Berikut merupakan contoh soal Reading Section dalam TOEFL :
Where Fossils Form
Fossils
are found in all parts of the world, from Greenland to Antarctica. They can be
found in cores drilled in and retrieved from the ocean floor, and on top of
this highest mountains. Their wide geographical distribution is a result of the
way the earth’s surface has changed throughout its history.
The
earth’s crust is made up of several large tectonic plates that float on the
earth’s liquid mantle. These tectonic plates have moved throughout geological
time, forming large land areas and mountain ranges, and forming and closing off
seas. Some land that is now in the Polar Regions was once closer to the
equator, and many modern mountain ranges were once under water.
The
global climate has also changed over geological time, alternating between
periods of warmth and ice ages. These climatic conditions affected the
distribution of life on the earth and are reflected in the fossil record.
Fossils are abundant in rocks that were formed in tropical and equatorial
regions for the same reason that life is most abundant at these latitudes
today-a warm, tropical climate supports a wider variety of life forms than does
a cold climate.
The
types of fossils found in a particular region depend on the age of the rocks
that are currently eroding at the surface. Some areas have become famous for
the types of fossils found there, such as China and the badlands (rugged, rocky
areas with little vegetation) of the United States and Canada, where an
abundance of dinosaur fossils from the Cretaceous Period (138 million to 65 million
years before present) have been found. Some fossils are restricted to small
areas and some are distributed globally. The most widespread fossils are the
remains of organisms that lived in oceans and could move with the currents,
such as foraminifera, and those that lived on land and were spread by wind,
such as spores. Fossils of graptolites (marine invertebrates that lived in
colonies) in rocks of marine origin and of ferns on land are now found on all
continents. Certain species of shallow-water trilobites, and dinosaurs that
were restricted to land, are found only at particular localities.
Different
types of fossils are found in different geological formations, depending on the
prehistoric environment represented and the age of the rock. Younger rocks are found
more commonly where there is active mountain building and volcanic activity.
Old fossils are most commonly found where an old mountain range has eroded,
such as in eastern North America and northern Europe, or where two old
continents have collided, such as in Russia. Younger fossils are found at the
ocean side of young mountains where an ocean plate is colliding with a
continental plate, such as in western north and south America and in New
Zealand.
Questions
1.
The word cores in paragraph I could best be replaced by
A.
values
B.
seeds
C.
internal
D.
beginnings
2.
It is NOT mentioned in paragraph 1 that fossils are found
A.
on the top soil
B.
in the earth's core
C.
under the sea bed
D.
on the mountain peaks.
3.
The word their in paragraph 1 refers to
A.
mountains
B.
earth cores
C.
fossils
D.
parts of the world
4.The
word mantle in paragraph 2 could best be replaced by
A.
raincoat
B.
responsibility
C.
blanket
D.
covering
5.
Where in the following areas would we likely find fossils?
A.
in warm areas
B.
under icy mountains
C.
close to polar regions
D.
in the arctic sea
6.
The author mentions a warm, tropical climate supports a wider variety of life
forms than does a cold climate in paragraph 3 in order to
A.
support the idea that warm climates do not help with the fossil formation
B.
support the notion that warm climates help embed fossils into rocks
C.
gives an idea that animals and plants thrive better in temperate climates
D.
gives the notion that animals and plants can only survive in warm climates
7.
The word distribution in paragraph 3 could best be replaced by
A.
supply
B.
circulation
C.
division
D.
spreading
8.
What is stated in paragraph 4 about the foraminifera?
A.
It was spread during the great flood.
B.
It lived in the sea.
C.
It was similar to spores.
D.
It was similar to trilobites.
9.
What do we know about fossils of graptolites based on paragraph 4?
A.
They were spread during the great flood.
B. They are found on all continents.
B. They are found on all continents.
C.
They were flying creatures.
D.
They were similar to dinosaurs.
10.
The phrase particular localities in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to
A.
specific areas
B.
part of an area
C.
local zones
D.
widespread areas
