Question

29
read this sentence from passage 1.
\most people had only the vaguest idea of what conditions lay beyond the mississippi river, but tales of bountiful forests and fertile coastal farmlands tempted thousands.\ (paragraph 5)
how does the word \tempted\ contribute to the meaning of this sentence?
a it reveals the dangers people faced when trying to settle in the west.
b it shows that people were tricked by those who told lies about the west.
c it demonstrates that the stories told about the west motivated people to travel.
d it highlights how uncertain people felt about the opportunities waiting in the west.

Explanation:

To determine the role of "tempted", analyze each option:

• Option A: "Tempted" doesn't relate to dangers; it's about attraction, so A is wrong.
• Option B: "Tempted" implies motivation, not trickery/lies, so B is wrong.
• Option C: The tales of good conditions (forests, farmlands) "tempted" people, meaning the stories motivated travel. This matches.
• Option D: "Tempted" shows attraction to opportunities, not uncertainty, so D is wrong.

Answer:

C. It demonstrates that the stories told about the West motivated people to travel.