TOEFL test: READING COMPREHENSION AND VOCABULARY 3 on-line test

SECTION III: READING COMPREHENSION AND VOCABULARY
60 Questions

Each sentence in Part A has a word or phrase underlined. Below each sentence are four other words or phrases. You are to choose the one word of phrase which would best keep the meaning of the original sentence of it were substituted for the underlined word.

1. uniform
2. dreary
3. unrelated
4. distinguishable

1. irresolute
2. irresponsible
3. irrecoverable
4. irregular

1. rewarded
2. vindicated
3. took revenge
4. fluctuated

1. funny
2. false
3. real
4. foreign

1. audience
2. rhythm
3. singer
4. weather

1. a demonstration
2. an infestation
3. a combination
4. a satisfaction

1. anemia
2. tired
3. corpulent
4. petulant

1. overlooked
2. praised
3. condemned
4. satisfied

1. terrible
2. unembarrassed
3. cowardly
4. unforgivable

1. wipe out
2. identify
3. prolong
4. suspend

1. quiet
2. colorful
3. roomy
4. comfortable

1. view
2. interfere with
3. stop
4. commit

1. spasms
2. noises
3. vibrations
4. crumblings

1. speechless
2. excited
3. content
4. applauding

1. tiring
2. dedicated
3. twofold
4. satisfying

1. easygoing
2. jesting
3. intelligent
4. artistic

1. eradicated
2. humiliated
3. overjoyed
4. challenged

1. pale
2. shabby
3. bellicose
4. hungry

1. broaden
2. erase
3. edify
4. substantiate

1. take medicine
2. breathe deeply
3. relax
4. undress

1. scattered
2. became violent
3. fought
4. danced

1. created
2. named
3. epitomized
4. baked

1. enlarged
2. smaller
3. irritated
4. sensible

1. satirical
2. humorous
3. shameless
4. abrupt

1. reward
2. work
3. stress
4. pressure

1. blamed
2. suggested
3. demanded
4. intervened

1. notes
2. gifts
3. photos
4. clothes

1. authentic
2. sunny
3. isolated
4. grassy

1. bold
2. cowardly
3. persistent
4. captured

1. dictated
2. wrote
3. insinuated
4. forced

In Part B, the questions are based on a variety of reading material (single sentences, paragraphs, advertisements, and the like). You are to chose the one best answer, (1), (2), or (4), to each question. Then, on your answer sheet,, find the number of the problem and mark your answer. Answer all questions following a passage on the basic of what is stated or implied in that passage. Elizabeth Blackwell was born in England in 1821, and emigrated to New York City when she was ten years old. One day she decided that she wanted to become a doctor. That was nearly impossible for a woman in the middle of the nineteenth century. After writing many letters seeking admission to medical schools, she was finally accepted by a doctor in Philadelphia. So determined was she, that she taught school and gave music lessons to earn money for her tuition. In 1849, after graduation from medical school, she decided to further her education in Paris. She wanted to be a surgeon, but a serious eye infection forced her to abandon the idea. Upon returning to the United States, she found it difficult to start her own practice because she was a woman. By 1857 Elizabeth and her sister, also a doctor, along with another female doctor, managed to open a new hospital, the first for women and children. Besides being the first female physician and founding her own hospital, she also established the first medical school for women.

1. She couldn`t get admitted to medical school.
2. She decided to further her education in Paris.
3. A serious eye infection halted her quest.
4. It was difficult for her to start a practice in th United States.

1. She was a woman.
2. She wrote too many letters.
3. She couldn`t graduate from medical school.
4. She couldn`t establish her hospital.

