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TOEFL IBT Reading Practice Test 06 from IVY’s Reading Actual Test

TOEFL-Reading-Practice-Test-06

TOEFL-Reading-Practice-Test-06

TOEFL IBT Reading Practice Test 06 from IVY’s Reading 15 Actual Test

This section measures your ability to understand academic passages in English. The Reading section is divided into 2 separately timed parts.
Most questions are worth 1 point but the last question in each set is worth more than 1 point. The directions indicate how many points you may receive.

Some passages include a word or phrase that is underlined in blue. Click on the word or phrase to see a definition or an explanation.

Within each part, you can go to the next question by clicking Next. You may skip questions and go back to them later. If you want to return to previous questions, click on Back. You can click on Review at any time and the review screen will show you which questions you have answered and which you have not answered. From this review screen, you may go directly to any question you have already seen in the Reading section.

You may now begin the Reading section. In this part you will read 1 passage. You will have 20 minutes to read the passage and answer the questions.

Passage 1 | Zoology

Characteristics of Desert Animals

Animals that live in the desert possess unique characteristics that allow them to survive the harsh conditions of their habitats. Deserts, with extreme temperature ranges and arid climates, pose difficult challenges for the diverse species that make their homes there. Temperature and aridity-the major concerns faced by desert animals—serve as the primary causes for many of their climatic adaptations.

Maintaining optimal body temperatures is critical for animals in a variety of climates, but in regions where environmental temperatures range to high extremes, control over body temperature is particularly essential, often making the difference between life and death. Desert animals have many ways of dealing with their scorching habitats. These adaptations can be roughly divided into two categories: adaptations for heat avoidance and 20 adaptations that accomplish heat dissipation.

Many species avoid the heat by seeking shelter in microclimates—areas that can be considered miniature “climates” in a sense, for their environmental conditions differ, in terms of temperature, from the larger climate they are contained within. [A] For example, kangaroo rats hide away in a type of underground microclimate—deep burrows
that keep them cool. [B]

By waiting until the sun sets to begin their periods of activity, nocturnal animals avoid the heat by coordinating their habits. [C] A wide variety of species have evolved this tactic.[D] Mountain lions, coyotes, and bats are among the numerous nocturnal desert species that spend the day avoiding the powerful heat.

While some animals adjust their behavior to help them survive in the desert, others rely on physical adaptations to help them dissipate heat. Some animals have evolved advantageous coloration to help them reflect sunlight away from their bodies, preventing the unnecessary absorption of excess heat. The desert iguana is a species that is capable of adjusting its body color, lightening in color to almost pure white during the hottest hours of the day. This ability permits it to remain active during midday while high temperatures confine many other animals to areas of shade.

Another means of heat dissipation is evaporative cooling, which helps some animals lower their body temperatures. Cheetahs and kangaroos, for example, lick their paws because the resulting evaporation of water dissipates heat, helping them maintain comfortable body temperatures. Additionally, cheetahs—and several other species, like desert bighorn sheep—employ evaporative cooling in the form of panting, which facilitates evaporation from the respiratory system.

In deserts, which by definition receive less than twenty-five centimeters of rain a year, adaptations related to water procurement and water conservation are absolutely necessary. Some species have highly efficient adaptations that enable them to survive for long periods without water. In fact, the most economical desert species do not even need to drink at all.

For some animals, acquiring the water they need is a simple matter, for their adaptations to their habitat free them from the obligation of searching for water; their water requirements are fulfilled by the water content in the foods they eat. Some insect species obtain water from succulent desert plants like cactuses. In their leaves, stems, and fruit, plants store fluids that provide insects with the water they need to survive. Ostriches are also able to meet their water requirements through their food, and they can survive for months without water. Similarly, addax—desert- dwelling antelope—and kangaroo rats obtain all the moisture they need from the foods they 5 eat. Both of these animals are capable of going their entire lives without drinking any water.

