THE HEINEMANN TOEFL COURSE PRACTICE TEST 3 READING PART 4 (Questions 30-40)

THE HEINEMANN TOEFL COURSE

PRACTICE TEST 3

READING

PART 4 (Questions 30-40)

line 5 The influx of Americans into Oregon in the 1840s ignited a dispute between Britain and the United States that, in its more intemperate phases, was accompanied  by shrill demands in both countries for war. The argument originated in the fact that the boundaries of Oregon had never been clearly fixed. The name vaguely embraced the territory west of the Rockies between the northern line 10 boundary of Mexican-held California and the southern edge of Russian-held Alaska, which at the time extended south to parallel 54° 40'. In 1818 when America proposed a boundary at the 49th parallel—an extension of the border with Canada that already existed east of the Rockies—and the British suggested a line farther south, statesmen of both nations avoided the resulting impasse line 15 by agreeing to accept temporary "joint occupancy."                   But by the early 1840s, the issue could no longer be avoided: Oregon fever and Manifest Destiny had become potent political forces. Though many eastern Americans considered Oregon country too remote to become excited about, demands for its occupation were shouted with almost religious fervor. Senator line 20 Thomas Hart Benton, for one, urged Congress to muster "thirty or forty thousand American rifles beyond the Rocky Mountains that will be our effective negotiators. " The Democratic Party made "54° 40' or fight" an issue of the 1844 Presidential election and just managed to install James K. Polk, an ardent expansionist, in the White House. But despite their seeming intransigence, line 25 neither Polk nor the British government wanted to fight. And just about the time that Polk learned that the land lying north of the 49th parallel was useless for agriculture, the British decided the American market for goods was worth far more than Oregon's fast-dying fur trade. So they quietly settled for the 49th parallel, the boundary that the United States had proposed in the first place. 30 What is the main idea of this passage? A The disagreement over the boundaries of Oregon was peacefully solved. The United States wanted more land than it needed. Politicians in 1840 favored war with Britain. The United States ended up by sharing Oregon with Canada. B C D 31 The word "intemperate" in line 2 is closest in meaning to A untimely initial immoderate uninformed B C D 32 As used in line 4, the word "fixed" is closest in meaning to A repaired adjusted built established B C D 33 In line 14 the word "remote" is closest in meaning to A far away dangerous large uninteresting B C D 34 In line 12 the phrase "the issue" refers to A what to do with the Americans living m Oregon claiming Alaska as part of the United States setting the Oregon boundary going to war with Britain B C D 35 The confrontation with Britain over Oregon boundaries came to a head in the early 1840s for all the following reasons EXCEPT A more people were living in Oregon at that time the expansionists made the situation a political issue all people were united in favoring the expansion and settlement of Oregon Manifest Destiny was a major political force at this time B C D 36 The word "ardent" in line 19 is closest in meaning to A superficial enthusiastic old moderate B C D 37 The word "they" in line 24 refers to A the Americans the British and the Americans the British the Democratic Party B C D 38 It can be inferred from the passage that Senator Thomas Hart Benton A was a temperate man supported the occupation of Oregon by force felt negotiation was the best policy proposed and approved the final boundary decision B C D 39 The 49th parallel was accepted by both parties in the border dispute for all of the following reasons EXCEPT A the dying fur trade in Oregon the attraction of the American market for goods the condition of the land north of 49° the desire for a good fight B C D
	40	It can be inferred from the passage that in the final boundary settlement the United States
		A	got the land that it had originally demanded got less land than it had originally demanded got more land than it had originally demanded had no interest in the land involved in the dispute
		B
		C
		D

