bySayantani Barman Experta en el extranjero
Reading Passage Question
The United States Constitution is the oldest, continuous, national republican document in existence today. It was not the first. Republics, or mixed regimes as they are also known, existed long before the Americans crafted theirs in 1787. Most did not last very long. In the ancient world, the Roman republic collapsed when it degenerated into an empire. During the Renaissance, the Florentine republic in Italy survived a mere 14 years, from 1498 to 1512. It dissolved when the powerful Medici family, which had once ruled Florence, reestablished a dictatorship.
According to the classical republican tradition, republics were fragile political organizations, because the critical balance between the various branches of government could easily crumble when one or two dominated the others. The Americans modeled their constitution on the British government with its one person executive and two-part legislature. The British failed to create a true republic, because a hereditary monarch led the executive branch and hereditary aristocrats controlled the upper house, the unelected House of Lords. Large landowners controlled the House of Commons and only a few men possessed the right to vote. Americans believed that after separating from the British Empire, they could create a true republican structure where citizens participated in decision-making and enjoyed peaceful transitions of power.
‘The United States Constitution is the oldest, continuous’’ is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates need a strong knowledge of English GMAT reading comprehension.
This GMAT Reading Comprehension consists of 7 comprehension questions. The GMAT Reading Comprehension questions are designed for the purpose of testing candidates’ abilities in understanding, analysing, and applying information or concepts. Candidates can actively prepare with the help of GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.
Questions and Solutions
- According to the passage, it is safe to assume that Americans most likely saw one of the major flaws of the British government to be which of the following?
(A) Maintaining a monarchy.
(B) Failing to give women the right to vote.
(C) Allowing one of the branch of the government to be tied to a hereditary monarch and aristocrats.
(D) Failing to outlaw a dictatorship.
(E) Not distributing land equally among the citizens.
Answer: C
Explanation: It is clearly given in the first paragraph that the British had 3 branches of the republic. One of them was mostly owned by the aristocrats and rich businessmen of the country. This made it less of a democracy and didn’t allow the public, the right to vote. C is the correct answer.
- Which of the following best describes the author’s tone in the passage?
(A) Accusatory and irate
(B) Wistful and yearning
(C) Provocative and probing
(D) Factual and learned
(E) Reflective and erudite
Answer: E
Explanation: The details given in the passage cannot be said to be factual as there is no proof that the republic was owned by the rich people and aristocrats. But it can be seen throughout time. The tone is therefore fond to be reflective and erudite. E is the correct answer.
- What role does the [Highlighted] portion play in the passage?
(A) It introduces the main idea of the passage.
(B) It raises a question that the rest of the passage will attempt to answer.
(C) It is a series of suggestions that the author feels readers should contemplate.
(D) It provides historical proof of the assertion the author has made earlier.
(E) It is the thesis of the argument that the author tries to put forward.
Answer: D
Explanation: The underlined sentence provided examples of some countries which couldn’t sustain their regimes through their republic. Most of them collapsed due to some or other reasons. It was all because of not having proper executing bodies and decision-making. Hence D is the correct answer.
- Which of the following statements most accurately captures the main point of the passage?
(A) America rebelled against Britain by refusing to set up their government in the same way.
(B) The American who set up the country’s government tried to do something uniquely long-lasting yet based in the historical example of republics that came before.
(C) The Ancient Greeks could’ve learned a lot about governing from Americans.
(D) Republics are a popular but short-lived type of government.
(E) Setting up a government is much harder than it might at first appear.
Answer: B
Explanation: The Americans have seen the outcomes of the British way of governing. They saw that in the end, the aristocrats got all the power and common people didn’t even get the right to vote. Hence America set up its government differently from that of the British.
- According to the passage, what form of government followed the brief Florentine republic in Italy in the late 1400s?
(A) A monarchy
(B) A republic
(C) A constitution
(D) A dictatorship
(E) A rebellion
Answer: D
Explanation: A dictatorship was established by the powerful Medici family. It only lasted for 14 years only from 1498 to 1512. The Florentine republic didn’t survive long. People of the country must have protested for their rights during their reign. Hence D is correct.
- According to the passage, who controlled the House of Commons in Britain?
(A) The monarch
(B) Americans
(C) Noblemen
(D) Peasants
(E) Landowners
Answer: E
Explanation: The large landowners controlled the house of commons. Very few of the people in the country were allowed to vote. The British failed in creating a true republic and created a hereditary monarch instead of a democracy. The aristocrats and landowners run the government there. E is the correct choice.
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