TOEFL Practice Test

TOEFL Practice Test #3 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: <p>1. In the late 1920's, after examining the photographs of the structural appearance</p><p>2. of galaxies, Edwin P. Hubble, the American astronomer, classified the galaxies</p><p>3. into three distinct groups. These galaxies are comprised of stars that have</p><p>4. diverse structure, unequal degree of brightness, and definitely varied sizes</p><p>5. One group spirals, is highly luminous and has either a normal or a barred</p><p>6. structure. Normal spirals have two arms which radiate from the center of the</p><p>7. galaxy to the exterior edges. The two contrasting arms are enclosed in a disk</p><p>8. structure made of stars, however, in the barred structure the arms radiate</p><p>9. from the top and the bottom of a bright bar that goes through the nucleus of the</p><p>10. galaxy. Barred spirals account for nearly 25 percent of all spirals. Over two-</p><p>11. thirds of eminent, highly luminous galaxies are Spirals. The Milky Way and</p><p>12. The Andromeda are examples of spiral galaxies. Another group referred to as</p><p>13. elliptical galaxies exhibits soft, but dim brightness and has two subgroups: The</p><p>14. giant and the dwarf. While the giant elliptical galaxies have countless large</p><p>15. luminous stars, the dwarf ellipticals have a smaller number of less luminous</p><p>16. stars. Together they make up less than one-third of the galaxies. The last group</p><p>17. is the irregularly-shaped galaxies, which are non-symmetric, and their pattern is</p><p>18. rather chaotic. They account for 3% of the galaxies and their luminosity is</p><p>19. quite grainy. The Magellanic Cloud is an example of an irregularly shaped-galaxy.</p><p>Which of the following does the passage mainly discuss?</p>

Three groups of galaxies (Correct answer)
The degree of luminosity of three galaxies
The structure and the size of stars making the galaxies
Specific details about spirals and elliptical galaxies

Correct answer: Three groups of galaxies

The passage begins by stating that Edwin P. Hubble classified galaxies "into three distinct groups." The subsequent paragraphs then describe each of these three groups in detail: spirals, elliptical, and irregularly-shaped galaxies. Therefore, the main topic discussed throughout the passage is the classification and characteristics of these three groups of galaxies.

Question 2: <p>1. In the late 1920's, after examining the photographs of the structural appearance</p><p>2. of galaxies, Edwin P. Hubble, the American astronomer, classified the galaxies</p><p>3. into three distinct groups. These galaxies are comprised of stars that have</p><p>4. diverse structure, unequal degree of brightness, and definitely varied sizes</p><p>5. One group spirals, is highly luminous and has either a normal or a barred</p><p>6. structure. Normal spirals have two arms which radiate from the center of the</p><p>7. galaxy to the exterior edges. The two contrasting arms are enclosed in a disk</p><p>8. structure made of stars, however, in the barred structure the arms radiate</p><p>9. from the top and the bottom of a bright bar that goes through the nucleus of the</p><p>10. galaxy. Barred spirals account for nearly 25 percent of all spirals. Over two-</p><p>11. thirds of eminent, highly luminous galaxies are Spirals. The Milky Way and</p><p>12. The Andromeda are examples of spiral galaxies. Another group referred to as</p><p>13. elliptical galaxies exhibits soft, but dim brightness and has two subgroups: The</p><p>14. giant and the dwarf. While the giant elliptical galaxies have countless large</p><p>15. luminous stars, the dwarf ellipticals have a smaller number of less luminous</p><p>16. stars. Together they make up less than one-third of the galaxies. The last group</p><p>17. is the irregularly-shaped galaxies, which are non-symmetric, and their pattern is</p><p>18. rather chaotic. They account for 3% of the galaxies and their luminosity is</p><p>19. quite grainy. The Magellanic Cloud is an example of an irregularly shaped-galaxy.</p><p>According to the passage, the barred structure is a subgroup of which of the following galaxies?</p>

Elliptical
Irregularly-shaped
Spiral (Correct answer)
Seyfert

Correct answer: Spiral

The passage explicitly states in lines 5-6 that "One group spirals, is highly luminous and has either a normal or a barred structure." This sentence clearly identifies the barred structure as a type or subgroup of spiral galaxies. The other galaxy types mentioned do not include a barred structure.

