『新东方在线托福阅读』为托福考生准备了ETS托福TPO/Official 32 Passage 3阅读练习：The word “escalated” in the passage is closest in meaning to真题题目及答案解析，TPO/Official 32 Passage 3阅读原文范文音频翻译

托福TPO/Official 32 Passage 3阅读原文The word “escalated” in the passage is closest in meaning to题目答案及解析-新东方托福官方网校手机版

1977年，生态学家斯蒂芬·哈贝尔和莱斯利·约翰逊记录了一个生动的例子，说明社会互动如何在种群中产生并维持规则的间隔。

In 1977 ecologists Stephen Hubbell and Leslie Johnson recorded a dramatic example of how social interactions can produce and enforce regular spacing in a population.

他们研究了哥斯达黎加热带干旱森林中无刺蜜蜂种群的竞争和巢间距。

They studied competition and nest spacing in populations of stingless bees in tropical dry forests in Costa Rica.

虽然这些蜜蜂不叮人，但一些物种的敌对群体为了潜在的筑巢地点而激烈争斗。

Though these bees do not sting, rival colonies of some species fight fiercely over potential nesting sites.

无刺蜜蜂在热带和亚热带环境中大量存在，它们从各种各样的花朵中采集花蜜和花粉。

Stingless bees are abundant in tropical and subtropical environments, where they gather nectar and pollen from a wide variety of flowers.

它们通常在树上筑巢，生活在由数百到数千名工蜂组成的群体中。

They generally nest in trees and live in colonies made up of hundreds to thousands of workers.

哈贝尔和约翰逊观察到，一些物种的无刺蜜蜂对来自其他蜂群的同类成员具有极强的攻击性，而另一些物种则不是。

Hubbell and Johnson observed that some species of stingless bees are highly aggressive to members of their species from other colonies, while other species are not.

具有攻击性的物种通常成群觅食，主要以密度较高的丛生花朵为食。

Aggressive species usually forage in groups and feed mainly on flowers that occur in high-density clumps.

非侵略性物种单独或以小群觅食，以分布更广的花朵为食。

Nonaggressive species feed singly or in small groups and on more widely distributed flowers.

哈贝尔和约翰逊研究了几种无刺蜜蜂，以确定攻击性与蜂群分布模式之间是否存在关系。

Hubbell and Johnson studied several species of stingless bees to determine whether there is a relationship between aggressiveness and patterns of colony distribution.

他们预测：攻击性物种群将呈现规则分布，而非攻击性物种群将呈现随机或紧密分组的（簇状）分布。

They predicted that the colonies of aggressive species would show regular distributions, while those of nonaggressive species would show random or closely grouped (clumped) distributions.

他们集中研究了一片十三公顷的热带干旱森林，那里有九种无刺蜜蜂的众多巢穴。

They concentrated their studies on a thirteen-hectare tract of tropical dry forest that contained numerous nests of nine species of stingless bees.

虽然哈贝尔和约翰逊对蜜蜂行为会如何影响蜂群分布感兴趣，但是他们认识到蜂群潜在巢穴地点的可用性也会对蜂群的分布产生影响。

Though Hubbell and Johnson were interested in how bee behavior might affect colony distributions, they recognized that the availability of potential nest sites for colonies could also affect distributions.

因此，他们绘制了适合筑巢的树木分布图作为他们研究的第一步。

So as one of the first steps in their study, they mapped the distributions of trees suitable for nesting.

他们发现，潜在的巢穴树随机分布在研究区域内。

They found that potential nest trees were distributed randomly through the study area.

他们还发现，潜在筑巢地点的数量远远超过蜜蜂群体的数量。

They also found that the number of potential nest sites was much greater than the number of bee colonies.

这些测量（数据）向研究人员展示了什么？

What did these measurements show the researchers?

