TOEFL Practice Test #2 3

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:

Accepted Answer

Capturing and storing

Answer

"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?

Accepted Answer

Comparing traditional and revisionist historical interpretations

Answer

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:

Accepted Answer

The finding contradicts or disproves the previously accepted explanation

Answer

"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?

Accepted Answer

To give the test taker 15–30 seconds to read the question and organize ideas before speaking

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

Rudimentary symbolic communication in non-human animals

Answer

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.