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TOEFL Practice !

Table of Contents
Section 1: Listening…………………………………………………………….. 3
Listening: Part A………………………………………………………………. 3
Listening: Part B………………………………………………………………. 7
Section 2: Structure …………………………………………………………… 15
Section 3: Reading…………………………………………………………….. 18

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Section 1: Listening

The Listening section of the test measures the ability to understand conversations and
talks in English. Answer all the questions on the basis of what is stated or implied by the
speakers you hear. Do not take notes.

Listening: Part A
In this part you will see short conversations between two people. Choose the best answer
to each question. Answer the questions on the basis of what is stated or implied by the
speakers.

1. Woman: Pardon me. Do you know what time that this store opens?
Man: I do not, but I believe that it is written on the door.
Narrator: What does the man imply that the woman should do?
a. Look on the door
b. Open the door
c. Ask someone else
d. Come back later

2. Woman: I am going to buy Johnny a toy train for his birthday.
Man: Are you sure he’d like one?
Narrator: What does the man imply?
a. Johnny loves toy trains
b. Johnny already has too many toy trains
c. Johnny said he wants a toy train
d. Johnny may prefer something else

3. Man: I need some shampoo for my hair.
Woman: All of the shampoo is in the back of the store on the third shelf.
Narrator: What will the man probably do?
a. Walk out of the store
b. Buy the shampoo
c. Come back later
d. Go to another store

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4. Man: Are you going to go to the University of Texas to get your Doctorate?
Woman: I don’t think so.
Man: Why, have you been accepted to any other schools?
Woman: Yes, I have received news of acceptance from LSU, University of
Tennessee, and Harvard.
Narrator: What are the speakers discussing?
a. The University of Texas
b. Schools with Doctorate programs
c. Where the woman will go to school
d. Who can get accepted to the most schools

5. Man: I’m really tired on studying for economics every weekend.
Woman: I hear you.
Narrator: What does the woman mean?
a. She has excellent hearing
b. She has heard the man talk about this frequently
c. She understands his point of view
d. She needs to have her ears checked

6. Man: We are going to get ice cream. Would you like to come with us?
Woman: I am waiting for a package to be delivered.
Narrator: What does the woman imply?
a. She does not eat ice cream
b. She has no money
c. She does not like packages
d. She will not be going

7. Woman: Are you going to go to the ball game?
Man: You bet!
Narrator: What does the man mean?
a. He will place a wager on the ball game
b. He will definitely go to the ball game
c. He likes to gamble
d. He does not like ball games

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8. Man: That’s a nice car.
Woman: I got it almost four years ago.
Man. It looks brand new.
Woman: Yes, it’s in good shape.
Narrator: What does the woman mean?
a. The woman needs a new car
b. She likes to exercise
c. She has a new car
d. The car is in good condition

9. Man: Did you get you movie passes?
Woman: I spoke to your secretary about it, and she took care of it for me.
Narrator: What does the man mean?
a. The secretary was responsible for getting the movie passes
b. The are no movie passes
c. He has the movie passes
d. The movie passes are in the mail

10. Man: How do you like living in America?
Woman: I am used to it know.
Narrator: What does the woman mean?
a. She has always liked living in America
b. She hates living in America
c. She is accustomed to living in America
d. She would rather live in America

11. Woman: Marie sure likes shopping.
Man: If only she liked doing homework as well!
Narrator: What does the man imply about Marie?
a. She is very likeable
b. She does not put much effort into her homework
c. She goes to the mall everyday
d. She has a lot of homework

12. Man: I thought I was supposed to perform the experiment in Room 45.
Woman: No. Ticket 45 is in Room 54.
Narrator: What will the man probably do?
a. Go to Room 54
b. Go to Room 45
c. Buy a ticket
d. Go home

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13. Man: Did you know that Tracey and Bob are back from their honeymoon to Las
Vegas?
Woman: So they did get married after all.
Narrator: What had the woman assumed about Tracey and Bob?
a. They were still in Las Vegas
b. They would not get married
c. They had a spectacular wedding
d. They hate Las Vegas

