The TOEFL iBT reading section assesses comprehension, inference, and logical reasoning skills. Below, we break down each question from the passage “The Origins of Agriculture” and explain why the correct answer is the best choice.
Question 1: What does the passage suggest about the Neolithic Revolution?
✅ Correct Answer: C) It led to the establishment of permanent settlements.
Explanation: The passage states that the Neolithic Revolution marked a transition from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to agriculture, leading to settled societies. While multiple factors contributed to this shift, the key takeaway is that it resulted in permanent human settlements rather than nomadic living.
🔴 Why not the other options?
- A) It occurred due to a single cause. → Incorrect because the passage mentions multiple factors (climate, population, social changes).
- B) It marked the transition from farming to hunting. → Incorrect because the transition was the opposite: from hunting to farming.
- D) It happened suddenly without any prior developments. → Incorrect because the passage describes it as a gradual process.
Question 2: Which of the following best supports the idea that climate change influenced the rise of agriculture?
✅ Correct Answer: B) The presence of wild grains in the Fertile Crescent.
Explanation: The passage suggests that as the Ice Age ended, warmer climates made wild grains like wheat and barley more abundant, encouraging early farming in regions like the Fertile Crescent. This evidence directly supports the claim that climate change played a role in agriculture’s emergence.
🔴 Why not the other options?
- A) The discovery of farming tools in the Americas. → Incorrect because it does not explain why farming started.
- C) The decline of oceanic species during the Ice Age. → Incorrect because it is unrelated to plant domestication.
- D) The expansion of early nomadic societies. → Incorrect because farming reduced nomadic movement.
Question 3: Why did population growth contribute to the development of agriculture?
✅ Correct Answer: A) Larger groups required more food security.
Explanation: As populations grew, food became scarcer, forcing humans to find a stable food supply. Farming allowed them to produce surplus food, making it easier to sustain large communities.
🔴 Why not the other options?
- B) It made hunting and gathering more efficient. → Incorrect because farming replaced hunting as a primary food source.
- C) It forced people to move to new territories. → Incorrect because farming led to settlements, not migration.
- D) It led to the domestication of wild animals. → Incorrect since domestication was a separate process.
Question 4: What can be inferred about the domestication of animals?
✅ Correct Answer: B) It was a gradual process that improved agricultural efficiency.
Explanation: The passage explains that domesticating animals like goats and oxen provided food and labor, making farming more efficient over time. This suggests a slow, progressive process.
🔴 Why not the other options?
- A) It eliminated the need for plant-based farming. → Incorrect because agriculture relied on crops.
- C) It only occurred in the Fertile Crescent. → Incorrect because domestication happened in many regions.
- D) It began before humans started cultivating crops. → Incorrect because plant cultivation likely began first.
Question 5: Which of the following was a disadvantage of early farming?
✅ Correct Answer: C) It made people more dependent on limited food sources.
Explanation: Unlike hunter-gatherers, who had diverse diets, early farmers relied heavily on a few staple crops. This dependence made them vulnerable to crop failures, droughts, and diseases.
🔴 Why not the other options?
- A) It caused a decrease in global temperatures. → Incorrect; agriculture increased land use but did not lower temperatures.
- B) It increased the spread of diseases among humans. → While disease did spread in crowded societies, the passage does not mention this.
- D) It reduced social complexity. → Incorrect because farming actually increased social complexity.
Question 6: What does the paragraph suggest about the relationship between agriculture and civilization?
✅ Correct Answer: A) Agriculture led to the formation of stable communities.
Explanation: The passage directly states that farming allowed people to settle in one place, leading to villages and towns. These stable communities eventually formed the foundation of civilizations.
🔴 Why not the other options?
- B) Early civilizations existed before agriculture. → Incorrect because farming was necessary for civilization to develop.
- C) The first governments were based on hunting practices. → Incorrect because governments formed around agriculture, not hunting.
- D) Writing systems were developed before farming began. → Incorrect because writing came much later.
Question 7: How did agriculture contribute to trade?
✅ Correct Answer: C) It allowed societies to produce surpluses for exchange.
Explanation: Farming led to food surpluses, which could be traded for tools, pottery, and other goods, expanding economies.
🔴 Why not the other options?
- A) It made long-distance travel unnecessary. → Incorrect because trade actually encouraged travel.
- B) It created food shortages, which led to trade conflicts. → Incorrect because surpluses fueled trade, not shortages.
- D) It reduced the demand for manufactured goods. → Incorrect; demand for non-food goods increased.
Question 8: What environmental issue did early farmers face?
✅ Correct Answer: B) Over-irrigation leading to soil degradation.
Explanation: The passage states that over-irrigation in Mesopotamia led to soil degradation, making farming difficult.
🔴 Why not the other options?
- A) A lack of fresh water sources. → Incorrect because irrigation provided water, but overuse harmed the soil.
- C) An increase in wild animal populations. → Incorrect; farming often reduced wild animal habitats.
- D) A decrease in atmospheric carbon dioxide. → Incorrect and unrelated.
Question 9: What is a modern challenge associated with agriculture?
✅ Correct Answer: C) Balancing food production with environmental conservation.
Explanation: The passage discusses issues like sustainability, biodiversity loss, and climate change, which highlight the difficulty of balancing food production with environmental protection.
🔴 Why not the other options?
- A) The inability to produce food surpluses. → Incorrect; modern agriculture does produce surpluses.
- B) The decline of farming technology. → Incorrect; technology has improved.
- D) The disappearance of domesticated animals. → Incorrect; domesticated animals still exist.
Question 10: What is the main idea of the passage?
✅ Correct Answer: B) The transition to farming was the most significant change in human history.
Explanation: The passage highlights how agriculture transformed human societies, economies, and civilizations, making it one of the most important historical developments.
🔴 Why not the other options?
- A) Agriculture created more problems than benefits. → Incorrect; the passage discusses both pros and cons.
- C) Early civilizations were better off as hunter-gatherers. → Incorrect; the passage does not argue against agriculture.
- D) Climate change will likely lead to the end of agriculture. → Incorrect; the passage discusses climate effects but not the end of agriculture.
Conclusion
Understanding why each answer is correct is crucial for TOEFL success. These questions assess reading comprehension, inference, and cause-effect reasoning, which are essential skills for academic English.