READING

COMPREHENSION
The third section of the TOEFL test is the Reading Comprehension section. This section consists
of fifty questions (some tests may be longer). You have fifty-five minutes to complete the fifty
questions in this section.

In this part of the test you will be given reading passages, and you will be asked two
types of questions about the reading passages:

1. Reading Comprehension question ask you to answer questions about the information
given in the reading passages. There will be a variety of questions about each reading
passage, including main idea questions, directly answered detail questions, and implied
detail questions.
2. Vocabulary qestions ask you to identify the meanings of vocabulary words in the
reading passages. To answer these questions, you may have to know the meanings of the
woeds. You can also identify the meanings of some of the words by understanding the
context surrounding the words, by using structural clues to identify the meanings of the
words, or by breaking down the unknown words into known word parts in order to
identify them.

GENERAL STRATEGIES

1. Be familiar with the directions. The directions on every TOEFL test are the same,
so it is not necessary to spend time reading the directions carefully when you take the
test. You should be completely familiar with the directions before the day of the test.

2. Do not spend too much time reading the passages! O do not have time to read each
reading passage in depth, and it is quite possible to answer the questions correctly
without first reading the passges iin depth. Some stdents prefer to spend a minute or
two on each passage reading for the mai idea before starting on the questions. Other
students prefer to move directly to the questions without reading the passages first.

3. Do not worry if a reading passage is on a topic that you are unfamiliat with. All
of the information that you need to answer the questions is included in the passages.
You do not need any background knowledge to answer the questions.

4. Never leave any answers blank on your answer sheet. Even if you are unsure of
the correct response, you should answer each question. There is no penalty for
guessing.
 THE READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

The Reading Comprehension section of the TOEFL test consists of five reading passages, each
followed by a number of rerading comprehension and vocabulary questions. Topics of the
reading passage are varied, but they are often informational subjects that migh be studied in an
American university: American history, literature, art, architecture, geology geography, and
astronomy, for ecample.

Time is definitely a factor in the Reading Comprehension section. Many students who
take the TOEFL test note that they are unable to finish all the questions in this section.
Therefore, you need to make the most efficient use of your time in this section to get the higest
score. The following method is the best way of attacking a reading passage to get the most
questions correct in a limites amount of time.

STRATEGIES FOR THE READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. Skim the reading passage to determine the main idea and the overall
organization of ideas in the passage. You do not need to understand every detail
in each passage to answer the questions correctly. It is therefore a waste of time to
read the passage with the intent of nderstanding every songle detail before you try
to answer the questions.

2. Look ahead at the questions to determine what types of question. The question-
type tells you exactly wjere to look in the passage to find correct answers.

3. Find the section of the passage that deals with each questions. The question-
type tells you exactly where to look in the passage to find correct answers.

- For main idea questions, look at the first lne of each paragraph.
- For direct and indirectly answered detail questions, choose a key word in the
question, and skim for that key word (or a re;;ated idea) in order in the passage.
- For vocabulary questions, the question will tell you where the word is located in
the passage.
- For overall review questions, the answers are found anywhere in the passage.

4. Read the part of the passage that contains the answer carefully. The answer
will probably be in the same sentence (or one sentence before or after) the key word
or idea.

5. Choose the best answer to each question from the four answer choices listed in
your test book. Yo can choose the best answer according to what is given in the
appropriate section of the passage, eliminate definitely wronf answers, and mark
your best guess on the answer sheet.

The following skills will help you to implement these strategies in Reading Comprehension
section of the TOEFL test.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE IDEAS OF THE PASSAGE
It is very common for reading passages in the Reading comprehension section of the TOEFL test
to have questions about the overall ideas in the passage. The most common type of question asks
about the main idea, topic, title, or subject. Occasionally, there will also be a question about how
the information in the passsage is organized.

Skill 1 : Answer Main Idea Questions Correctly

Example 1

The passage:

In the philosophy of John Dewey, a sharp distinction is made

between “intelligence” and “reasoning.” According to Dewey,
intelligence is the only absolute way to achieve a balance between
realism and idealism, between practically and wisdom of life.
Intelligence involves “interacting with other things and knowing
them,” while reasoning is merelu the act of an observer,” ... a mind
that beholds or graps objects outside the world of things...”
With reasoning, a level of mental certainty can be achieved, but it
is through intelligence that control is taken of events that shape
one’s life.

The question:

What is the topic of this passage?

