TOEFL Sentence Simplification Questions 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Original: "Although the experiment was costly, the data it produced justified every dollar spent." Which sentence best captures the essential meaning?
- The expensive experiment yielded data valuable enough to be worth its cost. (Correct answer)
- The experiment cost too much money for the data it produced.
- Researchers regretted spending money on the experiment.
- The data was less valuable than the experiment's cost.
Correct answer: The expensive experiment yielded data valuable enough to be worth its cost.
The concession 'although' shows the high cost was offset by valuable data, exactly what the correct choice states.
Question 2: Original: "The bridge, which had stood for two centuries, finally collapsed during the unusually severe flood." Which sentence best simplifies it?
- A 200-year-old bridge collapsed in an exceptionally severe flood. (Correct answer)
- The bridge collapsed because it was poorly built.
- A new bridge was destroyed by a normal flood.
- The flood was mild but the bridge still fell.
Correct answer: A 200-year-old bridge collapsed in an exceptionally severe flood.
It retains the bridge's age and the severe flood as the cause of collapse.
Question 3: In a sentence simplification question, what should the correct answer always preserve?
- The essential meaning and logical relationships of the original (Correct answer)
- Every descriptive detail from the original
- The exact wording of the original sentence
- Only the first clause of the sentence
Correct answer: The essential meaning and logical relationships of the original
Correct answers keep core meaning and relationships while dropping minor details.
Question 4: Original: "Not only did the policy reduce traffic, but it also lowered air pollution." Which sentence best simplifies it?
- The policy both reduced traffic and lowered air pollution. (Correct answer)
- The policy reduced traffic but increased pollution.
- The policy failed to affect traffic or pollution.
- The policy only lowered air pollution.
Correct answer: The policy both reduced traffic and lowered air pollution.
'Not only...but also' signals two combined positive effects, both kept in the answer.
Question 5: Original: "Because she lacked formal training, her success surprised the critics." Which sentence best simplifies it?
- Critics were surprised she succeeded despite no formal training. (Correct answer)
- Critics expected her to succeed because of her training.
- Her formal training guaranteed her success.
- She failed because she had no training.
Correct answer: Critics were surprised she succeeded despite no formal training.
The cause (no training) explains why critics were surprised at her success.
Question 6: Why are sentence simplification answer choices that add new information usually wrong?
- They introduce ideas not present in the original sentence (Correct answer)
- They are always grammatically incorrect
- They are too short to be correct
- They repeat the original word for word
Correct answer: They introduce ideas not present in the original sentence
A correct simplification cannot add facts absent from the original.
Question 7: Original: "The medication, while effective, produced side effects severe enough to limit its use." Which sentence best simplifies it?
- The medication worked but had side effects serious enough to restrict its use. (Correct answer)
- The medication was useless and dangerous.
- The medication had no side effects at all.
- The side effects were mild and easily ignored.
Correct answer: The medication worked but had side effects serious enough to restrict its use.
It keeps both the effectiveness and the limiting severe side effects.
TOEFL Sentence Simplification Questions 2
Original: "Although the experiment was costly, the data it produced justified every dollar spent." Which sentence best captures the essential meaning?