TOEFL Vocabulary

It's TOEFL test time around the globe! In order to get your juices flowing, lets see just how advanced your English vocabulary skills are.

Take the test below and Ill make sure to post the answers tomorrow!

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TOEFL VOCABULARY PRACTICE

1. Vocabulary Related to NATURE
TOEFL Prep I
Complete each sentence by filling in the blank with the best word from the list. Change the form of the word if necessary. Use each word only once.

abandoned      precipitation    cultivation       fertilize           photosynthesis

a.  Through __________, green plants create organic materials with the help of chlorophyll. 


b. The coastal city gets half of its __________ during the months of January, February, and March. 


c.  Farmers use various methods of land __________. 


d. When they heard the hull crack, all but two of the sailors __________ 
ship. 


e.  Inexperienced gardeners may not realize how important it is that they __________ their plants. 


TOEFL Prep II
Find the word or phrase that is closest in meaning to the opposite of each word in the left-hand column. Write the letter in the blank.

  1. obtain
                         (a) weaken
  2. intensify                     (b) separate
  3. irrigation                    (c) lose
  4. aggregate                    (d) drainage
  5. adversely                    (e) positively

TOEFL Success
Read the passage to review the vocabulary you have learned. Answer the questions that follow.

In countries like Niger and Mauritania, the cultivation of land has changed little in the past several centuries. Additionally, these countries’ mono-modal rainfall pattern brings precipitation for only three months during the year. As a result, food production doesn’t nearly meet demand.

Several agencies and organizations have intensified their efforts to increase the productivity of land in these countries. They have introduced new strains of seed, improved irrigation techniques, and introduced new methods of fertilization and soil management. With ample sunlight for photosynthesis and modern irrigation techniques, sustainable farming techniques should allow farmers to boost aggregate production in order to meet demand.

Still, crop revitalization faces an unexpected adversary: institutional incompetence. Where crop specialists have convinced individual farmers to abandon old farming techniques in place of new, they can’t readily obtain the governmental cooperation they need. The biggest hurdles are political corruption, incompetence, and the absence of a marketing infrastructure.

1. In this passage, the word adversary is closest in meaning to

a. friend
b. helper
c. enemy
d. leader

2. In the last paragraph, the word they refers to

a. crop specialists

b. farmers

c. farming techniques
d. adversaries

2. Vocabulary Related to DISASTER
TOEFL Prep I
Find the word or phrase that is closest in meaning to the opposite of each word in the left-hand column. Write the letter in the blank.

Words related to disaster
  1. persevere                 (a) to pass by without hitting
  2. anticipate                  (b) to give up
  3. famine                       (c) to not see something coming
  4. collide                        (d) harmless
 5. catastrophic               (e) excess of food

TOEFL Prep II
Circle the word that best completes each sentence.

1.     Residents of Hawaii must accept the possibility of a volcanic (eruption/ perseverance).

2.     Years after the accident, she was finally able to (anticipate / unleash) her feelings of anger. 


3.     Houses along the river often face (famine / flooding) during the rainy season. 


4.     Many people think it is cruel to (collide / plunge) live lobsters into boiling water. 


5.     A well-written essay should make some kind of (catastrophe / impact) on its readers. 


TOEFL Success
Read the passage to review the vocabulary you have learned. Answer the questions that follow.

Nature challenges humans in many ways, through disease, weather, and famine. For those living along the coast, one unusual phenomenon capable of catastrophic destruction is the tsunami
(pronounced“tsoo-NAH-mee”).

A tsunami is a series of waves generated in a body of water by an impulsive disturbance. Earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, explosions, and even the impact of meteorites can generate tsunamis. Starting at sea, a tsunami slowly approaches land, growing in height and losing energy through bottom friction and turbulence. Still, just like any other water waves, tsunamis unleash tremendous energy as they plunge onto the shore. They have great erosion potential, stripping beaches of sand, undermining trees, and flooding hundreds of meters inland. They can easily crush cars, homes, vegetation, and anything they collide with.

