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1、Toefl iBT Practice Test TPO 16 Reading Section 1No. of Questions: 14 Time: 20 minutesBegin TestYou can use the countdown timer at the left bottom corner of the screen totime your test.press this button to set the timer Input a numberstart countdownpause countdownCONTINUE16Trade and the Ancient Middl

2、e EastSet the timer before doing the test. Standard time for doing this test is 20 minutes.Trade was the mainstay of the urban economy in the Middle East, as caravans negotiated the surrounding desert, restricted only by access to water and by mountain ranges. This has been so since ancient times, p

3、artly due to the geology of the area, which is mostly limestone and sandstone, with few deposits of metallic ore and other useful materials. Ancient demands for obsidian (a black volcanic rock useful for making mirrors and tools) led to trade with Armenia to the north, while jade for cutting tools w

4、as brought from Turkistan, and the precious stone lapis lazuli was imported from Afghanistan. One can trace such expeditions back to ancient Sumeria, the earliest known Middle Eastern civilization. Records show merchant caravans and trading posts set up by the Sumerians in the surrounding mountains

5、and deserts of Persia and Arabia, where they traded grain for raw materials, such as timber and stones, as well as for metals and gems.If you cannot see the timer or if you cannot set the timer, youll need to install flash player. Visit /flashplayer/ to download and install adobe

6、flash player.Reliance on trade had several important consequences. Production was generally in the hands of skilled individual artisans doing piecework under the tutelage of a master who was also the shop owner. In these shops differences of rank were blurred as artisans and masters labored side by

7、side in the same modest establishment, were usually members of the same guild and religious sect, lived in the same neighborhoods, and often had assumed (or real) kinship relationships. The worker was bound to the master by a mutual contract that either one could repudiate, and the relationship was

8、conceptualized as one of partnership.This mode of craft production favored the growth of self-governing and ideologically egalitarian craft guilds everywhere in the Middle Eastern city. These were essentially professional associations that provided for the mutual aid and protection of their members,

9、 and allowed for the maintenance of professional standards. The growth of independent guilds was furthered by the fact that surplus was not a result of domestic craft production but resulted primarily from international trading; the government left working people to govern themselves,16Question 1 of

10、 14Trade and the Ancient Middle EastParagraph 1 is marked with Trade was the mainstay of the urban economy in the Middle East, as caravans negotiated the surrounding desert, restricted only by access to water and by mountain ranges. This has been so since ancient times, partly due to the geology of

11、the area, which is mostly limestone and sandstone, with few deposits of metallic ore and other useful materials. Ancient demands for obsidian (a black volcanic rock useful for making mirrors and tools) led to trade with Armenia to the north, while jade for cutting tools was brought from Turkistan, a

12、nd the precious stone lapis lazuli was imported from Afghanistan. One can trace such expeditions back to ancient Sumeria, the earliest known Middle Eastern civilization. Records show merchant caravans and trading posts set up by the Sumerians in the surrounding mountains and deserts of Persia and Ar

13、abia, where they traded grain for raw materials, such as timber and stones, as well as for metals and gems.Reliance on trade had several important consequences. Production was generally in the hands of skilled individual artisans doing piecework under the tutelage of a master who was also the shop o

14、wner. In these shops differences of rank were blurred as artisans and masters labored side by side in the same modest establishment, were usually members of the same guild and religious sect, lived in the same neighborhoods, and often had assumed (or real) kinship relationships. The worker was bound

15、 to the master by a mutual contract that either one could repudiate, and the relationship was conceptualized as one of partnership.This mode of craft production favored the growth of self-governing and ideologically egalitarian craft guilds everywhere in the Middle Eastern city. These were essential

16、ly professional associations that provided for the mutual aid and protection of their members, and allowed for the maintenance of professional standards. The growth of independent guilds was furthered by the fact that surplus was not a result of domestic craft production but resulted primarily from

17、international trading; the government left working people to govern themselves,16Question 2 of 14The word 【repudiate】in the passage is closest in meaning toTrade and the Ancient Middle EastTrade was the mainstay of the urban economy in the Middle East, as caravans negotiated the surrounding desert,

18、restricted only by access to water and by mountain ranges. This has been so since ancient times, partly due to the geology of the area, which is mostly limestone and sandstone, with few deposits of metallic ore and other useful materials. Ancient demands for obsidian (a black volcanic rock useful fo

19、r making mirrors and tools) led to trade with Armenia to the north, while jade for cutting tools was brought from Turkistan, and the precious stone lapis lazuli was imported from Afghanistan. One can trace such expeditions back to ancient Sumeria, the earliest known Middle Eastern civilization. Reco

