TOEFL EXERCISE

Reading Comprehension

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.
Answer all questions about the information in a passage on the basis of what is stated or implied in
that passage.

Passage 1
Basketball was invented in 1891 by a physical education instructor in Springfield, Massachusetts,
by the name of James Naismith. Because of the terrible weather in winter, his physical education
students were indoors rather than outdoors. They really did not like the idea of boring,
repetitive exercises and preferred the excitement and challenge of a game. Naismith figured out a
team sport that could be played indoors on agymnasium floor, that involved a lot of running, that
kept all team members involved, and that did not allow the tackling andphysical contact of
American-style football.
1. What is the main idea of this passage?

(A) The life of James Naismith

(B) The history of sports
(C) Physical education and exercise

(D) The origin of basketball

Passage 2 ( 2-3)
Most of the ice on the Earth, close to 90 percent of it, is covering the surface of the continent
Antarctica. It does not snow very much in Antarctica, but whatever snow does fall remains and
grows deeper and deeper. In some areas of Antarctica, the ice has perhaps been around for as much
as a million years and now is more than two miles deep.

2. The main idea of the passage is that

(A) the Earth is a cold planet
(B) most of the Earth’s ice is found in Antarctica
(C) it snows more in Antarctica than in any other place on Earth
(D) Antarctica is only two miles wide but is 90 percent ice

3. The best title for the passage is

(A) Snowfall in Antarctica
(B) The Icy Earth
(C) The Cold, Cold Snow
(D) The Causes of Antarctica’s Ice

Passage 3 (4-5)
Flutes have been around for quite some time, in all sorts of shapes and sizes and made from a
variety of materials. The oldest known flutes are about 20,000 years old; they were made from
hollowed-out bones with holes cut in them In addition to bone, older flutes were often constructed
from bamboo or hollowed-out wood. Today’s flutes are generally made of metal, and in addition to

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the holes they have a complicated system of keys, levers, and pads. The instrument belonging to
well known flautist James Galway is not just made of any metal; it is made of gold

4. According to the passage, the oldest flutes

(A) had holes cut in them
(B) were made of metal
(C) were made 200,000 years ago
(D) had a complicated set of levers and pads

5. The passage indicates that James Gaiway’s flute is made of

(A) bones
(B) bamboo
(C) wood
(D) gold

Passage 4 (6-7)
Many parts of the Southwestern United States would become deserts again without the waters of the
Colorado River. A system of thousands of miles of canals, hundreds of miles of tunnels and
aqueducts, and numerous dams and n bring Colorado River water to the area. The Imperial Valley
in Southern California is an example of such a place; it is a vast and productive agricultural area
that was once a desert. Today, 2,000 miles of canals irrigate the fertile land and keep it productive.

6. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage as a way that Colorado River water gets to
the Southwest?
(A) By truck
(B) In bottles
(C) In wells
(D) Through canals

7. According to the passage, the Imperial Valley

(A) is a desert today
(B) is located in Colorado
(C) produces a lot of agricultural goods
(D) does not require irrigation

Passage 5 (8-9)
The Florida Keys are a beautiful chain of almost 1,000 coral and limestone islands. These islands
form an arc that heads first southwest and then west from the mainland. U.S. Highway 1, called the
Overseas Highway connects the main islands in the chain. On this highway, it is necessary to cross
42 bridges over the ocean to cover the 159 miles from Miami on the mainland, to Key West the
farthest island on the highway and the southernmost city in the United States.

8. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the Florida Keys?

(A) The Florida Keys are a chain of islands.
(B) The Florida Keys contain coral and limestone
(C) The Florida Keys are in the shape of an arc.
(D) The Florida Keys are not all inhabited.

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9. Which of the following is NOT true about U.S. Highway 1?
(A) It is also known as the Overseas Highway
(B) It joins all of the islands in the Florida Keys.
(C) It has more than 40 bridges
(D) It connects Miami and Key West

Passage 6 (Questions 10-11)

Blood pressure measurement has two components: systolic and diastolic. Systolic pressure is taken
when the heart is contracting to pump blood; diastolic pressure is taken when the heart is resting
between beats. In the usual blood pressure reading, the systolic measurement is given first and is the
higher of the two. Normal blood pressure is a systolic measurement of 120—140, and when the
systolic pressure is 160 or higher, then hypertension exists. Systolic pressure between 140 and 160
indicates borderline hypertension.