To minimize the devastation of a tsunami, scientists are constantly trying to anticipate them more accurately and more quickly. Because many factors come together to produce a life-threatening tsunami, foreseeing them is not easy. Despite this, researchers in meteorology persevere in studying and predicting tsunami behavior.

1. Which sentence best expresses the essential information of this passage?
            a. Tsunamis could become a new source of usable energy in the next hundred years. 

            b. Tsunamis do more damage to the land than flooding. 

            c. Tsunamis can have an especially catastrophic impact on coastal 
communities. 

            d. Scientists can predict and track tsunamis with a fair degree of ac- 
curacy, reducing their    
                potential impact. 


2. In the first sentence, why does the author mention weather?
            a. because tsunamis are caused by bad weather

            b. because tsunamis are more destructive than weather phenomena
            c. as an example of a destructive natural force

            d. as an introduction to the topic of coastal storms

3. Vocabulary Related to NATURE
TOEFL Prep I
Find the word or phrase that is closest in meaning to the opposite of each word in the left-hand column. Write the letter in the blank.

 1. physical                      (a) not an integral part
 2. migration                   (b) stay the same
 3. adapt                          (c) die

 4. inherent                     (d) staying in one place
 5. survive                       (e) mental

TOEFL Prep II
Choose the word from the list that is closest in meaning to the underlined part of each sentence. Write it in the blank.

diverse            evolved            generation       process            survive

____________________ 1. Various languages are spoken on the Indian subcontinent.

____________________ 2. Making bread involves a sequence of steps that takes about three hours. ____________________ 3. Few sea turtles manage to live through their first year of life.
____________________ 4. This age group tends to support current educational policies.
____________________ 5. Her thinking about economics has changed slowly in the last several months.

TOEFL Success

Read the passage to review the vocabulary you have learned. Answer the questions that follow.

The migration from Asia to North America across the Bering Strait (perhaps by land bridge) was a monumental event in human history. The process of overspreading the Americas took more than 1,000 years, or 30 generations. This might seem to confirm common sense—that slow travel was inherent in any great migration without wheeled vehicles across unknown terrain.

Further thought shows that this process was remarkably fast—about 10 north-south miles per year, on average. The Americas were populated at an astounding pace, when one considers the physical limits of the human body and the physical features of the American continents. Legs of humans can move only so fast under the best of circumstances, and they work even slower over mountain passes or deserts. Populations spread through the diverse regions of the Americas (grasslands, eastern forests, coastal swamps) and needed to adapt to their new environments. The migrants’ lifestyle had evolved over the years to that of professional nomads ensuring that they would find the resources needed to survive.

1. Which sentence best expresses the essential information in this passage?
            a. Human migration across the Bering Strait was remarkably slow.
            b. Physical limitations made migration across the Bering Strait almost
impossible. 
   
            c. Humans readily adapted to life in the Bering Strait. 

            d. The migration through the Americas was surprisingly fast. 


2. In this passage, the word monumental is closest in meaning to
            a. disastrous
            b. evolving
            c. important
            d. physical


4. Vocabulary Related to PETROLEUM
TOEFL Prep I
Find the word or phrase that is closest in meaning to the opposite of each word in the left-hand column. Write the letter in the blank.

 1. stable                         (a) keep
 2. contamination           (b) expand
 3. extinct                                    (c) unsteady
 4. dispose of                  (d) existing
 5. shrink                         (e) purity

TOEFL Prep II
Circle the word that best completes each sentence.

1.     The (constraints / contamination) of being in prison made her hate society even more.

2.     A recognition that the Earth is round was one of the (elemental / shrunken) advances in thought during the time period. 


3.     Mother Teresa, who helped the poorest of the poor, had a great (disposal / reservoir) of love within her spirit. 


4.     Automobiles are responsible for some (emissions / extinction) of green- house gases.

5.     By the end of the storm, the hikers had (depleted / reserved) even their emergency stores.

TOEFL Success
Read the passage to review the vocabulary you have learned. Answer the question that follows.