A. The intelligence of John Dewey
B. Distinctions made by John Dewey
C. Dewey’s ideas on the ability to reason
D. How intelligence differs from reasoning in Dewey’s works

The first sentence of this passage discusses a distinction between the ideas of
“intelligence” and “reasoning” in the philosophy oh John Dewey, so this is probably the topic.
Aquick check of the rest of the sentences in the passage confirms that the topic is in fact the
difference between “intelligence” and “reasoning.” Now you should check each of the answes to
determine which one comes closest to the topic that you have determined. Answer A) mentions
only intelligence, so it is not the topic. Answer B) mentions distinctions that John Dewey makes,
but it does not say specifically what type of distinctions. Answer C) mentions only reasoning, so
answer C) is imcomplete. The best answer is therefore D); the idea of how intelligence differs
from reasoning comes from the first sentence of the passage, which mentions a sharp
distinction...between “intelligence” and “reasoning.”

If a passage consists of more than one paragraph, you should study the beginning of each
paragraph to determine the main idea.

Example 1I
 The passage:

Nitrogen fixation is a proocess by which nitrogen is

continuously fed into biological circulatiion. In this process, certain
algae and bacteria convert nitrogen into ammonia (NH3). This
newly created ammonia is then for the most part absorbed by plants.
The opposite process of denitrification returns nitrogen to the
air. During the process of denitrification, bacteria cause some of the
nitrates from the soil to convert into gaseous form the nitrogen
returns to the atmosphere.

The question:

Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A. The process of Nitrogen Fixation
B. Two Nitrogen Processes
C. The Return of Nitrogen to the Air
D. The Effect of Nitrogen on Plant Life

In a passage with more than one paragraph, you should be sure to read the first sentence
of each paragraph to determine the subject, title, or main idea. In example II, the first senttence
of the first paragraph indicates that the first paragraph is about the process of nitrogen fixation.
If you look only at the first paragraph, you migh choose the incorrect answer A), which would be
a good title for the first paragraph only. The first sentence of the second paragraph indicates that
the process of denitrification is discussed in the second paragraph. Answer C) is incorrect
because the return of nitrogen the the air is the process of denitrification, and this is discussed in
the second paragraph only. Answer D) is incorrect because the effect of nitrogen on plant life is
not discussed in this passage. The best answer to this question is answer B); the two nitrogen
processes are nitrogen fixation, which is discussed in the first paragraph, and denitrification,
which is discussed in the second paragraph.

The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about main
idea questions:

Main idea question

How to identify the question What is the topic of the passage?
What is the subject of the passage?
What is the main idea of the passage?
What is the author’s main point in the passage?
With what is the author primarily concermed?
Which of the following would be the best title?
Where to find the answer The answer to this type of wuestion can generally be
determined by looking at the forst sentence of each
paragraph
How to answer the question 1. read the first line of each paragraph
2. look for a common theme or idea in the first lines
3. pass your eyes quickly over the rest of the passage
to check that you really have found the topic
sentence(s)
4. eliminate any definitely wrong answers and choose
the best answer from the remaining choices
Skill 2 : Recognize The Organization of Ideas

Example:

The passage

If asked who invented the game of baseball, most

Americans would probably reply that it was Abner Doubleday. At
the beginning of this century, there was some disagreement over
how the game of baseball had actually otiginated, so sporting-
goods manufacturer Spaulding inaugurated a commission to
research the question. In 1908 a report was pyblished by the
commission in which Abner Doubleday, a U.S. Army officer from
Cooperstown. New York, was given credit for the invention of the
game. The National Baseball Hall of Fame was established in
Cooperstown in honor of Doubleday.
Today, most sports historians are in agreement that
Doubleday really did not have much to do with the development of
baseball. Instead, baseball seems to be a close relation to the
English game of rounders and oribably has English rather than
American roots.

The question:

The second paragraph

A. provides examples to support the ideas in the firsr
paragraph
B. precedes the ideas in the first paragraph
C. outlines the effect of the idea in the first paragraph
D. refutes the idea in the first paragraph

Organization of ideas
How to identify the qustion How is the information in the passage organized?
How is the information in the second paragraph related
to the information in the first paragraph?
Where to find the answer The answer to this type of question can generally be
determined by looking at the first sentence of the
appropriate paragraphs
How to answer the question 1. read the first line of each paragraph
2. look for words that show the relationship between
the paragraphs
3. Choose the answer that best expresses the
relationship

Skill 3 : Answer Stated Detail Question Correctly

Example:

The passage
 Williamsburg is a historic city in Virginia situated on a
peninsula betweentwo rivers, the York and the James. It was
settled by English colonist in 1633, twenty-six years after the
first permanent English colony in America was settled a
Jamestown. In the beginning the colony at Williamsburg was
named Middle Plantation because of its location in the middle of
the peninsula. The site for Williamsburg had been selected by the
colonists because the soil frainage was better there than at the
Jamestown location, and there were fewer mosquitoes.

