TOEFL Primary Step 2 Test #55 - Reading

You cannot go for a picnic at the park because it is raining heavily.

It is ______ outside.

This is a piece of special glass that you usually put on the wall. You can see yourself when you look at it.

What is it?

This is a small meal that you have in the late evening before going to bed. You can have a snack or a drink.

What is it?

This is a boat that carries people and often vehicles across a river or a narrow area of water. 

What is it?

This is a group of people who are related to each other, such as a mother, a father, and their children.

What is it?

This is ​a violent storm with very strong winds that move in a circle. It is able to destroy buildings as it moves across the ground.

What is it?

This is a door, gate, passage, etc. that we use for entering a room, building or place. There could be a man standing there to open the door or gate for you.

What is it?

When the temperature is higher, ice is gradually becoming liquid. 

It is _____.

This is a feeling of happiness or pleasure because you have achieved something or got what you wanted.

What is it?

Read the email. Then answer the questions.

Hi John,

It was great to hear from you. Yes, thanks, I had a great time visiting my family. The best day was when we all went for a walk together. We started walking at midday and a short time later, something really funny happened. We were walking along by the side of a river when my brother decided to try and jump across it. Suddenly, we saw him run towards the river, so we all stopped to watch him. Unfortunately, the river was wider than he thought and he landed right in the middle. At first, we didn't say anything, but then my brother started laughing. That made the rest of us laugh, too. In the end, my sister went to help him get out of the river. As you can imagine, he was very wet! Anyway, I'll call you soon to see when I can show you the photos.

Love,

Jane 

What happened to Jane's brother?

Why did Jane write to John?

Read the email. Then answer the questions.

Hi Peter,

My name's Bert and I'm from Belgium. I'm writing to you as part of the Link up project.

I live in Ghent with my parents and brother. There are 900 students in my school, but only eighteen in my class. I usually walk to school with my friends.

I enjoy foreign films and I'm a member of a film club. I'm attaching a photo of me and my friends from one of our film nights. I'm the dark-haired one in the middle of the bottom row. The guy in the top left-hand corner is my friend Yura. The blonde­ haired girl to the right of Yura is Marianne. The attractive girl behind me is Ellie. She's very clever, but modest, too. At the back, behind Ellie, is Kara. The guy in the top right-hand corner is Dirk. He's my best mate. We always play football together at the weekend.

Can you send me a photo of you and your friends when you email me back? I hope to hear from you soon.

Bye,

Bert 

Why did Bert write to Peter?

How many people were there in the picture?

Read the poster. Then answer the questions.

Who can't participate in the competition?

What needs to be included in each poster?

Which of the following is NOT true?

Read the tips. Then answer the questions.

According to the text, what might lack of sleep lead to?

You can start doing exercise with _____.

What can help you lead a more active life?

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

Jamie was tired. She had been on her feet for hours. Her mom owned a small but busy restaurant in town. Three of her mom’s employees had called in sick that morning. There was a big festival in the city park that day, and Jamie had wanted to go. But her mom had asked for her help at the restaurant.

All Jamie wanted to do was sit down for a while. Instead, she hurried around the restaurant, taking orders and refilling coffee cups. As soon as one table was cleared, a new set of customers walked in. The customers just kept coming! That meant more orders and more coffee.

“Order up!” called the cook from the kitchen. Jamie stared at the kitchen. She thought about all of the food stalls at the festival. Cooks there were preparing special foods from all over the world. Jamie imagined the delicious smells of new foods.

“Hurry, Jamie!” the cook called, catching Jamie lost in thought.

“I’m coming,” Jamie complained. But her mom had already picked up the plates of hot food from the counter and delivered them to a table by the window.

“Wake up, Jamie,” her mom said. “I know you don’t want to be here, but I need your help.”

How many employees were absent from work on that day?

What did Jamie do to help at the restaurant?

Why was Jamie daydreaming? 

What is the most suitable title for the story? 

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

When Alex first looked at the map, he thought it was just an old piece of newspaper. Looking closer, however, he noticed the instructions. He ran across the beach to show it to his older sister.

“Nina! Look at this!” he shouted, waving the map in her face. “What does it say?”

