TOEFL Reading Practice Online | Q&A 001

This is an original TOEFL-style academic reading passage with 9 multiple-choice questions, written for self-study rather than taken from any official test. Read the passage, answer every question, then check the key. About 1.5 minutes per question is a reasonable pace to aim for.

Passage

The Movement of Water on Earth

[1] Water on Earth is never still for long. It moves continuously between the oceans, the atmosphere, the land surface, and living organisms in a process usually called the water cycle. Solar energy drives most of this movement: heat from the sun causes liquid water at the surface of oceans, lakes, and rivers to evaporate, turning it into water vapor that rises into the atmosphere. Plants contribute as well, releasing water vapor through tiny pores in their leaves in a process called transpiration. Because oceans cover most of the planet's surface, evaporation from the sea supplies the largest share of atmospheric moisture.

[2] Once in the atmosphere, water vapor cools as it rises to higher altitudes, where temperatures are lower. Cooling causes the vapor to condense into tiny droplets, which cluster together around microscopic particles of dust or salt to form clouds. If enough droplets combine and grow heavy enough, they fall back to the surface as precipitation, in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail depending on the temperature of the surrounding air. Winds can carry clouds far from where the water first evaporated, so precipitation over land often originates from moisture that evaporated far out at sea.

[3] Precipitation that falls on land follows several different paths. Some of it soaks into the ground, a process called infiltration, and becomes part of the groundwater stored in soil and rock. Some evaporates again quickly from puddles and wet surfaces. The remainder flows over the land as runoff, gradually collecting in streams and rivers that carry it back toward the ocean. The speed of this return trip depends heavily on terrain: steep slopes and impermeable surfaces such as pavement encourage rapid runoff, while flat, vegetated land allows more water to infiltrate slowly into the soil.

[4] Groundwater itself does not stay hidden underground forever. It moves slowly through porous rock and soil, sometimes emerging naturally at springs or seeping into rivers and lakes, sustaining them even during dry periods when surface runoff is minimal. Plant roots also draw up groundwater, returning some of it to the atmosphere through transpiration. Because groundwater moves so much more slowly than surface water, a single molecule can remain underground for centuries before it re-enters the visible part of the cycle.

[5] Scientists who study this system emphasize that the water cycle has no true beginning or end; it is a closed loop in which the same finite quantity of water is continually recycled. What changes is the water's location and physical state, not its overall amount. Understanding how long water tends to remain in each part of the cycle helps hydrologists predict flooding, manage freshwater supplies, and anticipate how changes in climate or land use might alter the balance between evaporation, precipitation, and runoff.

Questions

1. The word "continuously" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to

• (A) without interruption
• (B) occasionally
• (C) forcefully
• (D) unpredictably

2. According to paragraph 1, what is the main source of water vapor in the atmosphere?

• (A) Transpiration from plants
• (B) Melting snow and ice
• (C) Groundwater seepage
• (D) Evaporation from the oceans

3. The word "it" in paragraph 2 refers to

• (A) the atmosphere
• (B) altitude
• (C) water vapor
• (D) temperature

4. According to paragraph 2, why can precipitation fall on land far from where the water originally evaporated?

• (A) Groundwater travels underground toward the coast.
• (B) Rivers carry ocean water inland.
• (C) Winds can carry clouds long distances before the water falls.
• (D) Mountains stop clouds from moving any further.

5. All of the following are mentioned in paragraph 3 as possible paths for precipitation that falls on land EXCEPT

• (A) soaking into the ground
• (B) evaporating again
• (C) flowing into streams and rivers
• (D) freezing into glacial ice

6. Why does the author mention "steep slopes and impermeable surfaces such as pavement" in paragraph 3?

• (A) To give examples of conditions that make water run off quickly instead of soaking in
• (B) To show that pavement pollutes groundwater
• (C) To argue that cities should be built on flat land
• (D) To explain how hydrologists predict floods

7. The word "sustaining" in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to

• (A) discovering
• (B) maintaining
• (C) measuring
• (D) replacing

8. It can be inferred from paragraph 4 that a river that keeps flowing during a long dry period

• (A) is fed mainly by recent runoff
• (B) is probably receiving water that has seeped in from underground
• (C) loses most of its water through transpiration
• (D) must be located on a steep slope

9. What is the main purpose of the passage?

• (A) To argue that climate change is disrupting the water cycle
• (B) To compare the quality of groundwater and surface water
• (C) To explain how hydrologists measure rainfall
• (D) To describe how water continuously moves between the oceans, the atmosphere, and the land

Answers and explanations

1. (A) "Continuously" means without interruption: water is always moving between these parts of the system.
2. (D) Paragraph 1 says that because oceans cover most of the surface, evaporation from the sea supplies the largest share of atmospheric moisture. Transpiration is mentioned, but only as an additional contribution.
3. (C) In "water vapor cools as it rises," the vapor is what rises.
4. (C) Paragraph 2 explains that winds can carry clouds far from where the water evaporated, so rain over land often begins as moisture from the sea.
5. (D) The paragraph lists infiltration, renewed evaporation, and runoff. Glacial ice is never mentioned.
6. (A) The example shows what speeds up runoff, in contrast with flat, vegetated land where water soaks in slowly. Flooding is not discussed in paragraph 3.
7. (B) Groundwater seeping into rivers and lakes keeps them supplied, or maintains them, when there is little runoff.
8. (B) Paragraph 4 says groundwater seeps into rivers and lakes and sustains them "even during dry periods when surface runoff is minimal," so a river that still flows in a drought is most likely fed by groundwater.
9. (D) The passage follows water through evaporation, precipitation, runoff, and groundwater flow. It mentions climate and flooding only briefly in the last paragraph.

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