保護斑馬夜間免遭這些食肉動物的襲擊。
A. 捕獲者。 C. 獅子和老虎。 D. 食蟲的脊椎動物
2. A. 在裝成捕食其他動物的姿勢時。
B. 應該專門模仿。 C. 動物依賴速度。 D. 動物和背景混在一起。
3. D. 搞錯/認錯了動物。見第一段最后一句話，它不像一般模仿那樣，通過動物和背景難以辨別從而從視覺中隱藏起來，它是被誤認為某種著名動物。
A. 用以嚇走它的對手的能力。 B. 速度。 C. 采用某種姿勢的能力。
4. C. 自然界模擬的運動。文章一開始就點命保護色迄今為止生存斗爭中最常用的一種顏色，常用于進攻和防衛。保護色常和其他措施相配合，首先提到速度，見難句譯注 1。然后講到保護色分類，一般和特殊模擬/模仿。第二段解釋或說明模擬適應性。第一種解釋為環境使然/影響。第二種認為是自然界選擇之結果。
A. 為了保衛的保護色。 B. 動物是如何存活下來。 D. 動物之模仿性。
5. C. 進攻性模仿。見難句譯注2。
A. 保護色模仿。 B. 一般性模仿。 D. 專項模仿
大學英語四級閱讀題文章精讀-43
Cryptic Coloring
Cryptic coloring is by far the commonest use of color in the struggle for existence. It is employed for the purpose of attack as well as of defense . The fact that the same method concealment, may be used both for attack and defense has been well explained by T.Belt who suggests as an illustration the rapidity of movement which is also made use of by both pursuer and pursued, which is similarly raised to a maximum in both by the gradual dying out of the slowest through a series of generations. Cryptic coloring is commonly associated with other aids in the struggle for life. Thus well-concealed mammals and birds, when discovered, will generally endeavor to escape by speed and will often attempt to defend themselves actively. On the other hand, small animals which have no means of active defense, such as large, numbers of insects, frequently depend upon concealment alone. Protective resemblance is far commoner among animals than aggressive resemblance, in correspondence with the fact that predaceous forms are as a rule much larger and much less numerous than their prey. In the case of insectivorous Vertebrata and their prey such differences exist in an exaggerated form. Cryptic coloring, whether used for defense of attack, may be either general or special. In general resemblance the animal, in consequence of its coloring, produces the same effect as its environment, but the conditions do not require any special adaptation of shape and outline. General resemblance is especially common among the animal inhabiting some uniformly colored expanse of the earths surface, such as an ocean or a desert. In the former, animals of all shapes are frequently protected by their transparent blue color, on the latter, equally diverse forms are defended by their sandy appearance. The effect of a uniform appearance may be produced by a combination of tints in startling contrast. Thus the black and white stripes of the zebra blend together at a little distance, and their proportion is such as exactly to match the pale tint which arid ground possesses when seen by moonlight. Special resemblance is far commoner than general and is the form which is usually met with on the diversified surface of the earth, on the shores, and in shallow water, as well as on the floating masses of algae on the surface of the ocean, such as the Sargasso Sea. In these environments the cryptic coloring of animals is usually aided by special modifications of shape, and by the instinct which leads them to assume particular attitudes. Complete stillness and the assumption of a certain attitude play an essential part in general resemblance on land; but in special resemblance the attitude is often highly specialized, and perhaps more important than any other element in the complex method by which concealment is effected. In special resemblance the combination of coloring, shape, and attitude is such as to produce a more or less exact resemblance to some one of the objects in the environment, such as a leaf of twig, a patch of lichen, a flake of bark. In all cases the resemblance is to some object which is of no interest to the enemy or prey respectively. The animal is not hidden from view by becoming indistinguishable from its background as in the case of general resemblance, but it is mistaken for some well-know object.
