TOEFL IBT Reading Practice Test 07 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| Art History
The Hudson River School
The Hudson River School, the first American art movement considered a genuine school of art, originated at the beginning of the nineteenth century, as American painters sought to establish for themselves a distinct style—one not wholly defined by the traditions they had inherited from European art. Drawing on contemporary national values, artists of the Hudson River School based their movement on the principles of democracy and expansion and found inspiration in the North American landscape that was quickly being claimed as United States territory. By focusing on the untouched beauty of the American wilderness, these painters attempted to convey naturalistic scenes with a sense of admiration and idealism—two concepts that reflected their feelings about their new nation.
The Hudson River School was a movement situated within the larger context of American Romanticism, a period of cultural maturation and self-definition in the middle of the nineteenth century. After several decades as an independent nation, the conditions were right for a major creative movement Other American social movements that occurred during the period of American Romanticism influenced painters of the Hudson River School. Transcendentalism, a concurrent literary and philosophical movement, similarly argued for the invention of a national identity and a departure from European conventions. The writings of transcendentalist authors fueled the creative aspirations of the Hudson River School artists and encouraged them to participate in the making of an authentically American artistic culture. In particular, the work of Ralph Waldo Emerson provided a framework of beliefs for the developing nation. A quote from his 1836 essay entitled Nature describes the momentum behind American artists’ mission to assert their nation’s individuality: “We will walk on our own feet; we will work with our own hands; we will speak our own minds … A nation of men will for the first time exist, because each believes himself inspired by the Divine Soul which also inspires all men.”
Deeply interested in the potential of nature to deliver spiritual renewal to humankind, artists of the Hudson River School believed that their paintings had the ability to connect humans with a spiritual world. To the artists of the Hudson River School, natural features like waterfalls and thunderhead clouds were symbols that conveyed to an audience the presence of God. With this attitude, artists of the Hudson River School applied intense care to their works, filling them with minute details, rich colors, and otherworldly light —components that although unrealistic, idealized the landscape in order to evoke wonderment and reverence. In this manner, they endeavored to represent nature as the work of God. The content of their paintings frequently represented views of the Hudson River Valley and nearby geographical features like the White Mountains, the Catskills, and the Adirondack Mountains. Combining such images of the American landscape with spiritual themes, the Hudson River School integrated religious beliefs into their definition of a national identity.
[A] The Hudson River Valley became the focal point for the artistic movement after Thomas Cole, who is considered the founder of the Hudson River School, moved into the Catskill Mountains of New York— a picturesque region that awed him with its natural beauty.[B] Cole began sketching the local landscape, creating large paintings based on his drawings and later displaying them in New York City, where they caught the attention of many Americans. [C] People were interested 85 in these glorified images of their country, as it provided them with a sense of ownership and identity. [D] There was a growing audience for paintings that could be considered unmistakably American.
After a period of tremendous popularity, the images of the Hudson River School faded into the background of the American art scene. The new generation of Americans rejected the moral overtones present in the Hudson 95 River School paintings and turned away from such subjective landscapes in favor of more accurate representations of the physical world. Although modem art audiences may find the Hudson River School landscapes somewhat o contrived or artificial, many viewers appreciate the obvious technical ability demonstrated in these paintings. Furthermore, the Hudson River School paintings are gaining modern relevance, as their overt nationalistic and os religious sentiments are reinterpreted not as evidence of a divine creator but as reminders of the duty of citizens to protect the vulnerable resources of their nations.
1. 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) When American painters created the Hudson River School, they realized that many of their techniques were derived from European traditions.
(B) American artists attempted to separate themselves from European art and created a new art movement called the Hudson River School.
(C) At the beginning of the nineteenth century, American painters began to participate in a national art movement called the Hudson River School.
(D) Inheriting the art movement from Europe, American artists discovered a new school of painting in the early nineteenth century.
