【正文】 719, the same year that marked the appearance of Philadel phia’s first newspaper, the American Mercury, where the young Benjamin Franklin worked. By 1760 Boston had 4 newspapers and 5 other printing establishments。 Philadelphia, 2 newspapers and 3 other presses。 and New York, 3 newspapers. The45TOEFL iBT Readingdistribution, if not the sale, of newspapers was assisted by the establishment of a postal service in 1710, which had a network of some 65 offices by 1770, serving all13 colonies . . .”The word which in the passage refers to0 distribution0 sale0 newspaper0 postal serviceExplanationIn this example, the highlighted word is a relative pronoun, the grammatical subject of the relative clause “which had a network of some 65 offices . . .” The relative clause is describing the postal service, so choice 4 is the correct answer.PASSAGE EXCERPT: “. . . Roots anchor the plant in one of two ways or sometimes by a bination of the two. The first is by occupying a large volume of shallow soil around the plant’s base with a fibrous root system, one consisting of many thin, pro fusely branched roots. Since these kinds of roots grow relatively close to the soil sur face, they effectively control soil erosion. Grass roots are especially well suited to this purpose. Fibrous roots capture water as it begins to percolate into the ground and so must draw their mineral supplies from the surface soil before the nutrients are leached to lower levels . . .”The phrase this purpose in the passage refers to0 bining two root systems0 feeding the plant0 preventing soil erosion0 leaching nutrientsExplanationIn the example, the highlighted words are a phrase containing a demonstrative adjective (this) and a noun (purpose). Because a fibrous root system can keep soil in place, it can be used to stop erosion, and grassroots are a fibrous root system. The sentence could be reworded as “Grass roots are especially well suited to pre venting soil erosion,” so choice 3 is the correct answer.Type 7: Sentence Simplification QuestionsIn this type of question you are asked to choose a sentence that has the same essential meaning as a sentence that occurs in the passage. Not every reading set includes a Sentence Simplification question. There is never more than one in a set.46TOEFL iBT ReadingHow to Recognize Sentence Simplification QuestionsSentence Simplification questions always look the same. A single sentence in the passage is highlighted. You are then asked:Tips for Sentence Simplification Questionsb Make sure you understand both ways a choice can be incorrect:t It contradicts something in the highlighted sentence.t It leaves out something important from the highlighted sentence.b Make sure your answer does not contradict the main argument of the paragraph in which the sentence occurs, or the passage as a whole.b Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information. Example PASSAGE EXCERPT: “. . . Although we now tend to refer to the various crafts according to the materials used to construct them—clay, glass, wood, fiber, and metal—it was once mon to think of crafts in terms of function, which led to their being known as the “applied arts.” Approaching crafts from the point of view of function, we can divide them into simple categories: containers, shelters, and supports. There is no way around the fact that containers, shelters, and supports must be functional. The applied arts are thus bound by the laws of physics, which pertain to both the materials used in their making and the substances and things to be contained, supported, and sheltered. These laws are universal in their application, regardless of cultural beliefs, geography, or climate. If a pot has no bottom or has large openings in its sides, it could hardly be considered a container in any traditional sense. Since the laws of physics, not some arbitrary decision, have determined the general form of appliedart objects, they follow basic patterns, so much so that functional forms can vary only within certain limits. Buildings without roofs, for example, are unusual because they depart from the norm. However, not all functional objects are exactly alike。 that is why we recognize a Shang Dynasty vase as being different from an Inca vase. What varies is not the basic form but the incidental details that do not obstruct the object’s primary function . . .”Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.0 Functional appliedart objects cannot vary much from the basic patterns deter mined by the laws of physics.0 The function of appliedart objects is determined by basic patterns in the laws ofphysics.0 Since functional appliedart objects vary only within certain limits, arbitrary deci sions cannot have determined their general form.0 The general form of appliedart objects is limited by some arbitrary decision thatis not determined by the laws of physics.47TOEFL iBT ReadingExplanationIt is important to note that the question says that incorrect answers change the original meaning of the sentence or leave out essential information. In this exam ple, choice 4 changes the meaning of the sentence to its opposite。 it says that the form of functional objects is arbitrary, when the highlighted sentence says that the forms of functional objects are never arbitrary. Choice 2 also changes