TOEFL Primary Step 2 Test #27 - Reading

When you speak very low, you _____. You do not want others to hear what your talk, you ____.

You do this when you want to buy something at a cheaper price. You try to talk to the seller to have the item with the price you can buy. What is this?

This building is very old. It was built a long time ago. This means it is the _____ building.

You need to have this before you make a dress. This will help you know how your dress looks like and what color it is. What is it?

You do this with paper to make origami. You can do this before you put clothes in the wardrobe. When you do exercise, you sometimes do this. You are _____.

When you put water in the refrigerator, it is _____. After walking in the snow, your feet are _____.

You need to prepare this first if you want to make or cook something. Your clothes are made from this. What is it?

This is a plant that has a white color. It is added to food to make a strong taste. It is good for people who have the flu. What is this?

You do this to borrow CDs from the shop. You have to pay money for it. When you are new to a city, you need to do this to have a house or a hotel to stay? You are _____.

Read the letter. Then answer the questions.

Hi Lina,

It was so great to meet you at the summer camp in the USA. I really enjoyed learning more English with you. I have learned so many interesting things from you all. I've never had so much fun in a class before! It is great that our class has a Viber group, but I also like writing emails. I wrote to Sasumi yesterday. He says he's thinking of going to summer camp again next year. I also sent Rachal a text, but he hasn't answered back yet. Have you still keep in touch with him? I have to go now. My Portuguese class starts in five minutes.

Love,

Evan

How was Evan's trip to the USA?

What is Sasumi's plan for the trip next year?

Read the letter. Then answer the questions.

Dear Martia,

Good morning, my little girl. Hope you had a good night's sleep. I know that when you read this letter, I am on a flight to Taiwan. I am sorry for not saying goodbye to you directly. But don't worry, I will be back soon if the seminars finish earlier than planned. That is such a pity that I cannot attend your school festival. Your kit for Saturday's Sports Day is in your cupboard. Let me know if anything needs washing. Nanny Plum will come with you at 13:00pm. She said she would make your favorite pasta. I bet you are jumping with joy. 

See you when I get home. 

Dad, 

What is the letter mainly about?

What does the father feel sorry about?

Read the menu. Then answer the questions.

How many main dishes are there on the menu?

Which dessert is NOT included in this meal?

How much do students have to pay for the lunch?

Read the program. Then answer the questions.

When is the concert?

Who will probably perform first?

Which grades will sing Jingle Bell Rock?

What will they have for a snack?

Read the story. Then answer the questions.

A tired and irritated man arrived home late from work.  When he reached home, he found his 5-year-old son waiting for him at door. 

"Daddy, may I ask you a question?" the boy asked.

"Yeah, sure, what is it?" the father replied.

"Daddy, how much do you make an hour?" the son inquired.

"If you must know, I make $100 for an hour," the father replied.

With his head down, the son quietly said, "Oh! Daddy, may I please borrow $50?"

Furious, the father scolded, "If the only reason you asked for all this is to buy silly toys or nonsense, then go straight to your room!"

The boy went to his room and shut the door. The man later regretted being so harsh because he understood that his son didn't often ask for money.

He went to his son's room and asked, "Are you asleep, son?"

"No, Daddy, I am awake," the boy replied.

The man softened and said, "I have been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you. Here's the money you asked for."

Excited, the boy pulled out some money from under his pillow and said, "Thank you, Daddy! Now I have enough."

Confused, the man asked, "Why did you ask for money if you already have some?"

The boy smiled and replied, "Because I didn't have enough, but now I do. Daddy, I have $100 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you."

The father was touched. He hugged his son tightly and promised to spend more time together.

Why did the father get angry with his son when he asked to borrow money?

What changed the father's mind about lending money to his son?

What did the boy actually want from his father?

What did the father promise his son at the end of the story?

Read the story. Then answer the questions.

A crow who had recently learned to fly, flying from one place to another, noticed that humans fed chilies to parrots and feed grains to white doves. Crow was hungry and hoping that someone would give him some food as well, he cawed but nobody took notice of him. He thought to himself, "It's better to be a dove than a crow." 

