The Immigrant Contribution

Which of the following can most logically be inferred about the author’s perspective on defining “immigrants”?

• It is only appropriate to define immigrants as those who arrived after the Declaration of Independence.

• Native Americans should be excluded from any discussion of immigration history.

• The idea of an “immigrant contribution” is primarily a political, not historical, narrative.

• The distinction between immigrants and non-immigrants in America is historically and conceptually ambiguous.

In the sentence “the impact of immigration has been broadly to confirm the impulses in American life demanding more political liberty and more economic growth,” (Paragraph 2) the word "confirm" most nearly serves to...

• imply that immigration has neutralized opposing forces to liberty and growth

• suggest that immigration has restrained impulses toward liberty and growth by institutionalizing them

• indicate that immigration has validated preexisting trends in favor of liberty and growth

• assert that immigration introduced entirely new ideals of liberty and growth

Which of the following best captures the relationship between the historical examples and the German farmer’s letter?

• The examples of immigrant leaders and the farmer’s testimony together reinforce the idea that immigrants both shaped and idealized the political freedoms available in the United States.

• The contrast between elite immigrant leaders and a common farmer illustrates the growing class tensions caused by immigration.

• The references to Hamilton and Gallatin are used to argue that only immigrants from wealthy or educated backgrounds could contribute to the republic’s founding.

• The historical figures demonstrate the dangers immigrants posed to American political institutions, while the letter idealizes America’s ability to restrain those threats.

What is the primary rhetorical function of the reference to “spectacular immigrant successes"?

• To suggest that only a narrow segment of immigrants—those in science and industry—contribute meaningfully to society

• To argue that the economic value of immigration has been overstated in modern policy debates

• To emphasize that immigrant contributions extend beyond American borders and have global significance

• To contrast earlier immigrant achievements with contemporary declines in immigration-driven innovation

What is the most likely purpose of the extensive listing of immigrant industrialists, scientists, and inventors?

• To suggest that immigrants excel primarily in practical trades rather than theoretical or artistic pursuits

• To demonstrate that immigrant contributions have occurred in such diverse and essential fields that they are inseparable from the nation's industrial and scientific advancement

• To acknowledge immigrant accomplishments while implying that native-born citizens have contributed more meaningfully to innovation

• To illustrate that immigrant success stories are primarily concentrated in the 19th century and are no longer relevant

What is the primary rhetorical function of the phrase “the anonymous immigrant played his indispensable role too” in the context of the passage?

• To suggest that famous immigrant industrialists took credit for the achievements of unnamed laborers

• To assert that immigrant labor between 1880 and 1920 was largely unskilled and undervalued

• To challenge the myth that only well-documented immigrants made lasting contributions to American prosperity

• To emphasize that, despite lacking fame, countless immigrants were vital to America's rise as a global economic power

Which of the following best characterizes the author’s use of the statistical data from Charles O. Paullin’s analysis?

• It challenges prevailing narratives by showing that immigrants rarely succeeded in professions requiring advanced education or training.

• It provides empirical support for the claim that immigrant contributions to American cultural and intellectual life were at least as significant as their economic and political roles.

• It introduces quantitative data to support a broader claim that immigration has historically benefited only elite professions.

• It suggests that immigrant influence on American society peaked in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and has declined since.

Which of the following best explains the role of the discussion about religion?

• To show that religious freedom was a uniquely American innovation unrelated to immigration

• To highlight that only well-known immigrants shaped major American institutions like religion

• To illustrate how immigration influenced fundamental American political and social principles through everyday cultural practices

• To suggest that the Bill of Rights was primarily drafted to accommodate immigrant religious beliefs

The list of foods in the passage primarily serves to support which of the following claims?

• That European immigrants have had a greater influence on American culture than immigrants from other regions.

• That immigration has diversified not only language but also everyday cultural practices in the United States.

• That American cuisine is largely a fusion of British and indigenous culinary traditions.

• That the American dinner table has become a site of cultural conflict due to competing immigrant customs.

Which of the following best captures the author’s attitude toward the challenges faced by immigrants as described in the passage?

• The author acknowledges the difficulties immigrants faced while implicitly criticizing the exploitation they endured from native-born opportunists.

• The author suggests that the divisions among immigrants justified political corruption in urban governance.

• The author emphasizes that immigrant hardships were primarily the result of immigrants’ own lack of education and preparation.

• The author highlights Boss Tweed’s leadership as an effective response to immigrant disorganization.