Reading Comprehension: Problem with implied detail questions (Skill 4)

Some questions in the Reading Comprehension section of the TOEFL test will
require answers that are not directly stated in the passage. To answer these
questions correctly, you will have to draw conclusions from information that is
given in the passage. Questions of this type contain the words implied, inferred,
likely, or probably to let you know that the answer to the question is not directly
stated

Example

The passage:

The number of rings in a tree can be used to determine how old a tree really
is. Each year a tree produces a ring that is composed of one light-colored wide
band and one dark-colored narrow band.The wider band is produced during the
spring and early summer, when tree stem cells grow rapidly and become larger.
The narrower band is produced in fall and early winter, when cell growth is much
slower and cells do not get
very large. No cells are produced during the harsh winter and summer months.

The questions:

1. It is implied in the passage that if a tree has 100 wide bands and 100 narrow
bands then it is
(A) a century old
(B) two centuries old
(C) fifty years old
(D) two hundred years old

2. It can be inferred from the passage that cells do not grow

(A) when the tree is ill
(B) during extreme heat or cold
(C) when it rains too much
(D) if there are more light-colored bands than dark-colored bands

Analysis:

 The first question asks about the age of a tree with 100 wide bands and
100 narrow bands. The passage does not tell the age of a tree with 100
wide and narrow bands, but it does indicate that one.. . wide band and one.
 . . narrow band are produced each year. From this you can draw the
conclusion that a tree with 100 wide and narrow bands is 100 years, or a
century, old. The best answer to this question is therefore answer (A).
 The second question asks when cells do not grow. The pas sage indicates
that no cells are produced during the harsh winter and summer months.
From this you can draw the conclusion that cells do not grow during the
extreme heat of summer or the extreme cold of winter. The best answer to
this question is therefore answer (B).
The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about
implied detail questions.

TOEFL EXERCISE 4:

Study each of the passages, and choose the best answers to the questions that
follow.

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-3)

Until 1996 the Sears Tower was the tallest building in the world, with more than a
hundred stories. It is located in Chicago, whose nickname is the Windy City. The
combination of a very tall building in a city with such weather conditions leads to
a lot of swaying in the breeze.

On a windy day, the top of the building can move back and forth as much as
three feet every few seconds. The inside doors at the top of the building open
and close, andwater in sinks sloshes back and forth.

1. The Sears Tower is probably

(A) as tall as the Empire State Building
(B) no longer the tallest building in the world
(C) taller than any other building
(D) still the highest building in the world

2. It can be inferred from the passage that Chicago

(A) has moderate weather
(B) is generally warm
(C) has humid weather
(D) usually has a lot of wind

3. It is implied in the passage that the upper-level doors in the Sears Tower open
and close because
(A) the building was poorly constructed
(B) people go in and out so often
(C) the building moves in the wind
(D) there is water in the sinks
PASSAGE TWO (Questions 4 - 6)

The most common last name in the English-speaking world is Smith, which was
taken from the job of working with metals. A silversmith, for example, is someone
who works with the metal silver. Historical records indicate that the use of this
last name is at least 700 years old. Today, there are more than 3.3 million Smiths
living in the United States and perhaps another million Smiths living in other
English-speaking countries worldwide.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that family names

(A) were always taken from the area where a family lived
(B) were short names
(C) had little or no meaning
(D) could be taken from jobs

5. Which of the following is implied about the Smith family name?

(A) it is definitely not more than 700 years old.
(B) it existed 600 years ago.
(C) It did not exist 500 years ago.
(D) it definitely was not in use 1,000 years ago.

6. In England there are probably

(A) more Smiths than there are in the United States
(B) more than a million Smiths
(C) fewer than a million Smiths
(D) no families with the name of Smith

Almost every reading passage on the TOEFL test will have a question about
the main idea of a passage. Such a question may be worded in a variety of
ways; you may, for example, be asked to identify the topic, subject, title, primary
idea, or main idea. These questions are all really asking what primary point the
author is trying to get across in the passage. Since TOEFL passages are
generally written in a traditionally organized manner; it is not difficult to find the
main idea by studying the topic sentence, which is most probably found at the
beginning of a paragraph.If a passage consists of only one paragraph, you
should study the beginning of that paragraph to determine the main idea.

