Copyright © 2017 Kathy Spratt

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 Table of Contents
Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1: Vocabulary Questions

Chapter 2: Detail Questions and Negative Detail Questions

Chapter 3: Inference Questions and Reference Questions

Chapter 4: Purpose Questions

Chapter 5: Sentence Insertion Questions

Chapter 6: Paraphrase Questions

Chapter 7: Summary and Chart Questions

Chapter 8: Final Test

 Acknowledgements
Special thanks to my mother Patricia for the amazing support with this
project.

To my husband Adam for his continual support.

Thanks also to my editor Caityln McFarland.

 Introduction
Welcome to House of TOEFL’s book on the Reading section. I’m glad
you’re here. It means you’re serious about getting a good score on the
TOEFL and you’re ready to work.

I would like to introduce myself. My name is Kathy and I am a TOEFL

teacher who has been teaching TOEFL since 2010. I’ve written tests for
TOEFL books and helped hundreds of students reach their goals.

A lot of TOEFL books offer tips and suggestions and different ways of
approaching questions. What makes this book different? Well, I’ve combined
my knowledge from many sources and years of experience and have put it all
into one easy-to-read book! Not only that, but I’m going to tell you about the
traps used on the TOEFL—traps that are not mentioned in most TOEFL
preparation books. You will get LOTS of practice as you read. This will leave
you much better prepared to tackle the Reading section.

This book assumes you already have basic knowledge of the TOEFL, such as
how to register, what I.D. to bring to the test site, and so on. I won’t bore you
with all that information. You can find the most up-to-date information on
those topics at www.ets.org/toefl. The purpose of this book is to teach you
strategies on how to answer each question type that are straightforward,
direct, and simple. With these strategies, you will be prepared and confident
to take the Reading section. The TOEFL is a costly, stressful test. I want to
help you get your goal score so you can move on with your life. So let’s talk
TOEFL.
The Reading section comes first on the TOEFL test. As I’ve said, I’m not
going to bore you with excessive details about how the TOEFL is formatted,
but a quick review is probably a good idea.

The TOEFL Reading section has 3 or 4 reading passages. If you have three
reading passages, you have an hour to complete the reading section. If you
have four, you have eighty minutes. You’re given this time limit in TOTAL
—which means if you’re done one passage quickly, you have more time for
the next passage. As you can see, this divides up to twenty minutes per
passage. You must be very careful not to go over the 20 minutes. The most
common mistake students make is when they take too much time on the first
and second reading passages and do not have enough time to finish the third.
Obviously, this impacts their score in a big way! Now, if you’re given four
reading passages, there is good news and bad news. The bad news is that they
are not going to score one of those passages. They’re putting it on the test to
try out new testing material. The good news is that if you have a longer
reading section, you will have a shorter listening section.

One more word of caution: if you get four reading passages, do not try to
guess which reading passage will not be scored. Do your best on all four.

Each reading passage has 12-14 questions. Most questions are worth one
point. The summary question at the end is worth 2 points, and chart questions
are worth 3-4 points. If any question is worth more than one point, it will be
indicated in the directions. READ ALL DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY. The
best score you can get on the reading section is 30.

One thing that is very important for you to understand before you take the
TOEFL: a lot of students worry that they aren’t experts or don’t have degrees
in the subjects on the test. These subjects can range from psychology, history,
art, archaeology, astronomy, biology, biographies, and so on. But this is a
language test, and only a language test. As such, all the information you
need to answer the questions will be given to you in the passage.

There is another thing to keep in mind about the subjects of the reading
passages. Some students say that they are not interested in certain topics, or
that they are better at topics closely related to their field of study. Please note
that the topics of the passages should not matter to you. Do your best, no
matter what. Focus on attacking the questions, not the subject matter of the
passage. Even if you have no interest in the subject, treat it like a puzzle you
need to solve.

In the Reading section, you can go back to previous questions. You can’t do
that in the other sections of the TOEFL. However, I believe that you should
not go back unless you see new information that makes you realize you got a
previous question wrong. Students who second guess themselves often
choose the correct answer first and then change their answer to an incorrect
answer. Only change a previous answer if you are sure you got it wrong the
first time. If you’re sure you made a mistake, click on the REVIEW button at
the top of the screen. This will allow you to see the questions you have
answered and go back to any question by clicking on it.

Managing Your Time

You have probably already done the math in your head and realized twenty
minutes per reading passage is not a long time. You’re correct about that! I’ll
tell you something that might surprise you: I do not want you to read the
passage before you start the questions.
You will end up realizing you did read the entire passage by the time you
finish. But what I do not want you to do is waste time reading the passage
carefully while the clock is ticking before you start answering questions. You
do not have time to do this! Go straight to the questions. You have to scroll to
the end of the passage and back up before you can see the first question—
that’s fine—do it. The TOEFL is not designed to see if you have digested all
the information and have learned the information for the future—it is
designed to see if you can answer questions quickly and accurately.
Chapter 1
 Vocabulary Questions
We are going to start with vocabulary questions. This is the longest chapter
in the book because I believe that building vocabulary is the #1 thing you
can do to improve your reading score.

Vocabulary is very, very important on the TOEFL, and is tested in many

ways. In fact, every question in the reading passage requires you to use
vocabulary. The best strategy is to have a large English vocabulary before
you take the TOEFL. In this book, I am going to use academic vocabulary
just like the TOEFL. If you do not know a word, look it up in your dictionary.
Practice new words often. Studies show you need to use a new word seven
times before you remember it! Flashcards are also a great idea, as is a word
journal. Every time you learn a new word, write it down with its definition.
At the end of the week, review the words you learned that week. Do this
every week, always starting from the beginning of the journal. You will be
amazed how quickly your vocabulary expands. If you think vocabulary isn’t
crucial, remember this expression: Without good grammar, communication is
difficult. Without vocabulary, it’s impossible.

During the test, there are certain question types you should not spend a lot of
time on, and vocabulary questions are one of them. There are much more
complex questions on the TOEFL reading section which will require time and
careful consideration.

Vocabulary questions are easy to identify. The question will look like this,
with a word highlighted in gray:
Climbing a mountain is an arduous task.

The word arduous is closest in meaning to

difficult

amusing

distracting

exciting

On the TOEFL, choose the word you think is the closest synonym to the highlighted word
AND makes sense in the context. In this example, the first answer, “difficult,” is correct.

Here is another example. When you have made your decision during the real
TOEFL test, click on the oval next to your answer choice. It will darken.
Then click on the “Next” button to move to the next question. If you are
familiar with the highlighted word and recognize the answer right away,
choose it and move on quickly.

The computer has had a huge impact on society. It has changed the way that
we communicate with each other.

The word impact is closest in meaning to:

influence

collision

reaction

immersion
I hope you picked the first word—“influence.” I want to show you something else here.
The word “impact” can mean “collision” in certain contexts. So, make sure that your word
is not only a synonym. Make sure it has the correct meaning for the context. ALWAYS
look back at the sentence that has the vocabulary word and read the sentence
CAREFULLY. The TOEFL sometimes uses words that are synonyms but do not make
sense in the original context. Do not fall for this trap.

Many words you won’t know, but sometimes you get lucky with an easier
one. Here is a simple example:

It is crucial that managers ensure that their goals are obtainable before they
embark on costly projects.

The word obtainable is closest in meaning to

challenging

manageable

ostensible

acceptable

I hope you picked the second word: “manageable.” It is the closest synonym to obtainable
and makes sense in the context. I want to point out another trap here. The word
“ostensible” looks like the word “obtainable.” However, ostensible is a very different word.
If you don’t know what it means, look it up before you continue. (Get in the habit of
looking up words you don’t know!) This is another common TOEFL trap. The TOEFL will
use answer choices that appear similar to the vocabulary word but are not related. Don’t be
fooled!
Now let’s move on to more challenging material. Of course, if you are
familiar with the highlighted word, simply pick the closest synonym, double
check that it makes sense in the context, and move on. You need to have
strategies for what you will do if you have never seen the word before. I am
going to teach you how to use clues around the word choose the correct
answer. Note that these strategies will not only help you in the TOEFL, but
will help you when you read other materials as well. They can be used
throughout your life.

Strategy #1: Use examples given to deduce

the meaning of the word
Sometimes the TOEFL will give you examples near a vocabulary word. You
can use these examples to get the correct answer.

Let’s look at this example:

Some instances of metamorphoses in the animal kingdom have fascinated

biologists because they are so astonishing. A caterpillar that emerges from its
cocoon as a butterfly or a tadpole swimming in shallow water that slowly
makes its way onto land as a frog illustrate this remarkable feat.

The word metamorphoses is closest in meaning to

adaptations

arrangements

transformations
 selections

The third answer is correct. We are given two examples here—caterpillars that become
butterflies and tadpoles that become frogs. Even if you aren’t familiar with the definition of
“metamorphoses,” you can imagine from the context that a caterpillar becoming a butterfly
and a tadpole becoming a frog are changes. Now you can look for a synonym for the word
you know. Another word for “changes” is “transformations.”

Here is another example:

A number of deities were worshiped by the ancient Greeks. Zeus was the
most powerful and ruled the sky, Poseidon was the ruler of the sea, and
Aphrodite was the ruler of love and procreation.

The word deities in the passage is closest in meaning to

relatives

ancestors

gods

creatures

The correct answer is the third answer—“gods.” You were given three examples: Zeus,
Poseidon, and Aphrodite. If you know a little about Greek mythology, you know that these
three figures were gods in Ancient Greece. You can use that knowledge to get you to the
correct answer.

Try this one:

Geological and biological occurrences which are momentous are noted on the
geological timescale. These events include the origin of the Earth around 4.5
billion years ago, the origin of life approximately 3.5 billion years ago, and
the appearance of animals about 0.6 billion years ago.

The word momentous in the passage is closest in meaning to

unpredictable

immediate

important

plentiful

The third answer is correct. How do we know? Well, let’s look at the information—the
examples—that follow the sentence with the vocabulary word. The sentence that follows
the vocabulary word talks about the origin of the Earth, the origin of life, and the
appearance of animals. These are important events, aren’t they? That leads us to the correct
answer—“important.”

Moving on:

Many laws are still technically on the books in the United States, but are not
enforced by any authority and seem preposterous in modern society. In
Oklahoma, it is technically illegal to spit on the sidewalk or for men to wear
their boots to bed.

The word preposterous is closest in meaning to:

strict
 ridiculous

intense

appropriate

The second answer is correct. The examples are the laws. Doesn’t it seem ridiculous that
it’s illegal to spit on the sidewalk, or for men to wear boots to bed? That seems “ridiculous”
to me, the correct answer.

Strategy #2: Use transition words which

show contrast to deduce meaning
In this strategy, you will look for words like although, however, on the
other hand, but, in contrast, yet, despite, in spite of, while, nevertheless,
nonetheless, and so on. These transition words show that unexpected or
opposing information will be included in the sentence, and we can use these
words to deduce the meaning of our vocabulary word.

Let’s look at some examples to clarify this point:

Harry Houdini made his living stunning his audiences with magic tricks, yet
was dubious about the actual existence of the supernatural world.

The word dubious is closest in meaning to

hopeful

doubtful

confident
 disinterested

The answer is the second choice, “doubtful.” The word yet shows us there is a contrast. The
fact that Houdini made his living with magic is in contrast with his doubt about the
supernatural world.

Here is another example:

In the city of Rome, contemporary buildings stand in contrast with ancient

feats of architecture.

The word contemporary is closest in meaning to

remodeled

attractive

temporary

modern

The fourth answer is correct. The reading says that contemporary buildings stand in
contrast with ancient architecture. We can deduce that “contemporary” must mean the
opposite of “ancient.” Therefore, the correct answer is “modern,” the opposite of ancient.

Here is another example:

Although there is a universal fear of snakes, the majority of snakes are

benign.

The word benign is closest in meaning to

 agile

aggressive

harmless

venomous

The third answer is correct. This example starts with the word although, so we know that
there will be information which goes against our expectations. It mentions “a universal fear
of snakes.” Therefore, we would expect snakes to be venomous (poisonous) or aggressive.
However, because of the word although, we know our expectations will be contradicted.
Therefore, “benign” must mean the opposite of venomous and aggressive. Thus, the answer
is “harmless.”

Try this next:

Many studios thought the movie Star Wars would be a failure, but it turned
out to be one of the most lucrative films ever made.

The word lucrative is closest in meaning to:

productive

sufficient

profitable

fascinating

The third answer is correct. Here, our clue is the word but. We know the word but comes
before opposing information. The passage says “Many studios thought the movie Star
Wars would be a failure.” The success of movies is based on their profits, so the opposing
information is that Star Wars was successful, or “profitable.”

Moving on:

Appendicitis is characterized by acute pain in the abdominal region.

Nonetheless, many patients wait for hours or even days before they seek
medical help.

The word acute is closest in meaning to

dull

sharp

mild

occasional

The second answer is correct. Our clue is the word Nonetheless. We know it must be
unexpected for patients to wait hours or days to seek help. Therefore, we know the pain
isn’t likely to be “dull,” “mild,” or “occasional.” All that’s left is “sharp,” the correct
answer.

Here is another example:

Despite the fact that a lot of research shows that eyewitness testimony tends
to be full of errors, most members of a jury in a court of law believe it is one
of the most legitimate types of evidence.

The word legitimate is closest in meaning to:

 interesting

shocking

descriptive

authentic

The fourth answer is correct. The word despite tells us to expect a contrast. The reading
says “eyewitness testimony tends to be full of errors.” Something can be full of errors and
still be “interesting,” “shocking,” or “descriptive.” However, it cannot be “authentic.”

Let’s try one more before we move on:

Fluids resist the motion of objects that move through them. Water has a low
resistance to motion and flows easily, while molasses is viscous.

The word viscous is closest in meaning to

tasty

thick

solvent

acidic

The second answer is correct. The clue here is the word while, which, in this context,
shows contrast. Water has a low resistance to motion and flows easily. Molasses is viscous.
Molasses must be the opposite of something that flows easily. That leads us to the answer:
“thick.”
 Strategy #3: Use your common sense and
knowledge of the world.
Okay, you’re doing great so far. Let’s move on to another strategy for
answering questions. This strategy involves using your logic, common sense,
and knowledge of the world. Let’s look at some simple examples:

The burning of fossil fuels causes toxic gasses to enter the atmosphere.

The word toxic is closest in meaning to

aromatic

poisonous

stale

pungent

The correct answer is the second answer. You’ve probably heard of fossil fuels. You know
that burning them releases gases that are “poisonous.” Your knowledge of the world has
provided you with the answer.

Here is another example:

Teenagers often go through a stage where they defy their parents and other
authority figures.

The word defy is closest in meaning to

honor
 reprimand

disobey

ridicule

The third answer is correct. We know teenagers often “disobey” their parents. This is
common knowledge.

Let’s try another:

Swimming as a form of exercise is endorsed by medical authorities because it

provides both cardiovascular exercise and resistance training.

The word endorsed is closest in meaning to

examined

supported

discussed

enjoyed

The correct answer is the second answer. Our common sense tells us medical authorities
would “support” swimming as a form of exercise.

Here is another example:

Experts believe that family dynamics have an indelible impact on a child’s

personality development. Events that occur when a child is very young can
result in anxiety, depression, and even addiction when the child reaches
adulthood.

The word indelible is closest in meaning to

indescribable

incidental

unfortunate

permanent

The fourth answer is correct. As we know, a child’s family has a “permanent” impact on a
child’s personality development.

Try another example:

One aspect of the stock market that causes many potential investors to shy
away from investing is the fact that stocks fluctuate so much from one year to
the next and even from one day to the next.

The word fluctuate is closest in meaning to

remain stable

continue to decline

rise and fall

steadily appreciate

The correct answer is the third answer, “rise and fall.” If we use our common sense, we
will realize that aspect would make investors shy away from investing! We can also use
our knowledge about the world to note that stocks tend to rise and fall.

Consider this example:

Neanderthals were capable of sophisticated tasks that we typically associate

with modern humans. Fossilized pollen at Neanderthal burial sites suggests
that they even buried their dead with flowers, and other fossil remains
indicate that they tended to the wounds of the injured.

The word sophisticated is closest in meaning to

impressive

creative

sensible

complex

The fourth answer is correct. Here, we look at the context and use our knowledge about the
world and our common sense. We know that modern humans are capable of very
“complex” tasks, the correct answer.

Let’s try another:

Galileo was not the first to postulate that the Earth revolved around the sun,
and not the other way around. Nicolaus Copernicus was the first to publish
the theory, but he died before he was able to prove it.

The word postulate is closest in meaning to

hypothesize
 dream

decide

promote

The first answer is correct. How do we know? We have to use what we know about the
world. We know that Galileo had the idea—the hypothesis—that the Earth revolved around
the sun. If we know the word hypothesis, we can use it to guess the correct answer-
“hypothesize” which is the verb form of hypothesis.

Try another example:

The relentless pounding of waves erodes the shoreline over time, causing
interesting coastal features such as cliffs, platforms, and sea arches. The
impact of waves along the shorelines during storms is stronger, when waves
crash onto shore with a lot of energy.

The word erodes is closest in meaning to

destroys

builds up

wears down

covers up

The correct answer is the third answer, “wears down.” Our knowledge and our common
sense about what happens over time when waves impact the shoreline leads us to the
correct answer.
Here is another one:

Approximately 108 million years ago, an asteroid hit the moon, excavating a
crater that is now 85 kilometers wide and almost five kilometers deep. This
crater is called Tycho, after the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe. The crater is
so prominent it can be seen from Earth with binoculars.

The word excavating is closest in meaning to

destroying

adding to

expanding

digging

The fourth answer is correct. Hopefully, you know what an asteroid is, and you can use
logic to imagine what happens when one hits the moon. Another clue is the word crater,
which you might know is a depression on the surface of a planet. We also know from the
passage that the crater is very deep. So it makes the most sense that the correct answer is
“digging.”

I want you to be aware that sometimes the TOEFL will ask you the
meaning of a phrase, not of just one individual word. Use the same
strategies. For example:

The rubber tree is considered very important economically because of the

milky latex that is extracted from the tree in a process called rubber tapping.
An incision is made in the bark of the tree through the tree’s latex vessels
from which the product then flows out.
The phrase extracted from is closest in meaning to

taken out of

produced by

discovered within

consumed from

The first answer is correct. In this question, think about how a resource is obtained from a
tree. It is “taken out of,” the correct answer.

Here is another example:

All birds have feathers. These complex appendages are peculiar to birds.
Among the most remarkable feathers are those of the peacock. Peacocks have
beautiful iridescent blue and green feathers, which they fan out when
potential mates are nearby as part of a courtship ritual.

The phrase peculiar to is closest in meaning to

related to

unique to

applied to

associated with

The second answer is correct. As we know, feathers are “unique to” birds. No other
animals have feathers.
 Strategy #4: Use the broader context
Sometimes, none of these strategies will work. You won’t have any
knowledge about the subject, and they won’t give you examples or transition
word clues. However, you can still use the broader context to deduce
meaning. You can act like a detective looking for clues. Let’s analyze some
examples:

Plants have developed remarkable adaptations for surviving in arid climates.

In some plants, the leaves and stems are covered in a protective thick, waxy
covering. This waxy substance keeps the plant cool and reduces water loss
that can occur through evaporation.

The word arid is closest in meaning to

tropical

contaminated

dry

damp

The third answer is correct. The passage mentions that “plants use a waxy substance to
prevent water loss.” If a plant is trying to prevent water loss, the climate must be dry, and
the answer must be “dry,” as well.

Here’s another:

Black ice is a thin coating of glaze ice on a surface, especially on the surface
of roads. The ice itself is not black, but transparent, so it is invisible to
drivers. Because black ice cannot be seen, it creates adverse driving
conditions and drivers should take extra care to avoid it.

The word adverse is closest in meaning to

advantageous

unfavorable

reversible

unclear

The second answer is correct. Based on the passage, driving on black ice would create
“unfavorable” driving conditions.

Next example:

Along a mountainous slope, the abrupt transition from a forested area to

treeless tundra is often striking. In just a few dozen meters, the trees
disappear entirely and are replaced by grasses, shrubbery, and different types
of herbs.

The word striking is closest in meaning to

dramatic

alarming

gradual

scattered
The first answer is correct. The passage says, “In just a few dozen meters, the trees
disappear entirely.” If trees in a forested area were to quickly disappear and be replaced by
grass, shrubs, and herbs, that would be a major change, right? That leads us to the correct
answer, “dramatic” which we use to express that something is a major change.

Here is another:

Carnivorous plants grow in places where the soil lacks nutrients, such as bogs
or rocky areas. They must get their nutrients by capturing and digesting
animals, mostly insects that are unlucky enough to land on one and become
trapped. One example is the pitcher plant, which entices insects into its rolled
leaf cavities with the lure of bright pigments and nectar at the bottom of a
deep, inescapable pit.

The word entices is closest in meaning to

eludes

inhales

attracts

propels

The third answer is correct. From the context, you can infer that this is a type of plant that
“attracts” insects to it. We also see the word “lure” which is a synonym of “attract,” as
well.

Let’s try this one:

Western European Salt Grass is an invasive species that grows along river
banks. Its root system grows deeply and quickly when it is near water. This
encroachment causes death to other species, which have to withstand
drought-like conditions as the salt grass absorbs a great deal of the water
which they also need to survive.

The word encroachment is closest in meaning to

destruction

interruption

encounter

invasion

The fourth answer is correct. Look at the broader context. We see this is an “invasive
species.” We also see that this grass absorbs water other plants need to survive. Therefore,
this is an “invasion,” the correct answer.

Another example:

On April 1, 1946, a tsunami hit the coast of Hilo, Hawaii, without warning.
The waves were as high as 35 feet in some places. 96 people were killed by
the massive waves. This sudden, unexpected event caused a public outcry on
the island and a demand for more safety measures to protect the local
population. A warning system that includes tsunami sirens which are tested
monthly was put in place in 1948 to help avert a similar disaster.

The word avert is closest in meaning to

avoid
 confirm

predict

reverse

The first answer is correct. The context tells us that something that is to “protect the local
population” would be in order to “avoid” a similar disaster.

Try this one:

The hippopotamus has a fearsome reputation in Africa. This enormous

herbivore is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa in lakes, rivers, and
swamps. It is exceedingly aggressive, especially when defending its territory.
Males have been known to overturn boats full of humans and impale people
on their incisor teeth. In fact, the hippo is responsible for more human
fatalities in Africa than any other mammal.

The word exceedingly in the passage is closest in meaning to

occasionally

constantly

surprisingly

highly

The fourth answer is correct. This example has several hints. It talks about the behavior of
the hippopotamus—that it capsizes boats and kills people. So whatever word comes before
“aggressive” must intensify it (make it stronger). Therefore, the answer is “highly.”
Try another:

The Kailasanatha Temple is a Hindu temple carved out of natural

outcropping rock located in Ellora, India. It dates back to the 8th Century.
This majestic temple stands in a court 276 feet long and 154 feet wide, with a
tower 96 feet high. It was carved out of a mountain and has the appearance of
an enormous sculpture, with depictions of lions and elephants, as well as
reliefs of Shiva, one of the principle gods of Hinduism. Due to its size and the
variety of distinct sculptural and architectural styles, its construction may
have spanned the reigns of several kings.

The word majestic in the passage is closest in meaning to

grand

charming

memorable

magical

The first answer is correct. Based on the description of the temple, especially its size, this
must be a “grand” temple.

Try this example:

Rice writing is an art in which a technical pen and waterproof ink are used to
write letters on a grain of rice. Rice writing began in Turkey when artisans
who were adept at creating miniature paintings decided to turn this skill into
an art and write on grains of rice, as rice was a symbol of prosperity and good
fortune. Artisans would inscribe messages or names of people on the flat
surface of a single grain of rice. Rice writers must write meticulously as this
art form is done on such a small surface, and permanent errors can occur with
a tiny slip of the pen.

The word meticulously in the paragraph is closest in meaning to

swiftly

noticeably

properly

carefully

The fourth answer is correct. If you look at the broad context, you can infer that this is an
art form that must be done “carefully.” One hint is that the context says that “errors can
occur with a tiny slip of the pen.”

Here is another example:

The Orteig Prize was a reward of $25,000 offered by hotel owner Raymond
Orteig to the first aviator to fly non-stop from New York to Paris. Six men
died in three separate crashes, and another three were injured in a fourth crash
while attempting to make the crossing. In 1927, Charles Lindberg
successfully completed the perilous journey in his aircraft Spirit of St. Louis.

The word perilous is closest in meaning to

prosperous

promising

dangerous
 wondrous

The third answer is correct. By looking at the context, we know that six men died and three
were injured. Therefore, this must have been a “dangerous” journey.

Here is another example:

Chess is such a challenging board game that only one in a hundred people
become master players. One reason for this is because there is an almost
infinite number of possible moves and positions on the board. Careful focus
during a game is of the essence in order to beat a skilled opponent.

The phrase of the essence is closest in meaning to

appropriate

paramount

difficult

possible

The second answer is correct. Since the context tells us chess is a challenging board game,
careful focus must be “paramount.”

Try this example:

Chimpanzees have evolved different cultural practices depending on their

environment, and pass on their culture as learned behavior. Chimpanzees
have exhibited as many as 32 learned behaviors, such as feeding, grooming,
rearing offspring, and making tools. The study of chimpanzee behavior has
offered insights into not only chimpanzee culture, but into human culture as
well.

The phrase insights into is closest in meaning to

evidence of

a viewpoint of

an understanding of

opportunities for

The third answer is correct. In this context, we see examples of behaviors that are also
common to humans. Therefore, the study of chimpanzees must offer us “an understanding
of” human culture.

Let’s try another, this one with two questions:

Pacific Islanders were skilled navigators who were able to sail against strong
winds and currents using the stars to guide them. These intrepid explorers set
out on double-hulled canoes with no guarantee that they would eventually
find land. The ones who ultimately arrived on the islands almost certainly
came from Southeast Asia, according to the most respected hypothesis. The
overwhelming evidence for this hypothesis comes not only from
anthropology but also from linguistics and archaeology.

The word intrepid in the passage is closest in meaning to

inspiring

brave
 reckless

intelligent

The second answer is correct. If we look at the entire context, we can see they sailed
against strong winds and currents, used the stars to guide them, and sailed with no
guarantee of their own safety. All these clues lead us to the correct answer, “brave.”

Next question, from the same passage:

The word overwhelming in the passage is closest in meaning to

specific

fascinating

surprising

powerful

The fourth answer is correct. The paragraph says that there is overwhelming evidence for
this hypothesis from anthropology, linguistics, and archaeology. Even if we have no
experience in those fields of study, we know they are very different. Therefore, we can
conclude this must be a lot of evidence from disparate (very different) fields. This must be
“powerful” evidence, the correct answer.

Try one that asks you the meaning of an idiom, another possibility in the
TOEFL:

A confirmation bias is a type of cognitive bias that involves favoring

information that confirms previously held beliefs. This bias leads to statistical
errors, errors in judgment, and errors in decision making. It can even affect a
diagnosis in a doctor’s office. A doctor who has already jumped to a
particular hypothesis as to which illness a patient has may then ask questions
and look for evidence that confirms the diagnosis, while overlooking
evidence that would fly in the face of this diagnosis.

The phrase fly in the face of is closest in meaning to

clarify

support

contradict

inform

The correct answer is the third answer. We can use the context to infer that “fly in the face
of” means “contradict.”

Here is another example that uses an idiom:

Ray Kroc, an American businessman, joined McDonald’s in 1954 and turned

it into the most popular fast food chain in the world. By standardizing
franchise development in each McDonald’s location to ensure every
restaurant was uniform, particularly with a speedy assembly line for
hamburger production at each location, Kroc was able to ensure each new
restaurant would hit the ground running.

The phrase hit the ground running is closest in meaning to

begin operating quickly

 succeed immediately

be easy to manage

become profitable

The first answer is correct. “Hit the ground running” means “begin operating quickly.” We
can infer this because since each restaurant is uniform with a speedy assembly line, it
makes sense that they can begin operating quickly.

Of course, there is another possibility:

There may be NO clues, and you may have no idea which answer is correct.

That can happen. As I mentioned in the beginning, the best way to prevent
this is to go into the TOEFL with a large vocabulary. That’s why this
chapter is so long—to teach you a lot of TOEFL words. But if you have
no idea, you will have to take your best guess. Go back to the original
sentence and read it with each of the four answer choices one at a time.
Sometimes, an answer will just sound right. If all else fails, eliminate the
answers that are definitely wrong to increase your chance of getting the right
answer. But do not leave any answers blank. You do not lose a point if you’re
wrong, you just do not get the point. So at least try every question, whether
you’re certain or not. Remember, also, that you do not want to spend very
much time on vocabulary questions. There are other types of questions which
will require more time, such as the summary question. So you must choose an
option quickly and move on.

Final Quiz!
 Part One
Established in Ottawa in 1920, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or “The
Mounties” as they are colloquially called, are a Canadian police force tasked
with enforcing federal laws in Canada. The RCMP is instantly recognizable
even outside of Canada for their distinctive dress uniform of a scarlet tunic,
wide-brimmed brown hat, and dark blue pants with a yellow stripe down the
side. In their early years, the RCMP was assembled to prevent illicit trade in
whiskey from the United States, but now have a breadth of duties such as
investigating organized crime, providing counter-terrorism intelligence,
controlling the drug trade, and providing protection for the Prime Minister
and visiting dignitaries. Currently, they are the only police force in the Yukon
and Northwest Territories, although the most populous provinces also have
provincial police.

The word colloquially in the passage is closest in meaning to

informally

normally

intentionally

sarcastically

The word distinctive is closest in meaning to

formal

glamorous

comfortable
 characteristic

The word illicit in the passage is closest in meaning to

private

commercial

prohibited

approved

The phrase a breadth of duties is closest in meaning to

a manageable number of duties

a variety of duties

very specific duties

a limited number of duties

Answers: “informally,” “characteristic,” “prohibited,” “a variety of duties.”

Part Two
Stephen King is a prolific writer. In fact, he is the author of 54 novels and 6
non-fiction books. King’s first published novel was Carrie. King became so
frustrated while writing this novel that he threw his original draft in the
garbage. His wife retrieved it and encouraged him to keep writing. The book
was a phenomenal success, and King earned over $400,000 from paperback
sales. However, this book was not to be King’s most well-regarded title: that
distinction belongs to his novel, “It,” which despite being one of his most
dense books, is so engrossing that readers usually finish it in a matter of days.

The word prolific in the passage is closest in meaning to

respected

productive

popular

terrific

The word distinction in the passage is closest in meaning to

honor

advantage

capability

discretion

The word dense in the passage is closest in meaning to

compact

delightful

organized

heavy

The word engrossing in the passage is closest in meaning to

shocking
 fascinating

upsetting

progressing

Answers: “productive,” “honor,” “heavy,” “fascinating.”

