Reading Passage #01: "Around the year 1500..."

TestMagic Top 10 Vocab List

This list is designed to help you learn new TOEFL vocabulary and remember it.

TestMagic has chosen the Top 10 words or phrases that are most likely to appear on your next TOEFL test and put them on this list.

NOTE: The first passages on a paper TOEFL are often easier than the others. This passage is relatively simple and does not have as much difficult vocab as do other passages.

To make full use of this list, you should look at the Parts of Speech (that will help you with the grammar section), and read each Sample Sentence. The Sample Sentences are designed to be easy to remember and understand. Furthermore, each sentence has other useful vocabulary in it as well.

Finally, test yourself by taking the little quiz in the last column. Choose the answer that is closest in meaning to the words in bolded red. TestMagic has simulated the TOEFL vocab questions here--they are just as tricky as the real TOEFL questions!

Good luck! Any comments? Contact TestMagic!

When you are done, click here for the answers.

Note: The buttons will NOT give you the answers. You will need to check your answers by yourself.

New Word

Part of Speech

Sample Sentence

Sample TOEFL Vocab Question

colonizing

After colonizing the mid-Atlantic region of North America, the British set up basic systems of taxation for the new inhabitants of this region.

interior

Nomadic by nature, the land-hunting peoples of the interior of North America spread to the coasts by the 1500's.

	coasts
	mountainous regions
	states
	inland areas

respectively

Although Portugal and France played large roles in the colonization of the Americas, South America and North America were colonized largely by the Spanish and the British, respectively.

According to the passage, which country played the most important role in colonizing North America?
	Portugal
	France
	Spain
	Britain

overland

Overland travel in colonial America was often difficult due to the dense forests, mountainous terrain, and harsh weather.

Which of the following vehicles would a pioneer in colonial America most likely have used?
	a wagon
	an automobile
	a canoe
	a boat

hordes

Early settlers came to the frontier West in a trickle, but once word of gold spread across the young nation, would-be millionaires came to California in hordes.

	throngs
	wagons
	small groups
	trickles

swampy

The swampy areas of southern Florida become a breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitoes in the summertime.

	hot
	tree-covered
	marshy
	dangerous

bred

Huskies, specially bred to resist cold and endure long treks in the snow, are especially well-adapted to pulling sleds and performing others tasks in the snow.

	born
	trained
	expected
	raised

turn of the season

With the development of the calendar, the pre-Colombian peoples of North America learned to predict the turn of the seasons and as a result, the optimal time to plant crops.

	new seasons
	storms
	ideal harvest times
	spices

damp

Damp ground common after rainfall is ideal for sprouting plants provided the ground is not saturated with water.

	moist
	muddy
	frozen
	tilled

10.

haul

The pre-Colombian peoples of the Americas had many apparatuses to aid in hauling supplies and materials overland, few of which utilized the wheel.

	purchasing
	making
	transporting
	vending

Answers

TestMagic Grammar Practice: Tough ones!

These grammar exercises are designed to reinforce the vocab you have just learned and certain "TOEFL traps."

When you are done, click here for the answers.

Note: The buttons will NOT give you the answers. You will need to check your answers by yourself.

The hunters and gatherers of pre-Colombian North America ------ the interior and the coasts when the European settlers arrived.

	long had settled both
	had long settled both
	had both settled long
	long both settled had

Nomadic by nature, ------ of the interior of North America spread to the coasts by the 1500's.

	the land-hunting peoples
	the land-hunted people
	people who hunted the land
	the land people hunters

Although Portugal and France played large roles in the colonization of the Americas, South America and North America were ------ Spanish and the British, respectively.

	colonizing by the
	colonized largely the
	to colonize the large
	colonized largely by the

Overland travel in colonial America was often difficult ------ , mountainous terrain, and harsh weather.

	because the dense forests
	although dense forests
	due to the dense forests
	because of the forest were dense

Early settlers came to the frontier West in a trickle, ------ the young nation, would-be millionaires came to California in hordes.

	but once word of gold spread across
	however word of gold spread
	and the word about the gold spread
	but word of gold spread

The swampy marshlands of southern Florida become a breeding ground ------ mosquitoes in the summertime.

	for disease-carrying
	for diseases
	because of diseased
	to carry the disease

Huskies, specially bred to resist cold and endure long treks in the snow, are especially ------ pulling sleds and performing others tasks in the snow.

	adapted well because
	well-adapted to
	adapting well for
	adapted to the well

------ the calendar, the pre-Colombian peoples of North America learned to predict the turn of the seasons and as a result, the optimal time to plant crops.

	Despite the development of
	Because the development of
	By the development
	With the development of

Damp ground common after rainfall is ideal for ------ the ground is not saturated with water.

	sprout plants provide
	sprouting plants provided
	plants to sprout
	plants sprouts if

10.

The pre-Colombian peoples of the Americas had many apparatuses to aid in hauling supplies and materials overland, few ------ the wheel.

	of which utilized
	that utilized
	of whom utilized
	utilize after which

Answers