（数据显示）研究区域内的蜂群数量不会受限于是否有可用的合适的树木，蜂群的簇状或规则分布也不是由于潜在巢穴地点的簇状或规则分布所致。

The number of colonies in the study area was not limited by availability of suitable trees, and a clumped or regular distribution of colonies was not due to an underlying clumped or regular distribution of potential nest sites.

哈贝尔和约翰逊准确地绘制了九种无刺蜜蜂中五种的巢穴，其中四种的巢穴是规律分布的。

Hubbell and Johnson mapped the nests of five of the nine species of stingless bees accurately, and the nests of four of these species were distributed regularly.

所有四种巢规律分布的物种都对来自自己物种的其他蜂群的蜜蜂具有很强的攻击性。

All four species with regular nest distributions were highly aggressive to bees from other colonies of their own species.

第五种不具攻击性，其巢随机分布在研究区。

The fifth species was not aggressive, and its nests were randomly distributed over the study area.

研究人员还研究了攻击性物种建立新群落的过程。

The researchers also studied the process by which the aggressive species establish new colonies.

他们的观察为建立和维持这些物种规律性巢穴分布的机制提供了见解。

Their observations provide insights into the mechanisms that establish and maintain the regular nest distribution of these species.

显然，具有攻击性的物种用信息素来标记预期的巢穴地点，信息素是一些动物分泌的化学物质，用于与其物种的其他成员进行交流。

Aggressive species apparently mark prospective nest sites with pheromones, chemical substances secreted by some animals for communication with other members of their species.

蜂群成员被这些无刺蜜蜂分泌的信息素吸引，聚集到了预期的筑巢地点；然而，来自其他巢穴的工蜂也被这些信息素吸引而来。

The pheromone secreted by these stingless bees attracts and aggregates members of their colony to the prospective nest site; however, it also attracts workers from other nests.

如果来自两个不同群体的工蚁同时到达预期的巢穴，他们可能会争夺所有权。

If workers from two different colonies arrive at the prospective nest at the same time, they may fight for possession.

Fights may be escalated into protracted battles.

研究人员观察到了一场持续了两周的巢树争斗。

The researchers observed battles over a nest tree that lasted for two weeks.

每天黎明，来自两个相互竞争的蜂群的15到30只工蜂会到达竞争的巢址。

Each dawn, fifteen to thirty workers from two competing colonies arrived at the contested nest site.

来自两个蜂群的工蜂们分成两群对峙，互相做炫耀行为和战斗。

The workers from the two colonies faced off in two swarms and displayed and fought with each other.

在做炫耀行为的时候，成对的蜜蜂面对面，缓缓垂直飞行到三米左右的高度，然后互相摔倒在地。

In the displays, pairs of bees faced each other, slowly flew vertically to a height of about three meters, and then grappled each other to the ground.

当两只蜜蜂撞到地面时，它们分开，对抗，并进行了另一次炫耀行为。

When the two bees hit the ground, they separated, faced off, and performed another aerial display.

蜜蜂似乎没有在这些打斗中受伤，这些打斗显然是仪式化的。

Bees did not appear to be injured in these fights, which were apparently ritualized.

这两群蜜蜂在每天上午8点或9点左右放弃了战斗，在第二天的黎明过后才会重新开始。

The two swarms abandoned the battle at about 8 or 9 A.M. each morning, only to reform and begin again the next day just after dawn.

虽然这场争夺空巢的竞争没有造成明显的死亡，但是，在争夺已被占领的巢穴的战斗时，有时会有超过1000只蜜蜂在一场战斗中死亡。

While this contest over an unoccupied nest site produced no obvious mortality, fights over occupied nests sometimes kill over 1,000 bees in a single battle.

The word “rival” in the passage is closest in meaning to

According to paragraph 2, some species of stingless bees are aggressive mainly toward

According to paragraph 3, Hubbell and Johnson hypothesized that

According to paragraph 4, why did Hubbell and Johnson begin their study by mapping all the potential nest sites?

Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

According to paragraph 5, Hubbell and Johnson determined

Why does the author indicate that “The fifth species was not aggressive, and its nests were randomly distributed over the study area”?

