______ second in size to Jupiter, Saturn has a mass much
smaller than that of Jupiter.
When
While
Difficulty level: Medium
TestMagic Explanation: First, we have a
reduced adverb clause here. The original clause would be While it is
second in size to Jupiter. Second, we need to show contrast between
being second in size (which sounds like it is close in size) and having a
much smaller mass. In other words, from the sentence, it sounds like
Saturn is similar in size (even though it is not in reality) but much
smaller in mass.
Despite
Nevertheless
013.
[Given] the difficulty [of mastering] the subtleties of the
violin, there is [not] difficulty understanding why there are few children
proficient [in] playing it.
Given
of mastering
not
Correction: no or not any
Difficulty
level: Hard
TestMagic Explanation: This is a hard one!
Basically, since difficulty is a noun, we can only use a determiner
with it, or we can change the sentence to not any difficulty.
Remember, no = not any. Are you starting to see how
important determiners
are?
in
014.
What is known as the Homestead Act of 1862 granted those who
ventured westward ______ .
to receive
needed and desired land
the land they
both needed and desired
Difficulty level: Hard
TestMagic Explanation: Essentially, granted
is a transitive verb that needs to objects (a direct object and an
indirect object), just like the verb gave. In this case, the two
objects are those and the land.
needing and
desiring land
where they
most needed and desired land
015.
Almost ninety per cent of [American] high school [students]
claim they know [how to read], yet this figure is probably [somewhat lower].
American
Correction:
all American
Difficulty level: Hard
TestMagic Explanation: This is a tough
one! I bet if you show it to a native speaker of English, she might not
be able to notice that there's anything wrong. And, in fact, maybe this
question would be too hard for the real TOEFL, but I thought it would be
good to put it on here, at least to teach you the rule.
If we look at these examples, we can see the grammar rule very clearly:
most of the people, NOT X most of people X
half of my money, NOT X half of money X
students
how to read
somewhat
lower
016.
From the simplest single-cell organism floating in prehistoric
oceans ______ all forms of life now inhabiting the earth.
evolved
Difficulty level: Hard
TestMagic Explanation: We have inversion
in this sentence. Click the link to see why this sentence has inversion
and what other types of inversion
are possible. Here's what the original sentence would look like:
All forms of life now inhabiting the earth evolved from the simplest single-cell organism floating in prehistoric
oceans .
had evolved
evolve
evolving
017.
Zirconium is [a] [metallic element] with a high [melting]
point that is widely [used] alloys.
a
metallic
element
melting
used
Correction:
used in
Difficulty level: Hard
TestMagic Explanation: If you study at
TestMagic, you will learn why we need a preposition after used,
but it takes a little while to explain. I think this one is easier to
understand just by seeing the correction.
018.
______ is the earthquake that is most widely remembered, it
was actually the fire that ensued that caused the most damage in San
Francisco in 1906.
It
Being that
Although
Whereas it
Difficulty level: Hard
TestMagic Explanation: This one is hard
not because of the grammar but because of the vocabulary. Whereas
means although, both of which are adverb clause subordinating
conjunctions.
019.
After the Gold Rush in California in 1849 came [dramatically]
higher number of [immigrants] than [had been] [seen in] the previous year.
dramatically
Correction:
a dramatically
Difficulty level: Hard
TestMagic Explanation: Remember, if you
see a singular count noun with no determiner,
it is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. In this case, number is the singular
count noun with no determiner.
Why is this one so hard? Simple--the underline is so far from the
singular count noun; by the time we get to the singular count noun,
we've already forgotten!
immigrants
had been
seen in
020.
[Architect and founder] of the University of Virginia, Thomas
Jefferson [built] his house Monticello [overlooking] the campus [in]
Charlottesville, Virginia.