2018年11月23日场次GRE短篇阅读机经发布，本文包括对11月23日GRE阅读三大题型中的短阅读内容的预测讲解，帮助大家提升短阅读正确率，避免在简单题目中意外扣分，考生不可不看！

短篇阅读

Ragwort was accidentally introduced to New Zealand in the late nineteenth century and, like so many invading foreign species, quickly became a pest. By the 1920s, the weed was rampant. What made matters worse was that its proliferation coincided with sweeping changes in agriculture and a massive shift from sheep farming to dairying.

Ragwort contains a battery of toxic and resilient alkaloids: even honey made from its flowers contains the poison in dilute form. Livestock generally avoid grazing where ragwort is growing, but they will do so once it displaces grass and clover in their pasture. Though sheep can eat it for months before showing any signs of illness, if cattle eat it they sicken quickly, and fatality can even result.

1. The passage suggests that the proliferation of ragwort was particularly ill-timed because it

A. coincided with and exacerbated a decline in agriculture

B. took place in conditions that enabled the ragwort to spread faster than it otherwise would have done

C. led to an increase in the amount of toxic compounds contained in the plants

D. prevented people from producing honey that could be eaten safely

E. had consequences for livestock that were more dramatic than they otherwise would have been

参*：E

第二句说ragwort的繁殖赶上了新西兰农业的变化——从养羊到养牛;而最后一句话又说这种草对牛的危害更大，so the proliferation of ragwort was particularly ill-timed。E选项：相比于其他方面，这种草对家畜的影响更为巨大

2. The passage implies which of the following about the problems ragwort poses to dairy farmers?

A. Milk produced by cows that eat ragwort causes illness in humans who drink it.

B. Ragwort can supplant the plants normally eaten by cattle.

C. Cattle, unlike sheep, are unable to differentiate between ragwort and healthy grazing.

参*：B

尽管A有可能正确，但是文章里没有任何Support。B由Livestock generally avoid grazing where ragwort is growing, but they will do so once it displaces grass and clover in their pasture.支持，C完全超出文章之外。

Q:Ragwort 在新西兰是何时被引入的？
A:暂无答案。
Q:Ragwort 为何会在新西兰成为害虫？
A:暂无答案。
Q:Ragwort 对新西兰农业有哪些影响？
A:暂无答案。
Q:Ragwort 中含有哪些毒素？
A:暂无答案。
Q:Ragwort 对牲畜有哪些具体影响？
A:暂无答案。
Q:新西兰采取了哪些措施来应对 Ragwort？
A:暂无答案。
Q:Ragwort 在新西兰的分布情况如何？
A:暂无答案。
Q:Ragwort 的生长环境有哪些特点？
A:暂无答案。
Q:如何识别 Ragwort？
A:暂无答案。
Q:有没有办法控制 Ragwort 的传播？
A:暂无答案。
Q:Ragwort 是什么时候被引入新西兰的？
A:Ragwort 是在 19 世纪晚期被意外引入新西兰的。
Q:为什么 Ragwort 会在新西兰迅速成为害虫？
A:像许多入侵的外来物种一样，它适应能力强且繁殖迅速，加上农业变化等因素，使其快速成为害虫。
Q:Ragwort 成为害虫的时间是什么时候？
A:到 20 世纪 20 年代，Ragwort 变得猖獗，成为害虫。
Q:Ragwort 对农业有什么影响？
A:其增殖与农业的全面变化以及从养羊到养牛的大规模转变同时发生，可能影响畜牧业的发展。
Q:Ragwort 所含的毒素是什么？
A:Ragwort 含有一系列有毒且有韧性的生物碱，甚至用其花制成的蜂蜜也含有稀释形式的毒素。
Q:Ragwort 对牲畜有什么影响？
A:牲畜一般会避免在有 Ragwort 生长的地方吃草，但一旦它取代了牧场中的草和三叶草，牲畜就会吃它。绵羊吃几个月可能才会显示出疾病迹象，而牛吃了会很快生病，甚至可能导致死亡。
Q:Ragwort 是如何影响养牛业的？
A:Ragwort 可能会取代牛通常吃的植物，影响养牛业。
Q:蜂蜜中含有 Ragwort 的毒素会对人有影响吗？
A:文档中未提及蜂蜜中含有 Ragwort 的毒素对人有影响。
Q:为什么牲畜会吃 Ragwort？
A:当 Ragwort 取代了它们牧场中的草和三叶草时，牲畜会吃它。
Q:Ragwort 的繁殖对新西兰农业的影响是否不可避免？
A:文档中未明确表明 Ragwort 的繁殖对新西兰农业的影响是否不可避免。