Adaptations for efficient water procurement are one evolutionary result of life in the desert, but there are others. Water conservation adaptations also help some species, reducing the amount of water they lose through the excretion of wastes. Instead of excreting urine diluted with water, these animals discharge highly concentrated urine. Camels and addax rely on this form of water conservation to help them endure the parched conditions of their habitats.

Another means of water conservation is related to reproduction. Because reproduction 😮 is an especially water-taxing biological process, a variety of species cease reproductive activities during dry periods. Grey kangaroos also stop breeding when there are insufficient water supplies, but they have a unique method for dealing with prolonged periods of drought: embryonic diapause. During embryonic diapause, embryos, their growth suppressed, remain in the uterus for extended periods of time. In this manner, the mother is able to conserve water and at the same time increase her baby’s chances of survival by delaying birth until the environment is conducive to the production of offspring.

1. In paragraph 1, why does the author mention Temperature and aridity?

(A) To provide an established definition for what constitutes a desert environment
(B) To describe factors that account for many desert animals’ adaptations
(C) To explain why one concept is more important than the other
(D) To identify the specific habitats in which each condition is found

2. 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.

(A) Deserts are extreme climates, where exposure to high temperatures may be fatal for animals that are not well adjusted to the environment.
(B) Although animals in temperate regions must also regulate their body temperatures, this ability is especially crucial for animals in hot climates.
(C) Animals cannot survive if their body temperatures fluctuate too far beyond the boundaries of their optimal temperature range.
(D) Because deserts have extreme temperatures, animals that inhabit these regions are exposed to more risks than animals in other climates.

3. The word scorching in the passage is closest in meaning to

(A) overwhelming
(B) intense
(C) burning
(D) stimulating

4. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 5 about animal activity during midday?

(A) Most animals are inactive during the middle of the day.
(B) Many desert iguanas sleep during the hottest part of the day.
(C) Animals with light coloration are most active during midday.
(D) Desert iguanas usually seek shady places.

5. According to paragraph 6, kangaroos and cheetahs lick their paws because

(A) their paws are especially sensitive to the heat
(B) moisture accumulates on those parts of their bodies
(C) it initiates the process of evaporative cooling
(D) their paws become dry faster than the rest of their bodies

6. The word them in the passage refers to

(A) animals
(B) body temperatures
(C) Cheetahs and kangaroos
(D) paws

7. In paragraph 7, the author illustrates the potential efficiency of adaptations to arid climates by

(A) telling the average annual amount of water that falls in deserts
(B) explaining that some animals do not need to drink water
(C) giving examples of animals that live in deserts
(D) defining the term “desert”

8 According to paragraph 8, some insects meet their water requirements by

(A) feeding on insects that have special adaptations to the desert
(B) spending their active hours searching for water sources
(C) accessing water held in plants
(D) storing fluids in their bodies

9 The word parched in the passage is closest in meaning to

(A) uncomfortable
(B) strenuous
(C) dry
(D) sour

10. Based on the information in paragraph 8 and paragraph 9, what can be inferred about addax?

(A) They do not produce urine because they do not drink water.
{B) They are particularly adept at procuring and conserving water.
(C) They cannot survive without water as long as camels can.
(D) They prey on animals that drink large quantities of water.

11 Based on the information in paragraph 10, which of the following best explains the term embryonic diapause?

(A) The termination of pregnancy
(B) The conception of an embryo during a drought
(C) A temporary cessation of embryonic development
(D) An increase in reproduction before a drought

12. Look at the four squares 0 that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.

In the desert, such microclimates may exist in the form of shaded refuges or underground retreats.
Where would the sentence best fit?

Click on a square [H to add the sentence

13. Directions: Complete the table by matching the statements below.
Select the appropriate statements from the answer choices and match them to the type of adaptation to which they relate. TWO of the answer choices will NOT be used. This question is worth 4 points.

