Whenever two or more unusual traits or situations are found in the same place, it is tempting to look for more than a coincidental relationship between them. The high Himalayas and the Tibetan plateau certainly have extraordinary physical characteristics, and the cultures which are found there are also unusual, though not unique. However, there is no intention of adopting Montesquieu’s view of climate and soil as cultural determinants. The ecology of a region merely poses some of the problems faced by the inhabitants of the region, and while the problems facing a culture are important to its development they do not determine it.
The appearance of the Himalayas during the late Tertiary Period and the accompanying further raising of the previously established ranges had a marked effect on the climate of the region. Primarily, of course, it blocked the Indian monsoon from reaching Central Asia at all. Secondarily, air and moisture from other directions were also reduced.
Prior to the raising of the Himalayas, the land now forming the Tibetan uplands had a dry continental climate with vegetation and animal life similar to that of much of the rest of the region on the same parallel, but somewhat different than that of the areas farther north, which were already drier. With the coming of the Himalayas and the relatively sudden drying out of the region, there was a severe thinning out of the animal and plant populations. The ensuing incomplete Pleistocene glaciation had a further thinning effect, but significantly did not wipe out life in the area. Thus, after the end of the glaciation there were only a few varieties of life extant from the original continental species. Isolated by the Kunlun range from the Tarimbasin and Turfan depression, species which had already adapted to the dry steppe climate, and would otherwise have been expected to flourish in Tibet, the remaining native fauna and flora multiplied. Armand describes the Tibetan fauna as not having great variety, but being “striking” in the abundance of the particular species that are present. The plant life is similarly limited in variety, with some observers finding no more than seventy varieties of plants in even the relatively fertile Eastern Tibetan valleys, with fewer than ten food crops. Tibetan “tea” is a major staple, perhaps replacing the unavailable vegetables.
The difficulties of living in an environment at once dry and cold, and populated with species more usually found in more hospitable climes, are great. These difficulties may well have influenced the unusual polyandrous societies typical of the region. Lattimore sees the maintenance of multiple-husband households as being preserved from earlier forms by the harsh conditions of the Tibetan uplands, which permitted no experimentation and “froze” the cultures which came there. Kawakita, on the other hand, sees the polyandry as a way of easily permitting the best householder to become the head husband regardless of age. His detailed studies of the Bhotea village of Tsumje do seem to support this idea of polyandry as a method of talent mobility in a situation where even the best talent is barely enough for survival.
1.What was the significance of the fact that the Pleistocene glaciation did not wipe out life entirely in the area?
2.Which of the following most likely best describes Tibetan “tea”？
3.The author's knowledge of Tibet is probably （ ）.
4.According to the passage: which of the following would probably be the most agreeable to Montesquieu?
5.The species of fauna and flora remaining in Tibet after the Pleistocene glaciation can properly be called continental because they（ ）.
问题1选项
A.Without life, man could not flourish either.
B.The drying out was too sudden for most plants to adapt to the climate.
C.If the region had been devoid of life, some of the other species from nearby, arid areas might possibly have taken over the area.
D.The variety of Tibetan life was decreased.
问题2选项
A.a green tinted drink similar to Chinese basket-fried green tea
B.a nutritious mixture of tea leaves and rancid yak butter
C.a dark brown tea drink, carefully strained
D.a high caffeine drink
问题3选项
A.based on firsthand experience
B.the result of Lifelong study
C.limited to geological history
D.derived only from books
问题4选项
A.The plants of a country, by being the food of its people, cause the people to have similar views to one another.
B.Some regions with similar climates will have similar cultures.
C.Cultures in the same area, sharing soil and climate, will be essentially identical.
D.European cultures are liberated to some degree from determinism.
问题5选项
A.are originally found in continental climates
B.are the only life forms in Tibet, which is as big as a continent
C.have been found in other parts of the Asian continent
D.are found in a land mass that used to be a separate continent
第1题:D
第2题:B
第3题:D
第4题:C
第5题:A
第1题:
【选项释义】
What was the significance of the fact that the Pleistocene glaciation did not wipe out life entirely in the area? 更新世的冰川作用并没有彻底消灭该地区的生命，这一现实的意义是什么？
A. Without life, man could not flourish either. A. 没有生命，人类也无法繁荣昌盛。
B. The drying out was too sudden for most plants to adapt to the climate. B. 干旱来得太突然，大多数植物都无法适应这种气候。
C. If the region had been devoid of life, some of the other species from nearby, arid areas might possibly have taken over the area. C. 如果这个地区没有生命，一些来自附近干旱地区的其他物种可能会占领这个地区。
D. The variety of Tibetan life was decreased. D. 西藏生物的多样性减少了。
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词did not wipe out life定位文章第三段第三句The ensuing incomplete Pleistocene glaciation had a further thinning effect, but significantly did not wipe out life in the area.（随后发生的不完全更新世冰川作用进一步使冰川变薄，但并没有彻底消灭该地区的生命），结合该段第二句With the coming of the Himalayas and the relatively sudden drying out of the region, there was a severe thinning out of the animal and plant populations.（随着喜马拉雅山脉的到来和该地区相对突然的干旱，动植物种群严重减少）可推断D选项“西藏生物的多样性减少了”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A、B、C选项均未在文中体现，属于无中生有。
第2题:
【选项释义】
Which of the following most likely best describes Tibetan “tea”?
