V READING COMPREHENSION CHECKPOINTS Following is a list of the Reading C ; Check of the Reading Comprehension Checkpoints which are included in the Reading, Checkpoint Study. P: cnt pew ‘ suits 3 age numbers are provided for easy reference. If the Diagnostic Test on pages Rofl indicated that reading comprehension was your weak area, work carefully through these checkpoints. The Reading Checkpoint Study will help you to develop good reading skills and strategies as you prepare for the Reading Comprehension Section of the TOEFL RW1. Build Good Reading Skills: Skim and Scan 247 R¥2. Check Vocabulary in Context 252 R¥3, Check the Topic and Main Ideas 262 RV4. Check Purpose and Organizational Patterns ..... pie 2609: Reading Comprehension Checkpoint Test One for RW/1 through RW4 276 RW5. Check Reference Words 279 RW6. Check Details and Factual Information ...e.onmnronne be 283) RW7. Check to Make Inferences 289 RW8. Check the Attitude of the Author and the Tone of the Passage sme 297 Reading Comprehension Checkpoint Test Two for RV1 through RV8 301 Reading Comprehension Section Test -..ov:mnmnnnnnmeunsnn 309 V READING COMPREHENSION CHECKPOINT STUDY RW1 Build Good Reading Skills: Skim and Scan The reading skills of skimming and scanning are very important when you need to read q for information. Skimming means reading quickly for general meaning. You skim reading material to find out about the topic, the main ideas, and the general organization of a passage. Scanning means knowing, what information you need to find before you read. Then your eyes move quickly to find that particular information. You scan when you are looking for a fact or a detail or a particular vocabulary word. ‘The reading skills of skimming and scanning will be very useful to you in the Reading Comprehension Section of the TOEFL. Because the TOEFL is a timed reading situation, reading quickly for meaning is extremely important in order to finish the test and to answer questions correctly. ly = BEFORE THE TOEFL © Skim and scan as you practice reading the short passages in this book and in your outside reading. ‘As you practice skimming and scanning with reading materials, you will develop an active reading strategy. Think about the following reading passages and questions. Answer each question before you read the explanation. Reading Comprehension 247MODEL People are still reading books, and lots of them. The number of new books published keeps growing—90,000 new titles in the United States during the last year by the latest industry count. The number is double the total output two decades ago. Reading is still an important part of our lives. 1, What is this passage about? (A) The amount of reading people do (B) Book reviews (©) Leisure time activities (D) A popular new book 2. How many new books were published in the United States last year? (A) 60,000 (B) 900 (© 9,000 (D) 90,000 Answers: Y Explanation & ‘The correct answer to Question 1 is (A) The amount of reading people do. By reading the first sentence of the passage you find the phrases reading books and [ots of them. As you quickly read the rest of the paragraph you find these words and ideas repeated in different ways. You could answer the question by quickly skimming the passage for the general idea. INA The correct answer to Question 2 is (D) 90,000. The question asks how many, and this tells you to look for a number. By scanning the passage for a number, you are able to find the correct answer ‘of 90,000. ay MODEL lay The average book reader spends more than one hour a day poring over the pages, often just before bed. Readers are not an idle lot. They are busy | people, tennis players, skiers, gardeners. “T'V isn’t really a problem,” insists | John Y. Cole, director of the Center for Books. Reading experts say that television programs based on books actually stimulate bo s find time to read because they enjoy reading, and schedules to include time to pursue this activity. 3. This paragraph is about (A) the continued popularity of reading (B) favorite programs of TV viewers (C) busy people (D) popular outdoor sports 4, Who is John Y. Cole? (A) ATV viewer (B) A tennis player (©) Director of the Center for Books (D)Abook salesman Answers: * 248 Reading ComprehensionV Explanation & The correct answer to Question 3 is (A) the continued popularity of reading. By skimming the first sentence of the passage you find the phrases average book reader and more than one hour a day. By skimming the last sentence you find this idea repeated in the phrases find time fo read and adjust their schedules to include time to pursue this activity. The correct answer to Question 4 is (C) Director of the Center for Books, The question asks about a name. By scanning the passage to find the name you locate the information to answer the question. EXERCISE 1A: Practice Skimming for General Information Skim the passage in 30 seconds. DO NOT spend more than this amount of time on your first reading of the passage. Then, read each question, and circle the correct answer. Sometimes called puma, panther, or mountain lion, the agile cougar has 4 greater natural range than any other mammal in the Western Hemisphere except humans. However, long viewed as a threat to livestock, it has been intensively hunted since the arrival of European colonists to the Americas and was almost extinct by the early twentieth century. While protective measures have been implemented in the United States, humans continue to destroy the cougar’s habitat, further endangering this solitary cat. 1. This passage is about 3, The author of this passage expresses (A) aperson (A) love (8) aplace (B) concern (©) ananimal © joy (D) atime (D) anger 2. This passage discusses (A) a problem (B) asolution (©) anopinion (D) apolicy EXERCISE 1B: Practice Scanning for Details Allow yourself one minute to do this exercise. Read the questions below about the passage in Exercise 1A. Then, using the related words in bold print below, QUICKLY scan the passage to find the answer to each question. Circle the answer when you find it in the passage. 