Question

questions 15 through 17 refer to the following.

ational gratitude - national pride - every high and generous feeling that attaches us to the
land of our birth, or that elevates our characters as individuals, asks of us that we should
foster the literature of our country... on the other hand, it is not necessary for these
purposes - it is even detrimental to bestow on mediocrity the praise due to excellence, and still
more so to the attempt to persuade ourselves and others into an admiration of the faults of
our writers.
it must however be allowed, that the poetry of the united states, though it has not reached
that perfection to which some other countries have carried theirs, is yet even better than it
could have been expected to produce, considering that our nation has scarcely seen two
centuries since its founders erected their cabins on its soil...
the fondness for literature is fast increasing in our country - and if this were not the case, the
patrons of literature have multiplied, of course, and will continue to multiply with the mere
growth of our population. the popular english works of the day are often reprinted in our
country - they are dispersed all over the union... what should hinder our native works, if
equal in merit, from meeting an equally favorable reception?\
william cullen bryant, book review in the north american review, 1818
17 mark for review
which of the following can be concluded about the united states based on the authors
descriptions in the excerpt?
a regional political interests dominated political debates.
b a common national culture was developing.
c educational reforms contributed to increased literacy.
d new transportation routes made shipping books easier

Explanation:

The text discusses literature, national pride, and the growth of population and literature. It does not mention regional political interests dominating political debates (Option A). It talks about the growth of population and literature (which could relate to a common national culture developing - Option B), but there is no indication that educational reforms contributed to increased literacy (Option C) or that new transportation routes made shipping books easier (Option D). The main focus is on literature and national aspects rather than the elements in Options A, C, and D.

Answer:

A. Regional political interests dominated political debates, B. A common national culture was developing, C. Educational reforms contributed to increased literacy, D. New transportation routes made shipping books easier. The answer is B.