2. The word situated in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) positioned
(B) understood
(C) studied
(D) magnified
3. According to paragraph 2, the Hudson River School was part of which of the following?
(A) A period in the mid-nineteenth century known as American Romanticism
(B) A literary and philosophical movement called transcendentalism
(C) A struggle to make America an independent nation
(D) An 1836 essay entitled Nature
4. Why does the author include a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson in paragraph 2?
(A) To give an example of a major figure in the Hudson River School
(B) To describe the shared goals of transcendentalism and the Hudson River School
(C) To demonstrate the influence the Hudson River School had on literature
(D) To explain how the Hudson River School created a national artistic identity
5. The word minute in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) noticeable
(B) tiny
(C) multiple
(D) diverse
6. What can be inferred from paragraph 3 about landscapes painted in the style of the Hudson River School?
(A) They left out details that were not important to the overall image.
(B) They were embellished to exaggerate a religious message.
(C) They were meant to be exact duplicates of natural scenes.
(D) They always included figures in the composition.
7. The phrase focal point in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) matter in question
(B) center of attention
(C) point of view
(D) place of residence
8 The word they in the passage refers to
(A) Catskill Mountains
(B) paintings
(C) drawings
(D) People
9 The word tremendous in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) irregular
(B) uncertain
(C) immense
(D) rapid
10. What can be inferred from paragraph 5 about Hudson River School paintings that are currently displayed in museums?
(A) They are the best examples of landscape paintings from the Hudson River School.
(B) They are frequently the subject of religious controversy.
(C) They are appreciated more for their technique than their intended meaning.
(D) They are patriotic symbols from American history.
11. Look at the four squares H that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
This particular landscape inspired the beginning of an entire art movement based on such images.
Where would the sentence best fit?
11 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 Hudson River School was very much the product of a developing nation that was deeply interested in the creation of a national identity.
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Answer Choices
(A) Hudson River School artists turned to the American landscape and to the transcendentalist movement for inspiration and began to represent and define their new nation.
(B) Ralph Waldo Emerson is considered the most important figure in the Hudson River School; his advice shaped the direction of the national artistic movement,
(C) The goals of Hudson River School artists were to separate themselves from European beliefs into the United States’ emerging culture.
(D) The Hudson River School was supported by traditions and to integrate their religious an audience that craved a sense of identity, but contemporary audiences have either rejected or reinterpreted the movement’s principal messages.
(E) Spirituality was an important theme for artists of the Hudson River School, and they attempted to use their paintings to teach moral lessons.
(F) The Hudson River School was focused on a particularly picturesque region of the United States, mainly centered in the Catskill Mountains of New York.
Reading Passage 2 Reading Passage 3
Passage 2 | Animal behavior
Spider Sociality
Different animals develop different ways of interacting with other members of the same species. Some live their entire lives as solitary individuals, whereas others are unable to survive without the systems of support found in communal living environments. [A] Nearly all of the 35,000 known spider species fall into the former category. [B] They live alone and will fiercely protect their established territory from ) all other creatures. [C] Yet, there are around 40 species of spiders that have been observed to practice various forms of sociality. [D] The rarity of this makes these species popular subjects of research.
In studying social spider species, it is tempting to compare their communities with those of the widely understood social insects —various species of ants, termites, bees, etc. While such spiders and insects do share some similarities in the ways they behave, in many important areas the two differ greatly. First of all, every spider within a colony could, conceivably, fulfill all of its survival needs on its own if it had to. Members of an ant or termite ‘5 colony, on the other hand, rely heavily on the collective; they could not exist without it.
If all social spiders possess this natural self-sufficiency, what is it that compels them to seek out others to build a home? Although the specific reasons for this are not yet known, there are some obvious advantages to communal living. Like insects, spiders in the same community work together to capture prey. Not only do they collaborate on the building of large webs for snaring food; in some species the inhabitants of a colony work collectively to ambush any insects that might venture near their nest. In this way, the spiders are able to catch larger prey in greater quantities than they could if they were hunting alone, and the food is usually shared by the entire group.