Example I
The passage:

Basketball was invented in 1891 by a physical education instructor in Springfield,

Massachusetts, by the name of James Naismith. Because of the terrible weather
in winter, his physical education students were indoors rather than outdoors.
They really did not like the idea of boring, repetitive exercises and preferred the
excitement and challenge of a game. Naismith figured out a team sport that could
be played indoors on agymnasium floor, that involved a lot of running, that kept
all team members involved, and that did not allow the tackling andphysical
contact of American-style football.

The question:

What is the main idea of this passage?

(A) The life of James Naismith

(B) The history of sports
(C) Physical education and exercise
(D) The origin of basketball

Analysis:

The first sentence of this passage discusses the invention of basketball, so this is
probably the topic. A quick check of the rest of the sentences in the passage con
firms that the topic is in fact the beginnings of the sport of basketball. Now you
should check each of the answers to determine which one comes closest to the
topic that you have determined. Answer (A) mentions James Naismith but not
basketball, so it is not the topic. Answer (B) is too general; it mentions sports but
does not mention basketball. Answer (C) is also too general; it mentions physical
education but does not mention basketball. The best answer is therefore answer
(D); the origin of basketball means that the invention of basketball is going to be
discussed.

The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about
main idea questions.

TOEFL EXERCISE 1:

Study each of the passages, and choose the best answers to the questions that
follow. In this exercise, each paragraph is followed by two main idea, topic, or
title questions so that you can practice this type of question. On the TOE FL test,
one passage would probably not have two such questions because they are so
similar.
PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1 - 2)

Most of the ice on the Earth, close to 90 percent of it, is covering the surface of
the continent Antarctica. It does not snow very much in Antarctica, but whatever
snow does fall remains and grows deeper and deeper. In some areas of
Antarctica, the ice has perhaps been around for as much as a million years and
now is more than two miles deep.

1. The main idea of the passage is that

(A) the Earth is a cold planet
(B) most of the Earth’s ice is found in Antarctica
(C) it snows more in Antarctica than in any other place on Earth
(D) Antarctica is only two miles wide but is 90 percent ice

2. The best title for the passage is

(A) Snowfall in Antarctica
(B) The Icy Earth
(C) The Cold, Cold Snow
(D) The Causes of Antarctica’s Ice

PASSAGE TWO (Questions 3 - 4)

The extremely hot and humid weather that occurs in the United States in July
and
August is commonly called the “dog days” of summer’ This name comes from the
star
Sirius, which is known as the Dog Star. Sirius is the brightest visible star, and in
the hot
summer months it rises in the east at approximately the same time as the Sun.
As
ancient people saw this star rising with the Sun when the weather was at its
hottest,
they believed that Sirius was the cause of the additional heat; they believed that
this
bright star added its heat to the heat of the Sun, and these two together made
summer
weather so unbearably hot.

3. The topic of this passage is

(A) how dogs like to play during the summer
(B) the causes of hot and humid weather
(C) why the hot summer days are known as the “dog days”
(D) the days that dogs prefer
4. The main idea of this passage is that
(A) the name for the summer days came from Sirius, the Dog Star
(B) dogs generally prefer hot summer days
(C) the hottest days occur in the summer because of the movements of the
Sun and stars
(D) Sirius rises at almost the same time as the Sun during the summer months

PASSAGE THREE (Questions 5 - 6)

The term “primitive art” has been used in a variety of ways to describe works
and
styles of art. One way that this term has been used is to describe the early period
within
the development of a certain style of art. Another way that this term has been
used is to
describe artists who have received little professional training and who
demonstrate a
nontraditional naivete in their work.

A wonderft.il example of this second type of primitive artist is Grandma Moses,

who
spent all her life living on a farm and working at tasks normally associated with
farm
life. She did not begin painting until she reached the age of seventy-six, when
she
switched to painting from embroidery because the arthritis in her hands made
embroidery too difficult. Totally without formal education in art, she began
creating
panoramic images of everyday life on the farm that have achieved international
fame.

5. The subject of this passage is

(A) an example of one of the types of primitive art
(B) Grandma Moses’s life on the farm
(C) how primitive art differs from formal art
(D) Grandma Moses’s primitive lifestyle

6. Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the passage?
(A) Grandma Moses spent her life on a farm.
(B) Art critics cannot come to any agreement on a definition of primitive art.
(C) Grandma Moses is one type of primitive artist because of her lack of formal
training.
(D) Many artists receive little professional training.