1. The cougar is known by how many other names? 2. In what part of the world does the cougar live? 3, At what point in time did the cougar face extinetion? 4, What country has measures to protect the cougar? Reading Comprehension 249EXERCISE 1C: More Practice Skimming Skim this passage in 45 seconds. DO NOT spend more than this amount of time on your first teading of the passage. Then, read each question, and circle the correct answer, In marine habitats, a number of small creatures are involved in a “cleaning symbiosis.” At least six species of small shrimp, frequently brightly colored, crawl over fish, picking off parasites and cleaning injured areas, This is not an accidental occurrence, because fish are observed to congregate around these shrimp and stay motionless while being inspected. Several species of small fish (wrasses) are also cleaners, nearly all of them having appropriate adaptations such as long snouts, tweezer-like teeth, and bright coloration. Conspicuous coloration probably communicates that these animals are not prey. 1, This passage is mainly about 3. The “cleaning symbiosis” discussed in (A) a process of marine life the passage is (B) apace in the sea (A) unimportant (©) a species of marine life (8) harmful (D) amystery of marine life (©) predatory (D) beneficial 2. The habitat described in this passage is (A) anaquarium (B) anisland (©) the ocean (D) alaboratory EXERCISE 1D: More Practice Scanning Allow yourself two minutes to do this exercise. Read the questions below about the passage in Exercise 1C. Then, using the related words in bold print below, scan the passage to answer each question. Circle the answer when you find it in the passage. 1. What two types of marine life are involved in “cleaning symbiosis”? 2. What two jobs are accomplished in this activity? 3. What type of fish are “cleaners”? 4, How are fish that act as “cleaners” especially equipped to do this job? 5. What protects these fish from being eaten by other fish? 250 — Reading ComprehensionEXERCISE 1E: More Practice Skimming, Skim this passage in 60 seconds. Do not spend more than this amount of time on the first reading of the passage. Then, read each question, and circle the correct answer. The northern lights, or the aurora borealis, is one of nature’s most dazzling spectacles. When it appears, there is often/a crackling sound coming from the sky. A huge, luminous arc lights up the night, and this are Line is constantly in motion. Sometimes, the brilliant rays of light spread (5) upward in the shape of a fan. At other times, they flash here and there like giant searchlights, or move up and down so suddenly that they have been. called “the merry dancers.” Farther north the aurora frequently looks like fiery draperies which hang from the sky and sway to and fro while flames of red, orange, green, and blue play up and down the moving folds. (10) According to scientific measurements, this discharge of light takes place from 50 to 100 miles above the earth. But it doesn’t reach its greatest brilliance at the North Pole. It is seen at its best around the Hudson Bay region in Canada, in northern Scotland, and in southern Norway and Sweden. It may sometimes be seen even in the United States as it flashes (15) across the northern sky. Science is still not certain regarding exactly what these lights are and what causes them. But it is believed that the rays are due to discharges of electricity in the rare upper atmosphere. The displays seem to center about the earth’s magnetic poles, and electrical and magnetic disturbances often (20) occur when the lights are especially brilliant. 1. This passage is about 4, Paragraph 2 mainly discusses northern (A) ascientific phenomenon lights in relation to their (B) anatural disaster (A) size (©, anarchitectural monument (B)_ colors Ey (D) natural landform (©) location ca (D) cause a8 2. This passage discusses the findings of ae (A) teachers 5. From Paragraph 3 we learn that the cause rg (B) scientists of northern lights is s (©) northerners (A) uncertain (D) artists (B)_ beyond belief (© uninvestigated 3. In which part of the passage does the (D) well established author discuss what the aurora borealis looks like? (A) Paragraph 1 (B) Paragraph 2 (©) Paragraph3 (D) Whole passage Reading Comprehension 251EXERCISE 1F: More Practice Scanning Allow yourself up to one minute to do this exercise. Read the questions below about the passage in Exercise 1E. Then, using the related words in bold print below, scan the passage to answer each question. Circle the answer when you find it in the passage. 1. Why have the northern lights been called “the merry dancers”? 2. How many miles above the earth does the aurora borealis take place? 