The questions:

1. According to the passage, Williamsburg is located

A. On an island
B. In the middle of a river
C. Where the York and the James meet
D. On a piece of land with reivers on two sides
2. The passage indicates that Jamestown
A. Was settled in 1633
B. Was settled twenty-six years after Williamsburg
C. Was the first permanent English colony in
America
D. Was originally named Middle Plantation
3. The passage states that the name Middle Plantation
A. Is a more recent name than Williamsburg
B. Derived from the location of the colony on the
peninsula
C. Refers to the middle part of England that was
home to the colonists
D. Was given to the new colony because it was
located in the middle of several plantations

Stated detail question

How to identify the qustion According to the passage ...
It is stated in the passage ...
The passage indicates that ...
The author mentions that ...
Which of the following is true?
Where to find the answer The answers to these qiestions are found in order in the
passage
How to answer the question 1. Choose a key word in the question
2. Skim in the appropriate part of the paddage fir the
key word or idea
3. Read the sentence that contains the key word or idea
carefully
4. Look for tje answer that restates an idea in the
passage
5. Eliminate the definitely wrong answers and choose
the best answer from the remaining choices

Skill 4 : Find “Unstated” Details

 Example

The passage:

In English there are manu different kinds of expressions that

people use to give a name to anything whose name is unknown or
momentarilly forgotten. The word gadget is one such word. It was
first used by British sailors in the 1850s and probably came from the
French word gachette, which was a small hook. In everyday use, the
word has a more general meaning. Other words are also used to give
a name to-something unnamed or unknwon, and those words tend to
be somewhat imaginative. Some of the more commonly used
expressions are a what-d’ye-call-it, a whatsis, a thingamabob, a
thngamajig, a doodad, or a doochickey.

The questions:

1. Which of the following is NOT true about the word “gadget”

A. It is used to name something when the name is not
known
B. It was used at the beginning of the nineteent century
C. It most likely came from a word in the French
language
D. Its first known use was by British sailors
2. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as
an expression for something that is not known
A. A thingamabob
B. A gadget
C. A doochickey
D. A what-is-it

Unstated detail question

How to identify the qustion Which of the following is not stated ... ?
Which of the following is not mentioned ...?
Which of the following is not discussed ...?
All of the following are true except ...?
Where to find the answer The answers to these questions are found in order in the
passage
How to answer the question 1. Choose a key word in the question
2. Scan in the appropriate place in the passage for the
key word (or related idea)
3. Read the sentence that contains the word or idea
carefully
4. Look for answers that are definitely true according
to the passagge. Eliminate those answers
5. Choose the answer that is not trie ot not discussed in
the passage

Skill 5 : Find Pronoun Referents

 Example

The passage :

Carnivorous plants, such as the sundew and the Venus

flytrap, are generally foiund in humid areas where there is an
madequate supply of nitrogen in the soil. In order to survive, these
plants have developed mechanisms to trap insects within their
foliage. They have digestive fluids to obtain the necessary nitrogen
from the insects. These plants trap the insects in a variety of ways.
The sundew has sticky hairs on its leaves; when an insect landas on
these leaves. It gets caught up in the sticky hairs, and the level
wraps itself around the insect. The leaves of the Venus flytrap
function more like a trap, snapping suddenly and forcefully shut
around an insect.