This similarity is significant, but in most other matters the parallels between 5 social spiders and insects cease. One of the most striking differences between colonies of spiders and those of social insects deals with their overall organizational structures. The insects have developed a strict hierarchical system, with specific duties assigned to specific members who are genetically programmed to carry them out. A single queen is responsible for laying the eggs for the entire community, as well as directing the other insects; male drones have the task of mating with the queen; and female and male workers perform repairs, look after the young, and locate sources of food. In some species there are even special soldier insects physically designed for battle.
In spider societies, on the other hand, there is a complete lack of this type of organization, which is what enables social spiders to maintain greater self-sufficiency than social insects do. Individuals are not 5 bred to carry out specific tasks. There are no genetically designated drones, workers, or soldiers. Instead, each spider shares in duties such as web maintenance, hunting, and the protection of offspring. Egg sacs are o collectively guarded and watched over, as are the young spiders once they hatch. In place of a single colony queen, every female in a spider society retains the ability to reproduce. Thus, these spiders enjoy the benefits of cooperative work-for example, being able to conserve body energy by distributing tasks like web making throughout the entire group-but they achieve them by way of a very different method than insects do.
The study of social spider species developed relatively recently compared with that of social insects. For this reason, many observers are tempted to liken the former to the latter. Upon close inspection, however, spiders that live collectively behave differently from their insect counterparts. Some experts actually claim that social spiders more closely resemble a pride of lions than they do a hive of bees or a colony of ants. In addition, varying degrees of cooperation are displayed even within the small number of spider species that do exhibit such behavior. They range from adult spiders that merely care for their young briefly before abandoning them to full-fledged colonies that can contain tens of thousands of members. The uniqueness of these creatures clearly demands further research.
13. The word others in the passage refers to
(A) animals
(B) members
(C) lives
(D) individuals
14. According to paragraph 1, the vast majority of spiders
(A) do not form cooperative groups
(B) are different from most animals
(C) do not establish territorial boundaries
(D) sometimes engage in social behavior
15. In paragraph 2, how does the author support the argument that social spiders are different from social insects?
(A) By stating the differences between how social spiders and insects are studied
(B) By contrasting the levels of independence of individual spiders and insects
(C) By citing specific behavioral differences between social spiders and insects
(D) By explaining how a spider’s survival needs are less complex than an insect’s
16. The word compels in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) considers
(B) drives
(C) defines
(D) applies
17. The word venture in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) resist
(B) attack
(C) wander
(D) conceal
18. It can be inferred from paragraph 4 that most female social insects
(A) do not bear young
(B) are somewhat self-sufficient
(C) are similar to female spiders
(D) do not care for offspring
19. The word striking in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) prominent
(B) offensive
(C) unfortunate
(D) straightforward
20. 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 practice of web making performed by spiders allows them to achieve greater work efficiency than social insects can.
(B) Animal societies function at their best when all members participate in activities that benefit the entire group.
(C) By sharing tasks such as the spinning of webs, spiders are able to conserve their energy for other uses.
(D) Though they utilize different techniques from insects’, social spiders also benefit from the advantages of group cooperation.
21. Why does the author mention the protection of egg sacs in paragraph 5?
(A) To offer a reason for the absence of self- sufficiency seen in social spiders
(B) To illustrate how the lack of a single queen benefits a spider colony
(C) To describe the hierarchical organization that social spiders develop
(D) To give an example of work that is distributed throughout a spider colony
22. According to paragraph 6, spiders can be considered social if they
(A) act similar to certain predatory mammals
(B) reproduce more than once during their lives
(C) become members of a large insect colony
(D) make some effort to protect their offspring
23. The word counterparts in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) equivalents
(B) neighbors
(C) enemies
(D) prey
24. According to the passage, all of the following are differences between social spiders and social insects EXCEPT
(A) their ability to survive outside a community
(B) their rates of female fertility
(C) their practice of collective hunting
(D> the division of labor within a community
25. Look at the four squares m that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
Even newborn spiders are forced to fend for themselves, as the females of these species spend no time in caring for their young.
