LESSON 4:EXERCISE 2

Passage 1

(1)The Civil War created feverish manufacturing activity to supply critical material, especially in the North. When the fighting stopped, the stage was set for dramatic economic growth. Wartime taxes on production had vanished, and the few taxes that remained leaned heavily on real estate, not on business. The population flow from farm to city increased, and the labor force it provided was buttressed by millions of newly arrived immigrants willing to work for low wages in the mills of the North and on the railroad crews of the Midwest and West.

(2)The federal government’s position toward economic expansion was nothing if not accommodating. The government established tariff barriers, provided loans and grants to build a transcontinental railroad, and assumed a studied stance of nonintervention in private enterprise. The Social Darwinism of British philosopher Herbert Spencer and American economist William Graham Summer prevailed. The theory was that business, if left to its own devices, would eliminate the weak and nurture the strong. But as business expanded, the rivalry heated up. In the 1880s, five railroads operating between New York and Chicago vied for traffic, and two more were under construction. As a result of the battle, the fare between the cities decreased to $1. Petroleum companies likewise competed savagely and, in the 1880s, many of them failed.

1. The word feverish in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to

• (A) extremely rapid.

• (B) sickly and slow.

• (C) very dangerous.

• (D) understandable.

Passage 1

(1)The Civil War created feverish manufacturing activity to supply critical material, especially in the North. When the fighting stopped, the stage was set for dramatic economic growth. Wartime taxes on production had vanished, and the few taxes that remained leaned heavily on real estate, not on business. The population flow from farm to city increased, and the labor force it provided was buttressed by millions of newly arrived immigrants willing to work for low wages in the mills of the North and on the railroad crews of the Midwest and West.

(2)The federal government’s position toward economic expansion was nothing if not accommodating. The government established tariff barriers, provided loans and grants to build a transcontinental railroad, and assumed a studied stance of nonintervention in private enterprise. The Social Darwinism of British philosopher Herbert Spencer and American economist William Graham Summer prevailed. The theory was that business, if left to its own devices, would eliminate the weak and nurture the strong. But as business expanded, the rivalry heated up. In the 1880s, five railroads operating between New York and Chicago vied for traffic, and two more were under construction. As a result of the battle, the fare between the cities decreased to $1. Petroleum companies likewise competed savagely and, in the 1880s, many of them failed.

2. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word critical in paragraph 1?

• (A) Industrial

• (B) Serious

• (C) Crucial

• (D) Insulting

Passage 1

(1)The Civil War created feverish manufacturing activity to supply critical material, especially in the North. When the fighting stopped, the stage was set for dramatic economic growth. Wartime taxes on production had vanished, and the few taxes that remained leaned heavily on real estate, not on business. The population flow from farm to city increased, and the labor force it provided was buttressed by millions of newly arrived immigrants willing to work for low wages in the mills of the North and on the railroad crews of the Midwest and West.

(2)The federal government’s position toward economic expansion was nothing if not accommodating. The government established tariff barriers, provided loans and grants to build a transcontinental railroad, and assumed a studied stance of nonintervention in private enterprise. The Social Darwinism of British philosopher Herbert Spencer and American economist William Graham Summer prevailed. The theory was that business, if left to its own devices, would eliminate the weak and nurture the strong. But as business expanded, the rivalry heated up. In the 1880s, five railroads operating between New York and Chicago vied for traffic, and two more were under construction. As a result of the battle, the fare between the cities decreased to $1. Petroleum companies likewise competed savagely and, in the 1880s, many of them failed.

3. The phrase the stage was set in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to which of the following?

• (A) The play was over.

• (B) The progress continued.

• (C) The foundation was laid.

• (D) The direction was clear.

4. Look at the word newcomers in the bold text below.

The population flow from farm to city increased, and the labor force it provided was buttressed by millions of recent immigrants. These newcomers were willing to work for low wages in the mills of the North and on the railroad crews of the Midwest and West.

Underline the word or phrase in the bold text that is closest in meaning to the word newcomers.

Passage 1

(1)The Civil War created feverish manufacturing activity to supply critical material, especially in the North. When the fighting stopped, the stage was set for dramatic economic growth. Wartime taxes on production had vanished, and the few taxes that remained leaned heavily on real estate, not on business. The population flow from farm to city increased, and the labor force it provided was buttressed by millions of newly arrived immigrants willing to work for low wages in the mills of the North and on the railroad crews of the Midwest and West.

(2)The federal government’s position toward economic expansion was nothing if not accommodating. The government established tariff barriers, provided loans and grants to build a transcontinental railroad, and assumed a studied stance of nonintervention in private enterprise. The Social Darwinism of British philosopher Herbert Spencer and American economist William Graham Summer prevailed. The theory was that business, if left to its own devices, would eliminate the weak and nurture the strong. But as business expanded, the rivalry heated up. In the 1880s, five railroads operating between New York and Chicago vied for traffic, and two more were under construction. As a result of the battle, the fare between the cities decreased to $1. Petroleum companies likewise competed savagely and, in the 1880s, many of them failed.

5. The phrase real estate in paragraph 1 refers to

• (A) tools and machines.

• (B) actual income.

• (C) new enterprises.