Part Three
The American aviator Charles A. Lindberg rose to fame when he piloted his
custom built, single-engine plane Spirit of St. Louis on the first nonstop flight
across the Atlantic from New York to Paris in 1927. In 1929, Lindberg, who
was wondering what was next in aviation, came across a newspaper article
about the rocket scientist Robert Goddard. As an advocate of early air travel,
Lindberg set out to meet Goddard and the two began a lifelong friendship.
This relationship was to help sow the seeds of the space program. Goddard
conducted experiments with liquid-fueled rockets, and Lindbergh was
convinced that Goddard’s work might one day help facilitate a trip to the
moon. Lindberg was Goddard’s biggest champion and even convinced the
philanthropist David Guggenheim to grant him a hundred thousand dollars, a
huge sum at the time, to continue his work on missiles. Eventually,
Goddard’s contributions to the military would prove invaluable. He
anticipated the technical details of German’s V-2 missiles including
gyroscopic control and power-driven fuel pumps. During World War II,
Goddard was assigned by the U.S. Navy to develop jet-assisted takeoffs and
liquid-propelled rocket motors. The achievements of Goddard were largely
unrecognized until the dawn of the Space Age, but he has been belatedly and
richly honored by NASA, which named the Goddard Space Flight Center in
Maryland after him.

The word advocate is closest in meaning to

detractor

observer

laborer

supporter

By stating their relationship helped sow the seeds of the space program, the
author means they

sped up the development of the space program

encouraged people to join the space program

donated money to the space program

invented a new space program

The word facilitate is closest in meaning to

simplify

expedite

fabricate

obstruct

The word anticipated is closest in meaning to

participated
 observed

suppressed

predicted

Answers: “supporter,” “sped up the development of the space program,” “expedite,”

“predicted”

Part Four
Edgar Allan Poe, known as “The Father of the Detective Story” was an
American writer, poet, and literary critic. Born in 1809 in Boston, Poe’s first
years were bleak. At two, his mother passed away, and his father abandoned
the family. Poe was taken in by John Allan, a wealthy tobacco merchant who
gave Poe his middle name. In 1826, Poe enrolled at the University of
Virginia, but his gambling losses led to such terrible arguments with John
Allan over money that he ultimately dropped out. After a failed attempt at a
military career, Poe moved in with his aunt and married her daughter, his first
cousin. Poe then accepted a job as a literary critic for the newspaper The
Southern Literary Messenger. At that post, Poe both wrote stories and penned
scathing book reviews. The severity of his reviews earned him the nickname
“the tomahawk man.” After leaving due to a salary dispute, Poe and his
family moved to Richmond, Virginia where Poe took the reins at the
newspaper The Messenger, becoming the chief editor. This position offered
Poe a decent salary, and he began to pursue his goal of publishing his own
work with more vigor. It was during this time that he wrote several short
stories and his only novel, “The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of
Nantucket.”
Poe always wanted to be remembered as a writer and a poet, not an editor,
and he worked hard to that end. He met with some success in 1840 when he
released his book of stories “Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque.” This
book cemented his reputation as an eccentric person, with grotesque imagery
and descriptive leaps into the world of the bizarre. In 1845 Poe achieved
instant success and recognition with his poem “The Raven.” However, after
the death of his wife two years later, Poe struggled with both his health and
finances. Poe’s death was the most mysterious part of his life. On his way to
Philadelphia from Virginia, Poe disappeared. He was found in Baltimore
several days later. His condition was alarming. He was intoxicated and
disheveled, dressed in dirty clothes that were much too big for him. Poe was
never coherent long enough to explain how he had ended up in this dire
condition. He collapsed and was carried to the hospital where he died soon
after. All medical records of his stay in the hospital were lost, and the cause
of death was never determined. Poe’s legacy continues to this day, detectable
in the television programs, movies, and books that have elements of the
horror and mystery that he used in his writing.

The word bleak is closest in meaning to

peaceful

dreary

eventful

conventional

The word ultimately is closest in meaning to

unfortunately
 consequently

permanently

finally

The word scathing is closest in meaning to

harsh

entertaining

sarcastic

disappointing

The phrase took the reins is closest in meaning to

improved

managed

changed

opened

The word vigor is closest in meaning to

courage

certainty

apathy

energy

The word cemented is closest in meaning to

 promised

named

solidified

spread

The word eccentric is closest in meaning to

peculiar

eclectic

inventive

fearful

The word disheveled is closest in meaning to

uncleanly

abnormal

disconnected

disturbed

The word dire is closest in meaning to

disturbing

unpleasant

offensive
 critical

The word detectable is closest in meaning to

constant

repetitive

relatable

noticeable

Answers: “dreary,” “finally,” “harsh,” “managed,” “energy,” “solidified,” “peculiar,”

“uncleanly,” “critical,” “noticeable.”

A recap of the key points you need to

know:
Work on expanding your vocabulary as much as possible before the
TOEFL test.

If you know the correct answer, choose it and move on quickly. There
are other questions that are more time-consuming than vocabulary
questions.

Always read the sentence that has the highlighted vocabulary word in it
carefully before choosing your answer.

Use the strategies I have given you to find the correct answer.

If these strategies do not work, try each word one at a time and eliminate
the words that are definitely wrong and take your best guess.
Do not spend very much of your total reading time on vocabulary
questions.

Never leave any questions unanswered. If all else fails, guess.

Chapter 2
Detail Questions and Negative
Detail Questions
Detail questions in the TOEFL are questions that ask you to find one idea in
the passage. Although they may be presented in different words, they will ask
you for a person, place, thing, date, method, reason, and so on. They are
multiple choice. You must choose one of four possible answers. They usually
give you the paragraph number, but some ask you about the entire passage.
These questions are very common in the TOEFL! They look like this:

According to paragraph 1, who…

According to paragraph 1, why…

According to paragraph 2, what…

According to paragraph 2, which…

According to paragraph 2, which of the following is true about (x)?

According to paragraph 2, what is given as a reason for (x)?

According to paragraph 3, what point does the author make about (x)?

Paragraph 4 supports which of the following statements about (x)?

According to paragraph 5, what is the relationship between (x) and (y)?

According to paragraph 5, (x) does (y) by

According to paragraph 5, (x) did (y) because

… and so on!

As you can see, detail questions can vary a lot in how they appear on the test.
You will know it is a detail question if it is not asking for overall
comprehension or an inference, but asking you to find a detail from the
passage or a specific paragraph. For example, if you think about it, the
question “According to paragraph 2, (x) did (y) because… is really asking,
“Why did (x) do (y)?” Sometimes it helps to restate the question in your
mind in a simpler form!

It helps to use a strategy to answer detail questions. I suggest the following

steps:

1. Read the question carefully and understand what it is asking you to

do. I know this seems obvious, but a lot of students only skim the
question quickly. You should skim the paragraph for keywords, but do
NOT skim the question.

2. Find the keywords in the question. Then skim the reading passage to
find the same keywords or their synonyms. The keywords are the
words that are unique in the question. Many questions will start with
“According to paragraph 3…” so those words are not unique. Pick out
the unique words.

In the examples below, I have underlined the keywords and put the most
important keywords in bold. I have also included examples of the thought
process you should follow:

According to paragraph 3, when did Prohibition begin?

(I am looking for a date. I should skim the paragraph and look for the word
Prohibition, then find the date when it began.)

According to paragraph 4, who was asked to monitor the sky for possible
meteorites?

(I am being asked to find either a person or an organization. I should look for

the keyword meteorite first, and then read to understand who was asked to
monitor the sky for them.)

According to paragraph 4, plants perform photosynthesis by

(I am looking for a method of how something is done. I should find the

keyword photosynthesis first, and then skim for how plants perform this.)

According to paragraph 4, what is the relationship between yawning and

brain activity?

(I am looking for a relationship between two things. I should find the words
yawning and brain activity and then look for information about this
relationship.)

3. Once you have found the keywords in the paragraph, read the
sentence that has the keyword or words carefully. Most of the time, the
answer to detail questions will be found close to the keyword or words.
Sometimes, though, you do have to read a little further. Try to guess the
answer before you look at the answer choices.

4. Read the answer choices. Remember; don’t do this BEFORE you locate
the keyword, as you may become confused by so much information. Find the
keyword and try to determine the answer in your own mind before you look
at the answer choices. You may have to look back and forth from the passage
to the possible answers. If the answer is not clear, go to the next step:

5. Use the process of elimination aggressively and quickly. Eliminate any

trap answers (I will list the TOEFL traps below), then choose the correct
answer.

TRAPS
Trying to guess using logic: Sometimes, students will try to pick the answer
using logic. In other words, they try to infer the answer. However, detail
questions are different than inference questions. The answer will be stated in
the passage. You should not need to make inferences for this question type.

Answers that have some of the same words as the paragraph but change
the meaning or order: This is the biggest trap on the TOEFL. The TOEFL
will use some of the same words near your keyword, but in a misleading way.
They are trying to catch students who only have a superficial, limited
knowledge of English. Make sure your answer is correct, not just a repetition
of words found in the passage.

Answers that add information that is not in the original passage: Some
answers will look tempting because they repeat words from the passage, but
they add one or two words that make them incorrect.

Extreme answers: These are answers that use extreme words or language
such as “only,” “ever,” “forever,” “all,” “always,” “never,” “has a sharp
divide,” “ended abruptly,” etc. Extreme answers are usually not correct. If
you think an extreme answer is correct, go back and make sure the passage
supports the extreme language.
Answers that are not true or are contrary to the passage’s main idea:
Some answers will not be true, but they may look believable. Read carefully.
Also, make sure that answers are not contrary to the main idea.

Mixed answers and far away answers: Eliminate any answers that mix up
two ideas that do not belong together. Also, be careful of any answer choice
that is not located near the key words in the passage. These are “far away”
answers and are usually traps.

Let’s start with a simple example which shows you how easy this can be
if you focus on finding the keywords from the question in the passage.

Blue morpho butterflies are beautiful butterflies that live in the South
American rainforest. They are one of the largest and most famous butterflies
in the world. The top of the blue morpho’s wings are bright blue with black
around the edges. Microscopic scales on the wings reflect light and create the
dazzling blue color. The undersides of the morpho’s wings are brown with
spots. When the blue morpho flies, its wings flash from a brilliant blue to a
dull brown. This makes the butterfly seem to continuously appear and
disappear and is known as “flashing.” Flashing makes it very difficult for a
predator to follow the morpho. The male’s wings are broader than the
female’s wings and are slightly brighter. Like other butterflies, morphos have
two antennae, two fore wings and two hind wings. Blue morphos are very
active, constantly flying around the forest looking for nectar. Males are
playful and often fly together, but will chase off a rival when a potential mate
is present. When it is time to mate, male morphos release chemicals called
pheromones to attract as many females as possible. When the female’s eggs
are fertilized, they lay them in a safe place and fly away; the eggs hatch
within nine days. The entire life cycle of the morpho is a mere 120 days.
According to the passage, which of the following is true about the wings of
the male morpho butterfly?

They are brightly colored to attract females

They are used to intimidate rivals

They have flashy colors that scare away predators

They are wider than the female’s wings

The fourth answer is correct. Notice if we really focus on the keywords in the question,
“wings of the male morpho” and find the sentence where those words are mentioned, it
becomes much easier to find the correct answer. Use this strategy in the TOEFL. *Note:
the third answer is tempting, but the passage doesn’t say the colors scare away predators,
only that the colors make the morpho difficult to follow.

Here is another example. Remember: find the keyword or words in the

question first, and then look for them in the passage!

Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, and driest continent on Earth. About 98

percent of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, a sheet of ice
averaging at least 1.6 kilometers thick. This sheet of ice holds 90 percent of
all the ice on the planet. The size of Antarctica varies from season to season,
as the ice sheet expands during the cold winters, almost doubling in size.
Despite the thick ice, Antarctica is considered a desert as so little moisture
falls from the sky. The inner regions of Antarctica receive a mere fifty
millimeters of rainfall a year. This moisture doesn’t soak into the ground, but
rather freezes and piles on top of other ice. Antarctica is subject to colossal
blizzards in which snow and ice whip across the surface of the continent,
similar to a sandstorm. Antarctica has no trees or bushes, only some sparse
vegetation of mosses and algae. A combination of freezing temperatures,
poor soil quality, and a lack of sunlight inhibit plant growth. As a result, the
diversity of plant life is very low and limited in distribution. The only human
presence on Antarctica is the scientists who work at a variety of science
research stations. Scientists drill into ice cores, which can provide a climate
history of the region over thousands of years.

According to the passage, Antarctica 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

The third answer is correct. If you focus on the keyword, “desert” you will find the answer
easily, in the same sentence as the keyword. If “little moisture falls from the sky” then
there is very little precipitation.

Try another example:

During the 11th century, philosophy developed rapidly. A debate emerged

over the concept of a universal truth. The ideas of Aristotle and his push for
empiricism and rationalism were gaining ground, but society’s values were
still deeply attached to church teachings. Peter Abelard, a monk who read
about theology extensively, arranged his work into a compilation entitled Sic
et Non (Yes and No) which outlined the rules which students should follow to
reconcile contradictions in quotations from church authorities. He also
authored Theologia, a book which analyzed the mysteries of The Trinity, but
it was condemned and burned by the Church. Gradually, universities replaced
cathedral schools in major European cities. With this change came a shift to a
more empirical approach towards understanding the fundamental nature of
reality. In his masterpiece Summa Theologica, Thomas Aquinas attempted to
use a systematic approach to truth and reason. This work, although
unfinished, provides logical arguments for the theology that is practiced in
the West. The philosopher Bertrand Russel commented on Summa
Theologica, stating that “The finding of arguments for a conclusion given in
advance is not philosophy, but special pleading. I cannot, therefore, feel that
it deserves to be put on a level with the best philosophies either of Greece or
of modern times.”

According to the passage, who wrote Summa Theologica?

Aristotle

Peter Abelard

Bertrand Russel

Thomas Aquinas

The fourth answer is correct. This question would be tricky to a student who reads the
passage and doesn’t use the strategy I gave you. If we find the keywords, Summa
Theologica, we see this work was written by Thomas Aquinas. The answer “Peter Abelard”
is tempting, but if we read carefully, we see he wrote Theologica, not Summa Theologica.
The answer Bertrand Russel is tempting also—but if we read carefully we see he only
commented on Summa Theologica, he did not write it.
 SPECIAL THINGS TO BE AWARE OF
These are not traps, but they are things you should know before you take the
TOEFL.

1. Be aware of the use of synonyms in the correct answer. The TOEFL

will often NOT use the same words in the correct response that were
used in the reading.

For example:

The Cretaceous Period was the last segment of the Mesozoic Era. It lasted
approximately 79 million years, from the small extinction event that closed
the Jurassic Period about 145.5 million years ago to the major Cretaceous-
Paleogene extinction event 65 million years ago. One of the most fascinating
aspects of the Cretaceous Period is its abrupt end. Over 50% of species went
extinct relatively quickly, permanently disappearing from the Earth. The
geology of the Earth changed during this time as well. Over a period of
100,000 years, volcanic activity increased and seafloor spreading expelled
more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The net effects of these changes
were warmer summers and cooler winters. The polar ice caps melted, and
global forest fires raged. A worldwide layer of sediment indicates that during
this time, sediment was cast into the atmosphere, blocking the sun. With a
lack of sunlight to warm the planet, parts of the Earth were plunged into
extreme cold. Plants that depended on sunlight died off quickly, as did
animals that consumed the flora as a food source. Dinosaurs, which for
millions of years had enjoyed a temperate climate, disappeared from the
Earth. It is hypothesized that dinosaurs could not tolerate the extreme swings
in temperature. This may have caused their extinction, but is not the only
hypothesis.

According to the passage, which of the following is a possible reason for the
extinction of the dinosaurs?

An increase in volcanic activity which expelled excessive carbon

dioxide

A layer of sediment that killed off plant life quickly

Changes in the lengths of the summers and winters

The change from a mild to a more severe climate

The fourth answer is correct. The first answer is a “far away” answer. The second choice is
a “mixed answer.” It takes two things mentioned: a layer of sediment and plants killed off
quickly, but combines them incorrectly. The third is the trap of “added information,”
because although summers and winters are mentioned, the lengths are not. The fourth
answer is correct because the passage says “It is hypothesized that dinosaurs could not
tolerate these extreme swings in temperature.” But notice the words are not the same in the
answer as in the original passage. Please remember the importance of vocabulary. You
need a good vocabulary to identify synonyms!

Try this exercise:

Rivers that cut through arid lands supply the lifeblood for crops and harvests
in these otherwise unproductive areas. The longest river in the world is the
Nile, rising south of the Equator and flowing northward through Africa to
drain into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile flows through deserts but
promotes fertile green plant life along its banks. The availability of water
from the Nile throughout the year in combination with the area’s high
temperatures make sustained cultivation possible. The Nile’s river system is
considered exogenous because its main source of water is from tributaries,
smaller rivers that flow into it. The Nile flows through eleven countries and is
the main water source for Egypt and Sudan. Another river that supplies water
to dry lands is the Euphrates River, which begins in Turkey and cuts across
Syria and Iraq to join the Tigris in Shatt al-Arab, ultimately emptying into the
Persian Gulf. The Ataturk dam controls the flow of the Euphrates. When this
dam interferes with water flow, it causes drought-like conditions in Iraq and
Syria. Because millions of people depend on the water flow of Euphrates, it is
crucial that there be international agreements about the damming of this river
to avoid potentially deadly conflicts.

According to the paragraph, which of the following is true about The Nile’s
river system?

Its flow hinders harvesting along its banks

Its main water comes from outside sources

It passes through the hottest part of the desert

The dam that controls it may lead to conflicts in the future

The second answer is correct. The passage says, “…its main source of water is from
tributaries, smaller rivers that flow into it.” The first answer contradicts the passage’s main
idea, so it can’t be true. The third answer is too extreme—we can’t conclude that the Nile
passes through the hottest part of the desert. The fourth answer refers to the Euphrates, not
the Nile. It is a good example of a “far away” answer. It is found far from the keywords.

Here is another example to try:

Forest fires can become massive quickly and have the ability to spread across
vast distances, jumping over rivers and roads in the process. Dry, dead trees
killed by disease act as fuel to spread the fire further. Fires can damage the
soil, especially as they burn through the layer of leaf litter and other organic
material on top of the soil. This organic material, which had been protecting
the soil from erosion, can be removed by an especially intense fire. The heat
from the fire can also cause the soil to become hydrophobic- that is, the soil
starts to repel water that would otherwise seep into it. Despite all of these
facts, fires in North America are not considered as destructive as they were a
century ago. In fact, there are benefits to forest fires. Fires remove dying trees
infested with insects and promote the growth of new, healthier trees. An
additional impact is that alien plants can become established in new areas
where they had previously been excluded by the dominance of native plants.
In some areas in North America, controlled fires are used to meet specific
land management objectives. Controlled fires can reduce dry litter on the
forest floor and thereby decrease the likelihood of an uncontrollable wildfire.

The passage supports which of the following statements regarding the impact
of fires in a forest?

They stop the spread of disease through the forest

They reduce the diversity of the forest ecosystem

They increase the soil’s ability to retain water

They allow migrant plants to take hold in new places

The correct answer is the fourth answer. It paraphrases, “An additional impact is that alien
plants can become established in new areas where they had previously been excluded
because of the dominance of native plants.” *Note that “migrant” is a synonym for “alien.”
None of the others answers are true according to the passage.

2. In some TOEFL passages, it is harder to use the keywords to locate

the answer because the keywords are repeated many times in the
passage. In this situation, you will have to read more carefully and use
the process of elimination aggressively. Review the TOEFL traps at the
beginning of this chapter before you proceed.

Here is an example:

Bull sharks are famously known as the most aggressive sharks in the world.
They are one of the few shark species that can swim in both fresh and salt
water. Bull sharks are capable of this because of their unusual kidneys. The
kidneys of bull sharks can adjust to the saline concentration of the water.
When moving gradually into freshwater for migratory purposes or in search
of food, the kidneys of bull sharks remove less salt and more urea from the
bloodstream through urination. This is a reversal of the regular marine shark
method of osmoregulation. Bull sharks can live in estuaries or freshwater. In
fact, bull sharks have been seen in the Mississippi River as far north as the
state of Illinois. They have been spotted in the Amazon River. Lake
Nicaragua, the largest lake in South America, is home to a number of bull
sharks. There are so many that locals dubbed them Nicaragua sharks. On the
other hand, in Africa they are called Zambezi sharks because of their
presence in the Zambezi River. After Hurricane Katrina, bull sharks were
even seen in Lake Pontchartrain. The fact that they are found in such
disparate locations accounts at least in part for their fearsome reputation, as
their ability to adapt to both salt and fresh water puts them into more frequent
contact with people who tend to swim and fish along shorelines.
The passage supports which of the following statements about bull sharks?

They are sometimes forced into rivers from the ocean

They are called by a different name depending on the region

Their tendency to swim north puts them in unexpected locations

They are the only sharks that can survive in both fresh and salt water

The correct answer is the second answer because the passage says, “There are so many that
locals dubbed them Nicaragua sharks. On the other hand, in Africa they are called Zambezi
sharks because of their presence in the Zambezi River.” Why are the other answers
incorrect? The first answer is incorrect because it adds the word “forced,” which is not
found in the original passage. The third is incorrect because while the passage mentions
that they have been spotted in northern areas, it does not say they “tend” to move north.
The fourth answer is “extreme” because it says bull sharks are the only sharks that can
survive in both fresh and salt water. The original passage does not support this extreme
language.

Try another example:

Pastoralism is an economic activity involving the care of herds of

domesticated livestock. The archaeological record indicates the presence of
pastoralists in the Middle East as early as 8,000 BC. Pastoralism is more
productive than hunting and gathering. Hunters kill and consume the animal
immediately, whereas in the practice of pastoralism the goal is to increase the
number of animals in the herd. Pastoralists are mainly concerned with raising
animals for milk, wool, hair, or for traction to help pull heavy farm
implements. There is a greater net return in pastoralism than hunting since the
animals need not be killed to continue to be useful, and their offspring can be
added to the herd. There are, however, disadvantages to pastoralism. It is
precarious in nature because the population of the herd can be suddenly
reduced by drought or disease. In addition, it may not be the most efficient
use of land. When land is instead cultivated for grain, the same amount of
land can produce ten times as many calories. Therefore, the number of people
depending on pastoralism to survive must necessarily be low. However, in
areas where land cultivation is impossible and crops that are consumed by
humans do not grow, pastoralism is an effective way to store calories. When
food becomes scarce, the milk or flesh of the animal can be consumed.
Pastoral production is practiced in some of the world’s driest climates and
supports the livelihood of those living in rural areas on approximately a
quarter of the world’s land.

According to the passage, which of the following is true about pastoralism?

Pastoralism replaced hunting and gathering in the Middle East

Pastoralism is most efficient when it is combined with the cultivation of

grain

Pastoralism is only able to support a small population

Pastoralists only consume their animals for meat during times of drought

The third answer is correct. The passage states that “the number of people depending on
pastoralism to survive must necessarily be low.” The first answer has the word “replaced,”
which is not supported by the passage. The second answer is a “mixed answer,” and the
fourth answer is an “extreme” answer because it says pastoralists only consume their
animals for meat during times of drought.
3. It is VERY IMPORTANT to be aware that sometimes a very simple
answer is correct, even if complex answers look better. The TOEFL will
use complex answers that look really good- they have a lot of
information, and they contain words you read in the passage, so they
appear correct. But they mislead you, and the simpler answer is correct!
Check out the example below:

The white-tailed jackrabbit is one of the least social of hares. It prefers to

remain solitary and is usually only seen in pairs during the mating season.
The males are aggressive towards other males and may attack if competing
for a female. These attacks do not usually lead to death or even injury but are
solely to establish dominance. The jackrabbit multiplies quickly as females
can have several litters a year, and the young require little maternal care.
Overall, it is considered to be a rather large hare, although there are two
species that are larger: the Alaskan hare and the Arctic hare. It has distinctive
long, black-tipped ears, powerful back legs, and a white tail. It is the most
widespread of any jackrabbit, found in such far-flung places as California,
Montana, Wyoming, and in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia,
Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. These rabbits are commonly spotted
on plains, prairies, or in coniferous forests, but are also attracted to aspen and
fir groves. After a heavy rainfall, they gather on the side of highways to eat
the green, succulent vegetation that thrives from the water runoff. They can
be found at elevations of up to ten thousand feet, and in fact they prefer
higher, rainier altitudes over more arid lowlands.

The paragraph supports which of the following statements about white-tailed

jackrabbits?

They are not the biggest type of hare

 They are native to low, arid lands but move up to the highlands

They prefer coniferous forests at high altitudes

They are more commonly found in Canada than the United States

The first answer is correct, and it’s a perfect example of a correct answer that doesn’t look
appealing. The passage says, “Overall, it is considered to be a rather large hare, although
there are two species that are larger.” This answer does not look attractive because the
other answers are more complex; however, it is the only answer that is supported by the
passage. The second answer is not correct because the passage does not give this
information. The third answer is a “mixed answer.” It takes two things that are given in the
passage: coniferous forests and high altitudes. However, these two things are NOT together
in the reading. The fourth answer is not mentioned as true.

Here is another example:

A tsunami is a series of ocean waves that send surges of water up to 100 feet
tall crashing onto coastlines. These enormous walls of water are incredibly
destructive. Tsunamis are caused by undersea earthquakes occurring at
tectonic boundaries. As the plate boundaries rise and fall, water is displaced
and large rolling waves begin to move across the ocean floor, growing into
tsunamis. Tsunamis can reach a speed of 800 kilometers per hour—the same
speed as a jet airplane. They lose very little energy as they travel because of
their long wavelength. Sailors on ships at sea may not even notice a tsunami
wave. On the surface of the open ocean, a tsunami may only be 30
centimeters tall. However, as they reach the shoreline, the shallow bottom
slows them down, and they grow in energy and height. The energy becomes
compressed, and since the top of each wave moves faster than the bottom,
they rise dangerously. Tsunamis may crash onto the shore like a wall of water
or flood an area quickly, but in either case, they carry tremendous power and
energy and cause millions of dollars of destruction. If the tsunami occurs at
high tide or at the same time as storm waves in an area, the potential for
destruction is even greater. Locally generated tsunamis increase the risk of
loss of life as there may not be enough time for emergency services to
evacuate the area.

According to the passage, tsunamis are more dangerous to people on shore

than on ships because

The waves hit the shoreline too quickly for a proper evacuation of the
area

They travel slowly in the deep ocean but speed up to over 800
kilometers per hour near the shoreline

The people on ships are warned of the dangers of an approaching

tsunami before the people on shore

They become higher and more forceful near the shore

The correct answer is the fourth answer. It sounds very simple, but it is the only answer
supported by the passage, which says, “Sailors on ships at sea may not even notice a
tsunami wave. On the surface of the open ocean, a tsunami may only be 30 centimeters tall.
However, as they reach the shoreline, the shallow bottom slows them down, and they grow
in energy and height.”

Here is another one to try:

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a psychiatric disorder that affects

approximately 2.3% of the population. People suffering from OCD have both
obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted thoughts that intrude
on a person’s peace of mind and cause anxiety. As a result, people with OCD
engage in ritualistic, compulsive behaviors in order to keep this anxiety at
bay. Some examples of rituals are hand-washing, counting, arranging items,
or turning lights on and off. Ironically, these rituals may actually exacerbate
OCD as they cause a brief period of relief, but are soon followed by more and
more intrusive thoughts and compulsions. This becomes a vicious cycle that
is difficult to escape. Currently, cognitive behavioral therapy is recommended
as the best course of treatment for a person suffering from OCD. The patient
is subjected to situations in which he or she would normally engage in a
compulsive behavior, but is prevented from doing so. Eventually, the sufferer
will become accustomed to the anxiety-provoking situation and begin to
tolerate it. Over time, cognitive behavioral therapy can significantly reduce
both obsessions and compulsions in a patient.

According to the reading, why do people with OCD perform rituals?

To maintain order and cleanliness in their environment

To prevent intrusive thoughts from disrupting them in the future

To reduce anxiety

To get rid of a physical manifestation of pain in the sufferer

The third answer is correct. It looks simple, but it is supported by the passage. The passage
says “people with OCD engage in ritualistic, compulsive behaviors in order to keep this
anxiety at bay.”

4. Be aware that the TOEFL will include answer choices that were
mentioned in the passage, but do not answer the exact question posed. In
other words, they are facts from the reading, but they do not actually
answer the question. Read all questions very carefully. Consider the
following example:

The greatest beneficiaries of the Industrial Revolution were the middle class,
who were suddenly able to afford household items that made their lives far
more comfortable. There was also a more general improvement in their
standard of living, with access to healthy diets and better health care. In a
very short time, private businesses were able to influence government policy.
The use of steam power led to a dramatic growth in newspaper publishing.
Before the use of steam power, a crew of three men on a hand press could
print 250 pages an hour, whereas with the use of the steam press, 1,100 pages
could be printed in the same amount of time. Advertisers began to see
opportunity in the widened circulation of newspapers and bought space to
market their wares. By 1835, newspapers had freed themselves from
government control, and the United States had the highest readership of
newspapers in the world. Each state began to provide mandatory, free
education to the masses. Literacy rates soared as a result. Thriving new
industries required specific jobs. There was an uptick in the demand for
engineers, clerical workers, and teachers. Yet, the working poor relegated to
factory jobs found it difficult to take advantage of the rise in opportunities,
education, and comforts offered to the middle class.

The sudden increase in newspaper publishing during the Industrial

Revolution was caused by

A push from advertisers to increase the circulation of newspapers to

market their products

The desire of the middle class to use the newspaper industry to influence
 political decisions

The efficiency of steam power over the traditional methods of

newspaper printing

A jump in literacy rates which increased the public demand for reading
materials

The third answer is correct. We know this because the passage says, “The use of steam
power led to a dramatic growth in newspaper publishing.” The other choices do not answer
the question.

Let’s try another:

On any day in the Italian city of Pisa, dozens of tourists gather to take
pictures of one of the world’s most famous architectural feats: The Leaning
Tower of Pisa. This freestanding bell tower has become famous all over the
world for its conspicuous tilt to the south. Construction on the tower began in
1173. By the time the third story was built, the building’s structure had
already begun to settle unevenly on the clay and sand beneath it. When war
broke out between the Italian cities of Pisa and Genoa, construction was
suspended for almost a hundred years. During this time, the foundation
settled even more into the ground. When construction resumed in 1272,
famed engineer Giovanni di Simone tried to correct the lean by making the
shorter side taller by adding masonry. This made the problem worse as the
extra weight from the masonry materials sunk the tower even further.
Recently, in an attempt to keep the tower from collapse, engineers have
siphoned earth from underneath it. In addition, extra weight was added to the
north side. Due in large part to these efforts, The Leaning Tower of Pisa
should be standing for another 200 years before it finally collapses for good.
According to the reading, what initially caused the Leaning Tower of Pisa to
lean south?

The addition of masonry to the short side

Earth that was siphoned from underneath the tower

The clay underneath the tower causing slippage

A foundation that rested unevenly on the ground

The correct answer is the fourth answer. The passage says, “By the time the third story was
built, the building’s structure had already begun to settle unevenly on the clay and sand
beneath it.” Notice again how important it is to read the question carefully- if you miss
the word “initially” in the question, it is very easy to get this question wrong.

