READING PRACTICE DRILL 5 CRACKING TOEFL IBT 2019

 

CRACKING TOEFL IBT 2019 READING PRACTICE DRILL 5

 

THE FORMATION OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS   → The Rocky Mountains of North America extend 5,000 kilometers from New Mexico all the way   up through Canada. Elevations along the range are about 1,500 meters along the lower plains to   4,399 meters at the highest peak, and widths range from 120 to 650 kilometers. The natural beauty,   abundant wildlife, and fresh water of the ranges have attracted human inhabitants for the last 5 10,000 to 12,000 years.       The history of the Rocky Mountains begins in the pre-Cambrian era, a half-billion years ago.   While this is long before the Rocky Mountains themselves began forming, their hard core rocks—   consisting of granites, schists, gneisses, quartzites, and slates—were produced in ancient ranges. 10 Erosion eventually leveled these mountain ranges, and during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic Eras,   about 75 to 540 million years ago, the ocean invaded the land and deposited sediments some   20,000 feet deep. They included layers of sandstones, shales, and limestones.       At the close of the Mesozoic Era, during the Cretaceous period about 75 million years ago, the 15 growth of the Rockies began. There was a tremendous squeezing that uplifted the region in a great   series of folds, like wrinkles in a carpet. After the arching, erosion carved away at the mountains.   ■ Some 10,000 feet of sedimentary rock were washed off the top of the arch, exposing the hard   rock core. The erosional resistance of these hard, crystalline rocks led to the formation of the high   peaks that still exist today. On the flanks of the core the sedimentary beds sloped outward. ■ Great 20 quantities of sand and clay were spread out on the bordering plains and plateaus. This was only one   of the cycles of upheaval and erosion that occurred in the region. ■       Near the end of the Eocene period, about 40 million years ago, the Rockies again rose several   thousand feet. Volcanoes erupted, most extensively in the Yellowstone Plateau and the Absaroka 25 Range. As the mountains were formed, streams eroded their sides, and thousands of feet of   sediment spread out on plains and plateaus. Just before the Pleistocene period, about one million   years ago, the region again uplifted. ■ Streams flowed faster and began to cut canyons, and rivers   ate deep gorges through the ranges. The most recent geological event of note was the "Ice Age"   during the Pleistocene Epoch, 1 million to 10,000 years ago. The high peaks of the Sangre de 30 Cristo Mountains supported numerous small glaciers and snows accumulated on the sides of the   mountains. These glaciers carved a typical collection of alpine landforms, such as cirques, horns,   aretes, and cols. Lower down in the glaciated valleys, various kinds of till and stratified sediments   accumulated to form Moraines. Most of the glacial deposits and landforms present today date from   the last glacial phase, known in the Rocky Mountains as the Pinedale Glaciation or Pinedale Stage. 35 During this stage, over 90% of the Yellowstone National Park was covered in ice. The glaciated   terrains formed in this era are among the most picturesque in the high alpine Rockies today, as   glaciers formed and moved down the valleys, thereby further eroding the mountains into bold and   dramatic forms.     40 There was even a "little ice age" from about 1550 to 1860—a few centuries of glacial advance—that   made its mark on the mountains recently. For example, the Agassiz and Jackson glaciers in Glacier   National Park reached their most forward positions by around 1860. The incessant sculpturing of   the Rockies by rain, wind, and ice continues even today.   1 The purpose of paragraph 1 is to demonstrate that (Paragraph 1 is marked with an arrow → ) A the Rocky Mountains have not been fully explored until recently B most of the Rocky Mountains are not very high C there are many types of mountains in the Rocky Mountains D human inhabitants are destroying the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains 2 The word They in the passage refers to A sediments B eras C years D mountain ranges 3 According to the passage, all of the following types of rock would be found at the core of the Rocky Mountains EXCEPT A gneiss B cirque C slate D granite 4 What happened when oceans covered the Rocky Mountain region? A The mountains were washed away. B Quartzite rocks were formed. C Erosion shifted the rocks. D Deep sediment covered the land. 5 The phrase only one of implies that the process just described in the passage A was completely unique B was a single example among many C was the most dramatic one D was like a wrinkle in the carpet 6 The word ate in the passage is closest in meaning to A raised B buried C erased D dug 7 The upward growth of the Rocky Mountains began to occur for the first time during which period? A Pre-Cambrian B Paleozoic C Eocene D Cretaceous 8 The plains and plateaus that surround the Rocky Mountains were covered with A material washed down from the mountains B hard core rocks such as slate C densely packed volcanic deposits D soil rich in organic matte 9 The passage indicates that some of the most dramatic-looking parts of the Rocky Mountains were formed by A volcanic eruptions B rivers C glaciers D the ocean 10 Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage as a whole? A A mountain range serves to illustrate a widespread geological process. B The history of a geological feature is discussed in chronological order. C Two time periods in the history of a mountain range are contrasted. D The effects of a number of geological periods on North America are compared. 11 The phrase of note in the passage is closest in meaning to A catastrophic B distinct C important D ancient 12 Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage. But once again, the mountains began to be worn away as soon as they rose. Where would the sentence best fit? Click on a square [■] to add the sentence to the passage. (Here, on this practice test, circle your answer below.) a. Square 1 b. Square 2 c. Square 3 d. Square 4

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