Human consumption of fossil fuels is expected to fully deplete the Earth’s crude oil reserves by the year 2060. As underground reservoirs of oil continue to shrink, we have no choice but to find alternatives. One promising source, with much cleaner emissions, is called bio-diesel. Bio- diesel is often made from soybean oil, although it can be made from any vegetable oil that is not elementally different from soy. Bio-diesel can even be made from used cooking oils that homes or restaurants would otherwise dispose of. Bio-diesel can be used without constraint in any vehicle that runs on diesel—no modifications are needed. Presently, diesel engines can take up to 20 percent soy in their soy-diesel blend. As the need for bio-diesel increases and the technology improves, we may soon witness the extinction of the fossil-fueled vehicle. This is good news for the planet, as bio-diesel is a more stable source of energy than petroleum, and it reduces contamination of our air and water.

An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the three answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. In each blank, write the letter of one of your choices.

Bio-diesel is a promising alternative to fossil fuels.

a.  Humans have shown little self-restraint in their consumption of fossil fuels. 


b. Underground reservoirs of oil will soon be depleted. 


c.  Bio-diesel burns cleaner than fossil fuels. 


d. Bio-diesel comes from a more stable source than petroleum. 


e.  Restaurants can save disposal fees on used cooking oil. 


5. Vocabulary Related to TIME EFFICIENCY
TOEFL Prep I
Complete each sentence by filling in the blank with the best word from the list. Change the form of the word if necessary. Use each word only once.

adjust              arbitrary                    denominator               infinitesimal               rate

1. Students felt that the exam was unfair and the grading system was rather __________. 


2. The __________ of increase in prices made it difficult for people to afford basic goods. 


3. Politicians promised great changes in the coming year, but any improvement in people’s lives was __________. 


4. She quickly overcame her culture shock and found it easy to __________ to the new country. 


5. You can add two fractions that have the same __________. 


TOEFL Prep II Find the word or phrase that is closest in mean- ing to the opposite of each word in the left-hand column. Write the letter in the blank.

 1. arbitrary                      (a) mix up 

 2. maximize
                     
(b) intersecting
 3. sequence
                     (c) minimize
 4. infinitesimal                (d) huge
 5. parallel                        (e) planned out


TOEFL Success
Read the passage to review the vocabulary you have learned. Answer the questions that follow.

Time is, as we all know, money. Such valuation of time leads people to extreme efforts to maximize their use of time. Some people obsess over knowing the exact time. They buy clocks and watches that automatically adjust themselves over the Internet or by radio waves. These measurements allow them infinitesimal accuracy in dealing with time. Regardless of how one tracks time, most people share a common goal: They want to use time effectively. Since about 1982, this efficiency has increased exponentially each year, thanks to computers and their ability to multitask. In multitasking, a computer executes several different tasks in parallel. Rather than being set arbitrarily, each task is given a priority in the computer’s operating system, and time is spent in proportion to the priority of the task. The computer executes different sequences of tasks at different clock cycles, thereby increasing the rate of output from a process.

1. Why does the author mention computer multitasking in this article?
            a. because it is new
            b. because it measures time better than any clock
            c. because it helps people to arrange their activities sequentially
            d. because it is a good example of the efficient use of time 

6. Vocabulary Related to ANCIENT LIFE
TOEFL Prep I
Complete each sentence by filling in the blank with the best word from the list. Change the form of the word if necessary. Use each word only once.

accuracy                      adjacent                       feasibly                       integrally                    structure

1. She had no idea how they could __________ take a big vacation and remodel their house in the same year. 


2. Daily meditation is used __________ with medication and massage as part of the recovery plan.

3. The rival politicians were raised in __________ counties. 


4. If you build a __________ next to this river, you must be sure it is safe 
against floods. 


5. Once he ran for public office, he understood the importance of checking public statements for __________. 


TOEFL Prep II
Find the word or phrase that is closest in meaning to the opposite of each word in the left-hand column. Write the letter in the blank.

 1. seep                (a) fill
 2. gut
     
           (b) separate
 3. retain
                        (c) stay contained
 4. compress       (d) loosen
 5. overlap           (e) throw away

TOEFL Success
Read the passage to review the vocabulary you have learned. Answer the questions that follow.