20、rds show merchant caravans and trading posts set up by the Sumerians in the surrounding mountains and deserts of Persia and Arabia, where they traded grain for raw materials, such as timber and stones, as well as for metals and gems.Reliance on trade had several important consequences. Production wa

21、s generally in the hands of skilled individual artisans doing piecework under the tutelage of a master who was also the shop owner. In these shops differences of rank were blurred as artisans and masters labored side by side in the same modest establishment, were usually members of the same guild an

22、d religious sect, lived in the same neighborhoods, and often had assumed (or real) kinship relationships. The worker was bound to the master by a mutual contract that either one could【repudiate】, and the relationship was conceptualized as one of partnership.This mode of craft production favored the

23、growth of self-governing and ideologically egalitarian craft guilds everywhere in the Middle Eastern city. These were essentially professional associations that provided for the mutual aid and protection of their members, and allowed for the maintenance of professional standards. The growth of indep

24、endent guilds was furthered by the fact that surplus was not a result of domestic craft production but resulted primarily from international trading; the government left working people to govern themselves,16Question 3 of 14Trade and the Ancient Middle EastParagraph 2 is marked with rade was the mai

25、nstay of the urban economy in the Middle East, as aravans negotiated the surrounding desert, restricted only by access o water and by mountain ranges. This has been so since ancient imes, partly due to the geology of the area, which is mostly limestone nd sandstone, with few deposits of metallic ore

26、 and other usefulTc t t a m f w paterials. Ancient demands for obsidian (a black volcanic rock useful or making mirrors and tools) led to trade with Armenia to the north, hile jade for cutting tools was brought from Turkistan, and the recious stone lapis lazuli was imported from Afghanistan. One can

27、trace such expeditions back to ancient Sumeria, the earliest known Middle Eastern civilization. Records show merchant caravans and trading posts set up by the Sumerians in the surrounding mountains and deserts of Persia and Arabia, where they traded grain for raw materials, such as timber and stones

28、, as well as for metals and gems. Reliance on trade had several important consequences. Production was generally in the hands of skilled individual artisans doing piecework under the tutelage of a master who was also the shop owner. In these shops differences of rank were blurred as artisans and mas

29、ters labored side by side in the same modest establishment, were usually members of the same guild and religious sect, lived in the same neighborhoods, and often had assumed (or real) kinship relationships. The worker was bound to the master by a mutual contract that either one could repudiate, and

30、the relationship was conceptualized as one of partnership.This mode of craft production favored the growth of self-governing and ideologically egalitarian craft guilds everywhere in the Middle Eastern city. These were essentially professional associations that provided for the mutual aid and protect

31、ion of their members, and allowed for the maintenance of professional standards. The growth of independent guilds was furthered by the fact that surplus was not a result of domestic craft production but resulted primarily from international trading; the government left working people to govern thems

32、elves,16Question 4 of 14Trade and the Ancient Middle EastTc t t a m f w p trade was the mainstay of the urban economy in the Middle East, as aravans negotiated the surrounding desert, restricted only by access o water and by mountain ranges. This has been so since ancient imes, partly due to the geo

33、logy of the area, which is mostly limestone nd sandstone, with few deposits of metallic ore and other usefulaterials. Ancient demands for obsidian (a black volcanic rock useful or making mirrors and tools) led to trade with Armenia to the north, hile jade for cutting tools was brought from Turkistan

34、, and the recious stone lapis lazuli was imported from Afghanistan. One can race such expeditions back to ancient Sumeria, the earliest knownMiddle Eastern civilization. Records show merchant caravans and trading posts set up by the Sumerians in the surrounding mountains and deserts of Persia and Ar

35、abia, where they traded grain for raw materials, such as timber and stones, as well as for metals and gems.Reliance on trade had several important consequences. Production was generally in the hands of skilled individual artisans doing piecework under the tutelage of a master who was also the shop o

36、wner. In these shops differences of rank were blurred as artisans and masters labored side by side in the same modest establishment, were usually members of the same guild and religious sect, lived in the same neighborhoods, and often had assumed (or real) kinship relationships. The worker was bound

37、 to the master by a mutual contract that either one could repudiate, and the relationship was conceptualized as one of partnership.This mode of craft production favored the growth of self-governing and ideologically egalitarian craft guilds everywhere in the Middle Eastern city. These were essential

38、ly professional associations that provided for the mutual aid and protection of their members, and allowed for the maintenance of professional standards. The growth of independent guilds was furthered by the fact that 【 surplus was not a result of domestic craft production but resulted primarily fro

39、m international trading】; the government left working people to govern themselves,16Question 5 of 14Trade and the Ancient Middle EastParagraph 3 is marked with Trade was the mainstay of the urban economy in the Middle East, as caravans negotiated the surrounding desert, restricted only by access to

