501 Critical Reading Questions

e. The passage does not speculate about the future nor does it describe
the racial discrimination that occurs today in the United States.
68.
b. The first paragraph introduces the passage’s thesis and gives an
overview about who emigrated to California and why they came.
69.
b. The passage provides a historical overview supported by facts and
interpreted by the author. The author’s opinion is evidenced in the
last sentence of the passage (lines 48–49): a testimony to their outstand-
ing achievements and contributions.
70.
c. Line 15 states that the Chinese immigrants proved to be productive and
resourceful. Lines 46 and 47 praises their speed, dexterity, and outright
perseverance.
71.
e. The passage states that at the time, the U.S. Constitution reserved the
right of naturalization for white immigrants, excluding Chinese immi-
grants. Chinese immigrants could become citizens, depending on
the whim (line 25) of local governments.
72.
c. Enterprise means an undertaking that is especially risky. It could also
mean a unit of economic organization. In this instance, industry fits
best within the context.
73.
d. Chinese immigrants faced discriminatory laws that made them
unable to own land or file mining claims (lines 27 and 28).
74.
a. One meaning of reclaim is to reform or protest improper con-
duct. Other meanings are to rescue from an undesirable state,
or to make something available for human use—this defini-
tion applies to the context.
75.
a. The last sentence provides an example (Chinese immigrants per-
forming hazardous railroad work in brutal conditions) that supports
the general thesis of the passage—that Chinese immigrants made
major contributions to opening up the West (line 49).
501