Peterson’s TOEFL Practice TEST 5 READING COMPREHENSION PART 3

Peterson’s TOEFL Practice

TEST 5

READING COMPREHENSION

 
PART 3

Direction: This section contains several passages, each followed by a number of questions. Read the passages and, for each question, choose the one best answer – (A), (B), (C), or (D) – based on what is stated in the passage or on what can be inferred from the passage. Then fill in the space on your answer sheet that matches the letter of the answer that you have selected. READ THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE Like mammals, birds claim their own territories. A bird’s territory may be small or large. Some birds claim only their nest and the area right around it, while others claim for larger territories that include their feeding areas. Gulls, penguins, and other waterfowl nest in huge colonies, but even in the biggest colonies, each males and his mate have small territories of their own immediately around their nests. Male birds defend their territory chiefly against other males of the same species. In some cases, a warning call or threatening pose may be all the defense needed, but on other cases, intruders may refuse to leave peacefully. Example 1 What is the main topic of this passage? A.           Birds that live in colonies B.           Bird’s mating habits C.           The behaviour of birds D.          Territoriality in birds The passage mainly concerns the territories of birds. You should fill in (D) on your answer sheet.

QUESTIONS 25-32

For a long time, amphibians were confused with reptiles. Like reptiles, they have three-chambered hearts and are cold-blooded. Some amphibians, such as salamanders, are even shaped like lizards. However, unlike reptiles, amphibians never have claws on their toes or scales on their bodies. Furthermore, the eggs of amphibians lack shells, so they must be laid in water or moist places.

Amphibians were the first creatures to spend sizeable amounts of their lives on land. The larvae of most amphibians, such as frog tadpoles, are born with gills and live in water. However, their gills disappear as they develop lungs. Most retain the ability to breathe through the moist surface of their skin. This comes in handy when they hibernate in the bottom mud of lakes and ponds during the coldest months. They take in the small amount of oxygen they need through their skin. Some amphibians undergo what is known as “double metamorphosis,” changing not only from gill breathers to lung breathers but also from vegetarians to insectivores.

Although the amphibian class is rather small in number of species, it shows great diversity. There are three major types. The caecilians of the tropics are long, legless, burrowing creatures. Caudate amphibians, such as newts and salamanders, mostly have long tails and stubby legs. Salientians, which include both frogs and toads, are tailless as adults and have powerful hind legs. Toads differ from frogs primarily in that they have dry, warty skin.

25	The author’s main purpose in writing the passage is to A.          define and describe amphibians B.           contrast different types of amphibians C.          trace the development of amphibians from larvae to adults D.          explain how amphibians differ from other creatures	29	It can be inferred from the passage that amphibians’ ability to breathe through their skin is especially useful during the A.      summer B.       fall C.      winter D.      spring
26	According to the passage, which of the following is NOT a characteristic of amphibians? A.          They have three-chambered hearts. B.           They lay eggs without shells. C.           They have claws on their toes. D.          They are cold-blooded.	30	All of the following are identified in the passage as amphibians EXCEPT A.      newts B.       salamanders C.       caecilians D.      lizards
27	As used in line 4, the term scales is closest to which of the following in meaning? A.          Devices used to measure weight B.           Plates covering the bodies of certain animals C.           Sounds made by various animals D.          Proportions between different sets of dimensions	31	The word stubby in line 19 is closest in meaning to A.      long and thin B.       underdeveloped C.       thick and short D.      powerful
28	According to the passage, the term double metamorphosis (line 14) refers to the fact that amphibians A.           first breathe through their gills, then through their lungs, then through their skin. B.            change both the shape of their bodies and the way in which they lay eggs C.            first live in the water, then on land, then in mud in the bottom of ponds and lakes D.           change both their methods of breathing and their feeding habits	32	In line 21, the word they refers to A.      toads B.       tails C.       adults D.      frogs

ANSWER KEY

25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32
A	C	B	D	C	D	C	A