TOEFL iBT Reading practice test 1

Fill in the missing letters in the paragraph.

Student Protests and Education

Throughout modern history, students have often organized protests to demand fairer access to education. Many young people believe that schools should give every learner the same chance to succeed, regardless of family income. When tuition rises or programs are cut, students may march, write letters, or meet with local officials. These actions rarely change policy overnight, but they can draw public attention to problems that adults have overlooked. In this way, student protests often serve as an early signal of wider social concerns.

1. Many yo{{1}} people bel{{2}} that sch{{3}} should gi{{4}} every lea{{5}} the sa{{6}} chance t{{7}} succeed, regar{{8}} of fam{{9}} income. Wh{{10}} tuition rises or programs are cut, students may march, write letters, or meet with local officials. These actions rarely change policy overnight, but they can draw public attention to problems that adults have overlooked. In this way, student protests often serve as an early signal of wider social concerns. (3 letters)

2. Many yo{{1}} people bel{{2}} that sch{{3}} should gi{{4}} every lea{{5}} the sa{{6}} chance t{{7}} succeed, regar{{8}} of fam{{9}} income. Wh{{10}} tuition rises or programs are cut, students may march, write letters, or meet with local officials. These actions rarely change policy overnight, but they can draw public attention to problems that adults have overlooked. In this way, student protests often serve as an early signal of wider social concerns. (4 letters)

3. Many yo{{1}} people bel{{2}} that sch{{3}} should gi{{4}} every lea{{5}} the sa{{6}} chance t{{7}} succeed, regar{{8}} of fam{{9}} income. Wh{{10}} tuition rises or programs are cut, students may march, write letters, or meet with local officials. These actions rarely change policy overnight, but they can draw public attention to problems that adults have overlooked. In this way, student protests often serve as an early signal of wider social concerns. (4 letters)

4. Many yo{{1}} people bel{{2}} that sch{{3}} should gi{{4}} every lea{{5}} the sa{{6}} chance t{{7}} succeed, regar{{8}} of fam{{9}} income. Wh{{10}} tuition rises or programs are cut, students may march, write letters, or meet with local officials. These actions rarely change policy overnight, but they can draw public attention to problems that adults have overlooked. In this way, student protests often serve as an early signal of wider social concerns. (2 letters)

5. Many yo{{1}} people bel{{2}} that sch{{3}} should gi{{4}} every lea{{5}} the sa{{6}} chance t{{7}} succeed, regar{{8}} of fam{{9}} income. Wh{{10}} tuition rises or programs are cut, students may march, write letters, or meet with local officials. These actions rarely change policy overnight, but they can draw public attention to problems that adults have overlooked. In this way, student protests often serve as an early signal of wider social concerns. (4 letters)

6. Many yo{{1}} people bel{{2}} that sch{{3}} should gi{{4}} every lea{{5}} the sa{{6}} chance t{{7}} succeed, regar{{8}} of fam{{9}} income. Wh{{10}} tuition rises or programs are cut, students may march, write letters, or meet with local officials. These actions rarely change policy overnight, but they can draw public attention to problems that adults have overlooked. In this way, student protests often serve as an early signal of wider social concerns. (2 letters)

7. Many yo{{1}} people bel{{2}} that sch{{3}} should gi{{4}} every lea{{5}} the sa{{6}} chance t{{7}} succeed, regar{{8}} of fam{{9}} income. Wh{{10}} tuition rises or programs are cut, students may march, write letters, or meet with local officials. These actions rarely change policy overnight, but they can draw public attention to problems that adults have overlooked. In this way, student protests often serve as an early signal of wider social concerns. (1 letter)

8. Many yo{{1}} people bel{{2}} that sch{{3}} should gi{{4}} every lea{{5}} the sa{{6}} chance t{{7}} succeed, regar{{8}} of fam{{9}} income. Wh{{10}} tuition rises or programs are cut, students may march, write letters, or meet with local officials. These actions rarely change policy overnight, but they can draw public attention to problems that adults have overlooked. In this way, student protests often serve as an early signal of wider social concerns. (5 letters)

9. Many yo{{1}} people bel{{2}} that sch{{3}} should gi{{4}} every lea{{5}} the sa{{6}} chance t{{7}} succeed, regar{{8}} of fam{{9}} income. Wh{{10}} tuition rises or programs are cut, students may march, write letters, or meet with local officials. These actions rarely change policy overnight, but they can draw public attention to problems that adults have overlooked. In this way, student protests often serve as an early signal of wider social concerns. (3 letters)

10. Many yo{{1}} people bel{{2}} that sch{{3}} should gi{{4}} every lea{{5}} the sa{{6}} chance t{{7}} succeed, regar{{8}} of fam{{9}} income. Wh{{10}} tuition rises or programs are cut, students may march, write letters, or meet with local officials. These actions rarely change policy overnight, but they can draw public attention to problems that adults have overlooked. In this way, student protests often serve as an early signal of wider social concerns. (2 letters)

Answer questions about everyday reading material.

