The Complete Guide To The TOEFL Test

Section 2 • Guide to Structure and Written Expression 117

.... Sample Items

In Michigan, ____ over six hundred feet deep.

(A)salt deposits

(B)where salt deposits are

(C)having salt deposits

(D)there are salt deposits

Choice (D) correctly supplies an introductory word (there), a verb, and a subject. Choice (A) lacks a verb. Choice (B) contains a subordinator, used to introduce a clause; there is only one verb, however, so there can only be one clause. Choice (C) also lacks a main verb.

____ a tomato plant from 75 to 85 days to develop into a mature plant with ripe fruit.

(A)It takes

(B)To take

(C)That takes

(D)By taking

Choice (A) correctly completes the sentence with the introductory word It and a verb. Choice (B) and (D) do not supply main verbs. Choice (C) incorrectly creates a noun clause. ...

Exercise 17

Focus: Completing structure problems involving incomplete independent clauses. (Note: Three or four items in this exercise do not focus on missing subjects, verbs, complements, or introductory words; these items are marked in the answer key with asterisks.)

Directions: Choose the one option-(A), (B), (C), or (D)-that correctly completes the sentences, and then mark the appropriate blank. The first one is done as an example.

118 Section 2 • Guide to Structure and Written Expression

4. almost impossible to capture the beauty of the aurora borealis in photographs. __ (A) Being

His __ (C) There is

__ (D) Is

5.Usually, political cartoons ______ on the editorial page of a newspaper. __ (A) appear

___ (B) whose appearance __ (C) by appearing __ (D) when they appear

6. two major art museums, the Fogg and the Sadler. __ (A) Harvard University has

__ (B) At Harvard University

___ (C) Harvard University, with its __ (D) There at Harvard University

7.American actress and director Margaret Webster ______ for her production of Shakespearean plays.

___ (A) who became famous

___ (B) famous as she became

___ (C) becoming famous

___ (D) became famous

__ (C) Three of them __ (D) That the three

___ (A) It was Jane Byrne __ (B) Jane Byrne __ (C) That Jane Byrne __ (D) When Jane Byrne

14.Every computer consists of a number of systems ______ together. __ (A) by working

__ (B) work

__ (C) they work __ (D) that work

15. On the Moon, ______ air because the Moon's gravitational field is too weak to retain an atmosphere.

__ (A) there is no where no

__ (C) no

___ (D) is no

16.The Glass Mountains of northwestern Oklahoma ______ with flecks of gypsum, which shine in the sunlight.

___ (A) they are covered

___ (B) covered them

___ (C) that are covered

___ (D) are covered

17.In some cases, ______ to decide if an organism is a plant or an animal. __ (A) difficult if

__ (B) it is difficult

__ (C) the difficulty __ (D) is difficult

18.The first American novelist to have a major impact on world literature ______

___ (A) who was James Fenimore Cooper

___ (B) James Fenimore Cooper was

___ (C) it was James Fenimore Cooper

___ (D) was James Fenimore Cooper

19. important railroad tunnel in the United States was cut through the Hoosac Mountains in Massachusetts.

__ (A) At first

__ (B) It was the first __ (C) The first __ (D) As the first of

20. Generally, in the valleys and foothills of the Pacific Coast ranges. __ (A) the California poppy grown

the growth of the California poppy __ (C) the California poppy grows __ (D) growing the California poppy

21.When bats are at rest, ______ hang upside-down. __ (A) they

__ (B) and

__ (C) to __ (D)as

23. Although not as important as they once were, ______ a major form of transportation in North America.

___ (A) there are still railroads

___ (B) railroads, which are still __ (C) railroads are still

___ (D) railroads still being

24.The Loop, which is the commercial heart of Chicago, ______ within a rectangular loop of elevated train tracks.

___ (A) that is enclosed

___ (B) enclosing it

___ (C) is enclosed __ (D) enclosed

25. amino acids that serve as the basic building blocks of all proteins. __ (A) About twenty

__ (B) For about twenty of __ (C) About twenty are __ (D) There are about twenty

Section 2 • Guide to Structure and Written Expression 121

LESSON 18

INCOMPLETE ADJECTIVE ClAUSES

As mentioned in the previous lesson, there are three types of dependent clauses, all of which are tested in Structure. Adjective clauses-also called relative clauses-are the most commonly tested of the three. You will see one or two items involving adjective clauses on most tests.

Adjective clauses are a way of joining two sentences. In the joined sentence, the adjective clause modifies (describes) a noun (called the head noun) in another clause of the sentence. It begins with an adjective clause marker.

I wanted the book. The book had already been checked out.

The book which I wanted had already been checked out.

The adjective clause in this example begins with the marker which and modifies the head noun book. Adjective clause markers are relative pronouns such as who, that, or which or the relative

adverbs when or where.

Like all clauses, adjective clauses must have a subject and a verb. In some cases the adjective-clause marker itself is the subject; in some cases, there is another subject.

The painting was very expensive. Ms. Wallace bought it.

The painting which Ms. Wallace bought was very expensive.

The adjective-clause marker in the joined sentence replaces it, the object of the verb bought. In the joined sentence, the adjective clause keeps the subject-Ms. Wallace-that it had in the original sentence.

Section 2 • Guide to Structure and Written Expression 123

Choice (A) is incorrect because a preposition is needed before the adjective clause. Choice (C) is incorrect because the relative pronoun comes before the preposition. Choice (D) is incorrect because the relative pronoun has been omitted.

