The passage implies that Oakley and Butler were married in

(A) 1873
(B) 1874
(C) 1875
(D) 1876

What does the word “it” as used in the phrase “by selling it” in line 10 refer to?

(A) Child
(B) Game
(C) Legend
(D) Mortgage

What was Oakley often called while performing in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show?

(A) Little Orphan Annie
(B) Little Phoebe Ann
(C) Little Sure Shot
(D) Little Phoebe Butler

Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “intriguing” as used in line 1?

(A) Frightening
(B) Fascinating
(C) Fabulous
(D) Funny

REFER TO THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE.

Annie Oakley, an intriguing figure in American entertainment, was a markswoman who starred in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, where she was often called “Little Sure Shot.” She was born in 1860 in Darke County, Ohio, and her original name was Phoebe Ann Moses. As a child, she hunted game with such success that, according to legend, by selling it in Cincinnati, Ohio, she was able to pay off the mortgage on the family farm. When she was 15 she won a shooting match in Cincinnati with Frank E. Butler, a vaudeville marks- man, and they were married a year later. For the next ten years they toured the country and performed in theaters and circuses as “Butler and Oakley.” In April
1885, Annie Oakley, now under her husband’s management, joined “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s Wild West Show. Billed as
“Miss Annie Oakley, the Peerless Lady Wing-Shot,” she was one of the show’s star attractions for sixteen years. Oakley never failed to delight her audi- ences, and her feats of marksmanship were truly incredible. At 30 paces she could split a playing card held edge-on, and she hit dimes tossed into the air. She shot cigarettes from her husband’s lips, and, when he threw a playing card into the air, she would shoot it full of holes before it touched the ground. She was a great success on the Wild West Show’s European trips.
In 1887, she was presented to Queen
Victoria, and later in Berlin she per- formed her cigarette trick with, at his insistence, Crown Prince Wilhelm (later Kaiser Wilhelm II) holding the ciga- rette. A train wreck in 1901 left her partially paralyzed for a time, but she recovered and returned to the stage to amaze audiences for many more years.

Where can the following sentence best be added to the passage?

Debates were sometimes heated, and the wealthy landowners had to de- fend their positions by arresting their opponents.
(A) At the end of paragraph 1
(B) At the end of paragraph 2
(C) After the words “peace officers” in paragraph 3
(D) After the words “important matters”
in paragraph 4

From the passage it can be inferred that by the mid-sixteenth century, the cabildo was all of the following EXCEPT:

(A) Elected by all registered voters
(B) Appointed by the king
(C) Came from the propertied class
(D) Was an inherited office

Which is closest in meaning to the word in the passage “responsibilities” as used in lines 25–26?

(A) Duties
(B) Wages
(C) Sanitation
(D) Inspections

What word does the phrase “peace offic- ers” as used in line 29 refer to?

(A) Sanitation
(B) Policing
(C) Assist
(D) Tax collectors

From the passage it can be inferred that some cabildos were

(A) poorly educated
(B) important
(C) corrupt
(D) independent

According to the passage, how many coun- cilors did Lima have?

(A) Ten
(B) Eleven
(C) Twelve
(D) Thirteen

According to the passage, how was a local judge in Hispanic America selected?

(A) He was elected by the council.
(B) He was appointed by the king.
(C) He was chosen by the town’s wealthy citizens.
(D) He was the richest man in the town.

Which of the following answer choices is closest in meaning to the word “reminis- cent” as used in lines 11–12?

(A) Suggesting something in the past
(B) Suggesting a schedule or agenda
(C) Suggesting a small village
(D) Suggesting an odor

Where was the cabildo used as a form of government?

(A) In Roman colonies
(B) In Spanish colonies
(C) In Roman provinces
(D) In Spanish provinces

Which choice does the word “paramount” as used in line 6 refer to?

(A) Fundamental
(B) Government
(C) Tradition
(D) Surrounding

REFER TO THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE.

The cabildo, which is Spanish for “municipal council,” was the fundamental unit of local government in colonial Span- ish America. Following a tradition going back to the Romans, the Spanish considered the city to be of paramount impor- tance, with the surrounding country- side directly subordinate to it.
In local affairs, each municipality in Hispanic America was governed by its cabildo, or council, in a manner reminis- cent of Castilian towns in the late Middle Ages. A council’s members and magis- trates, together with the local judge ap- pointed by the king, enjoyed considerable prestige and power. The size of a council varied but was always small. The cabildos of important cities, such as Lima and Mexico, had about 12 members.
The cabildo was in charge of all ordi- nary aspects of municipal government— e.g., policing, sanitation, taxation, the supervision of building, price and wage regulation, and the administration of justice. To assist them in these responsi- bilities, the city councilors appointed various officials, such as tax collectors, inspectors of weights and measures and the markets, and peace officers. In spite of royal decrees to promote honest and efficient city government, the cabildos were often corrupt and rapacious.
By the mid-sixteenth century, appoint- ments to cabildos were ordinarily made by the Spanish crown and sometimes became hereditary. Occasionally, the propertied class in a city elected some of the councilors. Sometimes citizens were asked to attend a open town meeting on important matters. Such open meetings
became very important to the movement for the independence of Hispanic America in the early nineteenth century.

