TOEFL Sentence Simplification Questions Questions and Answers 3

Question 1

Original: "The emergence of the internet, while initially celebrated as a democratizing force that would grant universal access to information, has also enabled the unprecedented spread of misinformation at a global scale." The best simplification is:

Accepted Answer

Although the internet was hailed for making information widely available, it has also enabled the massive spread of false information.

Answer

The internet was created specifically to spread misinformation globally.

Answer

The internet should be regulated to prevent the spread of misinformation.

Answer

Misinformation has always been a problem throughout history, not just since the internet.

Question 2

Original: "Domestication of animals, which began approximately 15,000 years ago with wolves, not only provided humans with labor, food, and companionship but also inadvertently introduced new diseases to human populations." The best simplification is:

Accepted Answer

Animal domestication, which started with wolves, gave humans practical benefits but also unintentionally spread new diseases to them.

Answer

Animal domestication 15,000 years ago was primarily responsible for spreading disease among humans.

Answer

Wolves were domesticated specifically to help humans fight diseases.

Answer

Animal domestication happened 15,000 years ago and had exclusively positive effects on human populations.

Question 3

Original: "The rapid expansion of global trade in the nineteenth century was driven not merely by advances in transportation technology but equally by the consolidation of colonial power structures that ensured favorable terms for industrialized nations." The best simplification is:

Accepted Answer

Nineteenth-century global trade growth was driven by both transportation advances and colonial power that benefited industrialized nations.

Answer

Global trade expanded only because of transportation technology in the nineteenth century.

Answer

Colonial power structures were more important than technology in every aspect of nineteenth-century trade.

Answer

Industrialized nations opposed colonial power while simultaneously benefiting from transportation advances.

Question 4

Original: "Despite its reputation as a slow-moving, stable geological force, the tectonic plate underlying the Indian subcontinent has moved northward at a rate of approximately 15 cm per year, colliding with the Eurasian plate and forming the Himalayas." The best simplification is:

Accepted Answer

The Indian plate, moving unusually fast for a tectonic plate, collided with the Eurasian plate and created the Himalayas.

Answer

Geological forces are always slow and stable, which is why the Himalayas formed gradually.

Answer

Tectonic plates do not actually move; the Himalayas formed through volcanic activity.

Answer

The Himalayas are shrinking because the Indian plate has slowed down.

Question 5

Original: "The fact that identical twins show higher concordance rates for schizophrenia than fraternal twins demonstrates a significant genetic component to the disorder, though the imperfect concordance rate among identical twins also indicates that environmental factors play a role." The best simplification is:

Accepted Answer

Because concordance is higher in identical than fraternal twins, genetics matter in schizophrenia, but since concordance is not 100% in identical twins, environment also plays a role.

Answer

Schizophrenia is entirely genetic in origin, as demonstrated by twin studies.

Answer

Schizophrenia is caused entirely by environmental factors according to twin research.

Answer

Identical twins always develop the same mental disorders, demonstrating genetic determinism.

Question 6

Original: "The construction of the transcontinental railroad in the United States, completed in 1869, not only united the coasts economically but also displaced Native American populations whose territories the tracks crossed, leaving a legacy as complex as it was transformative." The best simplification is:

Accepted Answer

Completed in 1869, the transcontinental railroad boosted economic integration but also caused displacement of Native Americans, creating a mixed historical legacy.

Answer

The transcontinental railroad united the coasts and had no negative consequences.

Answer

Native Americans supported the construction of the transcontinental railroad.

Answer

The transcontinental railroad was primarily significant for its engineering achievements.