Toefl Reading Questions Types

Vocabulary in context: Dotting the marshy expanse of the Florida Everglades are little islands known locally as hummocks

• generally

• to all

• in that area

• occasionally

Vocabulary in context: It is not possible for people to recall everything that they have thought, felt or done

• remember

• appreciate

• repeat

• discuss

Vocabulary in context: 1. According to the statement is the word "elite" an "example, contrast, restatement or general knowledge"? 2. What part of the text tells you that? 3. What is the meaning of "elite"? The soldier was a member of an elite of special forces who had been highly trained just for such international emergencies.

Reference Question: As much as highways make life convenient for those living in urban areas, people sometimes find it easy to overlook the negative impact they can have on plant life. One unfortunate effect of highways is that the seeds of plants can get caught in the treads of the tires of passing cars, which can then carry these seeds to new environments. Once moved to these new locations, they can fall out of the tires and take root, becoming what is called and invasive species. If this invasive species reproduces quickly and competes with native plants for resources, it can cause death to native species.

1. 1. The word "those" refers to.....................

• plants

• highways

• areas

• people

Lead Word: The external shell has other advantages. One is that because it has far more surface area than the internal skeleton found in vertebrates, it provides more points at which muscles can be attached. This increased number of muscles permits many arthropods to be stronger and more agile for their body size than birds or mammals. 1. Why is the large surface area of the exoskeleton and advantage?

• More water can be retained

• More detailed coloration and markings are possible

• It can accommodate a long period of growth

• Many muscles can be attached

Detail Question: According to the passage, Antartica is considered a desert because...

• Moisture does not soak into the ground

• Blizzards move snow and ice away from the surface

• There is very little precipitation

• It is inhospitable to vegetation and plant life

Paraphrase Question: In an effort to resolve these apparent contradictions, scientists developed a fourth hypothesis for the origin of the Moon, one that involves a giant impact early in Earth’s history. There is increasing evidence that large chunks of material—objects of essentially planetary mass—were orbiting in the inner solar system at the time that the terrestrial planets formed. The giant impact hypothesis envisions Earth being struck obliquely by an object approximately one-tenth Earth’s mass—a “bullet” about the size of Mars. This is very nearly the largest impact Earth could experience without being Shattered. 1. Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in paragraph 1?

• Objects of planetary mass usually orbit the inner solar system

• More and more evidence exists that indicates that big objects orbited the inner solar system when the terrestrial planets were created

• There is more evidence to suggest that the terrestrial planets were formed in the inner solar system

• The terrestrial planets formed when they were orbiting the inner solar system

Sentence insertion:
[■][1] In contrast, the European colonists who intruded on this harmonious world often viewed it as alien and menacing; some called it, in the language of the Bible, a "howling wilderness." [■][2] The newcomers to America brought with them agricultural practices and preconceptions about nature based on their experiences in England. [■][3] They saw uncultivated lands as "wastes" that needed to be "broken," "dressed," and "improved." In New England, transplanted English settlers attempted to subdue what they considered a fearsome wilderness by mapping the countryside, draining marshlands, clearing pastures, fencing particular parcels, and planting wheat and other familiar crops. [■][4] Within twenty years of the initial Puritan settlement, Edward Johnson boasted of the newcomers' achievements: "This remote, rocky, barren, bushy, wild-woody wilderness, a receptacle for lions, wolves, bears, foxes, raccoons…, beavers, otters, and all kind of wild creatures, a place that never afforded the Natives better than the flesh of a few wild creatures and parched Indian corn inched out with chestnuts and bitter acorns, now through the mercy of Christ [has] become a second England for fertility in so short a space, that it is indeed the wonder of the world." Sentence to Insert:
"In time, their efforts to transform the new countryside and make it more productive succeeded."

• Space #1

• Space #2

• Space # 3

• Space #4

Negative Factual Question:

"...However, social media has its benefits too. When used appropriately it serves as a source of entertainment, communication, meeting new people, a natural source of news, and educational material. Besides social networking sites also have become popular forums for social causes and marketing.

This is a critical observation that one has to make when discussing the role of social media on the mental health of individuals. Even if some people may offend or negatively affect someone else in a day, there are probably people who use social media in a good and constructive manner. Thus, one needs to be exceptionally careful and protect himself/herself from the negative impacts of SM, recognizing the fact that everything in moderation, including the use of social media is good."

1. 1. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a benefit of social media? 

• Connecting with friends and family 

• Staying informed about current events 

• Improving physical health 

• Accessing educational resources

Inference Question:

The following is an excerpt from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813):

“There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense.” 

Based on the passage above, we can infer that the speaker __________.

• is highly critical of others

• has many close friends

• has low self-esteem

• is an accurate judge of character

• is frequently wrong about people