TOEFL Question About Reading Comprehension
This section is designed to measure the ability to read and understand short passages similar in topic and style to those found in colleges.
Directions: In this
section you will read several passages. Each one is followed by a number of
questions about it. You are to choose the one best answer, A, B, C or D, to
each question. Then, on your answer sheet, find the number of the question and
fill in the space that corresponds to the letter of the answer you have chosen.
Answer all question abaout the information in a passage on the basis of what is started or implied in that passage.
Read the following passage :
Question 26 - 34
In 1972, a century after the first national park in the United States was established at Yellowstone, legislation was passed to create the National Marine Sanctuaries Program.
The intent of this legislation was to provide protection to selected coastal habitats similar To that existing for land areas designated as national parks. The designation of an areas a marine sanctuary indicates that it is a protected area, just as a national park is. People are permitted to visit and observe there, but living organisms and their environments may not be harmed or removed.
The National Marine Sanctuaries Program is administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a branch of the United States Department of Commerce. Initially, 70 sites were proposed as candidates for sanctuary status. Two and a half decades
later, only fifteen sanctuaries had been designated, with half of these established after 1978. They range in size from the very small (less than I square kilometer) Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary in American Samoa to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in California, extending over 15,744 square kilometers.
The National Marine Sanctuaries Program is a crucial part of new management practices in which whole communities of species, and not just individual species, are offered some degree of protection from habitat degradation and overexploitation. Only in this way can a reasonable degree of marine species diversity be maintained in a setting that also maintains the natural interrelationships that exist among these species. Several other types of marine protected areas exist in the United States and other countries. The National Estuarine Research Reserve System, managed by the United States government, includes 23 designated and protected estuaries. Outside the United States, marine protected-area programs exist as marine parks, reserves, and preserves. Over 100 designated areas exist around the periphery of the Carbbean Sea. Others range from the well-known Australian Great Barrer Reef Marine Park to lesser-known parks in countries such as Thailand and Indonesia, where tourism is placing growing pressures on fragile coral reef systems. As state, national, and international agencies come to recognize the importance of conserving marine biodiversity, marine projected areas. whether as sanctuaries, parks, or estuarine reserves, will play an increasingly important role in preserving that diversity.
The intent of this legislation was to provide protection to selected coastal habitats similar To that existing for land areas designated as national parks. The designation of an areas a marine sanctuary indicates that it is a protected area, just as a national park is. People are permitted to visit and observe there, but living organisms and their environments may not be harmed or removed.
The National Marine Sanctuaries Program is administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a branch of the United States Department of Commerce. Initially, 70 sites were proposed as candidates for sanctuary status. Two and a half decades
later, only fifteen sanctuaries had been designated, with half of these established after 1978. They range in size from the very small (less than I square kilometer) Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary in American Samoa to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in California, extending over 15,744 square kilometers.
The National Marine Sanctuaries Program is a crucial part of new management practices in which whole communities of species, and not just individual species, are offered some degree of protection from habitat degradation and overexploitation. Only in this way can a reasonable degree of marine species diversity be maintained in a setting that also maintains the natural interrelationships that exist among these species. Several other types of marine protected areas exist in the United States and other countries. The National Estuarine Research Reserve System, managed by the United States government, includes 23 designated and protected estuaries. Outside the United States, marine protected-area programs exist as marine parks, reserves, and preserves. Over 100 designated areas exist around the periphery of the Carbbean Sea. Others range from the well-known Australian Great Barrer Reef Marine Park to lesser-known parks in countries such as Thailand and Indonesia, where tourism is placing growing pressures on fragile coral reef systems. As state, national, and international agencies come to recognize the importance of conserving marine biodiversity, marine projected areas. whether as sanctuaries, parks, or estuarine reserves, will play an increasingly important role in preserving that diversity.
