The Complete Guide To The TOEFL Test
.pdf314 Section 3 • Guide to Reading Comprehension
Sample Questions
• |
Why does the author mention ____ ? |
|
• |
The author refers to |
to indicate that ... |
• |
The author quotes |
in order to show ... |
• |
The phrase _____ in line |
is mentioned to illustrate the effect of ... |
Sample Answer Choices
•To strengthen the argument that ____
•To provide an example of ____
•To challenge the idea that ___
•To contradict ____
•To support the proposal to ____
There are usually from one to four purpose questions per Reading section.
Exercise 46.1
Focus: Identifying valid inferences based on sentences.
Directions: Read each sentence; then mark the one answer choice-(A), (B), or (C)-that is a valid inference based on that sentence. The first one is done as an example.
1.Cities founded around the turn of the eighteenth century, such as Williamsburg, Annapolis, and especially Philadelphia, were laid out on a regular grid with public squares, while cities laid out in the mid-seventeenth century, such as Boston, remain chaotic to this day.
___ (A) Philadelphia is today laid out more regularly than either Williamsburg or Annapolis.
~ (B) Boston was not originally laid out according to a logical plan.
___ (C) Philadelphia, Williamsburg, and Annapolis were founded before Boston~
2.When apple growers talk about new varieties of apples, they don't mean something developed last month, last year, or even in the last decade.
___ (A) Apple growers haven't developed any new varieties in recent decades.
___ (B) Some varieties of apples can be developed in a short time, but others take a long time.
___ (C) New varieties of apples take many years to develop.
3.Blood cholesterol used to be thought of as a problem only for adults.
___ (A) Blood cholesterol is no longer a problem for adults.
___ (B) Only children have a problem with blood cholesterol.
___ (C) Blood cholesterol affects both adults and children.
4.A metal-worker of 3,000 years ago would recognize virtually every step of the lost-wax process used to cast titanium for jet engines.
___ (A) Titanium has been forged for thousands of years.
___ (B) The lost-wax method of casting is very old.
___ (C) Metal working has changed very little in 3,000 years.
5.There is more quartz in the world than anyone kind of feldspar, but the feldspars as a group are
five times more common than quartz.
___ (A) One type of quartz is five times more plentiful than feldspar.
___ (B) Quartz is less common than the feldspars.
The most common type of feldspar is as plentiful as quartz.
316 Section 3 • Guide to Reading Comprehension
15.Even spiders that do not build webs from silk use it for a variety of purposes, such as constructing egg sacs and nursery tents.
__ (A) All spiders build webs.
___ (B) Spiders that build webs don't build egg sacs or nursery tents. __ (C) Silk is used by all spiders.
Exercise 46.2
Focus: Recognizing valid inferences based on longer passages.
Oi rections: Read the passages. If the statements following the passages are valid inferences based on those passages, mark the items I. If the statements qlOnot be inferred from the passage, mark those items X. The first one is done as an example.
Questions 1-7
|
The term "neon light" was originally applied to a particular |
|
|
type of vapor lamp using the inert gas neon. A long tube was |
|
|
filled with neon, which then became luminous at low pressure when |
|
(line) |
an electric current was passed through it. The lamp then emitted |
|
(';) |
the characteristic reddish-orange light of neon. Today, the term |
|
|
"neon light" is given to lamps of this general type which may be |
|
|
filled with a variety of gases, |
depending on the color that is |
|
desired. Argon, for example, |
is used to produce blue light. |
|
Colors can also be altered by changing the color of the glass |
|
(10)tube. The tubes must be quite long in all these lamps to produce light efficiently. As a result, high voltages are required. Neon tube lamps are not practical for indoor illumination, but they have found widespread outdoor use in glowing, colorful advertising signs.
~1. The inert gas neon is reddish-orange in color.
2.The meaning of the term "neon light" has changed over time.
3.Today's "neon lights" never actually contain neon.
___ 4. All types of "neon lights" work on the same general principles.
S.When stimulated by electricity, different types of gas produce different colors.
6.Modern "neon lights" are more efficient than those used in the past.
___ 7. The primary market for neon lights is businesses rather than private households.
|
Section 3 • Guide to Reading Comprehension 317 |
Questions 8-15 |
|
|
Natural flavorings and fragrances are often costly and limited |
|
in supply. For example, the vital ingredient in a rose fragrance |
|
is extracted from natural rose oil at a cost of thousands of |
(line) |
dollars a pound; an identical synthetic substance can be made for |
(';) |
1% of this cost. Since the early twentieth century, success in |
|
reproducing these substances has created a new industry that |
today produces hundreds of artificial flavors and fragrances. Some natural fragrances arc easily synthesized; these include
vanillin, the aromatic ingredient in vanilla, and benzaldehyde,
(10)the aromatic ingredient in wild cherries. Other fragrances,
however, have dozens, even hundreds of components, Only recently has it been possible to separate and identify these ingredients
by the use of gas chromatography and spectroscopy. Once the
chemical identity is known, it is often possible to synthesize
(l ';) them, Nevertheless, some complex substances, such as the aroma of fresh coffee, have still not been duplicated satisfactorily.
