TOEFL iBT Reading Practice Tests
10 TOEFL iBT Reading practice tests in the real format, timed like the exam, with answers when you finish. About 30 minutes, 50 questions: Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life (emails, notices, schedules) and Read an Academic Passage.
TOEFL iBT Reading Practice Test 1 with Answers
A free, interactive TOEFL iBT Reading practice test with answers, about 30 minutes.
TopicsCoral reefsUrban heat islandsHow honeybees communicatePersonal finance courses
This TOEFL iBT Practice Test 1 has 1 paper — Reading. Choose a paper below to start; your browser will load the interactive version automatically.
Reading
Part 1 — Complete the Words (Questions 1-10)
Fill in the missing letters in the paragraph.
Coral Reefs
Coral reefs cover less than one percent of the ocean floor, yet they support about a quarter of all marine species. The re__ itself i_ built b_ tiny ani____ that ta__ calcium fr__ seawater a__ turn i_ into ha__ skeletons. Over ma__ centuries these skeletons pile up and form large structures. Reefs also protect coastlines, because they break the force of waves before they reach the shore.
Part 2 — Complete the Words (Questions 11-20)
Fill in the missing letters in the paragraph.
The Printing Press
Before the fifteenth century, most books in Europe were copied by hand, which made them rare and expensive. When t__ printing pr___ appeared, t__ cost o_ producing a bo__ fell sha____ and ma__ more peo___ could aff___ to b__ one. Printers were able to make hundreds of identical copies in the time a scribe needed for a single page. As a result, new ideas spread across the continent much faster than before.
Part 3 — Complete the Words (Questions 21-30)
Fill in the missing letters in the paragraph.
Sleep and Memory
Scientists have long suspected that sleep plays an important role in learning. Recent stu____ suggest th__ the br___ replays n__ information dur___ the ni___ and mo___ it in__ long-term sto____. In a cla____ experiment, students who slept after studying a list of words remembered far more of them the next day than students who stayed awake. Even a short nap seemed to improve their results in a later test.
Part 4 — Read in Daily Life (Questions 31-40)
Read the text and answer the questions. Choose the best answer to each question.
To: Maya Chen
Subject: Items due soon
Dear Maya,
This is a reminder that two items on your account are due this Friday: 'Introduction to Marine Biology' and 'Field Methods in Ecology'. You can renew each item online up to two times, unless another student has placed a hold on it. 'Field Methods in Ecology' currently has a hold, so it must be returned by Friday. Late returns are charged at $0.50 per day.
Hartwell Library Services
- Why was this email sent to Maya?
- What can be inferred about 'Field Methods in Ecology'?
The indoor pool will be closed from March 3 to March 17 while the heating system is replaced.
During this time:
• Swim team practices will move to Lakeside Community Pool.
• Water aerobics classes are canceled. Registered students will receive a full refund automatically.
• The gym, climbing wall and courts remain open at normal hours.
Questions? Visit the front desk or call ext. 4410.
- What will happen to students registered for water aerobics?
- Why is the pool closing?
Sam (4:13 PM): Just leaving. Need anything?
Leo (4:13 PM): Could you grab a calculator for stats? Mine died during the quiz 😩
Sam (4:15 PM): They only have the expensive graphing one left. $95.
Leo (4:16 PM): Ugh. Forget it — the professor said we can borrow one from the math lab.
Sam (4:16 PM): Smart. See you at dinner?
Leo (4:17 PM): Yep, 6:30 at the dining hall. I'll save a table.
- What problem does Leo have?
- Why does Leo decide not to buy a calculator?
- In Leo's last message, what does "I'll save a table" mean?
9:00 Welcome talk (Main Hall) — required for all new students
10:30 Campus tours leave from the Main Hall steps every 30 minutes
12:00 Free lunch on the North Lawn (bring your student ID)
1:30 Department meetings — see your email for the room
3:00 Club fair on the North Lawn (moves to the Sports Hall if it rains)
6:00 Movie night, Student Union — tickets $3, snacks included
- What must students bring to receive lunch?
