Materi Reading Skill 1

MATERI 2
READING COMPREHENSION
SKILL I: ANSWER MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS CORRECTLY

Almost every reading passage on the paper TOEFL test or computer TOEFL test will have a
multiple-choice question about the main idea of a passage. Such a question may be worded in
a variety of ways; you may, for example, be asked to identify the topic, subject, title, primary idea,
or main idea. These questions are all really asking what primary point the author is trying to get
across in the passage. Since TOEFL passages are generally written in a traditionally organized
manner, it is relatively easy to find the main ideas by studying the topic sentences, which are most
probably found at the beginning of each paragraph.
If a passage consists of only one paragraph, you should study the beginning of that paragraph to
determine the main idea. Look at a multiple-choice example from the paper TOEFL test that asks
about the topic of a passage with one paragraph.
Example from the Paper TOEFL Test
The passage:
In the philosophy ofJohn Dewey, a sharp distinction is made between intelligence and reasoning.
According to Dewey, intelligence is the only absolute way to achieve a balance between realism and
idealism, between practicality and wisdom of life. Intelligence involves "interacting withother things
and knowing them," while reasoning is merely the act of an observer, "... a mind that beholds or
grasps objects outside the world of things .... "With reasoning, a level of mental certainty can be
achieved, but it is through intelligence that control is taken of events that shape one's life.
The question:
What is the topic of this passage?
(A) The intelligence ofJohn Dewey
(B) Distinctions made by John Dewey
(C) Dewey's ideas on the ability to reason
(D) How intelligence differs from reasoning in Dewey's works
This question asks about the topic of the passage. Because this passage has only one paragraph,
you should look at the first sentence of the passage to answer this question. The first sentence of this
passage discusses a distinction between the ideas of intelligence and reasoning in the philosophy
ofJohn Dewey, so this is probably the topic. A quick check of the rest of the sentences in the
passage confirms that the topic is in fact the difference between intelligence and reasoning. Now
you should check each of the answers to determine which one comes closest to the topic that you
have determined. Answer (A) mentions only intelligence, so it is not the topic. Answer (B)
mentions distinctions thatJohn Dewey made, but it does not say specifically what type of
distinctions. Answer (C) mentions only reasoning, so answer (C) is incomplete. The best answer is
therefore (D); the idea of how intelligence dif fers from reasoning comes from the first sentence of
the passage, which mentions a sharp distinction ... between intelligence and reasoning.
If a passage consists of more than one paragraph, you should study the beginning of each
paragraph to determine the main idea. Look at a multiple-choice example from the computer
TOEFL test that asks about the title of a passage with more than one paragraph.
Example
Nitrogen fixation is a process by which nitrogen is continuously fed into biological
circulation. In this process, certain algae and bacteria convert nitrogen into ammonia (NH3).This
newly-created ammonia is then forthe most part absorbed by plants.
The opposite process of denitrification returns nitrogen to the air. During the process of
denitrification, bacteria cause some of the nitrates from the soil toconvert into gaseous nitrogen or
nitrous oxide (N20).In this gaseous form, the nitrogen returns to the atmosphere.
Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A. The Process of Nitrogen Fixation
B. Two Nitrogen Processes
C. The Return of Nitrogen to the Air
D. The Effect of Nitrogen on Plant Life
This question asks you about the best title for the passage. In a passage with more than one
paragraph, you should be sure to read the first sentence of each paragraph to determine the
subject, topic, title, or main idea. In this example, the first sentence of the first paragraph
indicates that the first paragraph is about the process of nitrogen .fixation. If you look only at the
first paragraph, you might choose the incorrect first answer, which would be a good title for the
first paragraph only. The first sentence of the second paragraph indicates that the process of
denitrijication is discussed in the second paragraph. The third answer is incorrect because the return
of nitrogen to the air is the process of denitrification, and this is discussed in the second paragraph
only. The last answer is incorrect because the effect of nitrogen on plant life is not discussed in this
passage. The best answer to this question is the second answer; the two nitrogen processes are
nitrogen .fixation, which is discussed in the first paragraph, and denitrijication, which is discussed
in the second paragraph.
TOEFL EXERCISE 1: Study each of the passages and choose the best answers to the questions
that follow. In this exercise, each passage is followed by several main idea, topic, or title
questions so that the students can practice this type of question. On the TOEFL test, one passage
would probably not have two such questions because they are so similar.
PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-2)
Fort Knox, Kentucky, is the site of a U.S. army post, but it is even more renowned for the Fort
Knox Bullion Depository, the massive vault that contains the bulk of the U.S. government's gold
deposits. Completed in 1936, the vault is housed in a two-story building constructed of granite,
steel, and concrete; the vault itself is made of steel and concrete and has a door that weighs
morethan twenty tons. Naturally, the most up-to-date security devices available are in place at Fort
Knox, and the army post nearby provides further protection.
1. Which of the following best describes the topic of the passage?
(A) The city of Fort Knox, Kentucky
@) The federal gold depository
(C) The U.S. army post at Fort Knox
(D) Gold bullion
2. Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
(A) The Massive Concrete Vault
(B) Fort Knox Security
(c) Where the United States Keeps Its Gold
(D) A Visit to Kentucky
PASSAGE TWO (Questions 3-4)