'\1any of the chemical compounds making up these synthetics arc identical to those found in nature, and are as harmless or
harmful as the natural substances. New products must be tested
(20)for safety. and when used in food, must be approved by the ITS. Food and Drug Administration.
The availability of synthetic flavors and fragrances has made possible a large variety of products, from inexpensive beveragcs to perfumed soap to used cars with applied "new car odor,"
8.Natural rose fnlgrance is 100 times more expensive to produce than artificial rose fragrance,
l). Vanillin is easier to synthesize than benzaldehyde,
10. In general, the more components there are in a fragrance, the harder it is to synthesize.
11, Once a substance has been chemically analyzed, it can al\vays be easily synthesized. 12. Only recently has it been possible to satisfactorily synthesize the aroma of fresh coffee. 13 ' Not all synthetic flavors are harmless.
14.Synthesized substances mllst be tested for safety only if the\" are used in food.
15.Synthetic fragrances can be used to make a used car smell like a new one.
318 Section 3 • Guide to Reading Comprehension
Questions 16-20
A legend is a popular type of folk tale. In some ways, legends resemble myths, another type of folk tale. But myths describe events from antiquity and usually deal with religious subjects,
(line) such as the birth of a god. Legends tell of recognizable people, (';) places, and events and often take place in comparatively recent
times. Some legends are based on real persons or events, but many are entirely fictional. The legends of the superhuman accomplishments of Paul Bunyan and Pecos Bill are imaginary, while the legends about Washington and Lincoln are mostly
(10)exaggerations of real qualities those two presidents had.
All societies have legends. Most legends began as stories about the heroes of a particular region, occupation, or ethnic group.
For example, John Henry was a legendary hero of black Americans, and Casey Jones of railroad workers. Over time, however, these figures have become national heroes.
16.Both legends and myths can be classified as folk tales.
17.Myths generally take place in comparatively recent times.
18.The stories of Paul Bunyan and Pecos Bill are not true, but they are based on actual people.
19.Legends about Washington and Lincoln are not entirely fictional.
20.John Henry and Casey Jones are today well-known only by certain groups of people.
Exercise 46.3
Focus: Answering inference and purpose questions.
Directions: Read the following passages and the questions about them. Decide which of the choices-(A), (B), (C), or (D)-best answers the question, and mark the answer. The first one is dom: as an example.
Questions 1-4
|
Pigeons have been taught to recognize human facial expressions, |
|
upsetting long-held beliefs that only humans had evolved the |
|
sophisticated nervous systems to perform such a feat. In recent |
(line) |
experiments at the University of Iowa, eight trained pigeons were |
(5)shown photographs of people displaying emotions of happiness, anger, surprise, and disgust. The birds learned to distinguish between these expressions. Not only that, but they were also able to correctly identify the same expressions on photographs of unfamiliar faces. Their achievement does not suggest, of course,
(10)that the pigeons had any idea what the human expressions meant.
Some psychologists have theorized that because of the importance of facial expression to human communication, humans developed special nervous systems capable of recognizing subtle expressions. The pigeons cast doubt on that idea, however.
Section 3 • Guide to Reading Comprehension 319
(15)In fact, the ability to recognize facial expressions of emotion
is not necessarily innate even in human babies, but may have to be learned in much the same way pigeons learn. In experiments conducted several years ago at the University of Iowa, it was found that pigeons organize images of things into the same
(20)logical categories that humans do.
None of this work would come as any surprise to Charles Darwin, who long ago wrote about the continuity of mental development from animals to humans.
1.From the passage, which of the following can be inferred about pigeons'
___ (A) They can show the same emotions humans can.
___ (B) They can understand human emotions.
___ (C) They can only identify the expressions of people they are familiar with.
~(D) They have more sophisticated nervous systems than was once thought.
2.The passage implies that, at birth, human babies
___ (A) have nervous systems capable of recognizing subtle expressions
___ (B) can learn from pigeons
___ (C) are not able to recognize familiar faces
___ (D) may not be able to identify basic emotions through facial expressions
3.Why does the author mention the experiments conducted several years ago at the University of Iowa?
___ (A) They proved that pigeons were not the only kind of animal with the ability to recognize facial expressions.
___ (B) They were contradicted by more recent experiments.
___ (C) They proved that the ability to recognize human expressions was not innate in human
babies.
