Reading Passage Question

Stemming from public outcry following the publication of Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, the US Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, which required food and drug companies to include a list of any of a number of known harmful ingredients contained within their products for consumers’ benefit and to not list these ingredients if they were not present. Although Theodore Roosevelt supported the bill and other measures to improve consumer safety, he was skeptical of the benefits of investigative journalism, particularly since The Jungle ’s strong pro-socialist message to workers could incite violence. For similar reasons, Roosevelt had previously refused to release a separate government report on working conditions in the meat industry for fear of inciting social and economic upheaval, including the possibility of wide-spread strikes and even riots in protest of the meat industry’s practices.

More surprising supporters of the bill were leading food companies like Heinz and the Old Taylor Whiskey Company. Industry leaders had already embraced reform and had much higher standards for purity within their products than even the new laws would require, so company executives correctly assumed that greater regulation would simply drive competitors out of business and lead customers to their products. However, meat industry executives continued to oppose the bill until Roosevelt reversed his earlier decision to withhold information from the public about conditions within the factories. The release of this information led to a public outcry that forced the meat packing industry to abandon attempts to pressure members of the House of Representatives to block the bill, leading to the bill’s eventual passage in late 1906.

“Stemming from public outcry following the publication of Upton Sinclai”- is a GMAT reading comprehension exercise. Candidates need to be highly proficient in GMAT reading comprehension. There are four comprehension questions in this GMAT reading comprehension section. The purpose of the GMAT Reading Comprehension questions is to evaluate candidates' comprehension, analysis, and application skills. Candidates who are actively preparing can benefit from GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.

Solutions and Explanation

1. Which of the following, if true, would most clearly justify Theodore Roosevelt’s concerns surrounding the release of the report on the meat packing industry?

1. The release of a document detailing worker safety violations in Colorado mines led to armed conflict between workers and police
2. Consumer safety bills had been introduced to the House previously but had failed to garner support.
3. Socialist pamphlets often led to extensive workers’ strikes even outside the industry they targeted.
4. Ensuring consumer safety did not counter the ill effects of investigative journalism.
5. The report could drive companies out of business, getting rid of competition between the industries.

2. It can be inferred that Sinclair was motivated, at least in part, by a desire to

1. Force lawmakers to investigate factory practices
2. Encourage socialist leanings among workers.
3. Avoid social unrest and worker discontent.
4. Justify greater regulation of the meatpacking industry.
5. Encourage workers to strike and boycott certain companies.

3. The passage suggests that Theodore Roosevelt and the executives from Heinz differed in which of the following ways?

1. The executives were mainly concerned with decreasing competition, while Roosevelt was primarily concerned with worker safety.
2. The executives wanted to take advantage of the strain the new laws would place on competitors, while Roosevelt looked to better protect consumers.
3. Roosevelt wanted to prevent economic and social upheaval, while the executives wanted to benefit from purer products on the market.
4. Roosevelt was heavily influenced by the meat packing industry, while the executives wished to avoid influence from other industries.
5. Roosevelt supported the Pure Food and Drug Act while the executives worked to defeat it in the House of Representatives.

4. Which of the following can be inferred about Theodore Roosevelt?

1. He believed it was more important to prevent civil unrest than to ensure consumer safety.
2. He did not want the working class to be exposed to any socialist ideas.
3. He was not unwilling to change his positions on some issues.
4. He was surprised that Heinz and the Old Taylor Whiskey Company supported the Pure Food and Drug Act.
5. He reluctantly supported the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906.

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