Explanation
Passage:
The first murder ever committed in the United States occurred in September 1630, shortly after the Pilgrims arrived in Massachusetts. John Billington was the father of two sons, one of the first to settle in the new Plymouth Colony near what is today Boston, and one of the people who signed the Mayflower Compact—and he was also the colony’s first murderer. Billington, in fact, was the first person to commit any crime in the colony, as far as we know today. He was also the first to be executed by the state in the New World. Billington’s crime was to shoot a man named John Newcomen, for reasons which are lost to history. But Billington’s problems had not begun on the soil of North America. He and his sons had nearly caused a mutiny aboard the Mayflower during the arduous trip across the ocean. One of his sons, in fact, fired his gun aboard the Mayflower—near an open keg of gunpowder! The flash from the gun could easily have ignited the powder, which would probably have sunk the ship. Once in Plymouth Colony, Billington’s behavior did not improve. He refused to serve any form of military duty under the leadership of Miles Standish, a duty that was seen by the colonists as part of every man’s responsibilities in the New World. He was later implicated in a plot to overthrow the entire leadership of Plymouth Colony, but a lack of evidence prompted the town’s leaders to let him go free. In the end, Billington’s rebellious and angry nature caught up with him. He was found guilty of the murder of John Newcomen and died in disgrace on the gallows.
Question:
Based on the information in the passage, which of the following best describes John Billington? (LITERAL)
a. quiet and shy
b. angry and rebellious
c. clever and amusing
d. bold and patriotic
Question:
Which of the following is NOT true of John Billington, according to the passage? (LITERAL)
a. He had two sons.
b. He served in the military under Miles Standish.
c. He tried to lead a mutiny.
d. He attempted to overthrow the government.
Question:
The nearest meaning of the underlined word arduous, as used in the passage, is? (INFERENTIAL)
a. difficult.
b. simple.
c. long.
d. stormy.
Question:
Why didn’t the leaders of Plymouth Colony punish Billington for rebelling against their authority? (LITERAL)
a. He was not guilty.
b. Billington was Miles Standish’s nephew.
c. He had two sons who needed him.
d. They didn’t have enough evidence.
Question:
A good title for this passage would be (CRITICAL)
a. A History of Plymouth Colony.
b. The Injustices of Miles Standish.
c. America’s First Murderer.
d. Early American Legal Battles.