14. Man: Do you usually take a nap?
Woman: I do now and then.
Narrator: What does the woman mean?
a. She occasionally takes a nap
b. She always takes a nap
c. She never takes a nap
d. She used to take a nap

15. Man: Can you believe it? I got an A on my Finance exam
Woman: Way to go!
Narrator: What does the woman mean?
a. She is asking where to go
b. She wants him to leave her alone
c. She is congratulating him
d. She thinks he is a liar

16. Man: How did the job interview go?
Woman: I could not have been more pleased.
Narrator: What does the woman mean?
a. The interview went very well
b. The woman did not like the interview
c. The interview was cancelled
d. The interview went terrible

17. Man: Do you mind if I turn on some music for a while?
Woman: No, I don’t mind.
Narrator: What does the woman mean?
a. Music will not bother her
b. She hates listening to music
c. She wants to think harder
d. She does not have any music

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Listening: Part B
In this part you will see several longer conversations and talks. You should answer each
question on the basis of what is stated or implied by the speakers in the conversation or
talks.
Narrator: Listen to a lecture by a biology instructor.
Many people think of gorillas as dangerous killers. One reason for this is that
television and movies often show these animals this way. But gorillas are really gentle
animals.
The gorilla is a vegetarian. It lives in the African rain forests where it finds the
fruits and plants it needs to survive. A large, wild gorilla might eat over 40 pounds of
leaves and fruit in one day.
Unfortunately, these peaceful creatures are in danger of becoming extinct. Each
year, large areas of the rain forests are being cut down. Because there is less and less
food from these forests, the number of wild gorillas is becoming smaller and smaller.

18. The passage describes gorillas as being:
a. Dangerous killers
b. Carnivores
c. TV and movie stars
d. Gentle animals

19. According to the passage, why are gorillas in danger?
a. Because people keep hunting them.
b. Because they eat too much.
c. Because forests get too much rain.
d. Because their food supply is being destroyed.

20. If something is becoming extinct, it is:
a. Becoming lively.
b. Dying out.
c. Growing wild.
d. Getting sick.

Narrator: Listen to the conversation between two graduate students.
Woman: What did you think about the assignment we were supposed to complete for our
statistics class?
Man: I haven’t done mine yet. Is it difficult?
Woman: Kind of. It was full of problems.
Man: Derivative problems?
Woman: Not really, More a review of the whole semester.
Man: Oh.
Woman: It was time consuming.
Man: Really?
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Woman. Yes. I started it at about lunch time and didn’t finish it until supper.
Man: I’m surprised at that.
Woman: I was too, I did not expect our professor would give us so much.
Man: He usually doesn’t.
Woman: I know. That is why I was surprised.
Man: Well, I do have some free time this afternoon. Do you know when it is due?
Woman: Tomorrow.
Man: Well, I better get moving.

21. What was on the assignment?
a. Derivative problems
b. A review of the whole semester
c. What was for lunch
d. A surprise

22. What did the students find surprising?
a. The length of the assignment
b. The problems
c. Lunch
d. The professor

23. What did the woman start at lunchtime?
a. The assignment
b. Derivative problems
c. Eating
d. A surprise

24. What will the man probably do next?
a. Eat supper
b. Move out
c. Complete the assignment
d. Ask the woman to supper

Narrator: Listen to part of a conversation between a student and a clerk in a college
bookstore.
Man: I need to buy an basic English textbook.
Woman: Okay. What is the course number?
Man: You mean there is more than one
Woman: Sure. We offer Poetry, Writing, and Literature.
Man. If I take Poetry will we write sonnets?
Woman: Not really. The Poetry class is very basic rhyming.
Man: Great. That is what I wanted to hear. How much is that one?
Woman: It’s twenty-nine dollars, plus a ten-dollar notebook fee.
Man: Wait a minute, can’t I just use my own notebook.
Woman: Most students prefer the special poetry notebook, so we made it a requirement.

