Baseball evolved from a number of different ball-and-stick games (paddle ball, trap ball, one-old-cat, rounders, and town ball) originating in England. As early as the American Revolution, it was noted that troops played “base ball” in their free time. In 1845 Alexander Cartwright formalized the New York Knickerbockers’ version of the game: a diamond shaped infield, with bases ninety feet apart, three strikes-you’re-out, batter out on a caught ball, three outs per inning, a nine man team. The “New York Game” spread rapidly, replacing earlier localized forms. From its beginnings, baseball was seen as a way of satisfying the recreational needs of an increasingly urban-industrial society. At its inception it was played by and for wealthy gentlemen. A club might consist of 40 members. The president would appoint two captains who would choose teams from among the members. Games were played on Monday and Thursday afternoons, with the losers often providing a lavish evening’s entertainment for the winners.

1. What is the passage mainly about? 

(a) the origins of baseball

(b) the commercialization of baseball

(c) the influence of the “New York Game” on baseball

(d) the development of baseball in the nineteenth century

2. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

(a) the wealthy gentlemen who first played baseball, later needed to find another recreational opportunity if they did not want to mix with others or become a “muffin”

(b) hot dogs would not have become as popular as they did, without the professionalism and commercialism that developed in baseball

(c) the “New York Game” spread rapidly because it was better formalized

(d) business-minded investors were only interested in profits

3. The word “inception” in line 9 is closest in meaning to

(a)    requirements

(b) beginning

(c) insistence

(d) rules

4. The word “lavish” in line 12 is closest in meaning to

(a) prolonged

(b) very generous

(c) grand

(d) extensive

5. Which of the following is true of the way the game was played by wealthy gentlemen at its inception ;

(a) a team might consist of 40 members

(b) the president would choose teams from among the members

(c) they didn’t play on weekends

(d) they might be called “duffers” if they didn’t make the first nine

6. According to the second paragraph, all of the following are true except

(a) commercialism became more prosperous

(b) the clubs are smaller

(c) outstanding players got extra income

(d) people gamed on the outcome of games

7. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a feature of the 1880s “Golden Age”?

(a) wooden stadiums replaced open fields

(b) a weekly periodical commenced

(c) the National Association of Professional Baseball Players was formed

(d) profits soared

8. The word “somewhat” in line 24 is closest in meaning to

(a) to a significant extent

(b) to a minor extent

(c) to not the same extent

(d) to some extent

9. The word “itself” in line 28 refers to

(a) the Western League

(b) growing cities

(c) the Midwest

(d) the American League

10. Where in the passage does the author first mention payments to players

(a) lines 5-9

(b) lines 10-14

(c) lines 15-19

(d) lines 20-25

Questions 11-20

11. What is this passage primarily about?

(a) the evolution of philosophy in the second half of the 19th century

b) the three most important American pragmatists of the late 19th century

(c) the differences between pragmatism and traditional western philosophy

(d) American pragmatism



12. Which of the following is true

(a) idealism was an important part of the pragmatic approach

(b) “pragmatism” was also known as “traditional western philosophy”

(c) pragmatism continued the empiricist tradition

(d) pragmatism is best understood independently of its historical and cultural context

13. Which of the following is true, according to the passage

(a) absolute truths and values are notions in western traditional philosophy

(b) John Dewey was the first great American psychologist

(c) the empiricist tradition is part of traditional western philosophy

(d) revolutionary thought was not pragmatic

14. The phrase “at this time” in line 14 refers to

(a) at the time traditional western philosophy was dominant in America

(b) at the time pragmatism was popular in Europe

(c) 1855-1916

(d) the second half of the 19th century

15. According to the passage, pragmatism was more popular in America than Europe because

(a) Americans had greater acceptance of the theory of evolution

(b) it epitomized the American faith in know-how and practicality

(c) Europe had a more traditional society based on a much longer history

(d) industrialization and material progress was occurring at a faster pace in America at that time

16. The word “ abstract” in line 19 is closest in meaning to

(a) unclear

(b) not concrete

(c) new

(d) old

17. The word “perpetual” in line 22 is closest in meaning to

(a) challenging

(b) continuous

(c) declining

(d) secular

18. The word “fundamental” in line 24 is closest in meaning to

(a) new

(b) personal

(c) essential

(d) threatening

19. All of the following are true EXCEPT

(a) revolutionary thought shifted more towards ideologies in science, politics and sociology

(b) pragmatists regarded all theories and institutions as tentative hypotheses and solutions

(c) Josiah Royce was not a pragmatist

(d) pragmatism was based on the theory of evolution

20. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

(a) Josiah Royce considered Charles Peirce to be challenging the foundations of society’s institutions

(b) Charles Peirce considered Josiah Royce to be too influenced by the theory of evolution

(c) John Dewey would not have developed his system of thought called “experimental naturalism” or “instrumentalism” without the pioneering work of Charles Peirce and William James

(d) Josiah Royce was a revolutionary thinker