One identifying characteristic of minerals is their relative hardness, which can be determined by
scratching one mineral with another. In this type of test, a harder mineral can scratch a softer one,
but a softer mineral is unable to scratch the harder one. The Mohs' hardness scale is used to rank
minerals according to hardness. Ten minerals are listed in this scale, ranging from talc with a
hardness of 1 to diamond with a hardness of 10. On this scale, quartz (number 7 is harder than
feldspar (number 6) and is therefore able to scratch it; however, feldspar is unable to make a mark
on quartz.
3. Which of the following best states the subject of this passage?
(A) The hardness of diamonds
(B) Identifying minerals by means of a scratch test
(C) Feldspar on the Mohs' scale
(D) Recognizing minerals in their natural state
4. The main idea of this passage is that

(A) the hardness of a mineral can be determined by its ability to make a mark on other minerals
(B) diamonds, with a hardness of 10 on the Mohs' scale, can scratch all other minerals
( C) a softer mineral cannot be scratched by a harder mineral
(D) talc is the first mineral listed on the Mohs' scale
PASSAGE THREE (Questions 5-6)
Hurricanes generally occur in the North Atlantic from May through November, with the peak
of the hurricane season in September; only rarely will they occur from December through April in
that part of the ocean. The main reason for the occurrence of hurricanes during this period is that the
temperature on the water's surface is at its warmest and the humidity of the air is at its highest.
Of the tropical storms that occur each year in the North Atlantic, only about five, on the
average, are powerful enough to be called hurricanes. To be classified as a hurricane, a tropical storm
must have winds reaching speeds of at least 11 7 kilometers per hour, but the winds are often much
stronger than that; the winds of intense hurricanes can easily surpass 240 kilometers per hour.
5. The passage mainly discusses

(A) how many hurricanes occur each year
(B) the strength of hurricanes
(C) the weather in the North Atlantic
(D) hurricanes in one part of the world
6. The best title for this passage would be

(A) The North Atlantic Ocean
(B) Storms of the Northern Atlantic
(C) Hurricanes: The Damage and Destruction
(D) What Happens from May through November
PASSAGE FOUR (Questions 7-9)
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) was perhaps the best-known American poet of
the nineteenth century. His clear writing style and emphasis on the prevalent values of the period
made him popular with the general public if not always with the critics. He was particularly
recognized fo his longer narrative poems Evangeline, The Song ofHiawatha, and The Courtship
ofMiles Standish, in which he told stories from American history in terms of the values of the time.
Evangeline was set during the French and Indian War (1754-1763), when the British forced
French settlers from Nova Scotia; two lovers, Gabriel and Evangeline, were separated by the British,
and Evangeline devoted her lifetime to the search for Gabriel. With its emphasis on sentimental,
undying love, Evangeline was immensely popular with the public.
In The Song ofHiawatha, Longfellow depicted the noble life of the American Indian through
the story of the brave 1-fiawatha and his beloved wife Minehaha. The tear-inspiring poem follows
Hiawatha through the tragedies and triumphs of life, ending with the death of Minehaha and
Hiawatha's departure into the sunset in his canoe.
The Courtship ofMiles Standish takes place during the early period of the settlement of Ne
England, a period which was viewed as a time of honor and romance. In this poem centered around
a love triangle, Miles Standish asks his friend John Alden to propose to Priscilla Mullins for him;John
Alden ends up marrying Priscilla Mullins himself, and it takes time for his friendship with Miles
Standish to recover. As with Longfellow's other narrative poems, the emphasis on high ideals and
romance made the poem extremely popular.
7. Which of the following best describes the main idea of the passage?
(A) American history is often depicted in poetry.
(B) Longfellow described American history even though people really did not enjoy it.
(C) The popularity of Longfellow's poems results from his stress on the values of the people.
(D) Longfellow wrote long narrative poems that were not always popular with the critics.
8. The best title of the passage is

(A) Longfellow's Popular Appeal
(B) Historical Narrative Poems
(C) The Lyric, Dramatic, and Narrative Poems of Longfellow
(D) Longfellow and the Critics
9. The subject of the fourth paragraph is

(A) nobility and honor in the poems of Longfellow
(B) the love triangle involving Miles Standish
(C) the popular appeal of The Courtship ofMiles Standish
(D) the period of the early settlement of New England

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MATERI 2

SKILL I: ANSWER MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS CORRECTLY

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-2)

PASSAGE TWO (Questions 3-4)

4. The main idea of this passage is that

5. The passage mainly discusses

6. The best title for this passage would be

PASSAGE FOUR (Questions 7-9)

8. The best title of the passage is

9. The subject of the fourth paragraph is

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