10. Which of the following is NOT true about systolic blood pressure?
(A) It is taken during the contraction of the heart.
(B) It is usually given first in a blood pressure reading.
(C) A normal systolic measurement is 120 – 140.
(D) Hypertension exists when the systolic pressure is below 140.

11. Which of the following is NOT stated about diastolic pressure?

(A) It is one of the two components of blood pressure measurement.
(B) It is taken when the heart is resting.
(C) It is lower than systolic pressure.
(D) A diastolic measurement of 140 is normal.

Passage 7 (12-16)

Desert tundra, or cold desert, occurs on the Arctic edges of North America, Europe, and Asia. In
these areas the temperatures are almost always freezing, and they cause an environment in which
plant life is virtually impossible. The existence of ice rather than water for the majority of the year
means that vegetation does not have enough moisture for growth to take place. During the short
period of time when the temperature increases enough for the ice to melt, there is generally a large
volume of water. Too much water and not enough drainage through the frozen subsoil make it
difficult for plants to grow.

12. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
(A) Where Desert Tundra Is Found
(B) The Weather in the Arctic
(C) The Effect of Desert Tundra on PlantLife
(D) The Variety of Plant Life in Desert
Tundra

13. According to the passage, desert tundra is found

(A) throughout North America, Europe,and Asia
(B) in Antarctica
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(C) on the Arctic borders of the northerncontinents
(D) at the North Pole

14. According to the passage, what makes plant life almost impossible in areas of desert tundra
during most of the year?
(A) Excessive water on the plants
(B) The frozen state of the water
(C) The increase in temperature
(D) The lack of ice

15. According to the passage, which of the following does NOT happen when the weather heats up?
(A) Plants grow well.
(B) The ice melts.
(C) There is not enough drainage.
(D) There is too much water.

16. According to the passage, why is it impossible for the water to drain after it melts?
(A) The land beneath the surface is stillfrozen.
(B) The temperature is too high.
(C) The period of time is too short.
(D) The vegetation is flourishing.

Passage 8 (17-18)

The number of rings in a tree can be used to determine how old a tree really is. Each year a tree
produces a ring that is composed of one light-colored wide band and one dark-colored narrow
band.The wider band is produced during the spring and early summer, when tree stem cells grow
rapidly and become larger. The narrower band is produced in fall and early winter, when cell
growth is much slower and cells do not get very large. No cells are produced during the harsh
winter and summer months.

17. It is implied in the passage that if a tree has 100 wide bands and 100 narrow bands then it is
(A) a century old
(B) two centuries old
(C) fifty years old
(D) two hundred years old

18. It can be inferred from the passage that cells do not grow
(A) when the tree is ill
(B) during extreme heat or cold
(C) when it rains too much
(D) if there are more light-colored bands than dark-colored bands

Passage 9 (19-21)

The most common last name in the English-speaking world is Smith, which was taken from the job
of working with metals. A silversmith, for example, is someone who works with the metal silver.
Historical records indicate that the use of this last name is at least 700 years old. Today, there are

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more than 3.3 million Smiths living in the United States and perhaps another million Smiths living
in other English-speaking countries worldwide.

19. It can be inferred from the passage that family names

(A) were always taken from the area where a family lived
(B) were short names
(C) had little or no meaning
(D) could be taken from jobs

20. Which of the following is implied about the Smith family name?
(A) it is definitely not more than 700 years old.
(B) it existed 600 years ago.
(C) It did not exist 500 years ago.
(D) it definitely was not in use 1,000 years ago.

21. In England there are probably

(A) more Smiths than there are in the United States
(B) more than a million Smiths
(C) fewer than a million Smiths
(D) no families with the name of Smith

Passage 10 (22-25)
When babies are born, they always have blue eyes. This is because the melanin, the pigment that
colors the eyes, is not on the surface of the iris. Instead, it is within the
creases of the iris. Because there is little melanin on the surface of the iris, the eyes
appear blue. After a few months, the melanin moves to the surface of the iris. It is the amount of
melanin on the surface that determines a person’s permanent eye color, so it is at this point that a
baby’s eyes develop the color they will have for a lifetime.