Where would the sentence best fit?
Click on a square (H to add the sentence to the passage.
26. 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 small fraction of spider species that build collective homes may exhibit some similarities to social insects, but they are actually quite different.
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Answer Choices
(A) Social insects such as ants, termites, and bees have received more attention from researchers in the past than social spiders have.
(C) Some advantages of group living, such as collaborating to perform repairs and acquire food, are shared by both social spiders and insects.
(E) Compared to the hierarchical nature of insect colonies, spider societies have a much looser organizational structure, and tasks are more universally distributed.
(B) Unlike social insects, which cannot live apart from their colonies, the individuals in spider communities do not give up their potential fc independence.
(D) Working in large groups, social spiders can catch more prey than they could if they were hunting on their own.
(F) Even social spiders that show low levels of cooperation are more similar to insects than they are to other types of animal species.
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
Passage 3 | Geology
Relative and Absolute Geological Dating
A geologist’s natural inclination on viewing exposed rock layers is to attempt to determine their ages. Since the rocks are most likely millions, or even billions, of years old, this represents a difficult task. To accomplish it, geologists have come up with two different measurement methods: relative and absolute dating. Each can be applied when studying a cross-section containing diverse layers of ) rock, such as the wall of a canyon or a cliff, in order to date the individual layers, called strata. Relative dating focuses on the chronological order in which the strata of the cross-section formed, whereas absolute dating endeavors to ^ label each stratum with a numerical age.
The term “relative” refers to the fact that this method defines a stratum’s age only in relation to the others around it. In other words, relative dating can ascertain that stratum A is o older than stratum B and younger than stratum C. What it cannot do is address how much older or younger stratum A is, or specify its exact age in years. The most significant advantage of relative dating is that geologists can usually s draw their conclusions simply by looking at the cross-section.
To accurately employ the relative dating method, geologists use several established guidelines. The most fundamental is the o principle of superposition. It holds that, in undisturbed stratified formations, the bottom layers are the oldest and those at the top are the youngest. This is because most rock strata develop from the accumulation of sediments, deposited in flat layers one on top of the other. Naturally, the layer buried the deepest would be the oldest. Most formations, however, are not so simplistic. While underground, rocks are often exposed to extreme pressures that can fold and shift the originally horizontal strata. Sometimes magma is ejected up through the layers to create its own rock deposit. And erosion experienced by layers that once were on the surface can distort the borderlines between strata. Such factors drastically complicate the relative dating procedure. Yet, with their extensive knowledge of the processes involved, geologists can usually work out the relative order of these events and a ages of the strata.
Another concept used to gain hints about relative age is correlation—the identification of fossils. These remains of ancient organisms are common in sedimentary rocks. Since certain > species were alive only at certain times, their fossils appear only in strata of specific ages. Correlation allows geologists to compare the relative ages of rock layers uncovered at different locations. If stratum A contains fossils known to be older than the fossils in stratum B, stratum A must be older than stratum B.
[A] For years, relative dating was the only tool for age measurements available to geologists. [B] While it revealed some very important information, it was limited. [C] This situation changed in the early twentieth century with the advent of absolute dating. [D] It was discovered that certain substances within rocks undergo steady, gradual transformations from one state into another over millions of years. Therefore, by analyzing the extent of these changes in a particular rock sample, the actual age of the rock can be calculated. Of course, the term “absolute” is somewhat misleading because a rock’s age is only estimated to within a range of several million years, but this dating method has enabled geologists to learn fascinating things about the age of the Earth and events that took place in its distant past.
