CliffsTestPrep TOEFL CBT PRACTICE TEST 2 READING SECTION (3)

CliffsTestPrep TOEFL CBT

PRACTICE TEST 2

READING SECTION (3)

Directions: This section measures your ability to read and understand written English similar to that which one may expect in a college or university setting. Read each passage and answer the questions based on what is stated or implied in the passage. Circle or mark the correct answer in the book or write it on a separate piece of paper.

PASSAGE 3

Collecting coins can be a good investment, but it requires the study of popularity, availability, and grading techniques. Some coins are more desirable than others, their popularity being affected by the artists’ talent, the subject of the design, the material from which the coin is made, and the time period when the coin was created. Availability is just as critical. Providing the coin is otherwise interesting or pleasing to the eye, the number of coins minted and available on the market seems to have a direct relationship to the popularity. The ability to grade coins is perhaps the most important requirement of a collector. A coin that is popular and scarce, which would normally make it valuable, may be worth much less or nothing at all if it has a low grade. Grading is standardized, and one can buy books and take courses on how to do it. Grades are given letter designations as well as numbers. The letters represent general levels of the grade, while the numbers are more detailed. For example, there are 11 number grades within the letter grade for a mint state coin. A mint state coin is uncirculated, which means it has never been used in commerce. It is in the condition that it left the mint, the place where a coin is created. The mint state letter designation is MS, and the numbers range from 60 through 70. An absolutely perfect coin is MS-70. It takes much training and a good eye to tell the difference between coins in this range. The things one considers include whether the coin has contact marks, which are marks obtained when coins bounce against each other in a coin bag; hairlines, which are marks appearing on the face of the coin from the minting process; luster, which is the natural coloration; and eye appeal. For example, an MS-70 is said to have no contact marks, no hairlines, very attractive and fully original luster, and outstanding eye appeal, while an MS-60 may have heavy contact marks, noticeable hairlines, impaired luster, and poor eye appeal. Below the mint state coin, the letter designation and number have the same meaning. That is, there are generally no numbers within the range of letters. But there are categories: §  Coins that are About Uncirculated: Very Choice About Uncirculated, known as AU-58; Choice About Uncirculated, known as AU-55; and About Uncirculated, known as AU-50. §  Coins that are Fine: Choice Extremely Fine, known as EF-45; Extremely Fine, known as EF-40; Choice Very Fine, known as VF-30; Very Fine, known as VF-20; and Fine, known as F-12. §  Coins that are Good: Very Good, known as VG-8; Good, known as G-4; and About Good, known as AG-3. Thus, a circulated coin can have a number designation between 3 and 58, with only the numbers shown above available. That is, one cannot have a coin with a grade of 6, for example. It is either G-4 or VG-8. It is possible for a coin labeled G-4 or even AG-3 to be extremely valuable, but generally it will be a coin that is almost unavailable in higher grades. Books and publications monitor the coin market regularly, just like the stock market is monitored, and they describe a coin’s type, date, and grade, assigning a price to every one unless that grade would have no value. In general, coin collectors loathe cleaned coins, so artificial cleaning by adding any chemical will detract greatly from a coin’s value. A true coin collector will say the dirt in the creases is a positive attribute and much preferable to a cleaned coin.

25	A good title for this passage would be A.    The Financial Benefits of Coin Collecting. B.    How Popularity and Availability Affect Coin Value. C.    Coin Grading — One of the Most Important Skills in Coin Collecting. D.    How to Grade Coins — A Detailed Study.	31	Organize the following according to grade from the highest to the lowest. A.    AU-58 B.    MS-60 C.    AG-3 D.    VF-20
26	The word talent in the second sentence is closest in meaning to A.       ability B.       pay C.       source D.       money	32	The one grading category that has the most numbered grades within it is A.       Good. B.       Mint state. C.       Fine. D.       About Uncirculated.
27	The author describes a coin’s popularity as involving all the following except A.       grade. B.       how well the artist created the work. C.       the depiction on the coin. D.       the coin’s material.	33	According to the author, the phrase contact marks means A.       marks on a coin caused by banging from other coins. B.       defects in the minting process. C.       connections among coin dealers. D.       defects caused by cleaning.
28	The word scarce in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to A.       popular B.       old C.       rare D.       valuable	34	The word luster in the third paragraph is closest in meaning to A.       value. B.       sheen. C.       marked. D.       material.
29	The author implies that availability is primarily related to A.       the popularity of a coin. B.       the material used to create a coin. C.       the age of a coin. D.       the number of coins of a given type and date that they were minted.	35	According to the passage, a Mint State coin with which of the following characteristics would be graded the highest? A.       One small contact mark, full luster, good eye appeal, and no hairlines B.       One large hairline, diminished luster, good eye appeal, and no contact marks C.       A small contact mark, a small hairline, foggy luster, and fair eye appeal D.       No contact marks, luster affected by cleaning, average eye appeal, and no hairlines
30	The author implies that the most important feature of a coin is its A.       grade B.       date C.       artist D.       depiction	36	All of the following grades would be possible except A.       MS-64. B.       AU-56. C.       VF-30. D.       AG-3.

ANSWER KEY

25	C	Coin Grading — One of the Most Important Skills in Coin Collecting.
26	A	ability
27	A	grade
28	C	rare
29	D	the number of coins of a given type and date that they were minted.
30	A	grade. The entire passage indicates this is the most important.
31	B	B, A, D, C: MS-60; AU-58; VF-20; AG-3.
32	B	Mint State. It has 11 numbered grades, from 60 to 70.
33	A	marks on a coin caused by banging from other coins. This is specifically stated in the third paragraph.
34	B	sheen
35	A	One small contact mark, full luster, good eye appeal, and no hairlines. B has a large hairline and reduced luster. C has two kinds of marks and defective luster. D has been artificially cleaned, which you are told is a negative.
36	B	AU-56.