26. What does the passage mainly discuss?
(A) Differences among marine parks, sanctuaries, and reserves
(B) Various marine conservation programs
(C) International agreements on coastal protection
(D) Similarities between land and sea protected environments
The Correct Answer is B
27. The word “intent” in line 3 is closest in meaning to
(A) repetition
(B) approval
(C) goal
(D) revision
The Correct Answer is C
28. The word “administered” in line 8 is closest in meaning to
(A) managed
(B) recognized
(C) opposed
(D) justified
The Correct Answer is A
29. The word “these” in line 11 refers to
(A) sites
(B) candidates
(C) decades
(D) sanctuaries
The Correct Answer is D
30. The passage mentions the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (lines 13-14) as an example of a sanctuary that
(A) is not well know
(B) covers a large area
(C) is smaller than the Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary
(D) was not originally proposed for sanctuary status
The Correct Answer is B
31. According to the passage, when was the National Marine Sanctuaries Program established?
(A) Before 1972
(B) After 1987
(C) One hundred years before national parks were established
(D) One hundred years after Yellowstone National Park was established
The Correct Answer is D
32. According to the passage, all of the following are achievements of the National Marine Sanctuaries Program EXCEPT
(A) the discovery of several new marine organisms
(B) the preservation of connections between individual marine species
(C) the protection of coastal habitats
(D) the establishment of areas where the public can observe marine life
The Correct Answer is A
33. The word “periphery” in line 24 is closest in meaning to
(A) depth
(B) landmass
(C) warm habitat
(D) outer edge
The Correct Answer is D
34. The passage mentions which of the following as a threat to marine areas outside the United States?
(A) Limitations in financial support
(B) The use of marine species as food
(C) Variability of the climate
(D) Increases in tourism
The Correct Answer is D
Question 35-43
The fossil remain of the first flying vertebrates, the pterosaurs, have intrigued paleontologists for more than two centuries. How such large creatures, which weighed in some cases as much as a piloted hangglider and had wingspans from 8 to 12 meters, solved the problems of powered flight, and exactly what these creatures were-reptiles or birds- are among the questions scientist have puzzled over. Perhaps the least controversial assertion about the pterosaurs is that they were reptiles. Their skulls, pelvises, and hind feet are reptilian. The anatomy of their wings suggests that they did not evolve into the class of birds. In pterosaurs a greatly elongated fourth finger of each forelimb supported a wing like membrane. The other fingers were short and reptilian, with sharp claws, In birds the second finger is the principle strut of the wing, which consists primarily of features. If the pterosaur walked or remained stationary, the fourth finger, and with it the wing, could only turn upward in an extended inverted V-shape along side of the animal's body. The pterosaurs resembled both birds and bats in their overall structure and proportions. This is not surprising because the design of any flying vertebrate is subject to aerodynamic constraints. Both the pterosaurs and the birds have hollow bones, a feature that represents a saving in weight. In the birds, however, these bones are reinforced more massively by internal struts. Although scales typically cover reptiles, the pterosaurs probably had hairy coats. T.H. Huxley reasoned that flying vertebrates must have been warm – blooded because flying implies a high internal temperature. Huxley speculated that a coat of hair would insulate against loss of body heat and might streamline the body to reduce drag in flight. The recent discovery of a pterosaur specimen covered in long, dense, and relatively thick hairlike fossil material was the first clear evidenced that his reasoning was correct. Efforts to explain how the pterosaurs became air-borne have led to suggestions that they launched themselves by jumping from cliffs, by dropping from trees, or even by rising into light winds from the crests of waves. Each hypothesis has its difficulties. The first wrongly assumes that the pterosaur's hind feet resembled a bat's and could served as hooks by which the animal could bang in preparation for flight. The second hypothesis seems unlikely because large pterosaurs could not have landed in trees without damaging their wings. The birds calls for high waves to channels updrafts. The wind that made such waves however, might have been too strong for the pterosaurs to control their flight once airborne.
