TOEFL Practice Test #2 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passage about forest ecology states: "Old-growth forests serve as carbon sinks, sequestering atmospheric CO2 for centuries." The word "sequestering" most nearly means:
- Releasing gradually
- Capturing and storing (Correct answer)
- Converting into oxygen
- Transporting to the soil
Correct answer: Capturing and storing
"Sequestering" means capturing and storing something, especially carbon dioxide. In the context of carbon sinks, forests sequester CO2 by absorbing it from the atmosphere and storing it in biomass and soil for long periods.
Question 2: A professor is discussing the fall of the Western Roman Empire and says: "Historians have traditionally attributed the collapse to barbarian invasions. More recently, however, environmental factors—prolonged drought, volcanic winter—have gained traction." What is the professor doing?
- Refuting the traditional view entirely
- Comparing traditional and revisionist historical interpretations (Correct answer)
- Defending the original barbarian invasion theory against criticism
- Presenting a settled consensus about the Roman Empire's fall
Correct answer: Comparing traditional and revisionist historical interpretations
The professor is presenting a shift in historical interpretation—from the traditional explanation (barbarian invasions) to a newer, revisionist view (environmental factors). This compare-and-contrast structure is common in TOEFL lectures and tests students' ability to track how scholarly perspectives evolve.
Question 3: In a TOEFL Reading passage, paragraph 5 includes this sentence: "Indeed, this finding overturns decades of conventional wisdom." The word "overturns" most likely signals:
- The finding supports and confirms existing theories
- The finding contradicts or disproves the previously accepted explanation (Correct answer)
- The finding is preliminary and requires further testing
- The finding is controversial and widely rejected by the field
Correct answer: The finding contradicts or disproves the previously accepted explanation
"Overturns" means to reverse or invalidate a previous judgment, decision, or understanding. In academic writing, it signals that a new finding challenges or invalidates what was previously believed—contrasting the new discovery with established knowledge.
Question 4: What is the purpose of the "warm-up" period at the start of a TOEFL Speaking task?
- To allow the test taker to begin answering immediately without preparation
- To give the test taker 15–30 seconds to read the question and organize ideas before speaking (Correct answer)
- To provide additional audio instructions about the topic
- To allow the test taker to review previous answers
Correct answer: To give the test taker 15–30 seconds to read the question and organize ideas before speaking
TOEFL Speaking tasks include a preparation time (typically 15–30 seconds depending on the task) during which the test taker reads the question, organizes their thoughts, and plans their response before the recording period begins. Using this time effectively improves response quality.
Question 5: A TOEFL Listening passage describes a biology lecture about animal communication. The professor explains how vervet monkeys produce different alarm calls for different predators. This example is most likely used to illustrate which concept?
- Instinctive behavior in primates
- Rudimentary symbolic communication in non-human animals (Correct answer)
- The evolutionary relationship between monkeys and their predators
- Social hierarchy in primate communities
Correct answer: Rudimentary symbolic communication in non-human animals
The vervet monkey alarm call system—where distinct calls correspond to specific threats (eagles, snakes, leopards)—is a classic example used in linguistics and animal behavior courses to illustrate that non-human animals use symbols (calls that stand for specific referents), a precursor to language.
Question 6: In the TOEFL Reading section, an "Inference" question typically asks:
- Which fact in the passage directly proves the author's thesis?
- What conclusion can most reasonably be drawn based on information in the passage? (Correct answer)
- What is the definition of a specific word used in the passage?
- How does the author organize the main argument of the passage?
Correct answer: What conclusion can most reasonably be drawn based on information in the passage?
Inference questions ask students to determine what can be logically concluded from the passage even though it is not directly stated. The correct answer must be supported by evidence in the text but goes one logical step beyond what is explicitly written.
TOEFL Practice Test #2 3
A passage about forest ecology states: "Old-growth forests serve as carbon sinks, sequestering atmospheric CO2 for centuries." The word "sequestering" most nearly means: