TOEFL Reading Test 12
Please do the test in 55 minutes
Questions 1-10
regions in and around the North and South Poles. Icebergs melt as they encounter warmer ocean
waters and warmer ocean breezes closer to the equator. This happens with most, but not all
Line icebergs.
(5) One record-setting iceberg managed to travel further from the frigid water near the poles than
any other iceberg has been known to travel. In 1894, an iceberg broke off from Antarctica in the
south and began moving slowly northward. It eventually left the very cold waters near the pole and
entered warmer waters. This unusual iceberg managed to get amazingly close to the equator. It was
observed at a latitude of about 26 degrees south of the equator. This is on the same latitude as Rio de
(10) Janeiro, Brazil, which is famous for its comfortably warm waters and weather throughout the year.
1. The subject of this passage is 7. When did the record-setting iceberg
(A) discussed in the passage exist?
regions (A) In the first half of the eighteenth
(B) how icebergs are formed century
(C) one unusual iceberg (B) In the last half of the eighteenth
(D) the climate in Brazil century
2. The passage indicates that icebergs form (C) In the first half of the nineteenth
(A) only in the north century
(B) only in the south (D) In the last half of the nineteenth
(C) near the equator century
(D) in both the north and south 8. It is NOT stated in the passage that the
3. According to the passage, where are iceberg
subpolar regions located? (A) was moving in a northerly direction
(A) At the poles (B) ended up near the equator
(B) Close to the poles (C) was seen south of the equator
(C) Close to the equator (D) was observed from Rio de Janeiro
(D) At the equator 9. The word amazingly in line 8 is closest
4. in meaning to
best be replaced by the expression (A) comfortably
(A) run after (B) surprisingly
(B) run into (C) possibly
(C) run around (D) unquestionably
(D) run up 10. Where is the passage does the author
5. The record-setting iceberg discussed in indicate what usually happens to icebergs
the passage traveled in warm water?
(A) into unusually warm waters (A) Lines 2-3
(B) unusually close to the North Pole (B) Lines 5-6
(C) unusually far south (C) Lines 7-8
(D) unusually far from the equator (D) Lines 9-10
6.
meaning to
(A) warm
(B) calm
(C) cold
(D) deep
Questions 11-19
Paul Revere was recognized in Longfellow's poem :"The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" for his
act of heroism during Revolutionary times. In this well-known poem, Longfellow describes how
Paul Revere made a nightime ride on horseback from Lexington to Concord. The purpose of this
Line famous ride was to warn the Concord militia that the British were planning to attack.
(5) However, Longfellow's poem does not recount the historical events accurately. In reality, Paul
Revere did not travel alone on his important ride. Instead, he met with William Dawes in
Lexington. These two set out for Concord with a Dr. Samuel Prescott, who was on his way home.
On the way between Lexington and Concord, the three were stopped by some British soldiers.
Revere became a prisoner of the British, and Dawes managed to escape. It was Dr. Prescott rather
(10) than Paul Revere who got through to Concord to warn the militia of the British attack that was
coming. However, it was Paul Revere and not Dr. Prescott who received the credit for the heroic
deed in Longfellow's poem.
11. The main idea of this passage is that 15. It is implied in the passage that, in
(A) essential to
the Revolution (A) made his ride by himself
(B) (B) did not travel on horseback
actions was heroic but inaccurate (C) met up with William Dawes
(C) Paul revere should have been given (D) rode with Dr. Prescott
(D) Longfellow did not really write the 16.
meaning to
(A) number
12. It is stated in the p (B) tell
(C) deny
(A) was really written by Dr. Samuel (D) invent
Prescott
(B) is about an attack on the British 17. What happened after the trio was stopped
(C) was written before the Revolutionary by the British?
(D) is a famous piece of literature (A) Paul Revere escaped.
(B) Dr. Prescott was taken prisoner.
13. In the poem, Paul Revere (C) Paul Revere was taken captive.
(A) was a coward (D) Dr. Prescott failed to get through
(B) rode at midday
(C) issued a warning
(D) attacked the British
14.
meaning to
(A) defenders
(B) advisors
(C) leaders
(D) workers
18. 19. Where in the passage does the author
meaning to indicate who actually carried out the
(A) speech warning?
(B) story (A) Lines 2-3
(C) battle (B) Line 5
(D) act (C) Line 8
(D) Lines 9-11
Questions 20-29
The name Studebaker is well known today because of the actions of five Studebaker brothers.
These five brothers were responsible for one of the oldest vehicle manufacturing companies in the
United States.
Line These brothers were born in the first half of the ninteenth century. In 1852, two of the
(5) Studebaker brothers opened a wagon-building shop. Their entire resources were some tools for
building wagons and 68 dollars. They managed to build three wagons in their first year of
operation, and they sold two of the three wagons. Their business continued to increase steadily. By
the time of the Civil War in the 1860s, they had a governement contract to build wagons for the war
effort.
(10) After the war, the brothers added a carriage division. The carriages created by the Studebaker
Company became famous. At the end of the nineteenth century, the Studebaker Company was the
largest and best-known manufacturer of horse-drawn wagons and carriages in the world.
In 1897, the company started experimenting with vehicles that ran under their own power. The
company began making electric automobiles first and later worked on gasoline automobiles. By
(15) 1920, the company had stopped making wagons and was producing cars. The Studebaker Company
stayed in business until 1966, when it stopped producing automobiles.
20. The best title for this passage would be 24. closest
(A) in meaning to
(B) Building Better Wagons (A) profitable
(C) A Long-Lived Company (B) well built
(D) The Effort to Win the War (C) attractive
(D) well known
21. When the Studebaker brothers started
their first company, they had 25. According to the passage, the Studebaker
(A) a number of wagons brothers
(B) a government contract to build (A) developed gasoline cars before
wagons electric cars
(C) some tools for working on cars (B) stopped producing wagons in 1897
(D) a small amount of money (C) developed electic cars before gasoline
cars
22. (D) began making cars in 1920
be replaced by
(A) organized 26.
(B) were able meaning to
(C) directed (A) remained
(D) were available (B) held
(C) left
23. It can be inferred from the passage that, (D) managed
right after the Civil War, the Studebaker
brothers
(A) continued building wagons
(B) stopped producing carriages
(C) started producing automobiles
(D) stopped building wagons
27. What is NOT mentioned in the passage 29. Where in the passage does the author
as something that the Studebaker explain what the Studebaker brothers did
brothers produced? in their first year of business?
(A) Wagons (A) Lines 2-3
(B) Carriages (B) Lines 6-7
(C) Cars (C) Line 10
(D) Boats (D) Line 14
28. Which paragraph describes the business
activities of the Studebaker brothers prior
to the Civil War?
(A) The first paragraph
(B) The second paragraph
(C) The third paragraph
(D) The fourth paragraph
Questions 30-38
Not all humans have the same type of blood. In different types of blood, certain antibodies and
antigens may or may not be present. There are different systems for classifying blood, and one of
the systems is the ABO system. In this system, a person's blood is classified as either type A, type B,
Line type AB, or type O. The purpose of this system is to describe which types of blood are compatible.
(5) This means which types of blood can be taken from or given to a person. There are three principles
that govern which types of blood are compatible.
The first principle is that a particular blood type is always compatible with itself. This means,
for example, that a person with type A blood can receive type A blood and that a person with type B
blood can accept type B blood. It also means that a person with type AB blood can receive type AB
(10) blood and that a person with type O blood can receive type O blood.
The second principle is that type O blood can be given to any of the other blood groups. Type O
can be given to a patient with types A, B or AB blood. For this reason, type O is called the universal
donor.
The last of the principles is that patients with type AB blood can receive blood from types A, B,
(15) or O. This means that patients with type AB blood can compatibly receive any other type of blood.
