Let's do the real TOEFL reading questions(100-24)

[An Min]

In the northern settlements, conditions socially and intellectually were very different from those existing in the South. The men who colonized New England represented a unique type; their ideals, their purpose, were essentially other than those which inspired the settles at Jamestown and the later colonizers of Virginia. The band of Pilgrims who landed from the Mayflower in December, 1620, were not bent on mere commercial adventure. They were looking for a permanent home, and had brought their wives and children with them. Their ideals were of the most serious sort; their deep religious feeling colored all their plans and habits of life.

The Pilgrims were a congregation of �gseparatists�h or non-conformists who had already endured hardness for conscience�f sake before they had even left England. Under the leadership of the Rev. John Robinson, and Elder William Brewster, they had fled to Holland in 1608. For ten years, this community of Englishmen had lived peacefully in the Dutch city of Leyden , earning their own living and enjoying the religious liberty they craved; but they felt themselves aliens in a foreign land, and saw that their children were destined to lose their English birthright. They determined, �gas pilgrims�h, to seek in the new continent, a home where they might still possess their cherished freedom of worship, while living under English laws and following the customs and traditions of their mother-land. They obtained a grant from the London Company under the same charter as that which had been given to the Virginia Colony, and sailed from Plymouth, in England, in September, 1620 to Cape Cod. Half the colony perished in the rigor of the first winter, for which they had been wholly unprepared.

The companies of settlers who followed the Pilgrims within the next few years were composed of the same sturdy, independent class of thoughtful, high-minded men. They were Puritans, -for the most part well-to-do, prosperous people. Many of them had been educated in universities, and brought the reverence for education with them. These colonists, who within the next fifty years dotted the New England coast-line with their thrifty settlements, were idealists. They established not an agricultural community, nor a manufacturing community, nor a trading community; it was a thinking community. Moral earnestness characterized every action.

34. What is the passage primarily about?
(a) the Pilgrims
(b) the Pilgrims and Puritans
(c) differences between Northern and Southern Colonists
(d) differences between Pilgrims and Puritans

35. The word �gbent�h in line 5 is closest in meaning to
(a) satisfied
(b) serious
(c) happy
(d) inclined

36. The paragraph preceding the passage most probably discusses
(a) agricultural life in the South
(b) migration to America
(c) the types of people who settled in the South
(d) the native peoples of America

37. According to the passage, the Pilgrims were most motivated by
(a) religious feeling
(b) escape from other countries
(c) the desire to live in America
(d) their English heritage

38. The second time the word �gtheir�h appears in line 13 refers to
(a) the Pilgrims
(b) aliens
(c) their children
(d) English birthright

39. The word �gcherished�h in line 14 is closest in meaning to
(a) wanted
(b) valued
(c) persecuted
(d) unusual

40. Many Pilgrims died within the first year of arrival in American because
(a) of the difficult sea voyage
(b) they contracted diseases from the colony of Virginia
(c) they had not rigged their ships well enough for the winter
(d) of the harshness of their first winter

41. The word �g rigor�h in line 18 is closest in meaning to
(a) cold
(b) onset
(c) length
(d) severity

42. The word �gthey�h in line 22 refers to
(a) settlers
(b) Pilgrims
(c) composed
(d) Puritans

43. The word �gthrifty�h in line 24 is closest in meaning to
(a) prosperous
(b) thoughtful
(c) frugal
(d) religious

44. The word �gcharacterized�h in line 26 is closest in meaning to
(a) excused
(b) described
(c) burdened
(d) facilitated

[hsengoren]

I say:
34.B 35.D 36.C 37.A 38.A 39.B
40.D 41.D 42.D 43.C 44.B

[An Min]

34. What is the passage primarily about?
<font color="brown">(b)</font id="brown"> the Pilgrims and Puritans

35. The word �gbent�h in line 5 is closest in meaning to
<font color="brown">(d)</font id="brown"> inclined

36. The paragraph preceding the passage most probably discusses
<font color="brown">(c)</font id="brown"> the types of people who settled in the South

37. According to the passage, the Pilgrims were most motivated by
<font color="brown">(a)</font id="brown"> religious feeling

38. The second time the word �gtheir�h appears in line 13 refers to
<font color="brown">(a)</font id="brown"> the Pilgrims

39. The word �gcherished�h in line 14 is closest in meaning to
<font color="brown">(b)</font id="brown"> valued

40. Many Pilgrims died within the first year of arrival in American because
<font color="brown">(d)</font id="brown"> of the harshness of their first winter

41. The word �g rigor�h in line 18 is closest in meaning to
<font color="brown">(d)</font id="brown"> severity

42. The word �gthey�h in line 22 refers to
<font color="brown">(a)</font id="brown"> settlers

43. The word �gthrifty�h in line 24 is closest in meaning to
<font color="brown">(c)</font id="brown"> frugal

44. The word �gcharacterized�h in line 26 is closest in meaning to
<font color="brown">(b)</font id="brown"> described

[Hippo]

Hi guys,

I have doubts about the 37th. Look at the following sentence in the 2nd paragraph:
"They determined to seek in the new continent, a home where they might still possess their cherished freedom of worship, while living under English laws and following the CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS of their mother-land."
We can infer from this sentence that they appreciated their English heritage. So I'd say that D is also possible.

Best regards.

[hsengoren]

Originally posted by Hippo

Hi guys,
I have doubts about the 37th. Look at the following sentence in the 2nd paragraph:
"They determined to seek in the new continent, a home where they might still possess their cherished freedom of worship, while living under English laws and following the CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS of their mother-land."
We can infer from this sentence that they appreciated their English heritage. So I'd say that D is also possible.
Best regards.

OK, but when we take a closer look at the sentence, we understand that "following the costoms and traditions of their motherland" is of only secondary importance. Conjuction "while" is used to combine two clauses. That is, "to seek a home where they might still possess their cherished freedom of worship" is their primary purpose.
"D" is not wrong, but "A" makes more sense.
Cheers...

[Zareen]

34A
35D
36b
37a
38a
39b
40d
41d
42b
43c
44b