TOEFL Reading Practice: Spotting Domain and Range Errors
Good morning, everyone. Welcome back! Today, let’s talk about one of my favorite strategies for tackling TOEFL information questions—the so-called domain or range error.
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A domain error happens when an answer goes outside the scope of the passage. Example: the passage says “Some desert plants can survive without rain” but the answer says “All desert plants can survive without rain.”
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A range error happens when an answer exaggerates the degree, amount, or limit. Example: the passage says “Some desert plants can survive without rain for an extended time” but the answer says “Some desert plants can survive without any water indefinitely.”
Both are traps the TOEFL loves to use. Now, let’s practice spotting them!
Question 1
Passage on ancient migrations—how people might have traveled down the coast of Alaska about 16,000 years ago.The discovery of the remains of large land animals supports the coastal migration hypothesis by providing evidence that…
A. Humans were changing their hunting techniques to adapt to coastal rather than inland environments.
B. Animals had migrated from the inland to the coasts.
C. Humans probably would have been able to find enough resources along the coastal corridor.
D. The continental shelf was still exposed by lower sea levels.
Question 2
Tetrapods are four-limbed animals with backbones, which include amphibians, reptiles and mammals. One of the most significant evolutionary events that occurred on Earth was the appearance of tetrapods. They evolved from early bony fishes, specifically from the tetrapodomorph branch of lobe-finned fishes. Since the first records of fish are found in fossils of marine rocks, fish must have originated in the oceans. However, by the Devonian Period (408 million to 362 million years ago), they had radiated into almost all available aquatic habitats, including freshwater settings. One of the groups whose fossils are especially common in rocks deposited in fresh water is the lobe-finned fish.
What can be true of fish from the passage?
A. There is no evidence that fish originated from the ocean.
B. Evidence suggests that the lobe-finned fish radiated into almost all available aquatic habitats.
C. The most common type of fish preserved in fossils is lobe-finned fish.
D. Fish began living in freshwater habitats only after originating elsewhere.
Question 3
Global warming, an unequivocal phenomenon presently, has considerable impacts on human health. One of the effects of global warming is the increase of infectious diseases. Infectious diseases are caused by living organisms like viruses and bacteria. The most worrisome type of infectious disease due to global warming is vector-borne disease, which is spread by blood-feeding arthropods such as mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas. Examples include Dengue fever, West Nile Virus, Lyme disease, and malaria. Researchers have found that warmer temperatures increase transmission of vector-borne disease up to an optimum temperature or “turn-over point,” above which transmission slows. For example, malaria is most likely to spread at 25°C while the risk of Zika is highest at 29°C. This means warming will increase disease spread in places that are currently relatively cold.
Which of the following is the effect of global warming on the spread of vector-borne diseases?
A. Regions normally affected by vector-borne diseases will likely be less affected if they become hotter.
B. Higher global temperatures increase chances of disease spread in all places.
C. Regions normally unaffected will not see an increase.
D. Disease spread will intensify in currently afflicted regions.
Question 4
The translocation program conducted in French Guiana during the filling of a hydroelectric reservoir can be understood through the theory of "Behavioral Resilience in Translocated Populations." This theory posits that, when species are translocated to new environments, they may initially exhibit behavioral disruptions due to stress and disorientation. However, over time, they can adapt and regain behavioral characteristics similar to those in their original habitat.
Evidence comes from the study of red howler monkeys in French Guiana. Initially, the monkeys experienced behavioral issues and group fragmentation. But within six months, most of them displayed behavioral traits consistent with monkeys in undisturbed habitats. This suggests resilience and adaptation, supporting the theory that translocated populations can recover and readjust when placed in suitable conditions.
What does the evidence from the study of red howler monkeys suggest about the theory of "Behavioral Resilience in Translocated Populations"?
A. The theory suggests that translocated individuals never fully recover their original behaviors.
B. The theory posits that translocated individuals adapt quickly without any initial disruptions.
C. The evidence supports the idea that translocated populations can eventually regain behaviors similar to those in their original habitat.
D. The evidence indicates that translocated populations always exhibit the same behaviors as the original population.