- According to the passage, in general, income across the United
States tends to
a. fluctuate wildly.
b.change incrementally.
c. increase slightly.
d.decrease steadily.
e.stay about the same.
- The first paragraph of the passage serves all the following purposes
EXCEPT to
a. define the term poverty threshold.
b.explain income-to-poverty ratio.
c. provide an example of an income-to-poverty ratio.
d.state the author’s thesis.
e.establish the subject of the passage.
- According to the passage, people’s income in the 1990s was
a. likely to rise.
b.likely to fall.
c. greater than in the 1980s.
d.less than in the 1980s.
e.less likely to grow than in the 1980s.
- In the context of this passage, the phrase the economic ladder(line
26) most nearly means
a. the range of occupations.
b.the pecking order.
c. the capitalist social structure.
d.the caste system.
e.the range of incomes.
- The tone of this passage can best be described as
a. dry and neutral.
b.statistical.
c. unintentionally witty.
d.theoretical.
e.inflammatory.