In seeking the interpretation of these most interesting and elaborate adaptations, attempts have been made along two lines. The first seeks to explain the effect as a result of the direct influence of the environment upon the individual , or by the inherited effects of efforts and the use and disuse of parts . The second believes that natural selection produced the result and afterwards maintained it by the survival of the best concealed in each generation. The former suggestion breaks down when the complex nature of numerous special resemblances is appreciated. Thus the arrangement of colors of many kinds into an appropriate pattern requires the cooperation of a suitable shape and the rigidly exact adoption of a certain elaborate attitude. The latter is instinctive and thus depends on the central nervous system. The cryptic effect is due to the exact cooperation of all these factors; and in the present state of science, the only possible hole of an interpretation lies in the theory of natural selection, which can accumulate any and every variation which tends toward survival. A few of the chief types of methods by which concealment is effected may be briefly described. The colors of large numbers of vertebrate animals are darkest on the back and become gradually lighter on the sides, passing into white on the belly. Abbot H. Thayer has suggested that this gradation obliterates the appearance of solidity, which is due to shadow. The color harmony, which is also essential to concealment, is produced because the back is of the same tint as the environment , bathed in the cold blue-white of the sky, while the belly, being cold blue-white and bathed in shadow and yellow earth reflections produces the same effects. This method of neutralizing shadow for the purpose of concealment by increased lightness of tint was first suggested by E.B.Poulton in the case of a larva and a pupa, but he did not appreciate the great importance of the principle. In an analogous method an animal in front of a background of dark shadow may have part of its body obliterated by the existence of a dark tint, the remainder resembling, e.g., a part of a leaf. This method of rendering invisible any part which would interfere with the resemblance is well know in mimicry.
1. The black and white stripes of the zebra are most useful form
[A]. hunters. [B]. nocturnal predators
[C]. lions and tigers. [C]. insectivorous Vertrbrata
2. Aggressive resemblance occurs when
[A]. a predaceous attitude is assumed.
[B]. special resemblance is utilized.
[C]. an animal relies on speed.
[D]. an animal blends in with its background.
3. Special resemblance differs from general resemblance in that the animal relies on
[A]. its ability to frighten its adversary. [B]. speed.
[C]. its ability to assume an attitude. [D]. mistaken identify
4. The title below that best expresses the ides of this passage is
[A]. Cryptic coloration for Protection. [B]. How Animals Survive.
[C]. The uses of Mimicry in Nature. [D]. Resemblances of Animals.
5. Of the following which is the least common?
[A]. protective resemblance. [B]. General resemblance.
[C]. Aggressive resemblance. [D]. Special resemblance.
Vocabulary
1. cryptic 隱藏的，保護的
cryptic coloring 保護色，隱藏色
2. predaceous 食肉的，捕食其他動物的。
3. vertebrate 脊椎動物門
4. tint 色澤，色彩
5. zebra 斑馬
6. Sargasso 果本馬尾藻
7. twig 嫩枝
8. lichen 地衣
9. flake 一片
10. gradation 等級，層次，分等
11. obliterate 涂抹，擦去，使消失
12. larva 幼蟲，幼體
13. pupa 蛹
14. mimicry 模仿，擬態
15. nocturnal 夜間發生的，夜出的
16. insectivorous 食蟲的
17. procryptic 有保護色的，保護性的
難句譯注
1. the rapidity of movement which is also made use of by both pursuer and pursued, which is similarly raised to a maximum in both by the gradual dying out of the slowest through a series of generations.
[參考譯文] 追捕動物和被追的動物也利用快速的動作。這種快速的運動同樣是通過幾代更迭，逐漸消除了慢速，而發展到快速頂峰。
2. Protective resemblance is far commoner among animals than aggressive resemblance, in correspondence with the fact that predaceous forms are as a rule much larger and much less numerous than their prey.
[參考譯文] 保護性模仿遠比侵犯行模仿要普遍得多，這是和下述的情況想配合的：食肉的動物，按慣律總是比他們捕食的對象要大而且多得多。
3. The effect of a uniform appearance may be produced by a combination of tints in startling contrast.
[參考譯文] 在驚人的對比中，色澤的綜合可能產生外形一致的效果。
4. their proportion is such as exactly to match the pale tint which arid ground possesses when seen by moonlight.
