TOEFL Primary Step 2 Test #3 - Reading

It is a very high hill with rocks near the top. Many people like climbing it. What is it?

You need it to dry your hair and your body after you take a shower. It is a piece of cloth. What is it?

You can use it to cut your food. It goes with a fork. It is usually made of metal. What is it?

This person is not weak. This person can lift heavy things. This person is usually muscular. He is _____.

If you have your favorite books or comics, you can spend your free time doing this.

It runs in the street. It has 4 wheels. It can help you stay dry on a rainy day. What is it?

You go to a shop or a mall to buy something. What do you do?

A young man went to a clothing store. He took a T-shirt but he did not pay for it. What was he doing?

You must go to school in the morning but you cannot get up early. You don’t go to school on time so you are _____.

Read an email. Then answer the questions.

Today, at the end of the school, the principal talked to the students about their school trip tomorrow.

"Good afternoon, students. Don't forget that tomorrow is the school picnic at the City Zoo. Please bring your own lunch and $5.00 for the zoo ticket. Be at school by 8:45. The buses will leave at 9:00. Don't be late! See you tomorrow!"

(Adapted from Reading Starter 1 by John Thomas)

What is true about lunch tomorrow?

Why do the students need to bring money?

Read Mary's diary entry and answer the questions.

July 25 

When I grow up, I want to be a zookeeper. I really love elephants. They are huge animals. Children are always surprised and happy to see how big they are. 

It would be fun to take care of them. I would feed them and give them a bath. I would even wash their tusks! Maybe I could ride an elephant. We could be great friends.

(Adapted from Reading Starter 1 by John Thomas)

What is this text about?

How does she feel about elephants?

Read the text. Then answer the questions.

At the start of each week, the cooks at our school make a menu. It shows what the students will eat for lunch each day. Sometimes, the students use a fork and knife to eat their food. Sometimes, they pick up the food with their hands. They look forward to eating lunch each day! But there is no lunch on Wednesday. This Wednesday is a holiday. 

(Adapted from Reading Starter 1 by John Thomas)

What does the menu mostly show?

On what day is there no lunch?

What does the word "cooks" mean?

Why is there no school on Wednesday?

Read the instruction. Then answer the questions.

Using the computer

First, find and click on the paint program on your computer. 

After your paint program opens, look at the screen. On the left, you can see many small pictures called icons. Click on the pencil icon. 

Using the pencil, draw a picture on the screen. If you make a mistake, don't worry. Just use the eraser icon to get rid of any mistakes. 

Now you are finished with your drawing. 

Do you think it looks boring? Add a little color! Click on the paintbrush icon to add color. Now you're done!

(Adapted from Reading Starter 2 by John Thomas)

What is this reading about?

What do icons do?

What is the last thing to do when drawing on a computer?

Read the story. Then answer the questions.

Sarah and her friends, Jack, Emma, and Mike, loved mysteries. They decided to form a detective club called "The Mystery Solvers." They wanted to solve small mysteries around their neighborhood and have fun together.

One sunny afternoon, Mrs. Johnson, their neighbor, lost her cat. She was worried and asked for their help.

"We will find your cat, Mrs. Johnson," said Sarah confidently.

The detective club began their search. They followed paw prints and asked people if they had seen the cat.

"I saw a cat near the park," said Jack excitedly.

They rushed to the park and found the cat hiding in a bush. Mrs. Johnson was overjoyed.

As "The Mystery Solvers" gained fame, more people asked for their help. They found lost keys, solved riddles, and even uncovered a buried treasure at the old abandoned house.

Their detective skills and teamwork led them to exciting adventures. They became heroes in their neighborhood, and their friendship grew stronger.

"We make a great team," said Emma with a smile.

The group of friends continued their detective work, always ready for their next adventure.

In the story, what motivated the friends to start their detective club?

What hint did the friends discover about the cat?

In the story, which item is NOT found by the club?

What was one of the outcomes of the friends working together?

Read the story. Then answer the questions.

