CliffsTestPrep TOEFL CBT PRACTICE TEST 1 READING PASSAGE 1

CliffsTestPrep TOEFL CBT

PRACTICE TEST 1

READING PASSAGE 1

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 2

Scientists have experimented with a new procedure for alleviating the damage caused by strokes. Strokes are frequently caused by a blood clot lodging in the tree of arteries in the head, choking the flow of blood. Some brain cells die as a direct result of the stroke, but others also die over several hours because the proteins spilling out of the first cells that die trigger a chemical chain reaction that kills the neighboring cells. The current method of reducing the amount of damage is to give a clot dissolver, known as TPA, as soon as possible. But generally TPA is not given to the patient until he or she reaches the hospital, and it still does not immediately stop the damage. The new technology, still in the research stage, involves chilling the area or the entire patient. It is already known that when an organ is cooled, damage is slowed. This is why sometimes a person who has fallen into an icy pond is not significantly harmed after being warmed up again. The biggest issue is the method of cooling. It is not feasible to chill the head alone. Doctors have chilled the entire body by wrapping the patient in cold materials, but extreme shivering was a problem. The new idea is to cool the patient from the inside out. Several companies are studying the use of cold-tipped catheters, inserted into the artery in the groin and threaded up to the inferior vena cava, which is a large vein that supplies blood to the abdomen. The catheter is expected to cool the blood that flows over it, thus allowing cooler blood to reach the area of the stroke damage. It is not expected that the cooling will be substantial, but even a slight decrease in temperature is thought to be helpful. In effect, the patient is given a kind of forced hypothermia. And doctors believe it is important to keep the patient awake so that they can converse with the patient in order to ascertain mental condition. Studies continue to determine the most effective and least damaging means of coolingthe patient in order to reduce this damage.

12	The word alleviating in the first sentence is closest in meaning to A.  reducing B.  devastating C.  causing D. increasing	19	In the passage, the author implies that A.    the internal chilling process has not been proven yet. B.    drug therapy properly addresses all the problems of stroke victims. C.    chilling the head alone is viable. D.    nothing is likely to reduce the chain reaction problem.
13	According to the passage, the method of chilling from the inside out is being considered for all of the following reasons except A.        it is not possible to chill the head alone. B.        chilling from the inside out avoids shaking. C.        cold dissolves blood clots D.        drugs are not helpful in stopping the chain reaction.	20	The author describes a person falling into cold water in order to A.       evoke sympathy. B.       show that cooling a body does not necessarily harm it. C.       show how one who falls into cold water could also benefit from the internal chilling research. D.       describe the warming process.
14	According to the passage, what causes a stroke? A.       A blood clot sticking in an area of the brain B.       Low blood flow C.       Hot blood D.       A patient choking on food	21	The author implies that A.       the catheter is moved all the way to the brain. B.       the artery in the leg connects directly to the brain. C.       the artery in the leg connects to the vena cava. D.       the goal is to chill the brain directly with the catheter.
15	The word shivering in the last sentence of the third paragraph is closest in meaning to A.        shaking B.        delirious C.        sick D.        dying	22	When the author states that the catheter is threaded to the vena cava, the author means that A.       the catheter is sewn to the vena cava. B.       the catheter is inserted into the body at the vena cava area. C.       the catheter becomes attached to the vena cava because of the cold. D.       the doctor moves the catheter slowly through the artery to the vena cava.
16	According to the passage, all of the following are true except that A.       some cells die immediately when a person has a stroke, and others die later. B.       cells die only as a direct result of the stroke. C.       the protein from dead cells kills other cells. D.       TPA is effective in removing blood clots.	23	The author implies that hypothermia is caused by A.       the body becoming cold. B.       a stroke. C.       the body becoming warm. D.       drugs.
17	What is the passage mainly about? A.       Causes and effects of strokes B.       New pharmaceutical methods for reducing stroke damage that are being researched C.       A new method of cooling the body to reduce stroke damage that is being researched D.       The dangers of cooling the body	24	According to the passage, doctors prefer to keep the patient awake in order to A.        monitor vital signs with equipment. B.        watch the patient. C.        talk to the patient. D.        find out if the procedure is painful.
18	The word substantial in the fifth paragraph is closest in meaning to A.       considerable B.       slight C.       unsubstantiated D.       effective

ANSWER KEY

12	A	reducing. Generally the word means “avoiding” or “making not necessary.” Here, the closest definition is reducing.
13	C	cold dissolves blood clots. Applying cold has certain benefits, but nowhere is it stated that it dissolves the blood clots.
14	A	A blood clot sticking in an area of the brain.
15	A	shaking. To shiver is to shake with cold.
16	B	cells die only as a direct result of the stroke. This is really the opposite of the first answer choice, which is the correct statement.
17	C	A new method of cooling the body to reduce stroke damage that is being researched. B is incorrect because it refers to use of drugs.
18	A	considerable. Both words mean “to a great degree.”
19	A	the internal chilling process has not been proven yet. The other answer choices are statements made in the reading passage.
20	B	show that cooling a body does not necessarily harm it
21	C	the artery in the leg connects to the vena cava. The passage indicates that the catheter is inserted only to the vena cava.
22	D	the doctor moves the catheter slowly through the artery to the vena cava. The author explains that the catheter is inserted in the groin area and moved to the vena cava area. Threaded just means moved slowly along the vein towards the destination.
23	A	the body becoming cold. Hypothermia means the condition of the body when exposed to extreme cold.
24	C	talk to the patient.