TOEFL iBT Reading Practice Test 01 – Solution and Explanation

KEY

27. (C) 28. (B) 29. (A) 30. (C) 31. (B) 32. (A) 33. (B) 34. (D) 35. (D) 36. (D) 37. (A) 38.0    39.    (B),    (C),    (F)

27. Vocabulary I (C)

Q. The word awuad in the passage is closest in meaning to

•    Why? resulted can replace ensued in this context. ==>See Clue 27(C)[lines 12-15]

•    ensue v. to occur after or as a result of something

•    result v. to be caused by something

28. Factual Information I (B)

Q. According to paragraph 2, what factor is responsible for the manatee’s inability to survive in cold water?

Why? ==>See Clue 28(B)]lines 22 26]

29. Inference I (A)

Q. From the information in paragraph 3, what can be inferred about species recognized as endangered?

Why? (A) can be inferred from the information in lines 50-55. ==>See Clue 29(A)

Why Not? (C), (D) Incorrect because this information is true of only manatees, not the endangered species.

30. Vocabulary I (C)

Q. The word detrimental in the passage is closest in meaning to

Why? harmful can replace detrimental in this context. ==>See Clue 30(C)[lines 63-65]

•    detrimental adj. causing damage

•    harmful adj. causing or likely to cause injury

31. Sentence Simplification i (B)

Q. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

Why? Collisions with watercraft are the leading cause of death for the Florida manatee, // accounting for 25 percent of all recorded mortalities, and some research has found that // as many as 90 percent of observed Florida manatees bear scars from run-ins with boat propellers.

Why Not? (A), (C) Incorrect / (D) Information about the manatees’ injuries from the encounters with watercrafts is left out.

32. Rhetorical Purpose | (A)

Q. Why does the author present the arguments of the boating and fishing communities in paragraph 5?

Why? The arguments of the boating and fishing communities are mentioned in order to show that there are disagreements between them and the conservationists over the manatee protection issue. ==>See Clue 32{A)[lines 72-781

33. Reference I (B)

Q. The word it in the passage refers to

Why? However, this increase may be due as much to advances in surveying techniques, which simply enable counters to find more manatees, as it is to an actual rise in population. ==>See Clue 33(B)[lines 81-85]

34. Vocabulary | (D)

Q. The word contention in the passage is closest in meaning to

Why? disagreement can replace contention in this context. ==>See Clue 34<D)[lines 85-86]

•    contention n. disagreement between people

•    disagreement n. differences between two things or people that ought to be similar

35. Inference | (D)

Q. According to the passage, which of the following statements most accurately reflects the author’s opinion about the Florida manatee?

Why? It can be inferred that the author thinks the Florida manatee should be protected in the future because he opposes the argument that refuge zones are not necessary in lines 81-90. ==>See Clue 35(D) m Why Not? (A), (C) Not supported / (B) Incorrect ==>See lines 86-90

36. Factual Information I (D)

Q. According to paragraph 6, which of the following is true about manatees?

Why? -See Clue 36(D)[lines 97-99]

Why Not? (A), (B) Not mentioned / (C) Incorrect ==>See lines 92 94

37. Negative Fact I (A)

Q. All of these are mentioned in the passage as threats to the Florida manatee EXCEPT

Why Not?

Incorrect Answer Choices Mentioned in the passage
(B) toxic water plants [line 30] poisonous marine algae
(C) submerged fishing equipment [lines 43-44] discarded fishing lines and nets
(D) the loss of feeding grounds [line 35] the loss of habitat

38. Insert Text | B

Q. Look at the four squares [|] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.

Why? A. As awareness about the plight of the Florida manatee spreads, the majority of the public chooses to support efforts to protect the creatures B. Conservation groups funded by private donations have played a key role in promoting this understanding. The manatee is now a recognized symbol of Florida’s wildlife and has become well known throughout the world. “this understanding’ in the given sentence refers to ‘awareness about the plight of the Florida manatee.”

39. Prose Summary

Q. Directions: 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 in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.

Why? The manatee has always faced certain natural dangers in the waters around Florida, but in modern times humans pose the greatest threat to the survival of the species.

Correct Answer Choices Clues in the passage
(B) Coastal development projects and pollution runoff destroy marine environments that provide manatees with the resources that are essential to their survival. Clue 39(B)[lines 33-37] the biggest threats to the survival of the manatee come from human activities. One major concern is the loss of habitat due to increases in land development and the introduction of pollutants to the environment.
(C) Boating collisions are responsible for a quarter of all Florida manatee deaths and inhibit the species’ ability to multiply. Clue 39(C)[lines 57-60] Collisions with watercraft are the leading cause of death for the Florida manatee, accounting for 25 percent of all recorded mortalities [lines 65-68] This is detrimental to the overall population, because it affects the manatees best able to multiply the species.
(F) Though some organizations have taken a leading role in protecting the manatee, others strongly oppose the expansion of conservation measures. Clue 39(F)[lines 53-55] conservationists are hoping to both expand the existing areas and establish new protection zones

[lines 72-75] These conservationist measures have angered the region’s boating and fishing communities, who see no need for such restrictions.

► The whole passage focuses on the manatee facing the threat to their survival and the necessity of protecting them. And it follows that (B) Threat to the manatee’s habitat due to human activities — (C) Boating collisions that cause Florida manatee deaths —* (F) Disputes between environment organizations and interest groups over conservation measures)

==>See <Graphic Organizer> on p.249 

Why Not? (A) Incorrect ==>See lines 8-9/(D) Mentioned in lines 48-50, but minor / (E) Not mentioned