READING STRATEGIES ON TOEFL TEST

1. ANSWER MAIN IDEA CORRECTLY, beginning paragraph

One identifying characteristic of minerals is their relative hardness, which can be determined by scratching one mineral with
another. In this type of test, a harder mineral can scratch a softer one but a softer mineral is unable to scratch another one. The
Mohs’ hardness scale is used to rank mineral according to hardness. The minerals are listed in this scale, ranging from talk with
a hardness of 1 to diamond with a hardness of 10. On this scale, quartz (number 7) is harder that feldspar (number 6) and it’s
therefore able to scratch it; however, feldspar is unable to make mark on quartz.

The main idea of this passage is?

A. The hardness of a mineral can be determined by its ability to make a mark on other minerals.
B. Diamonds, with a hardness of 10 on the Moh’s scale, can scratch all other minerals
C. A softer mineral cannot be scratched by harder mineral
D. Talc is the first mineral listed on the Moh’s scale.

2. ANSWER STATED DETAIL QUESTIONS CORRECTLY, which is right

    Like those ants, termite colonies consist of different classes, each with its own particular job. The most perfectly formed
termites, both male and female, make up the productive class. They have eyes,
hard body walls and fully developed wings. A pair of reproductive termites founds the colony. When new reproductive termites
develop, they leave to form another colony. They use their wings only this on time and then break them off. of a profesional.
Treatments vary depending upon the type of termite.

1. How are termites like ants?

      A. They live in communities, and each class has a specific duty
      B. Their bodies are the same shape
      C. The king and queen are imprisoned
      D. The females' reproductive capacities are the same

3. FIND “UNSTATED ” DETAIL, something that is not mentioned in the passage

  The worker termites are small, blind and wingless, with soft bodies. They make up the majority of the colony and do all the
work. Soldiers are eyeless and wingless but are larger than the workers and have hard heads and strong jaws and legs. They
defend the colony and are cared for by the workers.

1. Which of the following is not true?

      A. All termites have eyes
      B. Some termites cannot fly
      C. Workers are smaller than soldiers
      D. Termites do not fly often

4. FIND PRONOUN REFERENTS, the word ‘he’ in the 2 paragraph refers to…

The full moon that occurs nearest the equinox of the sun has become known as the harvest moon. It is bright moon
that allows farmers to work late into the night for several nights; They can work when the moon is at its brightest to bring in the
fall harvest. The harvest moon, of course, occurs at different times of the year in the northern and southern hemispheres. In the
northern hemisphere, the harvest moon occurs in September at the time of the autumnal equinox. In the southern hemisphere,
the harvest moon occurs in March at the time of the vernal equinox.

1. The pronoun “It” in line 1 refers to

A.the equinox
B.the sun
C.the harvest moon.
D.the night

5. ANSWER IMPLIED DETAILED QUESTIONS CORRECTLY, must be concluded

Probably the most recognized board game around the word is the game of Monopoly. In this game, players vie for
wealth by buying, selling, and renting properties; the key to success in the game, in addition to a bit of luck, is for a player to
acquire monopolies on clusters of properties in order to force opponents to pay exorbitant and fees.

Although the game is now published in countless languages and versions, with foreign location and place name
appropriate to the target adorning its board, the beginning of the game were considerably more humble. The game was invented
in 1933 by Charles Darrow, during the height of the great depression. Darrow, who lived in Germantown, Pennsylvania, was
himself unemployed during those difficult financial times. He set the original game not as might be expected in his hometown of
Germantown, but in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the site of numerous pre-depression vacations, where he walked along the
boardwalk and visited the park place. Darrow made the first games by hand and sold them locally until Parker brothers
purchased the rights to Monopoly in 1935 and took the first steps toward the mass production of today.

2. It is implied that Darrow selected Atlantic City as the setting for Monopoly because

A. it brought back good memories

B.his family came from Atlantic City

C.the people of Germantown might have been angered if he had used Germantown.

D.Atlantic City was larger that Germantown.

1. The French version of Monopoly might possibly include a piece of property entitled

A. Atlantic city, New Jersey

 B. Germantown, Pennsylvania

C.Boardwalk

D.The Eiffel Tower

2. It is implied that Darrow selected Atlantic City as the setting for Monopoly because

A. it brought back good memories

B.his family came from Atlantic City

C.the people of Germantown might have been angered if he had used Germantown.

D.Atlantic City was larger that Germantown.

6. ANSWER TRANSITION QUESTIONS CORRECTLY

Preceeding, following paragraph

While draft laws are federal laws, marriage laws are rather than federal; marriage regulations are therefore not uniform
throughout the country. The legal marriage age serves as an example of this lack of conformity. In most states, both the man and
the woman must be at least eighteen years old to marry without parental consent; however, the states of Nebraska and Wyoming
require the couple to be at least nineteen, while the minimum age in Mississippi is twenty-one. If parental permission is given ,
then a couple can marry at sixteen in some states, and in few states even allow marriage before age of sixteen, though a judge’s
permission, in addition to the permission of the parents, is sometimes required in this situation . Some states which allow couples
to marry at such a young age are now considering doing away with such early marriages because of the numerous negative
effects of these young marriages.