SUMMING IT UP

Do not read the entire passage. Begin each passage by reading the first sentence in each paragraph and the last sentence of the last paragraph. You should answer the questions not in numerical order but in the following order (as they were presented in this chapter) according to kind of question: • All vocabulary questions • All questions that ask you to identify a noun or a pronoun • All questions that ask for detailed information in the passage • All questions that ask about the main idea of the passage • All questions with EXCEPT and NOT • All questions with IMPLY and INFER • All questions with black squares

However, Gershwin’s income rose, and he worked harder and harder.

Where would it best fit in the passage? Click on the square ■ to add the sentence to the passage. Look at the ideas at the end of the sentence: However, Gershwin’s income rose, and he worked harder and harder. This sentence best fits at the place marked by the second square. With the new sentence inserted, the passage would read as follows: At that time, sheet-music sales were the measure of a song’s popularity, and song pluggers had to work long hours for the music publishers who employed them. However, Gershwin’s income rose, and he worked harder and harder. As a result of his hard work, Gershwin’s piano technique improved greatly, so much so that, while still in his teens, Gershwin became known as one of the most talented pianists in New York City.

The American composer, George Gershwin

The American composer, George Gershwin, was born in 1898 in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants. He began his musical education at age 11, when his family bought a second-hand piano. The piano was not bought for him, but for his older brother, Ira. However, George surprised everyone when he played a popular song, which he had taught himself by following the keys on a neighbor’s player piano, and his parents decided that George should receive lessons. ■ He studied piano with a famous music teacher at the time, Charles Hambitzer. He was so impressed with Gershwin’s talent that he gave him lessons for free. Gershwin dropped out of school at age 15 and earned a living by making piano rolls for player pianos and by playing in New York nightclubs. His most important job in this period was his work as a song plugger, who promoted interest in the sheet music of popular songs by playing and singing those songs in stores. At that time, sheet-music sales were the measure of a song’s popularity, and song pluggers had to work long hours for the music publishers who employed them. ■ As a result of his hard work, Gershwin’s piano technique improved greatly, so much so that, while still in his teens, Gershwin became known as one of the most talented pianists in New York City. As a result, he worked as an accompanist for popular singers and as a rehearsal pianist for Broadway musicals. His knowledge of jazz and popular music grew quickly, and one of his songs was included in the Broadway musical The Passing Show of 1916. George became friends to many prominent Broadway composers. He particularly admired the music of Irving Berlin whom Gershwin called “America’s Franz Schubert.” Jerome Kern, another Broadway composer, demonstrated to George how popular music was inferior to material in Broadway shows. In 1919, entertainer Al Jolson performed Gershwin’s song Swanee in the musical Sinbad. ■ The song became a hit, and Gershwin became an overnight celebrity when his song sold more than 2 million recordings and a million copies of sheet music. The following sentence can be added to the passage:

Questions with Black Squares

During the reading section of the computer-based test, you will have to answer questions with black squares. On the left side of the screen, you will see the reading passage with the following black-square mark located throughout the text: ■ On the right side of the screen, you will read a sentence followed by the question: Where in the passage would the sentence best fit in the passage? Click on the square ■ to add the sentence in the passage. When you point to the square and click the mouse, the sentence in the question will appear in the passage. This is a very difficult kind of question to answer, and you should not answer it until you have answered all other kinds of questions! To answer this kind of question, carefully read the sentence and determine the most important words, usually found at the end of the sentence. Then, scan the passage for the squares. Look at the sentences before the square and particularly after the square. You will find that in the sentence to be inserted, the words at the end contain information that introduces ideas in the beginning of the next sentence that is in the passage.

Answer the following question:

His knowledge of jazz and popular music grew quickly, and one of his songs was included in the Broadway musical The Passing Show of 1916. George became friends to many prominent Broadway composers. He particularly admired the music of Irving Berlin whom Gershwin called “America’s Franz Schubert.” Jerome Kern, another Broadway composer, demon- strated to George how popular music was inferior to material in Broadway shows. In 1919, entertainer Al Jolson performed Gershwin’s song Swanee in the musical Sinbad. The song became a hit, and Gershwin became an overnight celebrity when his song sold more than 2 million recordings and a million copies of sheet music. It can be inferred from the passage that (A) Gershwin became a famous jazz pianist in Russia. (B) Gershwin admired the music of Franz Shubert. (C) Gershwin disliked music by Kern and Berlin. (D) Gershwin never became a well-known musician. The correct answer is (B). Choices (A), (C), and (D) are not true. Gershwin compared the music of Jerome Kern, who was his friend, to that of Franz Shubert’s.