3. In what part of Canada can the northern lights best be seen? 4, What do scientists believe is discharged in the earth’s atmosphere to cause the aurora borealis? s= BEFORE THE TOEFL + Practice the skills of skimming and scanning whenever you read for information. Practice with these skills will make you a better active reader and more confident when you are reading in the TOEFL. ‘The questions about the reading passages in Section Three of the TOEFL can be classified into seven general types. Each of the Checkpoints RV2-RV8 corresponds to one of the seven question types. Use the skills of skimming and scanning that you learned about in RW/1 as you complete the following Reading Comprehension Checkpoints on TOEFL question types. RY: Check Vocabulary in Context Read about Vocabulary in Context ‘The Reading Comprehension Section of the TOEFL tests your knowledge of vocabulary by asking questions about certain words in the reading passages. For the most part, you can answer these questions about word meanings by using the context of the sentence in which the word was found or of the passage in general, The exercises in this Vocabulary in Context Checkpoint will help you to understand and practice using context to figure out word meanings. When you answer this fype of question about a word in the passage, you need to scan to find the sentence that the word is in, read it carefully, and reason logically. Think about the following passage and question. Answer the question before reading the explanation. 252 Reading ComprehensionR¥3 Check the Topic and Main Ideas ofa eB ‘Almost all TOEFL passages contain one question about either the topic OF EAT 1 SE ideas of a reading pearage This type of question is usually the fst qUeshat aig Eaaama These questions ask about the whole passage, not just a part of the passage: In Ofet 1 EUS Y answer these questions, you should use the skimming and scanning strategies Pia Nee "To answer questions on the TOEFL about the topic and the main ideas of a Passag®, these steps 1. Read the first several sentences for the topic and main ideas. 2. Read the last sentences for the conclusion and a possib! main ideas 3. Skim the rest of the passage for the key words that will confi and show the organization of the passage. 4. Read the first question about the passage and answer it. 5. Read the answer choices. Eliminate any answers that are best answer from the remaining ones. Think about the following passage. Answer the questions befor le restatement of the topic and irm the topic and the main ideas re you read the explanation. MODEL In the critical area of food production, new cooperative efforts in agricultural research and development are paying off. Food scientists are discovering that humankind is nowhere near the limits of plant, livestock, and soil productivity. There is still room to boost yields and learn how to use more efficiently the earth's acreage for animal and crop husbandry. Investigation of irrigation procedures, pest control, intercropping, and multicropping are several areas that are providing useful information for the world’s farmers. 1, What is the topic of this passage? (A) Agricultural research and food production (B)_ Farmers throughout the world (©) Food scientists (D)__ Investigation of irrigation procedures 2, The passage supports which of the following statements? (A) New information from agricultural research can increase world food production. (B) Food production is declining around the world, (© Agricultural research and development will be expensive, (D) There are few initiatives to help today’s farmers. Answers: 262 Reading Comprehension °Y Explanation A The correct answer to Question 1 is (A) Agricultural research and food production. This question asks you about the topic of the passage, which is the most general statement you make about a passage In the first sentence of this passage the phrases food production and agricultural research and development give you this basic concept. The rest of the information in the passage supports the statement in the first sentence. Answers (B), (C), and (D) are too specific to be the topic of the Passage. Answer (A) is the most general statement in the passage. The correct answer to Question 2 is (A) New information from agricultural research can increase world food production. This question asks you about a main idea of the passage. A main idea of a Passage tells you something more about the topic. In this passage the author tells us that efforts in agricultural research and development (in the area of food production) are paying off, which means they are beneficial. Other key words that develop this concept are: nowhere near the limits of productivity; boost yields . .. use mote efficiently; investigation . . . useful information for the world’s farmers. Answers (B) and (D) are not true; and answer (C) is not mentioned in the passage. Read About the Topic The topic of a passage is what the passage is mainly about. It can usually be stated in a few words and is the most general statement that can be made about the passage. To identify the topic of a passage, read the first and last sentences of the passage. Skim through the passage and notice the words that are repeated exactly or are repeated as synonyms ot pronouns many times throughout the passage. These key words should give you a clue to the topic. Answer choices to TOEFL topic questions often require students to: 1. distinguish between general and specific concepts and determine which are necessary to correctly state the topic of the passage; 2. identify a paraphrase of the key words and concepts; 3. identify a term which correctly serves as a category word for certain concepts in the passage; and, 4. understand the organization of the passage to determine if the passage is a description, a process, a comparison, etc. and identify the correct organizational word in the answer. ‘TOEFL questions about the topic of a passage are often worded as follows: With what is this passage mainly concerned? What is the topic of this passage? This passage mainly discusses What does this passage mainly discuss? This passage deals mainly with. . ‘What is the subject of this passage? = ON THE TOEFL * Remember that topic questions ask about the whole passage. NOTE: The terms subject and topic are often used interchangeably in questions on the Reading Comprehension Section of the TOEFL. Reading Comprehension 263 5 a Pathe]EXERCISE 3A: _ Practice Predicting the Topic from the Key Words Read the following key words to predict the probable topic of the reading passage were taken. Circle the letter of the probable topic. 