ToefliBTPracticeTest
TPO15WritingNo.ofQuestions:2BeginTestTime:approx.60minutesMakesureyourcomputerisconnectedtotheinternetduringthistest.
CONTINUENowputonyourheadsetClickonCONTINUEtogoon
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readingYouhave3minutestoreadthepassage.Clicktobeginreadingnow.Thecanetoadisalarge(1.8kg)amphibianspeciesnativetoCentralandSouthAmerica.ItwasdeliberatelyintroducedtoAustraliain1935withtheexpectationthatitwouldprotectfarmerscropsbyeatingharmfulinsects.Unfortunately,thetoadmultipliedrapidly,andalargecanetoadpopulationnowthreatenssmallnativeanimalsthatarenotpests.SeveralmeasureshavebeenproposedtostopthespreadofthecanetoadinAustralia.Onewaytopreventthespreadofthetoadwouldbetobuildanationalfence.AfencethatblockstheadvanceofthetoadswillpreventthemfrommovingintothosepartsofAustraliathattheyhavenotyetcolonized.Thisapproachhasbeenusedbefore:anationalfencewaserectedintheearlypartofthetwentiethcenturytopreventthespreadofrabbits,anotheranimalspeciesthatwasintroducedinAustraliafromabroadandhadaharmfulimpactonitsnativeecosystems.Second,thetoadscouldbecapturedanddestroyedbyvolunteers.Canetoadscaneasilybecaughtinsimpletrapsandcanevenbecapturedbyhand.Youngtoadsandcanetoadeggsareeveneasiertogatheranddestroy,sincetheyarerestrictedtothewater.IftheAustraliangovernmentweretoorganizeacampaignamongAustraliancitizenstojoinforcestodestroythetoads,thecollectiveeffortmightstopthetoadfromspreading.Third,researchersaredevelopingadisease-causingvirustocontrolthecanetoadpopulations.Thisviruswillbespeciallydesigned:althoughitwillbeabletoinfectanumberofreptileandamphibianspecies,itwillnotharmmostoftheinfectedspecies;itwillspecificallyharmonlythecanetoads.Theviruswillcontrolthepopulat