Questions with “Imply” and “Infer”

To imply something is to “communicate an idea without stating it directly.” To infer something is to “understand the idea that is being communicated by another person, even though the other person does not say it directly.” For example: Mildred said to Mark, “Harry is moving to Japan permanently, but he doesn’t know how to speak Japanese.” Mildred implied that Harry would have to learn Japanese. Mark inferred that Harry would have to learn Japanese. During the Reading section, you will be asked questions that begin in the following way: It can be inferred from the passage that . . . The author implies that . . . The passage suggests that . . . Based on the information in the passage, what can be inferred about . . . The answer to these questions is always in the form of a paraphrase. It repeats an idea found in the passage but expresses it in a different way. To answer these questions, first eliminate as a possible correct answer anything that is ridiculous and illogical. Also, eliminate any answer choice that introduces material not discussed in the passage. Answer choices that contain words such as “always,” “never,” and “completely” are usually incorrect, so you can eliminate them. If an answer choice simply repeats word-for-word a lot of material from the passage, you can eliminate that answer as well. Answer choices that are longer than the other answer choices are often a trap.

All of the following are reasons that George Gershwin became a success while he was young EXCEPT

All of the following are reasons that George Gershwin became a success while he was young EXCEPT (A) He studied piano with a famous teacher. (B) He learned about jazz and popular music while he worked as a song plugger. (C) He graduated from high school when he was only 15. (D) He worked as an accompanist for popular singers in New York. The correct answer is (C). To answer this question correctly, you have to determine the time period of each answer. In the text, in what order were the answers stated? If you scan the passage you will see that the order is (A), (C), (B), and (D). Choices (A) and (C) appear in the first paragraph, where you read that Gershwin studied with a famous teacher, which is the statement in choice (A). You also read that Gershwin’s parents bought a piano for his brother, which means that Gershwin’s parents did NOT give him a piano. Choices (B) and (D) give reasons why Gershwin became a success while he was young.

Reading Basics

lessons. He studied piano with a famous music teacher at the time, Charles Hambitzer. He was so impressed with Gershwin’s talent that he gave him lessons for free. Gershwin dropped out of school at age 15 and earned a living by making piano rolls for player pianos and by playing in New York nightclubs. His most important job in this period was his work as a song plugger, who promoted interest in the sheet music of popular songs by playing and singing those songs in stores. At that time, sheet-music sales were the measure of a song’s popularity, and song pluggers had to work long hours for the music publishers who employed them. As a result of his hard work, Gershwin’s piano technique improved greatly, so much so that, while still in his teens, Gershwin became known as one of the most talented pianists in New York City. As a result, he worked as an accompanist for popular singers and as a rehearsal pianist for Broadway musicals. His knowledge of jazz and popular music grew quickly, and one of his songs was included in the Broadway musical The Passing Show of 1916. George became friends to many prominent Broadway composers. He particularly admired the music of Irving Berlin whom Gershwin called “America’s Franz Schubert.” Jerome Kern, another Broadway composer, demonstrated to George how popular music was inferior to material in Broadway shows. In 1919, entertainer Al Jolson performed Gershwin’s song Swanee in the musical Sinbad. The song became a hit, and Gershwin became an overnight celebrity when his song sold more than 2 million recordings and a million copies of sheet music.

All About TOEFL Reading

According to the passage, why did George’s piano teacher give him lessons for free? (A) His parents were too poor to pay for the lessons. (B) The teacher was impressed with George’s talent. (C) Famous piano teachers never received money from their students. (D) Popular music was more important than classical music. The correct answer is (B). The most important words in the question are “lessons for free.” When you scan for those words, you will find them in the last sentence of the paragraph. Once again, repeat to yourself the most important strategy of answering questions in the reading section: DO NOT READ THE ENTIRE PASSAGE BEFORE YOU START ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS!

Look for the Important Words

Detail questions contain important words that will lead you to the answer. They are not words such as “George Gershwin” or “composer.” They are words that specify the information that will answer the question for you. In the question, the words “buy the piano” are the most important words to help you find the answer. Instead of reading the entire passage, scan the passage for those words. You find it at the end of the second sentence and see that the correct answer is (D). Look at the next example: The American composer, George Gershwin, was born in 1898 in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants. He began his musical education at age 11, when his family bought a second-hand piano. The piano was not bought for him, but for his older brother, Ira. However, George surprised everyone when he (5) played a popular song, which he had taught himself by following the keys on a neighbor’s player piano, and his parents decided that George should receive lessons. He studied piano with a famous music teacher at the time, Charles Hambitzer. He was so impressed with Gershwin’s talent that he gave him lessons for free.

Detail Questions

You will have to answer detail questions at least twice per reading passage. In these types of questions, you are asked about specific information in the text. First, read the question to find out what information you have to find. Then, search for it in the text. The American composer, George Gershwin, was born in 1898 in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants. He began his musical education at age 11, when his family bought a second-hand piano. The piano was not bought for him, but for his older brother, Ira. However, George surprised everyone when he (5) played a popular song, which he had taught himself by following the keys on a neighbor’s player piano, and his parents decided that George should receive lessons. He studied piano with a famous music teacher at the time, Charles Hambitzer. He was so impressed with Gershwin’s talent that he gave him lessons for free. According to the passage, who did the Gershwin parents buy the piano for? (A) George Gershwin (B) Charles Hambitzer (C) Other Russian immigrants (D) Ira Gershwin The correct answer is (D). In lines 3–4 above, the passage states that Gershwin’s parents bought the piano for George’s brother Ira.