TOEFL Be Like

Microscopes make small things appear larger than​ (a)   .

• they really are
• really are
• are really
• are they really

The city of Montreal (a)   on an island in the Saint Lawrence River.

• was built
• has built
• that built
• built

The pineapple, a fruit grow in tropical climates throughout the world, is native to parts of South America.

• The

• grow

• throughout

• is

A ray of light passing through the center of a thin lens keep its original direction.

• through

• the center

• keep

• original

Physicians were allowed to dissect bodies of the dead to augment their knowledge.

The word augment is closest in meaning to:

• prove

• increase

• validate

• spread

Atmospheric pressure does more than just keep blood gases dissolved. Your ability to breathe—that is, to take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide—also depends upon a precise atmospheric pressure. Altitude sickness occurs in part because the atmosphere at high altitudes exerts less pressure, reducing the exchange of these gases, and causing shortness of breath, confusion, headache, lethargy, and nausea. Mountain climbers carry oxygen to reduce the effects of both low oxygen levels and low barometric pressure at higher altitudes.

According to the paragraph, which of the following is NOT true about atmospheric pressure?

• It is responsible for more than the dissolution of blood gases.

• A very specific level of pressure is required for humans to breathe.

• The lower pressure at high altitudes is the sole cause of altitude sickness.

• Some of the symptoms of altitude sickness are confusion, nausea, and being short of breath.

Europa, a Moon with an Ocean

When we look at close-up photos of Europa, we see a strange, complicated surface. For the most part, the icy crust is extremely smooth, but it is crisscrossed with cracks and low ridges that often stretch for thousands of kilometers. Some of these long lines are single, but most are double or multiple, looking rather like the remnants of a colossal freeway system.

In the paragraph above, the author mentions “close-up photos of Europa” in order to:

• Identify its location in the cosmos.

• Explain why Europa is not an icy world like most of the moons of the outer planets.

• Show proof that Europa is different from other planets.

• Explain how astronomers know what Europa looks like.

[A] The first spacecraft to investigate the regions past Mars were the NASA Pioneers 10 and 11, launched in 1972 and 1973 as pathfinders to Jupiter. [B] One of their main objectives was simply to determine whether a spacecraft could actually navigate through the belt of asteroids that lies beyond Mars without getting destroyed by collisions with asteroidal dust. [C] Another objective was to measure the radiation hazards in the magnetosphere (or zone of magnetic influence) of Jupiter. Both spacecraft passed through the asteroid belt without incident, but the energetic particles in Jupiter’s magnetic field nearly wiped out their electronics, providing information necessary for the safe design of subsequent missions. [D]

In the paragraph above, there is a missing sentence. Look at the four squares [A, B, C, D] that indicate where the sentence could be added. Where would this sentence best fit?

The former of these was the first spacecraft to make direct observations and take close-up pictures of Jupiter.

• A

• B

• C

• D

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis is based on the idea that people experience their world through their language, and that they therefore understand their world through the culture embedded in their language. The hypothesis, which has also been called linguistic relativity, states that language shapes thought. Studies have shown, for instance, that unless people have access to the word “ambivalent,” they don’t recognize an experience of uncertainty due to conflicting positive and negative feelings about one issue. Essentially, the hypothesis argues, if a person can’t describe the experience, the person is not having the experience.

The word "they" refers to

• studies.

• people.

• positive and negative feelings.

• shapes.

Energy Basics

Chemical changes and their accompanying changes in energy are important parts of our everyday world. The macronutrients in food (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates) undergo metabolic reactions that provide the energy to keep our bodies functioning. We burn a variety of fuels (gasoline, natural gas, coal) to produce energy for transportation, heating, and the generation of electricity. Industrial chemical reactions use enormous amounts of energy to produce raw materials (such as iron and aluminum). Energy is then used to manufacture those raw materials into useful products, such as cars, skyscrapers, and bridges.

Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in paragraph 1? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

• All energy is used for transportation, heating, and electricity.

• We burn energy to produce a variety of fuels.

• Humans burn various fuels to produce energy.

• Heating, transportation, and the generation of electricity all require various forms of fuel.