TOEFL EXERCISE (Skills 1-2)

1.     Mark Twain _____ the years after the Civil War the “Gilded Age.”

            (A) called

            (B) calling

            (C) he called

            (D) his calls

         Answer :  A
Analysis:

The sentence already has a Subject, that is Mark Twain, 

but there is no verb.

The best answer is (A) because called is Verb and the 

sentence is simple past.

2.      Early ____ toes instead of hooves on their feet.

             (A) horses

             (B) had horses

             (C) horses had

             (D) horses having

         Answer :  C
Analysis:

The sentence doesn’t have Subject and Verb.

The best answer is (C) because horses is Subject 

and had is Verb. The sentence is simple past.

3.       ______ grow close to the ground in the short Arctic summer.

            (A) Above tundra plants

            (B) Tundra plants

            (C) Tundra plants are found

            (D) For tundra plants

        Answer :  B
Analysis:

The sentence doesn’t have Subject but already have Verb, 

and grow is Verb.
The best answer is (B) tundra plants because tundra 

plants as a Subject.

4.       In 1867, ____ Alaska from the Russians for $7.2 million.

            (A) purchased the United States

            (B) to purchase the United States

            (C) the United States’ purchase of

            (D) the United States purchased

         Answer :  D
Analysis:

The sentence doesn’t have Subject and Verb.

The best answer is (D) because the united states 

is subject and the verb is purchased.

5.  Between 1725 and 1750, New England witnessed an increase in the specialization of _____.

             (A) occupations

             (B) occupies

             (C) they occupied

             (D) it occupied them

         Answer :  A
Analysis:

The sentence already has subject (New England) 

and verbs is witnessed.

The best answer is (A) because after of should be a noun.

6.       The large carotid artery ____ to the main parts of the brain.

            (A) carrying blood

            (B) blood is carried

            (C) carries blood

            (D) blood carries

         Answer :  C
Analysis:

The sentence already has subject (large carotid artery), 

but there is no verb.

The best answer is (C) carries blood as Verb.

7.       _____ radio as the first practical system of wireless telegraphy.

            (A) Marconi’s development

            (B) The development by Marconi

            (C) Developing Marconi

            (D) Marconi developed

         Answer :  D
Analysis:

The sentence doesn’t have Subject and Verb.

The best answer is (D) Marconi developed.

Because Marconi as subject and developed as verb.

8.       In 1975, the first successful space probe to ____ beginning 

to send information back to Earth.

            (A) Venus

            (B) Venus the

            (C) Venus was

            (D) Venus it was

         Answer :  C
Analysis:

The sentence already has subject (first sucessful space) 

but there is no verb.

The best answer is (C) Venus was. Because was 

as Verb, While Venus isthe object of preposition from to.

9.       The two biggest resort _____ Arkansas are Hot 

    Springs and Eureka Springs.

            (A) in

            (B) towns in

            (C) towns are

            (D) towns are in

         Answer :  B
Analysis:

Arkansas is not the subject, but object of preposition.

Subject is The two biggest resort _____ , while are as Verb

The best answer is (B) towns in. Because Towns is plural 

subject and in line with the verb.

10.    NASA’S Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center _________ control 

center for the Mercury Gemini, and Apollospace flights.

            (A) it was at the

            (B) it was the

            (C) was the

            (D) the

         Answer :  C
Analysis:

The sentence already has subject (Nasa's Lyndon B.Johnson), but there is no verb.

The best answer is (C) was the. Because was the is Verb.