Reading comprehension -TOEFL- Lesson 1

Martin Luther King, Jr., is well known for his work in civil rights and for his many famous speeches, among them is his moving "I Have A Dream" speech. But fewer people know much about King`s childhood. M.L., as he was called, was born in 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia, at the home of his maternal grandfather. M.L.`s grandfather, the ReverendA.D. Williams, purchased their home on Auburn Avenue in 1909, twenty years before M.L. was born. The Reverend Williams, an eloquent speaker, played an important role in the community since so many people`s lives centered around the church. He allowed his church and his home to be used as a meeting place for a number of organizations dedicated to the education and social advancement of blacks. M.L. grew up in this atmosphere, with his home being used as a community gathering place, and was no doubt influenced by it.
M.L.`s childhood was not especially eventful. His father was a minister and his mother was a musician. He was the second of three children, and he attended all- black schools in a black neighborhood. The neighborhood was not poor, however. Auburn Avenue was the main artery through a prosperous neighborhood that had come to symbolize achievement for Atlanta`s black people. It was an area of banks, insurance companies, builders, jewelers, tailors, doctors, lawyers, and other black-owner black-operated businesses and services. Even in the face of Atlanta`s segregation, the district thrived. Dr. King never forgot the community spirit he had known as a child, nor did he forget the racial prejudice that was a seemingly insurmountable barrier that kept black Atlantans from mingling with whites.
1. What is this passage mainly about?
(A) the prejudice that existed in Atlanta
(B) Martin Luther King`s childhood
(C) M.L.`s grandfather
(D) the neighborhood King grew up in
2. The word "eloquent" in line 5 means most nearly
(A) powerful
(B) active
(C) romantic
(D) fascinating
3. The word "gathering" in line 9 could best be replaced by
(A) picking
(B) learning
(C) exciting
(D) meeting4. As used, the word "eventful" in line 11 is closest in meaning to which of the following?
(A) valued
(B) memorable
(C) admirable
(D) emotional
5. In line 14, the word "it" refers to which of the following?
(A) achievement
(B) neighborhood
(C) segregation
(D) services
6. According to the author, blacks in King`s neighborhood were involved in all the following businesses and services EXCEPT
(A) dentistry
(B) medicine
(C) law
(D) banking
7. The word "tailors" in line 15 describes people who are associated with which of the following trades?
(A) flower arranging
(B) shoe making
(C) garment making
(D) book binding
8. According to the author, King was influenced by
(A) community spirit
(B) black lawyers
(C) his mother
(D) his speeches
9. The word "thrived" in line 17 refers to which of the following?
(A) achieved
(B) surrendered
(C) flourished
(D) held
10. As used in line 18, which of the following is closest in meaning to the word "seemingly"?
(A) apparently
(B) inevitably
(C) inexplicably
(D) hastily
11. The word "mingling" in line 19 could best be replaced by which of the following?
 (A) interfering
(B) gargling
(C) consuming
(D) associating
12. According to the author, M.L.
(A) had a difficult childhood
(B) was a good musician as a child
(C) loved to listen to his grandfather speak
(D) grew up in a relatively rich area of Atlanta