Question 3: <p>1. In the late 1920's, after examining the photographs of the structural appearance</p><p>2. of galaxies, Edwin P. Hubble, the American astronomer, classified the galaxies</p><p>3. into three distinct groups. These galaxies are comprised of stars that have</p><p>4. diverse structure, unequal degree of brightness, and definitely varied sizes</p><p>5. One group spirals, is highly luminous and has either a normal or a barred</p><p>6. structure. Normal spirals have two arms which radiate from the center of the</p><p>7. galaxy to the exterior edges. The two contrasting arms are enclosed in a disk</p><p>8. structure made of stars, however, in the barred structure the arms radiate</p><p>9. from the top and the bottom of a bright bar that goes through the nucleus of the</p><p>10. galaxy. Barred spirals account for nearly 25 percent of all spirals. Over two-</p><p>11. thirds of eminent, highly luminous galaxies are Spirals. The Milky Way and</p><p>12. The Andromeda are examples of spiral galaxies. Another group referred to as</p><p>13. elliptical galaxies exhibits soft, but dim brightness and has two subgroups: The</p><p>14. giant and the dwarf. While the giant elliptical galaxies have countless large</p><p>15. luminous stars, the dwarf ellipticals have a smaller number of less luminous</p><p>16. stars. Together they make up less than one-third of the galaxies. The last group</p><p>17. is the irregularly-shaped galaxies, which are non-symmetric, and their pattern is</p><p>18. rather chaotic. They account for 3% of the galaxies and their luminosity is</p><p>19. quite grainy. The Magellanic Cloud is an example of an irregularly shaped-galaxy.</p><p>In line 7-8, the phrase "enclosed in a disk structure" could best be replaced by which of the following?</p>

Inside a circular arrangement (Correct answer)
Included in an oblong shape
Engaged in a long, symmetrical pattern
Encircled in an unspecific structure

Correct answer: Inside a circular arrangement

The phrase "enclosed in a disk structure" describes how the arms of normal spiral galaxies are contained. "Enclosed" means surrounded or contained within, and a "disk structure" refers to a flat, circular arrangement. Therefore, "Inside a circular arrangement" accurately captures both the containment and the shape implied by the original phrase.

Question 4: <p>1. In the late 1920's, after examining the photographs of the structural appearance</p><p>2. of galaxies, Edwin P. Hubble, the American astronomer, classified the galaxies</p><p>3. into three distinct groups. These galaxies are comprised of stars that have</p><p>4. diverse structure, unequal degree of brightness, and definitely varied sizes</p><p>5. One group spirals, is highly luminous and has either a normal or a barred</p><p>6. structure. Normal spirals have two arms which radiate from the center of the</p><p>7. galaxy to the exterior edges. The two contrasting arms are enclosed in a disk</p><p>8. structure made of stars, however, in the barred structure the arms radiate</p><p>9. from the top and the bottom of a bright bar that goes through the nucleus of the</p><p>10. galaxy. Barred spirals account for nearly 25 percent of all spirals. Over two-</p><p>11. thirds of eminent, highly luminous galaxies are Spirals. The Milky Way and</p><p>12. The Andromeda are examples of spiral galaxies. Another group referred to as</p><p>13. elliptical galaxies exhibits soft, but dim brightness and has two subgroups: The</p><p>14. giant and the dwarf. While the giant elliptical galaxies have countless large</p><p>15. luminous stars, the dwarf ellipticals have a smaller number of less luminous</p><p>16. stars. Together they make up less than one-third of the galaxies. The last group</p><p>17. is the irregularly-shaped galaxies, which are non-symmetric, and their pattern is</p><p>18. rather chaotic. They account for 3% of the galaxies and their luminosity is</p><p>19. quite grainy. The Magellanic Cloud is an example of an irregularly shaped-galaxy.</p><p>The passage suggests that the normal structure accounts for</p>

one-fourth of spirals
one-third of spirals
two-thirds of spirals
three-fourths of spirals (Correct answer)

Correct answer: three-fourths of spirals

The passage states that "Barred spirals account for nearly 25 percent of all spirals" (line 10). It also mentions that spiral galaxies have "either a normal or a barred structure" (line 5). If barred spirals make up 25% (or one-fourth) of all spirals, then the remaining percentage, 75% (or three-fourths), must be accounted for by normal spirals.

