TOEFL Primary Step 2 Test #51 - Reading

This is an animal, a bird, etc. that we do not keep for work or food. We have it at home for pleasure. 

What is it?

This is a large open container in the kitchen. It has taps to supply water. You can use it for washing dishes. 

What is it?

When you walk around a shop, you find a piece of clothing interesting and then you put it on to see if it fits and how it looks.

You are _____ it.

This is an opening in the wall or roof of the house, building, etc. It is usually covered with glass. It allows light and air to come inside and people to see out.

What is it?

This is a public department. You can buy stamps and send letters and parcels here. 

What is this place?

A place such as an office, shop, restaurant, etc. stops operating or providing a service for a period of time.

It _____.

This is someone you play a game or a sport with as a team. Two of you play against two other people. 

He/She is your _____.

This person takes responsibility for looking after ill or injured people, usually in a hospital.

Who is this?

This material comes from a tree. It can be used as a building material, for making things, or as a fuel.

What is it?

Read the email. Then answer the questions.

Hi guys!

Well, I am having a great week! We've been in the UAE - sightseeing, and shopping. Today we went to the most amazing place. Have you ever heard of MalI of the Emirates? I think it's the coolest place to shop in Dubai. I have never seen such a huge building! There are more than 700 different stores and over 100 different places to eat. This week, my parents and I have eaten a lot of delicious food. Inside the mall is a theme park called Magic Planet. It has got a 4-D cinema and a huge roller coaster, which I have ridden on three times so far. It's fantastic! But the best thing is the ski slope. I have never tried skiing, but Dad and I are going tomorrow! Sorry that I haven't written to some of you who sent comments and messages last month. And I haven't forgotten that I promised to post some new photos - post some soon! 

Love you,

Dan

What did Dan do today?

What did Dan promise to do?

Read the email. Then answer the questions.

Hi Amy,

I'm writing to you from New York. It's a pity that I can't be in Rio when you travel here. But I'm still happy to share some information about the city with you.

The most popular time to visit Rio is from December to March. This is our summer season but it sometimes rains. The weather is usually nice and warm, but the sun can be very dangerous. You need to use sun cream when you go outside and it's safer to stay inside in the middle of the day. The city is always busy in the summer and it can be very expensive. So the best time to come is in spring or autumn when flights are cheaper and there are fewer tourists. Have a good trip!

Love,

Jim

Why did Jim write to Amy?

According to the email, the most suitable time to visit Rio is _____.

Read the instructions. Then answer the questions.

According to the advertisement, how high off the ground is the Tree Mansion?

Which is not a feature of the Tree Mansion? 

Why do you think the advertisement includes the measurements of the Tree Mansion?

Read the instructions. Then answer the questions.

Experiment: Elephant Toothpaste

You will need:

• an empty plastic bottle
• 1/2 cup 20-volume hydrogen peroxide liquid
• 1 tablespoon of dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons of warm water
• liquid dishwashing soap
• food coloring
• a small cup
• safety goggles

NOTE: Foam will overflow from the bottle; place the bottle on a tray.

Procedure

1. Hydrogen peroxide can irritate skin and eyes, so put on those safety goggles and ask an adult to carefully pour the hydrogen peroxide into the bottle.
2. Add 8 drops of your favorite food coloring into the bottle.
3. Add about 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap into the bottle and swish the bottle around a bit to mix it.
4. In a separate small cup, combine the warm water and the yeast together and mix for about 30 seconds.
5. Now the adventure starts! Pour the yeast water mixture into the bottle (a funnel helps here) and watch the foaminess begin!

When you are finished, it is safe to dispose of all of the materials either by throwing them away in the trash can or by washing them down the drain.

Why do you need a tray?

You need to wear safety glasses to do this activity because _____.

Which of the following is TRUE?

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

The rain was pounding on the roof as I tried to sleep. It sounded like a downpour. We had just moved into our new house. It wasn’t really new, but it seemed new to us. Our old house was too small since Mom had the baby, so we bought a new house right up the street. Our address had changed from 123 Sycamore to 137 Sycamore.

The problem was that all the neighbors said the new house was haunted. All my friends teased me when they found out we were moving. I just let their words go in one ear and out the other.

Suddenly, I sat straight up in bed. Something was moving outside my window. Lying back down, my mind started to imagine things. Shadows moved across my wall, lightning flashed outside the window. Suddenly, a light shone on my window and my nightlight flickered and went out. Several minutes later, a moaning sound came from outside my door. I jumped out of bed, put my feet into my warm, fuzzy slippers, and grabbed my baseball bat.  Whatever it was, it was not going to frighten me again.