PASSAGE FOUR (Questions 7 - 8)

In the first half of the nineteenth century, a New York newspaper, the New York
Sun, successfully carried out a hoax on the American public. Because of this
trick, readership of the paper rose substantially.
On August 25, 1835, the Sun published reports that some wonderful new
discoveries
had been made on the moon. The article described strange, never-before-seen
animals
and temples covered in shining jewels. Many members of the American public
were
fooled by the story, even some prominent members of the scientific community.
The effect of the false story on sales of the paper was dramatic. Paper sales
increased considerably as people eagerly searched out details of the new
discoveries.
Later, the newspaper company announced that it had not been trying to trick the
public;
instead, the company explained the moon stories as a type of literary satire.

7. Which of the following best states the topic of the passage?

(A) A nineteenth-century discovery on the moon
(B) The New York Sun
(C) A hoax and its effect
(D) The success of a newspaper

8. The main point of the passage is that

(A) the New York Sun was one of the earliest American newspapers
(B) the Sun increased sales when it tricked the public with a false story
(C) a newspaper achieved success by writing about the moon
(D) in 1835 some amazing new discoveries were made about the moon

A stated detail question asks about one piece of information in the passage rather than the
passage as a whole. The answers to these questions are generally given in order in the passage,
and the correct answer is often a restatement of what is given in the passage. This means that
the correct answer often expresses the same idea as what is written in the passage, but the
words are not exactly the same.

Example

The passage:

Flutes have been around for quite some time, in all sorts of shapes and sizes and made from a
variety of
materials. The oldest known flutes are about 20,000 years old; they were made from hollowed-out
bones with holes cut in them In addition to bone, older flutes were often constructed from bamboo
or hollowed-out wood. Today’s flutes are generally made of metal, and in addition to the holes
they have a complicated system of keys, levers, and pads. The instrument belonging to well
known flautist James Galway is not just made of any metal; it is made of gold

The questions:

1. According to the passage, the oldest flutes

(A) had holes cut in them
(B) were made of metal
(C) were made 200,000 years ago
(D) had a complicated set of levers and pads

2. The passage indicates that James Gaiway’s flute is made of

(A) bones
(B) bamboo
(C) wood
(D) gold

Analysis:

The answers to the questions are generally found in order in the passage, so you should look for
the answer to the first question near the beginning of the passage. Since the first question asks
about the oldest flutes, you should see that this question is answered in the second sentence.
The passage states that the oldest flutes were bones with holes cut in them, so the best answer
is answer (A). Answers (B) and (D) are true about today’s flutes, but not the oldest flutes, so they
are incorrect. Answer (C) is an incorrect number; the oldest flutes are 20,000 years old, not
200,000 years old.

The answer to the second question will probably be located in the passage after the answer to
the first question. Since the second question is about James Galway’s flute, you should skim
through the passage to find the part of the passage that discusses this topic. The answer to this
question is found in the statement that the instrument belonging to well-known flautist James
Galway is not just made of any metal; it is made of gold. The best answer to this question is
therefore answer (D).

The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about stated detail

questions.

TOEFL EXERCISE 2:

Study each of the passages, and choose the best answers to the questions that follow.

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1 - 2)

Many parts of the Southwestern United States would become desertsagain without
the waters of the Colorado River. A system of thousands of miles of canals, hundreds of miles of
tunnels and aqueducts, and numerous damsand n bring Colorado
River water to the area. The Imperial Valley in Southern California is an example of
such a place; it is a vast and productive agricultural area that was once a desert. Today,
2,000 miles of canals irrigate the fertile land and keep it productive.

1. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage as a way that Colorado River water gets to
the Southwest?

(A) By truck
(B) In bottles
(C) In wells
(D) Through canals

2. According to the passage, the Imperial Valley

(A) is a desert today

(B) is located in Colorado
(C) produces a lot of agricultural goods
(D) does not require irrigation

PASSAGE TWO (Questions 3 - 5)

The ancestors of humans had a lot more hair than the humans of today; in fact, they
had thick hair all over their bodies. This thick hair was necessary for protection against
the cold of the Ice Ages.
As the Earth got warmer, the hair began to thin out, except for on the head. The
head hair has remained through the evolutionary process, both as a sort of pillow to
cushion the sensitive head when it gets banged around and as a sort of hat to keep the
head warm and prevent so much heat from escaping through the scalp.