[參考譯文] 比例正好和在月光下觀看貧瘠土地所具有的蒼白色澤相吻合。
5. In these environments the cryptic coloring of animals is usually aided by special modifications of shape, and by the instinct which leads them to assume particular attitudes.
[參考譯文] 在這些環境中，動物的保護色常常得到特定的形狀變化和本能的協作，這種本能會使動物采取特定的姿勢。
6. Complete stillness and the assumption of a certain attitude play an essential part in general resemblance on land; but in special resemblance the attitude is often highly specialized
[參考譯文] 絕對靜態和采取一般姿勢在陸地的一般模仿中起很大作用，而在專門模仿中，姿勢常常是高度專門化的。
7. Thus the arrangement of colors of many kinds into an appropriate pattern requires the cooperation of a suitable shape and the rigidly exact adoption of a certain elaborate attitude.
[參考譯文] 因此許多類顏色排列成恰當的模式/形式，要求把合適的外形和嚴格的采用一定的精心設計的姿勢相結合。
8. The cryptic effect is due to the exact cooperation of all these factors; and in the present state of science, the only possible hole of an interpretation lies in the theory of natural selection, which can accumulate any and every variation which tends toward survival.
[參考譯文] 保護效果是由于所以這些因素確切合作而形成。根據目前科學水平，唯一的解釋就是自然選擇理論，它可以累積要生存的各種變異/變種。
寫作方法與文章大意
文章以一般到具體的協作和分類方式寫作，第一段點出生物界生存競爭中最常用的一種顏色是保護色，保護色可分為兩類：進犯型和防衛型。一般是防御性保護色多于進攻型。而兩種類型都可歸納為一般性模仿和專門模仿。居住在單一色澤的地方的動物，如海洋或沙漠，常采用模仿性保護色 如透明的綠色，土色等，而特定摸剛的動物則棲息在多樣性的地方，如海岸，淺水，海洋表面等。特定模仿還需要有改變形狀姿勢之協作，使其看起來像客觀環境中的某物，某種身份mistaken identify.
第二段涉及有關模仿性的解釋的探索，結果為二。一種觀點是環境直接影響的結果。第二種是自然選擇的結果。當人們理解了許多特定模仿的復雜特性時，第一種解釋就不能成立了。這說明保護效果是一切因素 合適的外形和某種精心設計的姿勢等 合作而成。按現在科學水平來解釋，只能歸之 自然選擇 理論，然后是用具體例子來證實。
答案祥解
1. B. 夜間活動的食肉動物。見難句譯注4，斑馬的黑白相間顏色的比例正好和月光下所見的貧瘠土地的蒼白的色澤相吻合。當然能保護斑馬夜間免遭這些食肉動物的襲擊。
A. 捕獲者。 C. 獅子和老虎。 D. 食蟲的脊椎動物
2. A. 在裝成捕食其他動物的姿勢時。
B. 應該專門模仿。 C. 動物依賴速度。 D. 動物和背景混在一起。
3. D. 搞錯/認錯了動物。見第一段最后一句話，它不像一般模仿那樣，通過動物和背景難以辨別從而從視覺中隱藏起來，它是被誤認為某種著名動物。
A. 用以嚇走它的對手的能力。 B. 速度。 C. 采用某種姿勢的能力。
4. C. 自然界模擬的運動。文章一開始就點命保護色迄今為止生存斗爭中最常用的一種顏色，常用于進攻和防衛。保護色常和其他措施相配合，首先提到速度，見難句譯注 1。然后講到保護色分類，一般和特殊模擬/模仿。第二段解釋或說明模擬適應性。第一種解釋為環境使然/影響。第二種認為是自然界選擇之結果。
A. 為了保衛的保護色。 B. 動物是如何存活下來。 D. 動物之模仿性。
5. C. 進攻性模仿。見難句譯注2。
A. 保護色模仿。 B. 一般性模仿。 D. 專項模仿