1. Reservations, February, snow conditions, ski pass, rentals, ice skating, sauna, on the other hand, water temperature, beach, swimming, suntan, fishing, (A) Recreational activities (B) Two types of winter vacations (© Learning to ski (D) Choosing a pastime Basic document, seismogram, literature of the earthquake, analyze the waves, calculate, power, duration, surface location, precise origin, movement along the fault, piece of paper, piece of tape. (A) Recording an earthquake (B) Predicting an earthquake (© Photographing an earthquake (D) The structure of the earth 3. Sweet com, home gardens, warm weather crop, plant early, August harvest, corn-on- the-cob, canning, freezing, relishes, eating pleasure, good nutrition (A) The history of sweet com (B) Where to grow sweet com (© Common com recipes (D) Sweet com as a garden vegetable Read About Main Ideas from which they 4, Radio, AM transmitters, high signal, 19208, at first, mass listening, earphones, Pittsburgh, Chicago, pioneer, later on, loudspeaker, living room, weekly broadcasts, favorite shows. (A) Radio programming (8) Ine development of AM radio (©) Early communications (D) The first radio stations 5. Form, space, light, architect, superficial effects, International Style, box-like, inhibiting to spatial freedom, devoid of any organic relationship with nature, peas ina pod, (A) Architectural criticism (B) Restrictive building codes (© Garden vegetables (D) Natural forms in housing The main ideas of a passage are statements about the topic which indicate a point of view about the topic. While the topic is stated as an answer to the question “What is the passage about?", the main ideas answer the question “What is important about the topic?” A main idea is most often @ full sentence which contains a statement about the topic. To identify main ideas, words that show a relationship to the topic and are repeated throughout the passay look for key ige. The main idea is often restated in the conclusion of the passage. Answer choices for main idea questions often require students to: 1. distinguish between true and untrue statements about the passage and 2 identify the statement that contains the key words of the controlling idea of the passage. TOEFL questions about main ideas are often worded as follows: The passage supports which of the following statements? Which of the following assumptions is expressed in this passage?EXERCISE 3B: Practice Identifying the Topic, Main Idea, and Details in a Series of Statements from a Reading Passage Skim all four statements for each question. Label each statement: T for topic, MI for main idea, or D for details —D_ 1, Electrical failure is a constant concem to both engineers and ground control —1_ Problems with the NASA space program MI Technical problems have consistently delayed progress in the NASA space program. D Fuselage leaks caused postponement of the latest shuttle flight. — 2. The technique involves inserting genetic instructions into the bacteria, which follow the instructions. Producing human insulin —— _ Humulinis the first substance made by gene-splicing approved by the U.S. government for human use. The instructions involve creating the two necessary ingredients to make insulin. ___ 3. With the Appalachian Trail following the state line along the ridge, this is a wonderful place to hike from spring to fall. Each season will offer visitors to the park an array of sights and activities. Smoky Mountain National Park Mountain laurel and flame azalea bloom in early June to mid-July. 4, Fungal foods, of which corn smut is perhaps the ugliest, may soon become part of American nouvelle cuisine Perens} ‘Most people in the United States view corn smut with revulsion because they question the safety of fungal foods in general. ‘The mushroom-like fungus has long played a part in the diet of Native American cultures. New uses for “corn smut” 5. For instance, air freight may be much more expensive than rail transport, but shipping, everything from a single warehouse may cut other costs. The cost of transportation Many companies today use the total physical distribution concept, maximizing the efficiency of physical distribution activities while minimizing their cost ‘The company will make cost tradeoffs between the various physical distribution activities. Reading Comprehension 265| EXERCISE 3C: _ Practice Predicting the Topic Read the key sentences. Circle the letter of the topic for a passage containing these Key sentences, 1, All caged birds need a home that is large and roomy. Most finches need a cage with narrow spaces between the bars. Almost any garden setting is ideal for an aviary, as long as it is out of the wind’s fo ‘A, Caged birds | B. The proper home for your bird } C. Finding the right bird Deciduous forest communities once formed a continuous band across eastern North America. | In its natural state it is rich in species, net production is high, and the structure of the ecosystem is stable, ‘Today much of this area is occupied and utilized by human beings, so that the biome rarely is