3. Which of the following is true about the hair of the ancestors of humans?
(A) There was not much of it.
(B) It covered their entire bodies.
(C) It was thin,
(D) It was not useful.

4. According to the passage, what happened as the temperature on the Earth increased?
(A) The hair on the head began to thin out.
(B) The hair on the body remained the same.
(C) The hair on the body got thicker.
(D) The hair on the body began to thin out.

5. The author indicates that one of the purposes of hair on the head is to
(A) fill up pillows
(B) help heat escape through the scalp
(C) ensure that the head is warm
(D) make it easier to think

PASSAGE THREE (Questions 6-10)

The plane with the largest wingspan ever built was nicknamed the Spruce Goose.
The wingspan of the Spruce Goose was 320 feet (almost 100 meters), and the plane
weighed 200 tons. It was so big that it needed eight engines to power it.
The plane was designed by Howard Hughes in response to a U.S. government
request for a plane that was able to carry a large cargo for the war effort. It was made of
wood because wood is a less critical material in wartime than metal.
The plane was so difficult to build that it never really got used. It was flown one
time only, by 1-lughes himself, on November 2, 1947; during that flight it traveled a
distance of less than one mile over the Los Angeles Harbor, but it did fly. Today, the
Spruce Goose is on exhibit for the public to see in Long Beach, California.

6. Which of the following is true about the Spruce Goose?

(A) Each of its wings measures 100 meters.
(B) It weighs 200 pounds.
(C) It has eight wings to help it to fly.
(D) It has a wingspan larger than the wingspan of any other plane.

7. The passage indicates that the plane was designed

(A) as a cargo plane
(B) as a racing plane
(C) to carry wood
(D) for exhibition
8. According to the passage, the Spruce Goose is constructed from
(A) wood
(B) lightweight metal
(C) plastic
(D) steel

9. According to the passage, when the Spruce Goose flew,

(A) it went only a short distance
(B) it fell into the Los Angeles Harbor
(C) it flew 100 miles
(D) it carried a large cargo

10. The passage indicates that the Spruce Goose today

(A) flies regularly for the U.S. government
(B) is in the Los Angeles Harbor
(C) is in storage
(D) can be seen by the public

TOEFL REVIEW EXERCISE (Skills 1 - 2): Study each of the passages, and choose the
best answers to the questions that follow.

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-3)

The center part of a hurricane is called the eye of the storm. In the eye of
a hurricane, winds are calm and no rain falls. There can even be blue sky and sunshine in
the eye of the storm.
This dry and calm spot is caused as the air spins around the center of the hurricane.
The spinning air rises and pulls moisture with it. What remains in the center is dry,
clear air.

1. The topic of the passage is

(A) the destruction of hurricanes
(B) the harsh weather during a hurricane
(C) the calm in the center of a hurricane
(D) the beautiful weather that follows a hurricane

2. The passage indicates that in the eye of a hurricane

(A) it is windy
(B) there is a lot of rain
(C) there is cloudy, gray sky
(D) it can be sunny

3. According to the passage, what causes the calm spot?

(A) The air circling around the center
(B) The blue sky and sunshine
(C) The high temperatures
(D) The heavy rainfall

PASSAGE TWO (Questions 4-8)

The invention of the phonograph happened quite by accident. Thomas Edison

moved to Menlo Park, New Jersey, in 1876, where he established an industrial research
laboratory There, Edison was working on a carbon telephone transmitter to improve
the existing Bell telephone system.
In that laboratory a year later, Edison invented the phonograph while he was trying
to improve a telegraph repeater. He attached a telephone diaphragm to the needle in
the
telegraph repeater; in this way, he was able to reproduce a recording that could be
played back. After he made some improvements to the machine, he tested it. He recited
“Mary Had a Little Lamb” into the machine and played his voice back to a very
surprised audience.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

(A) Thomas Edison’s Many Inventions
(B) Improvements in the Telephone and Telegraph
(C) The History of Menlo Park
(D) An Accidental Invention

5. According to the passage, the invention of the phonograph

(A) was quite unplanned
(B) was Edison’s principal project
(C) was surprising to no one
(D) took many years

6. In what year did the invention of the phonograph occur?

(A) 1876
(B) 1877
(C) 1878
(D) The article does not say.

