TOEFL Reading 2023
TOEFL Reading 2023
SECTION 3
READING COMPREHENSION
Time: 55 minutes
DIRECTIONS: In this section you will read several passages. Each is followed by questions about
it. For questions 1-50,you need to select the one best answer, (A), (B), (C), or (D), to each
question. Then, on your answer sheet, find the number of the question and blacken the space
that corresponds to the letter of the answer you have selected. Fill in the space completely.
Answer all questions following a passage in the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage.
According to the passage, early tomahawk heads were made of stone or bone. Therefore, the
correct answer is (A)
Questions 1-12
Vitamins, taken in tiny doses, are a major of organic compounds that regulate the
mechanism by which the body converts food into energy. They should not be confused with
minerals, which are inorganic in their makeup. Although in general the naming of vitamins
followed the alphabetical order of their identification, the nomenclature of individual
substances may appear to be somewhat random and disorganized. Among the 13 vitamins
knows today, five are produced in the body. Because the body produces sufficient quantities of
some but not all vitamins, the must be supplemented in the daily diet. Although each vitamin
has its specific designation and cannot be replaced by another compound, a lack of one vitamin
can interfere with the processing if another. When a lack of even one vitamin in a diet is
continual, a vitamin deficiency may result.
The best way for an individual to ensure a necessary supply of vitamins is to maintain a
balanced diet that includes a variety of foods and provides adequate quantities of all the
compounds. Some people take vitamin supplements, predominantly in the form of tablets. The
vitamins in such supplements are equivalent to those in food, but an adult who maintains a
balanced diet does not need a daily supplement. The ingestion of supplements is recommended
only to correct an existing deficiency due to unbalanced diet, to provide vitamins known to be
lacking in a restricted diet, or to act as a therapeutic measure in medical treatment. Specifically,
caution must be exercised with fat-soluble substances, such as vitamins A and D, because,
taken in gigantic doses, they may present a serious health hazard over a period of time.
8. With which of the following statements would the author be most likely to agree?
(A) A varied diet needs to be supplemented with vitamins
(B) An inclusive diet can provide all necessary vitamins
(C) Vitamins cannot be consistently obtained from food
(D) Vitamins should come from capsules in purified form
9. It can be inferred from the passage that vitamin supplements can be advisable
(A) In special medical cases (B) In most restricted diets
(C) After correcting a dietary deficiency (D) Before beginning a therapeutic treatment
Questions 13-23
When jazz began to lose its reputation as “low-down” music and to gain well-deserved
acclaim among intellectuals, musicians began to feature many instruments previously
considered inappropriate for jazz. Whereas before the 1950s, jazz musicians played only eight
basic instruments in strict tempo, in this decade they started to improvise on the flute, electric
(5) organ, piccolo, accordion, cello, and even bagpipes, with the rhythm section
composed for strings or piano. Big bands no longer dominated jazz, and most changes emerged
from small combos, such as the Dave Brubeck Quartet and the Gerry Mulligan Quartet. The
Gerry Mulligan Quartet proved that a small, modern band could sound complete without a
piano; the rhythm section consisted only of a set of drums and a string bass.
(10)Jazz continued to move in new directions during the 1960s. Saxophonist and
composer Ornette Coleman led a quartet playing “free” jazz that was atonal. Pianist Cecil Taylor
also conducted similar experiments with music, and John Coltrane included melodies from India
in his compositions. In the 1970s musicians blended jazz and rock music into fusion jazz which
combined the melodies and the improvisations of jazz with the rhythmic qualities of
(15)rock ‘n’ roll, with three or five beats to the bar and in other meters. The form of jazz
music was greatly affected by electric instruments and electronic implements to intensify,
distort, or amplify their sound. However, the younger musicians of the time felt compelled to
include a steady, swinging rhythm which they saw as a permanent and essential element in
great jazz.
13. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
(A) Popular Beats in Classical and Modern Jazz (B) Quintessential Moments in Jazz Music
(C) The Achievements of Famous Jazz Musicians (D) The Rising Prestige and Diversity of Jazz
16. The author of the passage implies that in the 1950s, jazz musicians
(A) Strictly adhered to its traditions and compositions
(B) Probably continued with its tempo and instrumentation
(C) Experimented with rhythms and instruments
(D) Increased the tempo to keep up with the changes
17. The author of the passage mentions all of the following EXCEPT
(A) Bagpipes (B) Percussion (C) String bass (D) Harpsichord
18. It can be inferred from the passage that small jazz bands
(A) were dominated by large orchestras
(B) consisted of drums and a string bass
(C) were innovative in their music
(D) included modern sound systems
19. The author believes that the developments jazz described in the passage
(A) should be seen as precocious (B) should be considered influential
(C) appear largely suggestive (D) may be perceived as discrete
21. According to the passage, the changes in jazz music in the 1970s came from
(A) another harmonious scale (B) another musical trend
(C) ambitious aspirations (D) sound amplifications
23. Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage?
(A) Chronological innovations in jazz music
(B) Definitions of diverse jazz styles
(C) A classification of prominent jazz musicians
(D) Descriptions and examples to illustrate jazz rhythms
Questions 24-30
There are many reasons why food fads have continued to flourish. Garlic has long been
touted as an essential ingredient of physical prowess and as a flu remedy, squash has been
thought by some to cure digestive disorders, and red pepper has been alleged to promote en-
durance. The natural human desire for a simple solution to a difficult problem sets the stage for
promoting miraculous potions, pills, and combinations of chemicals. The gullible individuals
who eagerly embrace any second-hand information with scientific overtones pro- vide the
foundation for healthy business enterprises.
A person who has never crossed the threshold of a health food store may be astounded,
e wildered, or overjoyed. Countless elixirs, herbs, powders, sweeteners, and other fascinating
extracts are only a fraction of the high-profit selection. The available literature includes
pamphlets extolling the amazing return of youth one can anticipate while drinking a potion
steeped with tropical weeds, as well as volumes assuring the reader of an almost eternal
longevity.
The store is directly keyed to arouse visitors’ concern over their health and to capitalize
on real and imagined problems by offering solutions that, incidentally, cost more than the
customer may be able to afford. Health food store patrons are often cajoled into buying tonics
that promise to make the functioning of healthy organs even better, regardless of whether an
improvement is called for. Promotion of expensive products that consumers do not actually
need takes considerable initiative and insight. On occasion, there may even be some slight
disregard for truth in an entrepreneur’s zeal to cure customers of ills-for a price.
27. Where in the passage does the author give reasons for the commercial success of the health
food industry?
(A) Lines 1-2
(B) Lines 8-9
(C) Lines 10-13
(D) Lines 14-15
30. The author would most probably agree with which of the following statements?
(A) Health food articles are positively exotic and exorbitant.
(B) Promoting and selling health foods verges on cheating.
(C) Health food enterprises are dedicated to absolute honesty.
(D) Inducing patrons to buy health products is criminal at best.
Questions 31 - 40
When Columbus arrived in the Americas in 1492, there were already an estimated thirty
to forty million people living in North and South America. It has therefore been quite easy for
some to refute the idea that Columbus “discovered” America. How and when these inhabitants
came to America has been the source of much scientific research and discussion.
Most archeologists agree that the first Americans, the true “discoverers” of America,
came from northeastern Asia. There is also a considerable amount of proof that inhabitants
have been in the Americas for at least 15,000 years.
To get to the Americas, these people had to cross over the 55-mile-wide Bering Strait
that separates Asia and North America. According to one theory, these people crossed over
during periods when a land bridge existed between the two continents. During Ice Ages, so
much of the Earth’s water was frozen that the sea levels dropped, and it was possible to walk
from Asia to North America.
36. The word “considerable” in line 6 could best be replaced by which of the following?
(A) Large (B) Weak (C) Well-known (D) Considerate
38. Which of the following is NOT stated about the Bering Strait?
(A) It is 55 miles wide.
(B) It separates North America and Asia.
(C) It was probably a land bridge during the Ice Ages.
(D) It is a land bridge today.
40. Where in the passage does the author mention how long people have probably been in the
Americas?
(A) Lines 1 - 2
(B) Lines 3 - 4
(C) Lines 6 - 7
(D) Lines 8 - 9