Four of the five answer choices are mentioned explicitly in the passage. (F) is mentioned in lines 19–21. (G) appears in line 32. (H)
shows up in lines 28–31. (J) is mentioned in lines 22–25. Only (K) does not appear in the passage.
Inference Questions
First, read the lines surrounding the quote to put the quote in context. Paragraph 2 is talking about American pride—that’s why
Hudson River School paintings “fitted the bill.” Hudson River School paintings were about America. (C) summarizes the point
nicely. Note how this question revolves around the interplay between main idea and details. This detail strengthens the topic of the
paragraph—the growing sense of nationalism in America. (A) superficially relates to the War of 1812, but it does not answer the
question. (B) and (D) aren’t mentioned in the passage. (E) is a misused detail. While paragraph 3 does state that Hudson River
School painters attempted to depict nature accurately, this fact doesn’t answer the question in the question stem.
Which of the following best describes what is suggested by the statement that the Hudson River School paintings "fitted the
bill perfectly" (lines 26–27)?3.
A. The paintings depicted famous battle scenes.
B. The paintings were very successful commercially.
C. The paintings reflected a new pride in the United States.
D. The paintings were favorably received in Europe.
E. The paintings were accurate in their portrayal of nature.