Pre-Assessment TOEFL iBT - READING- UNAM San Antonio rev. 4/22/25

Refer to this reading passage to answer the questions that follow. Circle the correct answers.

Noise Pollution

The word noise is derived from the Latin word nausea, meaning “seasickness."
Noise is among the most pervasive pollutants today. Noise pollution can broadly be defined as unwanted or offensive sounds that unreasonably intrude into our daily activities. Noises from traffic, jet engines, barking dogs, garbage trucks, construction equipment, factories, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, televisions, boom boxes, and car radios, to name a few, are among the audible litter that is routinely broadcast into the air.
One measure of pollution is the danger it poses to health. Noise negatively affects human health and well-being. Problems related to noise include hearing loss, stress, high blood pressure, sleeplessness, fright, distraction, and lost productivity. Noise pollution also contributes to a general reduction in the quality of life and eliminates opportunities for tranquility.
A number of factors contribute to problems of growing noise levels. One is increasing population, particularly when it leads to increasing urbanization and urban consolidation, because activities associated with urban living generally lead to increased noise levels. Another is the increasing volume of road, rail, and air traffic. Some people would add to this list a diminishing sense of civility and a growing disrespect for the rights of others.
We experience noise in a number of ways. On some occasions, we can be both the cause and the victim of noise, such as when we are operating noisy appliances or equipment. There are also instances when we experience noise generated by others, just as people experience secondhand smoke. In both instances, noise is equally damaging physically. Secondhand noise is generally more troubling, however, because it is put into the environment by others, without our consent.
The air into which secondhand noise is emitted and on which it travels is "a commons." It belongs not to an individual person or a group, but to everyone. People, businesses, and organizations, therefore, do not have unlimited rights to broadcast noise as they please, as if the effects of noise were limited only to their private property. Those that disregard the obligation to not interfere with others' use and enjoyment of the commons by producing noise pollution are, in many ways, acting like a bully in a school yard. Although they may do so unknowingly, they disregard the rights of others and claim for themselves rights that are not theirs.
Noise pollution differs from other forms of pollution in a number of ways. Noise is transient; once the pollution stops, the environment is free of it. This is not the case with air pollution, for example. We can measure the amount of chemicals and other pollutants introduced into the air. Scientists can estimate how much material can be introduced into the air before harm is done. The same is true of water pollution and soil pollution. Though we can measure individual sounds that may actually damage human hearing, it is difficult to monitor cumulative exposure to noise or to determine just how much noise is too much. The definition of noise pollution itself is highly subjective. To some people the roar of an engine is satisfying or thrilling; to others it is an annoyance. Loud music may be a pleasure or a torment, depending on the listener and the circumstances.
The actual loudness of a sound is only one component of the negative effect noise pollution has on human beings. Other factors that have to be considered are the time and place, the duration, the source of the sound, and even the mood of the affected person. Most people would not be bothered by the sound of a 21-gun salute on a special occasion. On the other hand, the thump-thump of music coming from the apartment downstairs at 2 A.M., even if barely audible, might be a major source of stress. The sound of a neighbor’s lawn mower may be unobjectionable on a summer afternoon, but if someone is hoping to sleep late on a Saturday morning, the sound of a lawn mower starting up just after sunrise is an irritant.

Glossary:
boom boxes: portable (but still large) radios or CD players
secondhand smoke: smoke that comes from someone else’s cigarette

1. The word routinely in the passage is closest in meaning to

A. regularlyB. accidentallyC. recentlyD. unfortunately

2. The phrase this list in the passage refers to a list of

A. types of noise pollutionB. factors that explain why noise pollution is getting worseC. activities that are associated with life in the cityD. methods of transportation

3. In paragraph 4, the author implies that secondhand noise pollution

A. is not as damaging physically as noise that one generates oneselfB. damages a person’s health as much as secondhand smokeC. makes people both the cause and the victim of noise pollutionD. is usually more annoying because it is out of one’s control

4. Which of the following is NOT an example of a “commons” as it is defined by the author in paragraph 5?

A. A national parkB. A factoryC. The air over a cityD. The water supply for a city

5. The word transient in the passage is closest in meaning to

A. irritatingB. persistentC. temporaryD. immeasurable

6. Which of the following sentences best expresses the essential information in the sentence below? (Incorrect answer choices omit important information or change the meaning of the original sentence in an important way.).

