Free Practice Question
RC · Reading Comprehension
705-805
Short Passage - Social Science
Reading Passage
According to the conventional view, serfdom in nineteenth-century Russia inhibited economic growth. In this view Russian peasants’ status as serfs kept them poor through burdensome taxes in cash, in labor, and in-kind; through restrictions on mobility; and through various forms of coercion. Melton, however, argues that serfdom was perfectly compatible with economic growth, because many Russian serfs were able to get around landlords’ rules and regulations. If serfs could pay for passports, they were usually granted permission to leave the estate. If they could pay the fine, they could establish a separate household; and if they had the resources, they could hire laborers to cultivate the communal lands, while they themselves engaged in trade or worked as migrant laborers in cities.
It can be inferred from the passage that the “rules and regulations” (Highlighted) affecting serfdom in Russia involved
I. responsibility for the work needed to accomplish certain defined tasks
II. restrictions on freedom of movement
III. limitations on the ability to set up an independent household
Answer Choices
Correct answer marked belowA
I only
B
I and II only
C
I and III only
D
II and III only
I, II, and III
Correct
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What it tests
Your ability to understand a passage, its structure, and what the author is really saying. At the 705-805 level, accuracy and speed both matter.
Common trap
Answering from memory or outside knowledge instead of strictly from the passage.
Details
Difficulty
705-805
Type
RC
Category