15年4月12日托福真題architectural change in eighth-century in Japan

04-01

托福閱讀成績差，根本原因就是文章讀不懂

文章讀不懂，根本原因就是文章晦澀

所以根本原因不是英語問題

而是把托福文章裡面的英文翻譯成中文，也未必能看懂的問題！

所以托福閱讀提分的關鍵，在於大量積累語料背景，而不是一味地提高英文水平

多看中文，也能提高托福閱讀

Architectural Change in Eighth-CenturyJapan

Japaneseconstruction techniques and architectural styles changed in the eighth centuryC.E. from more traditional Japanese models to imported continental (especiallyChinese) models. Several factors contributed to this, in particular withrespect to the creation of two new capital cities. In essence, changes thenoccurring in Japanese political life were rendering past arrangements for therulers』 headquarters obsolete, and continental models offered an alternative.

首段講日本建築改變，其中一個原因是政治方面

Toelaborate, before the eighth century, the elite marriage practice, which was animportant instrument of political alliance making, had encouraged rulers tomaintain multiple palaces: that of their own family and those of their spouses,who commonly remained at or near their native family headquarters, at least forsome years after marriage. These arrangements had the effect of encouragingfrequent changes in royal residence as children matured and marriage allianceschanged. The customs of multiple palaces and a moveable court were feasible aslong as a ruling group was modest in size and its architectural practicesrelatively simple.

二段詳細展開，講第一個政治原因是皇室貴族有生活需要

Moreover,because buildings using the traditional construction of thatched roofs andwooden poles placed directly in the ground rotted away in two decades or so,periodic replacement of palaces, shrines, warehouse, qate towers, and fortresswalls was essential. The custom of residential mobility was thus not especiallywasteful of labor and material resources: when the time came, one simplyerected a new building at a new site- reusing valuable timbers as appropriate-and burned the rest. The practical necessity of replacement was given religioussanction because the regular replacement of buildings was regarded as necessaryto provide spiritual cleansing of the site.

三段講第二個原因是傳統建築20年一腐爛，所以要改變；政治原因還有宗教方面的考慮

Asrulers of the sixth and seventh centuries expanded their realm, however, theyacquired more and more underlings, administrative paraphernalia, weaponry andtribute goods, and they needed more and more buildings to house them. As thescale of government grew, moreover, it became more important to have thesepeople and resources close at hand where they could be more easily controlledand utilized. Under these circumstances, frequent moves by the court orreplacement of buildings became more costly, even prohibitive.

四段講第三個政治原因是中央集權的需要

請注意首句的轉折，轉折前面的內容還算中性偏褒義，從四段開始偏貶義

貶義的點，在於頻繁更改建築所導致的昂貴成本

Asolution to the problem was advocated by experts from the continent. This wasthe use of continental principles of urban design and techniques ofconstruction. These produced geometrically laid out capital cities whose majorgates and buildings employed stone foundations, mortise-and-tenon framing (atechnique for attaching timbers), and tile roofs that largely eliminated theproblem of rot and the consequent need for replacement.

五段講從大陸請來專家，解決了腐爛問題和連續更改建築問題

On theother hand, to construct cities and buildings of that sort required so muchlabor and material that their use effectively precluded periodic replacement orthe transfer of a royal headquarters from site to site. Nevertheless, thenotion of grand buildings and capital cities became immensely attractive toJapanese rulers during the seventh and eighth centuries. Continental regimes,the glorious new Chinese dynasties most notably, had them: they constituted anexpression of political triumph, a legitimizing symbol of the first order.Moreover, the architecture was an integral part of Buddhism, and acceptance ofthis religion in Japan at this time fostered adoption of its building style.

