TOEFL 9 (READING PASSAGE 4) TOEFL READING PRACTICE WITH ANSWERS

 

TOEFL READING PRACTICE WITH ANSWERS TOEFL 9 (READING PASSAGE 4)

 

Question 32-38 If you look closely at some of the early copies of the Declaration of Independence, beyond the flourished signature of John Hancock and the other 55 men who signed it, you will also find the name of one woman, Mary Katherine Goddard. It was she, a Baltimore printer, who published the first official copies of the Declaration, the first copies that included the names of its signers and therefore heralded the support of all thirteen colonies. Mary Goddard first got into printing at the age of twenty-four when her brother opened a printing shop in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1762. When he proceeded to get into trouble with his partners and creditors, it was Mary Goddard and her mother who were left to run the shop. In 1765 they began publishing the Providence Gazette, a weekly newspaper. Similar problems seemed to follow her brother as he opened businesses in Philadelphia and again in Baltimore. Each time Ms. Goddard was brought in to run the newspapers. After starting Baltimore's first newspaper, The Maryland Journal, in 1773, her brother went broke trying to organize a colonial postal service. While he was in debtor's prison. Mary Katherine Goddard's name appeared on the newspaper's masthead for the first time. When the Continental Congress fled there from Philadelphia in 1776, it commissioned Ms. Goddard to print the first official version of the Declaration of Independence in January 1777. After printing the documents, she herself paid the post riders to deliver the Declaration throughout the colonies. During the American Revolution, Mary Goddard continued to publish Baltimore's only newspaper, which one historian claimed was "second to none among the colonies". She was also the city's postmaster from 1775 to 1789 - appointed by Benjamin Franklin - and is considered to be the first woman to hold a federal position.   32 With which of the following subjects is the passage mainly concerned? (A) The accomplishments of a female publisher (B) The weakness of the newspaper industry (C) The rights of a female publisher (D) The publishing system in colonial America 33 Mary Goddard's name appears on the Declaration of Independence because (A) she helped write the original document (B) she published the document (C) she paid to have the document printed (D) her brother was in prison 34 The word "heralded" in line 5 is closest in meaning to (A) influenced (B) announced (C) rejected (D) ignored 35 According to the passage, Mary Goddard first became involved in publishing when she (A) was appointed by Benjamin Franklin (B) signed the Declaration of Independence. (C) took over her brother's printing shop (D) moved to Baltimore 36 The word "there" in line 17 refers to (A) the colonies (B) the print shop (C) Baltimore (D) Providence 37 It can be inferred from the passage that Mary Goddard was (A) an accomplished businesswoman (B) extremely wealthy (C) a member of the Continental Congress (D) a famous writer 38 The word "position" in line 24 is closest in meaning to (A) job (B) election (C) document (D) location

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ANSWER KEY

32.            A 33.             B 34.            B 35.            C 36.            C 37.             A 38.            A