TOEIC : Essential information
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for TOEIC
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Essential Information
Some years ago—never mind how long precisely—having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.
-Adapted from Moby Dick; or, The Whale by Hermann Melville (1851)
What does the speaker mean by the phrase "watery part of the world?"
Countries with waterfalls
The ocean
The rainforest
The desert
The ocean
The correct answer is "the ocean." Several clues in this passage tell us that the speaker means the ocean: "shore" and "sail" are both clues that point towards the ocean. The rainforest may be "watery" but it is not a place where one can leave the shore and sail, nor is a desert or a region with waterfalls.
Example Question #1 : Essential Information
A Lion lay asleep in the forest, his great head resting on his paws. A timid little Mouse came upon him unexpectedly, and in her fright and haste to get away, ran across the Lion's nose. Roused from his nap, the Lion laid his huge paw angrily on the tiny creature to kill her.
"Spare me!" begged the poor Mouse. "Please let me go and some day I will surely repay you."
The Lion was much amused to think that a Mouse could ever help him. But he was generous and finally let the Mouse go.
Some days later, while stalking his prey in the forest, the Lion was caught in the toils of a hunter's net. Unable to free himself, he filled the forest with his angry roaring. The Mouse knew the voice and quickly found the Lion struggling in the net. Running to one of the great ropes that bound him, she gnawed it until it parted, and soon the Lion was free.
"You laughed when I said I would repay you," said the Mouse. "Now you see that even a Mouse can help a Lion."
Adapted rom The Aesop for Children, by Aesop (1919 ed.)
How did the mouse help the lion?
He bit the hunter so the hunter let the lion go
He gave the lion money for sparing his life
He did not help the lion; instead, he got revenge on the lion
He chewed through the ropes and set the lion free
He chewed through the ropes and set the lion free
The correct answer is "he chewed through the ropes and set the lion free." Readers can find this answer in the lines, "The Mouse knew the voice and quickly found the Lion struggling in the net. Running to one of the great ropes that bound him, she gnawed it until it parted, and soon the Lion was free." The other options are not correct because they did not occur in the story. For those reasons, the best choice is "he chewed through the ropes and set the lion free."
Example Question #2 : Essential Information
The Egyptian writing was certainly the quaintest, and perhaps the prettiest, that has ever been known. It is called "hieroglyphic," which means "sacred carving," and it is nothing but little pictures from beginning to end. The Egyptians began by putting down a picture of the thing which was represented by the word they wanted to use, and, though by-and-by they formed a sort of alphabet to spell words with, and had, besides, signs that represented the different syllables of a word, still, these signs were all little pictures. For instance, one of their signs for a was the figure of an eagle; their sign for m was a lion, and for u a little chicken; so that when you look at an Egyptian book written in the hieroglyphic character, you see column after column of birds and beasts and creeping things, of men and women and boats, and all sorts of other things, marching across the page.
Adapted from Peeps at Many Lands: Ancient Egypt, by Rev. James Baikie (1912)
What is the name given to ancient Egyptian writing?
Hieroglyphics
Symbols
Representations
Syllables
Hieroglyphics
The correct answer is "hieroglyphic." This answer can be found in the following lines: "The Egyptian writing was certainly the quaintest, and perhaps the prettiest, that has ever been known. It is called "hieroglyphic..."" The other answer choices may have to do with writing, but they are not as specific. The best choice is "hieroglyphic."
Example Question #1 : Essential Information
Water was long regarded as an element. In 1781 Cavendish showed that it is formed by the union of hydrogen and oxygen. Being a believer in the phlogiston theory, however, he failed to interpret his results correctly. A few years later Lavoisier repeated Cavendish's experiments and showed that water must be regarded as a compound of hydrogen and oxygen.
Adapted from An Elementary Study of Chemistry by William McPherson, Ph.D. and William Edwards Henderson, Ph.D (1905)
According to the passage, what are the ingredients of water?
Oxygen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen and oxygen
Phlogiston
Hydrogen and oxygen
The correct answer is "hydrogen and oxygen." This answer can be found in the lines "In 1781 Cavendish showed that it is formed by the union of hydrogen and oxygen." This line shows that it is made of two things instead of one, and so the best choice is "hydrogen and oxygen."
Example Question #2 : Essential Information
Pedro's Pups
Dog-sitting and walking
Ten years experience
211 Main Street, Athens Ohio
(555) 990-0188 pedrospups@yaboo.com
"Pedro's Pups: For all of your Puppy's Needs"
What does the business "Pedro's Pups" do?
bakes cakes
cuts hair
provides tax services
cares for dogs
cares for dogs
The correct answer is "cares for dogs." This answer can be found in the line underneath the business name: "Dog-sitting and walking." The other options are not mentioned in the advertisement, so the best choice is "cares for dogs."
Example Question #3 : Essential Information
Pedro's Pups
Dog-sitting and walking
Ten years experience
211 Main Street, Athens Ohio
(555) 990-0188 pedrospups@yaboo.com
"Pedro's Pups: For all of your Puppy's Needs"
What information cannot be found in this advertisement?
years of experience
prices
location
contact information
prices
The correct answer is "prices." Years of experience, contact information, and location are all listed on the advertisement, so the only option that is not listed is "prices," and it is the best answer.
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