SENTENCE FOR 6: Though we can measure individual sounds that may actually damage human hearing, it is difficult to monitor cumulative exposure to noise or to determine just how much noise is too much.

A. It's hard to monitor cumulative exposure to sound because it is difficult to measure individual sounds.B. The louder the sound, the more difficult it is to measure.C. Individual sounds can be measured, but not the effects of long-term exposure to noise, and it’s hard to say what level of sound is safe.D. Individual sounds are not usually very damaging to human hearing, but multiple sounds that occur at the same time can be very harmful.

7. The word thrilling in the passage is closest in meaning to

A. unusualB. excitingC. irritatingD. unexpected

8. Which of the following is NOT one of the components of the negative effects that noise pollution has on people?

A. The volume of the soundB. The time when the sound is heardC. The source of the soundD. The combination of one sound and another

9. Look at the four numbers that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.

"On the contrary, they have an obligation to use the commons in ways that are compatible with or do not detract from other uses."

The air into which secondhand noise is emitted and on which it travels is “a commons.” (1) It belongs not to an individual person or a group, but to everyone. (2) People, businesses, and organizations, therefore, do not have unlimited rights to broadcast noise as they please, as if the effects of noise were limited only to their private property.(3) Those that disregard the obligation to not interfere with others’ use and enjoyment of the commons by producing noise pollution are, in many ways, acting like a bully in a school yard. (4) Although they may do so unknowingly, they disregard the rights of others and claim for themselves rights that are not theirs.

QUESTION FOR 9: Select the number that indicates the best place to add the sentence by selecting the appropriate drop down.

(1)(2)(3)(4)

10. Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE (3) answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage.

This question is worth 2 points.

Noise pollution, stemming from the Latin word "nausea," poses a significant environmental threat due to unwanted sounds disrupting daily life and endangering human health.

__________
__________
__________

Pick the numbers that correspond to the THREE (3) answer choices that you believe express the most important ideas in the passage in the above box. Order does not matter.

1- Noise pollution has detrimental effects on human health, including hearing loss, stress, and sleep disturbances, thereby reducing overall well-being and tranquility.2-The socioeconomic disparities related to noise pollution are explored, including how marginalized communities often bear a disproportionate burden of exposure to loud environments.3-Solutions or mitigation strategies for noise pollution are explored in depth, with the focus primarily on describing its effects and underlying causes.4-Factors contributing to the rise of noise pollution encompass population growth, urbanization, and increasing transportation activity, underscoring the complexity of the issue.5-Unlike other forms of pollution, noise pollution's transient nature and subjective perception pose challenges in regulation and monitoring, complicating efforts to mitigate its adverse impacts effectively.6-Noise pollution is a form of environmental injustice, where individuals or entities impose noise on others without their consent, akin to infringing on a shared "commons."

Refer to this reading passage to answer the questions that follow. Circle the correct answers.