40、water and by mountain ranges. This has been so since ancient times, partly due to the geology of the area, which is mostly limestone and sandstone, with few deposits of metallic ore and other useful materials. Ancient demands for obsidian (a black volcanic rock useful for making mirrors and tools) l

41、ed to trade with Armenia to the north, while jade for cutting tools was brought from Turkistan, and the precious stone lapis lazuli was imported from Afghanistan. One can trace such expeditions back to ancient Sumeria, the earliest known Middle Eastern civilization. Records show merchant caravans an

42、d trading posts set up by the Sumerians in the surrounding mountains and deserts of Persia and Arabia, where they traded grain for raw materials, such as timber and stones, as well as for metals and gems.Reliance on trade had several important consequences. Production was generally in the hands of s

43、killed individual artisans doing piecework under the tutelage of a master who was also the shop owner. In these shops differences of rank were blurred as artisans and masters labored side by side in the same modest establishment, were usually members of the same guild and religious sect, lived in th

44、e same neighborhoods, and often had assumed (or real) kinship relationships. The worker was bound to the master by a mutual contract that either one could repudiate, and the relationship was conceptualized as one of partnership. This mode of craft production favored the growth of self-governing and

45、ideologically egalitarian craft guilds everywhere in the Middle Eastern city. These were essentially professional associations that provided for the mutual aid and protection of their members, and allowed for the maintenance of professional standards. The growth of independent guilds was furthered b

46、y the fact that surplus was not a result of domestic craft production but resulted primarily from international trading; the government left working people to govern16Question 6 of 14The word 【consensus】in the passage is closest in meaning toTrade and the Ancient Middle EastTrade was the mainstay of

47、 the urban economy in the Middle East, as caravans negotiated the surrounding desert, restricted only by access to water and by mountain ranges. This has been so since ancient times, partly due to the geology of the area, which is mostly limestone and sandstone, with few deposits of metallic ore and

48、 other useful materials. Ancient demands for obsidian (a black volcanic rock useful for making mirrors and tools) led to trade with Armenia to the north, while jade for cutting tools was brought from Turkistan, and the precious stone lapis lazuli was imported from Afghanistan. One can trace such exp

49、editions back to ancient Sumeria, the earliest known Middle Eastern civilization. Records show merchant caravans and trading posts set up by the Sumerians in the surrounding mountains and deserts of Persia and Arabia, where they traded grain for raw materials, such as timber and stones, as well as f

50、or metals and gems.Reliance on trade had several important consequences. Production was generally in the hands of skilled individual artisans doing piecework under the tutelage of a master who was also the shop owner. In these shops differences of rank were blurred as artisans and masters labored si

51、de by side in the same modest establishment, were usually members of the same guild and religious sect, lived in the same neighborhoods, and often had assumed (or real) kinship relationships. The worker was bound to the master by a mutual contract that either one could repudiate, and the relationshi

52、p was conceptualized as one of partnership.This mode of craft production favored the growth of self-governing and ideologically egalitarian craft guilds everywhere in the Middle Eastern city. These were essentially professional associations that provided for the mutual aid and protection of their me

53、mbers, and allowed for the maintenance of professional standards. The growth of independent guilds was furthered by the fact that surplus was not a result of domestic craft production but resulted primarily from international trading; the government left working people to govern themselves,16Questio

54、n 7 of 14Trade and the Ancient Middle EastParagraph 4 is marked with Trade was the mainstay of the urban economy in the Middle East, as aravans negotiated the surrounding desert, restricted only by access water and by mountain ranges. This has been so since ancient mes, partly due to the geology of

55、the area, which is mostly limestone nd sandstone, with few deposits of metallic ore and other useful aterials. Ancient demands for obsidian (a black volcanic rock usefulc to ti a m fo wr making mirrors and tools) led to trade with Armenia to the north, hile jade for cutting tools was brought from Tu

56、rkistan, and theprecious stone lapis lazuli was imported from Afghanistan. One can trace such expeditions back to ancient Sumeria, the earliest known Middle Eastern civilization. Records show merchant caravans and trading posts set up by the Sumerians in the surrounding mountains and deserts of Pers

57、ia and Arabia, where they traded grain for raw materials, such as timber and stones, as well as for metals and gems.Reliance on trade had several important consequences. Production was generally in the hands of skilled individual artisans doing piecework under the tutelage of a master who was also t

58、he shop owner. In these shops differences of rank were blurred as artisans and masters labored side by side in the same modest establishment, were usually members of the same guild and religious sect, lived in the same neighborhoods, and often had assumed (or real) kinship relationships. The worker was bound to the master by a mutual contract that either one could repudiate, and the relationship was conceptualized as one of p