THE HEINEMANN TOEFL COURSE PRACTICE TEST 2 READING PART 1 (Questions 1-9)

THE HEINEMANN TOEFL COURSE

PRACTICE TEST 2

READING

PART 1 (Questions 1-9)

While the written word has done much to preserve history, pictures are necessary to supplement the printed page. No other section of the American frontier has been so richly endowed with a pictorial record of its past as has the area encompassed by the headwaters of the Missouri River and its tributary, the Yellowstone. For almost a century, beginning in the 1830s, artists with pencil and brush added to this record. Although paintings and drawings often provide a very valuable record, when pictures are considered from the standpoint of exactness, the work of the photographer must come first. In the spring of 1886, a 30-year-old sodbuster who had worked briefly as a photographer back East hit upon the idea of producing an album of his fellow settlers. For the next 15 years, as the pioneer era drew to a close, Solomon D. Butcher crisscrossed Custer County, Nebraska, in a wagon that served as his studio. He announced his forays with notices in the local newspaper: "Farmers, have your farm photos taken for Butchery Pioneer History." The fact that Butcher was himself a farmer provided rapport with his subjects. But his genius as a photographer lay in allowing them to pose as they wished, against scenes of their own choosing. The portraits that resulted convey the dignity of pioneers in            challenging circumstances, and they remain a classic record of a resolute breed. Another pictorial account of the American frontier was left by L. A. Huffman, a young man of pioneer stock who arrived in the Montana Territory in 1878 to work as a post photographer. When he died in 1931, Huffman left a priceless collection of      pictures of Indians in the last days of buffalo-skin tepees, the buffalo hunters in the days of the open range, the lonely life of the sheepherder, the growth of the range towns, the coming of the railroads, and the final infiltration of the "plow man." 1 The topic of this passage is A enterprising young frontiersmen photographic accounts of the American frontier pioneer history art in America B C D 2 According to the passage, which of the following media gives the most precise record of a subject or scene? A Painting Drawing Journalism Photography B C D 3 The word "sodbuster" in line 9 is closest in meaning to A someone who fights a lot a homeless person an agricultural worker a journalist B C D 4 According to the article, what was Butcher most noted for? A His advertising techniques His compatibility with his clients The poses and settings of his portraits The technical ability he demonstrated in photography B C D 5 The word "rapport" in line 15 is closest in meaning to A spontaneous entertainment mutual understanding slight acquaintance artistic skill B C D 6 The author implies in the passage that Butcher's photography was A realistic expensive colorful pretentious B C D 7 The word "they" in line 18 refers to A the scenes the circumstances the portraits the pioneers B C D 8 The word "priceless" in line 21 is closest in meaning to A expensive limited rustic valuable B C D 9 We can infer from lines 21-24 that life on the western frontier during Huffman's lifetime A had changed greatly was very romantic was industrially based had attracted national attention B C D

ANSWER KEY

1. В    The correct answer is (B) because it is the central idea of the passage. Key words and phrases are pictures, pictorial record, album of his fellow settlers, portraits, and priceless collection of pictures. 2 . D   The correct answer (D) is found in lines 7-8 when pictures are considered from the standpoint of exactness, the work of the photographer must come first. Answers (A), (B), and (C) are mentioned as valuable records, but not as exact as photographs. 3. С   A clue to the meaning of "sodbuster" is found in lines 14-15: The fact that Butcher was himself a farmer .... Answer choice (C) an agricultural worker is closest in meaning to farmer or "sodbuster." 4. C   The correct answer (C) is found in lines 15-17, But his genius as a photographer lay in allowing them to pose as they wished, against scenes of their own choosing. The rest of paragraph two states that the portraits that resulted convey the dignity of pioneers ... and they remain a classic record of a resolute breed. These positive statements imply that Butcher was famous for this aspect of his photography. 5. В  From the information in the first paragraph we know that Butcher photographed farmers. Since he was a farmer himself (line 15) we can infer that he and his subjects had much in common. Answer choice (B) mutual understanding represents this concept. 6. A  The correct answer (A) is found in lines 16-18. The phrases ... pose as they wished, against scenes of their own choosing;... in challenging circumstances suggest that realistic is the best answer. Answer choices (B), (C), and (D) are not implied in the passage. 7. С   In the context of the clause and they remain a classic record of a resolute breed, logical reasoning tells us that what is a record is not the pioneers, but the portraits of the pioneers. Therefore, (C) is the correct answer. 8. D   The meaning of the word "priceless" can be inferred from the context of the last paragraph, in which the list of topics of the photographs suggests their great value. Therefore, answer (D) is correct. 9. A  The correct answer is (A) because the subject matter of the pictures varies greatly and shows the changes in Montana from wilderness (Indians and buffalo) to civilization (railroads and plows). Answers (B), (C), and (D) are not mentioned in these lines.