___ (D) They showed the similarities between the mental organization of pigeons and that of humans.
4.If Charles Darwin could have seen the results of this experiment, his most probable response would have been one of
___ (A) rejection
___ (B) surprise
___ (C) agreement
___ (D) amusement
Questions 5-7
|
The spectacular eruptions of Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone |
|
National Park do not occur like clockwork. Before the earthquake |
|
of 1959, eruptions came every 60 to 65 minutes; today they are as |
(line) |
little as 30 minutes or as much as 90 minutes apart. The geyser |
(5)usually gives a warning: a short burst of steam. Then a graceful column rises up to 150 feet in the air. The water unfurls in the sunlight with the colors of the rainbow playing across it.
This eruption is only the visible part of the spectacle. The geyser is linked by an intricate plumbing network to some
(10)extremely hot rocks. As water seeps into the underground system, it is heated at the bottom like water in a tea kettle. But while water in a kettle rises because of convection, the narrow tubes
of the geyser system prevent free circulation of the water. Thus,
320 Section 3 • Guide to Reading Comprehension
the water in the upper tubes is far cooler than the water
( I "i) at the bottom. The weight of the water puts pressure on the column, and this raises the boiling point of the water near the bottom. Finally. the water in the upper part of the column warms and expands. some of it welling out of the mouth of the geyser. This decreases the pressure on the superheated water, which
(20)abruptly turns to steam. This in turn forces all the water and vapor out of the geyser.
').It can be inferred from the passage that the earthquake of 1959 made Old Faithful geyser erupt
___ (A) more frequently
___ (ll) less regularly
___ (C) more suddenly
___ (D) less spectacularly
6. Why does the author mention a rainbow in line 7?
_. . _ (A) The column of water forms an arc in the shape of a rainbow.
___.. (B) In the sunlight, the column of water may produce the colors of the rainbow.
___ (C) Rainbows can be seen quite frequently in Yellowstone National Park.
____. (D) The rainbow. like the geyser. is an example of the beauty of nature.
-The passage implies that Old Faithful would probably not erupt at all if
___ (A) the tuhes of the geyser system were very wide _.__ (ll) the climate suddenly changed
___ (C) there had not been an earthquake in 1959
___ (D) the underground tubes were longer
Questions 8-12
|
In 1881, a new type of weed began spreading across the northern |
|
Great Plains. Unlike other weeds, the tumbleweed did not spend |
|
its life rooted to the soil; instead it tumbled and rolled across |
(line) |
fields in the wind. The weed had sharp, spiny leaves that could |
("i) |
lacerate the f1esh of ranchers and horses alike. It exploited the |
|
vast area of the plains, thriving in regions too barren to |
|
support other plants. With its ability to generate and |
|
disseminate numerous seeds qUickly, it soon became the scourge of |
|
the prairies. |
(10)To present-day Americans, the tumbleweed symbolizes the Old
West. They read the Zane Grey novels in which tumbleweeds drift across stark western landscapes and see classic western movies in which tumbleweeds share scenes with cowboys and covered wagons. Yet just over a century ago, the tumbleweed was a newcomer. The
(1'1) first sign of the invasion occurred in North and South Dakota in the late 1870's.
Farmers had noticed the sudden appearance of the new. unusual weed. One group of immigrants, however, did not find the weed at all unfamiliar. The tumbleweed. it turns out, was a native of
(20)southern Russia. where it was known as Tartar thistle. It was imported to the l'nited States by unknown means.
Section 3 • Guide to Reading Comprehension 321
Frontier settlers gave the plants various names: saltwort, Russian cactus, and wind witch. But botanists at the Department ofAgriculture preferred the designation Russian thistle as the
(25)plant's common name. However, these botanists had a much harder time agreeing on the plant's scientific name. Generally,
botanists compare a plant to published accounts of similar plants, or to samples kept as specimens. Unfortunately, no book described the weed, and no samples existed in herbaria in the United States.
8.Which of the following can be inferred about tumbleweeds?