35. It can be inferred from the passage that scientists now generally agree that the
A. enormous wingspan of the pterosaurs enable them to fly great distances
B. structure of the skeleton of the pterosaurs suggests a close evolutionary relationship to bats
C. fossil remains of the pterosaurs reveal how they solved the problem of powered flight
D. pterosaurs were reptiles
E. pterosaurs walked on all fours.
Correct Answer : D
36. The authors views the idea that the pterosaurs became airborne by rising into light winds created by waves as
A. revolutionary
B. unlikely
C. unassailable
D. probable
E. outdated
Correct Answer : B
37. According to the passage, the skeleton of a pterosaur can be distinguished form that of a bird by the
A. size of its wingspan
B. presence of hollow spaces in its bones
C. anatomic origin of its wing strut
D. presence of hooklike projections on its hind feet
E. location of the shoulder joint joining the wind to its body
Correct Answer : C
38. The ides attributed to T.H. Huxley in the passage suggest that he would most likely agree with which of the following statements?
A. An animal's brain size has little bearing on its ability to master complex behaviors.
B. An animal's appearance dramatically over a period of time.
C. Animals within a given family group are unlikely to change their appearance
D. The origin of flight in vertebrates was an accidental development rather than the outcome
E. The pterosaurs should be classifieds as birds, not reptiles.
Correct Answer : B
39. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following is characteristic of the pterosaurs?
A. They were unable to fold their wings when not in use.
B. They hung upside down from branches as bats do before flight
C. They flew in order to capture prey
D. They were an early stage in the evolution of the birds
E. The lived primarily in a forest like habitat.
Correct Answer : A
40. Which of the following best describes the organization of the last paragraph of the passage?
A. New evidence is introduced to support a traditional point of view
B. Three explanations for a phenomenon are presented, and each is disputed by means of specific information.
C. Three hypotheses are outlined, and evidenced supporting each is given.
D. Recent discoveries are described, and their implications for future study are projected
E. A summary of the materials in the preceding paragraphs is presented, and conclusions are drawn.
Correct Answer : B
41. It can be inferred from the passage that some scientists believe that pterosaurs.
A. lived near large bodies of water
B. had sharp teeth for tearing food
C. were attacked and eaten by larger reptiles
D. had longer tails than many birds
E. consumed twice their weight daily to maintain their body temperature
Correct Answer : A
42. Which of the following is the principle topic of the passage?
A. What causes labor market pathologies that result in suffering
B. Why income measures are imprecise in measuring degrees of poverty
C. Which of the currently used statistical procedures are the best for estimating the incidence of hardship that is due to unemployment
D. Where the areas of agreement are among poverty, employment, and earnings figures
E. How social statistics give an unclear picture of the degree of hardship caused by low wages and insufficient employment opportunities
Correct Answer : E
43. The author uses “labor market problems' in lines 1-2 to refer to which of the following ?
A. The over all causes of poverty
B. Deficiencies in the training of the work force
C. Trade relationships among producers of goods
D. Shortages of jobs providing adequate income
E. Strikes and inadequate supplies of labor
Correct Answer : D
Question 44 - 50
Cities develop as a result of fuctions that thet can perform. Some functions result directly from the ingenuity of the citizenry, but most functions result from the needs of the local area and of the surrounding hinterland (the region that supplied goods to the city and to which the city furnishes services and other goods). Geographers often make a distinction between the situation and the site of a city. Situation refers to the general position in relation to the surrounding region, whereas site involves physical characteristics of the specific location. Situation is normally much more important to the continuing prosperity of a city. if a city is well situated in regard to its hinterland, its development is much more likely to continue. Chicago, for example, possesses an almost unparalleled situation: it is located at the southern end of a huge lake that forces east-west transportation lines to be compressed into its vicinity, and at a meeting of significant land and water transport routes. It also overlooks what is one of the world’s finest large farming regions. These factors ensured that Chicago would become a great city regardless of the disadvantageous characteristics of the available site, such as being prone to flooding during thunderstorm activity. Similarly, it can be argued that much of New York City’s importance stems from its early and continuing advantage of situation. Philadephia and Boston both originated at about the same time as New York and shared New York’s location at the western end of one of the world’s most important oceanic trade routes, but only New York possesses an easy-access functional connection (the Hudson-Mohawk lowland) to the vast Midwestern hinterland. This account does not alone explain New York’s primacy, but it does include several important factors. Among the many aspects of situation that help to explain why some cities grow and others do not, original location on a navigable waterway seems particularly applicable. Of course, such characteristic as slope, drainage, power resources, river crossings, coastal shapes, and other physical characteristics help to determine city location, but such factors are normally more significant in early stages of city development than later.
44. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The development of trade routes through United States cities
B. Contrasts in settlement patterns in United States
C. Historical differences among three large United States cities
D. The importance of geographical situation in the growth of United States cities
The correct answer is D
45. The word “ingenuity” in line 2. is closest in meaning to
A. Wealth
B. Resourcefulness
C. Traditions
D. Organization
The correct answer is B
46. The passage suggests that a geographer would consider a city’s soil type part of its
A. Hinterland
B. Situation
C. Site
D. Function
The correct answer is C
47. According to the passage, a city’s situation is more important than its site in regard to the city's.
A. Long-term growth and prosperity
B. Ability to protect its citizenry
C. Possession of favorable weather conditions
D. Need to import food supplies
The correct answer is A
48. The author mentions each of the following as an advantage of Chicago’s location EXCEPT its.
A. Hinterland
B. Nearness to a large lake
C. Position in regard to transport routes
D. Flat terrain
The correct answer is D
49. The primary purpose of paragraph 1 is to
A. Summarize past research and introduce a new study
B. Describe a historical period
C. Emphasize the advantages of one theory over another
D. Define a term and illustrate it with an example
The correct answer is D
50. According to the passage, Philadelphia and Boston are similar to New York City in
A. Size of population
B. Age
C. Site
D. Availability of rail transportation
The correct answer is B
Daftar Pustaka :
http://www.eduers.com/toeflibt/Sample-TOEFL-Reading-Questions.htm
http://www.testpreppractice.net/practice-tests/reading-comprehension/rc4.html?testname=TOEFL
(A) Differences among marine parks, sanctuaries, and reserves
(B) Various marine conservation programs
(C) International agreements on coastal protection
(D) Similarities between land and sea protected environments
The Correct Answer is B
27. The word “intent” in line 3 is closest in meaning to
(A) repetition
(B) approval
(C) goal
(D) revision
The Correct Answer is C
28. The word “administered” in line 8 is closest in meaning to
(A) managed
(B) recognized
(C) opposed
(D) justified
The Correct Answer is A
29. The word “these” in line 11 refers to
(A) sites
(B) candidates
(C) decades
(D) sanctuaries
The Correct Answer is D
30. The passage mentions the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (lines 13-14) as an example of a sanctuary that