1. 8
2. 10
3. 19
4. 36

1. she became the first female physician
2. she was the first woman surgeon
3. she and several other women founded the first hospital for women and children
4. she established the first medical school for women

QUESTIONS 35 THROUGH 38 ARE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING TEXT. Glands manufacture and secrete necessary substances. Exocrine glands secrete their products through ducts, but endocrine glands, or ductless glands, release their products directly into the bloodstream. One important endocrine gland is the thyroid gland. It is in the neck and has two lobes, one on each side of the windpipe. The thyruid gland collects iodine from the blood and produces thyroxine, an important hormone, which it stores in an inactive form. When thyroxine is needed by the body, the thyroid gland excretes it directly into the bloodstream. Thyroxine is combined in the body cells with other chemicals and affects many functions of the body. The thyroid gland may be underactive or overactive, resulting in problems, An underactive thyroid causes hypothyroidism, while an overactive one causes hyperthyroidism. The former problem called myxedema in adults and cretinism in children, causes the growth process to slow down. A cretin`s body and mind do not grow to their full potential. Hyperthyroidism, on the other hand, results in extreme nervousness, an increase in heart action, and other problems. Either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism may result in goiter, or an enlarged thyroid gland. A goiter will appear when the body is not getting enough iodine. Goiter is less common today, since most people use iodized salt.

1. because it has ducts
2. because it has lobes
3. because it excretes directly into the bloodstream
4. because it is located in the neck

1. a child with hyperthyroidism
2. an adult with an underperforming thyroid gland
3. a young person with hypothyroidism
4. an extremely irritable child

1. sluggishness
2. hyperactivity
3. overproduction of thyroxine
4. perspiration

1. a person with myxedema
2. a swollen thyroid gland
3. an underactive thyroid gland
4. a chemical

QUESTION 39 THROUGH 43 ARE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING TEXT. A recent investigation by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey shows that strange animal behavior might help predict future earthquakes. Investigators found such occurrences in a ten-kilometer radius of the epicenter of a fairly recent quake. Some birds screeched and flew about wildly: dogs yelped and ran around uncontrollably. Scientists believe the animals can perceive these environmental changes as early as several days before the mishap. In 1976 after observing animal behavior, the Chinese were able to predict a devastating quake. Although hundreds of thousands of people were killed, the government was able to evacuate millions of other people and thus keep the death toll at a lower level.

1. an impending earthquake
2. the number of people who will die
3. the ten-kilometer radius of the epicenter
4. environmental changes

1. Animals are smarter than humans
2. Animals have certain instincts that humans don`s possess.
3. By running around the house, they can fell the vibrations.
4. Humans don`t know where to look.

1. Some animals nay be able to sense an approaching earthquake.
2. By observing animal behavior scientists perhaps can predict earthquakes.
3. The Chinese have successfully predicted an earthquake and saved many lives.
4. All birds and dogs in a ten-kilometer radius of the epicenter went wild before the quake.

1. remove
2. exile
3. destroy
4. emaciate

1. fewer animals going crazy
2. a lower death rate
3. fewer people evacuated
4. fewer environmental changes

QUESTIONS 44 THROUGH 47 ARE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING TEXT. As a result of the recent oil crisis, 9.9 million of California`s 15 million motorists were subjected to an odd-even plan of gas rationing. The governor signed a bill forcing motorists with license plates ending in odd numbers to buy gas only on odd-numbered days, and those ending in even numbers on even-numbered days. Those whose plates were all letters or specially printed had to follow the odd-numbered plan. Exceptions were made only for emergencies and out-of-state drivers. Those who could not get has were forced to walk, bike, or skate to work, This plan was expected to eliminate the long lines at many service stations. Those who tried to purchase more than twenty gallons of gas or tried to fill a more than half filled tank would be fined and possibly imprisoned.

