正是因为工业革命的重要性，托福考试非常青睐它--工业革命的发展特点、历史甚至与之相关的蒸汽机、能源问题都是在阅读和听力中经常出现的话题。

　　TPO26中就曾出现蒸汽机以及蒸汽机改良相关的细节描述：

　　In the late 1700s James Watt designed an efficient and commercially viable steam engine that was soon applied to a variety of

　　industrial uses as it became cheaper to use....A rotary(转动的，旋转的)engine attached to the steam engine enabled shafts (转动轴)to be turned and machines to be driven, resulting in mills using steam power to spin and weave cotton.

　　同一篇中，谈到工业革命中钢铁行业的发展，也具体到很多细节：

　　The availability of steam power and the demands for new machines facilitated the transformation of the iron industry. Charcoal(木炭),made from wood and

　　thus in limited supply, was replaced with coal-derived coke(焦炭)(substance left after coal is heated)

　　as steam-driven bellows(风箱)came into use for producing of raw iron. Impurities were burnt away with the use of coke, producing a high-quality refined iron(精铁).Reduced cost was

　　also instrumental in developing steam-powered rolling mills capable

　　of producing finished iron(高纯度的铁)of various shapes and sizes.

　　这里帮大家整理一下工业革命主要产业及背景大家要记得记笔记哦。

　　纺织产业(textile industry)：

　　纺织机的演化：飞梭(Flying shuttle)→杼箱→珍妮纺纱机(Spinning Jenny)→骡机(Spinning Mule)→水力织布机→蒸汽动力驱动运输行业革新：

　　1776年煤矿(colliery)中使用铁轨;

　　1814年运煤的蒸汽机车问世;1825年世界上第一条铁路;

　　1844年，英国铁路长达2235英里;

　　钢铁行业革新：

　　1709年，焦炭(coke)取代木炭(charcoal)炼铁;

　　1750年，坩埚炼钢工艺(steelmaking process)，欧洲历史上钢首次被熔化冶炼(smelt)。