PETERSON TOEFL PBT PRACTICE TEST 3 PART 9 READING

PETERSON TOEFL PBT

PRACTICE TEST 3 PART 9

READING

QUESTION 45-53

Fifty-five delegates representing all thirteen states except Rhode Island attended the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia from May to September 1787. The delegates had been instructed by the Continental Congress to revise the old Articles of Confederation, but most believed that a stronger central government was needed. There were differences, however, about what structure the government should take and how much influence large states should have.

Virginia was by far the most populous state, with twice as many people as New York, four times as many as New Jersey, and ten times as many as Delaware. The leader of the Virginia Delegation, James Madison, had already drawn up a plan for government, which became known as the Large State Plan. Its essence was that congressional representation would be based on population. It provided for two or more national executives. The smaller states feared that under this plan, a few large states would lord over the rest. New Jersey countered with the Small State Plan. It provided for equal representation for all states in a national legislature and for a single national executive. Angry debate, heightened by a stifling heat wave, led to deadlock.

A cooling of tempers seemed to come with lower temperatures. The delegates hammered out an agreement known as the Great Compromise – actually a bundle of shrewd compromises. They decided that Congress would consist of two houses. The larger states were granted representation based on population in the lower house, the House of Representatives. The smaller states were given equal representation in the upper house, the Senate, in which each state would have two senators regardless of population. It was also agreed that there would be a single executive, the president. This critical compromise broke the logjam, and from then on, success seemed within reach.

45.              45.     What is the main topic of the passage?

A.             James Madison’s plan to create a stable structure for the government of the United States

B.             A disagreement at the Constitutional Convention and a subsequent compromise

C.             The differences in population ad relative power between the original states

D.            The most important points of the Small State Plan

46.       46.    According to the passage, how many states were represented at the Constitutional  Convention?

A.             Twelve

B.             Thirteen

C.             Fourteen

D.            Fifty-five

47.             47.       It can be inferred from the passage that the Articles of Consideration

A.             were supported by a majority of the delegates at the Convention

B.             were revised and presented as the Large State Plan

C.             allowed small states to dominate large ones

D.            provided for only a weak central government

48.              48.      According to the passage, in 1787 which of the following states had the FEWEST people?

A.             Virginia

B.             Delaware

C.             New York

D.            New Jersey

49.              49.     In line 12, the phrase this plan refers to

A.             the small State Plan

B.             a plan suggested by the national legislature

C.             the Large State Plan

D.            a compromise plan

50.              50.      According to the passage, the weather had what effect on the Constitutional Convention?

A.             Hot weather intensified the debate while cooler weather brought compromise.

B.             Bad weather prevented some of the delegates from reaching Philadelphia.

C.             Delegates hurried to achieve an agreement before winter arrived.

D.            Cold temperatures made independence. Hall an uncomfortable place to work.

51.              51.     The word shrewd in line 18 is closest in meaning to

A.             practical

B.             unfair

C.             important

D.            clever

52.             52.      Which of the following is NOT given in the passage as one of the provisions of the Great Compromise?

A.             There would be only one national executive.

B.             The president would be elected by popular vote.

C.             Each state would have two senators.

D.            Congress would be divided into two bodies

53.              53.       The author uses the phrase broke the logjam (line 23) to indicate that

A.             the government was nearly bankrupt

B.             some major problems had been solved

C.             the Convention came to a sudden end

D.            the situation had become desperate

ANSWER KEY

45.             B

The passage primarily deals with the conflict between the states supporting the Large States Plan and those supporting the Small State Plan, and the Great Compromise that worked out the differences between the two groups.

46.             A

According to line 1, there were representatives from all thirteen states except Rhode Island – a total of twelve.

47.             D

The first paragraph indicates that the delegates to the Constitutional Convention had been told to revise the Articles of Confederation but that most delegates “believed that a stronger central government was needed” (line 4). This implies that the Articles provided for only a weak form of government.

48.             B

According to lines 7-8, in 1787 Virginia was the largest state in population; its population was twice that of New York, four times that of New Jersey, and ten times that of Delaware. Delaware, therefore, had the smallest population of the four states listed.

49.             C

The phrase refers to the Large State Plan.

50.             A

Angry debate was “heightened by a stifling heat wave” (line 15) while “a cooling of tempers seemed to come with lower temperatures” (line 16).

51.             D

The word shrewd means clever, cunning.

52.             B

There is no mention in the passage of how the president would be chosen under the compromise plan.

53.             B

The phrase broke the logjam means that problems were cleared up and progress became possible.