Drag your answer choices to the spaces where they belong. To remove an answer choice, click on it To review the passage, click View Text

Answer Choices

(A) Nocturnal desert species are primarily active during the night
(B) In microclimates, some species avoid the general conditions of the regional climate.
(C) Some animals protect themselves from desert conditions by going without food.
(D) For grey kangaroos, embryonic diapause facilitates survival in desert regions.
(E) As they excrete biological wastes, some species expel concentrated urine.
(F) Certain species have the ability to adjust their coloration.
(G) When animals pant, they increase the rate of evaporation from the respiratory tract.
(H) At certain times, some species manipulate their habitats to create shaded areas.
(I) Desert conditions cause some species to temporarily stop breeding.

Temperature
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Aridity
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Reading Passage 2 Reading Passage 3 Solution & Explanation for Reading Practice Test 06

Passage 2 | Environmental Science

The Planet’s Ecological Crisis

As a result of countries becoming more and more industrialized, pollution has become a serious problem. Unfortunately, efforts to mitigate the planet’s pollution problems are s failing to match the level of environmental contamination generated by human cultures. In response to this increase in ecosystem change, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) was launched in 2001 by the United Nations o Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. The aims of this research program are to provide people— both decision-making officials and the general public—with information about the likely future consequences of current human activity is that affects the ecosystem. In March 2005, the MA issued its first report based on four years of research. The conclusions presented in the report emphasize the magnitude of the negative ecological effects caused by societies 20 all over the world.

According to the MA board’s statement summarizing the report, practically two-thirds of the services provided by the ecosystem are currently jeopardized by human activities. Although some of these assets—like erosion control and cultural heritage—are often underappreciated because they cannot be marketed for economic gain, they are nonetheless very valuable resources. In addition to furnishing fundamental resources like food and water, the Earth’s ecosystem offers a host of other benefits that societies depend on every day, such as climate regulation, recreation, tourism, storm protection, aesthetic 35 quality, and spiritual value.

Equating the value of an ecological service solely with its marketability is short¬sighted and hazardous. The benefits provided by forests, for example, are generally measured in terms of the economic value of logging and grazing, two activities that result in the destruction of the forest. Forests provide non-marketable services that not only have significant economic value but are sometimes is even essential to human well-being. Carbon sequestration (the long-term storage of carbon, which slows the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere) and regulation of air quality are two non-marketable yet economically valuable services provided by forests. According to one study, over the course of a year, trees in Chicago saved the city over nine million dollars in air-quality improvements.

To help people understand the consequences of disrupting the ecosystem, the MA board’s statement associates an economic value with the planet’s natural resources by factoring in both their saleable and unsaleable services. Comparing the latter figure with the net value obtained when natural resources are depleted for their marketable services shows that it is economically advantageous for human societies to be ecologically sensitive. For example, ecologically preserved Canadian wetlands are worth nearly 6,000 US dollars per hectare, but only 2,500 dollars per hectare when intensively farmed.

The MA report makes it evident that humankind has arrived at a point in time where the only way to lessen environmental problems is at an international level, for resolving the planet’s ecological imbalance is an issue too great for single countries or individual people to tackle. [A] Environmental problems have reached such epic proportions that any countermeasure will need to be on the scale of an international environmental movement. [B] At the base of an effective environmental movement, there must be a change in individuals’ attitudes toward preserving the ecosystem. [C] The perception of the environment as an eternally self- renewing service must be shifted, allowing 3! people to recognize the need for conservation —a task that would be accomplished by providing everyone with better education about the world’s increasing pollution crisis and expanding communities’ roles in caring so for local environments. [D] The MA believes that if people feel a sense of ownership of local natural resources, they will be more motivated to take action to protect the environment from decisions that would exploit it. In addition to educating the public about the importance of the ecosystem, a response to the current environmental crisis must influence policymakers by changing their base assumptions about the economic value of natural resources. It is essential to consider all the services a resource provides, not just the saleable products. This will give decision-makers a more accurate estimate of the true value of an undisrupted ecology. It has become the obligation of every individual and society to take an active part in environmental protection.

