Skip to main content

TOEFL Reading 4

 

[1] Stretching approximately 6,650 kilometers – or 4,132 miles - the Nile in northern Africa is the longest river on Earth. Draining into the Mediterranean Sea near Alexandria, it is formed by the confluence of the White Nile flowing from Lake Victoria in Uganda, and the Blue Nile flowing through Ethiopia. The Nile River basin was the setting of the rise and fall of an ancient civilization, some of whose achievements – namely the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx – remain standing today.

[2] Rock carvings along the Nile terraces and in desert oases provide evidence that a culture of hunter-gatherers and fishers became replaced by a grain-grinding culture in the 10th century BC. This came in part due to environmental change, as the climate changed and the pastoral lands of present-day Egypt were subject to overgrazing. The early tribal peoples therefore migrated to the Nile River. By about 6,000 BC a Neolithic culture became rooted in the Nile valley, with several independent cultures developing in both Upper and Lower Egypt. These peoples abandoned their nomadic ways and developed a settled agricultural economy within a more centralized society. By 3,500 BC, these peoples of ancient Egypt formed what is now recognized as possibly the first nation-state.

[3] The reason for this achievement lies primarily in the stability and security that the Nile River provided. The river basin was inundated annually; during the wet season, the banks of the Nile swelled with water, and when they retreated they left fertile deposits of earth. These ideal agricultural conditions allowed the ancient Egyptians to develop the most stable food source of any region at the time. And the geographical centrality made organizing the peoples of the region easier, much easier than if settlements were spread out across a vaster land area.

[4] The seasonal nature of agriculture in ancient Egypt, along with advances in food storage, meant that the people had more time for leisure. At least the wealthy classes had time for leisure; the lower classes became a reliable source of labor. Within this organized system with an abundance of food resources, a rich culture flourished. While the pyramids and the elaborate tombs of the pharaohs are the most well-known manifestation of this culture, there are countless other achievements, including calendars, a form of writing, sophisticated architecture (particularly of temples), and a complex belief system including a pantheon of gods.

[5] In fact, the people of the region worshipped the river itself as a god. They called the river “the Father of Life” and “the Mother of all Men,” acknowledging that without it their civilization would not have been possible. Besides the agricultural and cultural benefits that it brought, it also served as an important transportation route. Traders could move their goods from the upper reaches of the river to the lower, and merchants all along the river had access to the Mediterranean and the other civilizations scattered around the sea. The Nile was also where the papyrus plant grew, from which the Egyptians made a type of paper we call papyrus. It is difficult to overstate the importance of this one plant in human history, as it made possible a semi-permanent record of writing, some of which survives today. Besides these uses, people also relied on the Nile for drinking water (not only for themselves but also their animals), and washing.

[6] The Nile continues to play a central role in modern Egypt. Approximately half the residents of the country live in urban areas along the banks of the Nile. And while the importance of the Nile as a transportation route has lessened in the past 125 years with the advent of airplanes and trains, it remains a centerpiece of Egyptian identity. It is said that if a visitor gazes upon the beauty of the great river, his return to the country is all but assured.

1 According to paragraph 3, what helped to create the “ideal agricultural conditions” seen in ancient Egypt?

  • The regular flooding of the river.
  • Humans’ understanding of efficient settlement patterns.
  • A stable source of food.
  • The unpredictability of the weather.

ANSWER EXPLANATION

Question is worth: 1 point.

Correct Answer: a
Your Selection: Not Answered

(A) is correct. The second sentence of the paragraph mentions that the river basin was “inundated annually” and that the river “swelled with water” which “left fertile deposits;” these ideas all point to the fact that the flooding contributed to agricultural conditions.

(B) is wrong. The paragraph mentions settlements that were not spread out, but it doesn’t mention people understood their own settlement patterns.

(C) is incorrect because stable food source was a result of the agricultural conditions; it didn’t help create those conditions.

(D) is wrong because the description of the wet season indicates that it was predictable, not unpredictable.

2 Examine the four █ in the selection below and indicate at which block the following sentence could be inserted into the passage:


How were these people able to achieve a level of organization unparalleled at the time?

 

█ [A] The reason for this achievement lies primarily in the stability and security that the Nile River provided. █ [B] The river basin was inundated annually; during the wet season, the banks of the Nile swelled with water, and when they retreated they left fertile deposits of earth. █ [C] These ideal agricultural conditions allowed the ancient Egyptians to develop the most stable food source of any region at the time. █ [D] And the geographical centrality made organizing the peoples of the region easier, much easier than if settlements were spread out across a vaster land area..

  • [A]
  • [B]
  • [C]
  • [D]

ANSWER EXPLANATION

Question is worth: 1 point.

Correct Answer: a
Your Selection: Not Answered

(A) is correct, since the sentence poses a question that the entire paragraph attempts to answer, about how the people achieved the level of organization.

(B) is wrong. The existing second sentence explains the first sentence and should not be separated from it.

(C) “these ideal agricultural conditions” must be linked to the previous sentence that mentions “fertile deposits,” so (C) is wrong.