I reached for the door handle and started to open it.

“Boo!” yelled my big brother Alfred. He was standing in the hall with a long stick with a lantern on the end. He was wearing dark glasses and a long, black rain jacket.

“Did I scare you?” he asked. I stood up to my full height. “No, of course not. I was just going to the kitchen to get a glass of water!”

We both burst into fits of laughter and rolled on the carpet in the hallway of our new house. 

Why did the family decide to move?

Who was behind the scary noises?

What did the writer do when the kids made fun of his new house?

What was Alfred wearing when the writer saw him in the hall?

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

Alex and Jack like to play catch while their mom is doing the housework. Today it’s raining outside, but Jack wants to try out his new baseball glove.

The boys toss the baseball back and forth a few times in the living room. Then Alex kicks up his leg and hurls the baseball with a spin. The ball sails through the room. Jack stretches out his arm, but he is too late. The ball flies past him and crashes into a potted plant that breaks into pieces.

“Now look what you did!” yells Jack. He drops his glove and runs to the plant.

Alex hurries to clean up the mess. Jack carefully holds the plant while Alex sweeps up the dirt and broken pieces. Neither boy hears the front door open or notices Mom enter the room.

“What are you doing with that plant?” Mom asks.

“Um, the plant seems too big for its pot,” mumbles Jack. “We thought we’d replant it.”

“Really? When did you boys start liking plants?” Mom raises an eyebrow and glances at the baseball that is lying where the plant once stood.

“When we started playing catch in the house,” admits Alex. “Sorry, Mom. We’ll take care of the plant. It needs a new pot.”

“Great,” Mom says. “And you two can help me in the garden all next week.” 

What keeps the boys from going outside? 

How does Mom know that the boys played ball in the house? 

What is the punishment for the boys?

What is the story mainly about? 

What is a Relay Race?

Written by Scott Amundson

A relay race is a sports event. The point is to see which team is the fastest. The team members each take turns participating in the race.

The relay race could involve running, skiing, swimming, or skating. The most common types of relay races are running races. The most popular are the 100-meter and the 300-meter.

During a relay, the runner passes a baton to the next runner. A baton is a metal rod. That runner then passes the baton to the next runner, and so on. The team loses if someone drops the baton.

Swimming relay races do not use batons. Instead, a swimmer just touches the wall. The next swimmer jumps into the pool and swims his or her part of the race, which is called a leg. Each leg is important to the success of the team. One bad leg can cost the team the race.

There are many relay races in the Olympics. The Olympics are games where countries compete with each other. 

When you participate in a running relay race, you have to _____.

In swimming relay races, swimmers in a team need to _____.

Read and answer the following questions.

Super Cats, Super Senses

Written by Kari Herreman

A long time ago, people thought that cats were special and had superpowers. They thought cats could see things that people could not. They thought cats could hear things that people could not. Now, we know more about cats. We know that they have super senses, but they do not have superpowers. Cats see very well in the dark, so wild cats hunt at night. Pet cats also play at night. Cats do not see well in full light. They sleep during the day. Cats also hear tiny sounds. They hear mice squeak. They hear birds scratch. People cannot hear these tiny sounds. Cats feel very slight movements. They also feel with their whiskers. Cats use their sensitive sense of touch to hunt. These may seem like superpowers. In fact, they are just cats' super senses!

Source: Mobymax Reading Stories G1.4-1.6

Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

Based on the passage, which of the following can be concluded?

Read the passage and answer the questions.

Lacrosse

Lacrosse is another popular sport in Canada. It is one of the oldest organized sports in America. The Native Americans in northern New York State and southern Ontario, Canada, invented lacrosse. They used it to train for war. They invented this game before Columbus arrived in New York.

People play lacrosse outdoors. The field is seventy meters long. At each end of the field, there is a goal. The goal is a net. There are ten players on each team. Each player has a stick called a crosse. The players hit a ball that is 21 centimeters around and weighs 140 grams. They try to hit the ball into the net as many times as possible. Lacrosse is a very fast game because the players can catch and pass the ball at a high speed with their sticks.

At one time lacrosse was the national summer sport in Canada. It is also popular in Britain and Australia.

Source: Thoughts and Notions

Where do people play lacrosse?

What are the things lacrosse needs to have?

Why is lacrosse a fast game?