14. The word mitigate in the passage is closest in meaning to

(A) discuss
(B) evade
(C) relieve
(D) study

15. According to paragraph 1, what is the purpose of the Millennium Environmental Assessment?

(A) To research the public’s attitude toward environmental conservation
(B) To inform the United Nations about the global pollution crisis
(C) To ciean up regions that have been contaminated by human activities
(D) To inform people about the effects of human activities on the ecosystem

16. The word fundamental in the passage is closest in meaning to

(A) expensive
(B) rare
(C) basic
(D) useful

17. It can be inferred from paragraph 3 that focusing exclusively on the marketability of a natural resource is hazardous because

(A) it encourages people to ignore the sometimes indispensable nonmarketable functions of a natural resource
(B) the pursuit of profit often causes people to take risks they would have otherwise avoided
(C) nonmarketable services often result in the destruction of a natural resource
(D) it causes companies to pursue logging and grazing activities that are harmful to people who live near exploited forests

18. Why does the author mention Chicago in paragraph 3?

(A) To give an example of a harmful side effect of logging and grazing
(B) To explain why people are interested in marketing natural resources
(C) To suggest that ecological services without economic value are important
(D) To support the idea that some nonmarketable resources have economic value

19. All of the following are mentioned in the passage as nonmarketable services provided by the ecosystem EXCEPT

(A) providing timber for logging
(B) managing soil erosion
(C) slowing the rate of carbon dioxide accumulation
(D) purifying and improving the quality of the air

20. It can be inferred from paragraph 4 that the MA believes the general public

(A) is not concerned with the conservation of natural resources
(B) does not appreciate the economic value of nonmarketable services
(C) does not realize that natural resources could be used for profit
(D) will never voluntarily conserve the planet’s natural resources

21. The word epic in the passage is closest in meaning to

(A) huge
(B) ambitious
(C) obvious
(D) unfortunate

22. 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.

(A) Individual people and nations are unwilling to solve the planet’s environmental problems.
(B) The planet’s environmental problems are so large that international cooperation is the only solution.
(C) According to the MA report, there are significant environmental problems currently facing humanity.
(D) Although many countries would like to fix the planet’s ecological crisis, the MA report proves that the task is impossible.

23. What can be inferred from paragraph 5 about the solution to the current pollution crisis?

(A) It will involve developing an organization to research and assess humans’ impact on the planet’s ecology.
(B) It will be managed by an organization like the United Nations.
(C) It will involve reducing pollution produced by specific countries.
(D) It will require environmental activism at both global and individual levels.

24. The word it in the passage refers to

(A) MA
(B) ownership
(C) action
(D) environment

25. The word obligation in the passage is closest in meaning to

(A) debt
(B) need
(C) hope
(D) responsibility

26. Look at the four squares u that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.

There are several components to this kind of environmental movement.

Where would the sentence best fit?
Click on a square [I 1 to add the sentence

27. 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.

The research presented in the MA report demonstrates that it is essential to protect the planet’s ecology, even though that task will require major efforts.

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Answer Choices

(A) The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment was founded by an international organization representing many countries.

(B) Although some natural resources cannot  be bought or sold, they nonetheless form  critical parts of the Earth’s ecology.

(C) Preserving the planet’s ecology has the potential to provide people with significant economic returns.

(D) An environmental movement can only succeed if it occurs at both global and individual levels.

(E) It is hoped that governments around the hazards and how best to protect our world  from looming environmental disasters is one of the biggest challenges facing humankind.

(F) Providing education on environmental world will unite to solve environmental problems in the near future.