Question 5: <p>1. In the late 1920's, after examining the photographs of the structural appearance</p><p>2. of galaxies, Edwin P. Hubble, the American astronomer, classified the galaxies</p><p>3. into three distinct groups. These galaxies are comprised of stars that have</p><p>4. diverse structure, unequal degree of brightness, and definitely varied sizes</p><p>5. One group spirals, is highly luminous and has either a normal or a barred</p><p>6. structure. Normal spirals have two arms which radiate from the center of the</p><p>7. galaxy to the exterior edges. The two contrasting arms are enclosed in a disk</p><p>8. structure made of stars, however, in the barred structure the arms radiate</p><p>9. from the top and the bottom of a bright bar that goes through the nucleus of the</p><p>10. galaxy. Barred spirals account for nearly 25 percent of all spirals. Over two-</p><p>11. thirds of eminent, highly luminous galaxies are Spirals. The Milky Way and</p><p>12. The Andromeda are examples of spiral galaxies. Another group referred to as</p><p>13. elliptical galaxies exhibits soft, but dim brightness and has two subgroups: The</p><p>14. giant and the dwarf. While the giant elliptical galaxies have countless large</p><p>15. luminous stars, the dwarf ellipticals have a smaller number of less luminous</p><p>16. stars. Together they make up less than one-third of the galaxies. The last group</p><p>17. is the irregularly-shaped galaxies, which are non-symmetric, and their pattern is</p><p>18. rather chaotic. They account for 3% of the galaxies and their luminosity is</p><p>19. quite grainy. The Magellanic Cloud is an example of an irregularly shaped-galaxy.</p><p>The word "eminent" in line 11 is closest in meaning to which of the following?</p>

Abundant
Preferred
Complex
Important (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Important

In line 11, the word "eminent" describes galaxies that are "highly luminous." In this context, "eminent" refers to something prominent, significant, or noteworthy. Therefore, "important" is the closest synonym, indicating that these galaxies are significant or well-known due to their luminosity.

Question 6: <p>1. In the late 1920's, after examining the photographs of the structural appearance</p><p>2. of galaxies, Edwin P. Hubble, the American astronomer, classified the galaxies</p><p>3. into three distinct groups. These galaxies are comprised of stars that have</p><p>4. diverse structure, unequal degree of brightness, and definitely varied sizes</p><p>5. One group spirals, is highly luminous and has either a normal or a barred</p><p>6. structure. Normal spirals have two arms which radiate from the center of the</p><p>7. galaxy to the exterior edges. The two contrasting arms are enclosed in a disk</p><p>8. structure made of stars, however, in the barred structure the arms radiate</p><p>9. from the top and the bottom of a bright bar that goes through the nucleus of the</p><p>10. galaxy. Barred spirals account for nearly 25 percent of all spirals. Over two-</p><p>11. thirds of eminent, highly luminous galaxies are Spirals. The Milky Way and</p><p>12. The Andromeda are examples of spiral galaxies. Another group referred to as</p><p>13. elliptical galaxies exhibits soft, but dim brightness and has two subgroups: The</p><p>14. giant and the dwarf. While the giant elliptical galaxies have countless large</p><p>15. luminous stars, the dwarf ellipticals have a smaller number of less luminous</p><p>16. stars. Together they make up less than one-third of the galaxies. The last group</p><p>17. is the irregularly-shaped galaxies, which are non-symmetric, and their pattern is</p><p>18. rather chaotic. They account for 3% of the galaxies and their luminosity is</p><p>19. quite grainy. The Magellanic Cloud is an example of an irregularly shaped-galaxy.</p><p>Where in the passage does the author first identify the group of galaxies that are dimly lit?</p>

Lines 6-7
Lines 10-11
Lines 12-14 (Correct answer)
Line 18-19

Correct answer: Lines 12-14

The passage first identifies a group of galaxies as dimly lit in lines 12-14. It states, "Another group referred to as elliptical galaxies exhibits soft, but dim brightness." This is the initial mention of a galaxy group characterized by its low luminosity.