(A) is not well know
(B) covers a large area
(C) is smaller than the Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary
(D) was not originally proposed for sanctuary status
The Correct Answer is B
31. According to the passage, when was the National Marine Sanctuaries Program established?
(A) Before 1972
(B) After 1987
(C) One hundred years before national parks were established
(D) One hundred years after Yellowstone National Park was established
The Correct Answer is D
32. According to the passage, all of the following are achievements of the National Marine Sanctuaries Program EXCEPT
(A) the discovery of several new marine organisms
(B) the preservation of connections between individual marine species
(C) the protection of coastal habitats
(D) the establishment of areas where the public can observe marine life
The Correct Answer is A
33. The word “periphery” in line 24 is closest in meaning to
(A) depth
(B) landmass
(C) warm habitat
(D) outer edge
The Correct Answer is D
34. The passage mentions which of the following as a threat to marine areas outside the United States?
(A) Limitations in financial support
(B) The use of marine species as food
(C) Variability of the climate
(D) Increases in tourism
The Correct Answer is D
Question 35-43
The fossil remain of the first flying vertebrates, the pterosaurs, have intrigued paleontologists for more than two centuries. How such large creatures, which weighed in some cases as much as a piloted hangglider and had wingspans from 8 to 12 meters, solved the problems of powered flight, and exactly what these creatures were-reptiles or birds- are among the questions scientist have puzzled over. Perhaps the least controversial assertion about the pterosaurs is that they were reptiles. Their skulls, pelvises, and hind feet are reptilian. The anatomy of their wings suggests that they did not evolve into the class of birds. In pterosaurs a greatly elongated fourth finger of each forelimb supported a wing like membrane. The other fingers were short and reptilian, with sharp claws, In birds the second finger is the principle strut of the wing, which consists primarily of features. If the pterosaur walked or remained stationary, the fourth finger, and with it the wing, could only turn upward in an extended inverted V-shape along side of the animal's body. The pterosaurs resembled both birds and bats in their overall structure and proportions. This is not surprising because the design of any flying vertebrate is subject to aerodynamic constraints. Both the pterosaurs and the birds have hollow bones, a feature that represents a saving in weight. In the birds, however, these bones are reinforced more massively by internal struts. Although scales typically cover reptiles, the pterosaurs probably had hairy coats. T.H. Huxley reasoned that flying vertebrates must have been warm – blooded because flying implies a high internal temperature. Huxley speculated that a coat of hair would insulate against loss of body heat and might streamline the body to reduce drag in flight. The recent discovery of a pterosaur specimen covered in long, dense, and relatively thick hairlike fossil material was the first clear evidenced that his reasoning was correct. Efforts to explain how the pterosaurs became air-borne have led to suggestions that they launched themselves by jumping from cliffs, by dropping from trees, or even by rising into light winds from the crests of waves. Each hypothesis has its difficulties. The first wrongly assumes that the pterosaur's hind feet resembled a bat's and could served as hooks by which the animal could bang in preparation for flight. The second hypothesis seems unlikely because large pterosaurs could not have landed in trees without damaging their wings. The birds calls for high waves to channels updrafts. The wind that made such waves however, might have been too strong for the pterosaurs to control their flight once airborne.
35. It can be inferred from the passage that scientists now generally agree that the
A. enormous wingspan of the pterosaurs enable them to fly great distances
B. structure of the skeleton of the pterosaurs suggests a close evolutionary relationship to bats
C. fossil remains of the pterosaurs reveal how they solved the problem of powered flight
D. pterosaurs were reptiles
E. pterosaurs walked on all fours.
Correct Answer : D
36. The authors views the idea that the pterosaurs became airborne by rising into light winds created by waves as
A. revolutionary
B. unlikely
C. unassailable
D. probable
E. outdated
Correct Answer : B
37. According to the passage, the skeleton of a pterosaur can be distinguished form that of a bird by the
A. size of its wingspan
B. presence of hollow spaces in its bones
C. anatomic origin of its wing strut
D. presence of hooklike projections on its hind feet
E. location of the shoulder joint joining the wind to its body
Correct Answer : C
38. The ides attributed to T.H. Huxley in the passage suggest that he would most likely agree with which of the following statements?
A. An animal's brain size has little bearing on its ability to master complex behaviors.
B. An animal's appearance dramatically over a period of time.
C. Animals within a given family group are unlikely to change their appearance
D. The origin of flight in vertebrates was an accidental development rather than the outcome
E. The pterosaurs should be classifieds as birds, not reptiles.
Correct Answer : B
39. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following is characteristic of the pterosaurs?