Drag your answer choices to the spaces where they belong. To remove an answer choice, click on it To review the passage, click View Text

Reading Passage 1 Reading Passage 3 Solution & Explanation for Reading Practice Test 06

Passage 31 – Astronomy

Observing Venus

As the brightest object in the night sky after the sun and moon, the planet Venus has always attracted the attention of humans. It is the closest planet to Earth, and its size, shape, mass, and age are similar to those of our world. For these reasons, many people once thought that Venus might also have Earth-like surface conditions, and that it might even be home to life like that on Earth. However, until relatively recently, scientists were unable to obtain any data about the surface of Venus in order to confirm or disprove these theories.

Most other planets in our solar system are easily observable from Earth through the use of telescopes and other astronomical equipment. But Venus is different. Its surface is constantly obscured by a dense layer of clouds that no traditional telescope can penetrate. As a result, scientists had to devise other methods for uncovering Venus’s secrets. One solution was to make use of radar technology. In the 1940s and ’50s, radar had begun to be used to map the contours of the ocean floor. A ship floating on the water would shoot a radar 25 pulse downwards, and by calculating how long it took the pulse to bounce back, accurate maps of the sea floor could be created. Beginning in the early 1960s, the world’s largest radio-radar telescope, at Arecibo, Puerto Rico, began directing its gaze toward Venus.

Around the same time, scientists in both the U.S. and the Soviet Union were in the early stages of implementing a second solution to the problem of Venus’s cloud cover orbiting spacecraft. Most of these vehicles made use of the same radar technology to image the planet’s surface, but they had greater access through their maneuverability than the Earth- based telescopes as they circled the planet. In 1975, the Soviet-built Venera probe successfully landed on Venus and transmitted surface photographs back to Earth—the first- ever images sent from another world. From 1990 to 1992, NASA’s remotely operated Magellan spacecraft succeeded in radar- mapping a full 93 percent of the surface, giving us an unprecedented view of the true Venus.

[A] Needless to say, the possibility of life on Venus was ruled out by these scientific endeavors. [B] The thick clouds that hid the surface from astronomers for so long are composed of sulfuric acid, with only trace amounts of water vapor. [C] The planet’s s atmosphere is made up mostly of carbon dioxide. [D] Pressure at the surface is more than 90 times what it is on Earth, and the temperature is nearly 900 degrees Fahrenheit (480 Celsius).

Yet, even though the surface of the planet Venus appears very different from that of the Earth, in terms of structure the two are somewhat comparable, suggesting that similar geological forces may have been responsible for shaping the outer shells of both worlds. The relative lack of impact craters leads scientists to believe that Venus once witnessed intense volcanic activity, which would have thoroughly recycled its outer crust, erasing all evidence of old craters. Indeed, radar images show the presence of many enormous solidified lava flows on the surface of Venus, but there are few, if any, active volcanic sites remaining.

Observers have also learned that the majority of the planet is flat, made up of gently rolling plains with various areas of lower land. Highlands account for only 5-10 percent of the surface area. This would be similar to the c appearance of Earth’s surface if all the oceans were drained away. The two main highland plateaus on Venus are Aphrodite Terra and Ishtar Terra, approximately the same sizes as the Earth continents of South America and Australia, respectively. Though Aphrodite Terra is the larger of the two highland regions, Ishtar Terra’s mountains are twice as tall and comprise Venus’s highest elevations. The tallest peak. Maxwell Montes, would reach 7,000 feet (2.1 kilometers) above ML Everest

Despite the fact that Venus proved not to be the mirror image of Earth, as some earlier thinkers had proposed, modem scientists are very intrigued by the similarities they have s discovered. A spacecraft was launched in November of 2005 to orbit Venus, and two more such missions are planned for 2008 and 2009. With this continuing curiosity to learn more about the brightest “star” in the sky, Earth’s nearest planetary neighbor is sure to become less and less mysterious in the years to come.

