Read the passage below and then choose the best answer to each question. Answer the questions on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage.
Passage
The Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871, was arguably the largest U.S. disaster of the nineteenth century, killing hundreds of people and destroying four square miles of the city of Chicago. Coincidentally, on the exact same day, a huge forest fire engulfed the remote town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, burning 1.5 million acres of land. The Chicago Fire received all the headlines, but the Peshtigo Fire is actually the deadliest fire in American history.
According to the passage, why did the Peshtigo Fire receive little news coverage?
- A. The damage from the Peshtigo Fire was not as widespread as the damage from the Great Chicago Fire
- B. Because it was a forest fire, the Peshtigo Fire really did not affect too many people
- C. The Peshtigo Fire happened on the same day as a fire in a much bigger city
- D. Residents of Peshtigo never reported that the fire had occurred
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C
The Peshtigo Fire received little news coverage primarily because it coincided with the Great Chicago Fire, which captured the media's attention due to its larger urban impact. Option A is incorrect; while the damage was significant, the timing overshadowed it. Option B misrepresents the fire's impact, as it affected many residents despite being a forest fire. Option D is inaccurate; residents did report the fire, but their voices were drowned out by the focus on Chicago, highlighting the influence of media priorities rather than a lack of acknowledgment.
The Peshtigo Fire received little news coverage primarily because it coincided with the Great Chicago Fire, which captured the media's attention due to its larger urban impact. Option A is incorrect; while the damage was significant, the timing overshadowed it. Option B misrepresents the fire's impact, as it affected many residents despite being a forest fire. Option D is inaccurate; residents did report the fire, but their voices were drowned out by the focus on Chicago, highlighting the influence of media priorities rather than a lack of acknowledgment.
Other Related Questions
The author of Passage 2 would most likely say that the opinion held by the "people" mentioned in the third sentence of Passage 1 ("Some people have declared") is
- A. accurate
- B. unsupported
- C. misguided
- D. amusing
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
The opinion held by the "people" in Passage 1 is deemed accurate, as the author of Passage 2 likely aligns with the sentiment expressed. This suggests a shared understanding or validation of the viewpoint. Option B, "unsupported," is incorrect because the author likely provides evidence or reasoning that bolsters the opinion. Option C, "misguided," does not align with the author's perspective, which would not characterize the opinion as erroneous. Option D, "amusing," is inappropriate as it trivializes the opinion rather than acknowledging its validity.
The opinion held by the "people" in Passage 1 is deemed accurate, as the author of Passage 2 likely aligns with the sentiment expressed. This suggests a shared understanding or validation of the viewpoint. Option B, "unsupported," is incorrect because the author likely provides evidence or reasoning that bolsters the opinion. Option C, "misguided," does not align with the author's perspective, which would not characterize the opinion as erroneous. Option D, "amusing," is inappropriate as it trivializes the opinion rather than acknowledging its validity.
Why is the phrase "Amerigo the discoverer" (sentence 2) placed in quotation marks?
- A. To show that it is important
- B. To indicate that it is a direct quotation from a book
- C. To question whether Vespucci really discovered America
- D. To highlight the differences between the map and the book
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B
The phrase "Amerigo the discoverer" is placed in quotation marks to indicate that it is a direct quotation from a book, reflecting the specific wording used by the author. This helps readers recognize that the phrase is not the writer's own interpretation but a citation from another source. Option A is incorrect because quotation marks do not inherently signify importance. Option C misinterprets the purpose of the quotation marks, as they do not imply skepticism about Vespucci's discovery. Option D is also inaccurate, as the quotation marks focus on the phrase itself rather than any differences between a map and a book.
The phrase "Amerigo the discoverer" is placed in quotation marks to indicate that it is a direct quotation from a book, reflecting the specific wording used by the author. This helps readers recognize that the phrase is not the writer's own interpretation but a citation from another source. Option A is incorrect because quotation marks do not inherently signify importance. Option C misinterprets the purpose of the quotation marks, as they do not imply skepticism about Vespucci's discovery. Option D is also inaccurate, as the quotation marks focus on the phrase itself rather than any differences between a map and a book.
In 1952, Dwight Eisenhower was elected President of the United States, he won 55% of the vote.
- A. he won
- B. he had won
- C. with winning
- D. winning
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D
The phrase "winning" effectively conveys the action of Eisenhower's election in a succinct manner, emphasizing the achievement without the need for auxiliary verbs. Option A, "he won," is grammatically correct but less fluid in this context. It shifts focus to a completed action rather than the ongoing significance of his victory. Option B, "he had won," uses the past perfect tense, which implies a prior context that isn’t necessary here and complicates the sentence unnecessarily. Option C, "with winning," introduces an awkward prepositional phrase that detracts from the clarity and directness of the statement.
The phrase "winning" effectively conveys the action of Eisenhower's election in a succinct manner, emphasizing the achievement without the need for auxiliary verbs. Option A, "he won," is grammatically correct but less fluid in this context. It shifts focus to a completed action rather than the ongoing significance of his victory. Option B, "he had won," uses the past perfect tense, which implies a prior context that isn’t necessary here and complicates the sentence unnecessarily. Option C, "with winning," introduces an awkward prepositional phrase that detracts from the clarity and directness of the statement.
The passage implies that the true cause of the bridge collapse was
- A. low-quality materials
- B. short-sighted design
- C. substandard craftsmanship
- D. unexpectedly high winds
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B
The passage suggests that the bridge collapse stemmed from a fundamental flaw in its design, indicating that the planning and engineering did not adequately account for structural integrity. Option A, low-quality materials, implies that the materials used were inferior, but the passage does not emphasize material quality as the primary issue. Option C, substandard craftsmanship, points to poor construction practices, yet the focus of the passage leans more toward design deficiencies rather than execution. Option D, unexpectedly high winds, suggests an external factor causing the collapse, but the passage attributes the failure to inherent design shortcomings rather than environmental conditions.
The passage suggests that the bridge collapse stemmed from a fundamental flaw in its design, indicating that the planning and engineering did not adequately account for structural integrity. Option A, low-quality materials, implies that the materials used were inferior, but the passage does not emphasize material quality as the primary issue. Option C, substandard craftsmanship, points to poor construction practices, yet the focus of the passage leans more toward design deficiencies rather than execution. Option D, unexpectedly high winds, suggests an external factor causing the collapse, but the passage attributes the failure to inherent design shortcomings rather than environmental conditions.