托福综合写作优秀作文练习题：恒温动物恐龙

 　　托福综合写作阅读材料：

　　Endotherms are animals such as modern birdsand mammals that keep their body temperatures constant. For instance, humansare endotherms and maintain an internal temperature of 37℃, no matterwhether the environment is warm or cold. Because dinosaurs² were reptiles³, andmodern reptiles are not endotherms, it was long assumed that dinosaurs were notendotherms. However, dinosaurs differ in many ways from modern reptiles, andthere is now considerable evidence that dinosaurs were, in fact, endotherms.

　　恒温动物是指诸如现代鸟类和哺乳动物这种可以保持体温恒定的动物。比如，人是恒温动物，无论环境温度是怎样，体温都维持在37℃。因为恐龙属于爬行动物，而现代的爬行动物都不属于恒温动物，所以长期以来恐龙都被当做是变温动物。然而，恐龙在很多地方都同现在的爬行动物不一致。同时，现在有大量的证据表明恐龙其实是恒温动物。

　　Polardinosaurs

　　One reason for believing that dinosaurswere endotherms is that dinosaur¹ fossils have been discovered in Polar Regions.Only animals that can maintain a temperature well above that of the surroundingenvironment could be active in such cold climates.

　　极地恐龙

　　主张恐龙属于恒温动物的原因是在极地发现了恐龙。只有能够很好维持体温的动物才能在如此寒冷的地方生存。

　　Legposition and movement

　　There is a connection between endothermyand the position and movement of the legs. The physiology⁴ of endothermy allowssustained physical activity, such as running. But running is efficient only ifan animal’s legs are positioned underneath⁵ its body, not at the body’s side, asthey are for crocodiles and many lizards⁶. The legs of all modern endotherms areunderneath the body, and so were the legs of dinosaurs. This strongly suggeststhat dinosaurs were endotherms.

　　腿的位置和运动方式

　　恒温动物和腿的位置及运动方式有一定联系。恒温动物的生理结构允许它们进行持续的物理运动，比如奔跑。但是，只有当腿长在身体的下部而不是两侧的时候才能快速地奔跑，而像鳄鱼或者很多蜥蜴的腿，都是长在身体两侧的。所有现代恒温动物的腿都是长在身体下部的，而恐龙的腿也具有同样的特点。这很有力地说明了恐龙是恒温动物。

　　Haversiancanals

　　There is also a connection betweenendothermy and bone structure. The bones of endotherms usually includestructures called Haversian canals. These canals house nerves and blood vesselsthat allow the living animal to grow quickly; and rapid body growth is in facta characteristic of endothermy. The presence of Haversian canals in boneis astrong indicator⁷ that the animal is an endotherm, and fossilized bones ofdinosaurs are usually dense⁸ with Haversian canals.

　　哈弗森管

　　恒温动物和骨结构之间也有相应的关联。很多恒温动物都有一种名为哈弗森管的骨结构。这种哈弗森管可以保护神经和血管以保障动物快速地生长，而快速生长恰恰是恒温动物的一个特征。哈弗森管的存在可以有力的说明该动物属于恒温动物，而恐龙的骨骼化石中常常可以观察到哈弗森管。

　　托福综合写作阅读部分需要提取的观点是：

　　- Main point: 恐龙是恒温动物

　　- Sub point 1: 恐龙的化石在极地发现，而极地只有恒温动物生存，所以恐龙是恒温动物。

　　- Sub point 2: 恐龙有跟恒温动物一样的腿结构，所以恐龙是恒温动物。(这个是有逻辑漏洞

　　的，一会在听力部分我再解释)

　　- Sub point 3: 恐龙跟恒温动物一样的哈弗森管，所以恐龙是恒温动物。

1 dinosaur   

n.恐龙

参考例句：

• Are you trying to tell me that David was attacked by a dinosaur?你是想要告诉我大卫被一支恐龙所攻击？
• He stared at the faithful miniature of the dinosaur.他凝视著精确的恐龙缩小模型。

2 dinosaurs   

n.恐龙( dinosaur的名词复数 )；守旧落伍的人，过时落后的东西

参考例句：

• The brontosaurus was one of the largest of all dinosaurs. 雷龙是所有恐龙中最大的一种。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years. 恐龙绝种已有几百万年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 reptiles   

n.爬行动物，爬虫( reptile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Snakes and crocodiles are both reptiles. 蛇和鳄鱼都是爬行动物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Birds, reptiles and insects come from eggs. 鸟类、爬虫及昆虫是卵生的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 physiology   

n.生理学，生理机能

参考例句：

• He bought a book about physiology.他买了一本生理学方面的书。
• He was awarded the Nobel Prize for achievements in physiology.他因生理学方面的建树而被授予诺贝尔奖。

5 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

6 lizards   

n.蜥蜴( lizard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nothing lives in Pompeii except crickets and beetles and lizards. 在庞培城里除了蟋蟀、甲壳虫和蜥蜴外，没有别的生物。 来自辞典例句
• Can lizards reproduce their tails? 蜥蜴的尾巴断了以后能再生吗？ 来自辞典例句

7 indicator   

n.指标；指示物，指示者；指示器

参考例句：

• Gold prices are often seen as an indicator of inflation.黃金价格常常被看作是通货膨胀的指标。
• His left-hand indicator is flashing.他左手边的转向灯正在闪亮。

8 dense   

a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
• The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。