found in its original state. A. Forest ecosystems. B. The changing deciduous forest C. Human influence on biomes 3. Numerology begins with your name and your birthdate. During the time of Pythagoras, the famous Greek mathematician and philosopher, numerology ‘was reserved for the rulers, who often used it to make critical decisions, Sometimes understanding yourself is just as important as understanding someone else. A. Personality disorders and their cure B. Ancient mathematicians C. Describing you through numbers 4. Early in the seventeenth century, Settlers from western France came to what is now Nova Scotia’s fertile Annapolis Basin. ‘Their new homeland of Acadie fell under British rule in 1755, and 10,000 Acadians were deported, captured, or detained. By 1765 a few hundred had settled in Louisiana, congregated in French maritime ports. In 1785 the Spanish king transported about 1,600 Acadians to Louisiana; the largest single transatlantic migration up to that time, A. The early settling of North America B. Acadians on the move C. A transatlantic migration ‘while 2,500 impoverished Acadians this has been called the end of a 30-year exile, 5, The ar of ido lies not so much in great strength asin skilful use ofthe boy and ge Judo involves a complex system of physical and mental skill eee and physical fitness. that hel papas cas Consisting of hundreds of techniques, every movernent in judo has ad ‘A, Judo is more than a sport B. Judo and physical fitness C. Disadvantages of judo 266 — Reading Comprehensioneae EXERCISE 3F: More Practice Identifying the Topic and Main Ideas Read the passage and answer the questions, Circle the correct answer to each question. The northern lights, or the aurora borealis, is one of nature's most dazzling spectacles. When it appears, there is often a crackling sound era a the sky. A huge, Thepinous are lights up the night, and this ay Line is constantly in motion. Sometimes, the brilliant rays of light sprea (5). upward in the shape of a fan. At other times, they flash here ancl there like giant searchlights, or move up and down so suddenly that they have been called “the merry dancers.” Farther north the aurora frequently looks like fiery draperies which hang from the sky and sway to and fro while flames of red, orange, green, and blue play up and down the moving folds (10) According to scientific measurements, this discharge of light takes place from 50 to 100 miles above the earth. But it doesn’t reach its greatest brilliance at the North Pole. It is seen at its best around the Hudson Bay region in Canada, in northern Scotland, and in southern Norway and ‘Sweden. It may sometimes be seen even in the United States as it flashes (15) across the northern sky. Science is still not certain regarding exactly what these lights are and ‘What causes them, But it is believed that the rays are due to discharges of electricity in the rare upper atmosphere. The displays seem to center about the earth’s magnetic poles, and electrical and magnetic disturbances often (20) occur when the lights are especially brilliant. 1, What is the topic of this passage? (A) What the northern lights look like (B) The northern lights (C) The cause of the northern lights (D) Where to best see the northern lights 2. What does the second paragraph of the passage mainly discuss? (A) The northern lights at the North Pole (8) The brightness of northern lights (©) The distance from earth of the discharge of light (D) Where the northern lights are observable 3, The word “luminous” in line 3 is closest in meaning to 268 (A) shining (B) curved © lasting (D) pulsating. Reading Comprehensiona EXERCISE 3G: More Practice Identifying the Topic and Main Ideas Read the passage and answer the questions, Circle the correct answer to each question. Coral reefs are to the seas what rain forests are to the land. Teeming with life, these ecosystems depend upon sunlight and an intricate relationship between plant and animal to survive Line The brilliant blue of the Red Sea is an unexpected sight within the dry (9) expanse of the Middle Eastern desert. Even more unexpected, however, is the myriad of colorful marine creatures which thrive in its shallow reefs and deep slopes. Half a world away in Australia’s Coral Sea, a pair of clownfish will find protection in the reef as they patiently guard their eggs Until they hatch, Strangely enough, these fish are actually poor swimmers (10) and seldom stray far from the protective cover provided by the sea anemones which dwell in their coral reef homes. Another colorful addition to coral reefs appears as a rose-like creation. It is actually a ribbon of thousands of tiny nudibranch eggs. Nudibranches are a variety of very colorful, strangely shaped gastropods which can be (15) found in the world’s warm seas and which feed on sponges, hydroid polyps, sea anemones, moss animals, or sea squirts 1, What is the topic of this passage? (A) Colorful fish ine (B) Rain forests (©) Coral reefs (D) Ecosystems of the world 2. According to the passage, all ofthe following statements about coral reefs are true EXCEPT (A) Coral reefs provide an ecosystem to support fish and plant life. (B) Coral reefs are found in warm waters of the world, (C) Coral reefs are colorful. (D) Coral reefs develop in the deepest parts of the ocean. 