PETERSON TOEFL PBT PRACTICE TEST 3 PART 11 READING

PETERSON TOEFL PBT

PRACTICE TEST 3 PART 11

READING

QUESTION 61-70

Rachel Carson was born in 1907 in Springsdale, Pennsylvania. She studied biology in college and zoology Johns Hopkins University, where she received her master’s degree in 1933. In 1936, she was hired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where she worked most of her life.

Carson’s first book, Under the Sea Wind, was published in 1941. It received excellent reviews, but sales were poor until it was reissued in 1952. In that year, she published The Sea Around Us, which provided a fascinating look beneath the ocean’s surface, emphasizing human history as well as geology and marine biology. Her imagery and language had a poetic quality. Carson consulted no less than 1,000 printed sources. She has voluminous correspondence and frequent discussions with experts in the field. However, she always realized the limitations of her nontechnical readers.

In 1962, Carson published Silent Spring, a book that sparked considerable controversy. It proved how much harm was done by the uncontrolled, reckless use of insecticides. She detailed how they poison the food supply of animals, kill birds and fish, and contaminate human food. At the time, spokesmen for the chemical industry mounted personal attacks against Carson and issued propaganda to indicate that her findings were flawed. However, her work was vindicated by a 1963 report of the President’s Science Advisory Committee.

61.         The passage mainly discusses Rachel Carson’s work

A.                 as a researcher

B.                 at college

C.                 at the U,S Fish and Wildlife Service

D.                as a writer

62.         According to the passage, what did Carson primarily study at Johns Hopkins University?

A.                 Oceanography

B.                 History

C.                 Literature

D.                Zoology

63.         When she published her first book, Carson was closest to the age of

A.                 26

B.                 29

C.                 34

D.                45

64.         It can be inferred from the passage that in 1952, Carson’s book Under the Sea Wind

A.                 was outdated

B.                 became more popular than her other books

C.                 was praised by critics

D.                sold many copies

65.         Which of the following was NOT mentioned in the passage as a source of information for The Sea Around Us?

A.                 Printed matter

B.                 Talks with experts

C.                 A research expedition

D.                Letters from scientists

66.         Which of the following words or phrases is LEAST accurate in describing The Sea Around Us?

A.                 Highly technical

B.                 Poetic

C.                 Fascinating

D.                Well researched

67.         The word reckless in line 13 is closest in meaning to

A.                 unnecessary

B.                 limited

C.                 continuous

D.                irresponsible

68.         According to the passage, Silent Spring is primarily

A.                 an attack on the use of chemical preservatives in food

B.                 a discussion of the hazards insects pose to the food supply

C.                 a warning about the dangers of misusing insecticides

D.                an illustration of the benefits of the chemical industry

69.         Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word flawed in line 17?

A.                 Faulty

B.                 Deceptive

C.                 Logical

D.                Offensive

70.         Why does the author of the passage mention the report of the President’s Science Advisory Committee (lines 17-18)?

A.                 To provide an example of government propaganda

B.                 To support Carson’s ideas

C.                 To indicate a growing government concern with the environment

D.                To validate the chemical industry’s claims

ANSWER KEY

61.         D

The passage concentrates on the books written by Rachel Carson and on her career as writer.

62.         D

Lines 1-2 state that Carson studied zoology at Johns Hopkins University.

63.         C

Carson was born in 1907 (line 1) and published Under the Sea Wind in 1941 (line 5), so she must have been about 34 years of age at the time of publication.

64.         D

According to lines 5-6, when Under the Sea Wind first published, “it received excellent reviews, but sales were poor until it was reissued in 1952.”

65.         C

There is no mention that Rachel Carson took part in a research expedition. The other sources are given in lines 9-10

66.         A

Carson “realized the limitations of her nontechnical readers”(line 11), implying that the book was not highly technical. It did have a poetic quality (lines 8-9), and it was fascinating (interesting), according to line 7, and well researched (lines 8-11).

67.         D

The word reckless is closest in meaning to irresponsible.

68.         C

Line 14 states that the Silent Spring “proved how much harm was done by the uncontrolled reckless use of insecticides.”

69.         A

The word faulty is closest in meaning to the word flawed.

70.         B

Carson’s work “was vindicated” by the report (line 18), implying that the report contradicted the chemical industry’s claims and supported her ideas.