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Man: Okay. I’ll take one Poetry book and notebook. Do you take credit cards?
Woman: Yes, but you don’t have to pay now. Just fill out this form and we will bill you.
Man: Sounds great.
25. What kind of English textbook does the man decide to buy?
a. Writing
b. Literature
c. Poetry
d. Sonnets

26. How much does the Poetry book cost?
a. Twenty-nine dollars
b. Ten-dollars dollars
c. Thirty-nine dollars
d. Twenty-eight dollars

27. Why do the students purchase a poetry notebook?
a. Because they like poetry
b. They are out of paper
c. It is required
d. It makes them feel special

28. How will the man pay for the textbook?
a. With a check
b. With cash
c. With a credit card
d. With an exchange

29. What will the man probably do?
a. Pay now
b. Pay with a bill
c. Go to another store
d. Buy another textbook

Narrator: Listen to part of a lecture in a wetlands ecology class. The professor is talking
about sanderlings.
Urbanization and coastal development has dramatically reduced the beach habitat
available for foraging shorebirds worldwide. This study tested the general hypothesis that
recreational use of shorebird foraging areas adversely affects the foraging behavior of
sanderlings Calidris alba. Observations conducted on two central California beaches from
January through May and September through December of 1999 showed that number and
activity of people significantly reduced the amount of time sanderlings spent foraging.
Although the sample size was low, the most significant negative factor was the presence
of free running dogs on the beach. The experimentally determined minimal approach
distance did not vary significantly with the type of human activities tested. Based on

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these results, policy recommendations for minimizing the impact of human beach
activities on foraging shorebirds include: (1) people maintain a minimum distance of 30
m from areas where shorebirds concentrate and (2) strict enforcement of leash laws
Fig. 1
A total of 492 focal birds were observed, of which a sanderling was disturbed by
passing humans on an average of one every 15 min with 96% of those sanderlings
responding to humans at a distance of 30 m or less (Fig. 1). Sanderlings responded to
human activity by either running (42%) or flying (58%). Within the 1-min sampling time,
the disturbed sanderling generally moved once (58%), with 42% moving more than once
due to human disturbance.

30. What hypothesis did this study test?
a. People maintain a minimum distance from where shorebirds congregate.
b. Recreational use of shorebird foraging areas conversely affects the foraging
behavior of sanderlings.
c. Recreational use of shorebird foraging areas adversely affects the foraging
behavior of sanderlings.
d. Recreational use of shorebird foraging areas adversely affects the foraging
behavior of sanderlings. 42% of shorebirds move due to human disturbance.

31. What percent of responding sanderlings were disturbed by passing humans at a
distance of 10 meters or less?
a. More than 70 percent
b. More than 80 percent
c. Less than 60 percent
d. Less than 0 percent

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32. What are some environmentally sound results to come from this study?
a. Enforcement of leash laws would be effective.
b. Observe Calidris Alba daily.
c. People should maintain a minimum distance of 30 meters from shorebirds.
d. Coastal development has dramatically reduced the beach.

33. This experiment determined that the most significant negative factor to reduce the
amount of time that sanderlings spent foraging was:
a. Humans passing once every 15 minutes.
b. Humans disturbing the sand
c. Sanderlings running or flying
d. Free running dogs

Narrator: Listen to a conversation between a student and a graduate assistant in the
marketing department.
Man: May I help you?
Woman: Hello, My name is Rebecca Smith and I have an appointment Monday at ten
o’clock with Dr. Cudd.
Man: Yes, ten on Monday. I see it here on his planner.
Woman: Well, I was wondering if it would be possible to move my appointment until
later in the afternoon on Monday.
Man: I’m sorry, but Dr. Cudd is tied up in meetings all afternoon.
Woman: Oh.
Man: There is an appointment earlier that morning, if that would help you. Or you could
see him Tuesday afternoon at two.
Woman. No thanks. I’ll just rearrange my schedule.

