Contoh Soal TOEFL Reading Comprehension: Dunia Binatang (Part 1)

Banyak sekali tema yang diangkat dalam tes TOEFL ITP bagian reading comprehension, salah satunya tentang dunia binatang.

Sama seperti section lain dalam tes TOEFL, tema tentang fauna ini kerap menjadi tema bacaannya. Kali ini kami telah menyiapkan 2 tema tentang large sea animals dan Bengal Tigers untuk bahan kamu berlatih.

Akan ada 2 part yang membahas tentang dunia binatang dalam latihan reading comprehension. Kita mulai saja ya…

READING COMPREHENSION 1: LARGE SEA ANIMALS

Sharks have gained an unfair reputation for being fierce predators of large sea animals.

Humanity’s unfounded fear and hatred of these ancient creatures is leading to a worldwide slaughter that may result in the extinction of many coastal shark species.

The shark is the victim of a warped attitude of wildlife protection; we strive only to protect the beautiful, non-threatening parts of our environment.

And, in our efforts to restore only non-threatening parts of our earth, we ignore other important parts.

A perfect illustration of this attitude is the contrasting attitude toward another large sea animal, the dolphin.

During the 1980s, environmentalists in the United States protested the use of driftnets for tuna fishing in the Pacific Ocean since these nets also caught dolphins.

The environmentalists generated enough political and economic pressure to prevent tuna companies from buying tuna that had been caught in driftnets.

In contrast to this effort on behalf of the dolphins, these same environmentalists have done very little to help save the Pacific Ocean sharks whose population has decreased nearly to the point of extinction.

Sharks are among the oldest creatures on earth, having survived in the seas for more than 350 million years.

They are extremely efficient animals, feeding on wounded or dying animals, thus performing an important role in nature of weeding out the weaker animals in a species.

Just the fact that species such as the Great White Shark have managed to live in the oceans for so many millions of years is enough proof of their efficiency and adaptability to changing environments.

It is time for us humans, who may not survive another 1,000 years at the rate we are damaging the planet, to cast away our fears and begin considering the protection of sharks as an important part of a program for protection of all our natural environment.

1. With which of the following topics is this passage primarily concerned?

Pilihan jawaban:

a. Sharks are efficient creatures with bad reputations.
b. Sharks are some of the oldest creatures on earth.
c. Sharks illustrate a problem in wildlife protection.
d. The campaign to save dolphins was not extended to save sharks.

Jawaban yang tepat adalah (C) tergambar dari penjelasan di paragraf 1 bahwa sharks seringkali diburu dan terancam punah karena praktik yang tidak bertanggung jawab di penjuru dunia.

====

2. Which of the following is most similar to the meaning of the word “warped” in the first paragraph?

Pilihan jawaban:

a. distorted
b. wasteful
c. extravagant
d. wanton

Kata “warped” menjelaskan perilaku terhadap perlindungan hewan buas yang tidak berjalan sebagaimana mestinya atau “distorted” dalam pilihan jawaban (A).

====

3. In paragraph 2, the word “protested” is closest in meaning to which of the following?

Pilihan jawaban:

a. prescribed
b. objected to
c. protected
d. reflected on

Kata “protested” dalam kalimat kedua paragraf kedua mengacu pada tindakan pecinta lingkungan AS yang menentang cara penangkapan ikan menggunakan jarring di Samudera Pasifik. Dengan demikian, jawaban yang paling tepat adalah “objected to” dalam pilihan jawaban (B).

====

4. The word “generated” in paragraph 2 could be best replaced by…

Pilihan jawaban:

a. consumed
b. absorbed
c. designated
d. produced

Kata “generated” dalam paragraf 2 mengacu pada upaya yang telah dilakukan para pecinta lingkungan lewat kebijakan politik dan ekonomi yang sama artinya dengan “produced” dalam pilihan jawaban (D).

====

5. How did the environmentalists manage to protect dolphins?

Pilihan jawaban:

a. They prevented fishermen from shelling them for meat.
b. They pressured fishermen into protecting dolphins by law.
c. They brought political pressure against tuna companies.
d. They created sanctuaries where dolphin fishing was not allowed.

Jawaban untuk pertanyaan di atas terdapat dalam paragraf 2 dalam tuntutan para pecinta lingkungan terhadap nelayan penangkap ikan tuna untuk mengambil kebijakan baru. Jawaban yang tepat adalah (D).

====

6. About how long have sharks lived on the planet?

Pilihan jawaban:

a. 25 million years
b. 150 million years
c. 350 million years
d. 500 million years

Jawaban atas pertanyaan tersebut terdapat pada bagian akhir kalimat. Disebutkan bahwa “…having survived in the seas for more than 350 million years.” Dengan demikian jawaban yang tepat adalah (C).

====

7. What is the author’s tone in this passage?

Pilihan jawaban:

a. explanatory
b. accusatory
c. gentle
d. proud

Artikel di atas mengecam praktik penangkapan ikan yang kerap kali merugikan hewan laut lainnya, sehingga jawaban yang tepat adalah “accusatory” atau (B).

====

8. Which of the following best describes the organization of this passage?

Pilihan jawaban:

a. order of importance
b. cause and effect
c. statement and example
d. chronological order

Artikel di atas menjelaskan bagaimana praktik yang merugikan hewan laut termasuk contoh-contoh spesifiknya sehingga jawaban yang tepat adalah (C).

====

Selain latihan soal reading comprehension di atas, kami masih menyiapkan artikel tentang Harimau Bengal yang juga menarik. Stay tune ya!