TOEFL Reading Passage 1

1. One of the most basic elements of human life is the way in which we form social groups and interact with the members of those groups. According to sociologists, no one is ever entirely separate from the social networks that surround him or her, and the groups we belong to play an enormous role in determining how we see ourselves and our world. Early American sociologist Charles H. Cooley(1864-1929) defined two principal categories of human groupings, and his ideas are still widely accepted today. He termed them primary and secondary, based on the kinds of relationships individuals in the group share with each other.
2. In primary groups, we form what Cooley referred to as primary relationships. These are marked by strong, long-lasting emotional ties, feelings of intimacy and genuine concern for the well-being of the other person or people. Intangible items, such as love, respect, and support, are exchanged by individuals in primary groups, causing them to feel nurtured by the relationships the group affords them. Participation in the group is therefore seen as its own reward; there is no concrete, external goal that members are working towards.
3. Due to the time and effort it takes to build such close bonds, primary groups are typically small. Some prominent examples given by Cooley include families, groups of childhood friends, and the tight-knit communities adults enter into with their neighbors or other close peers. In the view of Cooley and later sociologists, it is the primary group that is most important in the development of an individual's personal beliefs and values, and assists that person with his or her integration into society at large.
4. Secondary groups, in contrast, are characterized by the lack of intimate relationships among their members. These secondary relationships involve less personal interaction and weaker emotional connections, and therefore they do not have as significant an impact on the development of an individual's worldview. In addition, since ties between individuals are not as strong, many secondary groups either exist for only a short time before dissolving, or experience frequent changes in membership.
5. Secondary groups can be quite large. A company's employees, a university's student body, and even a country's citizens are all examples of secondary groups. The items individuals exchange are usually tangible in nature, such as the labor provided in return for wages in the case of a commercial organization. Most notably, though, the reason that secondary groups form in the first place is to accomplish a specific task. Employees participate in the secondary group of their company with the intention of creating a product or service, as well as to receive pay.

单选题 According to Paragraph 1, how did Cooley differentiate between primary and secondary groups?
A. By using definitions formulated by earlier American sociologists.
B. By focusing on the types of interactions displayed by group members.
C. By assigning values to groups based on their role in personal development.
D. By comparing the types of roles they play in society.

单选题 It can be inferred from Paragraph 2 that the typical primary group
A. cannot supply everything an individual needs to be happy.
B. contains members that are emotionally healthy.
C. remains together for a long period of time.
D. does not encourage the formation of relationships outside the group.

单选题 The word affords in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. lends.
B. provides.
C. costs.
D. teaches.

单选题 In Paragraph 3, the author states that primary groups are largely responsible for
A. shaping how their members relate to their social environment.
B. making sure societies work together towards a common goal.
C. forming organizations that undertake community development.
D. introducing new sets of beliefs and values to human society.

单选题 The word dissolving in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. returning.
B. settling down.
C. arguing.
D. breaking up.

单选题 Why does the author mention labor and wages in Paragraph 5?
A. To suggest that commercial entities are different from most secondary groups.
B. To explain the reason why most secondary groups exist.
C. To contrast these resources with tangible items found in secondary groups.
D. To characterize the nature of exchanges within secondary groups.

单选题 According to Paragraph 6, one similarity between primary and secondary groups is that they both
A. give rise to technological development.
B. are absent in less-developed nations.
C. can be observed in all kinds of societies.
D. are essential to the health of societies.

单选题 The word them in the passage refers to
A. less-developed nations.
B. individuals.
C. bonds.
D. primary groups.

单选题 The phrase at the expense of in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. along with.
B. regardless of.
C. among.
D. in place of.

单选题 What can be inferred from Paragraph 6 about a society with a high level of technological advancement?
A. Its primary groups are concerned mainly with acquiring material goods.
B. It is less common for people to commit to primary or secondary groups.
C. It allows its citizens to join more primary groups than those of other societies.
D. Its people form secondary groups more often than primary groups.

单选题 Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
A. The primary group, representing a safe and loving environment, enables individuals to express themselves freely and grow emotionally.
B. Most of the traditional primary groups in a society are no longer able to offer their members emotional well-being.
C. It cannot be overlooked that belonging to primary groups is a necessary part of every individual's developmental processes.
D. Individuals will seek vital emotional fulfillment in other social environments if their customary primary groups cannot supply it.

单选题 The word detrimental in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. harmful.
B. recent.
C. diverse.
D. worrying.

单选题 Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
Similarly, individuals may join a community sports club with the sole purpose of getting in shape or improving their athletic skills.
Where would the sentence best fit?
Click on a square [■] to add the sentence to the passage.
A. Square Ａ.
B. Square Ｂ.
C. Square Ｃ.
D. Square Ｄ.

填空题 Directions: Complete the table by matching the phrases below. Select the appropriate phrases from the answer choices and match them to the type of group to which they relate. TWO of the answer choices will NOT be used. This question is worth 4 points.
Drag your answer choices to the spaces where they belong.To remove an answer choice, click on it.To review the passage, click View Text.

A. do not play an important role in forming a person's value system
B. increase in frequency as the average age of a society increases
C. provide members with emotional support
D. come together to pursue a common and clearly identified goal
E. are more easily found in less developed countries

F. witness exchanges of items that cannot be quantified

G. are often large but short-lived

H. are responsible for a country's level of development

I. exist more frequently in regions where people do not travel

Primary groups

·______

·______

·______

·______

Secondary groups

·______

·______

·______