3, The word “stray” in line 10 is closest in meaning to (A) reproduce (B) live (©) wander (D) eat See the Reading Appendix, pages 493-499, for more information on the Topic and Main dens ofa reading passage. In the Anstuer Key, you will find explanations for the answers to the questions in Exercises 3D-3G. R¥4 Check Purpose and Organizational Patterns Some TOEFL Reading Comprehension questions ask about the author's purpose for the passage or about the organization of the passage. ‘The purpose of a passage is the reason the author wrote the passage, or the intent of the author in writing the passage. The organizational pattern of a reading passage is the way that the author ‘arranges the information to carry out his or her purpose or intent in writing the passage. TOEFL ‘questions about the general organizational pattern of a passage ask you about the style the author uses in his or her writing rather than the purpose of the whole passage. ‘Think about the following passage and questions. Answer the questions before reading the explanation. Reading Comprehension 269R¥6 Check Details and Factual Information at umber of questions on the Reading Comprehension Section of the TOEFL ask about the stalls and facts in reading passages. These questions are usually asked in the order that the information appears in the passage. Your understanding of the topic and main idea and the overall organization of the passage will help you to answer these questions. There are two types of fact and detail questions on the TOEFL: questions about what IS true according to the information and questions about what IS NOT true. Answer choices for questions about facts and details may use the exact words of the passage, but more often they are restatements of the information and require that you know synonyms and related words. arse about the following, passage and questions. Answer the questions before reading the explanation, MODEL Throughout the year, chimpanzee food is quite varied, but it is mainly vegetable material. At times, however, Gombe Park is loaded with insects— termites, ants, caterpillars—and the chimpanzees will eat huge numbers of them. The chimpanzees’ really remarkable behavior appears when they Sather termites. According to Suzuki and van Lawick-Goodall, when chimpanzees see that termites have pushed open their tunnels on the surface, they will go off to find a suitable termiting tool. ft may look simple, but the job takes skill and patience. 1, According to the passage, which of the following are NOT mentioned as part of the chimpanzees’ diet? (A) Termites (B) Vegetable material (©) Ants (D) Mosquitoes 2. The author states in the passage that the chimpanzees’ most remarkable behavior can best be seen (A) when they are hungry (B) as they are resting (©) when they are looking for termites (D) inthe spring 3. According to the author, when chimpanzees gather termites they show (A) adependence on each other (B) remarkable strength (©) understanding and caring (D) ability and persistence Answers: Y Explanation & The correct answer to Question 1 is (D) Mosquitoes. This question asks you to identify the answer that is NOT in the passage. By knowing where in the passage the food that chimpanzees eat is mentioned, you can quickly look at those sentences and match the items in the sentence with those in the answer choices. Mosquitoes are not mentioned in the passage. Reading Comprehension 283 Prony 3 eT EtEXERCISE 6A: Read the followin, would answer a, A, Line (5) (a0) (20) Practice Scanning for Facts and Details '8 Passage QUICKLY. Read the * the question. Write the number of the lines in the spaces provided. When we think of time, we world is synchronize worldwide plane s think of clock time, Action all around the 'd by clock time, starting with train schedules, chedules, navigation, astronomy, worldwide telecommunication, etc. These depend completely on accurate timing, The accuracy standards of timekeeping devices have been increasing rapidly due to the demands for more and more accurate timing for space communication, navigation, astronomy, etc. Rather than use mechanical clocks, we are relying nowadays on “atomic clocks.” This is not a clock in the usual sense but a device that uses the very stable oscillation of the cesium atoms as a standard for timekeeping, From grandfather clocks to wristwatches, all these clocks are supposed to chop up for us the 24 hours of the day more or less reliably into hours, minutes, and seconds. Let's call this kind of time “objective” since everybody's watches are supposed to cut time into slices of even thickness. However, we know from personal experience that time does not “feel” as Passing evenly under different circumstances. When pursuing some interesting activity, time “flies”; while waiting in the dentist's office, it “drags.” When Einstein was once asked about this “psychological time,” he replied with a now famous observation: “When you spend two hours with anice girl, you think it’s only a minute. But when you sit on a hot stove for a minute, you think it’s two hours.” Realizing the relativity of time, let us see, then, how this subjective time can be put to some use. question and scan for the lines of the passage that Limit yourself to 30 seconds for this part of the exercise. In what lines would you find information about: schedules and clock time:_Lineg 2-4 accuracy standards: how atomic clocks work: how objective time is measured: semana etc eeeeeeeee Einstein's ideas of time: Reading Comprehension 285EXERCISE 6B: Practice Answering Questions About Facts and Details Write the answer to each question about the passage from Exercise 6A in the space provided 1. How many types of actions mentioned in the passage depend on accurate timing? 2. What has happened as a result of the demands for more accurate timing by space communication, navigation, and astronomy? 3. What does the atomic clock use as a standard for timekeeping? 