PSAT/SAT (PT8) Double Passage

In the first paragraph of Passage 1, the main purpose of Douglas’s discussion of the growth of the territory and population of the United States is to

• provide context for Douglas’s defense of continued expansion.
• suggest that the division into free and slave states does not endanger the Union.
• imply that Lincoln is unaware of basic facts concerning the country.
• account for the image of the United States as powerful and admirable.
• Not Sure

What does Passage 1 suggest about the US government’s provisions for the institution of slavery, as framed in the Constitution?

• They included no means for reconciling differences between free states and slave states.
• They anticipated the Union’s expansion into western territories.
• They provided a good basic structure that does not need to be changed.
• They were founded on an assumption that slavery was necessary for economic growth.
• Not Sure

Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?

• Lines 10-16 (“we have . . . earth”)
• Lines 25-27 (“I now . . . made it”)
• Lines 35-39 (“We must . . . increasing”)
• Lines 41-45 (“If we . . . territory”)
• Not Sure

As used in line 67, “element” most nearly means

• ingredient.
• environment.
• factor.
• quality.
• Not Sure

Based on Passage 2, Lincoln would be most likely to agree with which claim about the controversy over slavery?

• It can be ended only if Northern states act unilaterally to abolish slavery throughout the United States.
• It would abate if attempts to introduce slavery to regions where it is not practiced were abandoned.
• It has been exacerbated by the ambiguity of laws regulating the holding of slaves.
• It is fueled in part by differences in religion and social values from state to state.
• Not Sure

Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?

• Lines 56-61 (“I agree . . . sugar”)
• Lines 64-66 (“They don’t . . . Union”)
• Lines 74-76 (“Whenever . . . peace”)
• Lines 83-86 (“Do you . . . another”)
• Not Sure

As used in line 84, “nature” most nearly means

• force.
• simplicity.
• world.
• character.
• Not Sure

Which choice identifies a central tension between the two passages?

• Douglas proposes changes to federal policies on slavery, but Lincoln argues that such changes would enjoy no popular support.
• Douglas expresses concerns about the economic impact of abolition, but Lincoln dismisses those concerns as irrelevant.
• Douglas criticizes Lincoln for finding fault with the Constitution, and Lincoln argues that this criticism misrepresents his position.
• Douglas offers an interpretation of federal law that conflicts with Lincoln’s, and Lincoln implies that Douglas’s interpretation is poorly reasoned.
• Not Sure

Both passages discuss the issue of slavery in relationship to

• the expansion of the Union.
• questions of morality.
• religious toleration.
• laws regulating commerce.
• Not Sure

In the context of each passage as a whole, the questions in lines 25-27 of Passage 1 and lines 67-69 of Passage 2 primarily function to help each speaker

• cast doubt on the other’s sincerity.
• criticize the other’s methods.
• reproach the other’s actions.
• undermine the other’s argument.
• Not Sure