22. The word “pigment” in line 2 is closest in meaning to

(A) skin
(B) muscle
(C) tissue
(D) color

23. The word “surface” in line 2 is closest in meaning to

(A) top
(B) inside
(C) back
(D) bottom

24. The word “permanent’ in line 6 could best be replaced by

(A) changeable
(B) lasting
(C) dark
(D) possible

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25. The word “point” in line 7 could best be replaced by which of the following?
(A) Dot
(B) Era
(C) Time
(D) Place

Passage 11 (26-27)
The words “capital” and “capitol” are confused in spelling and in meaning by a lot of people who
try to use them. Both their spellings and their meanings are quite closely related. A “capital “ is the
location of the center of government while a “capitol” is the actual building where the government
officials meet. Thus, in the United States for example, the Capitol
building is located in Washington, D.C. which is the capital city of the United States.

26. Where in the passage does the author define the word “capital”?
(A) Lines 1 - 2
(B) Line 3
(C) Line 4
(D) Lines 6 – 8

27. Where in the passage does the author mention where the U.S. Capital can be found?
(A) Lines 1 - 2
(B) Line 3
(C) Lines 4 - 5
(D) Line 6 - 8

Passage 12 (28-30)
A geyser occurs when rainwater seeps into the ground and volcanic magma beneath the surface
heats it. The rainwater then turns into steam. The pressurized steam rises to the surface and bursts
out as a geyser. Yellowstone National Park has more geysers than all of the rest of the world
together The most famous of these geysers is Old Faithful, which erupts in a high arc of steam
about once an hour. There have not been any volcanic eruptions in the Yellowstone area for 70,000
years. However, the existence of the geysers is proof that the area is volcanically active.

28. Where in the passage does the author mention what heats the water in a geyser?
(A) Lines 1 - 2
(B) Line 4
(C) Lines 5 - 6
(D) Line 7

29. The author indicates how often Old Faithful erupts in

(A) lines 1 - 2
(B) line 4
(C) lines 5 - 6
(D) line 7

30. Where in the passage does the author state how long it has been since a volcano erupted at
Yellowstone?
(A) Lines 2 - 3
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 (B) Lines 5 - 6
(C) Line 7
(D) Line 8

Passage 14 (31—37)

The tiniest bird in the world is the male bee hummingbird. Because it is so small, it is often
mistaken for a bee or some other type of insect of that size. As a hummingbird, it is able to flap its
wings extremely quickly, up to eighty times per second. With this really fast wing speed, the bee
hummingbird can hover like a helicopter; fly forward, fly backward, or even fly upside down.

31. What is the topic of this passage?

(A) The bee
(B) One type of hummingbird
(C) How fast hummingbirds fly
(D) How helicopters fly

32. The word “tiniest” in line I is closest in meaning to

(A) fastest
(B) most dangerous
(C) noisiest
(D) smallest

33. It can be inferred from the passage that the female bee hummingbird
(A) is really a bee
(B) does not exist
(C) is larger than the male
(D) eats insects

34. According to the passage, when people see a male bee hummingbird, they often incorrectly
think it is
(A) a bird
(B) an insect
(C) a bat
(D) a helicopter

35. In line 3, to “flap” wings is to

(A) hold them still
(B) stretch them out
(C) fold them
(D) move them up and down

36. In line 4, to “hover” is to

(A) fly forward quickly
(B) land
(C) stay in place in the air

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 (D) use fuel

37. The passage indicates that a bee hummingbird can do all of the following EXCEPT
(A) hover
(B) fly backward
(C) fly in an inverted position

(D) fly a helikopter

Passage 15 (38-40)

The ancestors of humans had a lot more hair than the humans of today; in fact, they had thick hair
all over their bodies. This thick hair was necessary for protection against the cold of the Ice Ages.
As the Earth got warmer, the hair began to thin out, except for on the head. The head hair has
remained through the evolutionary process, both as a sort of pillow to cushion the sensitive head
when it gets banged around and as a sort of hat to keep the head warm and prevent so much heat
from escaping through the scalp.

38. Which of the following is true about the hair of the ancestors of humans?

(A) There was not much of it.

(B) It covered their entire bodies.

(C) It was thin,

(D) It was not useful.

39. According to the passage, what happened as the temperature on the Earth increased?

(A) The hair on the head began to thin out.

(B) The hair on the body remained the same.

(C) The hair on the body got thicker.

(D) The hair on the body began to thin out.

40. The author indicates that one of the purposes of hair on the head is to

(A) fill up pillows

(B) help heat escape through the scalp

(C) ensure that the head is warm

(D) make it easier to think