In
addition to their military role, the forts of the nineteenth century provided
numerous other benefits for the American
West. The establishment of these posts opened new roads and provided for the protection of
daring adventurers and expeditions as well as Line established settlers. Forts also served as bases where
enterprising entrepreneurs could
(5) bring commerce to the West, providing supplies and refreshments
to soldiers as well as to pioneers. Posts like Fort Laramie provided
supplies for wagon trains traveling the
natural highways toward new frontiers.
Some posts became stations for the pony
express; still others, such as Fort Davis,
were stagecoach stops for weary travelers. All
of these functions, of course, suggest
that the contributions of the forts to the
(10) civilization
and development of the West extended beyond patrol duty.
Through the establishment of military
posts, yet other contributions were made to the development of western
culture. Many posts maintained libraries or reading rooms, and some – for example, Fort Davis – had
schools. Post chapels provided a setting
for religious services and weddings.
Throughout the wilderness, post bands provided
(15) entertainment and boosted morale.
During the last part of the nineteenth century, to reduce expenses, gardening was encouraged
at the forts, thus making experimental agriculture another activity of the
military. The military stationed at the various forts also played a role in civilian life by
assisting in maintaining order, and civilian officials often called on the army for protection.
(20) Certainly, among other significant
contributions the army made to the improvement
of the conditions of life was the
investigation of the relationships among health, climate, and architecture. From the
earliest colonial times throughout the nineteenth century, disease ranked as the foremost
problem in defense. It slowed construction of
forts and inhibited their military
functions. Official documents from many regions
(25) contained innumerable reports of sickness that virtually
incapacitated entire garrisons. In response to the problems, detailed
observations of architecture and climate and their relationships to the
frequency of the occurrence of various diseases were recorded at various posts
across the nation by military surgeons.
11. Which of the following
statements best 12. The word “ daring” in line 3 is closest expresses the main
idea of the in meaning to passage?
(A) lost
(A) By the nineteenth century, forts (B) bold were no longer used by the (C)
lively
military.
(D)
foolish
(B) Surgeons
at forts could not prevent outbreaks of disease.
(C) Forts
were important to the development of the American West
(D) Life
in nineteenth-century forts was very rough.
13. Which
of the following would a traveler be likely be LEAST likely to obtain at Fort
Laramie?
(A) Fresh
water
(B) Food
(C) Formal
clothing
(D) Lodging
14. The
word “ others” in line 8 refers to
(A) posts
(B) wagon trains
(C) frontiers
(D) highways
15. The
word “ boosted” in line 15 is closest in meaning to
(A) influenced
(B) established
(C) raised
(D) maintained
16. Which
of the following is the most likely inference about the decision to promote
gardening at forts?
(A) It
was expensive to import produce from far away.
(B) Food
brought in from outside was often spoiled
(C) Gardening
was a way to occupy otherwise idle soldiers.
(D) The
soil near the forts was very fertile.
17. According
to the passage, which of the following posed the biggest obstacle to the
development of military forts?
(A) Insufficient
shelter
(B) Shortage
of materials (C) Attacks by wild animals
(D) Illness
18. The
word “ inhibited” in line 24 is closest in meaning to
(A) involved
(B) exploited
(C) united
(D) hindered
19. How
did the military assists in the investigation of health problems?
(A) By
registering annual birth and death rates
(B) By
experiments with different building materials
(C) By
maintaining records of diseases and potential causes
(D) By
monitoring the soldiers’ diets
20. The
author organizes the discussion of forts by
(A) describing
their locations
(B) comparing
their sizes
(C) explaining
their damage to the environment
(D) listing
their contributions to western life
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