1. The paragraph preceding the passage most probably discusses

A. State marriage laws
B. The lack of uniformity in marriage laws
C. Federal draft laws
D. The minimum legal marriage age
2. The topic of the paragraph following the passage is most likely to be.
A. Disadvantages of youthful marriages
B. Reason why young people decide to marry
C. The age when parental consent for marriage is required
D. Discussion of why some states allow marriages before the age sixteen
 7. DETERMINE MEANINGS FROM WORD PARTS

A SHORT LIST OF WORD PARTS

Part meaning example Part meaning example

CONTRA (against) contras DIC (say) dictate

MAL (bad) malcontent DOMIN (master) dominant

MIS (error) mistake JUD (judge) judgment

SUB (under) subway MOR (death) mortal

DEC (ten) decade SPECTATOR (see) spectator

MULTI (many) multiple TERR (earth) territory

SOL (one) solo VER (turn) divert

TRI (three) triple VIV (live) revive

Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was a Portuguese-born explorer who is credited with the exploration of the coast of what is today the
state of California. Sketchy military records from the period show that early in his career he served with the Spanish army from
1520 to 1524 in Spain’s quest for subjugation of the people in what are today Cuba, Mexico, and Guatemala. Little is known of
his activities over the next decades, but apparently he succeeded in rising up through the ranks of the military; in 1541, he was
ordered Antonia de Mendoza , the Spanish ruler of Mexico, to explore the western coast of North America. Cabrillo set out in
June 0f 1542 in command of two ships, the San Salvador and the Victoria; he reached San Diego Bay on September 28, 1542,
and claimed the terrain for Spain. The Peninsula where he landed is today named Cabrillo Point in his honor; the area has been
established as a national monument and park, and local residents each year hold a celebration an reenactment of Cabrillo’s
landing.

1. The word “subjugation” in line 3 is closest meaning to

A. Religion
B. Flag
C. Control
D. agreement
2. Look at the word “decades” in paragraph 1. This word is closest in meaning to
A. Months
B. Centuries
C. Long epoch
D. Ten-year period
3. In line 9, the word “terrain” is closest in meaning to
A. Land
B. Population
C. Minerals
 D. prosperity
8. USE CONTEXT TO DETERMINE MEANINGS OF DIFFICULT WORDS
The black widow is the most dangerous spider living in the United States. It is most common in the
Southern parts of the country, but it can be found throughout the country. The black widow got its name
because the female has been known to kill the male after mating and, as a result, become a widow.
The black widow is rather distinctive in appearance; it has shiny globural body, the size and shape
of a pea, and its underbelly with a red or yellow spot. The female is considerably more ample than the
male, roughly four times larger on the average.
If a human is bitten by a black widow, the spider’s poison can cause severe illness and pain. Black
widow bites have occasionally proved deadly, but it is certainly not the norm from black widow bites to be
mortal.
1. In line 3, the word “widow” means
A. A type of poison
B. The dead male spider
C. The human victim of the spider
D. A female whose a mate has died.
2. Click on the word in paragraph 2 that is closest in meaning to “spherical”
3. The word “ample” in line 7 indicates that the spider is
A. Feminine
B. Large
C. Dotted with colors
D. normal
4. Look at the word deadly in paragraph 3. Click on another word in paragraph 3that is close in
meaning to deadly

9. l USE CONTEXT TO DETERMINE MEANINGS OF SIMPLE WORD

familiar word.
The word …… in line ……. Has the same meaning with
The word……… in line…….. is closest in meaning to..

The life span of an elephant that dies from natural causes is about sixty-five years. Of course, an elephant can perish
from a number of “unnatural” causes” e.g., it can be killed by hunters, most probably for the valuable ivory in its tusks;
it can die from diseases that spread throughout an elephant herd; or it can die from drought or from the lack of lack of
food that almost certainly accompanies the inadequate supply of water.

If, however, an elephant survives these disasters, it falls prey to old age in its mid-sixties. Around this age,
the cause of death is attributed to the loss of the final set of molars. When this last set of teeth is gone, the elephant
dies from malnutrition because it is unable to obtain adequate nourishment. In old age, elephant tend to search out a
final home where there is shade for comfort from the sun and soft vegetation for cushioning; the bones of many old
elephant have been found in such places.