- Where will the club fair take place if the weather is bad?
- Which event is NOT optional for new students?
Part 5 — Read an Academic Passage (Questions 41-50)
Read the passage and answer the questions. Choose the best answer to each question.
Human activity adds to the problem. Cars, air conditioners and factories all give off waste heat, and tall buildings block the wind that might otherwise carry warm air away. In addition, cities have far fewer plants than rural areas. Trees and grass cool their surroundings through evaporation, releasing water vapor that takes heat from the air.
The effect is more than a matter of comfort. During heat waves, higher nighttime temperatures prevent people's bodies from recovering, which increases the risk of illness. For this reason, many cities are now painting roofs white, planting trees along streets and creating small parks, measures that together can lower local temperatures noticeably.
- What is the passage mainly about?
- According to paragraph 1, why do cities stay warm at night?
- The word "otherwise" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to
- Why does the author mention trees and grass in paragraph 2?
- What can be inferred from paragraph 3 about the urban heat island effect?
In the 1940s, the Austrian researcher Karl von Frisch showed that the dance contains precise information. The angle of the straight run, compared with the vertical direction of the honeycomb, matches the angle between the food and the position of the sun. The length of each waggle run indicates distance: the longer the run, the farther away the flowers are.
Von Frisch's claims were initially met with doubt, since few people believed an insect could use such an abstract code. Later experiments, including ones that tracked bees with radar, confirmed that bees who had watched a dance flew almost directly toward the advertised location. Today the waggle dance is regarded as one of the most sophisticated communication systems in the animal world.
- What is the passage mainly about?
- The word "initially" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to
- Why were some people doubtful about von Frisch's claims?
- What is the purpose of paragraph 3?
- What can be inferred about the direction of the straight run?
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TOEFL iBT Reading Practice Test 2 with Answers
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Start Test 3 →TOEFL iBT Reading Practice Test 4 with Answers Pro
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How elephants communicateThe ancient Olympic GamesSymbiosis, wind energy and urbanizationAI writing tools for homework
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See Test 6 →TOEFL iBT Reading Practice Test 7 with Answers Pro
The history of chocolateRoman aqueductsThe intelligence of crowsCometsWhat causes inflationFrom silent films to soundParks or public transportation
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See Test 7 →TOEFL iBT Reading Practice Test 8 with Answers Pro
The Dust Bowl of the 1930sHow languages borrow wordsSeed dispersalWhy people procrastinateDating wood with tree ringsPaying for online news
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See Test 8 →TOEFL iBT Reading Practice Test 9 with Answers Pro
How penguins survive the coldThe invention of refrigerationWhy the Moon has so many cratersPaying students for good grades
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See Test 9 →TOEFL iBT Reading Practice Test 10 with Answers Pro
Salt in historyHow the potato spread around the worldThe psychology of color in marketingGroundwater and aquifersLiving in a big city or a small town
Reading · about 30 min
See Test 10 →
About the TOEFL iBT Reading paper
About 30 minutes, 50 questions: Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life (emails, notices, schedules) and Read an Academic Passage.
How TOEFL iBT is scored
Since 21 January 2026 the TOEFL iBT reports each section, and the overall score, on a 1–6 band scale in half-band steps aligned with the CEFR (6 = C2, 5 = C1, 4 = B2, 3 = B1). On 7ESL, Reading, Listening and Build a Sentence are marked instantly and turned into an estimated band. Write an Email and Write for an Academic Discussion are scored 0–5 like the real test: compare your response with our score 5, 4 and 3 samples, or — as a 7ESL Pro member — ask the AI examiner to score it. Speaking comes with model answers.
Other TOEFL iBT papers
TOEFL iBT Listening practice tests · TOEFL iBT Writing practice tests · TOEFL iBT Speaking practice tests. Or sit a full TOEFL iBT practice test.
7ESL practice material written in the public TOEFL iBT format (January 2026 update). 7ESL is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, ETS. TOEFL and TOEFL iBT are registered trademarks of ETS. Band estimates are for practice only; the real Reading and Listening sections are adaptive.