六段繼續轉折，說，這種新式建築需要耗費大量勞力物力，但是統治者為了追求高大上，出於政治考慮需要這種建築改變。另外，還有一個佛教原因也起到促進更改的作用

These several conflicting factors- the need to modify palaceand capital arrangements but the difficulty of doing so, the wish to enjoygrandeur but the reluctance to settle for a single, immobile court- all becameevident by the mid-seventh century. Change did come, but slowly, and in the enda compromise system was devised. Traditional shrines of Shinto, the nativereligion of Japan, and many residential buildings continued to be built in therottable, replaceable style that accommodated religious concerns and taboos,while city gates, major government buildings, and Buddhist temples were builtin the continental fashion that met the need for permanence and grandeur.Moreover, the wish of rulers to maintain multiple palaces fit with the customof certain continental regimes that maintained summer palaces or other rigionalcapitals where rulers could periodically reside on a temporary basis.

最後一段算是一個總結。各種綜合原因導致建築改變進程緩慢。宗教保留了舊式建築，同時統治者也希望保留部分舊建築

1. The phrase 「In essence」 in the passage iscloset in meaning to

○ Actually

○ Basically

○ However

○ Moreover

To elaborate,before the eighth century, the elite marriage practice, which was an importantinstrument of political alliance making, had encouraged rulers to maintainmultiple palaces: that of their own family and those of their spouses, whocommonly remained at or near their native family headquarters, at least forsome years after marriage. Thesearrangements had the effect of encouraging frequent changes in royal residenceas children matured and marriage alliances changed. The customs of multiplepalaces and a moveable court were feasible as long as a ruling group was modestin size and its architectural practices relatively simple.

2. Whichof the sentences below best expresses the essential information in thehighlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning inimportant ways or leave out essential information.

○ The elaborate marriage customs of theelite encouraged spouses to remain at their family palace for several yearsafter marriage

○ Rulers maintained multiple palaces forthemselves and their spouses』 families.

○ Before the eighth century, it was commonfor the elite to form political alliances with their spouses』families at the native family headquarters for some years aftermarriage

○ Before the eighth century, thepractice of forming alliances through marriage encouraged rulers tomaintain palaces at their spouses』 family homes as well as at their own

選D

找到原文中心詞the elite marriage practice, multiplepalaces

A選項elaborate這個詞的位置，與原文不符

B選項缺少原文第一個中心詞

C選項中心詞to form political alliances with theirspouses』 families與原文不符

D選項

3. The word 「feasible」 in the passage is closestin meaning to

○ practical

○ customary

○ acceptable

○ supported

選A

4. Inparagraph 3, why does the author discuss the natural decay of the woodenstructures built in eighth-century Japan?

○ Toargue that the necessity of replacing buildings every two decades applied toall eighth-century structures, not just residences.

○ Toargue that the custom of residential mobility was not unreasonable given thebuilding practices of the eighth century

○ Toexplain why the elite of the eighth century had to move periodically to newresidences

○ Toexplain why in the sixth and seventh centuries Japanese architectural practicechanged to the construction of more permanent structures

選B

定位首句，排除A選項，錯在all

定位二句，對應B

C選項move和D選項more permanent均沒提到

5. According to paragraph 3, each of thefollowing was true of the practice of periodic replacement of buildings EXCEPT:

○ It was followed for a wide variety ofstructures

○ It involved the reuse of buildingmaterials that were still good

○ Ordinary Japanese considered it as wasteof time and energy

○ Over the years it became a religiousritual

選C

這道題，不用挨個找，根據原文第二句，直接確定C選項與原文相反

而第二句話是我們做第4題曾讀過的

6. The word 「scale」 in the passage is closest inmeaning to

○ importance

○ duties

○ needs

○ size

選D

7. Accordingto paragraph 4, what problem did traditional architectural practices create forrulers of the sixth and seventh centuries?