Nina stopped working on her sand castle and took the map from Alex’s hands. “Start at the dock and take three steps toward the water,’” she read aloud. “Turn to the right and walk  20 steps. Dig 1 foot down for the key.’ Alex, what is this?”

“It’s a map for a hidden treasure!” Alex said breathlessly. He took the map and read slowly and clearly. “Carry the key to the old boathouse.” “Where’s the boathouse, Nina?”

“It’s over there,” said Nina as she pointed toward the dock. “The instructions say to look for a yellow bird cage and then find a second key. Where did you get this map, Alex?”

Alex pointed toward a cluster of beach umbrellas. “Dad gave it to me,” he said. Nina thought she could see their father pretending to read while he watched them talk, but he quickly ducked back behind his book. “He said a pirate gave it to him!” Alex said.

“I see,” Nina said. She thought for a moment and then smiled brightly. “Well, let’s go find some treasure.”

What did Alex think the treasure map was at first? 

What is the first instruction on the treasure map? 

Who was the true maker of the treasure map?

What did Nina decide to do at the end?

Read the passage and answer the questions.

The Dolphin

Can dolphins talk? Maybe they can't talk with words, but they talk with sounds. They show their feelings with sounds. Dolphins travel in a group. We call a group of fish a "school." They don't study, but they travel together. Dolphins are mammals, not fish, but they swim together in a school. 

Dolphins talk to the other dolphins in the school. They give information. They tell when they are happy or sad or afraid. They say "Welcome" when a dolphin comes back to the school. They talk when they play. They make a few sounds above water. They make many more sounds underwater. People cannot hear these sounds because the sounds are very, very high. Scientists make tapes of the sounds and study them. 

Sometimes people catch dolphins for a large aquarium. (An aquarium is a zoo for fish.) People can watch the dolphins in a show. Dolphins don't like to be away from their school in an aquarium. They are sad and lonely.  There are many stories about dolphins. They help people. Sometimes they save somebody's life. Dolphin meat is good, but people don't like to kill them. They say that dolphins bring good luck. Many people believe this.

Source: Facts and Figures

Why can't people hear sounds from dolphins?

Dolphins like to be ____.

What is the main idea of the text?

Read the passage and answer the questions.

It’s not hard to see why cheeseburgers, fries, pizza, and ice cream are popular. They’re delicious! But not everything that tastes good is good for you. The next time you need to feed, consider healthy snacks.

Nearly everyone loves french fries made from potatoes. Did you know that other root vegetables taste great, too? Root vegetables include beets, carrots, and sweet potatoes. They contain important vitamins and minerals, and they can all do the jobs a potato can do. Raw carrots are crunchy and satisfying. Cooked beets and sweet potatoes are full of flavor. Peel them and cut them into strips, just like fries. Raw carrots are crunchy, and when beets and sweet potatoes are cooked, they are sweet. Give them a try! You’ll forget all about french fries.

Discovering new foods can be fun. Plus, if you eat healthful foods, you’ll be less likely to get sick. You’ll also have more energy to run and play. And you will be able to think more clearly and for longer periods of time. So start snacking smartly! 

What is the passage mostly about? 

Which is NOT a kind of healthy snacks?

Which of the following is TRUE?

Read the passage and answer the questions.

The Oldest Treasure Map

You’ve probably read stories or seen movies about treasure maps. Maybe a pirate was looking for buried treasure. Maybe an explorer was seeking a lost fortune. Most treasure maps are made up by storytellers, but one treasure map is very real and very old.

The Copper Scroll is a treasure map like no other. Instead of being written on paper or animal skin, this map is written on copper. The map is from the Middle East and is over 2,000 years old. Because it is made from copper, the map didn’t hold up very well over time. Researchers had to cut the map into strips and then carefully put them back together.

The map’s writing is difficult to read, so people aren’t sure what it says. Most think the map lists the places where silver and gold were buried. But so far, none of the treasure listed on the map has been found. However, the map is still important. It has helped researchers learn more about how people spoke and wrote thousands of years ago. 

Source: Daily Reading Comprehension Grade 4

Who created most treasure maps in the world?

What is an effect of the map written on copper? 

Why are people unsure about what the treasure map says?