TOEFL Primary Step 2 Test #50 - Reading

This is the soft, thick hair that grows on the bodies of sheep and some other animals. People usually use it to make clothes.

What is it?

You use this device when it is cold. It helps make air or water warmer.

What is it?

These clothes make you feel comfortable. You usually wear them at home or on holiday, rather than in special occasions.

These clothes are _____.

This structure is built over a road, railway, or river so that people and vehicles can cross from one side to the other.

What is it?

A shop may give your money back when you are not satisfied with their product or service.

They are _____ your money.

This is the large bright object in the sky. It gives us light and heat. The Earth moves around it.

What is it?

You can have this unhappy feeling when your maths scores have not been good as you expected.

You are _____.

A woman and a man are in a loving relationship. After a few years, they decide to get married. 

Now, he is her _____.

You are making detailed arrangements for something you want to do on your trip in the future.

You are _____ your trip.

Read the email. Then answer the questions.

Dear Sam,

Thanks very much for your email. It was great to hear from you again.

You asked me about my new school. Well, the school has more than 1000 students, and the buildings are very large. I got lost a few times at the beginning of the semester! But it's a lovely school. The other students in my class are very friendly, and most of the teachers are not too strict.

There are several clubs to go to after school. I'm going to join two of them - the basketball club and the art club. I think I'll enjoy them.

Take care and see you soon,

Justin

Why did Justin write to Sam?

How many clubs will Justin intend to join?

Read the email. Then answer the questions.

Hi Sandy,

Here is the information about getting to school tomorrow. We can catch the bus at the bus stop outside my house at 7.40 am.

We arrive at school at about 8.15, unless the bus is delayed or we miss it. We don't need tickets because we have student ID cards. We cross the bridge over the river, then Kelly gets on the bus in town. We go through three traffic lights, then arrive at Jamie's stop. Then we go past the railway station where we pick up passengers from the train - so, Yasmin and Leo get on the bus there. Next, the bus goes round a roundabout, and then after a few more stops, we arrive at school. Sometimes, there's a lot of traffic, and the journey's slow - but then we get more time to chat!

See you,

Anna 

Where will Leo get on the bus?

Why did Anna write to Sandy?

Read the brochure. Then answer the questions.

What does a library assistant have to do?

When will entertaining activities take place at the camp?

Which of the following is NOT true?

Read the instructions. Then answer the questions.

You should never take any medicine without your parents’ permission, but it is good to know how to read the label of a medicine bottle.

You may need this medicine when the kid _____.

How may the kid feel as a side effect of the medicine?

A child can take a dose ____.

Read the story and then choose the best answer to each question.

The big, brown moving van sat in the driveway. Boxes were neatly packed in the back of the van. Everything we owned was in the back of that van. The car was full and so was Dad’s truck. I was holding my favorite stuffed animal and my CD player.

Arnie, our German shepherd, was barking and racing around the yard. He knew something was different, but I don’t think he really understood it was time to say goodbye to our old house, our friends, and everything we knew. Dad’s job transferred him to Chicago, and now we all had to go along.

“Dad,” I had moaned one night at the dinner table. “Why do we have to move?  All my friends live here.”

“I know, Dan, but you will make new friends. We will all have to make new friends.”

“Cheer up. I think moving will be fun,” Sarah, my older sister, said as she patted me on the head. “I can’t wait to see the huge, new high school and meet many new friends.”

I just hate when she pats me on the head. It makes me feel like a baby. I smiled weakly and nodded my head. “All right, I’ll give it a try. But if I don’t like it, I am moving in with Dylan’s parents. You’ll see.”

Now the big day was here. There was a knot in my stomach. I wanted to cry.  My best friend Dylan came over to say goodbye. His parents had bought a big box of chocolate. “These are to make you feel better on the road,” whispered Dylan. 

How many vehicles does the writer's family need to move house?

Why did they need to move?

What does Dan say he will do if he does not like Chicago?

What did Dylan and his parents give Dan before he got in the car?

Read the story and then choose the best answer to each question.

As Dad showed Mae and Cassie how to set up the tents, many pairs of eyes were watching them. Like spies on a mission, the inky black ravens followed the campers’ every move. Dad unpacked containers of food, reminding the girls to keep the containers shut tight. “We don’t want raccoons stealing our food,” he warned.