The questions :

1. The pronoun “they” in line 5 refers to

A. Humid areas
B. These plants
C. Insects
D. Digestive fluids
2. The pronoun “it” in line 8 refers to
A. A variety
B. The sundew
C. An insect
D. The leaf

Pronoun Referents
How to identify the qustion The pronoun “...” in line X refers to which of the
following?
Where to find the answer The line where the pronouns is located is generally
given in the question. The noun that the pronoun refers
to is generally found before the pronoun
How to answer the question 1. Find the pronoun in the passage. (The line where the
pronoun can be found is generally stated in the
question)
2. Look for nouns that come before the pronoun
3. Read the part of the passage before the pronoun
carefully
4. Eliminate any definitely wrong answers and choose
the best answer from the remaining choices

INDIRECTLY ANSWERED QUESTIONS

Skill 6 : Answered Implied Detail Questions Correctly

Example

The passage :
 The Hawaiiian language is a melodious language in which
all words are derived from an alphabet of only twelve letters, the
five vowels a, i, u, e, o and the seven consonants h, k, l, m, n, p,w.
Each syllabel in the language ends in a vowel, and two consonants
never appear together, so vowels have a much higher frequency in
the Hawaiian language than they do in English.
This musical-sounding language can be heard regularly by
visitors to the islands. Most Hawaiians speak English, but ih is quite
common to hear English that is liberally spiced with words and
expressions from the traditional language of the culture. A visitor
may be greeted with the expression aloha and maybe referred to as
a malihini because he is a newcomer to the island. This visitor may
attend an outside luau where everyone eats too much and may be
invited afterwards to dance the hula.

The questions :

1. Which of the following is probably NOT a Hawaiian word?

A. Mahalo
B. Mahimahi
C. Meklea
D. Moana
2. It is implied a luau is ...
A. A dance
B. A feast
C. A concert
D. A language

Implied Detail Questions

How to identify the qustion It is implied in the passage that ...
It can be inferred from the passage that ...
It is most likely that ...
What probably happened ...?
Where to find the answer The answer to these questions are found in order in the
passage
How to answer the question 1. Choose a key word in the question
2. Scan the passage for the key word (or a related idea)
3. Carefully read the sentence that contains the key
word
4. Look for an answer that could be true, according to
that sentence

Skill 7 : Answer Transition Questions Correctly

Example

The passage :

Another myth of the oceans concerns Davy Jones, who in

folklore is the mean-spirited sovereign of the ocean’s depths. The
 name “Jones” is thought by some etymologhists to have been
derived from the name “Jonah,” the Hebrew prophet who spent
three days in a whele’s belly.
According to tradition, any object that goes overboard and
sinks to the bottom of the ocean is said to have gone to Davy
Jone’s locker, the ocean sized, mythical receptacle for anything
that falls into the water. Needless to say, any sailor on the seas is
not so eager to take a tour of Davy Jone’s locker, although it might
be a rather interesting trip considering all the treasures located
there.

The questions :

1. The paragraph preceding this passage most probably

discusses..
A. The youth of Davy Jones
B. Davy Jone’s career as a sailor
C. A different traditional story from the sea
D. Preparing to travel on the ocean
2. The topic of the paragraph following the passage most
likely is...
A. Valuable items located at the bottom of the ocean
B. Where Davy Jones is found today
C. Jonah and the whale
D. Preventing objects from falling overboard

Transition Questions
How to identify the qustion The paragraph preceding the passage probably...
What is most likely in the paragraph following the
passage?
Where to find the answer The answer can generally be found in the first line of
the passage for a preceding question. The answer can
generally be found in the last line for a following
question
How to answer the question 1. Read the first line for a preceding question
2. Read the last line for a following question
3. Draw a conclusion about what comes before or after
4. Choose the answer that is reflected in the first or last
line of the passage

VOCABULARY QUESTIONS

Skill 8 : Find Definitions from Structural Clues

Example

The passage :

One of the leading schools of psychological thought in the

twentieth century was behaviorism-the belief that the role of the
 psychologist is to study behaviour, which is observable, rather than
conscious or unconscious thought, which is not. Probably the best-
known proponent of behaviorism is B.F Skinner, who was famous
for his research on how rewards and punishments influence
behaviour. He came to believe that positive reinforcements such as
praise, food, or money were more effective in promoting good
behavior than negative reinforcement, or punishment.

The questions :

1. In “behaviorism” in line 2, a psychologist is concerned

with...
A. Concious thought pattern
B. Unconcious thought pattern
C. Observable actions
D. Unobservable actions
2. What is “positive reinforcement” in line 7?
A. A gift
B. A reward
C. A bribe
D. A penalty
3. What is “negative reinforcement” in line 9?
A. A promotion
B. A reward
C. A surprise
D. A punishment

Structural Clues
How to identify the qustion What is ...?
What is the meaning of ...?
What is true about...?
Types of clues Punctuation: comma, parentheses, dashes
Restatement: or, that is, in other words, i.e.
Examples: such as, for ecample, e.g.
Where to find the answer Information to help you determine what something
means will generally be found after the punctuation
clue, the restatement clue, or the example clue
How to answer the question 1. Find the word in the passage
2. Locate any structural clues
3. Read the part of the passage after the strutural clue
carefully
4. Eliminate any definitely wrong answers and choose
the best answer from the remaining choices

