READING COMPREHENSION TOEFL TEST 2021

Questions 1-8 , ,
, 1
1
The tiniest bird in the world is the male bee hummingbird, Because it is �' small, it is often
mistaken for a bee or some other type of insect of that size.
As a hummingbird, it is able to flap its wings extremely quickly, up to eighty times per
second. Line With this really fast wing speed, the bee hummingbird can hover like a helicopter, fly
forward, fly (5) backward, or even flv upside down.
I. What is the topic of this passage' 5. In line 3, to "flap" wings is to
(A) The bee (A) hold them still
(B) One type of hummingbird (B) stretch them
(C) How fast hummingbirds out (C) fold them
flv (D) How helicopters flv (D) move them up and down

2. The word "tiniest" in line I is closest 6. According to the passage, how fast can a
in meaning to bee hummingbird flap its wings?
(A) fastest (A) A hundred times each second
(B) most dangerous (B) Eightv times per minute
(C) noisiest (C) Eighty times each
(D) smallest second (D) Eight times in a
second
3. lt can be inferred from the passage that
the female bee hummingbird 7. In line 4, to "hover" is to
(A) isreallvabee (A) fly forward quickly
(B) does not exist (B) land
(C) is larger than the male (C) stay in place in the air
(D) eats insects (D) use fuel

4. According to the passage, when people see 8. The passage indicates that a bee
a male bee hummingbird, they often hummingbird can do all of the following
incorrectly think it is EXCEPT
(A) a bird (A) hover
(B) an insect (B) fly backward
(C) a bat (C) fly in an inverted position
( D) a helicopter (D) fly a helicopter· ·

1
 Questions 9-18

One mystery about elephants that seems to have been solved is how elephants communicate
with each other. Humans have heard a whole variety of sounds coming from elephants, but these
sounds are not the onlv wav that elephants communicate.
Line A new explanation about elephant communication is being proposed. Elephants vibrate the air
(5) in their trunks and foreheads. The sound that is created during this vibration has an extremely
low pitch; the pitch, in fact, is so low that humans cannot hear it. However. it seems that other
elephants can and do hear and understand these low rumblings.
9. The passage mainly discusses 13. The word "way" in line 3 could best
(AJ the answer to a question about how be replaced bv
elephants communicate (A) direction
(B) how elephants vibrate the air in their (B) method
trunks (Cl path
(C) communication between animals and (DJ road
humans
(D) the sounds that elephants make 14. Where do elephants vibrate air?

10. A "mystery" in line l is (A) In their throats

(B) In their trunks
(A) a speech (C) In their mouths
(B) something unknown (DJ In their ears
(C) a funnv story
(D) a detective 15. The word "pitch" in line 6 is closest
in meaning to which of the following?
11. According to the passage. people
(AJ Meaning
(A) cannot hear anv elephant sounds (Bl Voice
(B) are not interested in elephant sounds (C) Height
(C) hear only one elephant sound (D) Sound
(D) can hear· numerous elephant sounds
16. Which of the following is NOT true
12. It can be inferred from the passage that the about the extremelv low sound created by
elephant sounds that humans hear are elephants?
(A) one of the wavs that elephants (A) Human" cannot understand it.\(
communicate (BJ Humans hear it.
(B) not part of elephant communication (CJ Elephants hear it.
(C) how elephants communicate with (D) Elephants understand it.
humans
(D) the only sounds that elephants make
 I 7. The word "rumblings" in line 7 is closest 18. Where in the passage does the author
in meaning to describe the sound that elephants create
(A) words in their trunks and foreheads?
(B) ears (A)Lines 1-2
(C) vibrations (B)Lines 2-3
(D) melodies (C)Line 4
(D) Lines 5-6

3
 Questions 19-28

George Gershwin grew up in New York City, and he first made his living playing popular music
on the piano in "Tin Pan Alley," the music publishing district of New York. It was there that he
developed a strong feel for the popular music of the time that served as a basis for the popular
line songs that he composed.
(5) In addition to his love (!f popular songs, he enjoyed jazz and believed that jazz was the primary
source of truly American folk music. Jazz had, prior lo Gershwin's time, been performed by small
jazz bands and soloists, but Gershwin believ ed that jazz could serve as the basis for serious
symphonic works. Gershwin became the link between jazz and serious classical ·�usic with such
works as his jazz concerto Rhapsody in Blue and the jazz-inspired orchestral piece An American in
(10) Paris.

19. The passage mainly discusses 23. Gershwin believed that jazz
(A) George Gershwin's popular music (A) was real American traditional music
(B) Tin Pan Allev (B) should onlv be plaved in small
(C) American jazz bands (Cl was not serious music
(D) the variety of music bv Gershwin (D) was not as enjoyable as popular music

20. The word "made" in line l could best be 24. The word "primary" in line 5 is closest in
replaced by meaning to
(A) constructed (A) main
(B) earned (B) only
(C) worked (C) first
(D) built (D) unknown

21. According to the passage, Tin Pan Allev is 25. The expression "prior to" in line 6 is
(A) a piano shop closest in meaning to
(B) a music studio (A) during
(C) an area in New York (B) after
City ( C) m
(D) a street where Gershwin lived (DJ before

22. Which of the following is NOT true

about George Gershwin's relationship
with popular music? ·
(A) He played popular music on the ,/
piano.
(B) Popular music was the foundation of
some of his songs. ,,
(C) He wrote some popular songs.
(D) Popular music was the only type of.
music that he enjoyed.

4
 26. It can be inferred from the passage that
Gershwin
(A) wrote the firstjazz music
(B) wrote jazz music for larger-groups
(C) did not like writing jazz music
(D) wrote only for small jazz bands

27. The word "link" in line 8 is closest in meaning to

(A) divider
(B) separation
(C) judge
(D) connection
28. Where in the passage does the author mention the names of some of Gershwin's works?
(A) Lines 1-2 (B) Lines 2-4 (C) Lines 5-6 (D) Lines 8-10