30. The topic of this passage is 34. It can be inferred from the passage that
(A) a particular type of blood type A blood can
(B) a system for classifying types of (A) accept type A or O blood
blood (B) accept type O or AB blood
(C) examples of problems with blood (C) accept type A or AB blood
(D) the principle of unversal donors (D) accept type A or B blood
31. It is stated in the passage that certian 35.
antibodies and antigens in the blood someone who
(A) are omitted from the ABO system (A) recieves
(B) have not been classified (B) gives
(C) are universal donors (C) shows
(D) may not be in all blood (D) takes
32. 6 are 36. It can be inferred from the passsage that
(A) leaders type AB blood can be donated to
(B) effects (A) type A, B, O, or AB
(C) rules (B) type A or AB blood only
(D) trials (C) type O or AB blood only
(D) type AB blood only
33.
in meaning to
(A) rare
(B) strange
(C) specific
(D) normal
37. Which paragraph describes 38. Where in the passage does the author
third important concept about blood indicate how many types of blood there
compatibility? are in the ABO system?
(A) The first paragraph (A) Lines 3-4
(B) The second paragraph (B) Line 5
(C) The third paragraph (C) Lines 9-10
(D) The fourth paragraph (D) Lines 14-15
Questions 39-50
The U.S manned space flight program of the 1960s and 1970s consisted of three distinct
phases: Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo. Each of these distinct phases of the space flight program
served a very different purpose.
Line Mercury was the first phase of the manned space flight program. Its purpose was to get a
(5) person into orbital flight. The tiny Mercury capsule carried only a single astronaut. Alan Shepard
and Virgil Grissom piloted the first two Mercury flights, which were suborbital flights, in 1961. John
Glenn, in the next Mercury flight, orbited the Earth in 1962. Three more Mercury flights followed.
The next phase of the manned space flight program was Gemini. The purpose of the ten crewed
Gemini flights in 1965 and 1966 was to conduct training tests necessary for longer space flights.
(10) Gemini, for example, carried out training in orbital clocking techniques and tests of the effects of
long-term weightlessness on astronauts. Unlike Mercury capsules, which held only one astronaut,
the Gemini capsules were designed to carry two astronauts. The name Gemini was taken from the
name of the constellation, which means "twins".
The Apollo flights followed the Gemini flights with the goal of landing astronauts on the Moon.
(15) The Apollo spacecraft consisted of three modules. The command module carried three astronauts to
and from the Moon, the service module housed the propulsion and environmental systems, and the
lunar module separated from the command module to land two astronauts on the Moon. There
were seventeen total Apollo flights, of which the first six carried no crew. The seventh through tenth
Apollo flights (1968-1969) circumnavigated the Moon without landing and then returned to Earth.
(20) The next seven Apollo flights (1969-1972) were intended to land on the Moon. All of them did,
except Apollo 13, which developed serious problems and had to abort the intended landing but still
managed to return safely to Earth.
39. The subject of this passage is 42.
(A) lunar landings meaning to
(B) the Gemini flights (A) endangered
(C) phases of the U.S. space flight (B) manned
program (C) organized
(D) space exploration through the (D) tested
decades
43. The purpose of the Gemini flights was
40. According to the passage, the Mercury (A) to prepare for longer space flights
flights (B) to attempt suborbital flights
(A) were all suborbital flights (C) to circumnavigate the Moon
(B) did not include any orbital flights (D) to land on the Moon
(C) were all orbital flights
(D) included suborbital and orbital flights 44. It is NOT stated in the passage
(A) how many astronauts a Mercury
41. It is implied in the passage that there flight carried
were how many total Mercury flights? (B) how many astronauts a Gemini flight
(A) Three carried
(B) Four (C) how the Mercury flights were named
(C) Five (D) how the Gemini flights were named
(D) Six
45. It can be inferred from the passage that 48.
how many of the Apollo flights carried meaning to
astronauts? (A) postpone
(A) 6 (B) schedule
(B) 11 (C) try
(C) 16 (D) stop
(D) 17
49. It can be determined from the passage
46. The word that the manned space flight program
closest in meaning to discussed in the passage lasted for
(A) traveled around (A) two years
(B) returned from (B) just over 6 years
(C) studied about (C) almost 12 years
(D) headed toward (D) three decades
47. It can be determined from the passage 50. Which paragraph describes the flights
that how many Apollo flights landed on that carried one astronaut each?
the moon? (A) The first paragraph
(A) 1 (B) The second paragraph
(B) 6 (C) The third paragraph
(C) 11 (D) The fourth paragraph
(D) 17
