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 original presents two aspects: (1) the internet was praised as a democratizing force for information access, and (2) it has also enabled unprecedented global misinformation spread. Option B captures this contrast faithfully. The other options add opinions, omit the contrast, or introduce unrelated claims.

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

The key information: (1) domestication began 15,000 years ago with wolves, (2) it provided practical benefits (labor, food, companionship), and (3) it unintentionally introduced diseases. Option B captures all three elements. Option A distorts (making disease the primary point), C adds false intent, and D omits the disease consequence.

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

The original identifies two equally important drivers: (1) transportation technology and (2) colonial power structures favoring industrialized nations. "Not merely...but equally" signals dual causation. Option B captures this balanced causation accurately. Option A omits colonialism; C uses "every aspect" (an overstatement); D contradicts the original.

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

The original contrasts the reputation of slow-moving plates with the notably fast movement (15 cm/year) of the Indian plate, and attributes the Himalaya formation to its collision with the Eurasian plate. Option B captures this implicit contrast and the causal relationship. Option A overgeneralizes; C and D directly contradict the original.

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

The original makes two points: (1) higher concordance in identical twins proves a genetic component, and (2) imperfect concordance in identical twins proves an environmental component. Option B preserves both points with their qualifications. Options A and C present one-sided versions; D overstate with "always."

TOEFL Practice Test

TOEFL Practice Test

TOEFL Sentence Simplification Questions Questions and Answers 3