TOEFL 12 (READING PASSAGE 2) TOEFL READING PRACTICE WITH ANSWERS

 

TOEFL READING PRACTICE WITH ANSWERS TOEFL 12 (READING PASSAGE 2)

 

Question 11-22 Iron production was revolutionized in the early eighteenth century when coke was first used instead of charcoal for refining iron ore. Previously the poor quality of the iron had restricted its use in architecture to items such as chains and tie bars for supporting arches, vaults, and walls. With the improvement in refining ore, it was now possible to make cast-iron beams, columns, and girders. During the nineteenth century further advances were made, notably Bessemer's process for converting iron into steel, Which made the material more commercially viable. Iron was rapidly adopted for the construction of bridges, because its strength was far greater than that of stone or timber, but its use in the architecture of buildings developed more slowly. By 1800 a complete internal iron skeleton for buildings had been developed in industrial architecture replacing traditional timber beams, but it generally remained concealed. Apart from its low cost, the appeal of iron as a building material lay in its strength, its resistance to fire, and its potential to span vast areas. As a result, iron became increasingly popular as a structural material for more traditional styles of architecture during the nineteenth century, but it was invariably concealed. Significantly, the use of exposed iron occurred mainly in the new building types spawned by the Industrial Revolution: in factories, warehouses, commercial offices, exhibition halls, and railroad stations, where its practical advantages far outweighed its lack of status. Designers of the railroad stations of the new age explored the potential of iron, covering huge areas with spans that surpassed the great vaults of medieval churches and cathedrals. Paxton's Crystal Palace, designed to house the Great Exhibition of 1851, covered an area of 1848 feet by 408 feet in prefabricated units of glass set in iron frames. The Paris Exhibition of 1889 included both the widest span and the greatest height achieved so far with the Halle does Machines, spanning 362 feet, and the Eiffel Tower 1,000 feet high. However, these achievements were mocked by the artistic elite of Paris as expensive and ugly follies. Iron, despite its structural advantages, had little aesthetic status. The use of an exposed iron structure in the more traditional styles of architecture was slower to develop.   11 What does the passage mainly discuss? (A) Advances in iron processing in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries (B) The effects of the Industrial Revolution on traditional architectural styles (C) Advantages of stone and timber over steel as a building material (D) The evolution of the use of iron in architecture during the 1800's 12 The word "revolutionized" in line 1 is closest in meaning to (A) quickly started (B) gradually opened (C) dramatically changed (D) carefully examined 13 According to the passage, iron was NOT used for beams, columns, and girders prior to the early eighteenth century because (A) all available iron was needed for other purposes (B) limited mining capability made iron too expensive (C) iron was considered too valuable for use in public buildings (D) the use of charcoal for refining are produced poor quality iron 14 Iron replaced stone and timber in the building of bridges because iron was considered (A) more beautiful (B) new and modern (C) much stronger (D) easier to transport 15 The word "it" in line 11 refers to (A) industrial architecture (B) internal iron skeleton (C) stone (D) strength 16 The word "appeal" in line 12 is closest in meaning to (A) adjustment (B) assignment (C) attraction (D) attempt 17 The word "spawned" in line 17 is closest in meaning to (A)Created (B)maintained (C)rejected (D)exposed 18 The word "surpassed" in line 20 is closest in meaning to (A)imitated (B) exceeded (C)approached (D)include 19 According to paragraph 3, the architectural significance of the Halle des Machines  was its (A)wide span (B)great height (C) unequalled beauty (D)prefabricated units of glass 20 How did the artistic elite mentioned in the passage react to the buildings at the Paris Exhibition? (A) They tried to copy them. (B) They ridiculed them. (C) They praised them. (D) They refused to pay to see them. 21 It can be inferred that the delayed use of exposed iron structures in traditional styles of architecture is best explained by the (A) impracticality of using iron for small, noncommercial buildings (B) association of iron architecture with the problems of the Industrial Revolution (C) general belief that iron offered less resistance to fire and harsh weather than traditional materials (D) general perception that iron structures were not aesthetically pleasing 22 The paragraph following the passage most probably discusses (A) the gradual inclusion of exposed iron in traditional styles of architecture (B) further improvements in iron processing methods (C) the return to traditional building materials for use in commercial structures (D) the decreased use of stone and timber as a building material

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ANSWER KEY

11.     D 12.    C 13.    D 14.    C 15.    B 16.    C 17.    A 18.    B 19.    A 20.   B 21.    D 22.   A