Read a notice.

Office of Student Activities, Westbrook College Student Government Election: Campaign Poster Guidelines Candidates may display up to ten posters starting March 2. Use only the bulletin boards in the Student Center and residence hall lobbies. Each poster needs an approval stamp from the Office of Student Activities before it goes up. Bring posters in person to Room 204, Harlan Hall, for stamping. All posters must be taken down within 48 hours after voting closes.

Read a text message chain.

Luis: Hey! I just rented a car to drive to Chicago for Thanksgiving break. It's $180 total. Split three ways, that's $60 each, way cheaper than flying. Pickup is booked for Wednesday at 3 p.m. Who's in? Dana: Count me in! I was dreading paying for a flight. Kenji: Ugh, I'll have to take a rain check. My lab shift just got moved to Wednesday afternoon, so there's no way I can leave at 3. Dana: What if we leave early Thursday morning instead? Then Kenji can come, and we'd still get there before dinner. Kenji: 6 a.m. is painful, but I'm in. Luis: Works for me. Right now the pickup is booked for Wednesday, so I'll check if the rental place can move it. Luis: On it.

11. Who is the notice mainly intended for?

A) Students who are running for a student government position

B) Students who plan to vote in the student government election

C) Staff members who manage the residence hall lobbies

D) Campus clubs that want to advertise their events

12. According to the notice, what must be done before a poster is put up?

A) A residence hall director must sign it

B) It must receive a stamp at the Office of Student Activities

C) A digital copy must be sent to the election committee

D) It must be displayed in the Student Center first

13. What is the main purpose of the text message chain?

A) To compare the prices of different car rental companies

B) To decide where the friends will spend Thanksgiving break

C) To organize a shared car trip for the break

D) To find someone to cover Kenji's shift at the lab

14. Why does Kenji write, "I'll have to take a rain check"?

A) To suggest that they wait for better weather before driving

B) To say that he cannot join the trip at the planned time

C) To offer to pay his share of the cost at a later date

D) To explain that he would rather take the bus to Chicago

15. What will Luis most likely do next?

A) Cancel the car reservation because the trip is too expensive

B) Ask Kenji's supervisor to change the lab schedule

C) Try to change the car pickup to Thursday morning

D) Look for a bus ticket for Dana on Wednesday

Answer questions about academic passages.

Live Disaster Reporting

For several decades, television coverage of an emergency depended on film. A camera crew recorded the scene of a fire or flood, and the film then had to be driven back to the station and processed before it could be edited. The finished pictures were usually shown on the scheduled evening news program. In the late twentieth century, this pattern changed. Portable cameras and transmission equipment allowed reporters to broadcast live from scenes such as industrial fires and chemical accidents. For the first time, viewers could watch events while they were still unfolding, often before anyone knew how they would end. This new speed came at a cost. Reporters often went on the air before officials knew or could confirm what had happened or which substances were involved, so early reports were incomplete. In some cases, a live report repeated an unconfirmed rumor, for example that a dangerous cloud was moving toward a neighborhood. Many worried residents then called emergency telephone lines, which made it harder for emergency services to respond to people who needed help. In response, many newsrooms later adopted their own guidelines for live coverage. Reporters continued to broadcast as the situation changed, but they were expected to make clear to viewers which facts authorities had verified and which were still unverified.

16. What is the passage mainly about?

A) How television cameras became smaller and cheaper over time

B) How portable equipment changed live coverage of emergencies

C) Why early live emergency reports were often inaccurate

D) How public officials warn residents during industrial accidents

17. The word “unfolding” in the passage is closest in meaning to

A) spreading

B) ending

C) repeating

D) developing

18. What can be inferred about television viewers before portable broadcast equipment became available?

A) They mainly relied on radio for news about emergencies

B) They usually saw pictures of an emergency only some hours after it began

C) They rarely saw any pictures of emergency scenes on television

D) They generally received more accurate emergency news than later viewers did

19. Why does the author mention emergency telephone lines?

A) To illustrate how unconfirmed information broadcast live could cause practical problems

B) To show that residents trusted television reporters more than public officials

C) To give an example of how stations collected information from local residents

D) To explain how officials communicated warnings to the public

20. According to paragraph 3, what did the newsrooms' guidelines ask reporters to do?

A) Wait for official confirmation before going on the air

B) State clearly which details authorities had confirmed

C) Read official statements to viewers without comment

D) Avoid interviewing residents at emergency scenes

Fill in the missing letters in the paragraph.