ANSWER KEY

30. A  The correct answer (A) is arrived at by quickly reading the passage and noting key words and concepts, especially in lines 1-4, the topic sentences, and in lines 24-25, the concluding sentence. In lines 1-4 we find: dispute, Oregon, argument, originated in the fact that the boundaries of Oregon had never been clearly fixed. In lines 24-25 we find: So they quietly settled for the 49th parallel, the boundary that the United States had proposed in the first place. The other answer choices are incorrect according to the passage: (B) is implied incorrect in lines 7-9; (С) is a supporting detail; and (D) is not true according to the passage. 31. С  We can deduce the meaning of "intemperate" by analysis of the word; in- means not and temperate means moderate. Therefore, intemperate means not moderate. Im- also means not and therefore answer choice (C) immoderate is correct. Also, in line 2 we read that the intemperate phases of the dispute between Britain and the United States was accompanied by shrill demands... for war. We infer that war is related to intemperate, and is not a moderate reaction. 32. D   In the context of line 6, clearly fixed is used in relation to the boundaries of Oregon. Lines 5-7 go on to explain the lack of precision of the boundaries: The name vaguely embraced the territory .... In the context of lines 3-7, logical reasoning leads us to answer choice (D) established. (A) and (C) are not appropriate replacements for the context of the passage, and (B) is logically incorrect. 33. A   Clues to the meaning of "remote" are found in the early information in the passage which describes Oregon as an area west of the Rockies with no set boundaries. We infer that such a place will not be close to civilization. In lines 13-14 we read that... many eastern Americans considered Oregon country too remote to get excited about,...; we infer that west and east are far enough apart so that many people were not drawn into the boundary dispute. 34. C   The correct answer is (C) because the main idea of paragraph one is the dispute between the United States and Great Britain over Oregon's boundaries. "The issue" in line 12 refers back to this concept which was established in the previous paragraph. (A) is not mentioned in paragraph one; (B) is incorrect because Alaska was not claimed by the United States according to the passage; and (D) is not correct because going to war was one proposed solution to the problem, the issue itself. 35. C  The correct answer (C) is found by checking the passage for the facts: (A) is found in lines 1-3; (B) in lines 15-21, which link Polk, the President-elect, and expansionist views; (D) in lines 12-13. (C) is NOT true according to lines 13-15: Though many eastern Americans considered Oregon country too remote to become excited about, demands for its occupation were shouted with almost religious fervor, which implies two different views existed. 36. B   We can deduce the meaning of "ardent" in the immediate context of an ardent expansionist through the preceding information in lines 12-18 which indicates a tone of strong feelings about going to war: the issue could no longer be avoided',... demands ... were shouted with almost religious fervor; The Democratic Party made  "54°40' or fight" an issue... and just managed to install James K. Polk, an ardent expansionist... We infer that since the new president is an expansionist, he must have strong feelings about the issue. 37. B   The pronoun "they" refers to both the Americans and the British. From lines 18-20 we know that Polk is the American president who is dealing with the British government. Clues to the referents of "they" are neither Polk nor the British government wanted to fight (lines 20-21); And just about the time that Polk learned..., the British decided...; (lines 21-24) So they quietly settled for ... (lines 29-30). 38. B   The correct answer (B) is found in lines 15-17: Senator Thomas Hart Benton, for one, (for example) urged Congress to muster ... rifles to settle the issue of the Oregon boundary. Use of rifles is similar in meaning to by force. The other answer choices are not possible according to the passage. (A) is incorrect because a temperate man would not advocate the use of rifles; (C) is not correct because using rifles precludes negotiation; and (D) is not true according to the passage. 39. D   The correct answer is (D) because lines 20-25 mention (A), (B), and (C) as conditions which led to the peaceful settlement of the dispute. In addition, logical reasoning tells us that a desire for a good fight would NOT have led to the peaceful settlement of the dispute which the passage describes.  40. A  The correct answer (A) is found in lines 7-10: In 1818 when America proposed a boundary at the 49th parallel—an extension of the border with Canada that already existed east of the Rockies—and the British suggested a line farther south... and in lines 24-25: So they quietly settled for the 49th parallel, the boundary that the United States had proposed in the first place. The conclusion is that the United States got only what it originally asked for.