5. Be aware that the correct answer is often a paraphrase of a sentence

or sentences you saw in the reading. Consider the following examples:

Feudalism refers to the dominant social system of medieval Europe from the
9th to the 15th century. Under this system, members of noble families held
land for the Crown, and in exchange provided military service to the Crown.
Those of the peasant class were obligated to live on this land and cultivate it
without being paid, and were required to pay homage to their lords with labor
and the production of goods from the land. The peasants were essentially
performing forced labor and lived under bondage. Everything changed when
the plague swept Europe, killing one-third of the population. The plague,
which many called “The Black Death,” was caused by bacteria that could
pass easily from one person to another. It was one of the most devastating
pandemics in human history, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200
million people. Peasants who survived the plague were in a position of
greater economic power. They were able to bargain for wages because labor
had become scarce. Peasants were not granted outright freedom but could
negotiate freedom from their lords after they had worked for them for one
year. The nobility reacted to the increased power of peasants by setting a
fixed wage and violently suppressing any uprisings. Despite these efforts,
records indicate that peasants who survived were able to accumulate wealth
by taking over the land of noble families that had succumbed to the plague.
Feudalism was slowly phased out by these changes, and by 1485 only one
percent of the population of Europe still lived under bondage.

According to the passage, the plague affected the lives of peasants by

increasing the amount of violence between peasants

putting them in a better negotiating position

releasing them from bondage within a one year period

allowing them to purchase land at a reasonable price

The second answer is correct. It paraphrases, “Peasants who survived the plague were in a
position of greater economic power. They were able to bargain for wages…” The other
answers look appealing because they contain words from the passage, but they do not
answer the question correctly.

Here is one more:

The spices that are now familiar and plentiful at the grocery store do not
reveal their fascinating history. The spice trade was once the largest industry
in the world and spices were considered extremely valuable. Nutmeg used to
be more valuable than its weight in gold, and cloves were used to pay the
bonuses of dockworkers in London. When the Visigoths took over Rome in
410 AD, they demanded 3,000 pounds of peppercorns to return the city. Used
in food preservation, cooking, and even medicine, spices were carefully
guarded as they were generators of immense wealth for those who possessed
them. The spice trade began over 4,000 years ago in the Middle East. Arabic
spice merchants traveled long distances on camels and drove up the value of
their products by telling fantastical stories of fighting dragons and climbing
mountains to retrieve their spices. From the 8th to the early 15th century, the
Republic of Venice acted as a middleman between Europe and the Middle
East, dominating trade and becoming exorbitantly wealthy by charging hefty
tariffs on imported spices. Without any direct access to the Middle East,
Europeans had no choice but to pay the high fees to the Venetians. The spice
trade changed dramatically during the European Age of Discovery in the 15th
century. Navigational equipment had improved, and ships could make long-
haul journeys. The wealthy elite sponsored expeditions to find ways to
bypass Venice and discover new routes that could be opened up for trade.

According to the passage, the spice trade made the Republic of Venice
wealthy and powerful because

it was in a unique geographical position to charge high taxes on spices

people had been convinced that the spices from the Middle East had
mysterious origins

spices were a necessary ingredient in both meals and medicines in

Europe

the city of London required spices to pay the salaries of their workers
The first answer is correct. The passage says, “…the Republic of Venice acted as a
middleman between Europe and the Middle East, dominating trade and becoming
exorbitantly wealthy by charging hefty tariffs…” and the correct answer is a paraphrase of
this information.

NEGATIVE DETAIL QUESTIONS

These questions in the TOEFL take a little bit longer than some other types of
questions because they ask you what is NOT found in the passage or what is
NOT true according to the passage. Instead of looking for one correct answer,
you have to eliminate the three that are true. This takes more skimming.

Remember: The answer choices will not look the same as they do in the
original passage. The answers may use synonyms or change word order.

Negative detail questions look like this:

According to paragraph 1, it is NOT true that…

What is NOT indicated in paragraph 2 about…

All of the following are true EXCEPT…

It is indicated in paragraph 4 that (x) is NOT…

The passage supports all of the following statements about (x) EXCEPT…

…and so on.

For this type of question, follow these steps:

 1. Read the question carefully and identify it as a negative detail
question. Understand what the question is asking you to do.

2. Read the first answer choice. Skim the paragraph and look for the
keywords OR synonyms of the keywords. If they are present, go to the
next answer choice.

3. Using the process of elimination, find the answer choice that is not
mentioned or is not true according to the information in the passage.

Sometimes, the answer is given in a straightforward way.

Consider the following example:

Vitamin C, also known as L-ascorbic acid, is an essential nutrient for humans

and other animal species. Vitamin C is important for at least eight enzyme
reactions in humans. A lack of Vitamin C can cause scurvy, a disease that
causes pain, fatigue, and eventually death. It is used in a wide range of
metabolic reactions in animals and plants. With the exception of guinea pigs,
almost all animals can make Vitamin C internally. Goats, for example, make
more than 13,000 mg of Vitamin C when they are healthy. Vitamin C is
present in the liver and muscle of most animals. It is also found in the milk of
cows, camels, and humans. It is highly concentrated in the livers of cows and
pigs. However, since most western diets consist of the muscles rather than the
livers of animals, people in the west get most of their Vitamin C from fruits
and vegetables such as oranges, berries, bananas, broccoli, and tomatoes.
Vitamin C can also be taken in tablet form when fresh produce is not
available.

All of the following animals make Vitamin C internally EXCEPT

 goats

guinea pigs

cows

camels

The second answer is correct. This is a straightforward example. Although many animals
are mentioned, the passage says, “With the exception of guinea pigs, almost all animals can
make Vitamin C internally.”

Here is another example:

Echinacea is an herb which is becoming popular in the treatment of ailments

as more people are losing faith in traditional medicine. Its stem, root, and
leaves are used to make tablets, juices, and teas which are then commercially
sold in alternative health food stores. It was first used by North American
Plains Indians for the medicinal qualities they believed it contained. Modern
use of Echinacea began when an herbal vitamin manufacturer in Switzerland
was given the misinformation that Echinacea was used to prevent colds by
Native Americans in South Dakota. In reality, certain tribes used it to treat
different complaints that are often associated with colds. For example, the
Kiowa tribe consumed Echinacea to treat a cough, the Cheyenne used it for
sore throats, and the Pawnee tribe believed it soothed headaches. This led to
the myth that Native American tribes used it for the treatment and prevention
of colds. As a result, there was a mass marketing campaign to sell Echinacea
for this purpose. Although there have been multiple scientific experiments on
Echinacea, the results vary to such a great extent that a consensus cannot be
reached. Therefore, Echinacea is not currently approved for the prevention or
treatment of any disease or illness by the Food and Drug Administration.

According to the passage, Echinacea was NOT used by Native Americans

to alleviate headaches

to relieve an irritated throat

to prevent colds

to reduce coughing

The third answer is correct. The passage states, “This led to the myth that Native American
tribes used it for the treatment and prevention of colds.” If it is a myth, it is not true.

These questions take practice! Here is another one:

The term “evergreen” refers to a tree or plant that keeps at least some of its
leaves year-round. Unlike deciduous plants, evergreens lose their leaves very
slowly. Their leaves fall off throughout the four seasons, but they always
retain at least some of their leaves. This offers them an advantage: they are
not as dependent on the soil for nitrogen, an essential nutrient for tree growth,
as deciduous plants are. Evergreens can absorb nitrogen from their leaves all
year. This is particularly important in biomes such as the boreal forest and the
taiga, where temperatures can drop to well below freezing. At freezing
temperatures, organic matter decays very slowly and the nitrogen levels in the
soil are poor. Evergreens thrive in these areas. In the tropical rainforest, the
bulk of plants are evergreen. In Arctic areas, evergreens are cone-bearing
shrubs or trees. In temperate climates, evergreens aid in their own survival.
The litter of their needles has a high carbon-nitrogen ratio. When their leaves
fall, the soil becomes acidic, so deciduous plants struggle or are completely
unable to grow. The resulting lack of competition from deciduous plants
helps evergreens flourish and multiply. Furthermore, adult evergreens
provide shelter to juvenile evergreens, establishing their dominance in these
areas.

All of the following are true about evergreens EXCEPT

they hold on to their leaves longer than deciduous plants

they grow well in soil that lacks nutrients

they lose leaves in the summer

they are uncommon in the tropical rainforest

The fourth answer choice is correct. The passage states, “In the tropical rainforest, the bulk
of plants are evergreen.” Since “the bulk of” means “most of,” then it’s not true that they
are uncommon. Remember to use the process of elimination for the other answers.

Try this example:

Neanderthals were a species of early human named after the Neandertal area
in Germany. At different times, Neanderthals have been placed in the human
family tree, and at other times they have been classified as a different species.
This issue is still under debate. They had a cranial capacity of 1600 cmᶾ,
notably larger than the 1400 cmᶾ average for modern humans, indicating that
their brain size was larger. Neanderthals used bone and stone tools, the
remains of which have been found in areas as far apart as Western Europe,
the Middle East, and Siberia. They went extinct approximately 40,000 years
ago. The date of their extinction was moved to much earlier than previous
estimates due to improved radiocarbon dating methods. Researchers have put
forth several hypotheses regarding the fate of the Neanderthals. It is possible
they were unable to adapt to changes in the climate. Another possibility is
that they were killed by encroaching early modern human species. Perhaps
Neanderthals simply interbred with humans and ultimately disappeared. In
2013, scientists were able to extract the toe bone of a 50,000-year-old
Neanderthal and map the genome. They found similarities from the genome
of this Neanderthal and the genomes of modern humans, leading them to
infer that Neanderthals have contributed to the DNA of modern humans.

Which of the following is NOT true about Neanderthals?

Their classification lacks a consensus

They had larger brains than modern humans

They went extinct later than previously believed

They lived in diverse locations

The correct answer is the third answer. Why? According to the passage, “The date of their
extinction was moved to much earlier than previous estimates.”

Note: Make sure to use the process of elimination, because a lot of the
time the correct answer is one that is simply not mentioned.

Consider the following example:

Toward the end of the fourth century, the Roman Empire crumbled after
ruling as the world’s greatest superpower for close to 500 years. Exactly how
and when the Roman Empire fell is still being debated by historians, with
several theories being put forth as the most probable. The simplest
explanation is that Rome was invaded by Barbarians. Rome had suffered
from a string of military losses with tribes it had been fighting with for
decades, and in 410, a Visigoth king sacked the city with his Barbarian tribe.
Shortly after, in 476, a Germanic revolt overthrew Emperor Romulus
Augustulus. For this reason, many people point to 476 as the final year that
the Roman Empire held its lofty position. Another theory is that economic
troubles which plagued the city caused its downfall. As it was under attack, it
was also crumbling due to an oppressive amount of taxation on its citizens
and a widening gap between the rich and the poor. The most affluent Romans
began to flee the Empire and set up their own fiefdoms to evade taxes, while
the Empire relied heavily on labor from slaves and conquered invaders to
keep its economy intact. Rome may have suffered from such a devastating
labor shortage and economic deficits that it eventually collapsed from
financial turmoil. Another theory is that Rome was vulnerable to outside
attack due to the rise of the Eastern Empire. The East and West failed to work
together and were unable or unwilling to divide resources adequately. The
gulf widened as the East became wealthier and the West descended into
economic crisis. As the West crumbled before the year 500, the East survived
for a thousand more years until the Ottoman Empire overtook it.

All of the following are mentioned as possible reasons for the fall of the
Rome Empire EXCEPT

the toppling of a Roman Emperor

a shortage of arable land for cultivation

excessive taxation on citizens

an unstable division between the East and West

The second choice is correct. All the others are mentioned in the passage, but there is no
mention of arable land.

Try another example:

The Mary Celeste was an American cargo ship that left the harbor in New
York bound for Genoa, Italy in 1872. On board were the Captain Benjamin
Briggs, his wife Sarah, and their daughter Sophia. They had taken eight crew
members with them as well. One month later, a British ship spotted the Mary
Celeste adrift at sea. Upon boarding, they immediately observed that the
captain and the entire crew had vanished. The ship was in seaworthy
condition and had a six month supply of food and water on board. This has
led to one of the biggest maritime mysteries of all time: what happened to the
crew of the Mary Celeste? Wild theories have been considered, from pirates
to mutiny. However, it’s unlikely that such a small group of passengers
would try to overthrow an experienced captain like Briggs. More plausible
explanations have been put forth. It could have been an earthquake on the sea
floor or rough seas that knocked the voyagers from the ship. Perhaps a
broken chronometer or pump prompted Captain Briggs to recommend that
the crew abandon ship once he spotted dry land, believing they could easily
swim the short distance. As there was alcohol on board, the fumes may have
expanded in the heat and caused the hatch to blow, and fearing a possible
explosion, the people on board attempted to swim away. The last written
entry made in the log book reported land within sight of the ship. It’s
reasonable to assume they abandoned the ship voluntarily but never made it
to shore. For now, this mystery remains unsolved.

All of the following are mentioned as possible reasons for the loss of the
crew of the Mary Celeste EXCEPT
 broken maritime instruments

a leak in the bottom of the ship

concerns about a potential explosion

choppy waters

The correct answer is the second answer. It is not mentioned in the passage. The other three
answers are mentioned in the passage.

Try a slightly longer example with one question per paragraph:

Porpoises
Porpoises are aquatic marine mammals, members of the toothed whale
family. Scientists believe porpoises emerged about 15 million years ago, at
which time they were confined to the north of the Pacific Basin. From these
beginnings, they slowly evolved into the total of six species of porpoise that
exist today. Porpoises are closely related to dolphins but have shorter and
more flattened beaks. Their bodies are streamlined, with two limbs that have
been modified by evolution into flippers. Dall’s porpoise is the fastest
swimmer, able to swim over 40 knots. Porpoises can dive to great depths.
They have a layer of fat called blubber, which keeps their vital organs
protected from the frigid water of their habitat. Porpoises are not very
widespread; in fact, most porpoises are found in Polar Regions near the coast.
Their diet consists mainly of fish and squid. Males typically mate with
multiple females, but females only mate every two or three years. Calves are
born in spring or early summer, and females are entirely responsible for
rearing the young. Calves usually stay with their mothers for three to six
years, learning how to catch prey, avoid danger, and navigate in the ocean.
Porpoises click and whistle for social purposes within their pods of
approximately a dozen porpoises.

Porpoise numbers have dipped dramatically in the last few decades.

Unfortunately, porpoises are still hunted in some countries for consumption,
particularly in the Solomon and Faroe Islands, Japan, and Peru. The vaquita,
a very rare species of porpoise, is critically endangered. Its numbers have
dropped due to drive hunting, marine pollution, and bycatch. Drive hunting is
so named because fishermen “drive” the pods toward a beach or bay with
boats, where they are trapped and killed for their meat. Bycatch refers to the
unintentional capture of marine animals, and many porpoises are killed in this
way. They become entangled in the nets of fishermen and can drown.
Porpoises are sometimes kept in captivity and can learn simple tricks.
However, they breed more successfully in the wild. A recent study suggests
that if measures are not taken to protect these endangered marine mammals,
they could be extinct in as little as four years.

Which of the following is NOT indicated about porpoises in paragraph 1?

They occupy a larger habitat than dolphins

The males do not participate in rearing the young

They once had limbs rather than flippers

They communicate with each other through sound

According to paragraph 2, which of the following has NOT caused porpoise

numbers to decline?

Pollution in the ocean

 Failed attempts to breed in captivity

Accidental entanglement in fishing nets

Consumption by humans

For the first question, the first answer is correct. It is not mentioned. For the second
question, the second answer is correct. The passage states, “they breed more successfully in
the wild,” but a failure to breed in captivity is not given as a reason for their decline in
numbers.

Final quiz!
The Music of Latin America
Samba is a Brazilian musical genre and dance style, with its roots in Africa
via the West African slave trade. It is related to African religious traditions,
particularly those of the Congo. The word “samba” is derived from the
African word “semba,” which literally translates to “an invitation to dance,”
as well as a common appellation for the dance parties held by former slaves
in the rural areas of Rio de Janeiro. Today, Samba is an expression of the
urban lifestyle of Rio de Janeiro and is inextricably attached to the culture of
the Brazilian people. Narrative Samba is meant to be performed by a crowd
to the drum beats of hundreds of people who are part of a Samba school
performing in Carnival, an annual Brazilian festival. This type of Samba tells
a story of religion, history, love, or passion. Its energy and jubilance capture
the spirit of Carnival. Numerous instruments are used in Samba, such as the
guitar, banjo, keyboard, drums, and maracas, to name a few. Salsa dancing is
flamboyant with lots of spins, dips, and turns.
The traditional music of Venezuela, on the other hand, is called Llanera
music. It’s similar to American country and western music, complete with the
romances and adventures of cowboys and laments on the hardships of
outdoor labor. In fact, the word Llanera comes from a Spanish word meaning
“the plains.” Llanera is played on mandolins, violins, harps, and a small
guitar called a cuatro. Unlike Samba, Llanera music is relatively unknown
outside of Venezuela and Colombia. The sound of Llanera music has been
updated to include electrical instruments from its more traditional sound. The
dance that accompanies Llanera music is the joropo. The joropo is expressed
through hand turns and feet movement. Women make grand sweeping
motions with their feet, while men stomp to the rhythm of the music.

Mariachi music has a special place in Mexican history. The songs played by
mariachi bands range from poignant songs of romantic longing to up-tempo
patriotic songs, and even folksy songs about rural Mexican life. The mariachi
style of string instruments can be traced back to colonial times when people
from Spain and slaves of African origin mingled with Native Americans to
create a unique Mexican culture marked by influences from all these regions.
Each had its own signature musical tradition, combined to become today’s
mariachi. The word “mariachi” was long believed to be derived from the
French word for “marriage,” as the French had intervened in Mexico in 1860.
However, documents have been uncovered that show the term predates the
French invasion. As time passed, mariachi music was spread all across
Mexico over radio broadcasts. The Mexican government used it to create a
unified Mexican identity after the Mexican revolution. By the 1950’s, six to
eight violins, two trumpets, a small guitar called a vihuela, and a big bass
guitar became the permanent fixtures of the mariachi band. The group’s
instruments and styles have changed very little since that time. In 2011
UNESCO recognized mariachi as an Intangible Cultural Heritage because it
is a performing art that is indelibly woven into the fabric of Mexican culture.

According to paragraph 1, which of the following is true about samba music?

It has been compared to country music

It requires very few instruments

It is played solely during Carnival

Its genesis is from outside of Brazil

The author’s description of Llanera music includes all of the following

EXCEPT

the instruments used

the themes of the music

the lyrics of songs

recent changes in its musical style

Which of the following is NOT true of mariachi music?

It is a blend of music from different regions

Its name is derived from a French word

It was popularized through radio play

It has not changed dramatically in the last sixty years

For the first question, the fourth answer is correct. The passage says samba has “roots in
Africa,” therefore its genesis is from outside of Brazil.
For the second question, the third answer is correct. The lyrics (the words of) the songs are
not given. All the other answers are mentioned.

For the third question, the second answer is correct. It isn’t true according to the paragraph.
The paragraph says, “The word “mariachi” was long believed to be derived from the
French word for “marriage,” as the French had intervened in Mexico in 1860. However,
documents have been uncovered that show the term predates the French invasion.”

A recap of the key points you need to

know:
Sometimes it helps to restate the question in a more straightforward way
in your mind.

Always read the questions carefully and find keywords in the question.

Scan the passage for the keywords and try to guess the answer before
you look at the answer choices.

Eliminate answers that change the meaning, mixed answers (answers

that combine information that does not belong together), and answers
that only repeat information from the passage but do not answer the
question.

Be aware that the correct answer may use synonyms.

Remember that often correct answers are very simple answers.

Be aware that negative detail questions will take longer, and you must
use the process of elimination.
Chapter 3
 Inference Questions and
Reference Questions
On each reading passage, you can expect at least one inference question per
passage. Sometimes there is more than one. This chapter is important to help
you answer them.

First of all, what is an inference?

An inference is a conclusion you draw based on evidence. It’s not a blind

guess; it is using the information you read to draw a logical conclusion.

If you read:

The woman rushed around looking frantically for her passport.

You can infer that she is taking a trip outside of the country.

If you read:

The boy used sign language to communicate with his teachers.

You can infer that the boy is deaf.

Inference questions in the TOEFL look like this:

Which of the following can be inferred about (x)?

What can be inferred about (x)?

The author implies that (x)…

Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 1 about (x)?

It can be inferred that (x) affects (y) by…

What does the author suggest about (x)?

Inference questions can be identified by the fact they use the word “infer,”
“imply,” or “suggest.” The author implies, you, as the reader, infer. This
means you must look beyond the words that are given in the passage and
make a conclusion about what is true based on the information you read.

Your strategy will look like this:

1. Read the question carefully. Understand what it is asking you to do.

You will know it is an inference question because it will contain a word
like “imply” or “infer,” “suggest,” or “inference.” Identify the key words
in the question.

2. Look back at the paragraph indicated by the question. Starting at the

beginning of the paragraph, skim and look for keywords from the
question or synonyms to the keywords. Slow down and read those
sentences carefully as well as several sentences after the keywords. It’s
important to note that you must read further than you do for detail
questions.

3. Look at your answer choices and read them carefully. Choose the
one that can be inferred from the paragraph while aggressively
eliminating TOEFL traps which I will list below.
 TRAPS
The answer contains information beyond what is given in the passage.
Do not pick an answer that contains information beyond what appears in the
passage. Answers that require you to take a guess at what is possible if you
assume a few other things to be true are not correct.

The answer “could be true.” You may be tempted to use your common
sense on these questions, but you should pick an answer that is based on
evidence in the passage. A good habit is to ask yourself, “Can I show
someone else where I got the information I used to answer this question?”

The answer looks very appealing but is not correct. This is a common
TOEFL trap. These trap answers repeat words you saw in the passage. But
remember, the correct answer must reflect an inference, not just repeat words.
These incorrect answers may contradict information in the passage. They
also may combine information that does not belong together.

The answer contains extreme language. Words like never, forever, always,
all, impossible, completely, totally, none, the best, the worst, entirely, and so
on, are extreme. There is also extreme wording, such as “it has reached its
limit, “it is certain,” and so on. If you see choices like these, be cautious. The
answer may be correct, but it’s less likely to be correct unless it is clear from
the reading.

The answer has the wrong tone. When an answer choice has a different
tone or attitude than the passage, it is incorrect. For instance, the passage may
be describing the negative impact of something, but an answer may include
positive information, or vice versa.
The answer is not true OR not mentioned. Some answers will be untrue
according to the passage. Some answer choices will add an idea, or
information, that is not mentioned. Be careful, because these answers will use
vocabulary from the passage.

Take a look at this simple example:

Temperatures in the desert can soar to over 40 degrees Celsius, making

survival a challenge for the animals that live there. Many animals migrate,
but those that remain in the desert during the hottest part of the summer must
take refuge when the sun is at its peak. A cactus wren may rest quietly in the
shade of a mesquite tree; a prairie falcon will nest on a ledge of a cool north-
facing cliff and avoid the hot south face. The pack rat builds its own
microclimate by digging a burrow and covering it in sticks and dried leaves.
When temperatures are particularly high, the kangaroo rat will dig a tunnel
and plug its entrance with soil, leaving only at night to seek out food.

It can be inferred from the paragraph that all of the places desert animals take
refuge in

are not used after sunset

are out of direct sunlight

provide a hiding place from predators

give the animals a place to store food

In this example, the second answer is correct. The other answers “could be true,” in other
words, they are believable. However, we cannot be sure if they are true because they are
not mentioned in the passage. Notice that you have to read a little further than you do in
detail questions. Simply focusing on the sentence with the keywords may not be enough
to get the correct answer with inference questions.

Try this example:

Coastal waters are the most biologically productive parts of the ocean. This is
not necessarily surprising since sunlight can penetrate such shallow waters.
Sunlight allows phytoplankton, small marine plants, to perform
photosynthesis and thrive. Zooplankton, tiny marine organisms which
consume phytoplankton, are abundant in these areas as a result. With the
tremendous amount of zooplankton available along the coasts, energy
conservation in predatory fish is not an issue. Bass, perch, sunfish and
sardines are attracted to the coasts to consume this zooplankton and are in
turn eaten by larger predatory fish such as sharks and whales. In the deep sea,
where light cannot penetrate and meals may be few and far between, energy
conservation is a top priority. Deep sea fish have adaptations to help them
expend as little energy as possible. The viperfish, for instance, has a modified
dorsal fin on its head with a bioluminescent tip so that prey will be attracted
to this light and the viperfish does not have to go in search of prey.
Swimming around to look for prey would use too much of the valuable
energy that it needs to survive and make it more vulnerable to predators.
Instead, it simply waits and ambushes prey that swims toward the light it
emits.

What can be inferred about why energy conservation is more important in the
deep sea than it is on the coasts?

Deep sea fish have to preserve their energy in order to evade predators

The lack of light in the deep sea makes it difficult to find prey
 There is less food available in the deep sea than on the coasts

Fish near the coasts can conserve their energy for times when food is
scarce

The third answer is correct. The passage says, “With the tremendous amount of
zooplankton available along the coasts, energy conservation in predatory fish is not an
issue.” It also says, “In the deep sea, where light cannot penetrate and meals may be few
and far between, energy conservation is a top priority.” The other answers are not correct
because they go beyond information given in the paragraph.

Here is another example:

Travel in the 19th century in the United States was an uncomfortable

experience. Most people in the middle class traveled by rail or by coach.
Coaches didn’t have springs for shock absorption, making travel an
incredibly bumpy and unpleasant endeavor. All that changed in 1914, when
Henry Ford introduced the assembly line for automobile production.
Suddenly, owning a car went from being a luxury of the rich to an affordable
means of transportation for the average family. An assembly line is a
manufacturing process in which parts are added as the semi-finished product
moves from work station to work station. Such parts are added in sequence
until the project is complete. The assembly line had a revolutionary impact on
society. It allowed for a fast and continuous flow of work that cut production
time for an entire automobile from twelve hours to 93 minutes. This change
allowed Ford to increase his profit margin and lower the cost of the vehicle to
consumers. The cost of the Model T, Ford’s innovative automobile, would
eventually drop to $260, the equivalent of approximately $3,500 today.
It can be inferred from the passage that before 1914

nobody owned an automobile

Henry Ford had not yet thought of the assembly line

automobiles were mostly owned by the wealthy

the assembly line made innovative automobiles more affordable

The third answer is correct. We can infer this because the passage says, “Suddenly, owning
a car went from being a luxury of the rich to an affordable means of transportation for the
average family.” The first answer is “too extreme” because of the word nobody which is
not supported by the reading. The second answer “could be true,” but we can’t say for
certain that Henry Ford had not thought of the assembly line. It’s possible he had the idea
before 1914. The last answer looks appealing. It repeats information from the passage.
However, it’s not correct because this happened after 1914. *Note how important it is to
read the question carefully. If you miss the word “before” you will not get the correct
answer.

Let’s try an example about comics:

The origin of comics can be traced to 11th century Japan. These works of art
were done on scrolls by the artist and monk Toba Sojo. Sojo satirized life in
the Buddhist priesthood by drawing priests as rabbits or monkeys engaging in
mischievous behavior. It wasn’t until much later that comics gained a
following in the United States. What collectors now refer to as “The Golden
Age of Comics” occurred between 1930 and 1959. The original intention of
comic publishers was to circulate the comics as widely as possible to
advertise various household wares, similar to flyers that promote items in a
modern grocery store. However, comic books grew so popular among
children and adults alike that many distributors decided to start charging a
dime for them. The superhero comic book dates back to 1938 with the
introduction of Superman. Superman was the first character with super-
human powers: on the cover, he is lifting a car over his head. Batman, a
superhero vigilante, followed a year later. By 1945, over 160 different comic
books were released each month in the United States. The characters of
Superman and Batman are currently enjoying a revival in Hollywood films.

What can be inferred about the earliest comic books in the United States?

They were given out free of charge

They had a superhero as the main character

The stories told in these comics were later made into films

Adults were more interested in them than children

The correct answer is the first answer. We can infer they were given out free of charge
because the passage says, “….comic books grew so popular among children and adults
alike that many distributers decided to start charging a dime for them.” Thus, we can infer
that at first they were given out for free. The second cannot be inferred because Superman
wasn’t introduced until 1938. The third is not correct because although the characters were
in movies, we can’t be sure that the stories are the same (this is a “could be true” answer).
The last answer is not correct because the passage says, “…comic books grew so popular
among children and adults alike…”

Here is another example:

Charles Darwin developed the theory of evolution by natural selection.

According to this theory, the ability to pass on genetic material despite
inconstant environmental circumstances makes a species successful. The
environment is gradually changing all the time. For instance, rainfall might
be slightly higher from one year to the next. The availability and quality of
food may differ over time. The climate may become colder or warmer.
Humans have certainly interfered with the environment, in particular with the
development of agriculture. There is no question that human activity has put
tremendous pressure on species to adapt to altered circumstances. The ability
to pass on genes, despite these shifts in the environment, makes a species
successful under Darwin’s theory. However, a species must be able to adapt
not only to slow changes but also to catastrophic events. The Earth has been
subject to sudden dramatic changes during the course of its 4.5 billion year
history, such as abrupt climate changes and even meteor impacts.

What can be inferred about the factors that make a species successful?

The ability to adapt to human interference is the most important ability

for a species to be successful

The factors which make a species successful do not change very much
over time

The ability to survive gradual change is not the only factor that makes a
species successful

The ability to survive catastrophic events, such as meteor impacts and

sudden climate changes, is more important than any other ability

The third answer is correct. The first answer is “too extreme.” We can’t tell from the text if
this is the most important ability. The second answer is not mentioned. The fourth answer
is also “too extreme” because it says more important than any other ability, which is not
reflected in the passage. The third answer is correct because it is supported by the words
“However, a species must be able to adapt not only to slow changes, but also…”

Quick Tip: Sometimes the correct answer

to an inference question is a clever
paraphrase of a sentence you saw in the
reading.
Try this example:

At the turn of the 19th Century, most of the United States west of the
Appalachian Mountains remained a mystery to all but a few tribes of Native
Americans. When President Thomas Jefferson signed the Louisiana
Purchase, a land deal between the United States and France in which the U.S.
bought over two million square kilometers of land west of the Mississippi
River for $15 million, he was not quite sure exactly what he had bought. In
fact, this land purchase nearly doubled the size of the United States, but no
reliable maps existed at the time. Jefferson hoped that there was a water route
from the mainland of the United States into Asia which could open a trade
route between the two continents. Jefferson hired Meriwether Lewis and
William Clark, along with 31 others, to explore this new land and report their
findings. Lewis, Clark, and the rest of the expedition began their journey near
St. Louis, Missouri, in May 1804. In the spring of the following year, they
reached the Rocky Mountains. By November, they reached the Pacific
Ocean. The Lewis and Clark expedition returned with its findings two years
after it had left. Though in the end, they did not find the expected passage,
the information from their journey paved the way for westward expansion.
They had not only collected over 300 species of plants and animals for
examination but had also provided the President with the first reliable maps
of the area.