7. According to the passage, how was the phonograph made?

(A) With a telephone needle and a recorder
(B) From a recording of a telegraph
(C) With only a telegraph repeater
(D) From a combination of telephone and telegraph parts

8. According to the passage, how did Edison test his new invention?
(A) He made improvements to the machine.
(B) He used a carbon transmitter.
(C) He read a children’s rhyme.
(D) He reproduced the audience’s voice.

PASSAGE THREE (Questions 9 - 14)

The Sears and Roebuck catalogue was a fixture in American society for many
decades. Practically anything needed in the American home could be ordered through
this comprehensive catalogue and delivered by mail. The catalogue made it easier for
homeowners in urban areas to track down items they were trying to find; the catalogue
was an absolute necessity for residents in out-of-the-way areas where many types of
home supplies were not available for hundreds of miles.

In the early twentieth century, it was not possible to buy just home supplies from
the Sears and Roebuck catalogue. It was actually possible to buy a mail-order house. If
you
ordered a house through the mail, you would receive all the necessary building
materials as well as plans for constructing the house; all of this could be had for prices
starting around $600.

9. This passage mainly discusses

(A) products sold in the Sears and Roebuck stores
(B) the design of the Sears and Roebuck catalogue
(C) how to shop using catalogues
(D) shopping through the Sears and Roebuck catalogue in the past

10. The passage indicates that items ordered through the Sears and Roebuck catalogue
(A) had to be picked up at a Sears and Roebuck store
(B) were delivered by mail
(C) arrived in Sears and Roebuck trucks
(D) had to be small

11. According to the passage, why was the Sears and Roebuck catalogue important to
people in remote areas?
(A) It contained the only products they could afford.
(B) They did not like the products in local stores.
(C) It had a lot of products they could not get in their local areas.
(D) It was the only way to get a new home.

12. The passage mentions that which of the following large items could be purchased
through the Sears and Roebuck catalogue?
(A) A home
(B) A car
(C) A boat
(D) A train

13. The mail-order house in the Sears and Roebuck catalogue

(A) was for urban areas only
(B) was set up by Sears and Roebuck workers
(C) needed to be put together
(D) arrived in one piece

14. The price of $600 mentioned in the passage was

(A) the lowest price for the item
(B) the average price for the item
(C) the only price for the item
(D) the highest price for the item
You will sometimes be asked in the Reading Comprehension section of the TOEFL
test to find an answer that is not stated or not mentioned or not true in the
passage. This type of question really means that three of the answers are stated,
mentioned, or true in the passage, while one answer is not. Your actual job is to find
the three correct answers and then choose the letter of the one remaining answer.

You should note that there are two kinds of answers to this type of question: (1) there
are three true answers and one answer that is not discussed in the passage, or (2) there
are three true answers and one that is false according to the passage.

Example

The passage:

The Florida Keys are a beautiful chain of almost 1,000 coral and limestone islands
These islands form an arc that heads first southwest and then west from the mainland.
U.S. Highway 1, called the Overseas Highway connects the main islands in the chain.
On this highway, it is necessary to cross 42 bridges over the ocean to cover the 159
miles from Miami on the mainland, to Key West the farthest island on the highway and
the southernmost city in the United States.

The questions:

1. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the Florida Keys?

(A) The Florida Keys are a chain of islands.

(B) The Florida Keys contain coral and limestone
(C) The Florida Keys are in the shape of an arc.
(D) The Florida Keys are not all inhabited.

2. Which of the following is NOT true about U.S. Highway 1?

(A) It is also known as the Overseas Highway

(B) It joins all of the islands in the Florida Keys.
(C) It has more than 40 bridges
(D) It connects Miami and Key West

Analysis:

The first question asks for the one answer that is not mentioned about the Florida Keys.
The passage states that the Florida Keys are a chain (answer A) with coral and
limestone (answer B) in the shape of an arc (answer C), so these answers are not
correct. The best answer is therefore answer (D). The passage does not discuss
whether or not the keys are all inhabited.