A Tradition of Protest

The French Revolution of 1789 established a tradition of popular protest that shaped French politics for more than two centuries. Whenever citizens felt that their leaders had ignored them, crowds built barricades across the capital and demanded change. Such protests did not always succeed, but the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 both forced a king from power. In the twentieth century, mass demonstrations in 1968 pushed the government to raise wages and reform universities. Protest thus became an accepted way of taking part in public life.

1. Whenever citi{{1}} felt th{{2}} their lea{{3}} had ign{{4}} them, cro{{5}} built barri{{6}} across t{{7}} capital a{{8}} demanded cha{{9}}. Such prot{{10}} did not always succeed, but the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 both forced a king from power. In the twentieth century, mass demonstrations in 1968 pushed the government to raise wages and reform universities. Protest thus became an accepted way of taking part in public life. (4 letters)

2. Whenever citi{{1}} felt th{{2}} their lea{{3}} had ign{{4}} them, cro{{5}} built barri{{6}} across t{{7}} capital a{{8}} demanded cha{{9}}. Such prot{{10}} did not always succeed, but the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 both forced a king from power. In the twentieth century, mass demonstrations in 1968 pushed the government to raise wages and reform universities. Protest thus became an accepted way of taking part in public life. (2 letters)

3. Whenever citi{{1}} felt th{{2}} their lea{{3}} had ign{{4}} them, cro{{5}} built barri{{6}} across t{{7}} capital a{{8}} demanded cha{{9}}. Such prot{{10}} did not always succeed, but the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 both forced a king from power. In the twentieth century, mass demonstrations in 1968 pushed the government to raise wages and reform universities. Protest thus became an accepted way of taking part in public life. (4 letters)

4. Whenever citi{{1}} felt th{{2}} their lea{{3}} had ign{{4}} them, cro{{5}} built barri{{6}} across t{{7}} capital a{{8}} demanded cha{{9}}. Such prot{{10}} did not always succeed, but the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 both forced a king from power. In the twentieth century, mass demonstrations in 1968 pushed the government to raise wages and reform universities. Protest thus became an accepted way of taking part in public life. (4 letters)

5. Whenever citi{{1}} felt th{{2}} their lea{{3}} had ign{{4}} them, cro{{5}} built barri{{6}} across t{{7}} capital a{{8}} demanded cha{{9}}. Such prot{{10}} did not always succeed, but the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 both forced a king from power. In the twentieth century, mass demonstrations in 1968 pushed the government to raise wages and reform universities. Protest thus became an accepted way of taking part in public life. (3 letters)

6. Whenever citi{{1}} felt th{{2}} their lea{{3}} had ign{{4}} them, cro{{5}} built barri{{6}} across t{{7}} capital a{{8}} demanded cha{{9}}. Such prot{{10}} did not always succeed, but the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 both forced a king from power. In the twentieth century, mass demonstrations in 1968 pushed the government to raise wages and reform universities. Protest thus became an accepted way of taking part in public life. (5 letters)

7. Whenever citi{{1}} felt th{{2}} their lea{{3}} had ign{{4}} them, cro{{5}} built barri{{6}} across t{{7}} capital a{{8}} demanded cha{{9}}. Such prot{{10}} did not always succeed, but the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 both forced a king from power. In the twentieth century, mass demonstrations in 1968 pushed the government to raise wages and reform universities. Protest thus became an accepted way of taking part in public life. (2 letters)

8. Whenever citi{{1}} felt th{{2}} their lea{{3}} had ign{{4}} them, cro{{5}} built barri{{6}} across t{{7}} capital a{{8}} demanded cha{{9}}. Such prot{{10}} did not always succeed, but the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 both forced a king from power. In the twentieth century, mass demonstrations in 1968 pushed the government to raise wages and reform universities. Protest thus became an accepted way of taking part in public life. (2 letters)

9. Whenever citi{{1}} felt th{{2}} their lea{{3}} had ign{{4}} them, cro{{5}} built barri{{6}} across t{{7}} capital a{{8}} demanded cha{{9}}. Such prot{{10}} did not always succeed, but the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 both forced a king from power. In the twentieth century, mass demonstrations in 1968 pushed the government to raise wages and reform universities. Protest thus became an accepted way of taking part in public life. (3 letters)

10. Whenever citi{{1}} felt th{{2}} their lea{{3}} had ign{{4}} them, cro{{5}} built barri{{6}} across t{{7}} capital a{{8}} demanded cha{{9}}. Such prot{{10}} did not always succeed, but the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 both forced a king from power. In the twentieth century, mass demonstrations in 1968 pushed the government to raise wages and reform universities. Protest thus became an accepted way of taking part in public life. (4 letters)

Answer questions about everyday reading material.