What can be inferred about the results of the Lewis and Clark expedition?

It failed to provide Jefferson with useful information

It opened up trade routes across the country

It helped boost the agricultural output of the eastern United States

It increased migration to the west

The correct answer is the fourth answer. The passage says, “…the information from their
journey paved the way for westward expansion.” The fourth answer is a simple paraphrase
of this information. The first answer is not true. The second answer goes beyond the
information in the passage. The third answer is not mentioned.

Sometimes these questions will ask you to infer what the author believes.
Here is an example:

Organic food is agricultural produce which is grown without the use of

synthetic pesticides or chemicals and sold to the consumer without adding
preservatives. Organic food is a $30 billion dollar a year industry in the
United States, despite the fact that purchasing organically grown produce
costs approximately 20% more than traditionally grown produce. Is the extra
cost worth it? There is a common belief spread widely online and in health
food magazines that organic food is safer to consume and puts fewer
chemicals into the groundwater; the water found underground in the cracks
and spaces in soil, sand, and rock. There are certainly restrictions on the types
of pesticides that can be used on foods labeled “Organic.” However, organic
farmers are still permitted to use natural chemicals, and some have dangerous
side effects. For instance, a natural chemical called Rotenone is an odorless,
colorless, chemical compound used as a broad-spectrum insecticide and
pesticide. It occurs naturally in the seeds and stems of several plants and is
therefore approved for organic farming. Recent studies have linked Rotenone
to Parkinson’s disease. Although the evidence is not yet robust enough to
prove a definitive link, it is enough to question the merits of the “organic
food is safer” argument.

It can be inferred that the author believes

Organic food is too expensive for most families

Organic food should be labeled more clearly

Organic food may help reduce pollution in groundwater

Organic food may not be worth the extra cost

The fourth answer is correct. The first answer is not correct because although the author
points out that there are extra costs associated with organic food, it isn’t stated that it is too
expensive for most families. This is “too extreme.” The second is a “could be true” answer-
the author mentions labeling but nothing more can be inferred. The third answer isn’t true
because it has the “wrong tone.” The passage is critical of organic food, and this answer
has a positive tone.

These questions simply take practice. Let’s try another example.

The anatomy of cats makes them remarkable predators. Cats have sharp,
retractable claws; when they are relaxing, the claws are sheathed in a layer of
skin that protects them from the wear and tear of contact with the ground.
They also keep these claws retracted to sneak up on prey silently. Cats have
mobile ears which can collect and deflect sound rays inwards towards the
eardrum and the organs of hearing. The ears of cats are receptive to ultrasonic
frequencies up to 85,000 vibrations per second, greatly exceeding the hearing
capabilities of dogs, which register 35,000 vibrations per second. They have
sophisticated visual perception. Cats only need one-sixth the illumination that
humans require to see well. Muscles surround the pupil of the eye which
narrows in bright light and opens fully in dim light, allowing the most light
possible to enter the eye. Cats have a reflective layer called a tapetum
lucidum behind their retinas, which reflects incoming light back into the eye.
This gives cats a second chance to use any available light. However, despite
all these advantages, a cat requires at least a small amount of light to be able
to discern its surroundings. In complete darkness, cats rely on the dozens of
whiskers they have all over their bodies. These whiskers are very sensitive
and provide information about the location of objects in the dark through
either direct touch or by sensing the movement of air.

What can be inferred about the vision of cats?

It is superior to the vision of humans

It is not effective in total darkness

It lacks an adaptation for the perception of color

It is unique because no other animal has a tapetum lucidum

The second answer is correct because the passage says, “…a cat requires at least a small
amount of light to be able to discern its surroundings.” Here we can see the TOEFL traps.
The first answer contains information beyond what is found in the passage. While the
passage states cats can see better with less illumination than humans, that doesn’t mean
their vision is superior to humans. The third answer is not mentioned in the passage. The
fourth answer looks good because these words are mentioned in the passage, but it is not
correct. It “could be true,” but that is not good enough.

Let’s try another example!

The ostrich is a species of bird native to Africa. It weighs between 63 and

145 kilograms. The feathers of an ostrich lack the small hooks that lock
together the smooth external feathers of flying birds. Their feathers are soft
and fluffy, and insulate them when the temperature drops. Their wings are
used as stabilizers to give them better maneuverability when running.
Scientists have observed that an ostrich uses them in braking, turning and
zigzag maneuvers. Essentially, they use their wings like the rudders on a
boat. The ostrich has powerful legs to run away from predators and can run
up to 50 kilometers per hour. Their legs serve as formidable weapons. A
single kick can kill a human or other predator such as a lion. They have long,
sharp claws on their two-toed feet. Ostriches typically eat plants, in addition
to roots and seeds, but will also consume insects and lizards if they are
available.

What can be inferred about ostriches?

They are unable to fly

They are not found outside of Africa

They use their claws to capture prey

 They are herbivores

The correct answer is the first answer. The passage states that “The feathers of an ostrich
lack the small hooks that lock together the smooth external feathers of flying birds.” We
can therefore infer that ostriches are unable to fly. The second answer is “too extreme.” The
third answer is not mentioned. The last answer is not true (they eat insects and lizards, so
they are not herbivores.)

Here is another example:

Motorola’s prototype cellular phone was nicknamed “The Brick.” It was used
to make the first cellular phone call in 1973. This prototype gave the user
only thirty minutes of talk time before it ran out of power and had to be
charged for ten hours. It took another decade for Motorola to launch the
phone publicly in the 1980’s, but it had not lost its size or antennae and was
so difficult to use that Motorola put a sticker with instructions on the back
explaining how to make a phone call. These cell phones cost $3995, and
could only store thirty phone numbers. It cost a whopping $49 to make a
thirty-minute phone call. Thus, the user had to be prudent when making calls
from the device to avoid incurring astronomical fees. In the mid-1980’s, a
Finnish company called Nokia launched GSM handsets that could send data
along with voice. The antennae shrunk along with the battery, and the ability
to choose a personal ringtone and send text messages were thought to be the
cutting edge of technology. When Apple entered the market, the iPhone
changed everything. Cell phones are now sleek, and can not only text and
make phone calls, but have internet access, cameras, and diverse memory
capabilities. In terms of functionality and features, they rival modern
computers and in some ways exceed them.
It can be inferred that early cell phones

were only used in case of emergency

could not be used to make international calls

were bulky and cumbersome

did not have memory storage capabilities

The third answer is correct. We can infer this because these phones were nicknamed “The
Brick.” Bricks are bulky and cumbersome. The first answer goes beyond the information in
the paragraph. The second answer “could be true” but we can’t be sure. The fourth answer
is not true.

Here is another example:

While digging a well near Xi’an, China in 1974, workers unearthed a clay
figure of a soldier poised for battle. The workers alerted Chinese authorities,
who sent archaeologists to investigate. What was uncovered was one of the
most astonishing archaeological finds in the world: the Terracotta Army. This
enormous collection of underground pottery from the Qin dynasty includes
8,000 warriors, 130 chariots, and 150 horses. It even includes figures of
entertainment such as acrobats and musicians. Incredibly, many of the
warriors stand at a life-like six feet tall. While most of it remains to be
excavated, a great deal has already been learned about this ancient pottery.
The army was commissioned by the Emperor Qin Shi Huang for his
mausoleum in approximately 210 BCE. It took 700,000 workers over 38
years to create the figures that were ultimately buried with the Emperor.
Unfortunately, after spending so much time underground, the statues that
have been excavated have lost most of their paint, a beautiful shade called
Chinese Purple. The purpose of this Army was to protect and entertain the
Emperor in the afterlife. The soldiers face east, the direction of China’s
enemies at the time.

What can be inferred about the Terracotta Army?

It brought great wealth to the workers who discovered it

It lost most of its paint due to exposure to moisture

It was built to be the same size as China’s Army

Most of it is still underground

The correct answer is the fourth answer. The passage states that “…most of it remains to be
excavated.” No other answer can be inferred based only on the passage. The first answer
“could be true” but we can’t prove it from the passage. The second answer also “could be
true.” The third answer does not reflect any information in the passage- it is “not
mentioned.”

Here is another example to try:

The Earth’s core is the extremely hot, dense center of the planet. Shaped like
a ball, it is about 2,900 kilometers below the Earth’s surface, with a radius of
about 1,220 kilometers. This inner core is made of a nickel-iron alloy and
some light elements. The core also contains the key element sulfur; in fact,
90% of the Earth’s sulfur is found in its core. In 1936, the scientist Inge
Lehmann determined that this inner core was solid, unlike its liquid outer
core, by studying earthquake activity in New Zealand. She noted that
earthquake waves called P-waves which traveled toward the inner earth could
later be felt on the other side of the planet. This theory was confirmed in
1970 when more sensitive instruments were used to ascertain that waves from
earthquakes deflected off the core at unexpected angles. Although the core is
the hottest part of the Earth, its temperature is difficult to determine precisely.
The fluctuating temperature depends on pressure, the rotation of the Earth,
and the composition of the elements within. The fact that it is solid metal
makes the Earth magnetic, and this magnetic field offers protection from
charged particles in the solar system.

What can be inferred about the temperature of the Earth’s core?

When the temperature is lower more particles are deflected from the
Earth

The high amount of sulfur causes the temperature to remain relatively

stable

It becomes much hotter when the Earth’s orbit brings it closer to the Sun

There are several variables which cause the temperature of the core to
vary

The correct answer is the fourth answer. The passage says, “The fluctuating temperature
depends on pressure, the rotation of the Earth, and the composition of the elements within.”
None of the other answers were mentioned, although they contain vocabulary that was used
in the passage.

Here is another example:

Gold ranks high in the physical properties that make it ideal for jewelry. It
does not tarnish or rust, and it is a corrosion-proof and oxidation-resistant
metal. Some of our most significant cultural items are made from gold, from
Olympic medals to wedding bands. Pure gold, also known as 24 karat gold, is
an attractive golden yellow. Because of the softness of pure gold, it must be
alloyed-- in other words, mixed-- with base metals for use in jewelry, altering
its durability, melting point, color, and other properties. Another benefit of
alloying gold with certain metals is that gold can be given a range of hues
depending on the metal with which it is alloyed. Alloyed gold can be red,
blue, green, or purple. Blue gold can be made by alloying pure gold with
iron, and purple gold can be made by alloying it with aluminum. Such hued
forms of gold are rare in jewelry. White gold, on the other hand, has become
very popular in recent years, especially for wedding and engagement rings.
White gold is made by alloying gold with silver, palladium, or other white
metals.

What can be inferred about 24 karat gold?

It is the most valuable type of gold

It has more practical uses than alloyed gold

It is too soft to be made into lasting pieces of jewelry

It has a high melting point

The third answer is correct. The passage says, “Because of the softness of pure gold, it
must be alloyed—in other words, mixed—with base metals for use in jewelry, altering its
durability…” Therefore, we can infer that 24 karat gold is too soft to be used in jewelry.
None of the other choices are mentioned as true.

Try this example next:

Northern leopard frogs are green, medium-sized frogs approximately three to
five inches long. They are identified by the dark spots that adorn their backs
and legs. The range of the leopard frog spans most of North America and
Mexico. The preferred habitat of the leopard frog is ponds and marshes, but
they will occasionally venture out into grasslands in search of food or mates.
The leopard frog has powerful back legs which it uses to leap into the air and
capture its prey. It eats flies, ants, beetles, and even smaller leopard frogs.
Leopard frogs hibernate during the winter, as they cannot tolerate freezing
temperatures as some frogs can. They spend the winter buried in mud in well-
oxygenated spaces.

It can be inferred that the leopard frog got its name from

its color

its behavior

its habitat

its spots

The correct answer is the fourth answer. The reading says, “They are identified by the dark
spots that adorn their backs and legs.” Since leopards are famous for their spots, this is the
logical inference.

Reference Questions
These questions are not as common on the TOEFL anymore. You will
probably only answer one or two. However, it’s still useful to know how to
answer them.
Reference questions ask you to identify the relationship between a referent
(usually a pronoun or demonstrative such as it, he, she, they, them, this, these,
that, etc.) or a phrase such as “these insects,” and the antecedent that it is
referring to. In the TOEFL, the referents will be highlighted in gray, and you
will choose the antecedent that it refers to.

Here’s a simple example to show you what I mean:

John has a cat. He brushes its fur every night.

Its is a referent which refers to the antecedent, “a cat.”

Here is another simple example:

Tom and Mary like to swim, but they are not confident in the water. They
always wear lifejackets. They put them on every time they swim in the lake
near their house.

Them is a referent which refers to the antecedent “lifejackets.”

Steps for answering referent questions:

1. Make sure your answer is the same in number (singular or plural)

and case (first person, second person, third person) as the highlighted
antecedent.

2. In your mind, substitute your choice with the highlighted word or

words. Make sure it makes sense, and that it does not break any
grammar rules.

Note that the answer to reference questions is almost always before the
pronoun in the question. There can be exceptions, and below we will start
with a simple example that shows the correct answer can sometimes come
after the word in question.

Try this example:

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 an invasive
species. If this invasive species reproduces quickly and competes with native
plants for resources, it can cause death to native species.

The word those refers to

plants

highways

areas

people

The fourth answer is correct.

Usually, the correct answer comes before the highlighted word in

question. Try this example:

Levi Strauss left Bavaria to escape persecution and began a new life in the
United States in 1853. He started a business selling canvas, a durable fabric,
to the miners to build their tents. When he observed that the miners did not
have pants strong enough to last for months in the mines, he was inspired to
make pants from the canvas he had been selling. Almost immediately, the
demand for these pants, which he dubbed “Levi’s,” was so enormous he
could hardly keep up with it. When he sold out of the brown canvas, he
switched to a sturdy fabric from France, an indigo-blue cloth. This is how the
first pair of jeans was invented.

The word it refers to

the demand

the cloth

the canvas

the pants

The first answer is correct.

Let’s do some practice using the same passages as we used for inference
questions:

Organic food is a category of food which is grown without the use of

synthetic pesticides or chemicals and sold to the consumer without adding
preservatives. Organic food is a $30 billion dollar a year industry in the
United States, despite the fact that purchasing organically grown produce
costs approximately 20% more than traditionally grown produce. Is the extra
cost worth it? There is a common belief spread widely online and in health
food magazines that organic food is safer to consume and puts fewer
chemicals into the groundwater; the water found underground in the cracks
and spaces in soil, sand and rock. There are certainly restrictions on the types
of pesticides that can be used on foods labeled “Organic.” However, organic
farmers are still permitted to use natural chemicals, and some have dangerous
side effects. For instance, a natural chemical called Rotenone is an odorless,
colorless, chemical compound used as a broad-spectrum insecticide and
pesticide. It occurs naturally in the seeds and stems of several plants and is
therefore approved for organic farming. Recent studies have linked Rotenone
to Parkinson’s disease. Although the evidence is not yet robust enough to
prove a definitive link, it is enough to question the merits of the “organic
food is safer” argument.

The word it in the passage refers to

a chemical compound

the evidence

a definitive link

Parkinson’s disease

The second answer is correct.

Here is another example:

Motorola’s prototype cellular phone was nicknamed “The Brick.” It was used
to make the first cellular phone call in 1973. This prototype gave the user
only thirty minutes of talk time before it ran out of power and had to be
charged for ten hours. It took another ten years for Motorola to launch the
phone publicly in the 1980’s, but it had not lost its size or antennae and was
so difficult to use that Motorola put a sticker with instructions on the back
explaining how to make a phone call. These cell phones cost $3995, and
could only store thirty phone numbers. It cost a whopping $49 to make a
thirty-minute phone call. Thus, the user had to be prudent when making calls
from the device to avoid incurring astronomical fees. In the mid- 1980’s, a
Finnish company called Nokia launched GSM handsets that could send data
along with voice. The antennae shrunk along with the battery, and choices of
ringtones and the ability to text were thought to be the cutting edge of
technology. When Apple entered the market, the iPhone changed everything.
Cell phones are now sleek, and can not only text and make phone calls, but
have internet access, cameras, and diverse memory capabilities. In terms of
functionality and features, they rival modern computers and in some ways
exceed them.

The word they in the passage refers to

computers

functionality and features

cell phones

memory capabilities

The third answer is correct.

Here is a final example with two questions:

The ostrich is a species of bird native to Africa. It weighs between 63 to 145

kilograms. The feathers of an ostrich lack the small hooks that lock together
the smooth external feathers of flying birds. Their feathers are soft and fluffy,
and insulate them when the temperature drops. Their wings are used as
stabilizers to give better maneuverability when running. Scientists have
observed that an ostrich uses them in braking, turning and zigzag maneuvers.
Essentially, they use their wings like the rudders on a boat. The ostrich has
powerful legs to run away from predators and can run up to 50 kilometers per
hour. Their legs serve as formidable weapons. A single kick can kill a human
or other predator such as a lion. They have long, sharp claws on their two-
toed feet. Ostriches typically eat plants, in addition to roots and seeds, but
will also dine on insects and lizards if they are available.

The word them in the passage refers to

wings

feathers

legs

claws

The word they in the passage refers to

ostriches

plants

insects and lizards

roots and seeds

For the first question, the first answer is correct. For the second question, the third answer
is correct.
A recap of the key points you need to know:

Inference questions take a little longer and may require more reading
than detail questions.

Inference questions are sometimes a clever paraphrase of a sentence you

saw in the reading.

Beware of common traps: Answers that contain information beyond

what is presented in the passage, answers that could be true, answers
that look appealing but are not correct, and answers that use extreme
language. Do not choose an answer that is untrue or not mentioned.

Referent questions are rare, but if you get one make sure you choose the
referent that agrees in number and case with your choice. Make sure
your answer does not break any grammatical rules.
Chapter 4
 Purpose Questions
Purpose questions in the Reading section of the TOEFL ask you why the
author included certain information. These questions are common on TOEFL,
and you can expect one or two per passage. Purpose questions on the TOEFL
look like this:

Why does the author mention (x)?

The author mentions (x) in order to…

The author includes the information that (x) in order to…

The author uses (x) as an example of…

The author mentions (x) for which of the following reasons?

The author mentions (x) because…

What is the author’s purpose in mentioning…

There are many possible reasons for an author to include certain information.
The following examples will demonstrate the most common purposes that
information serves in the TOEFL reading and beyond.

To Compare: The author wants to show similarities or differences

between ideas. The author may use information to compare two ideas in a
text. For example, read the following comparison of violins and cellos:

The violin is a string instrument which is played while propped between the
shoulder and the chin of the musician. The cello is also a string instrument,
but it is played while the musician is sitting down and held between the knees
of the player, with a pin stuck into the floor to keep it balanced.

To Contrast: The author wants to show differences between two things.

An author may wish to point out the differences between two things.
Consider this example which contrasts amphibians and mammals:

Amphibians are cold-blooded, and are usually quite small. They have bare,
moist skin. Mammals, on the other hand, are warm-blooded. Their skin is dry
and covered in fur or hair. Unlike amphibians, mammals can grow to be
enormous.

To Give Examples: The author wants to give specific examples of an idea

or thing. Read this example, in which Queen Elizabeth is given as an
example:

Although in the Middle Ages most European monarchs married to form

alliances with neighboring countries, some monarchs chose to marry for love
or even not to marry at all. Queen Elizabeth I, for instance, never married and
yet ruled England for 44 years.

To Indicate/To Point Out: The author wants to draw the reader’s

attention to something. In this example, the writer indicates one way the
Romans expanded their empire:

The Roman Empire was the largest empire of the ancient world. While its
capital city was Rome, it expanded across Europe, North Africa, and the
Middle East. The Romans invented unique ways to expand their empire
across such vast lands. One was the invention and development of a complex
system of aqueducts. An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel
constructed to convey water. By building aqueducts, the Romans were no
longer limited to life near rivers and streams but could move further and
further outward, relying on aqueducts to provide the population with the
water necessary for survival.

To Describe/Illustrate: The author wants to further describe or illustrate

an idea. Consider the following example, in which the author uses the phrase
“a ray of sunshine” to describe the personality of Anne Shirley:

Anne Shirley, the central character of the book “Anne of Green Gables,” is
one of the most beloved figures in all of fiction. Anne is a ray of sunshine to
everyone she meets, and her optimism and goodwill have won the hearts of
millions.

To Correct: The author wants to correct an earlier claim or

misunderstanding. Sometimes, the author wants to correct a claim or a
common misunderstanding. Read the following example, which corrects a
claim about The Great Wall of China:

It’s a widely circulated story that the Great Wall of China is the only structure
built by humans that can be seen from space. In fact, the Great Wall cannot
be seen from even a low Earth orbit and can certainly not be seen from the
moon.

To Introduce: The author wants to introduce a new idea. In order to

introduce a topic, the author may use an introductory statement, a topic
sentence, or ask a rhetorical question. Consider this example in which the
author introduces a theory:
Humans have notoriously poor memories of past experiences. But why do we
forget so much of our lives? One theory to explain this phenomenon is decay
theory. Decay theory suggests that the greater amount of time that passes, the
more likely we are to forget the events that occurred. Therefore, memories
are not permanent and tend to fade over time.

To Cast Doubt: The author wants to cast doubt on a theory or claim.

Consider this example in which the author casts doubt on the authenticity of
alien abduction stories by pointing out an alternative theory:

Many people worldwide claim to have been abducted by aliens and taken
onto spacecrafts for questioning or examination. Some of these individuals
report their experiences in such vivid, realistic detail that the story seems
utterly compelling. However, the people who are most likely to report alien
abductions are those who are prone to sleep paralysis, the state of being
conscious but unable to move. As this experience is terrifying, this terror can
give way to hallucinations of lights, buzzing sounds, and even visions of
aliens.

To Support/ Provide Evidence: The author wants to give evidence to

support or prove a claim. This is very common in the TOEFL. The author
may use data, a quote, a study, or supporting details to support or prove a
piece of information. In this example, the author uses data (in this case,
numbers) to support a point that is made about Hawaii:

If you have ever flown to Hawaii, you have probably noticed how long you
must fly over a large expanse of ocean to get there. The Hawaiian island
chain is, in fact, the most remote island chain in the world with a large human
population. It is 2,390 from California; 3,850 miles from Japan; and 4,900
miles from China.
To Suggest: The author wants to suggest an idea, suggest a solution to a
problem, suggest an alternative, and so on. In this example, the author
suggests that Shakespeare did not write all of his works:

Shakespeare is regarded as the greatest English writer of all time. But is it

possible that one individual was such a prolific writer? The canon of
Shakespeare’s works shows an intimate knowledge of the Elizabethan courts,
but Shakespeare did not live among nobility. In addition, his plays used three
times the number of words the average person knows, yet there is no record
that Shakespeare received a formal education.

To Emphasize: The author may wish to emphasize a point. The author

may do this by using supporting details, data, a quote, or words that
indicate emphasis such as “in fact,” or “as a matter of fact,” “even,” and
so on. Here is an example in which the author uses the word “even” to
emphasize a point about tardigrades:

Tardigrades are eight-legged, microscopic animals that are found all over the
Earth. They are known for being one of the hardiest, most resilient animals in
the world. They can survive the pressure of the deep ocean, ionizing
radiation, and even the vacuum of outer space.

To Explain: The author may want to explain something to the reader.

Here is an example in which the author explains how digestion works:

Digestion is the process of food moving through the gastrointestinal tract.

Digestion begins in the mouth. There, food is chewed and swallowed, then
passes down the esophagus into the stomach. Food then mixes with acid,
which breaks it down. It then moves into the small intestine where much of it
is absorbed into the bloodstream. Next, the food proceeds into the large
intestine which removes any excess water. Whatever remains is expelled
from the body as a waste product.

Note that other purposes exist on the TOEFL. These include: To show, to
make a point, to disprove, to note, to criticize, to admit, to refute, to
argue, to identify, and so on.

These questions require more than skill with the English language, they
require you to consider the purpose the information serves carefully. Your
job is to determine why the author included the information. To get your
answer, there are important steps to follow.

1. Read the question carefully and understand what it is asking you to

do. Identify the keywords.

2. Go to the beginning of the paragraph. Read from the beginning of the

paragraph to determine its main idea or purpose. Pay special attention
to the first sentence of the paragraph, as there is often a clue found
there. After you do this, it will be easier to determine the purpose of the
highlighted words or keywords, because they are often related to the
author’s purpose for the paragraph.

3. Look for transition words as you read. These can be an important clue
about why the author included certain information.

4. When you get to the highlighted words or keywords, slow down and
read the sentence carefully.

5. Use the process of elimination aggressively. Eliminate the following

traps.
 TRAPS
The answer choice has the correct purpose but uses an unmentioned
idea. Some answer choices that are traps will have the correct purpose, but
mention an idea that was not in the paragraph.

The answer choice distorts information from the passage. This is a

common TOEFL trap. An answer choice that uses a lot of vocabulary from
the passage, but changes the meaning from the passage in a significant way,
is a trap.

The answer choice contains extreme language. Remember; answer choices

with words such as “never,” “forever,” “always,” or extreme wording such as
“will be impossible,” may be traps. If the extreme language in the answer
choice is not supported by the text, it is incorrect.

The answer does not reflect the author’s purpose. Of course, this is the
most common trap for purpose questions. You have to become familiar with
why authors include certain information. Are they supporting an idea?
Casting doubt on an idea? Indicating new information to the reader? Giving a
specific example? Supporting or emphasizing an idea? Reading a lot and
becoming familiar with how authors use information is an excellent way to
prepare for this question type. We will go through many examples in this
chapter.

The answer does not relate to the big picture or is off-topic. Some answer
choices may not be related to the main point the author is trying to make.
These should be eliminated.

The answer choice is incorrect. Some answer choices will contain

information that is not correct but will repeat words from the passage. Make
sure you read each choice carefully.

Sometimes, transitions can help you understand the author’s purpose.

Consider this example:

Many people think of Stephen King as the master of the horror genre, and
this is not surprising considering that some of his most acclaimed books were
made into classic horror movies. Even his longtime fans are quite surprised to
learn that King has written moving drama as well. For example, he wrote The
Body, a coming of age story about young boys and their close friendship; and
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, the story of an innocent man
imprisoned for a crime he did not commit.

Why does the author mention The Body and Rita Hayworth and Shawshank
Redemption? Start at the beginning of the paragraph. It mentions that King is
the master of horror, and that his fans are surprised he has written drama. We
have a clue in the transition, “For example.” The Body and Rita Hayworth
and Shawshank Redemption are mentioned as examples of the dramas that
King wrote.

Try this example:

The Office is a hugely successful television show that began in the United
Kingdom, with a later version developed in the United States. It is considered
a “mockumentary,” that is, it is filmed like a documentary but is in fact
scripted satire. The television program follows the daily lives of office
workers in a fictitious paper company. The office in the program is managed
by a character named David Brent. Much of the humor comes from Brent’s
mistaken belief that he is a talented musician, comedian, and dancer and that
his co-workers admire his foolish behavior. Brent sees himself as patient,
funny, and popular, but in fact his conduct at work is annoying, rude and
selfish. The comedy was so successful in Britain that an American version
was developed with the character of Brent renamed Michael Scott. Scott has
many of the same characteristics as Brent. His behavior can be off-putting,
annoying and inappropriate. However, Michael Scott is also generous and
caring towards his employees.

Why does the author mention that Michael Scott is generous and caring?

To emphasize how different Michael Scott is from the rest of the

characters in The Office

To give examples of Michael Scott’s behavior

To contrast the character of Michael Scott with David Brent

To suggest that Michael Scott is a very unique character

The correct answer is the third answer. The author is contrasting Michael Scott with David
Brent by mentioning some positive qualities that Michael Scott has. The word “However”
gives us a clue. Why are the others incorrect? The first and second do not reflect the
author’s purpose. The fourth contains extreme language- the author does not use strong
words like “very unique.”

Here is another example:

Eating is a much more intense experience in babies than adults. Babies have
over thirty thousand taste buds in their mouths. They are replaced with
healthy new taste buds every two weeks. Over time, however, the body no
longer replaces them and the sense of taste becomes much less discerning. An
adult has 1/3 the number of healthy taste buds as a six-month-old baby.
Babies are wired for a preference for fat and sugar-packed milk. Infants also
need more calories in relation to their body size, and do not tend to enjoy
salty or sour flavors. The reason children often reject vegetables could be that
the bitter notes in them are magnified by the high number of functioning taste
buds. In addition, parental nagging to “eat your vegetables” may cause a
negative association with vegetables and a desire to rebel against the parent’s
demands. As a person matures, they express entirely different preferences.
Adults may develop a liking for sharp, pungent, or bitter tastes such as blue
cheese, garlic, and brussels sprouts.

The author mentions blue cheese, garlic, and brussels sprouts in order to

give examples of foods that children refuse to eat

indicate foods that offer health benefits

provide examples of foods that adults enjoy more than children

compare the tastes of three different types of foods

In this example, the third answer is correct. “Develop a liking” means “begin to enjoy.”
The author is giving examples of foods that adults enjoy more than children. The clue is the
words “such as.” Why are the others incorrect? The first answer has the correct purpose,
but uses extreme language (“refuse to eat.”) The second is off-topic. The fourth does not
reflect the author’s purpose.

Here is another example:

Spiders are often referred to as insects, but they are certainly not insects.
Unlike insects, spiders do not have antennae or wings. They also have eight
simple eyes while insects have two compound eyes. Spiders have eight legs,
whereas insects have six. A few spider species build webs and live in large
colonies. This is a social behavior, although not nearly as complex as the
social relationships found among insects. The species Anelosimus Eximius
forms colonies of up to 50,000 individual spiders. The Theridion
Nigroannulatum spider co-operates to capture prey and share food with each
other. Predatory spiders such as these are in a better position to defend their
meals from parasites that would otherwise steal it. Social behavior allows
spiders to team up and capture larger prey. Spiders that co-operate can also
do well in inclement weather. Spiders that share the task of maintaining and
repairing their webs in the rain fare much better than lone spiders.

Why does the professor mention insects?

To introduce the idea that spiders only take the form of insects at certain
life stages

To argue that all spiders are social

To point out the similarities between spiders and insects

To correct a common misunderstanding about spiders

The correct answer is the fourth answer. The writer is correcting a common
misunderstanding: that spiders are insects. The clue is in the next sentence, “Unlike insects,
spiders...” The first answer and second answers both contain incorrect information. The
third does not reflect the author’s purpose.

Some questions ask you what the purpose is of an entire paragraph. Of

course, in this case, you must read the entire paragraph. Take a look at
this example:

Photosynthesis is a process by which plants use sunlight to make their own

food. Plants convert light energy from the sun into chemical energy that can
be later released to fuel the organisms’ activities. This chemical energy is
stored in carbohydrate molecules, such as sugars, which are synthesized from
carbon dioxide and water. Oxygen is released as a waste product. Cellular
respiration, on the other hand, converts the food created by photosynthesis
into energy which can then be utilized by the living organisms or plants. This
process occurs within the mitochondria, organelles which break down
glucose. All living organisms and plants perform cellular respiration. In
contrast, photosynthesis can only be performed by organisms that contain
chlorophyll, green pigments found in algae and plants.