The second question asks for the answer that is not true about U.S. Highway 1. The
passage states that it is called the Overseas Highway (answer A), that it has 42 bridges
(answer C), and that it cover(s) the 159 miles from Miami. . . to Key West (answer D), so
these answers are not correct. The best answer is answer (B). The passage states
that the Overseas Highway connects the main islands in the chain, so it does not
connect all of the islands.
The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about
unstated detail questions.

On the TOEFL test you will sometimes be asked to determine the meaning of a difficult
word or expression, a word or expression that you do not know. In this case, the
passage often gives you a clear indication of what the word or expression means.

Example

A line in the passage:

……..She has a large geranium growing in a pot in the corner of her apartment……

The question:

A “geranium” is probably which of the following?

(A) A sofa

(B) A chair

(C) A fish

(D) A plant

Analysis:

In this type of question, you are not expected to know the meaning of the
word geranium. Instead, you should understand from the context that if the geranium is
growing in a pot, then it is probably a plant. Answer (D) is therefore the best answer.

The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about
vocabulary questions on the TOEFL test.
TOEFL EXERCISE 5:

Study each of the passages, and choose the best answers to the questions that follow.

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-4)

When babies are born, they always have blue eyes. This is because the melanin, the
pigment that colors the eyes, is not on the surface of the iris. Instead, it is within the
creases of the iris. Because there is little melanin on the surface of the iris, the eyes
appear blue.

After a few months, the melanin moves to the surface of the iris. It is the amount of
melanin on the surface that determines a person’s permanent eye color, so it is at this
point that a baby’s eyes develop the color they will have for a lifetime.

1. The word “pigment” in line 2 is closest in meaning to

(A) skin
(B) muscle
(C) tissue
(D) color

2. The word “surface” in line 2 is closest in meaning to

(A) top
(B) inside
(C) back
(D) bottom

3. The word “permanent’ in line 6 could best be replaced by

(A) changeable
(B) lasting
(C) dark
(D) possible

4. The word “point” in line 7 could best be replaced by which of the following?
(A) Dot
(B) Era
(C) Time
Sometimes the final question in a reading passage will ask you to
determine where in the passage a piece of information is found. The answer
choices will list possible locations for that information. The best way to
approach this type of question is to study the question to determine the
information that you are looking for and then to go to the lines listed in the
answers and skim for that information.

Example

The passage:

The words “capital” and “capitol” are confused in spelling

and in meaning by a lot of people who try to use them. Both
their spellings and their meanings are quite closely related. A
“capital “ is the location of the center of government while a
“capitol” is the actual building where the government officials
meet. Thus, in the United States for example, the Capitol
building is located in Washington, D.C. which is the capital
city of the United States.

The questions:

1. Where in the passage does the author define the word “capital”?
(A) Lines 1 - 2
(B) Line 3
(C) Line 4
(D) Lines 6 – 8

2. Where in the passage does the author mention where the U.S. Capitol can
be found?
(A) Lines 1 - 2
(B) Line 3
(C) Lines 4 - 5
(D) Line 6 - 8

To answer the first question, you should skim for the word capital and then
look for its meaning. A capital is the location of the center of government,
and this definition is given in the fourth line. The best answer to this question
is therefore answer (C).

To answer the second question, you should skim for U.S. Capitol and then
look for where the U.S. Capitol is found. The U.S. Capitol is located in
Washington, D.C., and ..this information is given in the sixth through eighth lines.
The best answer to this question is therefore answer (D).

The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember when
you are trying to determine where in the passage something is found.
PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1 - 3)

A geyser occurs when rainwater seeps into the ground and volcanic magma
beneath
the surface heats it. The rainwater then turns into steam. The pressurized steam
rises to
the surface and bursts out as a geyser.
Yellowstone National Park has more geysers than all of the rest of the world
together The most famous of these geysers is Old Faithful, which erupts in a high
arc of
steam about once an hour.
There have not been any volcanic eruptions in the Yellowstone area for 70,000
years. However, the existence of the geysers is proof that the area is volcanically
active.

