THE HEINEMANN TOEFL COURSE PRACTICE TEST 1 READING PART 3 (Questions 20-31)

THE HEINEMANN TOEFL COURSE

PRACTICE TEST 1

READING

PART 3 (Questions 20-31)

In the early 1800s, to reach the jump-off point for the West, a family from the East of the United States could either buy steamboat passage to Missouri for themselves, their wagons, and their livestock or-as happened more often-simply pile everything into a wagon, hitch up a team, and begin their overland trek right in their front yard. Along the macadamized roads and turnpikes east of the Missouri River, travel was comparatively fast, camping easy, and supplies plentiful. Then, in one river town or another, the neophyte emigrants would pause to lay in provisions. For outfitting purposes, the town of Independence had been preeminent ever since 1827, but the rising momentum of pioneer emigration had produced some rival jump-off points. Westport and Fort Leavenworth flourished a few miles upriver. St. Joseph had sprung up 55 miles to the northwest; in fact, emigrants who went to Missouri by riverboat could save four days on the trail by staying on the paddle-wheelers to St. Joe before striking overland. At whatever jump-off point they chose, the emigrants studied guidebooks and directions, asked questions of others as green as themselves, and made their final decisions about outfitting. They had various, sometimes conflicting, options. For example, either pack animals or two-wheel carts or wagons could be used for the overland crossing. A family man usually chose the wagon. It was the costliest and slowest of the three, but it provided space and shelter for children and for a wife who likely as not was pregnant. Everybody knew that a top-heavy covered wagon might blow over in a prairie wind or be overturned by mountain rocks, that it might mire in river mud or sink to its hubs in desert sand-but maybe if those things happened on this trip, they would happen to someone else. Anyway, most pioneers, with their farm background, were used to wagons. 20 What is the topic of this passage? A Important river towns Getting started on the trip west The advantages of traveling by wagon Choosing a point of departure B C D 21 All of the following can be inferred from the passage about travel east of the Missouri EXCEPT that it A was faster than in the West was easier than in the West took place on good roads was usually by steamboat B C D 22 The phrase "jump-off point" in lines 1, 10-11 and 15 is closest in meaning to A a bridge across a river a point of departure a gathering place a trading post B C D 23 Which of the cities that served as a jump-off point can be inferred from the passage to be farthest west? A Independence St. Joseph Westport Fort Leavenworth B C D 24 The word "preeminent" in line 9 is closest in meaning to A oldest superior most easily reached closest B C D 25 The author implies in the passage that the early emigrants A knew a lot about travel were well stocked with provisions when they left their homes left from the same place in Missouri preferred wagon travel to other types of travel B C D 26 The word "neophyte" in line 8 is closest in meaning to A eager courageous prosperous inexperienced B C D 27 All of the following were mentioned in the passage as options for modes of  transportation from the Missouri River to the West EXCEPT A a wagon a riverboat a pack animal a two-wheel cart B C D 28 In line 14, the word "striking" is closest in meaning to A hitting orienting departing marking B C D 29 The expression "green" in line 16 is closest in meaning to A frightened optimistic inexperienced weary B C D
	30	All of the following features of the covered wagon made it unattractive to the emigrants EXCEPT
		A	the speed at which it could travel its bulk its familiarity and size its cost
		B
		C
		D
	31	In line 23, the phrase "those things" refers to
		A	the types of transportation the belongings of the pioneers the problems of wagon travel the overland routes
		B
		C
		D

ANSWER KEY

20. В  The correct answer (B) is arrived at by skimming  the entire passage to find the main ideas. The three paragraphs all describe a different aspect of preparing for the journey to the West. (A), (C), and (D) are mentioned in the passage as details to further describe aspects of the topic, getting started on the trip west. 21. D   The correct answer (D) can be inferred from lines 1-7:  could either (travel by steamboat) or—as happened more often—travel by wagon). This tells us that travel was'NOT usually by steamboat. (A), (B), and (C) all describe travel east of the Missouri: lines 6-7. 22. B    "Jump-off point'' is a key phrase in this passage about pioneers traveling from the East to the West. In each paragraph the term "jump-off point" is linked to  the concept of starting out or departing on the journey overland. Therefore, point of departure (B) is the correct answer choice. 23. B   The correct answer (B) is found in lines 11-12.  The town of Independence is the river town that is mentioned first in the passage. (C) and (D) are said to be upriver (north) of Independence. Lines 11-12 state that St. Joseph was 55 miles northwest (of Independence). Logical reasoning tells us that this point is farther west than Independence. A second clue is found in lines 11-14, which states that four days travel west could be saved by departing from St. Joe (Joseph), implying that St. Joseph was four days farther  west than the other river towns. 24. B Clues to the meaning of "preeminent" in lines 7-12 are that Independence had been preeminent among the cities that offered provisions for people traveling west, but that this position was being threatened by rival cities.We can deduce that rivalry occurs when a strong position is challenged, and that answer choice (B) superior is correct. Word analysis: from Latin 'praeeminent'  (be prominent, to project forward). 25. D   The correct answer (D) is found in line 19 A family man usually chose the wagon and also lines in 24-25 ... most pioneers, with their farm background, were used to wagons. To understand why other choices are incorrect refer to: (A) lines 21-24; (B) lines 7-8; (C) lines 7-11 and line 15. 26. D   Clues to the meaning of the word "neophyte" in the phrase the neophyte emigrants are found in the first paragraph, in which we read that the travelers were a family from the East who with little preparation began their trip right in their front yard. We can deduce that these   travelers to the West had little experience; therefore, answer choice (D) inexperienced is correct. 27. B   The correct answer is (B) because the riverboat was mentioned only as transportation to reach Missouri  from the East. Lines 17-19 describe the choices of  transportation from the jump-off points on the Missouri  River to the West, (A), (C),and(D). 28. C   From the context of lines 6-7 we know that the topic is travel. The phrase staying on the paddle-wheelers is juxtaposed with before striking overland to indicate a contrast; we deduce that (C) departing is the answer choice that is correct in this context. 29. C   The correct answer is (C). Clues to inferring that inexperienced is the best replacement are found in lines 15-16;... the emigrants studied guidebooks and directions, asked questions of others.... Studying guidebooks and directions, and asking questions of other travelers indicates that the emigrants lacked experience and needed information about the trip west. (A), (B), and (C) do not logically fit in this context. 30. C The correct answer C is found in line 20 but it provided  space and shelter for children and for a wife... , and also lines 24-25... most pioneers, with their farm background, were used to wagons. (A), (B), and (D) are all negative features of a wagon for travel to the West, lines 21-23 and 19-20. 31. C   In lines 19-23 we read a description of the problems that a covered wagon could have during the overland trip. "Those things" in line 23 refer to the problems of traveling by wagon.