Organic products from ancient life are an integral part of the Earth’s resources, offering scientists a more accurate picture of ancient life-forms. One key to ancient life comes in the form of petrified matter. Petrifaction is a process that slowly turns the remains of a living object into stone. In this process, minerals seep into a mass of organic matter. After the organic matter has been replaced, a mineral version of the living object is left. Petrifaction often occurs in trees that are found adjacent to rivers, floodable areas, and volcanoes, which provide the mud or ash that initially covers the organic matter. Some pieces of petrified wood retain the original cellular structure of the wood and the grain can be easily seen. Today, it is feasible to petrify wood in a simple laboratory process.
            Fossils are another way that ancient life is preserved. Most fossils include an animal’s hard parts, such as teeth and bones. One type of fossil, called a trace fossil, may also include eggs, tooth marks, contents of the guts, and fossil excrement. Some products from ancient life offer us more than scientific knowledge. One such product is coal, a solid fuel of plant origin. It develops over millions of years, during which swamp vegetation is submerged in water, depleted of oxygen, and covered by layers and layers of sand and mud. These overlapping layers settle with the Earth’s movements and are compressed over time.

1. Which sentence best expresses the essential information of this passage?
            a. Preserved life-forms, including petrified matter and fossils, teach us about ancient life.
            b. The primary function for preserved life-forms is scientific discovery. 

            c. Scientists try to replicate natural processes that preserve ancient 
life-forms. 

            d. Ancient organic matter provides the most concentrated forms of energy known to
                 humans. 


2. In the passage, the words submerged in are closest in meaning to
            a. made wet
            b. completely covered
            c. adjacent to

            d. depleted of


7. Vocabulary Related to COMPUTERS
TOEFL Prep I
Circle the most likely meaning of the word part that is shared within each set of words.

1. circulate, circumnavigate, circuit 

    The root circ / circum probably means 

    a. around
    b. broken
    c. fair

    d. straight 


2. innovative, novel, renovate
    The root nov probably means 

    a. clear
    b. old
    c. new
    d. sweet 


3. installation, implement, imprison
    The prefix in-/im- probably means 

    a. aside
    b. behind
    c. in

    d. out 


TOEFL Prep II
Circle the word that best completes each sentence.

1.     Please make sure this information (circulates / derives) throughout the office quickly. 


2.     The (installation / simulation) of the new telephones took three days. 


3.     In order to stay on schedule, we need to complete this project as 
(expeditiously / innovatively) as possible.

4.     The smuggler moved cautiously through the airport to avoid (detection / maintenance).

5.     Years of neglect had caused the building’s water pipes to (corrode / implement).

TOEFL Success
Read the passage to review the vocabulary you have learned. Answer the questions that follow.

        As dependence on computers increases, so does the need for technical support. From installation of software to detection of viruses, computers require constant vigilance. Most larger companies find it most expeditious to maintain in-house computer staff. Many smaller companies, however, can’t fund their own full-time, in-house technical help. Instead, many of them assign the task of computer maintenance to a current employee who may not have any formal training. Rather, these “computer buffs” have derived their skills through practice and self-training. These self- appointed tech specialists, however, often cannot solve bigger problems. What’s more, they may see their office relations corrode when they are swamped with basic user questions that they simply don’t have time to address. For these reasons, many small companies choose to employ a freelance technical assistant who circulates among clients on an as-needed basis. With their professional training, these consultants may propose innovative solutions to users’ unique needs, which could vary from tracking inventory to simulating mechanized processes. They can implement new programs, train personnel, and escape the workplace before being asked, “How can I cut this file and paste it somewhere else?”

1. Which sentence best expresses the essential information of this passage?
            a. Larger companies are better off using freelance technical consultants. 

            b. Computer maintenance and troubleshooting cuts into employee 
productivity. 

            c. Self-trained technical support personnel are often as effective as 
trained professionals.
            d. Smaller companies may benefit from hiring occasional technical support.

2. The article implies that the question How do I cut and paste a file? is
            a. too basic to require professional attention

            b. a good question to give to in-house tech support
            c. appropriate for a freelancer to address

            d. a good topic for a training program