34. Why did the woman go to the marketing department?
a. To change her appointment time
b. To schedule her appointment
c. To cancel her appointment
d. To rearrange her class schedule

35. What does the man say about Dr. Cudd?
a. He will be out of town Monday
b. He will be rescheduling all Monday appointments for Tuesday
c. He is busy Monday afternoon
d. He is available Monday afternoon

36. What did the graduate assistant offer?
a. To give her an appointment Monday afternoon
b. To give her an appointment Tuesday at two, or earlier Monday
c. To cancel her appointment
d. To give her an appointment next week

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37. What did the woman decide to do?
a. Make a new appointment
b. Keep the original appointment
c. Go to the meeting with Dr. Cudd
d. Go to another department

Narrator: Listen to part of a lecture in a macroeconomics class. The professor will be
taking about the indicators business cycle.
Because the business cycle is related to aggregate economic activity, a popular
indicator of the business cycle in the U.S. is the Gross Domestic Product or GDP. The
financial media generally considers two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth to
indicate a recession. Used as such, the GDP is a quick and simple indicator of economic
contractions. However, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) weighs
GDP relatively low as a primary business cycle indicator because GDP is subject to
frequent revision and it is reported only on a quarterly basis (the business cycle is tracked
on a monthly basis). The NBER relies primarily on indicators such as the following:
• employment
• personal income
• industrial production
Additionally, indicators such as manufacturing and trade sales are used as
measures of economic activity.

38. What is the main topic of this lecture?
a. Gross Domestic Product
b. Indicators of the business cycle
c. National Bureau of Economic Research
d. Employment

39. Which of the following is used as a quick and simple indicator of economic
contractions?
a. Gross Domestic Product
b. Employment
c. Personal Income
d. Industrial Production

40. What is used to indicate a recession?
a. two consecutive quarters of negative growth
b. two consecutive quarters of positive growth
c. four nonconsecutive quarters of negative growth
d. four nonconsecutive quarters of positive growth

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41. What is an indicator that the NBER relies upon? Please choose two answers.
a. growth
b. employment
c. product movement
d. personal income

Narrator: Listen to part of a conversation between a student and her professor.
Emily: Thank you for letting me speak with you today, Dr. Miller. I would like to talk
with you about my semester average.
Dr. Miller: I see.
Emily: Well to be honest with you, I was upset when I saw my grade. I thought that it
would have been better.
Dr. Miller: Why is that?
Emily: I got an A on my midterm project.
Dr. Miller: I remember how good yours was.
Emily: I received an A on my final exam, but I still received a B in your class.
Dr. Miller: Your grades were very good according to my grade book.
Emily: Can you explain why I received a B instead of an A?
Dr. Miller: Twenty percent of you grade was based on your participation in the class
discussions. Even though you always did well on you assignments, you never added your
opinions or volunteered in class.
Emily: But I tried, I am just shy.
Dr. Miller: I am sorry Emily the syllabus states that everyone must participate in order to
receive there full grade for the class.

42. What event prompted this discussion?
a. Emily’s semester average
b. Emily’s midterm project
c. Emily’s final exam
d. Emily’s participation

43. Where is the conversation most likely occurring?
a. Grocery store
b. Dr. Miller’s office
c. Emily’s office
d. Swimming pool

44. What is the grade that Emily received on her final exam?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D

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45. Why did Emily receive that grade in the course?
a. Dr. Miller did not like her
b. She was late to class
c. She never did her assignments
d. She did not participate in the class discussions

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Section 2: Structure
This section is designed to measure your ability to recognize language that is appropriate
for standard written English.

1. The Eiffel Tower ___________ Paris, France.
a. landmarks
b. is landmarked in
c. is a landmark in
d. is in a landmark

2. Young deer _________.
a. are called fawns
b. be fawns
c. is fawns
d. are fawns called

3. Not until a dog is several months old does it begin to exhibit signs of
independence ___________.
a. its mother from
b. from mother
c. to mother
d. from its mother

4. The Treasury Department a.is take a new look at regulations limiting the b.number
of interest that bank and c.savings, and loan associations d.can pay on deposits.