The Rosetta Stone

Things were not going well for Ptolemy V, king of Egypt in the second century B.C. He was not one of the all-powerful Egyptian pharaohs who had ruled for many centuries. The young king was one of the Ptolemaic pharaohs who were of Greek heritage, descendants of a ruler put in place by Alexander the Great when he conquered Egypt in the fourth century B.C. The reign of Ptolemy V was a time of civil unrest and foreign incursions, and the king was unpopular. It was time for a public-relations campaign. The priests of the king wrote a short history of the king’s family, described his accomplishments, and explained his future plans. This message was written on stone tablets in demotic Egyptian for the common people, in Egyptian hieroglyphs for the priests, and in Greek for the ruling class. Thus, it was written in two languages but in three scripts. These tablets were posted all over Egypt.
Almost two thousand years later, in 1799, the French army, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, was occupying Egypt. Several years earlier, Napoleon’s army had defeated the British army near Cairo and had taken over the country. However, the British fleet had destroyed the French navy and there was no way for the French navy and there was no way for the French soldiers to return home. During this “extended vacation,” French military engineers strengthened existing defensive positions. In the port town of Rosetta (now known as El-Rashid), the French were rebuilding an old fort when Captain Pierre-François Bouchard discovered an irregularly shaped slab made of dark granite (often misidentified as basalt) with three types of writings on it in three distinct bands. Besides military forces, Napoleon had also brought scientists and scholars with him. The Rosetta Stone, as it became known, was turned over to them. They quickly realized that the three scripts contained the same message. They translated the Greek quickly but could not understand the other two scripts.
In 1801, the French were forced to surrender. Under the terms of the Treaty of Alexandria, the British claimed the artifacts that the French had found during their occupation. The French tried to smuggle the Rosetta Stone out of Egypt in a small boat but failed. The stone was brought to London and presented to the British Museum. On the back of the stone is the painted message, “Captured by the British Army in Egypt in 1801.”
It was through the Rosetta Stone that scholars learned how to read Egyptian hieroglyphs. The hieroglyphic alphabet, one of the earliest writing systems ever developed, had been used by the Egyptians for 3,500 years. However, it is far more complex than simple picture writing and contains thousands of symbols. After Egypt was conquered by the Romans, Latin became the dominant language, and by the fourth century A.D., no one could understand the symbols. Before the Rosetta Stone was discovered, some scholars even believed that hieroglyphs were not really an alphabet at all but were merely decorations.
Copies of the Rosetta Stone were sent by the British Museum to linguists all over Europe, but learning which Greek word represented which hieroglyph proved difficult. It was the brilliant French linguist Jean Francois Champllion who finally unlocked the mystery. He began studying the Rosetta Stone at the age of 18. After fourteen years, he deciphered the code. In a letter to the French Royal Academy of Inscriptions, he explained the three basic assumptions that led to a translation: (1) The Coptic Egyptian language, still spoken by a small group of Egyptians, was the final stage of the ancient Egyptian language. Champollion could consult with experts on Coptic Egyptian to learn about Ptolemaic Egyptian. (2) Hieroglyphs served not only as symbols of words and ideas (ideograms) but also as symbols of spoken sounds (phonograms). (3) Certain hieroglyphs enclosed in ovals were phonetic transcriptions of pharaohs' names. Once these hieroglyphs were understood, it was easier to decipher the rest. Armed with Champollion’s translation, scholars all over the world took a new interest in Egypt and laid the foundation for our understanding of this ancient civilization.
The Rosetta Stone is still displayed at the British Museum and is one of the most popular exhibits there, but the Egyptian government wants it back. In 2003, Dr. Zahi Hawass, director of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Cairo and a noted archaeologist himself, formally requested its return, saying, “The British … should volunteer to return the stone because it is the icon of our Egyptian identity.”

Glossary:
demotic: describing a form of a language that is spoken by ordinary people
hieroglyphs: symbols used in ancient Egypt to represent words or sounds

1.The word incursions in the passage is closest in meaning to

A. influencesB. travelersC. invasionsD. adventures

2. It can be inferred from the information in paragraph 1 that the author believes that

A. demotic Egyptian and the form of Egyptian used by the priests were the same languageB. the priests of ancient Egypt were all members of the ruling classC. demotic Egyptian was a spoken language that did not have a written formD. ancient Greek and demotic Egyptian were different languages but used the same script

3. Why do you think the author put quotation marks (“ “) around the phrase extended vacation in paragraph 2?

A. The French ruler Napoleon Bonaparte used this exact phrase to refer to the time his army spent in Egypt.B. The French Army was in Egypt because their fleet had been destroyed, not because they were on vacation there.C. The French were not really in Egypt for an extended period, but rather for a very short time.D. Unlike the soldiers, the scientists and scholars who came with Napoleon’s army were enjoying their time in Egypt.

