TOEFL >> Reading >> In the reading part of the TOEFL exam, Passages require understanding of rhetorical functions such as cause-effect, compare-contrast and argumentation. Students answer questions about main ideas, details, inferences, essential information, sentence insertion, vocabulary, rhetorical purpose and overall ideas.
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TOEFL Reading - Worksheet 8
Read the passage and choose the best answer to each question.
1. In the first paragraph, what is NOT the meaning of the word "marooned"?
- stranded
- left behind
- rescued
2. In the first paragraph, what is NOT a meaning of the word "hostile"?
- adverse
- hospitable
- unfavorable
3. In the third paragraph, what is the meaning of the phrase "space enthusiast"?
- an opponent of space
- person interested in space
- a critic of space
4. In the fifth sentence, what is NOT the meaning of the word "obstacles"?
- benefits
- difficulties
- distances
5. In the fifth sentence, what does the word "which" refer to?
- U.S.
- adviser
- NASA
6. What does the passage imply?
- There are not many women in the U.S. space program.
- There are many women in the U.S. space program.
- Women aren't interested in space.
7. In the second paragraph, who thinks that Watney has died?
- Matt Damon
- Montserrat Cordero
- Watney's crew
8. Who are role models in the film?
- Mark Watney, the Mars mission commander, and a woman computer programmer
- Montserrat Cordero and Mark Watney
- Robert Manning and Melissa Lewis
9. Where does the sentence -- "And that work includes preparations for an actual manned mission to Mars." -- best belong?
- at the end of the sixth paragraph
- at the end of the fifth paragraph
- at the end of the second paragraph
Martian Science Fiction Film Hopes to Inspire New Scientists
The Martian, a film about a marooned astronaut who uses science, wit and courage to survive in a very hostile environment, is making hundreds of millions of dollars and has gotten good reviews. Some scientists also say the film has the potential to inspire as well entertain.
In The Martian, Mark Watney is a U.S. astronaut who has to survive alone on Mars after his crew leaves the planet without him, thinking he died in a storm that swept him away. Watney, a botanist, is played by Matt Damon. Not your typical Hollywood here, Damon is one of several role models in the film for aspiring scientists. Another is Mars mission commander Melissa Lewis, played by Jessica Chastain.
It's a performance that excites Costa Rican space enthusiast and student Montserrat Cordero. "Jessica Chastain's character is amazing. We also have the computer programmer who is also a woman. This is not what we tend to see. So I'm really excited to see this kind of thing, hope to see a lot more of it," said Cordero, a Stanford University student and
a graduate of an international summer school run by the Foundation for International Space Education in Houston, Texas.
Justin Kugler, director of educational programs at the Foundation, said that The Martian's role models will have a positive influence. "The more women we have involved in science, technology, engineering and math, the better a society we have, and the better we’ll be able to accomplish those missions and do things like go to Mars," Kugler said.
In the film, NASA, the U.S. government space agency, tries to overcome great obstacles to bring Watney back to Earth. That's not just science fiction. The science and technology shown in the movie is based on real-life work by NASA, which acted as an adviser to the filmmakers.
As part of that effort, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been operating rovers to collect Martian soil samples. Robert Manning, the laboratory's Mars engineering manager, said his team needs diversity to succeed. "People who see the world from different angles to come in and bring their creative ideas with them, to come here and to help us out. So what we do here is really, in many respects, an international effort," Manning said.
Source: voanews.com
