2. Why did these writers receive the name “muckrakers”?

1. Because they owned farms and worked in muddy fields during the day.
2. Because they dug through the “dirt” of society, uncovering unfair and unsafe conditions.
3. Because they refused to publish any negative information.
4. Because they only wrote about mining and coal towns.

3. Which author is correctly matched with the problem they exposed?

1. Jacob Riis – unsafe meatpacking plants
2. Upton Sinclair – crowded tenement housing
3. Ida Tarbell – child labor in coal mines
4. Ida Tarbell – unfair practices of the Standard Oil Company

4. How did many readers react when they first saw the muckrakers’ work?

1. They were shocked to learn about conditions they had not seen directly.
2. They were bored because the problems were already well known.
3. They felt the stories were mostly about foreign countries.
4. They refused to read anything about cities or factories.

5. What was one result of Upton Sinclair’s book The Jungle, according to the passage?

1. The government closed every meatpacking plant in the country.
2. The federal government passed new food and drug laws.
3. Workers stopped organizing strikes or protests.
4. City leaders banned photography in factories.

6. Which sentence from the passage best shows that muckrakers wanted change, not just attention?

1. “These reporters and authors were called muckrakers.”
2. “Their reports shocked many middle-class readers who had not seen these problems up close.”
3. “Their work helped build support for reforms.”
4. “They worked for popular magazines and newspapers…”

7. What overall message does the 850L passage give about muckrakers?

1. They failed to make any difference and were quickly forgotten.
2. They were more interested in entertaining readers than informing them.
3. They supported big business by hiding problems in factories and cities.
4. They used careful reporting to expose problems and encourage reforms, even when that angered powerful people.

2. Why did many muckrakers publish in magazines like McClure’s and Collier’s?

1. These journals only printed short jokes and cartoons.
2. These magazines reached a large middle-class audience that could put pressure on business and government.
3. The magazines were owned by the same factory bosses they criticized.
4. The magazines refused to print any articles about reform or politics.

3. Which detail from the passage best supports the idea that muckrakers relied on careful research rather than rumors?

1. “Ida Tarbell spent years studying company records and court cases to explain how Standard Oil built a near-monopoly.”
2. “Some business leaders complained that the muckrakers only highlighted problems…”
3. “Smokestacks and skyscrapers symbolized American progress.”
4. “Their stories helped inspire the Pure Food and Drug Act…”

4. What was one criticism aimed at the muckrakers, according to the passage?

1. They spent too much time praising corporate leaders.
2. They refused to investigate any political issues.
3. They focused only on rural life and ignored cities.
4. Some people claimed the articles exaggerated problems to sell magazines and ignored signs of progress.

5. Which development best shows how muckrakers influenced government action?

1. Officials banned all photography in city neighborhoods.
2. City leaders removed all taxes on factories.
3. Laws such as the Pure Food and Drug Act and child labor reforms followed waves of investigative reporting.
4. Congress passed a law forbidding magazines from covering politics.

6. Which quotation from the passage best supports the idea that muckrakers helped citizens see their society more clearly?

1. “Smokestacks and skyscrapers symbolized American progress.”
2. “A new kind of journalist stepped forward to reveal these conditions.”
3. “Some business leaders complained that the muckrakers only highlighted problems…”
4. “They did not pass laws themselves…”

7. Which statement best summarizes the 1000L passage?

1. Muckrakers were unsuccessful writers whose work had no lasting impact.
2. Muckrakers completely replaced elected officials in making laws.
3. Muckrakers used detailed investigations and powerful stories to expose injustices, helping drive Progressive Era reforms even though some people doubted or criticized them.
4. Muckrakers focused only on celebrating the achievements of big businesses.