Question 7: <p>1. In the late 1920's, after examining the photographs of the structural appearance</p><p>2. of galaxies, Edwin P. Hubble, the American astronomer, classified the galaxies</p><p>3. into three distinct groups. These galaxies are comprised of stars that have</p><p>4. diverse structure, unequal degree of brightness, and definitely varied sizes</p><p>5. One group spirals, is highly luminous and has either a normal or a barred</p><p>6. structure. Normal spirals have two arms which radiate from the center of the</p><p>7. galaxy to the exterior edges. The two contrasting arms are enclosed in a disk</p><p>8. structure made of stars, however, in the barred structure the arms radiate</p><p>9. from the top and the bottom of a bright bar that goes through the nucleus of the</p><p>10. galaxy. Barred spirals account for nearly 25 percent of all spirals. Over two-</p><p>11. thirds of eminent, highly luminous galaxies are Spirals. The Milky Way and</p><p>12. The Andromeda are examples of spiral galaxies. Another group referred to as</p><p>13. elliptical galaxies exhibits soft, but dim brightness and has two subgroups: The</p><p>14. giant and the dwarf. While the giant elliptical galaxies have countless large</p><p>15. luminous stars, the dwarf ellipticals have a smaller number of less luminous</p><p>16. stars. Together they make up less than one-third of the galaxies. The last group</p><p>17. is the irregularly-shaped galaxies, which are non-symmetric, and their pattern is</p><p>18. rather chaotic. They account for 3% of the galaxies and their luminosity is</p><p>19. quite grainy. The Magellanic Cloud is an example of an irregularly shaped-galaxy.</p><p>The word :dim" in line 13 is closest in meaning to which of the following?</p>

Iridescent
Dull (Correct answer)
Uneven
Fuzzy

Correct answer: Dull

In line 13, the word "dim" is used to describe the brightness of elliptical galaxies, indicating that they are not very bright. "Dull" is the most appropriate synonym for "dim" in this context, as it conveys a lack of brightness or intensity. The other options do not accurately reflect this meaning.

Question 8: <p>1. In the late 1920's, after examining the photographs of the structural appearance</p><p>2. of galaxies, Edwin P. Hubble, the American astronomer, classified the galaxies</p><p>3. into three distinct groups. These galaxies are comprised of stars that have</p><p>4. diverse structure, unequal degree of brightness, and definitely varied sizes</p><p>5. One group spirals, is highly luminous and has either a normal or a barred</p><p>6. structure. Normal spirals have two arms which radiate from the center of the</p><p>7. galaxy to the exterior edges. The two contrasting arms are enclosed in a disk</p><p>8. structure made of stars, however, in the barred structure the arms radiate</p><p>9. from the top and the bottom of a bright bar that goes through the nucleus of the</p><p>10. galaxy. Barred spirals account for nearly 25 percent of all spirals. Over two-</p><p>11. thirds of eminent, highly luminous galaxies are Spirals. The Milky Way and</p><p>12. The Andromeda are examples of spiral galaxies. Another group referred to as</p><p>13. elliptical galaxies exhibits soft, but dim brightness and has two subgroups: The</p><p>14. giant and the dwarf. While the giant elliptical galaxies have countless large</p><p>15. luminous stars, the dwarf ellipticals have a smaller number of less luminous</p><p>16. stars. Together they make up less than one-third of the galaxies. The last group</p><p>17. is the irregularly-shaped galaxies, which are non-symmetric, and their pattern is</p><p>18. rather chaotic. They account for 3% of the galaxies and their luminosity is</p><p>19. quite grainy. The Magellanic Cloud is an example of an irregularly shaped-galaxy.</p><p>The author use the phrase "rather chaotic" in line 18 to indicate that the structure of irregularly-shaped galaxies is</p>

quite irregular
without an obvious design or organization (Correct answer)
balanced and orderly
randomly inconsistent

Correct answer: without an obvious design or organization

The phrase "rather chaotic" in line 18 describes the pattern of irregularly-shaped galaxies, which are also noted as "non-symmetric." "Chaotic" means being in a state of complete disorder and confusion, lacking any clear arrangement. Therefore, "without an obvious design or organization" best explains what the author means by a "rather chaotic" structure.