The phrase “insights into” in the passage is closest in meaning to

According to paragraph 6, what is one result of using pheromones to mark nest sites?

The word “escalated” in the passage is closest in meaning to

Paragraph 7 supports which of the following ideas about fights over occupied nests?

Look at the four squares  that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage. For example, a clumped distribution of nests might simply reflect a clumped distribution of suitable nesting sites.  Where would the sentence best fit? Click on a square  to add the sentence to the passage.

Directions: Select from the seven sentences below the three sentences that correctly characterize aggressive species of stingless bees and the two sentences that correctly characterize nonaggressive species. Drag each sentence you select into the appropriate column of the table. Two of the sentences will NOT be used. This question is worth 3 points.

Distributions of Tropical Bee Colonies In 1977 ecologists Stephen Hubbell and Leslie Johnson recorded a dramatic example of how social interactions can produce and enforce regular spacing in a population. They studied competition and nest spacing in populations of stingless bees in tropical dry forests in Costa Rica. Though these bees do not sting, rival colonies of some species fight fiercely over potential nesting sites. Stingless bees are abundant in tropical and subtropical environments, where they gather nectar and pollen from a wide variety of flowers. They generally nest in trees and live in colonies made up of hundreds to thousands of workers. Hubbell and Johnson observed that some species of stingless bees are highly aggressive to members of their species from other colonies, while other species are not. Aggressive species usually forage in groups and feed mainly on flowers that occur in high-density clumps. Nonaggressive species feed singly or in small groups and on more widely distributed flowers. Hubbell and Johnson studied several species of stingless bees to determine whether there is a relationship between aggressiveness and patterns of colony distribution. They predicted that the colonies of aggressive species would show regular distributions, while those of nonaggressive species would show random or closely grouped (clumped) distributions. They concentrated their studies on a thirteen-hectare tract of tropical dry forest that contained numerous nests of nine species of stingless bees. Though Hubbell and Johnson were interested in how bee behavior might affect colony distributions, they recognized that the availability of potential nest sites for colonies could also affect distributions.  So as one of the first steps in their study, they mapped the distributions of trees suitable for nesting.  They found that potential nest trees were distributed randomly through the study area.  They also found that the number of potential nest sites was much greater than the number of bee colonies.  What did these measurements show the researchers? The number of colonies in the study area was not limited by availability of suitable trees, and a clumped or regular distribution of colonies was not due to an underlying clumped or regular distribution of potential nest sites. Hubbell and Johnson mapped the nests of five of the nine species of stingless bees accurately, and the nests of four of these species were distributed regularly. All four species with regular nest distributions were highly aggressive to bees from other colonies of their own species. The fifth species was not aggressive, and its nests were randomly distributed over the study area. The researchers also studied the process by which the aggressive species establish new colonies. Their observations provide insights into the mechanisms that establish and maintain the regular nest distribution of these species. Aggressive species apparently mark prospective nest sites with pheromones, chemical substances secreted by some animals for communication with other members of their species. The pheromone secreted by these stingless bees attracts and aggregates members of their colony to the prospective nest site; however, it also attracts workers from other nests. If workers from two different colonies arrive at the prospective nest at the same time, they may fight for possession. Fights may be escalated into protracted battles. The researchers observed battles over a nest tree that lasted for two weeks. Each dawn, fifteen to thirty workers from two competing colonies arrived at the contested nest site. The workers from the two colonies faced off in two swarms and displayed and fought with each other. In the displays, pairs of bees faced each other, slowly flew vertically to a height of about three meters, and then grappled each other to the ground. When the two bees hit the ground, they separated, faced off, and performed another aerial display. Bees did not appear to be injured in these fights, which were apparently ritualized. The two swarms abandoned the battle at about 8 or 9 A.M. each morning, only to reform and begin again the next day just after dawn. While this contest over an unoccupied nest site produced no obvious mortality, fights over occupied nests sometimes kill over 1,000 bees in a single battle.