TOEFL 10 (READING PASSAGE 1) TOEFL READING PRACTICE WITH ANSWERS

 

TOEFL READING PRACTICE WITH ANSWERS TOEFL 10 (READING PASSAGE 1)

 

Question 1-9 Although social changes in the United States were being wrought throughout most of the nineteenth-century,, public awareness of the changes increased to new levels in the 1890's. The acute, growing public awareness of the social changes that had been taking place for some time was tied to tremendous growth in popular journalism in the late nineteenth century, including growth in quantity and circulation of both magazines and newspapers. These developments, in addition to the continued growth of cities, were significant factors in the transformation of society from one characterized by relatively isolated self-contained communities into an urban, industrial nation. The decade of the 1870's, for example, was a period in which the sheer number of newspapers doubled, and by 1880 the New York Graphic had published the first photographic reproduction in a newspaper, portending a dramatic rise in newspaper readership.  Between 1882 and 1886 alone, the price of daily newspapers dropped from four cents a copy to one cent, made possible in part by a great increase in demand. Further more, the introduction in 1890 of the first successful linotype machine promised even further growth. In 1872 only two daily newspapers could claim a circulation of over 100,000,but by 1892 seven more newspapers exceeded that figure. A world beyond the immediate community was rapidly becoming visible. But it was not newspapers alone that were bringing the new awareness to people In the United States in the late nineteenth century. Magazines as they are known today began publication around 1882, and, in fact, the circulation of weekly magazines exceeded that of newspapers in the period which followed. By 1892, for example, the circulation of the Ladies' Home Journal had reached an astounding 700,000. An increase in book readership also played a significant part in this general trend. For example, Edward Bellamy's utopian novel, Looking Backward, sold over a million copies in 1888, giving rise to the growth of organizations dedicated to the realization of Bellamy's vision of the future. The printed word, unquestionably. was intruding on the insulation that had characterized United Slates society in an earlier period.   1 The word "acute" in line 3 is closest in meaning to (A) useful (B) intense (C) genuine (D) controversial 2 According to the passage, the expansion of popular journalism was linked to (A) changes in the distribution system (B) a larger supply of paper (C) an increase in people's awareness of social changes ( D) greater numbers of journalists 3 According to the passage , the New York Graphic's inclusion of photographs contributed to (A) the closing of newspapers that did not use photographs (B) newspapers becoming more expensive (C) an increase in the number of people reading newspapers (D) a reduction in the cost of advertising 4 Why was there a drop in the price of daily newspapers between 1882 and 1886 (A) There was a rise in demand. (B) Newspapers had fewer pages. (C) Newspapers contained photographic reproductions. (D) Magazines began to compete with newspapers. 5 The word "exceeded" in line 16 is closest in meaning to (A) controlled (B) surpassed (C) affected (D) equaled 6 What does the author mean by the statement " A world beyond the immediate community was rapidly becoming visible" in lilies 16-11 ? (A) Photographs made newspapers more interesting. (B) The United Slates exported newspapers to other countries. (C) People were becoming increasingly aware of national and international issues. (D) Communities remained isolated despite the growth of popular journalism 7 The word " that" in line 21 refers to (A) century (B) publication (C) circulation (D) period 8 The word "astounding" in line 22 is closest in meaning to (A) surprising (B) estimated (C) encouraging (D) sudden 9 Why does the author mention Edward Bellamy's novel Looking Backward? (A) To illustrate how advanced the  technology of printing had become (B) To emphasize the influence of the printed word on a society undergoing rapid change (C) To document its prediction about the popularity of newspapers (D)To demonstrate that hooks had replaced newspapers and magazines as the leading source of information

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ANSWER KEY

1.  B 2. C 3. C 4. A 5. B 6. C 7. C 8. A 9. B