PRACTICE EXERCISES FOR THE TOEFL (READING)

PRACTICE EXERCISES FOR THE TOEFL (READING)

EXERCISE 58: Narration/Sequence – SOCIAL SCIENCES

In some questions in the Reading Section on the Paper-Based TOEFL, you will be asked to recall and relate information and content from narration or sequence passages in various fields of study. Choose the best answer for multiple-choice questions.

Federal Policies for Native Peoples

Federal policy toward the Native Americans has a long history of

inconsistency, reversal, and failure. In the late 1700s, the United

States government owned and operated factories, exchanging

manufactured goods for furs and horses with the hope that mutual

satisfaction with trade would result in peace between Native

Americans and the rush of settlers who were moving west. At the

same time, the government supported missionary groups in their

efforts to build churches, schools, and model farms for those tribes

that permitted them to Live in their midst.

By the 1800s, federal negotiators were trying to convince many

tribes to sell their land and move out of the line of frontier

expansion, a policy that culminated in the forced expulsion of the

major Southeastern tribes to the west. Over protests by Congress and

the Supreme Court, President Andrew Jackson ordered the Native

Americans to be removed to what is now Oklahoma. On the forced

march, which the Cherokee Nation refers to as the ''Trail of Tears,"

many Native Americans died of disease, exposure, and hunger.

By the end of the 1800s, the government had discovered that

some of the land allocated as permanent reservations for the Native

Americans contained valuable resources. Congress passed the Dawes

Severalty Act, and for the next forty years Indian agents and

missionaries attempted to destroy the tribal system by separating the

members. It was during this time that the government boarding

schools were established to educate Native American youth outside

of the home environment.

Under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, scattered tribes

were encouraged to reorganize their tribal governments. Anti-Indian

sentiment resurfaced only ten years later, and by the 1950s relocation

centers to move Native Americans from the reservations to urban

areas were established.

Today, government policies are unclear. Many officials want to

remove the federal government completely from Native American

governance. Others believe that the government should support

Native American efforts to maintain their culture. Not surprisingly,

the Native Americans themselves are ambivalent about the role of the

federal government in their affairs.

1	What is the author's main point? A.    Government policies for Native Americans have not changed many times during the past three hundred B.    Today government officials are in agreement about their role in Native-American affairs. C.    The federal government has been  inconsistent and unclear in its policies for Native Americans D.    The Indian Reorganization Act was a failure.	6	Where in the passage does the author  refer to the congressional act that allowed Native American students to be sent to boarding schools? A.    Lines 6-9 B.    Lines 13- 13 C.    Lines 20- 25 D.    Lines 26-30
2	What was involved in the ''Trail of Tears"? A.       Native-American children were separated from their families and sent to boarding schools. B.       Native-American families living in the Southeast were forced to move to Oklahoma. C.       Native-American families were resettled on reservations. D.      Native Americans were moved from reservations to cities	7	What does the author mean by the statement in lines 13-15: “Over protests by Congress and the supreme court, President Andrew Jackson ordered the Native American to be removed to what is now Oklahoma”? A.  Oklahoma objected to the president's order to move Native Americans to their state. B.  The Native Americans had to move to Oklahoma because Congress and the Supreme Court objected to the president's order. C.  The president ordered the Native Americans in Oklahoma to move despite opposition by Congress and the Supreme Court. D.  Despite objections by Congress and the Supreme Court, Native Americans were forced to move to Oklahoma by the president.
3	The word "ambivalent" in line 35 refers to A.       exhibiting suspicion B.       experiencing contradictory feelings C.       expressing concern D.      demonstrating opposition	8	Why did Congress pass the Dawes resettled on reservations. Severalty Act? A.     Because the government agencies wanted to exploit the resources on reservations B.     Because missionaries wanted to convert the Native Americans to Christianity. C.     Because teachers wanted to set up schools for Native Americans in urban areas. D.    Because officials on the reservations wanted to preserve Native-American culture
4	The word "culminated" in line 12 is closest in meaning to A.       ended B.       failed C.       belonged D.      caused	9	Native American policies are described as all of the following EXCEPT A.       inconsistent B.       destructive C.       permanent D.      unclear
5	The word "them" in line 9 refers to A.       missionary groups B.       efforts C.       model farms D.      tribes	10	The paragraph following the passage most probably discusses A.       the Native-American point of view regarding government policies today B.       the efforts by Native Americans to maintain their culture C.       the results of the reservation system D.      the intertribal councils that Native Americans have established

ANSWER KEY

1.      C 2.      B 3.      B 4.      A 5.      A 6.      C 7.      D 8.      A 9.      C 10.  A