(D) is incorrect because the statement is too general to appear this late in the paragraph.

3 What can be inferred from paragraph 4 about the development of sophisticated culture in the history of ancient peoples?

  • It was only possible in areas with distinct seasons.
  • It began in the lower classes and percolated up to the higher classes.
  • It depends on stability in food resources.
  • It is delayed when the people spend too much time on leisure activities.

ANSWER EXPLANATION

Question is worth: 1 point.

Correct Answer: c
Your Selection: Not Answered

(A) is wrong. The paragraph mentions the “seasonal nature of agriculture,” but it doesn’t connect distinct seasons directly with the development of sophisticated culture.

(B) Nothing indicates that the lower classes were the originators of sophisticated culture, so (B) is incorrect.

(C) is correct. The paragraph explains that with agriculture and food storage stability, people had more leisure time; this leads to the development of a “rich culture.”

(D) is incorrect because leisure time is, in fact, positively correlated with the development of culture.

4 The word 'advances' in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to:

  • improvements
  • destruction
  • relocation
  • independence

ANSWER EXPLANATION

Question is worth: 1 point.

Correct Answer: a
Your Selection: Not Answered

(A) is correct. It is logical that the Egyptians made “improvements” in food storage if the results of such activities were positive.

(B) “destruction” of food storage would have a negative, not positive, effect on the society, so (B) is wrong.

(C) is incorrect. Nothing indicates that food storage was moved to a different location; in any case, relocation would not necessarily lead to benefits.

(D) is incorrect because the “independence” of food storage does not seem relevant to the context.

5 The author identifies “a complex belief system including a pantheon of gods” as one of several

  • reasons why the Egyptians were able to make great cultural achievements
  • examples of cultural achievements
  • possible explanations why the Egyptians built pyramids
  • differences between the cultures of the wealthy class and lower class

ANSWER EXPLANATION

Question is worth: 1 point.

Correct Answer: b
Your Selection: Not Answered

(A) The complex belief system was not a reason for cultural achievements, but rather one in a list of several other achievements, so (A) is wrong.

(B) is correct, because after mentioning “other achievements,” the author provides a list, of which “complex belief system” is a part.

(C) is wrong. It may seem logical that belief in gods might be related to the building of monuments, but the paragraph provides no evidence or mention of this.

(D) is incorrect. While there are differences in activity between the wealthy and lower classes, no difference of belief is mentioned or implied.

6 The fact that the Egyptians called the Nile River the “Father of Life” and “the Mother of all Men” demonstrates

  • the importance of family in ancient Egyptian culture
  • the difficulty of translating ancient concepts into English
  • the use of the river as a transportation route
  • the importance of the river in Egyptian culture

ANSWER EXPLANATION

Question is worth: 1 point.

Correct Answer: d
Your Selection: Not Answered

(A) is wrong. Family may have been important, but that is not related to the overall point of the passage.

(B) is incorrect because nothing is mentioned of the difficulty of translation.

(C) is incorrect. The idea of “father” and “mother” do not directly related in any logical way to transportation.

(D) is correct. The mention of names for the river is followed by “acknowledging that without it their civilization would not have been possible,” which clearly indicates that the names relate to the importance of the river.

7 The word 'it' in paragraph 5 refers to:

  • the Nile River
  • papyrus
  • the Mediterranean Sea
  • human history

ANSWER EXPLANATION

Question is worth: 1 point.

Correct Answer: b
Your Selection: Not Answered

(A) is wrong because the Nile River did not make possible a record of writing.
(B) is correct, since papyrus, which refers to the paper made from the papyrus plant, certainly made a record of writing possible.
(C) is incorrect, because the Mediterranean Sea does not relate to the ability to record in writing.
(D) Human history is what is recorded in writing, but it doesn’t enable the writing itself, so (D) is wrong.

8 What is NOT mentioned as a use of the Nile River?

  • trade route
  • a source of important plants
  • drinking water
  • raising of water animals

ANSWER EXPLANATION

Question is worth: 1 point.

Correct Answer: d
Your Selection: Not Answered

(A) is wrong because paragraph 5 clearly mentions “transportation,” “traders,” and “merchants.”
(B) is incorrect. The paragraph mentions that the river is where “the papyrus plant grew” before explaining the importance of this plant.
(C) is wrong because the final sentence of the paragraph mentions “drinking water.”
(D) is correct. Nowhere in the passage are water animals mentioned.

9 Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

And while the importance of the Nile as a transportation route has lessened in the past 125 years with the advent of airplanes and trains, it remains a centerpiece of Egyptian identity.

  • Modern transportation methods have reduced the Nile in importance, in terms of settlement patterns, transportation, and culture.
  • Because the Nile is so important to the Egyptian identity, it continues to be used for transportation, despite more modern methods of transport.
  • The Nile is not as important for transportation as it once was, but it is still an important part of Egyptian culture.
  • The Egyptian identity is so dependent on the Nile that even the advent of airplanes and trains has not impacted various uses of the river.