What is the purpose of this paragraph?

To give examples of organisms that perform photosynthesis

To explain how organisms perform cellular respiration

To define and explain the process of photosynthesis

To compare photosynthesis and cellular respiration

The fourth answer is correct. The purpose of the paragraph is to compare photosynthesis
and cellular respiration. Take note of the transitional phrases, “on the other hand” and “in
contrast.”

Here is another example that asks about the purpose of a paragraph:

For a fossil to be discovered, a series of steps must occur. The animal or plant
must be buried quickly. If it dies on the plains or in a rocky area, it is usually
found by scavengers, eaten and reduced to bone chips. Animals that do get
fossilized are those which get caught in floods, die in or near a river, or get
trapped in a sandstorm. The dead animal then must be buried in a
depositional area and covered in layers of mud and sediment. Dissolved
minerals, transported by groundwater in the sediment, fill tiny spaces in the
bones. The combination of pressure and chemical reactions eventually turn
the sediments into rock and the bones into mineralized fossils. Next, the
depositional area must become an erosional area so that wind and water wear
it down to uncover the fossil remains. Finally, someone knowledgeable must
spot the fossil and recover it. It must be a short time from the fossil becoming
exposed to recovery by an expert. If it isn’t recovered quickly, erosion will
eventually wear away the fossil itself.

What is the purpose of this paragraph?

To give information about the methods scientists use to recover fossils

To explain the steps in a process

To demonstrate the difficulties in recovering fossils

To argue that most fossils disappear before they are discovered

The correct answer is the second answer. Are you surprised? The second answer seems a
lot less appealing than the other answers. Remember from earlier in this book: Sometimes a
simple answer is correct. Look at the big picture, especially the first sentence. It says “…a
series of steps must occur.” The paragraph also has words that indicate steps, such as next
and finally. None of the other answers are related to the big picture.

Many passages do not have transitions. Let’s continue, relying instead on

the process of elimination:

Mammoths were elephant-like animals that mysteriously went extinct 4,000

years ago. These herbivores were about the size of modern Asian elephants.
Like elephants, they had large ears, tusks, and a long trunk, but were covered
in thick brown hair and underfur. The question as to why these enormous
mammals went extinct has puzzled scientists for decades. One theory is that
they were overhunted by the Clovis people, a sophisticated Ice Age culture in
North America. The Clovis people used stone spears which could have
pierced the skin of the giant mammoths. This theory is debatable. A group of
Clovis people could only have consumed about 25% of the mammoth’s meat.
There were other game animals such as buffalo and bears which would have
made more sensible prey for the Clovis people. Climate change has also been
put forth as a possible reason for their extinction. As herbivores, these
animals were completely dependent on vegetation to provide them with vital
nutrients. If climate change killed off the flora, mammoths would have
suffered from consequences that may have been deadly.

Why does the author mention that A group of Clovis people could only have
consumed about 25% of the mammoth’s meat?

To introduce a discussion about the diet of the Clovis people

To give facts about the amount of food the Clovis people consumed

To provide evidence that the Clovis people preferred to hunt for buffalo
and bears

To cast doubt on the theory that the Clovis people caused the extinction
of mammoths
The fourth answer is correct because the purpose of the paragraph is to discuss theories
about why mammoths went extinct, and this data casts doubt on that theory.

Try another example:

Jupiter’s distance from the Earth and its hazardous magnetic field make it a
challenge to study. Despite these obstacles, scientists remain fascinated with
Jupiter and its moons. Io is Jupiter’s innermost moon and is roughly the same
size as our own moon. Planetary scientists have little doubt that this moon is
extremely volcanically active; in fact, it is the most volcanically active body
in the solar system. Images taken by NASA’S Galileo spacecraft show that
there are over 100 volcanic centers, each comprised of several volcanic
depressions in the ground called calderas. Geologists have studied the gasses
that are discharged from modern-day active calderas, such as The
Yellowstone Caldera in Wyoming, and found they are a mixture of water
vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur. These gasses were most likely present in
the early atmosphere of both the Earth and Io. The volcanoes on Io account
for its unique geological features. It is pockmarked with vibrant colors from
the sulfur and various sulfuric compounds, giving it a mottled look much like
the surface of a pizza. Due to the enormous pressure on Io, volcanoes are
constantly pumping out a new liquid surface, filling in any impact craters
with molten lava lakes and spreading smooth new floodplains of liquid rock.

The author mentions The Yellowstone Caldera in order to

compare the surface of Io and the surface of the Earth

indicate one source of information about the early atmosphere on Io

explain why Io has a colorful surface

 account for differences between the early atmosphere on Earth and
modern day Io

The correct answer is the second answer. The author gives The Yellowstone Caldera as a
source of information about the early atmosphere on Io. The other answers do not reflect
the author’s purpose.

Try another:

Soil contamination occurs when human activity introduces chemicals into the
soil that damage living organisms. Plants called hyperaccumulators are
incredibly useful because they can absorb pollutants from the ground without
being poisoned themselves. The evolutionary advantage of the
hyperaccumulation of metals by plants may be that the toxic levels of heavy
metals deter herbivores from consuming them. These useful plants can
provide a natural and inexpensive way to clean up after an accident and help
to regain soil stability. Hyperaccumulators can absorb contaminants in either
soil or groundwater; whether it is heavy metals, chemicals, radioactive
contamination or petroleum. For example, sunflowers were used to absorb
radioactive contamination after the Chernobyl disaster in the Ukraine.
Wildflowers were used in Kuwait to clean up sites where petroleum had
spilled. Even showy, beautiful flowers can be hyperaccumulators. Gerbera
Daisies are flowers with large pink petals that can absorb formaldehyde from
the soil.

Why does the professor mention Gerbera Daisies?

To give an example of a showy, beautiful flower

To show that hyperaccumulators can absorb radioactive waste

 To warn about the risks of growing these daisies

To point out one way soil contamination can be reduced

In this example, the fourth answer is correct. The first is off topic. The passage is about
hyperaccumulators, not showy flowers. The second answer is a trap: it uses some of the
same language, but sunflowers were used to absorb radioactive waste, not Gerbera Daisies.
The third answer has the wrong tone. It uses the word “risks,” a negative word. The author
has a positive tone, praising the uses of hyperaccumulators.

Try another passage:

There is an almost universal belief in the manifestations of the spirit of the

dead. These manifestations are commonly referred to as “ghosts.” Ghosts are
believed to be the soul or spirit of a person who has died. The idea of ghosts
as hopeful evidence of life after death goes all the way back to ancient Egypt,
where death was said to be merely a transition to another state. Although
objective evidence is murky at best, recent polls show that 45% of Americans
believe in ghosts. Furthermore, nearly 18% of Americans have said they have
felt or seen the presence of a ghost which they report as a feeling of
uneasiness, a sudden chill, or sounds that cannot be accounted for. However,
some researchers, such as Michael Persinger of Laurentian University, have
speculated that changes in tectonic stresses in the Earth's crust or solar
activity could stimulate the brain's temporal lobes and produce many of the
experiences associated with the feeling of a ghost’s presence.

Why does the author mention the views of Michael Persinger?

To point out one method of studying the presence of ghosts

 To present evidence in favor of the existence of tectonic stresses and
solar activity

To indicate that there is an alternative theory to sensing a ghost’s

presence

To emphasize that researchers are interested in investigating ghosts

further

The third answer is correct. The first answer has the wrong tone. The author’s attitude
about ghosts is one of doubt. The second is off topic. The main topic is ghosts, not tectonic
stress or solar activity. The third answer is correct because author is indicating an
alternative theory. The fourth isn’t correct because there is no mention of researchers’
further interest.

Here is another example:

You may have heard the expression, “as blind as a bat.” But are bats really
blind? Because bats use echolocation, sonar-like systems to detect and locate
objects by emitting high-pitched sounds, many people assume bats are blind.
In fact, all 1,100 species of bats are able to see, although their vision is not as
acute as other nocturnal animals. Two main groups of bats have evolved
independently of one another. One group, the Megachiroptera, are medium-
sized bats with complex visual centers in their brains and large eyes to spot
prey. The Flying Fox bat, for instance, is able to see very well and in a full
range of colors. The second group, Microchiroptera, is smaller with tiny eyes.
Although the visual center in their brains is not as complex as the
Megachiroptera, they have photoreceptor cells in the retinas of their eyes;
cones for use in the daylight and to detect color, and rods which they use for
low light conditions in the evening and during the night. They use their vision
to see over long distances, beyond the range in which echolocation would
function. The False Vampire Bat, for instance, has been observed catching
prey in the dark without using echolocation.

The author asks the question “But are bats really blind?” for which of the
following reasons?

To introduce a discussion of bat vision

To ask why bats are unable to see very well

To cast doubt on a bat’s ability to use echolocation

To compare the vision of two groups of bats

Don’t forget to look at the big picture of the paragraph, which is a discussion of bat vision.
Therefore, the first answer is correct. The question is used to introduce the topic of bat
vision.

Here is another example:

The wheels of justice turn excruciatingly slowly. The release from prison of
people who have been convicted of a crime, but are in fact innocent, can take
years or even decades. So it was for the so-called “West Memphis Three,” a
group of three adolescent boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, who were
convicted of a triple homicide that they did not commit. The teenagers came
from troubled, broken homes and became targets during the investigation of
the murder of several children who had been playing in a wooded area near
their homes. The eldest of the three convicts, Damien Echols, was sentenced
to death by the jury and was incarcerated on Death Row, the section of the
prison for those awaiting execution. It took 18 years for Echols to be released
on an unusual plea deal called the Alford plea, in which defendants can
verbally proclaim their innocence, but are forbidden from taking future legal
action against the state such as filing a lawsuit for false imprisonment.

The author mentions that it took 18 years for Echols to be released in order to

support the claim that justice can be a slow process

illustrate the amount of time prisoners spend on Death Row

provide information regarding typical sentences for a serious crime

introduce a discussion of the Alford plea

The first answer is correct. The author begins with the claim that justice is a slow process.
By giving the information that Echols was in prison for 18 years, the author is supporting
this claim. The other answers do not reflect the author’s purpose.

Let’s try another:

Dinosaurs ruled the planet from 230 million to 65 million years ago, at which
time they suddenly went extinct. This marked the end of the Mesozoic era.
But why did these formidable creatures disappear? Many hypotheses have
been examined, including climate change. Evidence does show that the planet
had become much cooler. There was ice at the poles, and the temperatures of
the ocean dropped. If that theory is correct, however, how can the survival of
alligators and turtles be explained? Like the dinosaurs, these animals are
ectotherms that rely on external temperatures to maintain a survivable
internal body temperature. If these ectotherms were able to survive the same
climate change, it stands to reason dinosaurs would have been able to as well.
In addition, climate change takes tens of thousands of years to occur, which
would have given dinosaurs time to adapt. While the climate change
hypothesis is tempting, evidence shows that it is insufficient in explaining
this extinction event.

Why does the author mention alligators and turtles?

To point out that ectotherms can survive changes in temperature

To cast doubt on the theory that dinosaurs died due to climate changes

To argue that dinosaurs went extinct because they were not ectotherms

To give examples of animals that survived the end of the Mesozoic era

The second answer is correct. The other answers do not reflect the author’s purpose.

Here is another example:

In the workplace, people may engage in activities that serve no useful

purpose but are done in order to create the appearance that the worker is both
busy and productive. Called “busy work,” people do this in order to avoid
reprimand or termination. Many workers believe it is important to keep up
the appearance that they are constantly working on important business so that
others, especially managers, believe that they are a crucial part of the
organization. However, busy work is counterproductive. Since the work does
not accomplish any actual goal, it may be used to postpone doing more
difficult or unpleasant tasks. An employee making unnecessary photocopies
or rearranging an already organized workspace may distract him from
completing a task that is more important for the success of the company. The
assumption that busyness in the workplace is more important than
productivity can lead to the mistaken belief that quantity of work is more
important than quality.

The author mentions an employee making unnecessary photocopies or

rearranging an already organized workspace in order to

give examples of tasks that workers are given as punishment for not
completing important work

provide evidence that some tasks in the workplace interfere with the jobs
of other workers

illustrate some of the tasks an employee may do in order to appear

occupied

argue that some managers assign work that is unnecessary and

counterproductive

The third answer is correct. The author is illustrating tasks an employee may do in order to
appear occupied. *Note how the first sentence of the paragraph gives the reader a clue.

Here is another example:

Evolution by natural selection is often erroneously believed to be a random

process. In fact, natural selection is a function of the pressures in a given
environment. Individual organisms that have attributes that provide a survival
advantage in their environment will produce more offspring than those that
do not possess these same attributes. Thus, some individuals contribute more
of their genetic material to the next generation relative to others. Because
certain characteristics outperform other characteristics in the context of a
particular environment, then in fact the process of natural selection is not
random but dependent on the environment. As famed evolutionary biologist
Dr. Richard Dawkins once said, “Natural selection is anything but random.”

The author quotes Richard Dawkins in order to

explain how natural selection works

point out that natural selection is unpredictable

compare two beliefs about natural selection

emphasize that natural selection is an orderly process

The fourth answer is correct. The topic of the paragraph is that natural selection is not
random. The author is emphasizing that natural selection is orderly, the opposite of
random. (“Anything but” means it is the opposite.)

Here is another example:

Without widespread literacy, the Greeks passed on their myths orally, most
likely through Minoan and Mycenaean storytellers from the 18th century BC
onwards. Their plots and themes unfolded over time in the written literature
of the archaic and classical periods. Myths were used to explain the origins of
life and give lessons on the best ways to lead a happy life. Myths helped the
ancient Greeks to connect with their ancestors in a meaningful way. As in
other ancient cultures, these stories explained phenomena that were not
scientifically understood at the time. For instance, Apollo was the god of
disease and medicine; through his golden arrows he could bring forth
illnesses and plagues, but he also had the power to prevent them. With the
germ theory of disease still a thousand years away, Apollo was blamed for
any malady that befell the ancient Greeks.
The author mentions Minoan and Mycenaean storytellers in order to

emphasize the importance of oral storytelling in ancient cultures

point out how far back Greek myths can be traced in history

give an example of an occupation that served an important role in Greek

culture

explain how myths spread in Ancient Greece

The fourth answer is correct. The author is explaining how myths spread in Greece. The
other answers do not reflect the author’s purpose.

Remember, not all paragraphs will have highlighted words. For

example:

Although they may appear as tough as rock at first glance, coral reefs are
very delicate ecosystems which are easily damaged or destroyed. Careless
fishing methods, oil spills, land runoffs, and even the sunscreen worn by
swimmers can cause death to this ecosystem. The destruction of coral reefs is
a serious issue because these reefs provide a vital food source for 500 million
people who live near the coasts. They generate billions of dollars in revenue
for communities; in fact, it is estimated that their value in tourist dollars is
$30 billion a year. In addition, coral acts as a natural barrier from weather
events such as hurricanes and typhoons. Coral reefs, much like the rainforest,
may contain compounds which could be used to treat disease. Even much of
the air that we breathe comes from coral reefs. The decline of this valuable
and fragile ecosystem could be disastrous for humanity.

What is the author's purpose in providing examples of how coral reefs can be
killed?

To emphasize how fragile this ecosystem is

To give examples of how to protect the coral reefs

To explain why coral reefs should be protected

To point out that coral reefs are more delicate than the rainforest

The first answer is correct. The author is emphasizing the main point: that this is a very
fragile (delicate) ecosystem. The second answer is off topic. The third answer has the
wrong purpose. The fourth answer is a trap: it uses some of the words from the passage in a
misleading way.

Here is another:

In 1910, the German Scientist Alfred Wegener hypothesized that the Earth’s
continents had once been one giant supercontinent. Over the course of 100
million years the continents broke apart and moved into the locations that are
familiar today. This theory became known as continental drift. According to
Wegener’s theory, the Earth had once been a single landmass called Pangea.
He speculated that around 300 million years ago the continents began slowly
drifting apart. At the time, tropical rainforests, which later turned into coal
deposits, covered large parts of the Earth’s surface. Most of this
supercontinent was in the Southern Hemisphere, surrounded by a single
ocean called Panthalassa. Fossils of ancient organisms such as Glossopteris, a
fernlike plant, have been found on the now widely separated landmasses of
Africa, Antarctica, South America, Australia, and India. These fossils are
surprisingly homogenous despite being found on five different continents.
Twenty species of Glossopteris leaves in Antarctica were also discovered in
India, now half a world away from each other.

Why does the author discuss Glossopteris?

To provide information about the plants that lived on the continent of

Pangea

To give an example of a plant that can survive in different parts of the

world

To provide evidence for continental drift theory

To give an example of a homogenous fossil

The correct answer is the third answer. The author is giving evidence for continental drift
theory. You can infer this because the fossils of Glossopteris are found on continents that
are now separated.

Try this example:

James Cook was a cartographer, navigator, and Captain in the British Royal
Navy. Cook was the first European to make contact with the Hawaiian
Islands. He had not expected to find land, and was sailing to Alaska in search
of a water route that would link the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In 1779,
Cook spotted land at Kealakekua Bay on the island of Hawaii, the largest of
the Hawaiian Islands. By coincidence, Cook’s arrival coincided with the
celebration of the Hawaiian god Lono, the fertility god. Furthermore, Cook’s
clockwise route around the island of Hawaii resembled the processions that
took place in a clockwise direction during the festival dedicated to Lono.
Cook was thus deified by the Hawaiians and welcomed as a god. The
Hawaiians welcomed this “god” and made all their supplies available to him
and his men, hoping that in return, he would guarantee the fertility of their
land. However, relations soured when one of Cook’s crew members died,
exposing the sailors as mortal humans and not gods at all. In the end, with
tensions running high on both sides, the Hawaiians descended upon Cook,
killing him.

Why does the author mention Cook’s clockwise route around the island of
Hawaii?

To explain the method Europeans used to record the size of islands

To provide a reason for the Hawaiian’s belief that Cook was a god

To give an example of an ancient Hawaiian belief

To emphasize the accidental nature of Cook’s discovery of Hawaii

The second answer is correct. The author is providing a reason for the Hawaiian’s belief
that Cook was a god. The clue is that the passage says, “Cook was thus deified by the
Hawaiians…” Deified means “made into a god.”

Here is another one:

Opponents of evolution tend to point to gaps in the fossil record to support

the contention that evolution did not occur. These opponents claim that since
the fossil record does not contain an endless number of transitional fossils
(fossils that show the intermediate stages between the ancestral form of
animals and their descendants) then the theory of evolution is completely
baseless and should be regarded as false. While the fossil record does have
significant gaps, this is actually not surprising. Very few organisms become
fossilized. Most are destroyed before they are even seen. Scavengers may
consume them, or they may be ravaged by bacteria or by chemical processes.
Fossils in mountainous areas may be wiped out by erosion, and in humid
areas, they decay too rapidly to be preserved. Small, delicate bones may be
crushed or carried away from the rest of the skeleton by water movement.
Considering these facts, the fossil record that is available to us is impressive
in its scope. In fact, transitional fossils have been discovered that show a link
between land mammals and marine mammals, and even dinosaurs and
modern birds. New fossils continue to be discovered through the dedication
of paleontologists, shedding more light on the ancestry of today’s animal
kingdom.

What is the author’s purpose in mentioning how fossils can be destroyed?

To emphasize how surprising it is that a large fossil record exists

To explain why the fossil record does not contain transitional forms

To illustrate the reasons why some people do not believe evolution

occurred

To show the conditions necessary in order for an organism to become

fossilized

The first answer is correct. The author is emphasizing the main point of the paragraph: that
because fossils can be destroyed in many ways, it is surprising that a large fossil record
exists. The other answers do not reflect the author’s purpose.

Try this final example with two questions:

One major problem for anyone attempting to start a business in a poor,

undeveloped country is acquiring the capital necessary to start and continue
to run the business. A woman in Haiti who wants to open a small grocery
store or a family in Uganda that needs to purchase livestock to start a small
farm cannot begin their enterprise without capital. Traditionally, this money
was borrowed from local moneylenders who charged exorbitant interest rates
which trapped the entrepreneur in a cycle of debt. One innovative solution
that was introduced by a bank in Bangladesh was the provision of
“microloans” to clients with little or no collateral. A microloan is a small,
short-term loan offered to a start-up business. This idea has spread
throughout the world and has carved out opportunities for the poor to gain
access to funds that would otherwise be beyond their reach, and prevent them
from getting into insurmountable debt. If interest rates are reasonable and the
principle small, banks have discovered that most borrowers will return the
initial loan. Now, not only banks but even private individuals can offer
microloans to business owners in the developing world.

Why does the author mention a woman in Haiti and a family in Uganda?

To give examples of businesses in two different countries

To point out two people who have started a business with the use of
microloans

To exemplify the kinds of situations that require capital

To prove how difficult it can be to start a business in the developing

world

The professor mentions that private individuals can offer microloans in order
to
 suggest that the reader offer a microloan to a family in a poor country

compare the practice of borrowing from an individual with borrowing

from a bank

provide the information that individual lenders are responsible for most
microloans

show how popular the practice of microloans has become

For the first question, the third answer is correct. For the second question, the fourth
answer is correct.

A recap of the key points you need to know:

Read the question carefully and understand what it is asking you to do.

Go to the beginning of the paragraph. Read the first sentence carefully.

Skim the rest of the paragraph and look for clues. Slow down when you
get to the keywords.

Read the sentences with the highlighted words or the keywords

carefully.

Look for any clues, like transition words.

Familiarize yourself with common TOEFL traps for purpose questions.

Use the process of elimination aggressively.

Chapter 5
 Sentence Insertion Questions
There is usually one sentence insertion question per reading passage.
Occasionally, passages will not have this type of question, but most do. There
will not be more than one per passage.

For this question, the test will direct you to part of the passage that has four
squares between sentences. Here is an example of what the question will
look like:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

Today, schools, hospitals, and corporations rely on computers to store

data, process information, and keep records.

In the 1940’s, computers weighed almost fifty tons and cost as much as a jet
airplane. It wasn’t until the late 1970’s that the personal computer was
developed and the average person could afford one. In 1976, Steve Jobs and
Stephen Wozniak designed and built the Apple I, a limited-production bare
circuit board computer that was mostly purchased by electronics hobbyists.
This marked the beginning of Apple Computer, Incorporated. [] The Apple II
was developed in 1977; it was the first personal computer that had color
graphics and a keyboard. [] At $1,298 each, the Apple II was an enormous
success because it was multi-purpose, affordable, and easy to use. [] Over the
next ten years, millions of people became computer literate and used
computers both at work and at home. []
For the purposes of this book, the sentence in bold that you must insert into
the paragraph is called the target sentence. Your job is to click on the square
in the passage where you think the target sentence best fits. In this example,
the correct answer is the fourth square.

When you have made your decision, click on the square of your choice. The
target sentence will automatically move to the square you clicked on. If you
change your mind, simply click on a different square and the target sentence
will move to that location. After you click on the square and the sentence
moves, read the sentence in context—the sentence before, the target sentence,
and the sentence after. Do this to make sure you have logical flow before you
move on. I will explain logical flow a little further on in this chapter.

There are hints the TOEFL gives you to indicate where the target sentence
best fits. The trick is familiarizing yourself with these hints before you go
into the test. That’s why you’re reading this book, right? First, let’s look at
the strategy.

Your strategy will look like this:

1. Read the question carefully and understand what it is asking you to

do.

2. Read the target sentence very carefully.

3. Determine what clues are in the target sentence. The most common
clues will be discussed in this chapter.

4. Consider which square would be the best place for the target
sentence, and click on it. The target sentence will move there.

5. Read the context again to make sure the target sentence does not
 interrupt the flow of the paragraph. If you change your mind, click on
a different square and the target sentence will move.

Clue #1: The target sentence has a pronoun

referent in it
Pronoun referents are words such as his, her, its, their, these, those, this, they,
them, themselves, himself, herself, itself, etc. Note that these refer to a word in
the previous sentence, called an antecedent. For example, “John is watching a
movie. It is really boring.” The antecedent is the word “movie” and the
pronoun referent is the word “it.”

I will give you some examples where I have already put the sentence where it
belongs in the paragraph, so you can see how referents connect to previous
sentences. I have underlined the referents.

Machiavelli’s most famous written work is The Prince. He dedicated this

book to the new ruler of Florence to curry favor with the newly established
powerful elite. Unfortunately, during his life, Machiavelli’s work was
ignored. He remained at his country estate where he would spend his last
days. The Prince was not published until several years after his death, but has
since become infamous. In fact, the word “Machiavellian,” meaning the
amoral pursuit of power, was coined after his work. Machiavelli’s ideas on
how to maintain one’s public honor while prevailing over enemies had a
profound impact on western politics, particularly during the medieval period.

In this example, the words “this book” refer to the written work, The Prince.
Therefore, if we had to insert that sentence into the paragraph, it would make
the most sense to put it right after its antecedent (the word or phrase it refers
to.)

Let me show you one more example before I give you some exercises:

Marsupials are mammals which are named after their marsupiums, or

pouches, in which they carry their offspring. When the young are born, they
crawl into this pouch and attach to their mother’s nipple. They stay there,
protected and nurtured by their mothers, until they grow large enough to fend
for themselves. Even after they emerge and begin to explore their habitat,
they may return to the pouch for warmth or protection from large predators.
Most large marsupials, such as the kangaroo, give birth to one offspring at a
time. Smaller marsupials, however, can have a litter of several young at once.

In the above example, the referents are “they” and “themselves.” The
antecedent is “the young.” Therefore, this sentence belongs immediately after
“When the young are born, they crawl into this pouch and attach to their
mother’s nipple.”

Your turn! Remember the list of referents I gave you. Use them to find
the answers.

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

On average, they found that two days was the maximum amount of time
that strawberries can be stored without losing nutrients.

Research shows that strawberries are a fragile and perishable fruit. [] Food
scientists examined storage time, temperature, and humidity to test just how
delicate this fruit really is. [] It’s not that strawberries become inedible if they
are not kept in optimal conditions. However, the longer the storage time, the
greater the loss of Vitamin C. [] In addition, both being too ripe or not ripe
enough has a negative impact on the availability of the antioxidant
polyphenol. [] The presence of polyphenols is important because evidence of
their role in the prevention of degenerative diseases such as cancer and
cardiovascular diseases is emerging. Therefore, strawberries are best
consumed when they are at their optimal level of ripeness: a vibrant, rich red
color.

The sentence best fits in the second square. The word “they” refers to food scientists.

Let’s try another:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

This variety of media all shares certain qualities that make them
distinctly Chinese in their method of artistic expression.

Art produced in the vast geographical area of China goes back to antiquity.
Chinese art is one of the oldest continual art traditions in the world, spanning
from the Tang to the Ming dynasty across hundreds of centuries. [] This early
art was meant to express the relationship of humans with the natural world. []
Many types of different media have been discovered from this era, from
lacquered boxes to paintings of landscapes, sculptures of a standing or sitting
Buddha, and vases made from porcelain. [] Art was used to express the
relationship the people of China shared with a sometimes inhospitable land.
[] Inanimate matter was never painted only for aesthetic purposes. Rocks,
streams, mountains, and stars represented visible forms of the invisible forces
at work in the universe.

This sentence best fits in the third square. “This variety of media,” is a referent to the
antecedent “different media.”

Try this example:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

He designed its uniform himself, a tunic accompanied by close-fitting

trousers and a high peaked cap.

Yukio Mishima was a writer from Tokyo and the founder of the Shield
Society, which pursued the goal of restoring traditional samurai codes of
honor in Japan. [] Mishima was born in 1925, a frail child who was rejected
from joining the military in World War II. [] He decided to mold himself into
the man he aspired to be, devoting his time to mental and physical exercise. []
He became a martial arts expert and assembled an army of his own. [] This
army was a private militia of young students who had sworn to protect the
Emperor of Japan. In addition to commanding the Shield Society, Mishima
wrote a tremendous amount about samurai ideals, the belief in heroic destiny,
the value of aesthetic beauty, and living a life of honor. His written work
expressed a desire to return to traditional Japanese values and promoted the
revival of Japanese imperialism.

The fourth square is correct. What referents are we given in the target sentece? We are
given “he,” but that’s not enough, because this entire paragraph is about a male. What
about “its?” After the word “its” we have the word “uniform.” Who wears a uniform? An
army. Therefore this sentence belongs in the fourth square, as “its uniform” connects to “an
army.”

Let’s try another:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

This event leads to Holden spending several days on his own.

The Catcher in the Rye is both one of the most beloved, yet controversial,
books ever written. Penned by the reclusive writer J.D. Salinger, the story
follows the misadventures of a young protagonist named Holden Caulfield. []
He is not very interested in his studies, and he eventually gets kicked out of a
prestigious private school. [] During this time, Holden explores New York;
sleeping in hotels, wandering around Central Park, and getting into various
scrapes. [] Holden’s general cynicism and contempt for those around him is
shocking to many readers. [] However, the primary reason The Catcher in the
Rye is controversial is due to the use of language that many find offensive.
The novel has been banned from a number of public school curriculums.

The second square is correct. Our clue is the referent, “This event.” Which event? The
event is, “he eventually gets kicked out of a prestigious private school.”

Let’s try another:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

As time passed, these instruments were replaced by bands that mostly

played on guitars.

“Highlife” is a type of nineteenth century African music, so named because

people who attended dances featuring this musical genre dressed up in
cosmopolitan, sophisticated clothing. Highlife originated in Ghana but spread
throughout Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Liberia through Ghanaian workers. []
Highlife is customarily played with brass instruments, although at times
Highlife used an entire orchestra with strings and even woodwinds. []
Highlife can be described as a tapping melody that is repeated with breaks for
instrumental solos. [] It is still played in an offshoot form, incorporated into
reggae and rock. [] A Yoruba-based outgrowth of highlife called “juju”
gained widespread international acclaim in the 1980’s and remains popular in
African nightclubs into the 21st century.

This sentence belongs in the second square. “These instruments” is a referent to the
antecedents “brass instruments/ strings/ woodwinds,” which are all instruments.

Here is another example:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

If it releases white smoke, a new Pope has been chosen.

The Sistine Chapel is one of Rome’s most famous tourist destinations.

However, it serves as more than just a hub for tourists: it also has a critical
religious function. [] Inside its walls, secret meetings take place among
Cardinals to vote on who will serve as Pope in the event that the current Pope
passes away or resigns. This meeting is called a papal conclave. [] The
Cardinals do not have to choose one of their own fellows. Technically, any
baptized male Catholic can be elected pope, but historically the job has
always been given to a Cardinal. A unique chimney in the roof of the chapel
broadcasts the results to the city. [] Then, the newly elected pope goes into a
small red room next to the Sistine Chapel called the “Room of Tears,” so
named because of the strong emotions experienced by the new Pope. [] He
dresses in pontifical choir robes, a gold cross, and a white papal skullcap
called a zucchetto.

The target sentence belongs in the third square. “It” is a referent that refers to “a unique
chimney.” A chimney releases smoke.