4. The word bands in the passage is closest in meaning tolines?

A. linesB. areasC. symbolsD. pieces

5. We can infer from the passage that the scholars mentioned in paragraph 4

A. did not think that the hieroglyphic alphabet could ever be translatedB. were experts on the decorations used by the ancient EgyptiansC. played an important role in deciphering the Rosetta StoneD. did not believe that Latin was ever the dominant language in Egypt

6. Which of the following is NOT one of the assumptions that helped Champollion to translate the Rosetta Stone?

A. That hieroglyphs represented not only words and ideas but also soundsB. That the three messages written on the stone did not have exactly the same meaningsC. That some of the hieroglyphs set off from the others represented the names of pharaohsD. That one form of modern Egyptian was related to the ancient Egyptian language

7. The phrase the rest in paragraph 5 refers to

A. pharaohs’ namesB. ovalsC. scholarsD. Hieroglyphs

8. Which of the following sentences best expresses the essential information in the sentence below? (Incorrect answer choices omit important information or change the meaning of the original sentence in an important way.)

SENTENCE FOR QUESTION 8: Unearthed almost two thousand years after its creation, the Rosetta Stone was instrumental in deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs, leading to a renewed scholarly interest in ancient Egypt, particularly through the efforts of Jean François Champollion, who decoded its inscriptions after fourteen years of study.

A. The Rosetta Stone, discovered nearly two millennia after its inception, played a vital role in decoding Egyptian hieroglyphs, sparking a resurgence in academic fascination with ancient Egypt, notably thanks to Jean François Champollion, who unraveled its engravings after extensive research.B. Jean François Champollion's decipherment of the Rosetta Stone, unearthed almost two thousand years after its creation, was pivotal in understanding Egyptian hieroglyphs, reigniting scholarly interest in ancient Egypt.C. Unearthed around two thousand years after its carving, the Rosetta Stone proved crucial in unlocking the secrets of Egyptian hieroglyphs, leading to a resurgence of scholarly curiosity in ancient Egypt, especially due to Jean François Champollion's efforts in deciphering it over fourteen years.D. The Rosetta Stone, discovered long after its inception, served as a key tool in decrypting Egyptian hieroglyphs, reigniting scholarly enthusiasm for ancient Egypt, notably with Jean François Champollion's successful decoding of its inscriptions after extensive study.

9. Look at the four numbers that indicate where the following sentence found below could be added to the passage.

"Hieroglyphic script is mostly pictorial, consisting of images of natural and man-made objects."

It was through the Rosetta Stone that scholars learned how to read Egyptian hieroglyphs. The hieroglyphic alphabet, one of the earliest writing systems ever developed, had been used by the Egyptians for 3,500 years. __(1)__However, it is far more complex than simple picture writing and contains thousands of symbols. __(2)__ After Egypt was conquered by the Romans, Latin became the dominant language and by the fourth century A.D., no one could understand the symbols. __(3)__ Before the Rosetta Stone was discovered, some scholars even believed that hieroglyphs were not really an alphabet but were merely decorations. __(4)__

QUESTION FOR 9: Pick the number that indicates the best place to add the sentence above by selecting the appropriate answer.

(1)(2)(3)(4)

10. Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE (3) answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage.

This question is worth 2 points.

The priests of Ptolemy V wrote a message in three scripts: Greek, demotic Egyptian, and hieroglyphic.

__________
__________
__________

QUESTION FOR 10: Pick the numbers that correspond to the THREE (3) answer choices that you believe express the most important ideas in the passage in the above box. Order does not matter.

1. Officials at the British Museum have so far refused to discuss the return of the Rosetta Stone to Egypt2. Through Champollion’s brilliant work, the Rosetta Stone was translated and scholars were able to read hieroglyphs for the first time in many centuries.3. Despite its name, the Rosetta Stone is not actually a stone.4. Napoleon’s expedition to Egypt included not just soldiers but also scientific and scholarly experts.5. The Rosetta Stone was discovered in Egypt by the French but was captured by the British and taken to the British Museum6. Egypt has requested the return of the Rosetta Stone.

You are out of time for this portion of the assessment. Please click next to start with the next section.

Number of Correct Answers

Calculation

Reading Section

Reading

Noise Pollution

Refer to this reading passage to answer the questions that follow. Circle the correct answers.

The Rosetta Stone