There are six types of flamingos, all ____ have long legs, long necks, and beaks that curve sharply downward.

(A)of them

(B)that

(C)of which

(D)they

Choices (A) and (D) do not contain connecting words needed to join clauses. Choice

(B) does not follow the correct pattern of relative clauses after a quantity word

The correct pattern needed to complete this sentence is quantity word + of + marker. Only (C) follows this pattern. ...

Exercise 18

Focus: Answering structure problems involving incomplete adjective clauses. (Note: One or two items in this exercise do not focus on adjective clauses; these items are marked in the answer key with asterisks.)

Directions: Choose the one option-(A), (B), (C), or (D)-that correctly completes the sentence, and then mark the appropriate blank. The first one is done as an example.

1.Most folk songs are ballads ______ have simple words and tell simple stories. __ (A) what

__ (B) although __ (C)when

~(D) that

2.After its introduction in 1969, the float process ______ the world's principal method of manufacturing flat sheets of glass.

___ (A) by which it became

___ (B) it became __ (C) became

___ (D) which became

3.In 1850, Yale University established Sheffield Scientific School, ______

___ (A) engineers were educated there

___ (B) where engineers were educated

___ (C) in which were engineers educated

___ (D) where were engineers educated

4.Many of Louise Nevelson's sculptures consisted of a number of large wooden structures

______ in complex patterns.

___ (A) which she arranged

___ (B) she arranged them

___ (C) which arranged

___ (D) arranged them

124 Section 2 • Guide to Structure and Written Expression

5. In addition to being a naturalist, Stewart E. White was a writer ______ the struggle for survival on the American frontier.

___ (A) whose novels describe

___ (B) he describes in his novels __ (C) his novels describe

___ (D) who, describing in his novels

6.Diamonds are often found in rock formations called pipes, ______ the throats of extinct volcanoes.

__ (A) in which they resemble __ (B) which resemble

___ (C) there is a resemblance to __ (D) they resemble

__ (B) which they __ (C) they __ (D)which

9.The instrument panel of a light airplane has at least a dozen instruments ______

___ (A) the pilot must watch __ (B) what the pilot must watch

__ (C) which the pilot must watch them

___ (D) such that the pilot must watch them

10.A keystone species is a species of plants or animals ______ absence has a major effect on an ecological system.

__ (A) that its

__ (B) its __ (C)whose __ (D) with its

11.The size and shape of a nail depend primarily on the function ______ intended.

___ (A) which it is

___ (B) for which it is

___ (C) which it is for __ (D) for which is

12.In geometry, a tangent is a straight line ______ a curve at only one pOint. __ (A) it touches

__ (B) whose touching __ (C) its touching __ (D) that touches

Section 2 • Guide to Structure and Written Expression 125

I:). It was the ragtime pianist Scott Joplin ______ the "Maple Leaf Rag, " perhaps the best known of all ragtime tunes.

(A) wrote

___ (B) the writer of

___ (C) who wrote

___ (D) writing

14.There are oyer 2.000 varieties of snakes. ______ are harmless to humans.

___ (A) mostly they

___ (B) most of them

___ (C) most of which

___ (D) which most

16.Charlotte Gilman's best known book ______ she urges women to become financially independent.

__ (A) is U;r)11zell and Economics. in which

___ (ll) m'nnell and Economics. in which

___ (C) is W'i"mwn and Economics, which

___ (D) U;omen and Economics, which

126 Section 2 • Guide to Structure and Written Expression

LESSON 19

INCOMPLETE OR MISSING PARTICIPIAL PHRASES

Participial phrases generally occur after nouns. They are actually reduced (shortened) relative clauses. Present participles (which always end in -ing) are used to reduce adjective clauses that contain active verbs.

Minnesota, which joined the Union in 1858, became the thirty-second state. (adjective clause with active verb)

Minnesota, joini;;g the Union in 1858, became the thirty-second state. (participial phrase with a present participle)

Most past participles end in -ed, but there are also many irregular forms. Past participles are used to reduce adjective clauses with passive verbs.

William and Mary College, which wasfounded in 1693, is the second oldest university in the United States.

(adjective clause with a passive verb)

William and Mary College, founded in 1693, is the second oldest university in the United States. (participial phrase with a past participle)

Participial phrases can also come before the subject of a sentence.

joining the Union in 1858, Minnesota became the thirty-second state.

Founded in 1693, William and Mary College is the second oldest university in the United States.

Usually, the participle itself is missing from this type of Structure item, but any part of a participial phrase as well as parts of a main clause may be missing.

.. Sample Item

Natural resources provide the raw materials ____ to produce finished goods.

(A)needed

(B)are needed

(C)which need

(D)needing

Option (B) is a passive verb; the sentence cannot contain two main verbs (are needed and prOl'ide) in the same clause. Choice (C) creates an adjective clause, but the verb in the clause is active and a passive verb is required. (However, a relative clause with a passive verb (which are needed) would be a correct answer.) Choice

(D) is a present participle and has an active meaning; a past participle is needed. A

Exercise 19

Focus: Completing structure problems involving incomplete or missing participial phrases. (Note: One or two items in this exercises do not focus on participial phrases; these items are marked on the answer key with asterisks.)

Directions: Choose the one option-(A), (B), (C), or (D)-that correctly completes the sentence, and then mark the appropriate blank. The first one is done as an example.