1. Look at the word perish in paragraph 1. Click on another word in paragraph 1 that is close in meaning to
perish.
2. The word “unnatural” in line 2 is closest in meaning to
A. Wild
B. Violent
C. Domesticated
D. Abnormal
3. Look at the word drought in paragraph 1. A drought means
A. a drowning
B. a lack of food
C. an inadequate supply of water
D. an overabundance of animals
4. Which of the following could be used to replace the word “survives” in line 6?
A. Rises to
B. Succumbs to
C. Denies
D. Lives through
5. Look at the word molars in paragraph 2. Click on the word in paragraph 2 that is close in meaning to molars.
6. In line 8, “malnutrition” is used to describe a condition related to
A. Good health
B. Illness
C. Poor eating
D. Dental problems
7. Look at the expression a final home in paragraph 2. This expression is closest in meaning to
A. A place to die
B. A comfortable house
C. A place for sale
D. The only remaining place to live
8. The word “shade” in line 10 is closest in meaning to
A. Color
B. Heat
C. Diminished light
 D. A front porch

10. DETERMINE THE TONE, PURPOSE, OR COURSE, the author’s emotion. Ex, sadistic, humorous,
explanatory, informational.

A question about the tone is asking if the author is showing any emotion in his or her writing. The majority of the
passage on the TOEFL test are factual passages presented without any emotion.; the tone of this type of passage could be
simply informational, explanatory, or factual. If the author is being funny then the tone might be humorous; if the author is making
fun of something, the tone might be sarcastic; if the author feels strongly that something is right or wrong. The tone might be
impassioned.

TONE, PURPOSE AND COURSE

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE On both paper What is the tone of the passage?
QUESTION and computer What is the author’s purpose in this passage?
In which course would this reading be assigned?

WHERE TO FIND THE ANSWER tone Look for clues throughout the passage that show if the author is
showing some emotion rather that just presenting fact.

purpose Draw the conclusion about the course from the topic of the
passage and the supporting ideas.

course Draw a conclusion about the course from the topic of the
passage and the supporting ideas.

HOW TO ANSWER THE Tone 1. Skim the passage looking for clues that the author is
QUESTION showing some emotion.
2. Choose the answer that identifies the emoticon
purpose 1. Study the main idea in the topic sentence and the
details used to support the main idea.
2. Draw a conclusion about the purpose.
course 1. Study the main idea in the topic sentence and the
details used to support the main idea.
2. Draw a conclusion about the course.

TOEFL EXERCISE 12

Passage one

Truman Capote’s in Cold blood (1966) is a well-known example of the “nonfiction novel” a popular type of writing based upon
factual events in which the author attempts to describe the underlying forces, thoughts, and emotions that lead to actual events.
In Capote’s book, the author describes the sadistic murder of a family on a Kansas Farm, often showing the point of view of the
killers. To research the book, Capote interviewed the murders, and he maintains that his book presents a faithful reconstruction
of the incident.
 1. The purpose of the passage is to
A. Discuss an example of particular literary genre
B. Tell the story of in Cold Blood
C. Explain Truman Capote’s reasons for writing In Cold Blood
D. Describe how Truman Capote researched his nonfiction novel
2. Which of the following best describes the tone of the passage?
A. Cold
B. Sadistic
C. Emotional
D. Descriptive

3. This passage would probably be assigned reading in which of the following courses?
A. Criminal law
B. American history
C. Modern American Novels
D. Literary Research

TOEFL REVIEW EXERCISE : Study each of the passage and choose the best answer to the questions that follow.

Bigfoot is a humanlike creature reportedly living in the pacific Northwest. Bigfoot sightings have been noted most often
in the mountainous areas of Northern California. Oregon, and Washington in the United States. The creature has also been
spotted numerous times in British Columbia in Canada, where it is known as Sasquatch.

The creature described by witness is tall by human standard. Measuring 7 to 10 feet (2 to 3 meters) in height. It
resembles an ape with its thick, powerful, fur-covered arms, and short, strong neck; however, its manner of walking erect is more
like that of Homo sapiens.

Although there have been hundreds of reported sightings of Bigfoot, most experts have not seen enough evidence to
be convinced of its existence. The fact that some reported evidence has been proven fake may have served to discredit other
more credible information.

1. Which of the following best states the topic of the passage?

A. Difference between Bigfoot and Sasquatch
B. A description of Bigfoot
C. Where Bigfoot, or sasquatch, can be found
D. The creature Bigfoot and its questionable existence
2. The word “noted” in line 2 is closest meaning to which of the following?
A. Reported
B. Written in a letter
 C. Refused
D. Discussed
3. It is implied in the passage that Bigfoot would probably Not like to live
A. In Oregon
B. In the Pacific Northeast
C. On coastal Plains
D. In Mountainous area
4. Which of the following is NOT true about the appearance of Bigfoot?
A. Its arm and neck look like those of an ape
B. Its arm are covered with fur
C. It is short- necked
D. It walks like an ape.
5. Look at the word “that” in paragraph 2 click on the word or phrase that “that ”refers to
6. The expression “Homo sapiens” in line 8 is closest in meaning to
A. Apes
B. Creature
C. Human
D. Furry animals.
7. According to the passage, how do expert feel about the evidence concerning Bigfoot’s existence?
A. They feel certain as to its existence
B. They are not certain
C. They are sure that it does not exist
D. They feel that all the evidence is fake.
8. Click on the paragraph that explains how knowledgeable people feel about the existence of Bigfoot.