ANSWER EXPLANATION

Question is worth: 1 point.

Correct Answer: c
Your Selection: Not Answered

(A) is incorrect because this statement says that the Nile has decreased in importance in all areas, which the original sentence does not state.

(B) is wrong. It is true that the Nile is important to Egyptian identity, but its continued use for transportation doesn’t happen because of this.

(C) The original sentence clearly states that the importance has “lessened” for transportation, but the fact that it “remains a centerpiece of Egyptian identity” demonstrates that it is an important part of Egyptian culture, so (C) is correct.

(D) is wrong. This sentence incorrectly states that uses of the river have not been impacted by modern transportation, which contradicts the original sentence.

10Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.

Drag your answer choices to the spaces where they belong. To remove an answer choice, drag it back. To review the passage, click VIEW TEXT.

 

This passage discussed the Nile River and the history of Egypt.

  • A.The fertility of the Nile River basin and advances in food storage provided food security to the ancient Egyptians, which contributed to cultural development.
  • C.The Nile River has been important not only for agricultural, but also for transportation and other necessities.
  • D.Along with food security, centralization of society enabled the ancient Egyptians to make many cultural achievements.

 

  • A.The fertility of the Nile River basin and advances in food storage provided food security to the ancient Egyptians, which contributed to cultural development.
  • B.Before the 10th century BC, people of northern Africa moved from place to place hunting and gathering food or fishing.
  • C.The Nile River has been important not only for agricultural, but also for transportation and other necessities.
  • D.Along with food security, centralization of society enabled the ancient Egyptians to make many cultural achievements.
  • E.Unlike the cultural products of other ancient societies, the buildings of ancient Egypt can still be seen today.
  • F.Papyrus is one of the most significant inventions of the ancient world.

ANSWER EXPLANATION

Question is worth: 2 points.

Correct Answer: a,c,d
Your Selection: Not Answered

(A) We should choose (A) because it mentions several key ideas, including food security and cultural development.

(B) This statement may be true, but the focus of the passage is on what happened after people gave up their hunting and gathering ways, so this is wrong.

(C) is correct because there are several ideas in the passage that relate to the various uses of the river.

(D) is also correct because the passage explains both the importance of centralization and various cultural achievements.

(E) The buildings of ancient Egypt are one example of cultural products that are visible, but the passage doesn’t make comparisons with other ancient societies, so this choice is wrong.

(F) is incorrect. Papyrus was certainly important, but it is one of many achievements and is not a main idea.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

TOEFL Reading 1

  [1] In the southeastern Pacific Ocean, on the piece of land known as Easter Island (now a territory of Chile), stand several hundred massive stone monoliths. These carvings, called “moai,” are recognizable by their oversized heads, with their heavy brows, long noses, elongated ears, and protruding lips. While they average four meters in height and 12.5 tonnes, the largest is almost 10 meters tall and the heaviest weighs a full 86 tons. The upright sculptures are scattered around Easter Island, many installed on platforms called “ahu” along the coast, while others are more inland and several stand near the main volcanic quarry of Rano Raraku. The Rapa Nui people of the island built a total of 887 of these impressive statues between the 12th and 16th centuries. They were, it is said, symbols of religious and political authority,  embodiments  of powerful chiefs or ancestors which faced inland toward the island’s villages, perhaps watching over their creators, keeping them...
Post a Comment
Read more

TOEFL Reading 5

  [1] At the beginning of the 13th century, a tribe of hunting and gathering nomads arrived in Mesoamerica, which is the south-central area of what we now call Mexico. These people were called the Aztecs. It is said that, upon their arrival at Lake Texcoco, they saw an eagle perched on a cactus and accepted it as a sign to settle there. 300 years later, this group of people had managed to establish a mighty empire, ruling over a population in the millions, from their architecturally wondrous capital city of Tenochtitlan. What made this possible was, in part, the Aztecs  ingenuity  in agriculture.  While they didn’t enjoy the benefits of the wheel or the beast of burden, they still managed to use the land around the lakes of central Mexico to support their population through several methods.   [2] The first, and simplest form of agriculture is known as rainfall cultivation. This method involves cultivating only some of the land reserved for agriculture. The un...
Post a Comment
Read more

TOEFL Reading 6

  [1] The Agricultural Revolutions occurred between 2000 and 6000 BC. It is believed that due to climate change, people moved from animal hunting to gathering and agriculture. About 10,000 years ago, some human groups began to raise animals and cultivate domesticated plants. Over the next thousand years, most people became food producers, although hunting and gathering were ongoing. The Agricultural Revolution is the period in history when food production was prevalent in human activity. It occurred over a period of time as food gathering led to food production over several generations. We believe the process began when foragers started to  scatter  seeds and clear weeds to grow crops they enjoyed using for food. It’s possible that non-settled groups behaved in this way, although some families probably settled permanently to produce this food in the long term. [2] The discovery of specialized stone tools indicated the new food-producing practices: polished or ground s...
Post a Comment
Read more