Skill 9 : Determine Meanings from Word Parts

Example

The passage :

Ring Lardner was born into a wealthy, educated, and cultured

 family. For the built of his career, he worked as a reporter for
newspaper in South Bend, Boston, St. Louis and Chicago. However,
it is for his short stories of lower middle –class americans that Ring
Lardner is perhaps best-known. In these stories, Lardner vividly
creates the language and the ambiance of this lower class, often using
the misspelled words, grammatical errors, and incorrect diction that
typified the language og the lower middle class.

The questions :

1. The word “vividly” in line 6 is closest in meaning to ...

A. In a cultured way
B. In a correct way
C. In a lifelike way
D. In a brief way
2. The word “misspelled” in line 7 is closest in meaning to...
A. Highly improper
B. Vulgar
C. Incorrectly written
D. Slang
3. The word “diction” in line 8 is closest in meaning to ....
A. Writing
B. Sentence structure
C. Form
D. Speech

A short list of word parts

Part Meaning Example Part Meaning Example
Contra (against) Contrast Dic (say) Dictate
Mal (bad) Malcontent Domin (master) Dominant
Mis (error) Mistake Jud (judge) Judgment
Sub (under) Subway Mor (death) Mortal
Dec (ten) Decade Spec (see) Spectator
Multi (many) Multiple Terr (earth) Territory
Sol (one) Solo Ver (turn) Divert
Tri (three) Triple Viv (live) Revive

Skill 10 : Use Context to Determine Meanings of Difficult Words

Example

A line in tha passage :

...... the bargers headed across the lake ...

The question :

A “barge” is probably which of the following?

A. A train
B. A plane
C. A bycicle
 D. A boat

Vocabulary questions containing difficult words

How to identify the qustion “What is the meaning ....?”
“Which of the following is closest in meaning to...”
The word is a difficult word, one that you probably do
not know
Where to find the answer the question usually tells you in which line of the
passage the word can be found
How to answer the question 1. Find the word in the passage
2. Read the sentence that contains the word carefully
3. Look for context clues to help you understand the
meaning
4. Choose the answer that the context indicates

Skill 11 : Use Context to Determine Meanings of Simple Word

Example

A line from the passage :

... he put his answer this way ...

The questions :

The word “put” is closest in meaning to which of the following?

A. Placed
B. Set
C. Expressed
D. Handed

Vocabulary questions containing simple words

How to identify the qustion “What is the meaning...?”
“Which of the following is closest in meaning to...?”
The word is a simple word, one that you see oftenin
everyday English
Where to find the answer The question usually tells you in which line of the
passage the word can be found
How to answer the question 1. Find the word in the passage
2. Read the sentence that contains the word carefully
3. Look for context clues to help you understand the
meaning
4. Choose the answer that the context indicates

OVERALL REVIEW QUESTIONS

Skill 12 : Determine Where Specific Information Is Found

 Example

The passage :

Meteor Crater, a great crater appproximately 40 miles east of

Flagstaff, Arizona, is generally thought by scientist to have formed
as a result of the impact of a 60.000-ton meteor about 50.000 years
ago. The meteor, made of nickel and tron, disintegrated on impact
and spread half a billion tons of rock over the surface of the land.
The massiveness of the metero can only be imagined from the
mammoth size of the crater,which measures a mile in diameter
and three miles around the top. The rim of the crater rises more
than 150 feet above the plain where the meteor impacted and is
visible for more than ten miles on a clear day.

The questions :

1. Where in the passage does the author discuss the

composition of the meteor?
A. Lines 1-4
B. Lines 4-5
C. Lines 6-8
D. Lines 8-10
2. Where in the passage does the author mention the distance
from which the crater can be seen?
A. Lines 1-4
B. Lines 4-5
C. Lines 6-8
D. Lines 9-10

Questions about where in the passage

How to identify the qustion Where in the passage...?
Where to find the answer The answer can be in any of the lines listed in the
answers to the question
How to answer the question 1. Choose a key word or idea in the question
2. Skim the lines int he passage that are listed in
the answers to the question. You should skim of
the key word or idea
3. Choose the answer that contains the line
numbers of a restaurant of the question