4. What is the defining characteristic of objective time? 5. What does our personal experience with time tell us? 6. When does time “feel” longer? When does time “feel” shorter? 7. Did Einstein think that objective and subjective time were similar or different? EXERCISE 6C: Practice Answering Questions About Facts and Details As They . Appear on the TOEFL Answer the following questions about the passage in Exercise 6A. Circle the correct answer. 1, According to the passage, which of the following is NOT an example of accurate timing? (A) Clock time (B) Psychological time (©) Atomic clock time (D) Objective time 2. According to the passage, demands for more accurate timing have resulted in (A) the growth of telecommunications, navigation, and astronomy : (B) the development of better mechanical clocks (©) the improvement of accuracy standards for timekeeping devices (D) the dependence on atomic power 286 Reading Comprehension3. The author states in the passage that because of the need for more accurate standards of timekeeping, today we are (A) thinking about time in a different way (B) revising schedules of trains and planes (© relying more on atomic clocks (D) enjoying more leisure time 4. According to the passage, a defining characteristic of objective time is that (A) it divides time evenly for everyone (8) itis different from clock time (©) it seems to pass quickly (D) it uses a 24-hour system 5. According to the passage, personal experience tells us that for different circumstances (A) different clocks should be used (B) our impression of how quickly time passes will vary (O different standards of accuracy will apply (D) more interesting activities should be chosen 6. According to the passage, Einstein, when asked about psychological time, (A) declined to answer (B) commented on its stability (O) said that socializing was more time-consuming than tending the fire (D) observed that time seems to pass quickly or slowly according to our activity EXERCISE 6D: More Practice Answ Read the follo Questions on Facts and Details passage. Circle the correct answer to each question. The world above the forest floor can be observed by all of us. Rarely, however, do we take the time to notice the teeming life and bustling activity that occurs beneath the ground we walk on. Line Of alll soil-dwelling creatures, the most abundant are mites and (5). springtails, insect-ike creatures that literally eat their way through caverns of subterranean vegetation. The tiny, eight-legged mites lay their eggs on plant matter, which their larvae eat and convert into fresh soil. The bright- colored springtails are named for their ability to leap long distances during their search for decomposed plant matter to eat. (10) Both mites and springtails are prey to a host of soil-dwelling predators. ‘They thus anchor one end of the food chain that extends to higher forms of forest “lowlife,” such as moles that feed on earthworms and shrews that eat beetles. Those mammals, in turn, dig tunnels that function as underground (15) byways for other subterranean species. Hibernating chipmunks, turtles, and salamanders sift and mix the soil when they burrow to winter dens. Cottontails and gray foxes excavate shallow dens as sanctuary from predators and harsh weather, while gray squirrels, hiding acorns for the lean season, further blend the earth. From microbe to people, thousands of (20) species work the land upon which all life depends. Reading Comprehension 287 31, The passage states that which of the 4, Which of the following are mentioned in following are the most numerous. the passage as living underground during inhabitants of the soil? the winter? (A) Foxes and cottontails (A) Shrews| (B) Earthworms and ants (B) Foxes (© Mites and springtails (© Squirrels (D) Shrews and moles (D) Salamanders 2. According to the passage, all of the following are true about mites and According to the author, the contribution that all the animals mentioned in the springtails EXCEPT passage make to their habitat is (A) they make new soil (A) they form the food chain (B) they resemble insects (B) they work the soil (©) they form the lower end of the (C) they find safety in the soil food chain (D) they convert plant material to (D) they hibernate for the winter new earth 3. An example of predator and prey given in this passage is (A) mites and springtails (6) turtles and salamanders (©) moles and earthworms (D) gray squirrels and acorns EXERCISE 6E: More Practice Answering Questions on Facts and Details Read the following passage. Circle the correct answer to each question. Only humans have a spoken, symbolic language; scientists have long thought that nonhuman primates had much less sophisticated communication systems. True, but chimpanzees use gestures and many Line voice sounds in the wild, while other apes use sounds to communicate (5) territorial information. Chimpanzees seem to have a natural talent for learning symbolic language under controlled conditions. A famous chimpanzee named Washoe was trained to communicate with humans, using no less than 175 sign language gestures similar to those of the American Sign Language. After more than a year Washoe could associate (10) particular signs with activities, such as eating and drinking. Another chimpanzee named Sarah was taught to read and write with plastic symbols and acquired a vocabulary of 130 different words, to the extent that she obeyed sequences of written instructions given with the symbols. But such experiments in communication with primates are a far cry from (15) the versatility and grace of human speech, 1. According to the passage, all