___ (A) They have strong, deep roots.
___ (B) They require a lot of care.
___ (C) They reproduce efficiently.
___ (D) They provided food for ranchers and animals.
9.The passage suggests that most present-day Americans
___ (A) consider the tumbleweed beneficial
___ (B) don't know when tumbleweeds came to North America
___ (C) have never heard of tumbleweeds
___ (D) believe tumbleweeds are newcomers to the United States
lO. The author mentions the novels of Zane Grey and classic western movies (lines 11-12) because they
___ (A) tell the story of the invasion of tumbleweeds
___ (B) are sources of popular information about tumbleweeds
___ (C) present very inaccurate pictures of tumbleweeds
___ (D) were written long before tumbleweeds were present in the United States
11. It is probable that the "group of immigrants" mentioned in line 18
___ (A) was from southern Russia
___ (B) had lived in North and South Dakota for many years
___ (C) imported tumbleweeds into the United States
___ (D) wrote a number of accounts about tumbleweeds
12.From the passage it can be inferred that the botanists at the Department ofAgriculture
___ (A) could not find any tumbleweeds on the plains
___ (B) gave the names saltwort, Russian cactus, and wind witch to the tumbleweed
___ (C) could not decide on a common designation for the tumbleweed
___ (D) found it difficult to classify the plant scientifically
Questions 13-17
|
For most modern airports, the major design problem is scale- |
|
how to allow adequate space on the ground for maneuvering wide- |
|
body jets while permitting convenient and rapid movement of |
(line) |
passengers departing, arriving, or transferring from one flight |
(5)to another.
Most designs for airport terminals take one of four approaches. In the linear plan, the building may be straight or curved. The passengers board aircraft parked next to the terminal. This plan works well for small airports that need to provide boarding areas
(lO) for only a few aircraft at a time.
In the pier plan, narrow corridors or piers extend from a central building. This plan allows many aircraft to park next to the building. However, it creates long walking distances for passengers.
322 Section 3 • Guide to Reading Comprehension
(15)In the satellite plan, passengers board aircraft from small
terminals that are separated from the main terminals. Passengers reach the satellites by way of shuttle trains or underground passageways that have shuttle trains or moving sidewalks.
The transporter plan employs some system of transport to move
(20)passengers from the terminal building to the aircraft. If buses are used, the passengers must climb a flight of stairs to board the aircraft. If mobile lounges are used, they can link up directly with the aircraft and protect passengers from the weather.
13.It can be inferred that scale would not pose a major design problem at airports if
___ (A) airports were larger
___ (B) aircraft did not need so much space to maneuver on the ground
___ (C) other forms of transportation were more efficient
___ (D) airplanes could fly faster
14.The linear plan would probably be best at
___ (A) a busy airport
___ (B) an airport used by many small aircraft
___ (C) an airport with only a few arrivals or departures
___ (D) an airport that serves a large city
15.The passage implies that the term "satellite plan" is used because
___ (A) satellites are launched and tracked from these sites
___ (B) small terminals encircle the main terminal like satellites around a planet
___ (C) the plan makes use of the most modern, high-technology equipment
___ (D) airports that make use of this plan utilize data from weather satellites
16.The passage suggests that shuttle trains transfer passengers to satellite terminals from
___ (A) the main terminal
___ (B) airplanes
___ (C) downtown
___ (D) other satellite terminals
17. It can be inferred that mobile lounges would be more desirable than buses when
___ (A) passengers are in a hurry
___ (B) flights have been delayed
___ (C) the weather is bad
___ (D) passengers need to save money
|
Section 3 • Guide to Reading Comprehension 323 |
Questions 18-20 |
|
|
The sea has been rising relative to the land for at least 100 |
|
years, geologists say. During that same period, the Atlantic |
|
Coast has eroded an average of 2 to 3 feet per year, the Gulf |
(line) |
Coast even faster. Many engineers maintain that seawalls and |
(5)replenished beaches are necessary to protect the nation's shoreline. Too many people live or vacation in Miami Beach, Atlantic City, or Martha's Vineyard to allow their roads and buildings to simply fall into the sea.
The problem with seawalls is that they simply don't work. One
(10)study has shown that, in fact, seawalls accelerate the erosion of beaches.
Faced with the loss of their beaches, other communities have tried a simple but expensive solution: replace the lost sand.
These replenishment programs, however, are costly and of dubious
(15)value. Another study has shown that only 10% of replenished beaches lasted more than 5 years.
18.It can be inferred from the passage that the author
___ (A) opposes the use of both seawalls and beach replenishment
___ (B) believes beach replenishment would be more effective than seawalls
___ (C) opposes any actions to protect the shoreline
___ (D) denies that beach erosion is a problem
19.Why does the author mention Miami Beach, Atlantic City, and Martha's Vinyard?
___ (A) These are communities with seawalls.
___ (B) These are communities that have implemented replenishment programs.
___ (C) These are communities in danger of beach erosion.
___ CD) These are communities which have lost roads and buildings to erosion.
20.The author quotes the two studies in the passage in order to
___ (A) suggest that the sea is not rising as fast as was originally believed
___ (ll) strengthen the engineers' contention that seawalls and replenished beaches are
necessary
___ (C) propose two new solutions to beach erosion
___ (D) support his own position