Next example:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

The answer to this question lies in a bee’s mathematical abilities.

Peer into any beehive and you will see beautifully constructed hexagonal
cells, shapes with six sides, built tightly together. Like humans, bees need
food and shelter to survive, and their home doubles as a storage unit. Bees
need a secure place where their nectar can be deposited until it ripens into
honey. Bees build their honeycombs out of wax. This is hard work as bees
have to consume eight ounces of honey to produce one ounce of wax.
Common sense might dictate that bees should build their honeycomb cells in
circles, but this would be problematic: there would be gaps of wasted space
between the cells. [] Of all possible shapes, hexagons use the least amount of
wax and can store the greatest amount of honey. [] How do bees know this?
[] The industrious bees calculated the area of the triangle, square, and
hexagon and figured out that the hexagon was the shape that gave them the
most storage space with the least wax. [] This occurred over the trial and
error of the bee’s evolutionary history, and it has paid off. The honeycombs
that bees build are so efficient that any professional human architect would be
proud to call the design their own.

The target sentence belongs in the third square. The words “this question” in the target
sentence refer to the question, “How do bees know this?”

Clue #2: The target sentence has transition

words in it
A transition word in the target sentence is an important clue! Transitions
words are words like but, however, on the other hand, in addition, in
contrast, yet, moreover, furthermore, therefore, as a consequence, other,
another, for example, and so on.

These words show that the sentence is either adding information or showing
a contrast with previous information. You can use these relationships to
determine where the sentence best fits.

Let me show you a simple example before you do your own work. I will
underline the transition word that gives you the clue.

Papillons are a breed of dog in the Spaniel family. The name “papillon”
comes from the appearance of their ears, which are shaped like butterfly
wings, as “papillon” is the French word for “butterfly.” Papillons are sociable
dogs, but can be wary around strangers or new animals. Papillons are friendly
and gregarious animals, but at the same time will alert their owners of any
intrusion onto the property by barking, which makes them useful as
watchdogs. Papillons can withstand heat very well and are suited to tropical
or temperate climates. However, due to their single-coated fur, Papillons are
very sensitive to the cold, and should not be left outside in chilly weather.

Our transition word here is “However.” This shows there is contrasting

information: temperate climates are in contrast with cold climates. If you had
to insert this sentence, you would put it after the sentence “Papillons can
withstand heat very well and are suited to tropical or temperate climates.”

One more example:

Industrial expansion in the United States progressed rapidly between 1800

and 1914. It was during this period that Henry Ford launched the Model T
automobile, the first automobile that was affordable for the average American
family. He accomplished this by the innovation of the assembly line, in
which parts are moved from one work station to another quickly, lowering
manufacturing costs and significantly speeding up the process of building a
vehicle. In addition, he established the Ford Foundation in 1936, the goal of
which was to administer funds for scientific, educational and charitable
purposes. Henry Ford offered his employees a living wage and profit-sharing
to those who worked for his company for more than six months. At the end of
his life, he left his fortune to the Ford Foundation.

Note the underlined transition, “In addition.” The previous sentence talks
about an accomplishment of Henry Ford. The sentence that begins with “In
addition” adds more information about Ford’s accomplishments.

Your turn!
Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

However, the overwhelming majority now support Darwin’s theory.

Charles Darwin’s book On the Origin of Species was published in 1859. In

this groundbreaking book, Darwin attempted to demonstrate that all plant and
animal life evolves as time passes. Darwin put forth the argument that this
process occurs due to a phenomenon called natural selection. According to
the theory of natural selection, living organisms that are best suited to the
environment are the ones that successfully procreate and pass on their genes,
and therefore their particular characteristics, to the next generation. This was
a revolutionary and radical idea at the time that shocked the public. []
Darwin’s theory provoked fierce reactions from church officials, in particular
his hypothesis that man evolved from an ape-like ancestor. [] Even his fellow
biologists were resistant to his ideas at first. [] A 2001 Gallup poll showed
that over 95% now accept evolution by natural selection, although many non-
scientists still do not. []

The target sentence belongs in the third square. It introduces a contrast with the word
“However.” Who is the target sentence referring to with the words “the overwhelming
majority?” Biologists. Therefore, choose the third square.

Here we go again!

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

Other early events that are likely to be recalled later in life are weddings,
funerals, or birthday parties.

“Infantile amnesia” refers to the fact that almost everyone has difficulty
recalling what happened in their lives before the age of three or four. There
are some exceptions to this phenomenon. [] For example, there is a tendency
to remember significant events such as a major injury requiring
hospitalization or the birth of a younger sibling. [] However, most daily,
routine events are irretrievable; forever forgotten by the individual who
experienced them. [] While there appear to be gender differences, with girls
better able to recall early memories than boys, the precise rate at which these
memories are forgotten remains a mystery. [] What is known is that the age at
which infantile amnesia ends varies from person to person, and is influenced
by both individual and cultural factors.

The target sentence belongs in the second square. Our clue is the word “Other.” This means
the author is adding another idea similar to one found in a previous sentence. The sentence
we need to insert refers to “other events” which adds to “significant events.”

Here is another example:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

Yet, most people have never even heard the name Maurice Hilleman.

When most people think of vaccine development, the names Edward Jenner
or Louis Pasteur come to mind. [] Accordingly, Maurice Hilleman is often
referred to as the “unsung hero” of vaccinology. [] His contributions to
vaccinology are unparalleled in the field of medicine. [] In fact, he developed
over 40 vaccines in his career, including the MMR vaccine, which is now
administered to approximately 90% of children in the United States. He is
believed to have saved more lives than any other medical scientist of the 20th
century. [] According to one estimate, his vaccines save eight million lives a
year to this day. His work has made possible the virtual elimination of many
infectious childhood diseases in developing nations and has served as the
basis for public health measures against other deadly diseases.

The sentence belongs in the first square because it contrasts with the names most
commonly associated with vaccines, and a name which most people have not heard. The
clue is the word “Yet.”

Try this one:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

In addition, he painted “Irises,” sold to an Australian industrialist in

1987 for a record $53 million, now on display at the J. Paul Getty
Museum in Los Angeles.

In the spring of 1889, famed Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh voluntarily
checked himself into a psychiatric hospital in the south of France. This was
following such severe bouts of epilepsy that he felt he could not continue to
care for himself. As long as he remained stable, doctors gave him permission
to paint. He was given two small rooms, one of which he converted into an
art studio. During his stay, Van Gogh painted with intense energy. [] Over the
course of a year, he completed over 100 paintings. [] This art included scenes
of gardens, hospital grounds, and the surrounding countryside, which he was
permitted to visit only in the company of an attendant. [] His most famous
painting, “The Starry Night,” was completed during this time, and has since
been acquired by the New York Museum of Modern Art. [] Van Gogh’s short
and tragic life, which ended in suicide, left an enormous mark on the art
world by introducing methods and practices that came to define later modern
art movements from Fauvism to Abstract Expressionism.

The target sentence belongs in the fourth square. It starts with the transition “In addition,”
which builds on the idea introduced in the sentence before: the paintings he completed and
where they are currently located.

Here is another example:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

But what served us well in the past can be counterproductive or even

crippling to people in today’s world.

Fear and anxiety are unpleasant emotions, but they played a crucial role in
higher order mammals living in a prehistoric society. At that time, the world
was full of real danger, and a fearful response to any possible threat was not
necessarily a bad thing—after all, it was better to run away from all snakes
than to risk getting bitten by one that might be venomous. [] Nowadays, a 24-
hour news cycle that constantly runs sensational stories can heighten a
person’s sense of danger from what are, in reality, nonexistent threats. []
Psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky coined the term “the
availability heuristic” in 1973 to refer to the fact that people largely
overestimate danger if it is easy to recall or envision. [] The availability
heuristic explains why people are afraid of situations which are extremely
unlikely to affect them, such as a shark attack or a plane crash. [] These
events get a lot of news coverage, and over time, we believe that they are a
real threat to our lives when in fact they are very rare occurrences.

The sentence belongs in the first square. It has the transition word “But” which shows a
contrast with the sentence before it.

Clue #3: The information is general, or it

is specific
As a general rule, information that appears to introduce a topic or begin a
new topic should be placed near the beginning of the paragraph. Information
that is more specific—that adds detail or gives examples—goes further along
in the paragraph.

Look carefully at this paragraph and note the order of ideas:

Phrenology is a pseudoscience that was first developed in the

1700’s by Franz Gall. Gall was a German physician who
became convinced that the shape of a person’s skull held the key
to their personalities. This hypothesis was based on
examinations he had performed on the skulls of thieves when he
noted that many of these criminals had bumps above their ears.
He concluded that such a bump indicated a likeliness to lie,
cheat or steal. Later in his career, Gall went on to measure the
skulls of people in prisons and mental institutions and came up
with a list of 27 different personality characteristics he believed
were associated with the shape of one’s skull. Some of the
characteristics Gall believed were related to skull shape were
courage, language ability, pride, vanity, recollection, and a sense
for colors.

Note the order of sentences in the above paragraph. Note, also, that it would
not make sense to remove one sentence and place it somewhere else in the
paragraph. It starts with broad ideas and continues to more specific
information. You can use this knowledge of paragraph structure to help you
determine where sentences go. Sentences with broad ideas, especially topic
sentences, go at the beginning of a paragraph. A sentence with specific
details should be placed closer to the end.

Time to practice this!

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

In Indonesia, coffee is consumed from glasses; in the Middle East, it is

served in tiny brass cups; while the French add milk to their coffee and
drink it from bowls.

Originally grown on the plateaus of Ethiopia in AD 1000, coffee spread

throughout Arabia with the traders who traveled over mountains with the
beans. Coffee is a beverage which is made by grinding roasted coffee beans
and pouring very hot water through them. [] It is a dark, somewhat bitter
tasting beverage which is usually served hot, although it can be enjoyed over
ice. [] Coffee is a truly cosmopolitan drink; in fact, over one-third of the
world’s population consumes coffee every morning. [] Both the preparation
and serving of coffee vary widely depending on the country and culture. []
Canned coffee is popular in Asia, particularly in China, Taiwan, and Korea.
In Japan, convenience stores sell lightly sweetened coffee in cans or bottles.

This sentence belongs in the fourth square. It’s very specific information. It gives examples
of how coffee is consumed in several different parts of the world. Moreover, it ties to the
sentence before it, which introduces the information that coffee is prepared and served
differently depending on the culture and country.

Here is another example:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

The eldest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York, Elizabeth

Alexandra Mary was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom in 1953.

[] Elizabeth Mary aspired to be a truly cosmopolitan Queen, and visited many

newly independent British colonies over which she remained a constitutional
monarch. [] Through these visits, she increased the respect of the English
Crown, until financial scandals tarnished the reputation of the royal family. []
Many people under British rule resented the tax-free status of the royal family
and the large monetary allowances given to them. In response, the Queen has
given up some of her financial perks, even the tax advantages she previously
enjoyed. [] The monarchy still receives government funds, but Elizabeth
backed the elimination of complete reliance on public support that had been
enjoyed by all monarchs of Britain for 250 years prior.

The target sentence is a topic sentence. Therefore, it belongs in the first square.
 Clue #4: Consider logical flow
The target sentence should NOT interrupt the logical flow of the paragraph.
Paragraphs in the TOEFL are orderly. They present ideas in a logical
sequence. Your target sentence should NOT disrupt the logical order of ideas.
Recall the paragraph about Phrenology we read earlier in this chapter. It had
logical flow. No sentence could be moved to another position in the
paragraph without disrupting the flow. Consider logical flow when you
choose the square for your target sentence.

Let’s try this example:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

Red clothing is a signal of the character’s bravery, while gold is worn to

show divinity.

Individual expression is not valued or encouraged in performances at the

Beijing Opera. In fact, these operas follow rigid structures. [] Ornate
costumes give the audience clues about the character traits of the singers. []
Even gestures, such as touching one’s beard or smiling, follow strict
guidelines meant to convey a specific message to the audience. [] The main
reason for the importance placed on the specificity of clothing and movement
is that the Beijing Opera has very few props on stage. [] The actors become
the main focal point, and their singing, body language, and movement are
symbolic rather than realistic. The audience must use these cues to draw
conclusions and understand the storylines.
The target sentence belongs in the second square. The target sentence gives examples of
how color is used in costume, which logically connects it to the previous sentence, a more
general statement about costumes. It builds on this idea. Notice if you put it anywhere else,
it would disrupt the flow.

Try another one:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

In a moment of grief and regret over his life’s work, he throws himself
from a bridge.

Les Misérables is a musical based on the novel by the French writer Victor
Hugo. It is the second-longest running musical in the world. Les Misérables
follows the story of Jean Valjean, an ex-convict who is living his life under a
false identity in order to leave his tarnished reputation behind him. [] Valjean
climbs the social ladder to become the mayor of the town Montreuil-sur-Mer
and the owner of a factory. [] However, Valjean is relentlessly pursued by the
unwavering policeman Javert, who becomes obsessed with the idea that
Valjean is a dangerous man who belongs in prison. [] Ultimately, Javert
realizes that he has spent his life following the rule of law without
considering the human consequences of his actions. []

The fourth square is correct. The target sentence is a conclusion to the life of Javert, and
therefore belongs at the end. Furthermore, the mention of “regret over his life’s work”
connects to the idea in the previous sentence.

Try another one:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

The wings are damp and wrinkled at first.

A butterfly goes through unique life cycles. It begins its life attached to a leaf,
encased in a small round or cylindrical egg. When it emerges, it is not as a
butterfly, but as a caterpillar. This is called the larval stage. Caterpillars are
six-legged insects. They are voracious eaters and can consume up to three
times their body weight in a day. As they eat, they shed their skin several
times. When the caterpillar reaches its full weight and length, the skin is no
longer shed but forms a protective pupal skin called a cocoon. Within this
cocoon an incredible transformation takes place. [] Tissues, limbs, and organs
begin to arrange into the form of a butterfly, while the buds underneath the
caterpillar’s skin break out as wings. [] As the butterfly emerges from the
cocoon, the wings dry out and warm blood pumps through them. [] It takes a
mere three to four hours for the butterfly to become a master flyer. [] It
immediately goes in search of food and a mate, and the process begins all
over again.

Have you chosen your answer? It belongs in the second square due to logical flow. It is
logical that “The wings are damp and wrinkled at first” should be put before “the wings dry
out.”

Here is another example:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?
Deep sea fish have accordingly been forced to develop unique
adaptations.

[] Deep sea creatures must be able to withstand extreme pressure and

darkness, as well as a lack of opportunity to mate due to the scarcity of
available partners. [] One survival strategy that evolved in response to living
under these conditions is parasitism; in which one species, the parasite,
benefits at the expense of the other, the host. [] The male anglerfish uses
parasitism to overcome the challenges of the deep sea habitat. [] When the
parasitic male anglerfish encounters a female, he attaches himself to her
circulatory system by biting her. This bite does not kill the female host. The
purpose of this attachment is to fertilize the female’s eggs and rob her of
nutrients. He will remain attached to her for the rest of her life. In this way,
the male does not have to continue on his quest for a mate, nor find his own
source of food.

The correct answer is the second square. The word “accordingly” means “therefore,” or “as
a consequence.” It logically flows that deep sea fish have been forced to develop unique
adaptations as a consequence of the extreme pressure, darkness, and scarcity of available
partners mentioned in the previous sentence.

Clue #5: There is repetition of a word

which links the target sentence to the
sentence before or after it
Sometimes, there are words in the target sentence that are also in the passage.
You can use this repetition to figure out where the target sentence belongs.
Note that these words may be synonyms!

Here is an example in which I have underlined the repeated words,

which in this case are synonyms:

Physiologists have noticed that the performance of many organs such as the
heart, kidneys, brain, and lungs decline as a person ages. Part of the reason
that the function of the body’s organs deteriorates is due to a loss of the cells
from these organs. Moreover, the cells that are remaining in an elderly
individual may not perform as well as those in a young person. Certain
cellular enzymes are less active in older people. Thus, more time is necessary
in order to carry out cellular function. Over a long enough time period, cell
death occurs.

Note the synonyms that connect the first and second sentences. The word
“decline” is a synonym of the word “deteriorates.”

Consider the following example:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

Among works of art found in tombs are wall paintings, sculptures of the
deceased individual and small figurines of servants.

From 3,000 to 500 B.C. Egyptian art was subject to some changes and
adaptations, but many of the same fundamental themes are seen throughout
this period. One key theme common to art made during this time is a
connection with death. [] Paintings and sculptures were placed in cemeteries
and tombs. [] These works of art served several purposes. Some were meant
to ensure protection and guidance in the underworld. [] Others were created
to communicate with the gods, to assist the deceased, or become a host for
the “ka,” which the Egyptians believed was the vital essence of life that left
the body at the moment of death. [] Egyptian art of this nature was meant to
last not a lifetime, but an eternity.

The correct answer is the second square. Note the repetition of the word “tombs.”

Here is another example:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

If polar ice continues to melt, sea levels could rise and cause floods along
the coasts of both the mainland and islands.

After the Industrial Revolution, humans began to burn massive amounts of

fossil fuels, expelling carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Unfortunately,
carbon dioxide traps heat from the sun’s rays. This causes the Earth’s
temperature to rise and is known as the greenhouse effect. [] The name is an
analogy to greenhouses, which get warmer in the sunlight. [] The greenhouse
effect has already caused a forty percent reduction in the thickness of ice in
the Arctic. [] According to Australian researchers, five small Pacific islands
have already disappeared due to rising sea levels as this ice melts. Unless
current trends are curbed, the temperature on Earth could rise to catastrophic
levels. []

The target sentence belongs in the third square. Why? It repeats the keyword “ice” which
links it to the sentence before. In addition, the sentence after the third square mentions
“islands,” which also connects to the target sentence.

Here is another example:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

They invented a unique form of concrete.

The Romans did not invent the arch. [] In fact, arches were known in a
number of civilizations in the Ancient East and the Levant. [] In those
cultures, however, the use of the arch was limited and mostly used in drains
or to hold up small structures with columns to help support the roof. This
design limited the size and scope of the room that it could hold up. [] The
Romans, on the other hand, built huge arches that are so durable that many
still stand today. How did they do this? [] The concrete they used was a
mixture of lime, volcanic ash, and rock to form a mortar. Seawater was added
to the mix to cement the bond, triggering a chemical reaction through which
the water hydrated the lime and bonded everything together in a calcium-
aluminum-silicate-hydrate that was incredibly durable and lasting. This
mixture was so strong it could span great distances when shaped into arches.
The Romans built cathedrals, government buildings, aqueducts, and fountains
with this unique innovation.

The sentence goes in the fourth square. It is connected to the next sentence by the word
“concrete.” It also answers the question, “How did they do this?” in the previous sentence.

Here is another example:

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

Scientists are skeptical that the sounds are anything more than the
imagination of the observer.

Few sights are as bewitching as the northern lights. These lights are caused
by streams of charged particles from the sun that have been diverted by the
Earth’s magnetic field toward the Polar Regions. The interaction of these
particles with atoms in the upper atmosphere creates an intense energy,
particularly when they encounter oxygen and nitrogen. [] The charged
particles transfer energy to these atoms and excite them, and the energy is
released in tiny packets of light called photons. [] Depending on where in the
atmosphere this interaction occurs, different colors will be produced. Oxygen
at 150 miles above the Earth’s surface will radiate yellow and green, and
nitrogen at 60 miles up emits a beautiful blue. The northern lights are most
vibrant during solar storms but are invisible during the day when the sun
outshines them. [] Some people who have spotted the northern lights have
reported that they are not only a spectacular sight, but make audible noises
like crackles and pops. []

Where does our target sentence fit? It belongs in the fourth square. This is because the
word “sounds,” is a synonym of the word “noises” in the previous sentence.

Final Quiz!
Question One
Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

Needless to say, these characteristics annoy some critics and audience

members.

Jean-Luc Godard is a French film director who was a leader in what is called
French New Wave Cinema. His work polarizes audiences into those who
either love it or hate it. [] Godard earned his controversial status because of
his revolutionary ideas about politics and his unique film-making techniques.
[] His films contain experimental elements, with actors speaking directly to
the camera, jump cuts, a lack of continuity, and music that stops abruptly
during a scene. [] Yet, Godard has legitimately changed filmmaking and has
influenced renowned directors such as Roman Polanski and Gus Van Sant. In
2010, Goddard was awarded an Academy Award but declined the invitation
to the ceremony. []

The target sentence goes in the third square. This is a logical connection to both the
sentence before it and the one after. The sentence before gives examples of moviemaking
techniques that could be annoying.

Question Two
Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

Thus, Confucianism is considered to be a strict religion with intrinsic ties

to culture.
Confucianism has been instrumental in shaping social relationships and moral
guidelines in China. The heart of Confucianism is that man’s conduct should
be concerned with daily life, with less of an emphasis on the future than other
belief systems. [] The core elements of Confucianism are conducting oneself
with virtue while being respectful and truthful to others. [] But Confucianism
does not leave its followers alone to figure out the best path in life; instead, it
is a religion full of advice on how to behave. [] Confucianism even provides
rigid guidelines on how to treat ancestors, children, parents, and rulers. []
Confucianism and its ideals continue to play a central role in China to this
day.

The target sentence belongs in the fourth square. “Thus…a strict religion” provides a
connection to “rigid guidelines.” “Rigid” and “strict” are synonyms.

Question Three
Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

Yet, there are a few examples where it does appear to genuinely exist.

Symbiosis is a term in biology that means a close, long-term relationship

between organisms of two different species. One type of symbiotic
relationship is known as commensalism. [] Commensalism refers to a
relationship where one organism benefits and the other is not significantly
affected. [] Commensalism can be difficult to prove because it is unlikely that
two organisms can live very closely without one having some sort of effect,
however small, on the other. [] One such relationship is between the egret, a
bird that is a member of the heron family, and grazing mammals such as
cattle and water buffalo. [] These herbivores disturb insects as they graze,
flushing them out for the egrets to catch and eat. In this relationship the egret
benefits, but there is no apparent effect on the herbivores.

The target sentence belongs in the third square. “Yet... examples where it does appear to
genuinely exist,” provides a contrast to the idea that “Commensalism can be difficult to
prove.”

Question Four
Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

This conflict results in a feeling of anxiety and discomfort.

Cognitive dissonance is a term in psychology used to describe the mental

stress experienced by a person who holds beliefs which contradict their
behavior. [] For example, a teacher may scold her students for smoking, yet
smoke when not on school grounds and feel guilty about it. Since cognitive
dissonance is unpleasant, the individual is motivated to return to a state of
consonance, in which their beliefs and behavior are no longer at odds. []
However, since the individual does not usually want to stop indulging in a
behavior that they know is wrong, they often adjust their attitude or
perspective rather than quit the behavior. [] In the example of the teacher, she
may resolve the cognitive dissonance by rationalizing that she is old enough
to smoke, while her students are not. [] In this way, she is able to reduce her
feelings of anxiety.
The target sentence belongs in the first square. “This conflict” refers to “beliefs which
contradict their behavior.” The word “conflict” is very close in meaning to “contradict.”

Question Five
Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

Autism is a complex developmental disability that is usually diagnosed

before a child reaches the age of three.

[] Autism is believed to be the result of a neurological disorder that affects

the function of the brain. [] Autism affects an individual’s ability to
communicate and interact socially. [] In milder cases of autism, the individual
may seem introverted and slightly awkward in social situations. [] He or she
may wish to participate in group interaction, but lack the ability to
communicate with others effectively. In more severe cases, the autistic person
may exhibit a complete lack of interest in social interaction, including failure
to make eye contact with others or use spoken language. Although there is no
known cure, there have been cases in which children have recovered from
early symptoms. Early intervention techniques such as speech and behavioral
therapy can improve a child’s prognosis.

The target sentence belongs in the first square. It is a general topic sentence that introduces
autism.

Question Six
Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

More recently, a new theory has been developed.

For centuries, the colossal stone statues of Easter Island, called “moais” have
led to a question that has baffled researchers: how were these enormous
statues moved 11 miles from the quarry where they were first carved? []
Many theories have been tested in the past, such as the use of log rollers,
ropes, and wooden sleds. [] In 1986, Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl
gathered a team of 17 people to attempt to propel a 13-foot moai that
weighed 9 tons forward using twisting motions. [] However, they had to
abandon the experiment when the moai became damaged. [] In 2003,
researchers Terry Hunt and Carl Lipo observed that the fat bellies of the
statues allowed them to be tilted easily, and hypothesized that they could
have been rocked back and forth over the terrain. They tested their hypothesis
and found that with the help of only 18 people, they were able to move the
statues a few hundred yards.

This sentence belongs in the fourth square due to logical flow. The target sentence
mentions a “new theory” and then the next sentences discuss the new theory.

A recap of the key points you need to

know:
There is usually one sentence insertion question per passage.

The first step is to read the sentence you must insert CAREFULLY.
Determine if there are any clues in the sentence such as referents,
transitions, or key words that are repeated in the paragraph.

Read all sentences before and after each square.

If there are no clues, you must look for logical flow.

After you insert the target sentence, read the context again to make sure
there is logical flow before moving to the next question.
Chapter 6
 Paraphrase Questions
In each reading passage, there will be one paraphrase question. Some books
called this the “sentence simplification” question. One sentence will be
highlighted in gray in the reading. It will be a complex sentence, often quite
long. You will be given four choices, and you must choose the sentence that
has the closest meaning to the highlighted sentence. The correct answer will
be a shorter, simpler paraphrase of the highlighted sentence.

Some students find the paraphrase question to be the most difficult in the
TOEFL reading. Some students choose to skip it and come back to it if they
have time. While I do not recommend skipping questions, if this strategy
works for you, go for it! It is only worth one point, so if it causes you too
much stress and takes time away from other questions, it may be okay to skip
(but at least guess- do not leave any questions unanswered.)

For the purposes of this chapter, I will assume you are going to try this
question and give it your best effort, which is what I recommend!

Paraphrase questions look like this:

Michelangelo was very picky about the marble that he used for his work, yet
for his most renowned sculpture, the “David” statue, he used of a slab of
marble that other artists regarded as unworkable. Nicknamed “The Giant,”
the enormous stone had been excavated nearly 40 years earlier, intended to be
used for multiple sculptures. It had weathered and become rough from
exposure to the elements over the years, and by the time Michelangelo began
working with it in 1501, it had already been damaged by the chisel marks of
various sculptors who had abandoned it in frustration. Eventually,
Michelangelo was able to carve this block into his revered work, but analysis
has shown that “David” is currently degrading more rapidly than sculptures
carved from better quality marble.

Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the

highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in
important ways or leave out essential information.

Michelangelo’s “David” degraded so quickly that other artists

abandoned it for better quality marble.

Michelangelo used an abandoned slab of marble to carve “David,” but it

is degrading faster than higher quality marble.

The marble Michelangelo used to carve “David” has deteriorated along

with many other sculptures that were carved during the same time
period.

The analysis on Michelangelo’s David has proven that the marble used
for this sculpture had been carved too rapidly.

The second answer is correct.

Now that we know what these questions look like, let’s analyze how to
answer them. Let’s start with an example of a paraphrase:

Michael Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer

whose contributions to music and dance, along with his publicized personal
life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades.

A paraphrase would look like this:

For over forty years, the musician Michael Jackson was famous worldwide
not only for his musical talent but also for his private life.

Note how much simpler and easier to understand the paraphrase is. However,
even though it is much simpler, it still contains all the relevant information.
Although the words “singer, songwriter, and record producer” are changed to
“musician,” the word “musician” can include all of those professions. This is
often what paraphrases in the TOEFL do: take several similar words and
combine them into one broad term. Paraphrases must keep all the important
information to be the correct choice. Here, “over four decades” is changed to
“over forty years” and “global figure in popular culture” is simplified to
“famous worldwide.”

How to tackle paraphrase questions:

Remember, the highlighted sentences are very complex, and the correct
answer choice is often much simpler. Therefore, it may be helpful to break
the sentence into meaningful chunks and try to simplify it in your mind or on
paper. Do this before you look at your answer choices to avoid confusion.

Let’s try the strategy of breaking a sentence into chunks. Here is an

example of a very long sentence:

To obtain water for drinking and bathing, Romans, like their contemporaries
in the ancient world, had to rely on local sources of water such as rivers and
streams, in addition to groundwater from private or publicly owned wells and
seasonal rains which were collected from drains in the rooftops and stored in
jars.

Breaking down the sentence:

To obtain water for drinking and bathing, Romans, like their contemporaries
in the ancient world = simpler: For water, Romans, like others in ancient
times,

had to rely on local sources of waters such as rivers and streams, in addition
to groundwater from private or publicly owned wells= simpler: relied on
water from the local sources and wells

and seasonal rains which were collected from drains in the rooftops and
stored in jars. = simpler: in addition to stored rainwater.

The simpler sentence: For water, Romans, like others in ancient times,
relied on water from local sources and wells in addition to stored rainwater.

By simplifying information before you look at your answer choices, you will
find this task much easier. Therefore, breaking the sentence into chunks may
help you. Practice this before you go into the TOEFL.

The correct paraphrase MUST keep all the important information. It may
contain synonyms, change the voice from active to passive, vary the word
form or sentence structure, or omit unimportant clauses or information.
Sometimes, the original sentence uses a metaphor, but the correct paraphrase
uses literal language. Let’s go through examples of these one at a time. Please
note that real TOEFL test may use more than one of these in each question.

The use of synonyms:

Phocas, an unpopular ruler invariably described as a tyrant, was the target of

a number of plots.

Paraphrase using synonyms: (the synonyms are in italics)

Phocas was a ruler who was disliked and often called a tyrant, and was the
object of many schemes.

The change in voice:

The active voice may be changed to the passive, or the passive to the active.
(The passive voice is in italics) For example:

Angry onlookers attacked Princip until the police pulled him away.

Paraphrase:

Princip was attacked by a mob of angry onlookers until he was pulled away
by police.

A change in word forms:

Genetically modified foods do not currently have to be labeled in the state of

California.

Paraphrase:

Currently, foods with modified genes do not require labeling in California.

A change in word order:

“Romeo and Juliet” is considered a tragedy because it includes characters

who are imperfect, who meet with bad fortune, and ultimately die from forces
beyond their control.

Paraphrase:
Because the characters are imperfect, have bad luck, and die in the end,
“Romeo and Juliet” is classified as a tragedy.

The omission of unimportant clauses or information:

Batman has become an American cultural icon and appears on merchandise

all over the world, even on toys and video games.

Paraphrase:

Batman is very popular in American culture, and his image is seen on many
commercial products worldwide.

The use of metaphors:

Language is a roadmap to culture.

Paraphrase:

Language tells us a lot about culture.

TRAPS
The answer choice uses words from the original sentence but changes the
meaning. This is a very common trap on the TOEFL. An incorrect answer
choice may change a cause and effect relationship, switch a subject with an
object, change the order in which events occur, or change the meaning in any
other significant way.

For example, “Most of life’s important decisions are made before the age of
forty” is not the same as “Most of life’s important decisions are made at the
age of forty.” That’s a simple example, but you can see that although those
sentences are almost identical, the meaning is not. Be careful of these traps
on TOEFL.

