托福阅读真题：美索不达米亚和古埃及城市对比

 　　2013年12月14日北美托福 <http://toefl.xdf.cn/201312/9826012.html>阅读考试真题：TOPIC Mesopotamian and Egyptian City Structure，针对这样一道题目，考生该如何作答?新东方赵习老师为您权威指导。

　　阅读真题：TOPIC Mesopotamian and Egyptian City Structure文章比较了美索不达米亚(M)和古埃及(E)的城市形态，包括农业、贸易等。

　　解析：本文文章结构清晰明白，属于对比类文章，也是托福文章中较简单的类型。文章涉及的美索不达米亚和古埃及这两个地区都是托福常考地点，话题并不陌生。

　　Egypt and Mesopotamia Compared

　　The development of two great early civilizations in the Middle East andNorth Africa encourages a first effort at comparative analysis. Because ofdifferent geography, different degrees of exposure to outside invasion andinfluence, and different prior beliefs, Egypt and Mesopotamia were in contrastto one another in many ways. Egypt emphasized strong central authority, whileMesopotamian politics shifted more frequently over a substructure of regionalcity-states. Mesopotamian art focused on less monumental structures, whileembracing a pronounced literary element that Egyptian art lacked.

　　These cultural differences can be explained partly by geography:

　　Mesopotamians lacked access to the great stones that Egyptians could importfor their monuments. The differences also owed something to differentpolitics, for Egyptian ability to organize masses of laborers¹ followed fromits centralized government structures and strong bureaucracy. The differencesowed something, finally, to different beliefs, for the Mesopotamians lackedthe Egyptian concern for preparations for the afterlife, which so motivatedthe great tombs and pyramids that have made Egypt and some of the pharaohslive on in human memory.

　　Both societies traded extensively, but there was a difference in economictone. Mesopotamia was more productive of technological² improvements, becausetheir environment was more difficult to manage than the Nile valley. Tradecontacts were more extensive, and the Mesopotamians gave attention to amerchant class and commercial law.

　　Social differences were less obvious because it is difficult to obtaininformation on daily life for early civilizations. It is probable, though,that the status of women was greater in Egypt than in Mesopotamia (wherewomen's position seems to have deteriorated³ after Sumer). Egyptians paid greatrespect to women at least in the upper classes, in part because marriagealliances were vital to the preservation⁴ and stability of the monarchy⁵. Also,Egyptian religion included more pronounced deference⁶ to goddesses as sourcesof creativity.

　　Comparisons in politics, culture, economics, and society suggestcivilizations that varied⁷ substantially because of largely separate originsand environments. The distinction in overall tone was striking, with Egyptbeing more stable and cheerful than Mesopotamia not only in beliefs about godsand the afterlife but in the colorful and lively pictures the Egyptiansemphasized in their decorative⁸ art. Also striking was the distinction ininternal history, with Egyptian civilization far less marked by disruptionthan its Mesopotamian counterpart.

　　Comparison must also note important similarities, some of themcharacteristic of early civilizations. Both Egypt and Mesopotamia emphasizedsocial stratification, with a noble, landowning class on top and masses ofpeasants and slaves at the bottom. A powerful priestly group also figured inthe elite⁹. While specific achievements in science differed, there was a commonemphasis on astronomy and related mathematics, which produced durable¹⁰ findings about units of time and measurement. Both Mesopotamia and Egypt changed only slowly by the standards of more modern societies. Details of change have not been preserved, but it is true that having developed successful political and economic systems there was a strong tendency toward conservation. Change, when it came, was usually brought by outside forces - natural disasters or invasions. Both civilizations demonstrated extraordinary durability¹¹ in the basics. Egyptian civilization and a fundamental Mesopotamian culture lasted far longer than the civilizations that came later, in part because of relative isolation¹² within each respective region and because of the deliberate effort to maintain what had been achieved, rather than experiment widely.

　　Both civilizations, finally, left an important heritage in their region and adjacent territories. A number of smaller civilization centers were launched under the impetus¹³ of Mesopotamia and Egypt, and some would produce important innovations of their own by about 1000 B.C.

 

1 laborers   

n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工

参考例句：

• Laborers were trained to handle 50-ton compactors and giant cranes. 工人们接受操作五十吨压土机和巨型起重机的训练。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Wage-labour rests exclusively on competition between the laborers. 雇佣劳动完全是建立在工人的自相竞争之上的。 来自英汉非文学 - 共产党宣言

2 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

3 deteriorated   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards. 她的健康状况急剧恶化，不久便去世了。
• His condition steadily deteriorated. 他的病情恶化，日甚一日。

4 preservation   

n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持

参考例句：

• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
• The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

5 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

6 deference   

n.尊重，顺从；敬意

参考例句：

• Do you treat your parents and teachers with deference?你对父母师长尊敬吗？
• The major defect of their work was deference to authority.他们的主要缺陷是趋从权威。

7 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

8 decorative   

adj.装饰的，可作装饰的

参考例句：

• This ware is suitable for decorative purpose but unsuitable for utility.这种器皿中看不中用。
• The style is ornate and highly decorative.这种风格很华丽，而且装饰效果很好。

9 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

10 durable   

adj.持久的，耐久的

参考例句：

• This raincoat is made of very durable material.这件雨衣是用非常耐用的料子做的。
• They frequently require more major durable purchases.他们经常需要购买耐用消费品。

11 durability   

n.经久性，耐用性

参考例句：

• Nylons have the virtue of durability.尼龙丝袜有耐穿的优点。

12 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

13 impetus   

n.推动，促进，刺激；推动力

参考例句：

• This is the primary impetus behind the economic recovery.这是促使经济复苏的主要动力。
• Her speech gave an impetus to my ideas.她的讲话激发了我的思绪。