28. According to paragraph 1, why did some people expect to find life on Venus?

(A) Scientific data that was gathered supported the theory.
(B) They could observe surface conditions similar to those on Earth.
(C) Its brightness was thought to be caused by living things.
(D) It shares many of the same physical characteristics that Earth has.

29. The word devise in the passage is closest in meaning to

(A) solve
(B) repair
(C) create
(D) explain

30. The word contours in the passage is closest in meaning to

(A) routes
(B) outlines
(C) materials
(D) creatures

31. In paragraph 2, the author explains the concept of radar-mapping by

(A) describing the construction of a telescope
(B) illustrating one of its early uses
(C) discussing the clouds on Venus
(D) comparing it to traditional technologies

32. The word they in the passage refers to

(A) scientists
(B) vehicles
(C) telescopes
(D) photographs

33. According to paragraph 3, the advantage orbiting spacecraft had over telescopes on Earth was that they

(A) utilized radar technology to capture images of Venus’s surface
(B) were able to transmit surface photographs directly to Earth
(C) continued to function in Venus’s harsh climatic conditions
(D) were easily able to observe a variety of regions on Venus

34. 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.

(A) The surfaces of Earth and Venus look different, but they may actually have been formed in similar ways.
(B) Structurally, the surfaces of Earth and Venus are so similar that scientists believe they were created by the same forces.
(C) The geological processes that are responsible for shaping Earth’s surface also took place on the planet Venus.
(D) Because of several important differences between the surfaces of Venus and Earth, it is unlikely they were formed in the same way.

35. What can be inferred about Earth from the information in paragraph 5?

(A) It had more volcanoes in the past than Venus did.
(B) Volcanic activity played a role in shaping its surface.
(C) Its surface displays more impact craters than Venus’s.
(D) Lava flows can be used to determine the age of its crust

36. Why does the author mention the Earth’s oceans in paragraph 6?

(A) To emphasize the height of the mountains on the plateaus of Venus
(B) To illustrate how many more lowland regions there are on Earth than on Venus
(C) To explain the primary difference between the surfaces of Earth and Venus
(D) To discuss why Maxwell Montes measures higher than Mt. Everest

37. The word comprise in the passage is closest in meaning to

(A) include
(B) acquire
(C) prevent
(D) overcome

38. According to paragraph 7, what can be inferred about upcoming missions to Venus?

(A) They will fully complete the picture of the planet’s surface.
(B) They will not involve the use of radar devices.
(C) They will study the possibility of living on the planet.
(D) They will not attempt to land spacecraft on the surface.

39. All of the following are mentioned in the passage as methods used to observe Venus EXCEPT

(A) manned vehicles
(B) orbiting spacecraft
(C) radio-radar telescopes
(D) landing probes

40. Look at the four squares■ that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.

In fact, the planet is one of the least hospitable in the solar system.
Where would the sentence best fit?
Click on a square [■] to add the sentence to the passage.

41. 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.

After years of research and the success of many high-tech projects, astronomers have finally been able to gather data about the surface of Venus.

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Answer Choices

(A) The Arecibo telescope in Puerto Rico delivered some of the first glimpses of what Venus is like beneath its layers of clouds.
(C) Mountains discovered on Venus are taller than those on Earth, perhaps due to ancient volcanic activity on the planet.
(E) Though demonstrating many differences, the surfaces of Earth and Venus show signs of having experienced similar geologic phenomena.
(B) Concrete information obtained about the harsh conditions on the surface of Venus makes it clear that there is no life on the planet
(D) Because the clouds covering Venus are composed of sulfuric acid, ordinary telescopes cannot see through them to the surface.
(F) The vast plains and occasional mountainous uprisings of Venus’s surface resemble structural features that can also be observed on Earth.

Drag your answer choices to the spaces where they belong. To remove an answer choice, dick on it To review the passage, click View Text

Reading Passage 1 Reading Passage 2 Solution & Explanation for Reading Practice Test 06

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