TOEFL Mini-test (Skills 15-19)

1. Potassium has a valence of positive one because it usually loses one electron when _______ with other elements.

Does it combine

It combines

In combining

Combination

The blank is located after the middle connector and there is clearly a verb, possibly subject, missing.

1. It is not (A) because the helping verb is not necessary.
2. It is not (C) because there is no subject nor verb.
3. It is not (D) because it is only a noun.
4. It is (B).

Explanation

The blank is located after the middle connector and there is clearly a verb, possibly subject, missing.

1. It is not (A) because the helping verb is not necessary.
2. It is not (C) because there is no subject nor verb.
3. It is not (D) because it is only a noun.
4. It is (B).

2. There are geographic, economic, and cultural reasons why _______ around the world.

Diets differ

Do diets differ

Are diets different

To differ a diet

The blank is located after the middle connector suggesting that a secondary subject and verb are missing.

1. It is not (D) because it is an infinitive phrase.
2. It is not (C) because it has an inversion.
3. It is not (B) because it has an inversion.
4. It is (A).

Explanation

The blank is located after the middle connector suggesting that a secondary subject and verb are missing.

1. It is not (D) because it is an infinitive phrase.
2. It is not (C) because it has an inversion.
3. It is not (B) because it has an inversion.
4. It is (A).

3. Rarely _______ located near city lights or at lower elevations.

Observatories are

Are

In the observatories

Are observatories

The sentence begins with a negative frequency adverb and the sentence is missing the main subject an possibly part of the main verb. The negative adverb at the beginning suggests and inversion between the subejct and verb.

1. It is not (A) because it has no inversion.
2. It is not (B) because it is only a verb.
3. It is not (C) because it does not include a linking verb.
4. It is (D).

Explanation

The sentence begins with a negative frequency adverb and the sentence is missing the main subject an possibly part of the main verb. The negative adverb at the beginning suggests and inversion between the subejct and verb.

1. It is not (A) because it has no inversion.
2. It is not (B) because it is only a verb.
3. It is not (C) because it does not include a linking verb.
4. It is (D).

4. Were _______ millions of dollars each year replenishing eroding beaches, the coastline would be changing even more rapidly.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers not spending

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers not spend

The U.S. Army corps of Engineers does not spend

Not spending the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

There is a middle comma and a main sentence after it. The first one starts with a linking verb suggesting that it is in fact a conditional sentence. The subject and verb are missing.

1. It is not (D) because the sequence of verbs is incorrect to the sentence.
2. It is not (C) because the simple present DO doesn't match with BE.
3. It is not (B) because the verb doesn't match the sentence linking verb.
4. It is (A).

Explanation

There is a middle comma and a main sentence after it. The first one starts with a linking verb suggesting that it is in fact a conditional sentence. The subject and verb are missing.

1. It is not (D) because the sequence of verbs is incorrect to the sentence.
2. It is not (C) because the simple present DO doesn't match with BE.
3. It is not (B) because the verb doesn't match the sentence linking verb.
4. It is (A).

5. Nowhere _______ more skewed than in the auto industry.

That retail trade figures

Retail trade figures are

Are retail trade figures

Retail trade figures

The sentence begins with a negative, or near negative, word suggesting a subject-verb inversion.

1. It is not (A) because it has a connector and is missing the linking verb.
2. It is not (B) because it is not inverted.
3. It is not (D) because it does not have a linking verb.
4. It is (C).

Explanation

The sentence begins with a negative, or near negative, word suggesting a subject-verb inversion.

1. It is not (A) because it has a connector and is missing the linking verb.
2. It is not (B) because it is not inverted.
3. It is not (D) because it does not have a linking verb.
4. It is (C).

6. Located behind _______ the two lacrimal glands.

Each eyelid

Is each eyelid

Each eyelid are

Each eyelid which is

The sentence begins with a phrase of place suggesting an inversion between the subject and verb.

1. It is not (A) because it does not have a verb.
2. It is not (B) because this inversion is not adequate for the sentence.
3. It is not (D) because the connector is not necessary.
4. It is (C).

Explanation

The sentence begins with a phrase of place suggesting an inversion between the subject and verb.

1. It is not (A) because it does not have a verb.
2. It is not (B) because this inversion is not adequate for the sentence.
3. It is not (D) because the connector is not necessary.
4. It is (C).

7. _______ test positive for antibiotics when tanker trucks arrive at a milk processing plant, according to federal law, the entire truckload must be discarded.

Should milk

If milk

If milk is

Milk should

A sentence should be identified after the second comma. The two middle commas delimit an extra-information phrase. The first sentence starts with the blank suggesting that a connector is missing, which would also mean the last sentence is the main one.

1. It is not (D) because it doesn't have a connector.
2. It is not (C) because the sentence verb does not match the linking verb of the option.
3. It is not (B) because the sentence verb does not match the subject of the option.
4. It is (A).

Explanation

A sentence should be identified after the second comma. The two middle commas delimit an extra-information phrase. The first sentence starts with the blank suggesting that a connector is missing, which would also mean the last sentence is the main one.

1. It is not (D) because it doesn't have a connector.
2. It is not (C) because the sentence verb does not match the linking verb of the option.
3. It is not (B) because the sentence verb does not match the subject of the option.
4. It is (A).

8. New York City's Central Park is nearly twice as large _______ second smallest country, Monaco.

As

Is the

As is

As is the

The main subject and verb are present in the sentence. Additionally, it is clear that a comparison is taking place.

1. It is not (A) because the superlative is still missing its article.
2. It is not (B) because the "as" comparison is missing its counterpart.
3. It is not (C) because the superlative is still missing its article.
4. It is (D).

Explanation

The main subject and verb are present in the sentence. Additionally, it is clear that a comparison is taking place.

1. It is not (A) because the superlative is still missing its article.
2. It is not (B) because the "as" comparison is missing its counterpart.
3. It is not (C) because the superlative is still missing its article.
4. It is (D).

9. The economic background of labor legislation will not be mentioned in this course, _______ be treated.

Trade unionism will not

Nor trade unionism will

Nor will trade unionism

Neither trade unionism will

The blank is located after the middle comma suggesting a missing connector and possibly the initial part of the phrase.

1. It is not (A) because there is no connector.
2. It is not (B) because the main and second sentence would be balanced in negative form, so an inversion would be needed.
3. It is not (D) because the connector is not the correct one.
4. It is (C).

Explanation

The blank is located after the middle comma suggesting a missing connector and possibly the initial part of the phrase.

1. It is not (A) because there is no connector.
2. It is not (B) because the main and second sentence would be balanced in negative form, so an inversion would be needed.
3. It is not (D) because the connector is not the correct one.
4. It is (C).

10. Only for a short period of time _______ run at top speed.

Cheetahs

Do cheetahs

That a cheetah can

Can

The sentence begins with "Only" which should be identified as a negative, or near negative, word, suggesting an inversion in the sentence.

1. It is not (A) because there would be no inversion in the sentence.
2. It is not (C) because the connector is out of place.
3. It is not (D) because there is no subject.
4. It is (B).

Explanation

The sentence begins with "Only" which should be identified as a negative, or near negative, word, suggesting an inversion in the sentence.

1. It is not (A) because there would be no inversion in the sentence.
2. It is not (C) because the connector is out of place.
3. It is not (D) because there is no subject.
4. It is (B).