As a child, Alain Robert was afraid of heights. One day, when he was 12, he returned home from school. At the front door of his building, he looked for his keys. He didn't have them. It was 3:50, and his parents worked until 6:00 pm. Robert looked at his apartment on the eighth floor. He saw an open window. He closed his eyes and pictured himself climbing the building. When he opened his eyes, he told himself, "I can do it". Fifteen minutes later, he was in his house, and his fear of heights was gone. 

Today, Robert (a native of France) still climbs buildings. In 2004, he climbed Taipei 101 (the tallest building in the world at the time), and in 2011 he climbed the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai. To reach the top of a building, Robert usually uses only his hands and special shoes to climb the Burj Khalifa tower, though, he was made to wear safety ropes.

Robert climbs as a hobby. He also does it to make money for charity (for children and the homeless). When he climbs, he wants to send a message to people. If you have a dream - something you really want to do it can become real. But you must be brave and keep trying. If something bad happens, don't give up. Close your eyes and tell yourself, "I can do it."

(Adapted from Active Skills for Reading Intro by Neil J Anderson)

What is the main idea of this passage?

When Robert climbs a building, he usually uses ____.

Robert climbs for two reasons. What are they?

If you feel afraid of doing something, what is Robert's advice?

Read the story. Then answer the questions.

It's the week before school starts. Alicia Gonzalez is shopping for clothes with two friends, Nina and Vicki, Alicia puts on a black jacket turns to her friends, and says, "Hey, what do you think?"

The girls look at her and both start laughing. "No way, Alicia!"

Nina laughs. "That is a guys jacket."

Alicia frowns angrily. "Yeah, well... I like it."

"Yeah," says Vicki, "but what will people at school say?" Alicia thinks for a moment. Then she takes off the jacket. "Yeah, you are right."

Peer pressure, we all know about it. Your friends wear certain clothes or listen to certain music. You don't want to be different. So you do those things, too.

Fifteen minutes later, Alicia is still thinking about the black jacket: "Yeah, there's pressure to follow the crowd," she explains. "If your clothes or hair are different, people make fun of you. You know, they laugh and point."

Vicki agrees. "It's true. You even have to have a certain kind of boyfriend or girlfriend! I think these rules are childish. But when you are different, you feel like an outsider. And that is hard." Alicia walks away. "Hey Alicia," calls Nina. "Where are you going?"

"To get the black jacket. I don't care about what others think, I like it, and I am buying it."

(Adapted from Active Skills for Reading Intro by Neil J Anderson)

What do Alicia's friends think of the black jacket?

Why does Alicia take off the black jacket?

What is the meaning of "peer pressure"?

At the end, Alicia _____.

Read the non-fiction passage. Then answer the questions.

Table manners differ around the world. When visiting a friend's home for a meal, it's good to know the customs they follow. 

In Morocco, bring a gift of sweet pastries, nuts, figs, dates, or flowers to the hostess. In many traditional homes, people often sit on the floor to eat a meal. Everyone shares food from the same plate in the center of the table. Remember to use your right hand to eat and only eat the food in front of you. 

In Tanzania, it is polite to try a bite of everything. Everyone may take food from the same plate, but it is not usual for people to share drinks. You may compliment the cook on a delicious meal but don't exaggerate. In some parts of Tanzania, men and women sit at different tables. Also remember: It is common to take off your shoes in the home, but it is rude to show the bottom of your foot.

Which hand do you eat with in Morocco?

In Tanzania, it is impolite to _____.

Read the non-fiction passage. Then answer the questions.

A rainbow is a beautiful natural phenomenon that appears in the sky. It's a band of colors that forms an arc shape, usually ranging from red to violet. The colors of the rainbow always appear in the same order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Rainbows are caused by the sun's rays passing through water droplets in the air. When the sun shines through the droplets at a certain angle, the light is refracted and split into its different colors, creating the colorful arc we see in the sky.

Which color is not included in rainbows as described in the passage?

What causes the formation of rainbows in the sky?