5. a.Him should b.be careful with that vase because c.it is very old d.and extremely
fragile.

6. The repair shop a.keep my cassette player for six weeks before b.returning it,
c.nevertheless, d.it still does not work properly.

7. To score a goal in soccer you ________.
a. must kick the ball
b. must kicks the ball
c. may kick them ball
d. must kick them balls

8. The observation deck at the Sears Tower _________ in Chicago.
a. is highest than any other one
b. is highest than any other one
c. is higher than any other one
d. is higher that any other one

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9. If it _________ so cloudy, we would plan on having the fair outside.
a. was
b. was not
c. weren’t
d. had not
10. At the 1984 Democratic National Convention in San Francisco, Geraldine Ferraro
became the first woman _________ for the vice presidency.
a. to being nominated
b. to has been nominated
c. to have been nominated
d. to will be nominated

11. Pearl Buck, a.a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize b.for Literature in 1938 c.strove
to bring understanding and peace d.on everyone.

12. In most circumstances a.the person that owns the property b.can claim the rights
c.as money made d.from drilling oil on their property.

13. _______ chocolate will give you a tummy ache.
a. Eat too much
b. Eating to much
c. Eating too much
d. Eating too many

14. If she ____________ to advance her clock one hour, she wouldn’t have been late
for work.
a. should have remembered
b. could remembered
c. remembered
d. would have remembered

15. It a.was obvious from his response in the press conference b.that the candidate
c.prepare his answers d.well.

16. A dream about falling _________.
a. scary is
b. is scary
c. are scary
d. very scary is

17. George Washington _________first U.S. President.
a. was the
b. became
c. were the
d. are the
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18. Amelia Earhart was _______________ to pilot her plane across the Atlantic
Ocean.
a. the first and a woman
b. the first woman
c. who the first woman
d. the woman who first

19. a.Crawfish farming b.have been practiced in south Louisiana c.for many d.years.

20. The main purpose a.of this class is to b.help you better understand the c.history of
there country, and how d.it came to be.

21. ____________ a tree can be grown from a seedling.
a. That is generally believed
b. Believed generally is
c. Generally believed it is
d. It is generally believed that

22. The White Rose Bridge, a.which close today, for b.resurfacing will not be c.open
for d.two months.

23. a.When I joined the staff b.of the newspaper, I c.were taught to write short,
powerful d.headlines.

24. a.Since the official school colors b.are red and white, c.all of us d.has worn red and
white to the championship game.

25. The poverty level in the United State is currently set __________________.
a. at 12,000 dollars or less.
b. as 12,000 dollars or less.
c. at 12,000 dollars as less
d. at 12,000 dollar or less.

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Section 3: Reading
This section is designed to measure your ability to read and understand short passages
similar in topic and style to those that students are likely to encounter in North American
universities and colleges. This section contains reading passages and questions about the
passages.

Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452 in Vinci, Italy. He was the
illegitimate son of Ser Piero, a Florentine notary and landlord, but lived on the estate and
was treated as a legitimate son.
In 1483, Leonardo da Vinci drew the first model of a helicopter. It did not look
very much like our modern day “copter,” but the idea of what it could do was about the
same.
Leonardo was an artist and sculptor. He was very interested in motion and
movement and tried to show it in his art. In order to show movement, he found it helpful
to study the way things moved. One subject he liked to study was birds and how they
flew. He spent many hours watching the birds and examining the structure of their
wings. He noticed how they cupped air with their wings and how the feathers helped
hold the air. Through these studies, Leonardo began to understand how birds were able
to fly.
Like many other men, Leonardo began to dream of the day when people would be
able to fly. He designed a machine that used all the things he had learned about flight,
and thus became the first model of a helicopter.
Poor Leonardo had only one problem, however. He had no way to give the
necessary speed to his invention. You see, motors had not yet been invented and speed
was an important part of the flying process. It would be another four hundred years
before the engine was invented and another fifty years before it was put to the test in an
airplane. Leonardo’s dream of a helicopter finally came to pass in 1936.
The Italian painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, and scientist, Leonardo died on
May 2, 1519, and was buried in the cloister of San Fiorentino in Amboise.