In the same way, “Psychologists have recently observed that the peer group is
more important in shaping the behavior of adolescents than parents” is not
the same as “The peer group has recently become more important in shaping
the behavior of adolescents than parents, psychologists observed.”

The answer does not have the same main topic. Remember that the main
focus of the original sentence must be the same main focus as your answer
choice. For example, if the original sentence says, “Johnny Depp’s
entertaining depiction of the pirate Captain Jack Sparrow no doubt
contributed to the success of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and was a
boon for Disney studios,” then the correct answer CANNOT be “Disney
studios found success with their Pirates of the Caribbean movies which
starred Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow.” Why? The focus in the
original sentence is Johnny Depp- -the focus in the second sentence is Disney
studios.

The answer choice adds information that is not in the original or distorts
the information in some way. For example, “Although it’s possible to do
the trek alone, many travelers choose to follow the expertise and guidance of
a Sherpa” is not the same as, “One can do this trek independently, but the
most efficient way is to hire a Sherpa because they are experts” because the
second sentence adds the information that hiring a Sherpa is the most efficient
way—not in the original.

The answer choice omits important information. The answer you choose
must contain all the IMPORTANT information from the original. A correct
paraphrase may omit details, but the key information must be there. Make
sure the subject and object from the original are included in the paraphrase.
For example, “The mangrove trees occupied by this finch are on a coastal
area, with the ocean on one side and lava on the other” is not the same as
“The mangrove trees are on the coast, with one side facing the sea and the
other facing lava” because the second sentence omits this finch.

It can be difficult to tell what is important and what is not because often the
correct answer does omit unnecessary information. The biggest clue is that
the correct paraphrase will always contain the most important SUBJECT
AND OBJECT from the original sentence, although synonyms might be
used.

For example:

A group of businessmen and sugar planters overthrew Queen Liliuokalani in

1893, making her the last monarch of Hawaii.

Correct paraphrase: Businessmen and sugar planters deposed Queen

Liliuokalani in 1893.

Why is this correct? Even though it doesn’t include the information that she
was the last monarch, the most important information is still kept: The main
subject and object.

QUICK TIP #1: Omit dependent clauses

before you look at the answer choices
One trick that will help you is to omit dependent clauses in your mind and see
if you can find the correct answer without the dependent clause or clauses. A
dependent clause is a clause that provides an independent clause with
additional information, but cannot stand alone as a sentence.

For example:

Romeo, who was born into the Montague family, and Juliet, who was born
into the Capulet family, were caught in the crossfire of an ancient feud
between their families.

Now, look at the same sentence without the dependent clauses:

Romeo and Juliet were caught in the crossfire of an ancient feud between
their families.

Once you remove the dependent clauses, it’s much easier to find the
paraphrase! In this example, a paraphrase could be “Romeo and Juliet were
in the middle of an old family rivalry.”

One more example:

The cuckoo bird is often identified by its repertoire of calls, which are
relatively simple whistles, used to demonstrate ownership of a territory or to
attract a mate.

Now, look at the same sentence without the dependent clause:

The cuckoo bird is often identified by its repertoire of calls, used to

demonstrate ownership of a territory or to attract a mate.
It’s much simpler, right?

In this example, a paraphrase could be “A cuckoo can be distinguished from

other birds by the calls it uses to establish territory or entice a mate.”

QUICK TIP #2: Quickly eliminate answer

choices that add information that is not in
the original
You can quickly eliminate sentences that add words that you didn’t see in the
original. For example, if the original says:

The Romans, much like the cement they used to build bridges, were bound
together through common religion, psychology, and social pressure.

You can quickly eliminate: The Romans were bound together like cement
because they had a lot in common, including the region’s beliefs and strict
laws.

Note that the original does not contain the words “strict laws” or any
synonyms! Quickly eliminate it. You must eliminate incorrect answer choices
quickly and aggressively.

Time to practice what you learned!

The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses
used by 19th-century enslaved people of African descent to escape to the free
states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were
sympathetic to their cause. Although the exact number is not known, as many
as 100,000 slaves may have used this means of escape. The Underground
Railroad was actually neither underground, nor a railroad. It was so named
because of its secretive nature. Railway terms were used as secret codes; the
routes were called “lines” and the stopping places were called “stations.”
Harriet Tubman, a former slave and “conductor” of the railroad, was
instrumental in helping with the transport of approximately 300 slaves to
freedom. Tubman’s actions angered slave owners who offered an enormous
reward for her capture.

Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the

highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in
important ways or leave out essential information.

Harriet Tubman helped build the Underground Railroad which was

important in helping slaves escape to freedom.

Harriet Tubman acted as a conductor of a railroad that was under the

ground in order to help escaped slaves become free.

Harriet Tubman was an essential part of the operation of the

Underground Railroad, helping roughly 300 slaves escape.

The Underground Railroad was used by approximately 300 slaves, and

was extremely important in their escape to freedom.

The third answer is correct.

Try this example:

In 1994, figure skating was at the peak of its popularity. At the time, Tonya
Harding was one of the strongest female skaters in the U.S. and appeared to
be on her way to winning an Olympic gold medal. But she had one fierce
competitor: Nancy Kerrigan, a graceful, determined skater who had already
won a bronze Olympic medal in 1992. The world of figure skating was
shaken when Kerrigan was hit in the knee with a baton as she was leaving the
ice after practice in Detroit, Michigan. The goal of the attack appeared to be
to injure Kerrigan’s leg to prevent her from competing in the 1994 Olympics.
A male suspect fled the scene before he could be apprehended or arrested.
Because of the intense rivalry between the two world famous athletes, most
of the suspicion from both the police and the public immediately fell on
Harding, and there was a widespread belief that she had somehow
orchestrated the attack from behind the scenes. Ultimately, Harding’s ex-
husband and her bodyguard admitted to planning the attack by hiring a third
man to carry it out after obtaining information about where Kerrigan was
practicing. Harding was only charged with obstruction of justice. Nancy
Kerrigan went on to recover quickly from the incident and won the silver
medal in the 1994 Olympics a mere month after the attack.

Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the

highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in
important ways or leave out essential information.

Harding became a suspect after she admitted that she suspected Kerrigan
was her strongest rival.

Harding gained widespread fame because of the suspicion people felt

after the attack on her competitor.

Immediately, everyone suspected Harding had planned and carried out

the attack herself because of the intense rivalry with Kerrigan.

Many people believed that Harding was responsible for the attack
 because the two were competing with each other.

The fourth answer is correct. (*Note: Although the third looks tempting, it states that
Harding herself attacked Kerrigan; untrue because the highlighted sentence says she
orchestrated the attack from “behind the scenes.”)

Next example:

The history of what we now call Halloween goes back 2,000 years to the
ancient Celtic festival called Samhain, which was celebrated on November
1st. Samhain was a time to take stock of crops and livestock, light bonfires,
and enjoy enormous feasts. It marked the end of the harvest season and the
beginning of the “darker” part of the year. The Celts believed that the night
before Samhain, the boundary between the living and the dead was blurred,
and spirits could rise from the grave; these spirits needed to be appeased with
offerings of food or drink that were placed outside. The offer was given in the
hopes that the spirits would protect the family’s livestock during the harsh
winters. Places were also set at the dinner table and fires were lit to welcome
the spirits. This ritual has evolved into the festival of Halloween, in which
children wearing costumes knock on doors in their neighborhood and ask for
an “offering” of candy or fruit.

Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the

highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in
important ways or leave out essential information.

The Celtic people believed that on October 31st, the barrier between the
living and the dead was not clear so offerings were left for the spirits to
keep them content.
 Since the boundary between the living and the dead was not clear to the
Celts, they offered them food and drink to keep them happy.

The Celts believed that on the day of Samhain, an offering of food and
drink would appease the spirits of the dead.

The Celts routinely offered food and drink to the spirits of the dead,
which were left outside, to keep family members from any harm.

The first answer is correct. (*Note: the third answer is very tempting—but the spirits were
given offerings the night BEFORE Samhain.)

Let’s try another!

Faults are fractures or breaks in the Earth’s crust. Earthquakes occur when
there is a sudden release of stress along a fault line. The San Andreas Fault is
a sliding boundary fault between the Pacific Plate and the North American
Plate of the Earth that extends 1,300 kilometers through the state of
California. Seismologists, who study earthquakes, believe a major quake is
very likely to occur within the next decade along this fault. Such an event
would cause billions of dollars of damage, particularly to older buildings,
buildings on unconsolidated gravel, or those along the coastline where the
water tables are high. The area likely to incur the most damage is Southern
California, especially Los Angeles County. Unfortunately, the prediction of
earthquakes remains elusive. Despite this uncertain appointment with a
restless Earth, Los Angeles is home to over 18 million people and counting.

Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the

highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in
important ways or leave out essential information.
 The 18 million people in Los Angeles must prepare for an uncertain
event in the future.

The Earth in Los Angeles County is restless due to the more than 18
million people who reside there.

An earthquake in Los Angeles will be especially dangerous because

more than 18 million people live near the coast.

Los Angeles has a large, growing population even though an earthquake

could cause a catastrophe at any moment.

The fourth answer is correct.

Next example:

Evidence of the earliest forms of artistic expression by humans can be found

in Africa’s rock paintings. These early paintings are approximately 12,000
years old. Although found across Africa, the richest site for these paintings is
in the Sahara, in locations so remote that they have been kept safe from the
destruction of graffiti and the bullets of warring tribes. These paintings trace
the elaborate history of the area and its environmental changes. For instance,
various animals such as elephants, hippos, and giraffes that were once found
in the Sahara but disappeared when desertification turned a once rich
ecosystem into a vast desert are included. Across Africa, the subjects of these
paintings tend to be the animals that were highly valued and contributed to
local culture and lifestyle; for example, many included scenes of the seasonal
hunts. Abstract paintings have also been found, but their meaning and
relevance have proven more difficult to interpret.

Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the

highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in
important ways or leave out essential information.

Paintings found in Africa usually depicted important animals that were

significant to the culture.

Africans worshipped certain animals, and these became the subject of

their paintings.

The animals that were painted on the walls of Africa depended on which
were plentiful during the seasonal hunt.

In Africa, cave paintings were a valuable part of the local culture and
lifestyle.

The first answer is correct.

Next example:

Europa is one of the moons of Jupiter. It was discovered by Galileo Galilei in

1610. Despite the fact that Europa is the smallest of Jupiter’s four moons, it is
by far the most fascinating. Photographs of Europa from the Galileo
spacecraft have led scientists to conclude that Europa is mostly silicate rock
with an iron core and a rocky mantle, similar to the Earth. However, unlike
the Earth, Europa is covered in an icy layer that is at least 62 miles thick.
Intriguingly, if there are active volcanoes beneath this icy surface, the
necessary ingredients for extraterrestrial life would be present, as bacteria
accumulate at the vents of volcanoes. This possibility has made Europa the
object of fascination to many. The theory that Europa may support life could
be confirmed by further study. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory speculates
that a probe may one day be able to penetrate Europa’s icy surface. For the
moment, much remains to be learned about Europa.

Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the

highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in
important ways or leave out essential information.

The bacteria on Europa are interesting because they provide evidence of

extraterrestrial life.

The presence of underwater volcanoes on Europa would provide the

conditions necessary for extraterrestrial life.

Due to the volcanic vents beneath the surface of the ice on Europa,
bacteria are likely to accumulate there.

Since most volcanoes on Europa are found underwater, they are

intriguing places to study bacteria.

The second answer is correct.

Here is the next example:

Taro is a tropical Asian root vegetable that has edible starchy tubers and
fleshy, heart-shaped leaves. The tubers are the enlarged bulbs at the base of
the stem that are rich in iron, potassium, and Vitamin C, and are therefore
incredibly valuable as a food crop. Taro is a staple of the Native Hawaiian
diet, and is fundamental to its culture. It is one of the most significant and
reliable plants grown in Hawaii. Taro came to Hawaii with the early
Polynesian settlers and has been cultivated on the islands ever since. Ancient
Hawaiian farmers cultivated approximately 300 varieties of taro plants which
they were able to distinguish by the colors in different parts of the leaves and
the adaptations they had to specific growing conditions and locales.
Hawaiians grew both wet and dryland varieties, depending on a district’s
conditions and climate. Nowadays in Hawaii, taro is made into burgers,
chips, and most commonly, “poi,” mashed taro that is spread on pork or fish
for extra flavor and nutrition.

Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the

highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in
important ways or leave out essential information.

Ancient Hawaiian farmers cultivated the taro because its specific

characteristics make it ideal for the growing conditions in Hawaii.

Many varieties of taro grow in Hawaii, with over 300 different colors in
parts of the leaves.

The farmers of ancient Hawaii grew hundreds of varieties of taro which

they could tell apart by their colors and adaptations.

Farmers of ancient Hawaii grew taro in 300 different growing conditions

and locations, and it includes many different colors and adaptations.

The third answer is correct.

Next example:

Born in Maine in 1806, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is best remembered

for his poem “Paul Revere’s Ride.” The poem was written in 1860 when the
United States was on the brink of the Civil War. It recounted the tale of Paul
Revere, a folk hero of the United States. The story is fictional, intended as a
reminder to the North that history favors the brave. In the poem, Revere asks
a friend to light lanterns in the Old North Church to alert him of any approach
by the British. Revere plans to await the signal from across the river and be
ready to spread the word throughout the county of any sign of the British.
The friend, who is not identified in the poem, climbs up the steeple and
quickly lights two signal lanterns, alerting Revere that the British were
coming by sea. Revere rides off heroically on his horse to warn the Patriots.
“Paul Revere’s Ride” is less a poem about the Revolutionary War than about
the impending Civil War and the conflicts over slavery that caused it.

Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the

highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in
important ways or leave out essential information.

“Paul Revere’s Ride” was a poem inspired by the events that led to both
the Revolutionary and Civil War.

The Revolutionary War and the Civil War were at the heart of the poems
of Longfellow because he believed that slavery caused these conflicts.

The essential theme of “Paul Revere’s Ride” was the foreboding Civil
War and its underlying causes.

The less important topic of “Paul Revere’s Ride” was the Revolutionary
War and the issues that society was facing at the time.

The third answer is correct.

Next example:

An ice age is an extended period of cool global temperatures and glacial

expansion that can last for thousands, or even millions, of years. Scientists
have determined that variations in the Earth’s orbit and the shifting of the
Earth’s plates have caused global temperatures to rise and fall over long
periods of time. In the Earth’s history, there have been at least five known ice
ages. Humans developed rapidly during the most recent ice age and emerged
as the dominant land mammal, after the extinction of the megafauna. The
megafauna were groups of animals that weighed over 100 pounds (45
kilograms) each, such as the woolly mammoth, saber-toothed cats, and giant
sloths. Their extinction was most likely caused by a combination of continual
human hunting and environmental disturbances. What gave humans a unique
advantage to survive beyond the ice age was an unprecedented level of
adaptability, the ability to solve problems, and the drive to work together in
co-operative groups.

Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the

highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in
important ways or leave out essential information.

Humans quickly evolved during the last ice age and prevailed.

Humans caused the extinction of the megafauna and rose to dominance.

Humans developed a unique ability to adapt to the cool conditions of the

ice age.

Humans were the only land mammal to survive the most recent ice age.

The first answer is correct.

Next example:

China is the world’s largest consumer and producer of agricultural products.

Over 300 million people in China work in the agricultural industry. Almost
all arable land in China is cultivated. China is the world’s largest producer of
rice and is also at the forefront of wheat and corn production. Major non-food
crops such as cotton and oilseed also supplement China’s foreign trade
revenue. One reason yields are so high is because of the intense energy that is
devoted to agriculture. To put it into perspective, China has only 2/3 the
amount of arable land as the United States but produces 30% more crops—
notwithstanding California, which outproduces even the most productive
Chinese farms by a 3:1 ratio. In the future, China has its eye on further
increasing production through the use of improved fertilization methods and
development of agricultural technology. These improved farming policies
and technologies will give China a high level of self-sufficiency and growth.

Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the

highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in
important ways or leave out essential information.

China is able to outproduce the United States because their arable land is
used much more productively.

With the exception of California, China produces significantly more

crops than the United States on less land.

Compared to China, the United States has 2/3 the amount of arable land
on which it can grow crops, most of which is in California.

China has less arable land than the United States, but its crop output
increases every year by 3:1 because of the energy devoted to land
cultivation.

The second answer is correct.

One more example:

If an animal gets too hot or too cold, its body cannot function properly.
Animals regulate their bodies in two different ways. Ectotherms are animals
that depend on external sources of heat, while endotherms are capable of
generating heat inside their bodies. Researchers believe that some dinosaurs
were ectotherms and others were endotherms. The dinosaur “Spinosaurus”
had a very unusual way of maintaining its internal body temperature. This
dinosaur had a particular appendage on its back that looked like a sail and
acted as a built-in radiator. When the Spinosaurus got too hot, it stood in
shady, cooler areas and pumped warm blood into this appendage, where it
cooled down before returning to the body.

Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the

highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in
important ways or leave out essential information.

Some dinosaurs needed sail-like radiators to keep their bodies cool in

the heat.

Appendages on the backs of the Spinosaurus had the appearance of sails.

The Spinosaurus had a unique structure protruding from its back that
kept it cool.

The dinosaurs that had sails to act as radiators on their backs were a
particular type of ectotherm.

The third answer is correct.

A recap of the key points you need to know:

Sometimes it is easier to break the sentence into chunks and simplify
them in your mind or on paper before you look at the answer choices.

Incorrect answer choices may change the original information, add

information that is not in the original, or leave out important
information.

Correct answer choices may use synonyms, a change in voice, a change

in word order or word forms, leave out unimportant information, or use
literal language.

You should look for the most important subject and object.

One useful trick is to omit dependent clauses before you look at the
answer choices.

Use the process of elimination quickly and aggressively.

Chapter 7
Summary and Chart Questions
The summary question is worth two points. You can get partial credit (one
point.) You will either have a summary question OR a chart question at the
end of each reading passage. The summary question is far more common than
the chart question, so we will look at it first.

In the summary question type, you are given a “topic” sentence. You are
given six sentences to choose from and three boxes. You must drag and drop
the three most important sentences into the boxes. Your goal is to choose the
three sentences that will build an accurate summary of the text. If you get one
wrong, you only get 1 point. If you get two wrong, you will not be awarded
any points. Therefore this question is important, and it takes longer than other
question types. The correct answers will be paraphrases of information from
the text. Note: You can put these sentences in any order you want.

Remember, since summary questions are so common, pay attention to or note

down the main ideas of the reading passage. They can usually be found in the
topic sentence (the first sentence) of each paragraph.

Summary questions look like this, although in the real TOEFL, obviously you
will use the passage to find the correct answers. This is only an example.

An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided

below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that
express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not
belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in
the passage or are minor ideas according to the passage. This question is
worth 2 points.

Chocolate has been prepared as a drink for

nearly all of its history.
A Mayan tomb from the early Classic period of 460-480 AD was
discovered in Rio Azul, which contained a glyph of cocoa and the
residue of a chocolate drink.

A vessel was found at an archaeological site in Veracruz, Mexico, which

dated the preparation of chocolate into a beverage back to 1750 BC.

Chocolate drinks were often traded for fruit or vegetables.

One archaeological site on the Pacific coast of Mexico provides some

evidence that cocoa beverages were drunk even earlier; as early as 1900
BC.

If chocolate is not stored properly, it may develop white spots, called

chocolate bloom; but these spots are not toxic.

Hot chocolate is best enjoyed after participating in cold outdoor

activities.

In this question, the correct answers are the first, second, and fourth. This
example is pretty straightforward for a reason: I wanted to use an easy
example to point out how to build a good summary of the Reading. I will
show you how this can be done with the strategy below.

Your strategy will look like this:

1. Read the topic sentence you are given CAREFULLY. Determine the
 topic of the sentence. Do not underestimate this step! It is important.

2. Read the answer choices you are given. One will immediately pop out
as a detail. It will only have one idea in it, and that will not be a very
important idea. Eliminate it.

3. Eliminate any answer choices that are not related to the topic
sentence you are given. The topic sentence may not cover the entire
reading passage: it may focus on one aspect of the passage. Therefore
you can safely eliminate choices that don’t relate to the topic sentence
you are given.

4. Eliminate any answer choices that are traps, which I will discuss
below.

5. After you have chosen three, go back to the passage and check to
make sure your three answer choices were mentioned in the passage
AND are true according to the passage.

TRAPS
The answer choice is a detail. These are sometimes obvious but can be
tricky. Eliminate answers that use specific vocabulary or details from the
passage but DO NOT combine ideas to make the answer choice more
important. To clarify, some correct answer choices do contain several details
but they are combined. If you see an answer choice with only one detail (such
as a date, a name, or a place) eliminate it. In the example summary question,
the choice “Chocolate drinks were often traded for fruit or vegetables” is a
detail.

The answer choice does not relate to the main idea of the topic sentence
you are given. In the example, the main idea of the topic sentence is the
historical preparation of chocolate as a drink. The fifth answer choice
discusses improper storage of chocolate, which is not related to the topic
sentence. The last answer choice mentions when hot chocolate is best
enjoyed, also not related to the topic sentence.

The answer choice distorts information from the passage. These choices
will also repeat specific vocabulary words from the passage but distort the
information in a way that makes these sentences untrue. Make sure that you
pick choices that do not change the meaning of the original text.

The answer choice is not mentioned in the passage. I know what you’re
thinking: Of course I won’t pick an answer choice that isn’t mentioned in the
passage! However, these are actually very tricky. The TOEFL will use
answer choices that look plausible or use a lot of the vocabulary from the
passage in order to trick you. That is why I recommend, as the last step, that
you go back and skim the passage to make sure your answer choices are
actually mentioned in the passage. DO NOT choose based on vocabulary
from the passage alone.

BIG TIP #1!

Sometimes, two answer choices will look VERY SIMILAR to each other.
If that is the case ONE will be correct, and the other will be
INCORRECT.

BIG TIP #2!

The correct answers are often the main topics of each paragraph. The
 main topics are usually in the first sentence of each paragraph. Make
note of these topics on paper or in your head. Look for these in the
answer choices.

Let’s go through some examples to practice this rather difficult part

of the Reading section:

The Titanic

The RMS Titanic was a large passenger ship that sank in the Atlantic Ocean
on April 15, 1912, while en route to New York from the south coast of
England. The ship was under the command of Captain Edward Smith and had
some of the most affluent people in the world on board, as well as hopeful
emigrants from Great Britain and Ireland who were seeking new
opportunities in the United States. The Titanic had been dubbed the
“unsinkable ship” because it was famously thought to be indestructible.

The ship was equipped with such safety features as a double-plated bottom
and sixteen watertight compartments in the hull of the ship with doors that
would close if water entered them, but there were not enough lifeboats on
board for all its passengers in case of emergency. The lax maritime laws at
the time did not require a ship to carry an adequate number of lifeboats for a
vessel the size of the Titanic. The Titanic set sail with only enough lifeboats
to harbor fewer than half the passengers. Four days after leaving its port in
England, the Titanic struck an iceberg. The impact caused a series of holes
below the waterline of the Titanic, and water began filling five of its
watertight compartments, while the ship could only stay afloat with four
compartments breached. The hull began to buckle and fill with water. As the
ship foundered, panicked passengers and crew evacuated in lifeboats without
filling them completely. Several hours later, the ship broke apart and began to
sink. A thousand people were still on board, and hundreds died in the
extremely cold water of the Atlantic. Two hours later, the ship RMS
Carpathia arrived and brought aboard the 705 survivors. The accident
resulted in the death of over 1,500 passengers and crew.

The news of the disaster made international headlines and caused outrage
over the enormous loss of life. A public outcry demanded changes to
maritime law and increased safety regulations for passengers. An inquiry was
made in Britain as to the causes of the disaster. The inquiry found that the
lookout had been both unequipped with binoculars and complacent, only
spotting the iceberg less than a minute before the ship collided with it. The
Titanic had been navigating at a speed that was excessive, considering the
environmental hazards in the Atlantic Ocean. The Titanic's crew failed to fire
proper distress signals after striking the iceberg. The crew fired rockets
randomly, but the message of the rocket patterns did not signal “distress,” but
rather, “I'm having navigation problems. Please stand clear.”

In one of the most controversial parts of the inquiry, it was also found that the
SS Californian, a nearby ship, had been the last vessel to communicate with
the Titanic but had failed to come to its assistance. The report concluded that
it would have been possible for the SS Californian to have cut through the
loose ice and come to the aid of the flailing ship, which could have prevented
such a great loss of life. The inquiry duly noted that there had been an
insufficient number of lifeboats for all passengers and that the crew had not
been properly trained in emergency procedures. Because of this lack of
training, lifeboats were launched before they were filled to capacity. The
captain of the ship, who perished in the accident, was cleared of any
wrongdoing as it was found that he followed all the steps that any reasonable
person would have in the same situation.

Maritime law underwent a number of changes after the inquiry. Ships would
be required to carry enough lifeboats for every passenger. Lifeboat drills and
safety inspections would be conducted. Furthermore, the US government
passed an act which stated that radio communications on passenger ships
would operate for 24 hours a day and have a secondary power supply in case
the first was lost. This act also required ships to interpret any red rockets fired
from ships as a sign of distress, due to the confusion when the Titanic fired
the wrong signals. Since these changes, there has never been a maritime
disaster as deadly as the Titanic.

An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided

below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that
express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not
belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in
the passage or are minor ideas according to the passage. This question is
worth 2 points.

After the Titanic sank, an inquiry was launched in Britain to

determine the causes of the massive loss of life.

It was determined that the ship had been traveling at speeds that were
excessive given the dangers of the Atlantic and that the lookouts had
been complacent and ill-equipped.
 Lax maritime laws did not require there to be sufficient lifeboats on
board for all passengers.

The Captain, Edward Smith, was held accountable for his failure to train
his crew members properly in emergency procedures.

In a controversial finding, the SS Californian was criticized for failing

to come to the assistance of the sinking ship, since it was nearby and
could have traveled through the ice to aid the Titanic.

After the inquiry concluded, a number of maritime laws were changed

and ships now carry enough lifeboats for all passengers and are required
to meet rigorous standards of safety.

Today, all red rockets which are fired from a ship must be interpreted as
a signal of distress.

Answers: You should choose the first, fourth, and fifth answers. The second choice is a
detail. The third choice is not true. The sixth choice is a detail.

Try another example:

The Victorian Style of Design

Victorian style is a broad term that refers to the characteristics of design from
the latter period of Queen Victoria's rule, from 1837 until her death in 1901.
At the time, the style was used as a signal of affluence among the upper class
of British society due to its ornate, showy interiors. Today, it is still popular
across the globe; particularly in Asia, where it is used to create opulent spaces
that convey a high position in society.
One of the principles of Victorian design is that unused space in a room is a
sign of poor taste and lower economic status. With that in mind, Europeans
designers sought to fill every space. Victorian design has sometimes been
viewed as indulging in a grand excess of ornament. Every room was
decorated with objects that reflected the owner’s influences and preferences.
Extravagant decorations, lace tablecloths, stained glass, vases, busts, framed
paintings or prints, multi-layered window treatments, richly patterned fabrics,
and accessories were used throughout the house. The Victorian Hotel in
Vancouver, British Columbia, exemplifies the classic Victorian Style.
Chandeliers hang from the ceiling, vases with fresh flowers dot every table,
and the dining room features elaborately carved furniture and decorative
teapots made of china. It is elegantly appointed, true to the Victorian style.
This hotel often hosts the royal family when they visit Canada.

The use of vibrant, brightly colored fabrics is another convention of Victorian

design. Complex patterns covered every surface of the Victorian home.
Oriental rugs and heavy draperies were thought of as the height of good taste.
Windows were rarely left uncovered; rather, on them hung thick, decorative
drapes. The lack of light that could enter rooms through these heavy draperies
was compensated for with eye-catching appointments of velvet, silk, and
satin. Linen patterns ranged from flowers and animals to geometric shapes,
stripes, and woven Arabic symbols: squares and circles, typically repeated,
overlapped and interlaced to form intricate patterns. Victorians loved these
patterns and used them liberally.

The decoration of walls and ceilings was yet another element of Victorian
design. Ceilings were covered in embossed paper or painted a light color so
as not to detract from the wall decorations. Wallpaper became enormously
popular and is an enduring feature of Victorian design. At first, this was
because of the development of mass production as well as the repeal of the
1712 Wallpaper Tax. Wallpaper was decorated with beautiful flowers in
primary colors of red, blue, and yellow, printed on beige paper. This was
followed by the latter half of the Victorian era when wallpaper was inspired
by Gothic art of earth tones and stylized leaf and floral patterns. William
Morris was one of the most renowned designers of wallpaper and fabrics
during this period. He was influenced by medieval art, which he saw as the
noblest art form, and used Gothic tapestries from that era in his work.

An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided

below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices
that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do
not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not
presented in the passage or are minor ideas according to the passage.
This question is worth 2 points.

One of the most enduring styles of design is the Victorian style.

Because unused space was considered a signal of poor taste and poverty,
the Victorian style sought to limit open space with abundant
ornamentation.

The Victorian Hotel in Vancouver has an elegantly appointed dining

room featuring chandeliers, carved furniture, and decorative teapots.
 Fabrics with bright colors and complex patterns were very popular and
used to decorate the surfaces of the Victorian home.

Arabic symbols such as overlapping squares and circles were woven

into the fabric of linens.

Ceilings and walls were decorated with embossed paper and wallpaper,
at first with flowers and primary colors, and later with Gothic designs.

The use of Gothic art became popular in the last half of the Victorian
era, popularized by the designer William Morris.

Answers: You should choose the first, third, and fifth choices. The second choice is true,
but it is not related to the main topic – the Victorian Style of design. The fourth and sixth
answers are true, but they are details in the passage. Also, notice where the correct
answers are found in the passage – near the beginning of each paragraph. They are the
main topics of the paragraphs.

The Irish Potato Famine

The Irish Potato Famine, also called The Great Famine, took place in Ireland
between 1845 and 1849 when potato crops failed across the country. This
failure was caused by a disease known as blight, which destroys the edible
roots and tubers of the potato plant. Potato blight is relentless in wet weather
and spread unchecked throughout Ireland, rotting the potatoes on which
entire villages relied. The Irish Potato Famine was the worst agricultural
disaster in Europe in the 19th Century.
The potato had been the staple crop of Ireland for most of the century,
appealing because it is densely packed with nutrients and calories and
relatively easy to grow in conditions in which some crops fail, such as
inclement weather. However, by relying on one crop, the Irish were
extremely vulnerable to any disease that might affect their harvests. To
compound the problem, these potatoes were genetically uniform. If crops are
diverse, genetic variability allows some individual plants to survive should a
disturbance occur. Because the crops in Ireland lacked diversity, any disease
could wipe out an entire farm’s yield. In the beginning of the 1800’s, Irish
farmers struggled to provide both for themselves and for the growing demand
for cereal crops from the British market. Although struggling to exist at a
mere sustenance level, they were not starving.