• (D) land and buildings.

Passage 1

(1)The Civil War created feverish manufacturing activity to supply critical material, especially in the North. When the fighting stopped, the stage was set for dramatic economic growth. Wartime taxes on production had vanished, and the few taxes that remained leaned heavily on real estate, not on business. The population flow from farm to city increased, and the labor force it provided was buttressed by millions of newly arrived immigrants willing to work for low wages in the mills of the North and on the railroad crews of the Midwest and West.

(2)The federal government’s position toward economic expansion was nothing if not accommodating. The government established tariff barriers, provided loans and grants to build a transcontinental railroad, and assumed a studied stance of nonintervention in private enterprise. The Social Darwinism of British philosopher Herbert Spencer and American economist William Graham Summer prevailed. The theory was that business, if left to its own devices, would eliminate the weak and nurture the strong. But as business expanded, the rivalry heated up. In the 1880s, five railroads operating between New York and Chicago vied for traffic, and two more were under construction. As a result of the battle, the fare between the cities decreased to $1. Petroleum companies likewise competed savagely and, in the 1880s, many of them failed.

6. The word buttressed in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to

• (A) concerned.

• (B) supplemented.

• (C) restructured.

• (D) enriched.

Passage 1

(1)The Civil War created feverish manufacturing activity to supply critical material, especially in the North. When the fighting stopped, the stage was set for dramatic economic growth. Wartime taxes on production had vanished, and the few taxes that remained leaned heavily on real estate, not on business. The population flow from farm to city increased, and the labor force it provided was buttressed by millions of newly arrived immigrants willing to work for low wages in the mills of the North and on the railroad crews of the Midwest and West.

(2)The federal government’s position toward economic expansion was nothing if not accommodating. The government established tariff barriers, provided loans and grants to build a transcontinental railroad, and assumed a studied stance of nonintervention in private enterprise. The Social Darwinism of British philosopher Herbert Spencer and American economist William Graham Summer prevailed. The theory was that business, if left to its own devices, would eliminate the weak and nurture the strong. But as business expanded, the rivalry heated up. In the 1880s, five railroads operating between New York and Chicago vied for traffic, and two more were under construction. As a result of the battle, the fare between the cities decreased to $1. Petroleum companies likewise competed savagely and, in the 1880s, many of them failed.

7. The word accommodating in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to

• (A) persistent.

• (B) indifferent.

• (C) balanced.

• (D) helpful.

8. Look at the word stance in the bold text

below:

The federal government’s position toward economic expansion was nothing if not accommodating. It established tariff barriers, provided loans and grants to build a transcontinental railroad, and assumed a studied stance of nonintervention in private enterprise.

Underline the word or phrase in the bold

text that is closest in meaning to the word

stance.

Passage 1

(1)The Civil War created feverish manufacturing activity to supply critical material, especially in the North. When the fighting stopped, the stage was set for dramatic economic growth. Wartime taxes on production had vanished, and the few taxes that remained leaned heavily on real estate, not on business. The population flow from farm to city increased, and the labor force it provided was buttressed by millions of newly arrived immigrants willing to work for low wages in the mills of the North and on the railroad crews of the Midwest and West.

(2)The federal government’s position toward economic expansion was nothing if not accommodating. The government established tariff barriers, provided loans and grants to build a transcontinental railroad, and assumed a studied stance of nonintervention in private enterprise. The Social Darwinism of British philosopher Herbert Spencer and American economist William Graham Summer prevailed. The theory was that business, if left to its own devices, would eliminate the weak and nurture the strong. But as business expanded, the rivalry heated up. In the 1880s, five railroads operating between New York and Chicago vied for traffic, and two more were under construction. As a result of the battle, the fare between the cities decreased to $1. Petroleum companies likewise competed savagely and, in the 1880s, many of them failed.

9. The word prevailed in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to

• (A) influenced.

• (B) triumphed.

• (C) premiered.

• (D) evolved.

Passage 1

(1)The Civil War created feverish manufacturing activity to supply critical material, especially in the North. When the fighting stopped, the stage was set for dramatic economic growth. Wartime taxes on production had vanished, and the few taxes that remained leaned heavily on real estate, not on business. The population flow from farm to city increased, and the labor force it provided was buttressed by millions of newly arrived immigrants willing to work for low wages in the mills of the North and on the railroad crews of the Midwest and West.

(2)The federal government’s position toward economic expansion was nothing if not accommodating. The government established tariff barriers, provided loans and grants to build a transcontinental railroad, and assumed a studied stance of nonintervention in private enterprise. The Social Darwinism of British philosopher Herbert Spencer and American economist William Graham Summer prevailed. The theory was that business, if left to its own devices, would eliminate the weak and nurture the strong. But as business expanded, the rivalry heated up. In the 1880s, five railroads operating between New York and Chicago vied for traffic, and two more were under construction. As a result of the battle, the fare between the cities decreased to $1. Petroleum companies likewise competed savagely and, in the 1880s, many of them failed.

10. The phrase left to its own devices in paragraph 2 means

• (A) forced to do additional work.

• (B) allowed to do as it pleased.

• (C) made to change its plans.

• (D) encouraged to produce more goods.