Nearly all the workers of the Lowell textile mills of Massachusetts were unmarried daughters from farm families. Some of the workers were as young as 10. Many people in the 1820s were upset by the idea of working females. The company provided well-kept dormitories for the women to live in. The meals were decent and church attendance was mandatory. Compared to other factories of the time, the Lowell mills were clean and safe. There was even a journal, The Lowell Offering, which contained poems and other material written by the workers, and which became known beyond New England. Ironically, it was at the Lowell mills that dissatisfaction with working conditions brought about the first organization of working women.

The work was difficult. When wages were cut, the workers organized the Factory Girls Association. 15,000 women decided to “turn out,” or walk off the job. The Offering, meant as a pleasant creative outlet, gave the women a voice that could be heard elsewhere in the country, and even in Europe. However, the ability of women to demand changes was finite. The women could not go for long without wages with which to support themselves and families. This same limitation hampered the effectiveness of the Lowell Female Labor Reform Association (LFLRA), organized in 1844.

What is the meaning of the word hampered in the text above?

Nearly all the workers of the Lowell textile mills of Massachusetts were unmarried daughters from farm families. Some of the workers were as young as 10. Many people in the 1820s were upset by the idea of working females. The company provided well-kept dormitories for the women to live in. The meals were decent and church attendance was mandatory. Compared to other factories of the time, the Lowell mills were clean and safe. There was even a journal, The Lowell Offering, which contained poems and other material written by the workers, and which became known beyond New England. Ironically, it was at the Lowell mills that dissatisfaction with working conditions brought about the first organization of working women.

The work was difficult. When wages were cut, the workers organized the Factory Girls Association. 15,000 women decided to “turn out,” or walk off the job. The Offering, meant as a pleasant creative outlet, gave the women a voice that could be heard elsewhere in the country, and even in Europe. However, the ability of women to demand changes was finite. The women could not go for long without wages with which to support themselves and families. This same limitation hampered the effectiveness of the Lowell Female Labor Reform Association (LFLRA), organized in 1844.

Which answer choice could replace the underlined sentence from the paragraph and retain a similar meaning?

Doctors sometimes insist that their patients’ illnesses are the result of depression. When these ailments are attributed to a psychological disorder, the patients are in effect told that these illnesses are all in their heads. Often patients do not agree with this. They become noncompliant with medication or therapy treatments. It may even discourage patients from seeking further medical assistance because of this poor experience.

What does the word ailments mean in the paragraph?

Doctors sometimes insist that their patients’ illnesses are the result of depression. When these ailments are attributed to a psychological disorder, the patients are in effect told that these illnesses are all in their heads. Often patients do not agree with this. They become noncompliant with medication or therapy treatments. It may even discourage patients from seeking further medical assistance because of this poor experience.

Which answer choice could replace the underlined sentence from the paragraph and retain a similar meaning?

So persistent were John’s inquiries at Harvard that he was eventually admitted, even with an SAT score well below the average for admitted students. John emailed the Dean of Admissions so often that the Dean came to expect a new message waiting in his inbox daily. The Dean’s secretary could hear John’s voice and identify that it was him!

What does the word persistent mean in the paragraph?

Gary had an art show on Friday to display his new pieces of work. He had decided to take a trip to the countryside and was inspired by the sights and people so he used the inspiration for his next gallery run. On the night of the show, Gary was so nervous for the critics and other artists to review his work and give feedback. He was sobbing when he read one of the reviews the next morning: “The artist’s rendition of the countryside is so unrealistic it resembles an alien landscape.”

What does the word rendition mean in the paragraph?