TOEFL Reading

1. Negative Factual – In paragraph 1, each of the following is mentioned as a feature of the city of Cahokia between A.D 1100 to 1200 EXCEPT:

• Man-made mounds

• Several large temples 

• A manufacturing workshop

• Many public plazas

2. Negative Factual – Which of the following is NOT mentioned in paragraph 2 as a factor in the development of Cahokia?

• The presence of chert close to the city

• Its religious significance to non-residents

• An exchange of agricultural tools with Mesoamerica  

• The city’s position along a natural trade route

3. Vocabulary – The word “ingenuity” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to:

• ambition

• sincerity

• faith

• cleverness

4. Inference – What can be inferred from paragraph 3 about agricultural methods used in Cahokia in 1100?

• They were not as advanced as those used in Mesoamerica.

• They were sometimes unable to supply enough food for the city.

• They were carried out by newly arrived immigrants.

• They were seriously affected by environmental pollution.

5. Vocabulary – The phrase “this problem” in paragraph 3 refers to:

• An unhealthy environment

• An insufficient amount of immigrants

• Unattractive social and political attractions

• The population of the city

6. Factual Information – According to Paragraph 4, Which of the following “bolstered the population of the city”?

• A highly-visible and attractive religious structure

• The leadership of influential spiritual elites

• Knowledge of complex construction techniques

• The selection of a new paramount chief from elsewhere in the Mississippi area

7. Factual Information – According to paragraph 5, what has recent research on chert tools found at the Silvernail settlement site revealed?

• Chert tools were started to be used after Cahokia became an important city.

• The residents of Cahokia were the only producers of farming tools in the area.

• Some of the tools used by people at the Silvernail settlement were made of materials from the area near Cahokia.

• Agricultural tools were exchanged with people at the Silvernail settlement for copper and seashells.

8. Rhetorical Purpose – In paragraph 6, why does the author mention the location of the city’s defensive structures?

• To suggest that the city was not abandoned due to warfare.

• To explain why diseases spread so quickly in heavily populated areas.

• To explain why the city was easily invaded by outside forces.

• To present an example of why large cities often decline over time.

9. Sentence Insertion – In paragraph 1 of the passage, there is a missing sentence. The paragraph is repeated below and shows four letters (A, B, C, and D) that indicate where the following sentence could be added.

 

“In fact, artifacts and tools from Cahokia have been discovered in sites as far away as the shores of Lake Superior to the north, and Appalachia to the south.”

 

The ancient city of Cahokia was located at a site very close to modern St. Louis in the United States. At its apex from A.D. 1100 to 1200, Cahokia covered about 16 square kilometers and probably had a population that peaked at about 15,000, the largest in the surrounding region. A During this period the landscape of the city was dominated by the presence of a large number of public plazas separated by at least 120 man-made mounds, the largest of which was topped by a major temple. B Remains have also been found of an elaborate copper workshop that produced sophisticated metal goods traded with both nearby and distant settlements.  Moreover, the city is noted for its significant economic and spiritual contacts with other settlements in the Mississippi area. C Although the inhabitants left no written records beyond symbols on pottery, shells, wood, and stone, the remains of the elaborately planned community reveal a complex society. D

• A

• B

• C

• D

10. Summary – 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.

 

Cahokia was a large prosperous city in North America that reached its peak between about A.D. 1100 and 1200. 

• The large construction projects and signs of manufacturing and religious facilities that have been uncovered suggests that Cahokia was a complex and influential  society. 

• Scholars in Cahokia may have used symbols recorded on pottery, shells, stones and other materials to record the city’s history.

• Several factors account for the growth of Cahokia, including its location on a trade route, religious significance and access to valuable chert. 

• As a result of pollution caused by its extremely dense population, Cahokia suffered frequent crop failures.

• The reason for the decline of Cahokia is unknown, but it may be connected to environmental factors or military conflict.