1. Where in the passage does the author mention what heats the water in a
geyser?
(A) Lines 1 - 2
(B) Line 4
(C) Lines 5 - 6
(D) Line 7

2. The author indicates how often Old Faithful erupts in

(A) lines 1 - 2
(B) line 4
(C) lines 5 - 6
(D) line 7

3. Where in the passage does the author state how long it has been since a
volcano erupted at Yellowstone?
(A) Lines 2 - 3
(B) Lines 5 - 6
(C) Line 7
(D) Line 8
PASSAGE TWO (Questions 4-7)

By 1963 the one-man space flights of Project Mercury had successfully taken
place,
and NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) was ready for a
new
challenge. That new challenge was to send two men into space at the same time,
rather
than one, so that it would be possible to conduct a wide variety of new
maneuvers and
tests.
An appropriate name was found for that new project: the new project was called
Project Gemini. The name “Gemini” might seem appropriate because it is the
name of
one of the constellations of stars in the sky, but that is not the real reason for the
choice
of the name. “Gemini” comes from the Latin word geminus, which means “twin.”
The
constellation Gemini received its name because it consists of two very bright
stars with
no other bright stars close by, and those stars seem like twins. The NASA
project
received its name because of the number of men who would be together in the
space
capsule orbiting the Earth.

4. Where in the passage does the author state what the initials NASA represent?
(A) Lines 1 - 3
(B) Lines 6 - 7
(C) Line 9
(D) Lines 11 – 13

5. Where in the passage does the author describe NASA’S new challenge after
Project Mercury?
(A) Lines 3—5
(B) Lines 6—7
(C) Line 9
(D) Lines 11—13

6. The author explains the derivation of the word “Gemini” in

(A) lines 1—3
(B) lines 6—7
(C) line 9
(D) lines 11—13
7. Where in the passage does the author describe the composition of
the Gemini constellation?
(A) Lines 3-5
(B) Lines 6—7
(C) Line 9
(D) Lines 10—11

PASSAGE THREE (Questions 8-12)

One of the best-known stories in American history—that Betsy Ross created the
first
flag of the United States - is believed by a number of scholars to be somewhat
questionable.
The official story goes as follows: In 1776, a group that included George
Washington
came to the workshop in Philadelphia where Betsy Ross worked as a
seamstress; they
brought a drawing of a flag with stars and stripes on it and asked if Betsy could
make it.
The flag with the stars and stripes was definitely adopted by Congress on June
14,
1777. In the minutes on that day there is a resolution accepting a flag with 13
stars and
13 stripes as the official flag of the nation. However, there is no mention of Betsy
Ross
as the one who had made the flag.
The first time that there is a documented reference to Betsy Ross as the one
who
made the flag came more than a century later, when her grandson gave
a speech to the
Philadelphia Historical Society indicating that the family had passed down the
story for
a hundred years that grandmother Betsy had made the first flag. Philadelphians
enthusiastically supported the story. Betsy Ross’s house was restored and
renamed Flag
House, and it was opened to the public as a memorial to Betsy Ross.
Many historians dispute this story, and certainly no one has been able to come
up
with indisputable proof that it was Betsy who made the first flag. This much is
known
about Betsy Ross: She did exist, she was a seamstress, and she did sometimes
make
f1ag for the ships of the Pennsylvania State Navy. If the story about the first flag
is not
completely true—and who is to know at this point—at least it makes a good story.

8. Where in the passage does the author mention a group that came to visit
Betsy Ross?
(A) Lines 1—3
(B) Lines 4—6
(C) Lines 7—8
(D) Lines 9—10

9. Where in the passage does the author state when the flag was adopted by
Congress?
(A) Lines 1—3
(B) Lines 4—6
(C) Lines 7—9
(D) Lines 11—14

10. The author describes the first historical reference to Betsy Ross as the
creator of the first U.S. flag in
(A) lines 4—6
(B) lines 9—10
(C) lines 11—14
(D) lines 17—18

11. The author discusses how Philadelphians responded to the Betsy Ross story
in
(A) lines 9—10
(B) lines 14—16
(C) lines 17—18
(D) lines 20—2 1

12. Where in the passage does the author discuss how historians have reacted
to the Betsy Ross story?
(A) Lines 8—9
(B) Lines 11—14
(C) Lines 17—18
(D) Lines 19—20