READING TEST TOEFL

READING TEST TOEFL

Ø             Strategies

Strategies for doing your best on the Internet Based Reading Comprehension section are:
How to prepare for the Reading section Keep following tips in mind: 

1.        Read Newspapers, magazines. Read whatever you can, whenever you can.
2. Practice skimming -reading some leaving some- so as to get the gist of the writing without reading all or major portion of the reading assignment
3. Pay particular attention to new vocabulary words, including the use of prefixes, suffixes, and roots.
4.     .      Practice determining the meaning of a vocabulary word from its context.

Whereas literature in the first half of the eighteenth century in America had been largely religious and moral in tone, by the latter half of the century the revolutionary fervor that was coming to life in the colonies began to be reflected in the literature of the time, which in turn served to further influence the population. Although not all writers of this period supported the Revolution, the two best-known and most influential writers, Ben Franklin and Thomas Paine, were both strongly supportive of that cause.

Ben Franklin first attained popular success through his writings in his brother's newspaper, the New England Current. In these articles he used a simple style of language and common sense argumentation to defend the point of view of the farmer and the Leather Apron man. He continued with the same common sense practicality and appeal to the common man with his work on Poor Richard's Almanac from 1733 until 1758. Firmly established in his popular acceptance by the people, Franklin wrote a variety of extremely effective articles and pamphlets about the colonist's revolutionary cause against England.

Thomas Paine was an Englishman working as a magazine editor in Philadelphia at the time of the Revolution. His pamphlet Common Sense, which appeared in 1776, was a force in encouraging the colonists to declare their independence from England. Then throughout the long and desperate war years he published a series of Crisis papers (from 1776 until 1783) to encourage the colonists to continue on with the struggle. The effectiveness of his writing was probably due to his emotional yet oversimplified depiction of the cause of the colonists against England as a classic struggle of good and evil.

1.         The paragraph preceding this passage most likely discusses

a. how literature influence the population

b. religious and moral literature

c. literature supporting the cause of the American Revolution

d. what made Thomas Paine's literature successful

2.         The word "fervor" in line 2 is closest in meaning to

a. war

b. anxiety

c. spirit

d. action

3.         The word "time" in line 3 could best be replaced by

a. hour

b. period

c. appointment

d. duration

4.         It is implied in the passage that

a. some writers in the American colonies supported England during the Revolution

b. Franklin and Paine were the only writers to influence the Revolution

c. because Thomas Paine was an Englishman, he supported England against the colonies

d. authors who supported England did not remain in the colonies during the Revolution

5.         The pronoun "he" in line 8 refers to

a. Thomas Paine

b. Ben Franklin

c. Ben Franklin's brother

d. Poor Richard

Answer: 

1. B 
2. C 
3. B
4. A
5. B

Benjamin Franklin

Few people can embody the spirit of early America as much as Benjamin Franklin. He lived through almost the whole of the eighteenth century, being born six years after it began, and dying ten years before it ended. In this time he saw the American colonies grow from tiny settlements into a nation, and he also contributed much to the development of the new state.

At the age of 17 Franklin ran away to Philadelphia. He had already received some training as a printer’s apprentice, and this helped him seven years later, with his first publication, the Pennsylvania Gazette. He also received a contract to do government printing work, which helped him to rise from his poor background to become a successful entrepreneur. Some of his experience in business was shared in his famous Poor Richard’s Almanak, which established his reputation throughout the American colonies. In another of his works, the Autobiography, which was written toward the end of his life, he shows the same quiet common sense.

He was deeply interested in science and natural history, and his experiments with electricity and lightning led directly to the invention of the lightning rod. He was also interested in improving the conditions of his fellow men. He was involved in a number of projects in his native Philadelphia, including the setting up of a library, a university, a philosophical society, and - because he was a pragmatic man - a fire prevention service. In 1753 he became Postmaster-General of the colonies. Through this experience he began to develop the idea that the colonies of North America should be a single nation. Later, he went to London to try to persuade the British government to change the conditions, especially the taxes, that later led the American colonists into rebellion.

Whatever Benjamin Franklin’s personal feelings about the rebellion of the American states, he worked hard to make it succeed. As ambassador to France, he encouraged the French to help George Washington. After the war he attended the American constitutional congress. This was his last contribution, for he died later that year. He is still fondly remembered by Americans as one of the creators of the United States.

1.         What is a good description for this text?

a.  An autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.
b.  The life of Benjamin Franklin
c.  The works of Benjamin Franklin.
d.  Franklin and American Independence.

2.         When was Benjamin Franklin born?

a.  1806
b.  1794
c.  1717
d.  1706

3.         Which of these happened first?

a.  Franklin trains as a printer.
b.  Franklin runs away to Philadelphia.
c.  The American colonies rebel.
d.  Franklin starts his first publication.

4.         What was Poor Richard’s Almanak about?

a.  Franklin’s reputation.
b.  How to succeed in business.
c.  How to do government printing.
d. The text does not say.

5.         Which words best describe his character?

a.  Egotistical and selfless.
b.  Philosophical and diplomatic
c.  Spirited and rebellious

d.  Sensible and inventive

Answer

1.  B 

2.  D 

3.  A 

4.  B
5.  D 

http://www.examenglish.com/TOEFL/toefl_reading.htm

http://www.english-online.org.uk/toeflfolder/toeflread1.php?name=TOEFL+Reading+test+1