1. officials hoped that this plan would alleviate long gas lines
2. a gas limit was imposed
3. California has 9.9 million drivers
4. the governor signed the bill concerning gas rationing

1. were forced to walk, bike, or skate to work
2. were fined and possibly imprisoned
3. had to wait in long lines
4. were forced to use odd-numbered days

1. even-numbered license plates
2. odd-numbered license plates
3. all-lettered plates
4. out-of-state plates

1. a recent oil crisis necessitated it
2. too many drivers were filling their tanks with more than twenty gallons and spilling
3. people were not getting enough exercise and needed to walk, bike, or skate
4. too many motorists had odd-numbered plates

QUESTIONS 48 THROUGH 52 ARE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING TEXT As far back as 700 d.c., man has talked about children being cared for by wolves. Romulus and Remus, the legendary twin founders of Rome, were purported to have been cared for by wolves. It is believed that when a she-wolf loses her litter, she seeks a human child to take its place. The seemingly preposterous idea did not become credible until the late nineteenth century when a French doctor actually found a naked ten-year-old boy wandering in the woods. He did not walk erect, could not speak intelligibly, nor could he relate to people. He only growled and stared at them. Finally the doctor won the boy`s confidence and began to work with him. After many long years of devoted and patient instruction, the doctor was able to get the boy to clothe and feed himself, recognize and utter a number of words, as well as write letters and form words.

1. wandering in the woods
2. at his doorstep
3. growling at him
4. speaking intelligibly

1. garbage
2. master
3. offspring
4. hair

1. the boy was highly intelligent
2. the boy trusted him
3. the boy liked to dress up
4. the boy was dedicated and patient

1. She-wolves have been said to substitute human children for their lost litters.
2. Examples of wolves` caring for human children can be found only in the nineteenth century.
3. The French doctor succeeded in domesticating the boy somewhat.
4. The young boy never was able to speak perfectly.

1. dedicated
2. scientific
3. wonderful
4. absurd

DIRECTIONS FOR QUESTIONS 53 AND 54 For each of these questions, choose the answer that is closest in meaning to the original sentence. Note that several of the choices may be factually correct, but you should choose the one that is the closest restatement of the given sentence.

1. Hal plays with the racquetball team at the country club.
2. Hal doesn`t play racquetball any more, but still belongs to the country club.
3. At one time Hal played racquetball on the country club`s team.
4. Hal used to team up with the country club and play racquetball.

1. Peter is specializing in electronics at a private school
2. Peter is a major at a private electronics school.
3. Although Peter is attending a private school, he`s majoring in electronics.
4. Peter`s private school is letting him major in electronics.

QUESTIONS 55 THROUGH 60 ARE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING TEXT. Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a bacteria that has been isolated from sea water, shell fish, finfish, plankton and salt springs. It has been a major cause of food poisoning in Japan and the Japanese have done several studies on it. They have confirmed the presence of V. parahaemolyticus in the north and central Pacific with the highest abundance in inshore waters, particularly in or near large harbors. A man named Nishil studied the relationship between the chloride content of sea water and the seasonal distribution of V. parahaemolyticus and concluded that while the isolation of V. parahaemolyticus was independent of the sodium chloride content, the distribution of V. parahaevolyticus in sea water was dependent on the water temperature. In fact it has been isolated in high frequencies during summer, from June to September, but was not isolated with the same frequency in winter. Within four of five days after eating contaminated foods, a person will begin to experience diarrhea, the most common symptom: this will very often be accompanied by stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting. Headache and fever, with or without chills, may also be experienced.

1. a bay
2. a sea
3. the middle of the ocean
4. sediment

1. August
2. November
3. July
4. September

1. nausea
2. diarrhea
3. vomiting
4. headache and fever

1. 2 to 3 days
2. 3 to 4 hours
3. 4 to 5 days
4. several months

1. the presence of V. parahaemolyticus was dependent on neither the salt content nor the water temperature
2. the presence of V. parahaemolyticus was dependent on only the salt content
3. the presence of V. parahaemolyticus was independent of both he water temperature and the salt content
4. the presence of V. parahaemolyticus was dependent on the water temperature

1. noises
2. toxicity
3. severe pain
4. high temperature

STOP. THIS IS THE END OF THE EXAMINATION. IF YOU FINISH BEFORE TIME IS UP,CHECK YOUR WORK ON PARTS A AND B OF THE READING COMPREHENSION AND VOCABULARY SECTION ONLY. DO NOT RETURN TO ANY OTHER SECTION OF THE TEST.