TOEFL Reading Review Exercise Skill 1-3

The main idea of this passage is that

• numerous whale fossils have been found in the world's oceans

• there is evidence that whales may have descended from land mammals

• whales are mammals and not fish

• whales have not evolved very much over the last millions of years

All of the following are true about whales, except that

• they are mammals

• they live in the ocean

• they are fish

• they may have come from the land

Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the whale fossils in the passage?

• They were found in Egypt

• They support the theory that whales came from land

• They are forty million years old

• They showed that ancient whales had flippers

Which of the following was NOT mentioned in the list of whale fossils found in Egypt?

• A whale's kneecap

• A whale's ankle

• A whale's footbones

• A whale's fingers

According to the hypothesis in the passage, what happened to whales' legs?

• They got stronger over time

• They got larger over time

• They disappeared quickly

• They became front flippers

Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

• Where Desert Tundra Is Found

• The Weather in the Arctic

• The Effect of Desert Tundra on Plant Life

• The Variety of Plant Life in Desert Tundra

According to the passage, desert tundra is found

• throughout North America, Europe, and Asia

• in Antarctica

• on the Arctic borders of the northern continents

• at the North Pole

According to the passage, what makes plant life almost impossible in areas of desert tundra during most of the year?

• Excessive water on the plants

• The frozen state of the water

• The increase in temperature

• The lack of ice

According to the passage, which of the following does NOT happen when the weather heats up?

• Plants grow well

• The ice melts

• There is not enough drainage

• There is too much water

According to the passage, why is it impossible for the water to drain after it melts?

• The land beneath the surface is still frozen

• The temperature is too high

• The period of time is too short

• The vegetation is flourishing