以下哪一项能最好地描述西藏的“茶”？
A. a green tinted drink similar to Chinese basket-fried green tea. A. 一种绿色的饮料，类似于中国的篮炒绿茶。
B. a nutritious mixture of tea leaves and rancid yak butter. B. 茶叶和腐臭的牦牛油的营养混合物。
C. a dark brown tea drink, carefully strained. C. 一种深棕色的茶饮料，经过仔细过滤。
D. a high caffeine drink. D. 咖啡因含量高的饮料。
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词Tibetan “tea”定位文章第三段尾句Tibetan “tea” is a major staple, perhaps replacing the unavailable vegetables.（西藏的“茶”是一种主食，也许可以替代难以吃到的蔬菜），由此可以推知：藏茶是主食之一，由于蔬菜品种很少，所以用藏茶来补充因蔬菜摄入不足所缺乏的营养，既然是要补充蔬菜摄入不足导致的营养缺乏，自然要用有营养的物质来替代。因此推断出B选项“茶叶和腐臭的牦牛油的营养混合物”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A、C、D选项均未在文中体现，属于无中生有。
第3题:
【选项释义】
The author’s knowledge of Tibet is probably（ ）. 作者对西藏的了解可能（ ）。
A. based on firsthand experience A. 基于亲身体验
B. the result of Lifelong study B. 终生学习的结果
C. limited to geological history C. 仅限于地质历史
D. derived only from books D. 来源于书籍
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】本文中没有涉及作者的研究和经历，第三段引用了阿曼德的描述，第四段中讲到了拉蒂摩尔和川端康成的看法，因此可以推断作者对西藏的了解可能“来源于书籍”，因此D选项正确。
【干扰项排除】
A、B、C选项均未在文中体现，属于无中生有。
第4题:
【选项释义】
According to the passage: which of the following would probably be the most agreeable to Montesquieu? 根据文章内容：以下哪一项可能最符合孟德斯鸠的观点？
A. The plants of a country, by being the food of its people, cause the people to have similar views to one another. A. 一个国家的植物，由于是其人民的食物，会导致人们彼此之间有相似的观点。
B. Some regions with similar climates will have similar cultures. B. 一些气候相似的地区也会有相似的文化。
C. Cultures in the same area, sharing soil and climate, will be essentially identical. C. 同一地区的文化，共享土壤和气候，本质上是相同的。
D. European cultures are liberated to some degree from determinism. D. 欧洲文化在某种程度上从决定论中解放出来。
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词Montesquieu定位文章第一段第三句However, there is no intention of adopting Montesquieu's view of climate and soil as cultural determinants.（然而，我们并不打算采纳孟德斯鸠关于气候和土壤作为文化决定因素的观点），结合该段第四句The ecology of a region merely poses some of the problems faced by the inhabitants of the region, and while the problems facing a culture are important to its development they do not determine it.（一个地区的生态只是该地区居民面临的一些问题，虽然一种文化面临的问题对其发展很重要，但它们并不能决定它的发展），可以推断出C选项“同一地区的文化，共享土壤和气候，本质上是相同的”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A、B、D选项均未在文中体现，属于无中生有。
第5题:
【选项释义】
The species of fauna and flora remaining in Tibet after the Pleistocene glaciation can properly be called continental because they（ ）. 更新世冰期后西藏遗留下来的动植物物种，可以恰当地称为大陆物种，因为它们（ ）。
A. are originally found in continental climates A. 原产于大陆性气候
B. are the only life forms in Tibet, which is as big as a continent B. 是西藏这个大陆那么大的地方唯一的生命形式
C. have been found in other parts of the Asian continent C. 在亚洲大陆的其他地方被发现过
D. are found in a land mass that used to be a separate continent D. 在一块曾经是独立大陆的陆地上被发现
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词continental定位文章第三段第四句Thus, after the end of the glaciation there were only a few varieties of life extant from the original continental species.（因此，在冰期结束后，从原始大陆物种中幸存下来的生命只有少数几种）可知A选项“原产于大陆性气候”正确。
【干扰项排除】
B选项“是西藏这个大陆那么大的地方唯一的生命形式”，根据文章第三段内容来看，大陆物种并不是西藏唯一的生命形式，还包括适应了干燥草原气候的物种以及本土动植物，属于曲解原文；
C、D选项均未在文中体现，属于无中生有。