“Yeah,” said Cassie. “Especially the gooey brownies Mom baked for us.” Dad and Mae went to get the sleeping bags from the car. Cassie offered to stay behind and gather twigs for a fire. She watched her dad and sister disappear around the corner. A few minutes later, Cassie saw Mae and Dad returning. She quickly brushed the crumbs off her shirt.

The girls sat on fallen tree trunks while Dad cooked dinner. They laughed at the ravens somersaulting in the sky. Other ravens carried twigs and acorns up to their nests. Woodpeckers drummed their beaks into tree bark. They were hungry for the bugs inside. Mae was hungry for a brownie. She pulled the top off a plastic container. “That’s funny. I thought Mom packed eight brownies. But there are only seven.”

After breakfast the next day, all three went for a hike. They were ready for a snack when they got back. “That’s strange,” said Dad as he brushed a black feather off the picnic table and searched through the food. “The bag of peanuts is gone.” He glanced around. “And there aren’t any raccoon prints.” 

What did Dad tell the girls to do after opening the food containers?

Why did Cassie offer to gather twigs while Dad and Mae got the sleeping bags? 

What did the girls do while their dad cooked dinner?

Who or what probably ate the nuts?

Read the passage and answer the questions.

Save the Skunks!

When people think about the need to protect animals, how many people think of skunks? People dislike skunks for several reasons. Skunks can get into garbage cans. They sometimes carry diseases. And worst of all, of course, they can spray people and pets with a terrible-smelling liquid. But skunks play an important role in their environment.

Skunks are great to have around because they eat other pests. For example, a skunk will eat dangerous scorpions and spiders. Having a skunk around is much better than being bothered by those creepy creatures. Another reason to protect skunks is that they eat animals that are already dead. This helps keep forests and neighborhoods clean.

It’s also important to remember that skunks are in our neighborhoods because we have come into their habitats. It’s unfair to want the skunks to leave when they were here first! So the next time you catch a skunk's smell, smile and hold your nose. Think about the good work that this peaceful animal is doing to keep your neighborhood clean and safe.

Source: Daily Reading Comprehension Grade 4

Why do people dislike skunks?

Which of the following is the advantage of having skunks around?

According to the writer, what should we do if we see a skunk?

Read the passage and answer the questions.

Music and Behaviour

Where did you go yesterday? Did you hear music at any of those places? There is a good chance that you did. Today most stores and restaurants play music. You might even hear music in an office or on a farm. 

Scientists believe that music affects the way people behave. According to some scientists, the sound of western classical music (Mozart and Bach) makes people feel richer. When a restaurant plays classical music, people spend more money on food and drinks. When the restaurant plays modern music, people spend less money. With no background music, people spend even less. Scientists also believe that loud, fast music makes people eat faster. People actually chew their food faster when the music gets faster. Some restaurants play fast music during their busy hours. This gets people to eat faster and leave quickly. Restaurants can make more money this way. Some scientists think that music makes you think and learn better. They say that music helps students to be more alert. It is true that people learn better when they are relaxed. And listening to music can help you relax. 

The next time you hear music somewhere, be careful. It might change the way you behave. 

Source: Facts and Figures

What kind of music makes people feel richer?

Why do some restaurants play fast music?

How might music help you to learn better?

Read and answer the following questions.

Snoring: What's Behind All the Noise?

Written by Luann Sessions 

What's that loud sound? It sounds like somebody is sawing a log. Is it a train? Is it a broken washing machine? No, it's just your dad asleep in his chair. Snoring can be funny. It can also be annoying if someone snores so loudly that you can't sleep at all. What happens when we snore?

When we sleep, our whole body relaxes. All our muscles relax. One of those muscles is in the back of our throat. When we are awake, this muscle helps us swallow food and gargle water. When people snore, this muscle can sag into our airways as it relaxes. The flesh of the muscle rumbles as the air squeezes through. The airway might even close all the way. That would cause us to snort and wake up. Snoring only happens to some people. Some people never snore. Other people snore every night! Scientists aren't sure why some of us snore and others don't.

There is no cure for snoring, but don't worry—it's not dangerous. The worst that can happen is that you keep your family awake with your loud snoring. Luckily, there are always earplugs! 

Source: Mobymax Reading Stories G2.0-2.3

The main purpose of this passage is to _____.