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1. What is the author’s main point?
a. The invention of the helicopter.
b. Birds cup air with their wings and use feathers to help hold the air.
c. An overview of one of Leonardo da Vinci’s many skills.
d. Leonardo da Vinci was born in 1452 and died in 1519.

2. The word problem in paragraph five could best be replaced by the word:
a. dilemma
b. mistake
c. danger
d. Pain

3. The word it in paragraph two refers to:
a. Leonardo da Vinci
b. The first model helicopter
c. 1483
d. motion and movement

4. Which paragraph explains why Leonardo’s helicopter was not successful in his
lifetime:
a. paragraph 1
b. paragraph 2
c. paragraph 4
d. paragraph 5

5. The word illegitimate in paragraph one is closest in meaning to:
a. against the law or illegal
b. not in correct usage
c. incorrectly deduced; illogical
d. born out of wedlock

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6. The following sentence would best complete which paragraph? “Since then
people have been living out Leonardo’s dream of flying.”
a. paragraph 3
b. paragraph 4
c. paragraph 5
d. paragraph 2

7. What was the main problem with Leonardo’s invention?
a. motors were not yet invented
b. the birds lost their feathers
c. he was illegitimate
d. he couldn’t draw

8. The word they in the third paragraph refers to:
a. the feathers
b. the birds
c. the studies
d. the wings

9. In what year was the first helicopter flown
a. 1483
b. 1452
c. 1519
d. 1936

10. What two things did birds have that Leonardo da Vinci noticed helped them to
fly?
a. wings and beaks
b. feathers and talons
c. wings and feathers
d. cups and feathers

11. The word thus in the fourth paragraph could best be replaced by:
a. Hence
b. After
c. Unsuitably
d. Inappropriately

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Glass fibers are extremely strong; for their weight, they are stronger than steel.
They are made by forcing molten glass through tiny holes called spinnerets. As many as
four hundred spinnerets are placed together, and threads of glass much thinner than
human hairs are drawn off at great speed-miles of thread per minute. As they speed
along, the threads are coated thinly with a type of glue and twisted into a yarn.
The glass fibers are used with plastics to make boats and car bodies. They are also
woven into heavy cloth for window draperies and into strong belts for making tires
stronger.
A special kind of glass fiber is causing a revolution in communications. A signal
of light can be made to travel along the fiber for very long distances. By changing the
quality of the light, many messages can be sent at once along one strand of glass. New
office buildings are being “wired” with glass fibers as they are built. The glass fibers will
be used to connect telephones and computers in ways that not long ago were either
impossible or too expensive.
Glass wool traps air in a thick, light blanket of fibers. This blanket is then put
into walls and ceilings to keep warm air in during the winter and cool air in during the
summer.
To make glass wool, molten glass is fed into a spinning drum with many holes in
it. As the glass threads stream out of the holes, they are forced downward by a blast of

hot air and through a spray of glues. The threads are then further blown about to mix
them up as they fall in a thick mat on a moving belt.
The glass we see through and drink out of has many, many other uses besides the ones
described here.