In 1845, blight was brought over accidentally from North America. That
same year, Ireland experienced an unusually cold and wet winter, conditions
in which blight thrived. The disease took hold of potato crops and spread
rapidly. Over the next few years, each attempt at growing new potatoes failed
as blight swept across the country. People began to die of starvation, typhus,
and other diseases related to malnutrition. Rural populations suffered the
biggest losses. At the time, Britain owned most of the land in Ireland, but
when disaster struck, the Irish farmers were mostly left to their own devices;
attempts from Britain to send aid were insufficient and ineffective. The
British sent cornmeal which the Irish disliked, and expected any able-bodied
Irish to work on the railroads and eat from soup kitchens. Unfortunately, the
congregation of the hungry at soup kitchens, food depots, and overcrowded
workhouses created conditions that caused the spread of infectious diseases
such as typhoid and relapsing fever. Meanwhile, the British government sent
a mere £8 million in relief and little more in private donations from
sympathetic individuals. The impoverished Irish, unable to purchase food and
nearly destitute and in danger of eviction from British landowners, were
forced to continue sending cereals and meats to Britain. Britain’s reluctance
to send aid due to the prevailing attitude in Britain that the famine was merely
a corrective measure to control overpopulation added to the resentment that
the Irish felt towards their British rulers. Meanwhile, taxes, rent, and food
exports were collected by British landlords in an amount surpassing £6
million.

By the time the blight receded and the famine began to lose its hold, the
demographics of Ireland had undergone a dramatic change. The population,
which had been over 8 million, had dropped to 6 million by 1851. The
number of agricultural laborers had declined, as many of the surviving
farmers had been evicted or emigrated to the Americas or Australia. The
concentration of land that had been distributed among many was now in the
hands of a fortunate few. Land began to be used for grazing sheep and cattle
rather than agricultural purposes. Since many of those who perished in the
famine spoke Irish, English began to take over as the national language of
Ireland. By 1921, the Irish had overthrown British rule, but its population was
half of what it had been at its peak.

An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided

below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices
that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do
not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not
presented in the passage or are minor ideas according to the passage.
This question is worth 2 points.

The Irish Potato Famine was the worst agricultural disaster of the 19th
Century.
 The British demanded cereal crops from the Irish, putting them at a mere
sustenance level.

The over-reliance on one crop made the Irish vulnerable to disaster.

In 1845, a disease called blight was accidentally brought to Ireland from

North America, taking hold of potato crops and causing them to fail.

Attempts at relief by the British were insufficient as the government

expected the Irish to support themselves by working on the railroad and
eating from soup kitchens.

British citizens were alarmed by the famine because they heavily relied
on the Irish to supply them with cereal crops, so they sent £8 million in
relief and set up soup kitchens.

When the disaster finally abated, the demographics of Ireland were

changed permanently with more concentrated land ownership and a shift
to spoken English.

Answers: The correct answers are the third, fourth, and sixth answers. The first answer is
true, but it is not related to the topic sentence. The second answer is a detail. The fifth
answer is not true; nowhere in the passage does it state that the British were alarmed by the
famine. However, NOTE THAT THE FOURTH AND FIFTH ANSWERS USE
SIMILAR VOCABULARY. Remember my tip earlier in this chapter- if that
happens, one is correct and the other is not.

A recap of the key points you need to

know:
Always read the topic sentence carefully.

Eliminate answers that are details immediately.

Eliminate sentences that are not related to the topic sentence.

Correct answers are often the main topics of the paragraphs.

Before you move on to the next passage, double check that your answers
are mentioned in the passage and accurately reflect the information in
the passage.

If two answers have similar vocabulary and ideas, one is correct and the
other is not.

Beware of traps: Answers that are details, answers that aren’t related to
the topic sentence, answers that are not mentioned in the passage, and
answers that distort information from the passage.

Chart Questions
Chart questions are much less frequent than summary questions in the
TOEFL. However, they are possible, so I will go over them briefly.
In this question type, you must organize information into a chart in the
category where it belongs. You will drag and drop your answers into the
boxes in the TOEFL. They do not have to be in any particular order. These
questions are worth 3 or 4 points depending on how many answer choices
you must place in the chart. The number of points that this question is worth
will be indicated in the directions. For each one that you get wrong, you lose
a point, so be careful!

You will not use all the possible answer choices given to you. Usually, one or
two are not mentioned in the passage and therefore do not belong in the chart.
Correct answers will be paraphrases of information you saw in the reading.
The language may be simpler in the answer choices than the original sentence
from the passage.

Here is a simple example to get you started:

Cats and Dogs

Cats and dogs are both carnivorous mammals. They are the most popular
house pets in the world. Cats require less maintenance than dogs. For
instance, dogs need daily walks and demand a lot of attention. On the other
hand, cats have no difficulty being left alone, even overnight. In addition,
cats require very little grooming, as they spend a good part of their day
grooming themselves. Cats cost less, on average, both in veterinary bills and
food costs. The ability to learn language is one of the most appealing
characteristics of dogs. They can learn commands that are strung together,
even without intensive training. Cats generally respond only to their names
and the tone of voice of their owners. Cats enjoy games that engage their
hunting instincts. Their favorite games include chasing balls across the floor
or attacking a toy mouse. Dogs like simple games that consist of jumping,
catching, and chasing. Dogs play “fetch” in which they retrieve an object
their owner has thrown, and they are also fond of the game “tug-of-war.”

Complete the table below with five of the six answer choices. One answer
choice will not be used.

Answer Choices Cats

A. Enjoys games that are easy to

understand
B. Can be left alone overnight
C. Responds to commands
Dogs
D. Groom themselves
E. Are more expensive to care for
F. Can be left outside all day

Answers:

Cats: B, D

Dogs: A, C, E

F is not used.
Of course, in the real TOEFL the questions will be much more difficult and
will cover the entire passage. Your challenge will be to skim quickly and find
the correct answer choices for each category. The biggest trap here is answers
which are not used. These can be tricky because they appear plausible
(believable). For example, F seems like it could easily be true. However, be
careful—this was not mentioned in the passage.

Now that you know how to do chart questions, try a full-length example:

The Works of William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, in 1564. He

is considered the greatest English language dramatic writer of all time. In the
20 years of his writing career, he wrote plays that would be performed for the
next five hundred. His plays explore themes of love, redemption, avarice,
cruelty, and heartbreak. He created some of the most admirable and some of
the most despicable characters of all time.

Shakespeare’s early works were considered uneven, with elaborate

metaphors, long rhetorical speeches, and confusing events. However,
Shakespeare was an innovative writer and adapted his style to linear
storylines and captivating poetic verses. In the first part of his life,
Shakespeare wrote histories such as Julius Caesar, Richard III, Henry VI and
Henry V which dramatized the destructiveness of weak or corrupt rulers.
Shakespeare enjoyed studying history and wrote so convincingly of real
historical characters that even today we tend to think of these figures the way
Shakespeare presented them.

It was also during this period that he wrote his most famous comedies: A
Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, The Merchant of Venice, and The
Taming of the Shrew. Comedies of Shakespeare’s time shared common
elements. The emphasis was more on the situation than the characters.
Usually, they recount absurd or difficult situations that were brought upon the
characters by forces beyond their control. Cases of mistaken identity are
common themes. This could be the mix-up of identical twins, clever
disguises, or gender switching in order to deceive others. Women often
disguised themselves as men with amusing results. For example, in As You
Like It, Rosalind dresses up as a man and continues with the deception even
when she meets up with her love interest, Orlando. She then tricks Orlando
into confessing his true feelings for her, only revealing herself much later.

Comedies also involve complex plots with several storylines intertwining at

once. These plots contain many twists and turns to keep the audience
guessing. Shakespeare loved wordplay and used it liberally. Characters make
frequent use of puns. They hurl cutting insults at each other. In The Taming
of the Shrew, the adventurer Petruchio arrives in Padua to hear of Kate, a
beautiful heiress whose sarcastic, acerbic wit has repelled all romantic
overtures from potential suitors. Professing to admire a woman of such spirit,
Petruchio immediately sets about to win her heart. The initial encounter
between Kate and her clever suitor is spiked with a passionate exchange of
insults and verbal barbs. After an outrageous wedding ceremony, Kate is
whisked away and becomes a loving wife. Such a happy ending is
fundamental to a comedy: true identities are revealed, justice is served, and
lovers unite. The message is that justice prevails and that love overcomes all
obstacles.

In the later period of his writing, Shakespeare wrote the tragedies King Lear,
Othello, Hamlet, and Macbeth. The hero of a tragedy is someone of affluence
and power, so his fall is all the more compelling to the audience. The
psychological makeup of the protagonist of tragedies follows a pattern: he is
a hero, but a tragically flawed one. Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, may be
noble in intention, but procrastinates and then acts rashly. Othello is a general
in the Venetian army; powerful and respected, yet cannot control his
jealously. Macbeth begins the play as a noble fighter for his country but is
easily manipulated by those around him into committing horrible acts of
treachery. The tragic flaw of the hero is what eventually leads to his
downfall. These moral failures propel the twists and turns of the story, finally
destroying the hero and those he loves.

Tragedies often contain supernatural elements which contribute to this

downfall but do not cause it directly. In these stories, the supernatural
presence of witches and ghosts are not merely a figment of the character’s
imagination but are actual forces that act upon him. Sometimes they are seen
only by the hero; other times they can be seen by other players. These beings
are manipulative and use the hero’s weaknesses for their own purposes.
Opportunities for redemption or the avoidance of danger are offered but
rejected. Tragedies do not resolve peacefully, but rather in the death of the
hero and often those closest to him. Probably the best known tragic ending is
that of Romeo and Juliet, in which the young lovers are so impatient to be
together that they cannot wait until a resolution is found for their separation,
and commit suicide.

Complete the table below by matching six of the eight answer choices with
the elements of Shakespeare’s plays they exemplify. Two answer choices
will not be used.

Answer Choices
Shakespeare’s Comedies
 A. The main character has power in
society
B. The stories focus on corrupt
rulers
C. There are supernatural elements
D. Families are reunited after long
separations Shakespeare’s Tragedies

E. The plots are complicated

F. The characters use disguises
G. The characters get manipulated
H. There is a stronger emphasis on
the situation
I. Danger is not successfully
avoided

Answers:

Shakespeare’s Comedies: E, F, H

Shakespeare’s Tragedies: A, C, G, I

Answers B and D are not used. B refers to Shakespeare’s histories, and D is not mentioned.
Chapter 8
 Final Test
The Victorian Style of Design
1 Victorian style is a broad term that refers to the characteristics of design
from the latter period of Queen Victoria's rule, from 1837 until her death in
1901. At the time, the style was used as a signal of affluence among the upper
class of British society due to its ornate, showy interiors. Today, it is still
popular across the globe; particularly in Asia, where it is used to create
opulent spaces that convey a high position in society.

2 One of the principles of Victorian design is that unused space in a room is a

sign of poor taste and lower economic status. With that in mind, European
designers sought to fill every space. Victorian design has sometimes been
viewed as indulging in a grand excess of ornament. Every room was
decorated with objects that reflected the owner’s influences and preferences.
Extravagant decorations, lace tablecloths, stained glass, vases, busts, framed
paintings or prints, multi-layered window treatments, richly patterned fabrics,
and accessories were used throughout the house. The Victorian Hotel in
Vancouver, British Columbia, exemplifies the classic Victorian Style.
Chandeliers hang from the ceiling, vases with fresh flowers dot every table,
and the dining room features elaborately carved furniture and decorative
teapots made of china. It is elegantly appointed, true to the Victorian style.
This hotel often hosts the royal family when they visit Canada.

3 The use of vibrant, brightly colored fabrics is another convention of

Victorian design. Complex patterns covered every surface of the Victorian
home. Oriental rugs and heavy draperies were thought of as the height of
good taste. Windows were rarely left uncovered; rather, on them hung thick,
decorative drapes. The lack of light that could enter rooms through these
heavy draperies was compensated for with eye-catching appointments of
velvet, silk, and satin. Linen patterns ranged from flowers and animals to
geometric shapes, stripes, and woven Arabic symbols: squares and circles,
typically repeated, overlapped and interlaced to form intricate patterns.
Victorians loved these patterns and used them liberally.

4 The decoration of walls and ceilings was yet another element of Victorian
design. Ceilings were covered in embossed paper or painted a light color so
as not to detract from the wall decorations. Wallpaper became enormously
popular and is an enduring feature of Victorian design. At first, this was
because of the development of mass production as well as the repeal of the
1712 Wallpaper Tax. Wallpaper was decorated with beautiful flowers in
primary colors of red, blue, and yellow, printed on beige paper. This was
followed by the latter half of the Victorian era when wallpaper was inspired
by Gothic art of earth tones and stylized leaf and floral patterns. William
Morris was one of the most renowned designers of wallpaper and fabrics
during this period. He was influenced by medieval art, which he saw as the
noblest art form, and used Gothic tapestries from that era in his work.

1. The word affluence is closest in meaning to

influence

impact

wealth

interest
2. According to Paragraph 1, the Victorian style is used in Asia

to conform to cultural norms

to signal an elevated status

to attract visitors

to create a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere

3. According to Paragraph 2, why did Europeans fill up every space?

To show visitors their collections of objects

To prove that they appreciated Victorian design

To interest guests in their family history

To show that they had wealth and sophisticated taste

4. What can be inferred about the Victorian Hotel in British Columbia?

It was meticulously designed to meet the standards of the Victorian style

It was one of the most expensive hotels to design in the Vancouver area

It is more elegant than the home of an affluent family during the

Victorian era

It was designed to accommodate visits from the royal family

5. The phrase indulging in is closest in meaning to

living in

deriving pleasure from

 obsessing about

showing an interest in

6. In Paragraph 2, why does the author mention the objects found in a

Victorian style home?

To illustrate the objects that could be purchased only by the rich

To point out that Victorians indulged in many objects that were not
practical

To give examples of the items that were popular in the Victorian era

To suggest that design has changed a great deal since Victorian times

7. What is the purpose of Paragraph 3?

To describe another feature of Victorian style

To explain why Arabic symbols were popular during the Victorian era

To describe the patterns used in Victorian design

To illustrate a disadvantage of covering windows with heavy draperies

8. The word intricate is closest in meaning to

interesting

colorful

attractive

complicated
9. All of the following are patterns that could probably be seen in Victorian
linens EXCEPT

roses and lilies

bows and arrows

squares and circles

horses and sheep

10. The word liberally is closest in meaning to

literally

freely

beautifully

carefully

11. According to Paragraph 4, why did wallpaper first become popular?

It became more widely available and more affordable

It was a way to cover up plain walls and make them more interesting

It was a reflection of how popular the Gothic style had become

It was not as heavily taxed by the government as paint

12. Look again at Paragraph 3:

The use of rich, brightly colored fabrics is another convention of Victorian

design. Complex patterns covered every surface of the Victorian home.
Oriental rugs and heavy draperies were thought of as the height of good taste.
Windows were rarely left uncovered; rather, on them hung thick, decorative
drapes. [] The lack of light that could enter rooms through these heavy
draperies was compensated for with eye-catching appointments of velvet,
silk, and satin. [] Linen patterns ranged from flowers and animals to
geometric shapes, stripes, and woven Arabic symbols: squares and circles,
typically repeated, overlapped and interlaced to form intricate and complex
patterns. [] Victorians loved these patterns and used them liberally. []

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence could
be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

These materials made an otherwise dark room appear brighter.

13. Look again at Paragraph 4:

The decoration of walls and ceilings was yet another element of Victorian
design. Ceilings were covered in embossed paper or painted a light color so
as not to detract from the wall decorations. Wallpaper became enormously
popular and is an enduring feature of Victorian design. At first, this was
because of the development of mass production as well as the repeal of the
1712 Wallpaper Tax. Wallpaper was often made in elaborate floral patterns
with primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) in the backgrounds and
overprinted with colors of cream and tan. This was followed by the latter half
of the Victorian era when wallpaper was inspired by Gothic art of earth tones
and stylized leaf and floral patterns. William Morris was one of the most
renowned designers of wallpaper and fabrics during this period. He was
influenced by medieval art, which he saw as the noblest art form, and used
Gothic tapestries from that era in his work.
 Which of the following best expresses the essential information in
the highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the
meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

William Morris studied tapestries that were made during the medieval
period, and used them in his work.

Because Gothic art was so popular in medieval times, William Morris

decided it should be used in his designs.

William Morris admired medieval art and used it in his own work.

William Morris used Gothic designs to improve artwork that he had

created.

Answer Key:

1. The third answer is correct

2. The second answer is correct

3. The fourth answer is correct

4. The first answer is correct

5. The second answer is correct

6. The third answer is correct

7. The first answer is correct

8. The fourth answer is correct

9. The second answer is correct

10. The second answer is correct

11. The first answer is correct

12. The second square is correct

13. The third answer is correct

 The Irish Potato Famine
1 The Irish Potato Famine, also called The Great Famine, took place in
Ireland between 1845 and 1849 when potato crops failed across the country.
This failure was caused by a disease known as blight, which destroys the
edible roots and tubers of the potato plant. Potato blight is relentless in wet
weather and spread unchecked throughout Ireland, rotting the potatoes on
which entire villages relied. The Irish Potato Famine was the worst
agricultural disaster in Europe in the 19th Century.

2 The potato had been the staple crop of Ireland for most of the century,
appealing because it is densely packed with nutrients and calories and
relatively easy to grow in conditions in which some crops fail, such as
inclement weather. However, by relying on one crop, the Irish were
extremely vulnerable to any disease that might affect their harvests. To
compound the problem, these potatoes were genetically uniform. If crops are
diverse, genetic variability allows some individual plants to survive should a
disturbance occur. Because the crops in Ireland lacked diversity, any disease
could wipe out an entire farm’s yield. In the beginning of the 1800’s, Irish
farmers struggled to provide both for themselves and for the growing demand
for cereal crops from the British market. Although struggling to exist at a
mere sustenance level, they were not starving.

3 In 1845, blight was brought over accidentally from North America. That
same year, Ireland experienced an unusually cold and wet winter, conditions
in which blight thrived. The disease took hold of potato crops and spread
rapidly. Over the next few years, each attempt at growing new potatoes failed
as blight swept across the country. People began to die of starvation, typhus,
and other diseases related to malnutrition. Rural populations suffered the
biggest losses. At the time, Britain owned most of the land in Ireland, but
when disaster struck, the Irish farmers were mostly left to their own devices;
attempts from Britain to send aid were insufficient and ineffective. The
British sent cornmeal which the Irish disliked, and expected any able-bodied
Irish to work on the railroads and eat from soup kitchens. Unfortunately, the
congregation of the hungry at soup kitchens, food depots, and overcrowded
workhouses created conditions that caused the spread of infectious diseases
such as typhoid and relapsing fever. Meanwhile, the British government sent
a mere £8 million in relief and little more in private donations from a few
sympathetic individuals. The impoverished Irish, unable to purchase food and
nearly destitute and in danger of eviction from British landowners, were
forced to continue sending cereals and meats to Britain. Britain’s reluctance
to send aid due to the prevailing attitude in Britain that the famine was merely
a corrective measure to control overpopulation added to the resentment that
the Irish felt towards their British rulers. Meanwhile, taxes, rent, and food
exports were collected by British landlords in an amount surpassing £6
million.

4 By the time the blight receded and the famine began to lose its hold, the
demographics of Ireland had undergone a dramatic change. The population,
which had been over 8 million, had dropped to 6 million by 1851. The
number of agricultural laborers had declined, as many of the surviving
farmers had been evicted or emigrated to the Americas or Australia. The
concentration of land that had been distributed among many was now in the
hands of a fortunate few. Land began to be used for grazing sheep and cattle
rather than agricultural purposes. Since many of those who perished in the
famine spoke Irish, English began to take over as the national language of
Ireland. By 1921, the Irish had overthrown British rule, but its population was
half of what it had been at its peak.

1. What can be inferred about blight?

It affects only potato crops

It spreads quickly in certain conditions

It no longer poses a threat on modern farms

It did not spread outside of Ireland

2. The word unchecked is closest in meaning to

underestimated

unexamined

unchanged

uncontrolled

3. Look again at Paragraph 2:

The potato had been the staple crop of Ireland for most of the century,
appealing because it is densely packed with nutrients and calories and
relatively easy to grow in conditions in which some crops fail, such as
inclement weather. However, by relying on one crop, the Irish were
extremely vulnerable to any disease that might affect their harvests.
To compound the problem, these potatoes were genetically uniform.
If crops are diverse, genetic variability allows some individual plants
to survive should a disturbance occur. Because the crops in Ireland
lacked diversity, any disease could wipe out an entire farm’s yield. In
the beginning of the 1800’s, Irish farmers struggled to provide both
 for themselves and for the growing demand for cereal crops from the
British market. Although struggling to exist at a mere sustenance
level, they were not starving.

Which of the following best expresses the essential information in

the highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the
meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

The Irish developed a preference for the potato because it met the basic
caloric needs of the population.

For several centuries, the potato had the highest nutrient content of any
staple food in Ireland.

For a long time the primary crop of the Irish was the potato because it is
both nutritious and hardy.

The weather in Ireland is generally poor, so potatoes became the staple

crop over the centuries.

4. What is the purpose of Paragraph 2?

To warn about the dangers of crop disturbances

To emphasize the importance of the potato to the Irish

To explain why the Irish were in a vulnerable position

To explain how genetic variability can lead to crop failure

5. In Paragraph 3, why does the author mention places where the Irish
congregated?
 To illustrate the daily activities of the Irish during the famine

To explain how diseases spread through the population

To show how limited the food supplies had become in Ireland

To give examples of charitable organizations the British established in

Ireland

6. According to Paragraph 3, all of the following contributed to the disaster

EXCEPT

disease which spread in close quarters

insufficient aid from the British

an unusually short harvesting season

pressure to export food

7. The word destitute is closest in meaning to

bankrupt

distressed

troubled

deserted

8. According to Paragraph 3, why were the British reluctant to send aid to

the Irish?

Private individuals did not have the economic means to send assistance

British landowners were interested in taking over the land in Ireland

 They believed the famine would keep the population of Ireland under
control

They were not aware of the terrible suffering in Ireland

9. It can be inferred that before 1921

English was not spoken in Ireland

The Irish relied solely on exports to survive

Less than half of all vacant land was used for raising livestock

Britain had authority over Ireland

10. Look again at Paragraph 4:

By the time the blight receded and the famine began to lose its hold,
the demographics of Ireland had undergone a dramatic change. The
population, which had been over 8 million, had dropped to 6 million
by 1851. The number of agricultural laborers had declined, as many
of the surviving farmers had been evicted or emigrated to the
Americas or Australia. The concentration of land that had been
distributed among many was now in the hands of a fortunate few. []
Land began to be used for grazing sheep and cattle rather than
agricultural purposes. [] Since many of those who perished in the
famine spoke Irish, English began to take over as the national
language of Ireland. [] By 1921, the Irish had overthrown British rule,
but its population was half of what it had been at its peak. []

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence
could be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?
 With this new trend, the Irish now had other commodities such as
milk and wool to sell rather than relying only on crops.

11. The phrase distributed among is closest in meaning to

divided between

directed toward

shared with

harvested by

Answer Key:

1. The second answer is correct

2. The fourth answer is correct

3. The third answer is correct

4. The third answer is correct

5. The second answer is correct

6. The third answer is correct

7. The first answer is correct

8. The third answer is correct

9. The fourth answer is correct

10. The second square is correct

11. The first answer is correct

 Dreams
1 Sleep takes up about a third of each person’s life but did not attract the
interest of scientists until relatively recently. Sleep was considered a period of
dormancy, a bland state without much activity and so had not been studied
for more than a few minutes at a time. That changed in 1953 when Eugene
Aserinsky and Nathaniel Kleitman hooked sleepers up to an early version of
the electroencephalogram machine, a machine which monitors brain activity.
To their surprise, the machine recorded a great deal of activity during sleep;
in fact, the machine scribbled furiously across half a mile of paper each night.
They also noticed that sleepers had cycles of 90 minutes in which their eyes
moved quickly back and forth underneath their eyelids; they called this sleep
cycle Rapid Eye Movement (REM). During REM sleep, brain activity
became indistinguishable from that of a person who is awake and active.
When Aserinsky and Kleitman awoke their subjects during REM sleep and
asked them what was happening, they reported that they had been dreaming.
The brain also has periods during sleep in which activity slows down,
appropriately named slow-wave sleep. Dreams can also happen during slow-
wave sleep, but most dreams occur during REM.

2 Dreams are a puzzling phenomenon. Most dreams are forgotten

immediately; yet, they contain events which are so extraordinary that if they
happened during waking hours, they would leave a lifelong impression. Why
is sleep filled with such intense and exciting events, only to be immediately
forgotten? It is unlikely that living creatures must dream to survive. After all,
reptiles do not dream but have existed on Earth for 200 million years—far
longer than modern humans. The answer to this question still eludes science.
The scientific method is like trying to put together a jigsaw puzzle in which
some of the pieces are missing, some are under the couch, and some have
been chewed up by the family dog. It is therefore not surprising that science
cannot immediately answer every question completely and satisfactorily.

3 Still, some tentative explanations have been put forth. The first is that slow-
wave and REM sleep play a crucial role in consolidating memories in the
brain. During consolidation, events that occurred during the day are recorded
and associated with previously stored memories. While using electrodes in
experiments, researchers determined that brain activity in a sleeping animal
strongly resembles brain activity observed during learning events that had
occurred that day. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that about fifty
percent of dreams include circumstances that relate to real life events,
especially if the event involved learning a new skill, or a particularly unusual
experience. For instance, 60% of research subjects who played the video
game Tetris for the first time reported that the game appeared in their dreams.
Such a learning event repeated in a dream could be linked to moving the
experience into a person’s permanent memory. When learning a new
language, students who experience vivid, intense dreams that include the use
of the language they are studying are able to pick it up more quickly.

4 This only gives us a partial picture of the hypotheses regarding the need for
REM sleep and dreams. Another explanation is more physiological than
psychological. According to David Maurice of Columbia University, dreams
trigger REM sleep which helps prevent blindness. According to this theory,
the transparent surface of the eye lacks blood vessels and is in danger of
suffocating. Thus, the eyes need to constantly move to carry oxygen through
the eye. He explains that we dream in order to experience REM sleep and
thus prevent visual damage. Maurice supports this theory by pointing out that
reptiles do not experience REM sleep or dreams because the eye requires less
oxygen at lower temperatures, and reptiles sleep at a lower temperature than
mammals. This theory is fascinating, but the evidence for it is rather dubious.

5 The least intriguing theory is that dreams don’t really serve any purpose at
all. They could be a pointless byproduct of the fact that the nerve cells in the
brain continue to fire during sleep. Since the brain is still such a mystery,
scientists probably won’t be able to pinpoint with absolute certainty why we
dream, at least in the near future.

1. The word bland is closest in meaning to

complex

dull

crucial

pleasant

2. According to Paragraph 1, all of the following are true of dreams

EXCEPT

They are connected to brain activity

They can occur during either sleep cycle

They are more common during REM sleep

They are 90 minutes long

3. In Paragraph 2, why does the professor mention that reptiles have existed
on Earth for 200 million years?

To cast doubt on the idea that dreams are necessary for survival
 To give an example of animals that do not dream

To compare dreaming in humans and reptiles

To emphasize the idea that dreams serve no useful purpose

4. Why does the author mention a jigsaw puzzle in Paragraph 2?

To illustrate the difficulties faced by scientists

To give an example of a common game played in dreams

To criticize the scientific approach to explaining dreams

To imply that science has more disadvantages than other methods of

investigation

5. According to paragraph 3, a person would most likely learn how to play

an instrument

If they go to sleep right after practicing it

If they experience a lot of slow-wave sleep

If they are woken up during REM sleep

If they practice playing it in their dream

6. Look again at Paragraph 3:

Still, some tentative explanations have been put forth. The first is that
slow-wave and REM sleep plays a crucial role in consolidating
memories in the brain. During consolidation, events that occurred
during the day are recorded and associated with previously stored
memories. While using electrodes in experiments, researchers
 determined that brain activity in a sleeping animal strongly resembles
brain activity observed during learning events that had occurred that
day. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that about fifty percent
of dreams include circumstances that relate to real life events,
especially if the event involved learning a new skill, or a particularly
unusual experience. For instance, 60% of research subjects who
played the video game Tetris for the first time reported that the game
appeared in their dreams. Such a learning event repeated in a dream
could be linked to moving the experience into a person’s permanent
memory. When learning a new language, students who experience
vivid, intense dreams that include using the language they are
studying are able to pick it up more quickly.

Which of the following best expresses the essential information in

the highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the
meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

This theory could be true because half of all dreams contain information
about a skill the individual wants to learn.

During the day, we learn new skills that are reflected in about half of our
dreams.

Evidence for the hypothesis is that half of our dreams include events
from the day, particularly new information.

When we relate a new skill to an unusual event that happened during the
day, we are more likely to dream about it.

7. What is the purpose of Paragraph 4?

 To cast doubt on the theory in Paragraph 3

To introduce another theory about dreaming

To explain how eye movement helps transport oxygen

To point out the importance of REM sleep

8. What does the author imply about the physiological explanation for
dreams?

It is promising grounds for further research

It is interesting but unproven

It can be used to understand blindness

It helps complete our understanding of dreams

9. The word intriguing is closest in meaning to

fascinating

stimulating

satisfying

puzzling

10. The word pinpoint is closest in meaning to

perceive

demonstrate

identify
 classify

11. Look again at Paragraph 5:

[] The least intriguing theory is that dreams don’t really serve any purpose at
all. [] They could be a pointless byproduct of the fact that the nerve cells in
the brain continue to fire during sleep. [] Since the brain is still such a
mystery, scientists probably won’t be able to pinpoint with absolute certainty
why we dream in the near future. []

Look at the four squares [] that indicate where the following sentence
could be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

What we do know is that REM sleep is vital, both physiologically

and psychologically.

12. An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided

below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that
express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not
belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in
the passage or are minor ideas according to the passage. This question is
worth 2 points.

While the purpose of dreams is still a mystery to science, several

hypotheses have been put forth.
 Dreams were ignored for many years because they were not considered
interesting subjects for research.

Dreams could be used to consolidate the events of the day and help in
moving events into permanent memory.

Subjects who played video games in their dreams, such as Tetris, are
likely to become better players.

David Maurice of Columbia University has hypothesized that dreams

could be useful in preventing blindness by moving oxygen through the
eye.

Dreams could be a form of wish fulfillment, in which we act on

impulses and thoughts that we have during the day but cannot complete.

It’s possible that dreams serve no specific purpose, but are simply the
consequence of the nerves in the brain continuing to fire while people
are asleep.

Answer Key:

1. The second answer is correct

2. The fourth answer is correct

3. The first answer is correct

4. The first answer is correct

5. The fourth answer is correct

6. The third answer is correct

7. The second answer is correct

 8. The second answer is correct

9. The first answer is correct

10. The third answer is correct

11. The fourth square is correct

12. The second, fourth, and sixth answers are correct