Question 9: <p>1. In the late 1920's, after examining the photographs of the structural appearance</p><p>2. of galaxies, Edwin P. Hubble, the American astronomer, classified the galaxies</p><p>3. into three distinct groups. These galaxies are comprised of stars that have</p><p>4. diverse structure, unequal degree of brightness, and definitely varied sizes</p><p>5. One group spirals, is highly luminous and has either a normal or a barred</p><p>6. structure. Normal spirals have two arms which radiate from the center of the</p><p>7. galaxy to the exterior edges. The two contrasting arms are enclosed in a disk</p><p>8. structure made of stars, however, in the barred structure the arms radiate</p><p>9. from the top and the bottom of a bright bar that goes through the nucleus of the</p><p>10. galaxy. Barred spirals account for nearly 25 percent of all spirals. Over two-</p><p>11. thirds of eminent, highly luminous galaxies are Spirals. The Milky Way and</p><p>12. The Andromeda are examples of spiral galaxies. Another group referred to as</p><p>13. elliptical galaxies exhibits soft, but dim brightness and has two subgroups: The</p><p>14. giant and the dwarf. While the giant elliptical galaxies have countless large</p><p>15. luminous stars, the dwarf ellipticals have a smaller number of less luminous</p><p>16. stars. Together they make up less than one-third of the galaxies. The last group</p><p>17. is the irregularly-shaped galaxies, which are non-symmetric, and their pattern is</p><p>18. rather chaotic. They account for 3% of the galaxies and their luminosity is</p><p>19. quite grainy. The Magellanic Cloud is an example of an irregularly shaped-galaxy.</p><p>The word "their" in line 18 refers to which of the following?</p>

The Magellanic Cloud
The last group
The irregularly-shaped galaxies (Correct answer)
The galaxies

Correct answer: The irregularly-shaped galaxies

In lines 17-18, the sentence reads, "The last group is the irregularly-shaped galaxies, which are non-symmetric, and their pattern is rather chaotic." The plural possessive pronoun "their" refers back to the plural noun phrase immediately preceding it, which is "the irregularly-shaped galaxies." This pronoun indicates that the chaotic pattern belongs to these specific galaxies.

Question 10: Many <u>advanced</u> candy <u>factories use</u> computer-controlled machines to measure and combine the ingredients and <u>packing</u> the candy in <u>boxes</u>.

advanced
factories use
packing (Correct answer)
boxes

Correct answer: packing

The sentence lists a series of actions performed by computer-controlled machines: "to measure and combine the ingredients and packing the candy." For grammatical parallelism, all items in a list should be in the same form. Since "measure" and "combine" are base verbs (part of an infinitive phrase 'to measure and combine'), "packing" should also be a base verb, "pack," to maintain consistent structure.

Question 11: <u>As soon as</u> the reeve walks <u>toward</u> a group of male <u>ruff</u>, they <u>collapse</u>.

As soon as
toward
ruff (Correct answer)
collapse

Correct answer: ruff

The word "ruff" can function as both a singular and plural noun when referring to the bird species. However, in the context of "a group of male ruff," while technically acceptable, it is more common and grammatically clearer to use the plural form "ruffs" when referring to multiple individual birds. Therefore, "ruff" is the most likely intended error, as "ruffs" would be a more precise plural form here.

Question 12: Magic Johnson is best <u>known for</u> his <u>outstandingly</u> passing, shooting <u>and ball</u> maneuvering <u>ability</u>.

known for
outstandingly (Correct answer)
and ball
ability

Correct answer: outstandingly

The word "outstandingly" is an adverb, typically used to modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. In this sentence, it is incorrectly modifying the gerunds "passing," "shooting," and "ball maneuvering," which function as nouns within the noun phrase "his ... ability." An adjective is needed to describe the quality of these abilities, so "outstanding" should be used instead of "outstandingly."

Question 13: <u>Crushed</u> <u>basil</u> leaves add flavor to tomato <u>product</u>, meats, and <u>salads</u>.