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12. What was the author’s main purpose in writing the article?
a. To inform you how special kinds of glass are made and used
b. To persuade you to investigate the many uses of glass beyond those
mentioned in the article
c. To inform you about the strength of glass fibers
d. To inform you that glue is used to hold strands of glass together

13. The word special in the second paragraph is closets in meaning to:
a. Distinct among others of a kind
b. Additional
c. Common
d. Species

14. Glass fibers are made by forcing molten glass through:
a. Spinners
b. Spiderets
c. Spinnerets
d. Spinets

15. The word changing in the second paragraph could best be replaced by the word:
a. Altering
b. Boring
c. Bringing
d. Doing

16. What are glass fibers woven into cloth for?
a. Draperies
b. Cars and boats
c. Glasses
d. Glue

17. The word fed in the fourth paragraph means:
a. To give food to
b. To minister to
c. To support
d. To supply

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18. The word they in the second sentence of the first paragraph refers to:
a. Human hair
b. Weight
c. Glass fibers
d. Yarn

19. The word it in the fourth paragraph refers to:
a. Molten glass
b. Glass wool
c. Spinning drum
d. Holes

20. The following sentence would best complete which paragraph? “This
improvement in technology is expected to continue.”
a. Paragraph 1
b. Paragraph 2
c. Paragraph 3
d. Paragraph 4

21. A signal of what can be made to travel along fiber for very long distances?
a. Heat
b. Wave
c. Wool
d. Light

22. The word spray in the fourth paragraph could best be replaced by the word:
a. Shower
b. Blow
c. Spit
d. Force

For centuries, people have searched for a way to replace dead and decaying teeth
with comfortable false teeth. Many materials have been used to make a set of false teeth.
The teeth themselves should be made from a hard and durable material. They should be
secured to a soft material, making them easy to wear. In the last two decades, dentists
succeeded in making durable false teeth that are comfortable, too.
Two thousand years ago, the Etruscans made teeth out of animal bone and gold.
These materials were used-with varying degrees of success-up to the 1700’s. When

George Washington was president, ivory from animals such as elephants became a
popular material for false teeth. Doctors and inventors also tried silver, peal, and agate,
but teeth made from these materials were very expensive. Perhaps the most successful
material was porcelain, invented by a Frenchman about two hundred years ago. White,
strong, and resistant to decay, porcelain is still used today for making single teeth.
Besides finding a material for the teeth, inventors also had to find a way to secure
them in a person’s mouth. People tried wire, springs, and many kinds of glue to
accomplish this. In most cases, however, discomfort and a likelihood of the teeth falling
out plagued the person who wore them.
Around 1844, an American dentist named Horace Wells used laughing gas to put
people to sleep before working on their teeth. This innovation made dental work a lot
less painful. Soon after, an inventor created the first form of rubber. This was important
to dentistry because teeth could be attached to the rubber, and the rubber could be molded
to fit the shape of the mouth. With these two developments, dentist could work without
causing pain and could fit teeth more carefully. False teeth have become more available
and comfortable since then, and dentists have continued to improve the making and use
of false teeth.

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23. What is the main topic of this passage?
a. Horace Wells
b. False teeth
c. Gold and bone
d. The Etruscans

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24. The word they in the first paragraph refers to:
a. Teeth
b. Materials
c. People
d. Dentists

25. The word varying in the second paragraph cold best be replaced by the word:
a. Constant
b. Changeless
c. Fluctuating
d. Stable

26. Porcelain was invented after the first use of:
a. Rubber for holding for holding teeth in place
b. Laughing gas
c. Ivory for making teeth
d. Electric drills

27. When did Horace Wells begin using laughing gas?
a. 1700
b. Two-thousand years ago
c. 1834
d. 1844

28. The word besides in the third paragraph means:
a. In addition to
b. Stand next to
c. Anyway
d. Together

29. The word them in the third paragraph refers to:
a. Teeth
b. Inventors
c. People
d. Wire

30. When was rubber found to be a useful material for false teeth?
a. After laughing gas was used to put patients to sleep
b. While George Washington was president
c. Before a Frenchman invented porcelain
d. While the Etruscans were making teeth of bone and gold

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31. The following sentence would best complete which paragraph? “It is
unimaginable what will come next.”
a. Paragraph 1
b. Paragraph 2
c. Paragraph 3
d. Paragraph 4