○ It was difficult to bring the necessarypeople and construction materials together to replace buildings periodically

○ It was very expensive to move andhouse the large number of people that were now associated with the government

○ It was impractical to construct buildingslarge enough to house the growing numbers of people and resources

○ It was too time-consuming for rulers tosupervise the construction of all the necessary buildings

選B，定位末句

8.The word 「advocated」 in the passage is closest in meaning to

○ discovered

○ solved

○ promoted

○ questioned

選C

Onthe other hand, to construct cities and buildings of that sort required so muchlabor and material that their use effectively precluded periodic replacement orthe transfer of a royal headquarters from site to site. Nevertheless, thenotion of grand buildings and capital cities became immensely attractive toJapanese rulers during the seventh and eighth centuries. Continental regimes,the glorious new Chinese dynasties most notably, had them: they constituted anexpression of political triumph, a legitimizing symbol of the first order.Moreover, the architecture was an integral part of Buddhism, and acceptance ofthis religion in Japan at this time fostered adoption of its building style.

9.According to paragraph 6, Japanese rulers were strongly attracted tocontinental architecture because

○ permanent buildings could be constructedat very low cost

○ adopting the continental architecturewould not have an effect on religious practices in Japan

○ political power could be expressed byconstructing grand buildings

○ important buildings could be replacedquickly by means of the latest technology

選C

定位倒數第二句，中心詞political trimuph

10. What can be inferred from paragraph 6 about Japaneserulers during the seventh and eighth centuries?

○ They were well aware of, and stronglyinfluenced by, developments in the royal courts of China

○ They strongly opposed the spread of theBuddhist religion

○ They saw the influence of continentalregimes as a threat to local traditions

○ They sought to increase theirmobility by adopting changes in architecture

選A，還是倒數第二句

B選項oppose，C選項threat， D選項mobility都沒提到

11. The word 「fostered」 in the passage is closest in meaningto

○ quickened

○ initiated

○ determined

○ encouraged

選D

▉These several conflictingfactors- the need to modify palace and capital arrangements but the difficultyof doing so, the wish to enjoy grandeur but the reluctance to settle for asingle, immobile court- all became evident by the mid-seventh century. ▉Change did come, butslowly, and in the end a compromise system was devised. ▉Traditional shrines ofShinto, the native religion of Japan, and many residential buildings continuedto be built in the rottable, replaceable style that accommodated religiousconcerns and taboos, while city gates, major government buildings, and Buddhisttemples were built in the continental fashion that met the need for permanenceand grandeur. Moreover, the wish of rulers to maintain multiple palaces fitwith the custom of certain continental regimes that maintained summer palacesor other rigional capitals where rulers could periodically reside on atemporary basis. ▉

12.Which of the following is true of the compromise system mentioned in paragraph7?

○ Major government buildings combined thetechniques of traditional and continental architecture

○ The continuing desire of rulers tomaintain multiple palaces was taken into account

○ The balance of traditional and continentalarchitecture was quickly achieved

○ Shinto shrines and most residences wereconstructed using continental architecture

選B，對應末句

A選項combined the techniques沒提到

C選項quickly相反

D選項整個沒提到

13.

Suchtemporary residences might have enabled Japanese rulers to better control thepeople living far from main capital

選D

題干中心詞such temporary對應原文末句on a temporary basis

AnswerChoices

○ Chinese architectural styles hadinfluenced traditional Japanese architecture long before eighth-centuryJapanese rulers decided to create larger cities

說反了，long before與首段首句相反

○ As religious ideas changed, it no longerwas acceptable to construct buildings out of materials that required constantreplacement

錯了，這個說法no longer constant replacement，與末段不符

○ Several factors complicated thearchitectural change, but a compromise system that considered traditional andpractical needs was eventually developed

對了，末段主旨

○ Before the eighth century, the palaces ofthe elite were relatively simple structures that could be easily built,repaired and replaced

對了

○ Rulers』 desire for grand palacesconflicted with the expense of having multiple courts, which they also wanted,but a compromise was achieved in the eighth century

對了

○ Many areas in Japan were quick to adoptthe changes in architectural styles, while other areas were more reluctant

錯了，quick與末段不符