A. They were unable to fold their wings when not in use.
B. They hung upside down from branches as bats do before flight
C. They flew in order to capture prey
D. They were an early stage in the evolution of the birds
E. The lived primarily in a forest like habitat.
Correct Answer : A
40. Which of the following best describes the organization of the last paragraph of the passage?
A. New evidence is introduced to support a traditional point of view
B. Three explanations for a phenomenon are presented, and each is disputed by means of specific information.
C. Three hypotheses are outlined, and evidenced supporting each is given.
D. Recent discoveries are described, and their implications for future study are projected
E. A summary of the materials in the preceding paragraphs is presented, and conclusions are drawn.
Correct Answer : B
41. It can be inferred from the passage that some scientists believe that pterosaurs.
A. lived near large bodies of water
B. had sharp teeth for tearing food
C. were attacked and eaten by larger reptiles
D. had longer tails than many birds
E. consumed twice their weight daily to maintain their body temperature
Correct Answer : A
42. Which of the following is the principle topic of the passage?
A. What causes labor market pathologies that result in suffering
B. Why income measures are imprecise in measuring degrees of poverty
C. Which of the currently used statistical procedures are the best for estimating the incidence of hardship that is due to unemployment
D. Where the areas of agreement are among poverty, employment, and earnings figures
E. How social statistics give an unclear picture of the degree of hardship caused by low wages and insufficient employment opportunities
Correct Answer : E
43. The author uses “labor market problems' in lines 1-2 to refer to which of the following ?
A. The over all causes of poverty
B. Deficiencies in the training of the work force
C. Trade relationships among producers of goods
D. Shortages of jobs providing adequate income
E. Strikes and inadequate supplies of labor
Correct Answer : D
Question 44 - 50
Cities develop as a result of fuctions that thet can perform. Some functions result directly from the ingenuity of the citizenry, but most functions result from the needs of the local area and of the surrounding hinterland (the region that supplied goods to the city and to which the city furnishes services and other goods). Geographers often make a distinction between the situation and the site of a city. Situation refers to the general position in relation to the surrounding region, whereas site involves physical characteristics of the specific location. Situation is normally much more important to the continuing prosperity of a city. if a city is well situated in regard to its hinterland, its development is much more likely to continue. Chicago, for example, possesses an almost unparalleled situation: it is located at the southern end of a huge lake that forces east-west transportation lines to be compressed into its vicinity, and at a meeting of significant land and water transport routes. It also overlooks what is one of the world’s finest large farming regions. These factors ensured that Chicago would become a great city regardless of the disadvantageous characteristics of the available site, such as being prone to flooding during thunderstorm activity. Similarly, it can be argued that much of New York City’s importance stems from its early and continuing advantage of situation. Philadephia and Boston both originated at about the same time as New York and shared New York’s location at the western end of one of the world’s most important oceanic trade routes, but only New York possesses an easy-access functional connection (the Hudson-Mohawk lowland) to the vast Midwestern hinterland. This account does not alone explain New York’s primacy, but it does include several important factors. Among the many aspects of situation that help to explain why some cities grow and others do not, original location on a navigable waterway seems particularly applicable. Of course, such characteristic as slope, drainage, power resources, river crossings, coastal shapes, and other physical characteristics help to determine city location, but such factors are normally more significant in early stages of city development than later.
44. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The development of trade routes through United States cities
B. Contrasts in settlement patterns in United States
C. Historical differences among three large United States cities
D. The importance of geographical situation in the growth of United States cities
The correct answer is D
45. The word “ingenuity” in line 2. is closest in meaning to
A. Wealth
B. Resourcefulness
C. Traditions
D. Organization
The correct answer is B
46. The passage suggests that a geographer would consider a city’s soil type part of its
A. Hinterland
B. Situation
C. Site
D. Function
The correct answer is C
47. According to the passage, a city’s situation is more important than its site in regard to the city's.
A. Long-term growth and prosperity
B. Ability to protect its citizenry
C. Possession of favorable weather conditions
D. Need to import food supplies
The correct answer is A
48. The author mentions each of the following as an advantage of Chicago’s location EXCEPT its.
A. Hinterland
B. Nearness to a large lake
C. Position in regard to transport routes
D. Flat terrain
The correct answer is D
49. The primary purpose of paragraph 1 is to
A. Summarize past research and introduce a new study
B. Describe a historical period
C. Emphasize the advantages of one theory over another
D. Define a term and illustrate it with an example
The correct answer is D
50. According to the passage, Philadelphia and Boston are similar to New York City in
A. Size of population
B. Age
C. Site
D. Availability of rail transportation
The correct answer is B
Daftar Pustaka :
http://www.eduers.com/toeflibt/Sample-TOEFL-Reading-Questions.htm
http://www.testpreppractice.net/practice-tests/reading-comprehension/rc4.html?testname=TOEFL
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