Crushed
basil
product (Correct answer)
salads

Correct answer: product

The sentence lists items to which basil leaves add flavor: "tomato product, meats, and salads." For parallelism and correct countability, if "meats" and "salads" are plural, then "tomato product" should also be plural, referring to various types of tomato products. Therefore, "product" should be changed to "products" to maintain consistency in the list.

Question 14: Just <u>too</u> inexpensive <u>metallic</u> substances are incorporated in gold <u>and</u> silver objects to <u>bring down</u> their cost.

too (Correct answer)
metallic
and
bring down

Correct answer: too

The adverb "too" implies an excessive degree, often with a negative connotation, suggesting something is more than desirable or appropriate. In this context, the substances are incorporated because they are simply inexpensive, not excessively so in a problematic way. The intended meaning is likely that they are "very inexpensive" or "quite inexpensive," making "too" an inappropriate choice.

Question 15: <u>When</u> cold fronts <u>move into</u> an area, depending on the humidity or dryness of the air, <u>there will be</u> rain or snow or <u>not</u> precipitation.

When
move into
there will be
not (Correct answer)

Correct answer: not

The phrase "not precipitation" is grammatically incorrect in this context. To express the absence of something, the adjective "no" should be used before the noun. Therefore, "not precipitation" should be corrected to "no precipitation" to form a grammatically sound and idiomatic expression.

Question 16: <u>By</u> 4256 hits, Pete Rose, an <u>energetic</u> and enthusistic baseball <u>player</u>, became known <u>as one</u> of baseball's leading hitters.

By (Correct answer)
energetic
player
as one

Correct answer: By

The preposition 'By' is incorrect in this context. When referring to a total number or an accumulated achievement, the correct preposition to use is 'With'. 'With 4256 hits' indicates the specific accomplishment that led to Pete Rose's recognition.

Question 17: Some <u>anthropologists</u> investigate <u>how</u> social <u>activity</u> in association with nutritional intake and weather condition, influence how long <u>people live.

anthropologists
how
activity (Correct answer)
people live

Correct answer: activity

The subject of the verb 'influence' is the singular noun 'activity', which is modified by the phrase 'in association with nutritional intake and weather condition'. Since the main subject 'activity' is singular, the verb must also be singular. Therefore, 'influence' should be 'influences' to maintain subject-verb agreement.

Question 18: The pancreas's ______ of insulin impairs the body's ability to use up and preserve sugar.

inadequate production (Correct answer)
producing inadequately
produces inadequacy
inadequate producer

Correct answer: inadequate production

The sentence requires a noun phrase to complete the possessive 'pancreas's'. 'Production' is the correct noun form, and 'inadequate' is the adjective that modifies it, describing the quality of the production. This creates a grammatically sound and meaningful phrase: 'inadequate production of insulin'.

TOEFL Practice Test #3

1.
In the late 1920's, after examining the photographs of the structural appearance2. of galaxies, Edwin P.
Hubble, the American astronomer, classified the galaxies3. into three distinct groups.
These galaxies are comprised of stars that have4. diverse structure, unequal degree of brightness, and definitely varied sizes5.
One group spirals, is highly luminous and has either a normal or a barred6. structure.
Normal spirals have two arms which radiate from the center of the7. galaxy to the exterior edges.
The two contrasting arms are enclosed in a disk8. structure made of stars, however, in the barred structure the arms radiate9. from the top and the bottom of a bright bar that goes through the nucleus of the10. galaxy.
Barred spirals account for nearly 25 percent of all spirals.
Over two-11. thirds of eminent, highly luminous galaxies are Spirals.
The Milky Way and12.
The Andromeda are examples of spiral galaxies.
Another group referred to as13. elliptical galaxies exhibits soft, but dim brightness and has two subgroups: The14. giant and the dwarf.
While the giant elliptical galaxies have countless large15. luminous stars, the dwarf ellipticals have a smaller number of less luminous16. stars.
Together they make up less than one-third of the galaxies.
The last group17. is the irregularly-shaped galaxies, which are non-symmetric, and their pattern is18. rather chaotic.
They account for 3% of the galaxies and their luminosity is19. quite grainy.
The Magellanic Cloud is an example of an irregularly shaped-galaxy.Which of the following does the passage mainly discuss?