TOEFL – READING COMPREHENSION
Questions 20-30
The locations of stars in the sky relative to one another do not appear to the naked eye to
change, and as a result stars are often considered to be fixed in position. Many unaware stargazers
falsely assume that each star has its own permanent home in the nighttime sky.
In reality, though, stars are always moving, but because of the tremendous distances between
stars themselves and from stars to Earth, the changes are barely perceptible here. An example of a
rather fast-moving star demonstrates why this misconception prevails; it takes approximately 200
years for a relatively rapid star like Bernard’s star to move a distance in the skies equal to the
diameter of the Earth’s moon. When the apparently negligible movement of the stars is contrasted
with the movement of the planets, the stars are seemingly unmoving.
20. Which of the following is the best title for this passage?D
A. What the Eye Can See in the Sky
B. Bernard’s Star
C. Planetary Movement
D. The Evermoving Stars
21. The expression “naked eye” in line 1 most probably refers to….C
A. a telescope
B. a scientific method for observing stars
C. unassisted vision
D. a camera with a powerful lens
22. According to the passage, the distances between the stars and Earth are….B
A. barely perceptible
B. huge
C. fixed
D. moderate
23. The word “perceptible” in line 5 is closest in meaning to which of the following?A
A. Noticeable
B. Persuasive
C. Conceivable
D. Astonishing
24. In line 6, a “misconception” is closest in meaning to a (an)….C
A. idea
B. proven fact
C. erroneous belief
D. theory
25. The passage states that in 200 years Bernard’s star can move…D
A. around Earth’s moon
B. next to Earth’s moon
C. a distance equal to the distance from Earth to the Moon
D. a distance seemingly equal to the diameter of the Moon
26. The passage implies that from Earth it appears that the planets…D
A. are fixed in the sky
B. move more slowly than the stars
C. show approximately the same amount of movement as the stars
D. travel through the sky considerably more rapidly than the stars
27. The word “negligible” in line 8 could most easily be replaced by….B
A. negative
B. insignificant
C. rapid
D. distant
28. Which of the following is not true according to the passage?B
A. Stars do not appear to the eye to move.
B. The large distances between stars and the Earth tend to magnify movement to the eye.
C. Bernard’s star moves quickly in comparison with other stars.
D. Although stars move, they seem to be fixed.
29. The paragraph following the passage most probably discusses…A
A. the movement of the planets
B. Bernard’s star
C. the distance from Earth to the Moon
D. why stars are always moving
30. This passage would most probably be assigned reading in which course?C
A. Astrology
B. Geophysics
C. Astronomy
D. Geography