Read a notice.

Halbrook College Recreation Center Borrow a Running Vest Joining our Saturday trail runs? You can borrow a lightweight running vest at no cost. Each vest holds two water bottles and a phone. Pick one up at the second-floor equipment desk by showing your student ID. Vests go first come, first served. Return it to the same desk by 6 PM the next day. Our staff wash every vest after use, so please empty the pockets before you return it.

Read an email.

To: dokafor@students.halbrook.edu From: studyrooms@corwinlibrary.halbrook.edu Date: November 3, 2026 Subject: Change to Your Thursday Study Room Booking Dear Mr. Okafor, Last week you booked Room 214 for your group on Thursday from 4 to 6 PM. We have just been told that the display screen in that room needs to be repaired, and a technician will be working there all day Thursday, so the room will be closed. We have moved your booking to Room 309 on the third floor. The time stays the same. Please note that Room 309 is a bit smaller. It seats six people and has a whiteboard, but there is no screen. If your group would rather have a room with a screen, just reply to this email and we'll see what opens up. Sorry for the trouble. Best regards, Maya Lindqvist Study Room Office, Corwin Library

11. For whom is the notice mainly intended?

A) Students who join the Saturday trail runs

B) Staff members who work at the equipment desk

C) Students who want to buy their own running vest

D) Runners who have left items in a vest

12. What does a student need to do to borrow a vest?

A) Reserve a vest online the day before the run

B) Sign up with the leader of the trail group

C) Show a student ID at the second-floor equipment desk

D) Pay a small fee to cover cleaning

13. What is the main purpose of the email?

A) To cancel Mr. Okafor's study room booking

B) To inform Mr. Okafor that his booking has been moved to a different room

C) To ask Mr. Okafor to choose a new time for his group

D) To announce that the library's projectors are being replaced

14. What can be inferred about Mr. Okafor?

A) He asked the library to move his group to a larger room

B) He made his booking before the library knew about the repair

C) He works as an assistant in the library's study room office

D) He has met with his group in Room 309 before

15. What does the writer mean by “we'll see what opens up”?

A) The library will open Room 214 earlier than planned

B) The technician will try to finish the repair sooner

C) Staff will unlock Room 309 before the group arrives

D) Staff will check whether a room with a screen becomes available

Answer questions about academic passages.

The Science of Pressing

Sports scientists who study team coordination have examined a soccer tactic called pressing. Traditionally, a team that loses the ball falls back toward its own goal. Pressing reverses this habit: players immediately chase the ball where it was lost and try to recover it within a few seconds. The whole team moves up together, defenders included, instead of leaving the chase to one or two players. Research explains why. Each change of possession creates a fleeting opportunity: for a few seconds, before the opponent gets organized, it is exposed. The player who has just won the ball often faces his or her own goal, and teammates who were just defending have not yet spread out to receive a pass. Regaining the ball near the opponent's goal can produce a scoring chance almost at once. Physiologists point out a cost. Pressing demands repeated sprints, and muscles need rest between efforts, so the press usually weakens as a match goes on. Many teams therefore press only in certain zones of the field, and coaches substitute players more often to keep energy levels high. Despite this cost, this older coaching idea has recently been revived, partly because a weaker team can often unsettle a more skilled opponent by denying it time to use its usual passing patterns, making the match closer.

16. What is the passage mainly about?

A) How changes in the rules of soccer have affected defending and scoring

B) How a tactic of quickly winning back the ball creates chances and how teams use it

C) Which training methods build endurance and how coaches select players

D) How attacking and defensive styles differ and which one wins more matches

17. The word “fleeting” in the passage is closest in meaning to

A) rare

B) brief

C) valuable

D) obvious

18. According to paragraph 2, why is a team vulnerable just after it wins the ball?

A) Its players are usually tired from the defending they have just done

B) It has just switched to a formation designed for attacking

C) Its players have not yet moved into positions to receive a pass

D) Its most skilled passers are usually far from the ball

19. According to the passage, all of the following are true about pressing EXCEPT:

A) It requires players to sprint again and again

B) It is mainly the job of a team's forwards

C) It is often used only in certain areas of the field

D) It leads coaches to replace tired players more often

20. Why does the author mention a weaker team in paragraph 3?

A) To show that pressing can reduce the advantage of a more skilled team

B) To suggest that pressing works best when a team is losing a match

C) To show that pressing was first developed by teams with less skilled players

D) To contrast pressing with the traditional habit of falling back toward one's own goal