TOEFL EXERCISES (1-14) LONGMAN COMPLETE COURSE FOR THE TOEFL READING

LONGMAN COMPLETE COURSE FOR THE TOEFL

READING

TOEFL EXERCISES (1-14)

TOEFL EXERCISE (Skills 1-14): Study each of the passages and choose the best answers to the questions that follow.

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-11)

Another noteworthy trend in twentieth-century music in the United States was the use of folk and popular music as a base for more serious compositions. 10A The motivation for these borrowings from traditional music might be a desire on the part of a composer to return to simpler forms, to enhance patriotic feelings, or to establish an immediate rapport with an audience. 10B For whatever reason, composers such as Aaron Copland and Charles Ives offered compositions featuring novel musical forms flavoured with refrains from traditional Americana. 10C Copland drew upon folk music, particularly as sources for the music he wrote for the ballets Billy the Kid, Rodeo, and Appalachian Spring. 10D Ives employed the whole gamut of patriotic songs, hymns, jazz, and popular songs in his compositions.

1	The paragraph preceding this passage most probably discusses		7	Click on the word in the passage that could best be replaced by “range”.
	A	nineteenth-century music
	B	one development in music in the last century
	C	the works of Aaron Copland
	D	the history of folk and popular music
2	Which of the following best describes the main idea of the passage?		8	Click on the sentence in the passage that gives reasons composers might use traditional melodies in their compositions.
	A	Traditional music flavoured some American musical compositions in the twentieth century.
	B	Ives and Copland have used folk and popular music in their compositions.
	C	A variety of explanations exist as to why a composer might use traditional sources of music.
	D	Traditional music is composed of various types of folk and popular music.
3	It can be inferred from this passage that the author is not sure		9	Click on the sentence in the passage that list examples of titles of Copland’s works.
	A	when Ives wrote his compositions
	B	that Ives and Copland actually borrowed from traditional music
	C	why certain composers borrowed from folk and popular music
	D	if Copland really featured new musical forms
4	Look at the word novel in the passage. This word could best be replaced by		10	The following sentence could be added to the passage. Ives drew inspiration from an even wider array of music than did Copland. Where would it best fit into the paragraph? Click on the square to add the sentence to the paragraph.
	A	literary
	B	new
	C	cultural
	D	bookish
5	Look at the word he in the passage. Click on the word or phrase that he refers to		11	The passage would most probably be assigned reading in which of the following courses?
				A	American History
				B	The History of Jazz
				C	Modern American Music
				D	Composition
6	Which of the following is NOT listed in the passage as a source for Ives’s compositions?
	A	National music
	B	Religious music
	C	Jazz
	D	American novels

PASSAGE TWO (Questions 12-21)

The rattlesnake has a reputation as a dangerous and deadly snake with a fierce hatred for humanity. Although the rattlesnake is indeed a venomous snake capable of killing a human, its nature has perhaps been somewhat exaggerated in myth and folklore. The rattlesnake is not inherently aggressive and generally strikes only when it has been put on defensive. In its defensive posture the rattlesnake raises the front part of its body off the ground and assumes on S-shaped form in preparation for a lunge forward. At the end of a forward thrust, the rattlesnake pushes its fangs into the victim, thereby injecting its venom. 19A There are more than 30 species of rattlesnakes, varying in length from 20 inches to 6 feet. 19B In the United States there are only a few deaths annually from rattlesnakes, with a mortality rate of less than 2 percent of those attacked. 19C

12	Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?		17	It can be inferred from the passage that
	A	The Exaggerated Reputation of the Rattlesnake		A	all rattlesnake bites are fatal
	B	The Dangerous and Deadly Rattlesnake		B	all rattlesnake bites are not equally harmful
	C	The Venomous Killer of Humans		C	the few deaths from rattlesnake bites are from six-foot snakes
	D	Myth and Folklore about Killers		D	deaths from rattlesnake bites have been steadily increasing
13	According to the passage, which of the following is true about rattlesnakes?		18	Look at the word mortality in paragraph 3. This word is closest in meaning to
	A	They are always ready to attack.		A	percentage
	B	They are always dangerous and deadly.		B	illness
	C	Their fierce nature has been underplayed in myth and folklore.		C	death
	D	Their poison can kill people.		D	survival
14	Click on the word in paragraph 1 that is closest in meaning to “partially.”		19	The following sentence could be added to paragraph 3. They also vary in toxicity of venom. Where would it best fit into the paragraph? Click on the square to add the sentence to the paragraph.
15	The word “posture” in line 5 is closest in meaning to which of the following?		20	The author’s purpose in this passage is to
	A	Mood		A	warn readers about the extreme danger from rattlesnakes
	B	Fight		B	explain a misconception about rattlesnakes
	C	Position		C	describe a rattlesnake attack
	D	Strike		D	clarify how rattlesnakes kill humans
16	Click on the drawing that shows a rattlesnake that is ready to defend itself.		21	Click on the paragraph that explains what people believe about rattlesnakes.

PASSAGE THREE (Questions 22-30)

For a century before the Erie Canal was built, there was much discussion among the general population of the Northeast as to the need for connecting the waterways of the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. A project of such monumental proportions was not going to be undertaken and completed without a supreme amount of effort. The man who was instrumental in accomplishing the feat that was the Erie Canal was De Witt Clinton. As early as 1812, he was in the nation’s capital petitioning the federal government for financial assistance on the project, emphasizing what a boon to the economy of the country the canal would be; his efforts with the federal government, however, were not successful. In 1816, Clinton asked the New York State Legislature for the funding for the canal, and this time he did succeed. A canal commission was instituted, and Clinton himself was made head of it. One year later, Clinton was elected governor of the state, and soon after, construction of the canal was started. The canal took eight years to complete, and Clinton was on the first barge to travel the length of the canal, the Seneca Chief, which departed from Buffalo on October 26, 1825, and arrived in New York City on November 4. Because of the success of the Erie Canal, numerous other canals were built in other parts of the country.

22	The information in the passage		27	In what year did the actual building of the canal get underway?
	A	gives a cause followed by an effect		A	In 1812
	B	is in chronological order		B	In 1816
	C	lists opposing viewpoints of a problem		C	In 1817
	D	is organized spatially		D	In 1825
23	When did Clinton ask the U.S. government for funds for the canal?		28	Click on the drawing that most closely resembles the Serena Chief.
	A	One hundred years before the canal was built
	B	In 1812
	C	In 1816
	D	In 1825
24	The word “boon” in line 7 is closest in meaning to which of the following?		29	Click on the paragraph that mentions a committee that worked to develop the canal.
	A	Detriment
	B	Disadvantage
	C	Benefit
	D	Cost
25	Look at the expression financial assistance in paragraph 2. Click on the word or phrase in paragraph 3 that is closest in meaning to financial assistance.		30	The paragraph following the passage most probably discusses
				A	the century before  the building of the Erie Canal
				B	canals in different U.S. locations
				C	the effect of the Erie Canal on the Buffalo area
				D	Clinton’s career as governor of New York
26	Look at the word it in paragraph 3. Click on the word or phrase that it refers to.

ANSWER KEY

1	B	11	C	21	P1
2	A	12	A	22	B
3	C	13	D	23	B
4	B	14	somewhat	24	C
5	Copland	15	C	25	funding
6	D	16	C	26	canal commission
7	gamut	17	B	27	C
8	P1, S2	18	C	28	C
9	P1, S4	19	B	29	P3
10	D	20	C	30	B