of the 2. The passage states that the ability of following are true of chimpanzee chimpanzees to learn symbolic language communication EXCEPT in certain situations is due to {A) itis less sophisticated than (A) their territoriality human language (B) their use of gestures and voice sounds (B) it is observable in the wild in the wild (C) it uses gestures (C) their natural talent (D)it is as versatile as human (D) their use of the American Sign communication LanguageEXERCISE 3D: _ Practice Identifying the Topic and Main Ideas of a Reading Passage Read the passage and answer the questions. Circle the correct answer to each question Sometimes called puma, panther, or mountain lion, the agile cougar has a greater natural range than any other mammal in the Western Hemisphere except humans, However, long viewed as a threat to livestock, it has been intensively hunted since the arrival of European colonists to the Americas and was almost extinct by the early twentieth century. While protective measures have been implemented in the United States, humans continue to destroy the cougar’s habitat, further endangering this solitary cat. 1. Whatiis the topic of the passage? (A) The cougar (B) Mammals of the Western Hemisphere (©) Endangered species (D) A threat to livestock 2. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? (A) The cougar is extinct. (B) The cougar is an endangered animal. (© The cougar inhabits a small area of North America. (D) The cougar lives easily with humans. EXERCISE 3E: 3. The word “threat” in line 3 is closest in meaning to (A) friend (B) danger (©) boon (D) signal More Practice Identifying the Topic and Main Ideas Read the passage and answer the questions, Circle the correct answer to each question, In marine habitats, a number of small creatures are involved in a “cleaning symbiosis.” At least six species of small shrimp, frequently brightly colored, crawl over fish, picking off parasites and cleaning injured Line areas. This is not an accidental occurrence, because fish are observed to (5) congregate around these shrimp and stay motionless while being inspected. Several species of small fish (wrasses) are also cleaners, nearly all of them. having appropriate adaptations such as long snouts, tweezer-like teeth, and, bright coloration, Conspicuous coloration probably communicates that these animals are not prey. 1. What is the topic of this passage? (A) Marine life (B) Why fish need to be cleaned (©) How certain sea creatures clean other fish (D) How fish are adapted to be cleaners 2. The passage supports which of the following statements? (A) Some fish never need to be cleaned. (B) Cleaning symbiosis is an important aspect of marine life. (©) Most fish clean each other. (D) Clean fish are brightly colored. 3. The word “adaptations” in line 7 is closest in meaning to (A) equipment (B) sensitivity (© modifications (D) attractions 4. The word “Conspicuous” in line 8 is closest in meaning to (A) Dismal (B) Changing, (© Unfortunate (D) Noticeable Reading Comprehension 267NOTE: In questions that ask what is NOT in the passage, information that is true is, not the correct answer. The correct answer to Question 2 is (C) wlien they are looking for termites, To answer this question You need to match the words chimpanzees’ most remarkable behavior in the question with those words in the passage. This will tell you in what part of the passage you will find the answer. After careful reading of the sentence, you can match the information in the passage with the answer choice. In this case the passage states wlien they gather termites, and a restatement of this is found in answer choice (C), ‘The correct answer to Question 3 is (D) ability and persistence, In this question you are asked to find what chimpanzees show rather than do when they gather termites. The last sentence of the Passage states that the job (of gathering termites) takes skill and patience, Scanning the answer choices will tell you that the best restatement of the information in the passage is ability and persistence. Answer choices to TOEFL questions about facts and details require students to: 1. recognize restatements of the factual information in the passage and 2. determine what is true and not true in the answer choices. Questions about details and facts are often worded in the following ways: About information that IS in the passage: According to the passage, who why where when how, ete....? According to the author, ... The author states in the passage that ... The author indicates that... The author refers to which of the following as Itis stated in the passage that ... About information that IS NOT in the passage: All of the following are mentioned in the passage as... EXCEPT... According to the passage all of the following are true about ... EXCEPT Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as ... 2 ‘Which of the following is NOT stated in the passage? To be successful at answering questions about facts and details in a short reading passage, follow these steps: 1. Read the question and identify the key words and controlling idea, REMEMBER that the questions will be in order of the information in the passage. 2. Scan the passage for the key words and controlling ideas. REMEMBER that you should look for synonyms and related words as well as exact words. 3. Carefully read this part of the passage to answer the question. 4. Scan the answer choices to match the information in the passage with the correct answer choice. 5. Be careful to look for the information that is not true in a TOEFL question worded with NOT and EXCEPT. 284 Reading Comprehension