32. The word molded in the fourth paragraph means:
a. Formed into a shape
b. To form an organic growth
c. To make an ornament
d. The fitting of a shoe

33. The word resistant in the second paragraph could best be replaced by the word:
a. Prone
b. Insusceptible
c. Hearty
d. Sassy

The lens on a camera has only two tasks. First, it must gather in as much light as
possible in order to activate the sensitive chemicals on the film. Second, it must organize
the light rays so that they form a sharp image on the film. These may sound like simple
tasks, but they are not.
One of the sharpest lenses is merely a pinhole in a sheet of cardboard, metal,
plastic, or a similar material. If the pinhole is tiny enough, the image can be quite sharp,
but then very little light is admitted. For most purposes, even the most sensitive film
would take too long to record an image.
A glass lens is much better because it lets in much more light and focuses it on the
film. Yet simple glass lenses are sharpest only in their centers. As more of the lens is
used, the image suffers in sharpness.
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One reason a simple lens can cause problems is that it is shaped like a section of a
sphere. Spherical lenses do not focus perfectly on flat film, so the image is slightly
distorted, especially at the edges. Another reason is that the lens can act partly like a
prism. This means that some of the colors in the image will not focus properly, and the
image will be fuzzy.
One solution is to block off all but the sharp-focusing center of the lens. If you
block off the edges of the lens, however, less light will get to the film. Early lenses had
to compromise between sharpness and light-gathering power.
Very sharp lenses that admit as much light as possible can be built by making
them with several separate lenses, or elements. A multiple-element lens has from two to
nine separate lenses. Some elements are cemented together, and some have a gap
between them. Furthermore, the elements are often made of different kinds of glass, each
with a different ability to bend light rays. Some of the elements are there just for
correcting problems caused by the other elements! The results are worth it, though:
pictures can be taken in many different light conditions, and they have a sharpness you
can almost feel.

34. The word it in the first paragraph refers to:
a. Camera
b. Lens
c. Film
d. Chemicals

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35. The word distorted in the fourth paragraph means:
a. Out of a proper or natural relation
b. Clean and in shape
c. Purified, as one
d. Proper

36. In what ways does an image suffer if too large an area of the spherical lens is
used?
a. The edges of the image become fuzzy
b. Too much light is admitted
c. Too little light is admitted
d. Colors change

37. What is the main disadvantage of a simple lens that is made sharp by using just
the center?
a. With less light-gathering power, the lens is utterly useless.
b. With less light-gathering power, the lens is useful only in bright light.
c. With more light-gathering power, the lens is useful only in dim light.
d. With more light-gathering power, the lens is utterly useless.

38. The word sharpest in the third paragraph is closest in meaning to:
a. Having clear form and detail
b. Terminating in an edge or a point
c. Intellectually penetrating; astute
d. Having a thin edge or a fine point suitable for or capable of cutting or
piercing

39. The word it in the fourth paragraph refers to:
a. Glass lens
b. Prism
c. Simple lens
a. Flat film

40. The word sensitive in the second paragraph could best be replaced by the word:
a. Delicate
b. Irritable
c. Reactive
d. Psychic

41. The word ability in the sixth paragraph could best be replaced by the word:
a. Ignorance
b. Weakness
c. Ineptness
d. Capacity

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42. The meaning of the word solution as used in the fifth paragraph is closest in
meaning to:
a. A homogeneous mixture of two or more substances, which may be solids,
liquids, gases, or a combination of these
b. The answer to or disposition of a problem
c. The state of being dissolved
d. Release; deliverance; discharge

43. What is the minimum number of lenses in multiple-element lens?
a. Nine
b. Two
c. Ninety-two
d. Twenty-nine

44. The word fuzzy in the fourth paragraph means:
a. Clear
b. Unclear
c. Exact
d. Precise

45. The word admitted in the sixth paragraph is closest in meaning to:
a. To permit to enter
b. To have room for; accommodate
c. To grant to be real, valid, or true; acknowledge
d. To make acknowledgment