Just then he saw that someone had left a bucket full of white paint out in open. Seeing that he had an idea. He jumped into bucket of paint and before workers came, he flew out. Now, he was as white as a dove. Then he flew towards doves and settled next to them. He pecked at grains given to doves. None of the dove noticed him that he was a crow. 
Crow was so happy that he cawed loudly. "Caw Caw." Immediately doves knew that this bird in white was a crow. They started cooing loudly and this poor crow had to fly away. 

"I never knew doves could be so wild.", He thought to himself. 

A little while later, crow saw a flock of crows and thought, "Ah! My friends ..." 

He flew towards them but crows were startled to see a white bird flying among them and they all flew away, leaving him behind. Crow became sad and to add to his problems, it started raining. Crow rushed to find shelter but then he saw that rain was washing away the paint. He was black once again. 

Crow was happy to be himself again. Later, he joined another flock of crows cawing loudly, proud of his black color.

Which animal is fed with grains?

What did the crow do to be fed like other doves?

Why did the poor crow have to fly away?

What can we learn from the story?

Read the story. Then answer the questions.

Thousands of miles from Earth, on the far side of the universe, is a small planet, Fliptune. It is dark and cold, far from the sun, behind a much bigger planet. Little green aliens live there. They use torches to see.

One day, a young alien, Neila, put the wrong batteries in her torch. Suddenly, there was a dazzling beam of light. It went up into the sky, around the sun and hit planet Earth. The light hit a boy called Billy and his dog, Splodge. Neila quickly turned the torch off, but the pair were sucked up by the light. They flew through space and landed near Neila.

‘Hello,’ said Billy. Neila waved.

‘Wow!’ said Billy. ‘Everything’s made of ice cream!’ Splodge licked his paw.

‘The ice cream never melts, and nobody eats it. It’s too cold here,’ said Neila.

‘It will in my tummy,’ thought Splodge.

Neila looked sad. ‘Can you help us?’ she said. ‘We need sunshine to make things grow.’

‘No problem,’ said Billy. ‘Can you get us home? I have an idea.’

‘Wait there!’ said Neila.

She got her torch, put the wrong batteries in again – ZOOM! Billy and Splodge were speeding back to Earth. Billy pointed his bedroom mirror between the sun and Fliptune. The sun’s rays bounced off the mirror and up onto Neila’s planet.

Thanks to Billy, Fliptune is not cold anymore. Splodge moves the mirror each day to keep the sun shining there. Now Neila and her friends sit in the sun and enjoy all that free ice cream.

Who lived in Fliptune?

Billy was so surprised with the planet because ____.

What did Neila want Billy to help?

What made Billy and Splodge fly to Fliptune and back?

Read the text. Then answer the questions.

The ancient Egyptians created many impressive buildings. What is perhaps most impressive is that they built these structures without the help of the machines we have today. Some of the most famous structures the ancient Egyptians built were the pyramids. The pyramids are triangle-shaped buildings that are out in the desert. They were used as tombs for ancient Egyptian Pharaohs and their families. "Pharaoh" is the name of the ruler of ancient Egypt, like a king or an emperor.

So far, archeologists, historians who study ancient cultures, have found over 100 pyramids in Egypt. They are still exploring so are likely to find more.

Outside many of the pyramids, the ancient Egyptians built large statues called Sphinx. These statues are of imaginary creatures. The creatures have the head of a man or bird and the body, legs, and tail of a lion. They were built in front of the pyramids as guards for the tombs of the Pharaohs.

What is the most famous structure in Egypt?

What are imaginary creatures used for?

Read the text. Then answer the questions.

Kimonos were very popular for a long time. As they began getting more popular, people became interested in different colors and fabrics. They matched bright fabrics with seasons. Also, in the past, you could match colors to the social and political class. By looking at someone's kimono, you could tell what part of society they belonged to.

In the western world and other countries, people wear a lot of accessories. They may wear jewelry like rings and necklaces. People often wear hats and fancy shoes. The Japanese did not dress like this, however. Instead, they expressed their style and taste with the fabric of their kimono. Kimono designers used their fabric as a canvas. Like an artist who paints pictures, people would design very elegant images on their fabric. Some kimonos were even painted with ink!

What can you guess by looking at the kimono?

Which accessories that the Japanese do not like to wear with kimono?