Despite the vast amounts of new knowledge provided by absolute dating, drawbacks exist. The procedure for determining absolute age requires advanced equipment and must be performed carefully. Even slight flaws in the process can lead to a loss of accuracy when age is calculated. The absolute ages for certain strata are constantly being revised as improved technologies develop, allowing more exact measurements.
Ultimately, the choice of which dating method to use depends on the goals of the geologist, as well as the resources available. If the focus is on the relationship between the various strata of a cross-section, relative » age may be most important and can be easily determined. If, on the other hand, the geologist needs to place the creation of a stratum within a particular time frame, its absolute age must be ascertained.
27. The word inclination in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) problem
(B) desire
(C) study
(D) system
28. What is true about the relationship between relative and absolute dating according to paragraph 1?
(A) They utilize different methods to obtain the same information.
(B) They were used in separate periods in the history of geology.
(C) They are designed to measure two different types of geological age.
(D) They each work best on different kinds of exposed cross-sections.
29. How does the author explain the focus of relative dating in paragraph 2?
(A) By discussing a specific cross-section recently examined by geologists
(B) By providing a standard definition for the word “relative”
(C) By describing how the age differences between strata are calculated
(D) By illustrating a potential relationship between three generic strata
30. The word it in the passage refers to
{A) term
(B) stratum
(C) age
(D) relative dating
31. According to paragraph 3, geologists cannot rely solely on the principle of superposition to determine the relative ages of strata because
(A) many external forces disrupt the natural layering process
(B) they do not know enough about the processes described by the principle
(C) it is only valid for strata created within a certain time frame
(D) many rocks do not form from the buildup of sediments
32. What can be inferred from paragraph 4 about ancient species?
(A) Some have survived to the present day.
(B) Their fossils appear only in lower strata.
(C) Most found fossilized in rocks have not been identified.
(D) Scientists are aware of their relative ages.
33. 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) Events that happened millions of years ago can be studied indirectly by determining the absolute ages of rocks found on Earth today.
(B) Absolute dating helps geologists understand the Earth’s age and history despite the fact that it does not actually provide the precise ages of rocks.
(C) Even though some geologists use the term “absolute” to label this dating method, it cannot establish the exact year in which a rock was formed.
(D) The absolute dating of rocks is only one method by which geologists can learn what happened within the ancient Earth.
34. The word advent in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) definition
(B) effort
(C) combination
(D) arrival
35. Based on the information in paragraph 5 and paragraph 6, it can be inferred that absolute dating was not possible until
(A) the necessary technology was invented
(B) estimates for the ages of rocks became available
(C) relative dating techniques were improved
(D) enough rock samples had been collected
36. The word flaws in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) errors
(B) steps
(C) data
(D) delays
37. The word revised in the passage is closest in meaning to
(A) stored
(B) corrected
(C) divided
(D) cited
38. According to paragraph 7, the decision of which dating method to use is in part based on
(A) what the researcher is trying to accomplish
(B) which time frame the rocks appear to be from
(C) how many strata are contained in the cross-section
(D) what kind of training the geologist has
39. Look at the four squares m that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
Relative dating cannot pinpoint a precise age for any single stratum and so cannot provide the specific differences between the ages of various rock layers.
Where would the sentence best fit?
40. Directions: Complete the table by matching the phrases below.
Select the appropriate phrases from the answer choices and match them to the type of dating method to which they relate. TWO of the answer choices will NOT be used. This question is worth 4 points.
| Answer Choices
(A) Can be performed without any complicated equipment (B) Concentrates more on the order of strata formation (C) Includes the analysis of hardened animal and plant remains (D) Requires measuring the changes of certain elements within rocks (E) Must be carried out with extreme care to ensure reliable results (F) Determines the exact number of years a rock has aged (G) Is continuously being improved for better accuracy (H) Is used by geologists to learn what materials rocks are made of (I) Can be difficult due to changes inflicted on strata overtime |
Relative dating method |
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| Absolute dating method | |
| * | |
| * | |
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Reading Passage 1 Reading Passage 2