TOEFL EXERCISE SKILL READING 1-6 (Fadila Rachma Arsyagami 1820116 AK 2D)
TOEFL EXERCISE SKILL READING 1-6 (Fadila Rachma Arsyagami 1820116 AK 2D)
TOEFL EXERCISE SKILL READING 1-6 (Fadila Rachma Arsyagami 1820116 AK 2D)
No.Bp : 1820116
Class : AK 2D
1. Reading skill 1
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 for his longer narrative poems Evangeline, The
Song of Hiawatha, and The Courtship of Miles 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 of Hiawatha, Longfellow depicted the noble life of the American Indian
through the story of the brave Hiawatha and his beloved wife Minnehaha. The tear-
inspiring poem follows Hiawatha through the tragedies and triumphs of life, ending
with the death of Minnehaha and Hiawatha’s departure into the sunset in his canoe.
The Courtship of Miles Standish takes place during the early period of the settlement of
New 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.
1) Which of the following best describes the main idea of the passage?
a. American history is often depicted in poetry.
b. Longfellow history 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. Long fellow wrote long narrative poems that were not always popular
with the critics
2) 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
Although the Great Salt Lake is fed by freshwater streams, it is actually saltier than
the oceans of the world. The salt comes from the more than two million tons if
minerals that flow into the lake each year from the rivers and creeks that feed it.
Sodium and chloride – the components of salt – comprise the large majority of the
lake’s mineral content.
The Great Salt Lake can vary tremendously from its normal size of 1,700 square
miles, depending on long-term weather conditions. During periods of heavy rains,
the size of the lake can swell tremendously from the huge amounts of water flowing
into the lake from its feeder rivers and streams; in 1980 the lake even reached a size
of 2,400 square miles. During periods of dry weather, the size of the lake decreases,
sometimes drastically, due to evaporation.
The Golden Age of Railroads refers to the period from the end of the Civil War to
the beginning of World War I when railroads flourished and in fact maintained a
near monopoly in mass transportation in the United States. One of the significant
developments during the period was the notable increase in uniformity, particularly
through the standardization of track gauge and time.
At the end of the Civil War, only about half of the nation’s railroad track was laid
at what is now the standard gauge of 1, 4 meters; much of the rest, particularly in
the southern states, had a 1.5-meter gauge. During the postwar years, tracks were
converted to the 1.4- meter gauge, and by June 1, 1886, the standardization of
tracks was completed, resulting in increased efficiency and economy in the rail
system.
A further boon to railroad efficiency was the implementation of Standard Time in
1883. With the adoption of Standard Time, four time zones were established across
the country, thus simplifying railroad scheduling and improving the efficiency of
railroad service.
1) The number of bird species that have become extinct in the United States since
1600 most probably is
a. more than 100
b. exactly 100
c. less than 100
d. exactly three
3) It can be inferred from the passage that the great auk was killed because
a. It was eating the fishermen’s catch
b. fishermen wanted to eat it
c. it flew over fishing areas
d. it baited fishermen
7.