Passage 1

Line510152025

Men being, as has been said, by nature, all free, equal, and independent, no one can be put out
of this estate, and subjected to the political power of another, without his own consent. The
only way whereby any one divests himself of his natural liberty, and puts on the bonds of civil
society, is by agreeing with other men to join and unite into a community for their comfortable,
safe, and peaceable living one amongst another, in a secure enjoyment of their properties, and
a greater security against any, that are not of it. This any number of men may do, because it
injures not the freedom of the rest; they are left as they were in the liberty of the state of
nature. When any number of men have so consented to make one community or government,
they are thereby presently incorporated, and make one body politic, wherein the majority have
a right to act and conclude the rest.
For when any number of men have, by the consent of every individual, made a community,
they have thereby made that community one body, with a power to act as one body, which is
only by the will and determination of the majority: for that which acts any community, being
only the consent of the individuals of it, and it being necessary to that which is one body to
move one way; it is necessary the body should move that way whither the greater force carries
it, which is the consent of the majority: or else it is impossible it should act or continue one
body, one community, which the consent of every individual that united into it, agreed that it
should; and so every one is bound by that consent to be concluded by the majority.
End of reading passage.

Passage 2
Line313641

The Social Contract is the supreme act by which each citizen pledges to the association his love,
his intelligence, his work, his services, his goods, in return for the affection, ideas, labor,
products, services and goods of his fellows; the measure of the right of each being determined
by the importance of his contributions, and the recovery that can be demanded in proportion
to his deliveries.
Thus the social contract should include all citizens, with their interests and relations. — If a
single man were excluded from the contract, if a single one of the interests upon which the
members of the nation, intelligent, industrious, and sensible beings, are called upon to bargain,
were omitted, the contract would be more or less relative or special, it would not be social.
The social contract should increase the well-being and liberty of every citizen. — If any one-
sided conditions should slip in; if one part of the citizens should find themselves, by the
contract, subordinated and exploited by the others, it would no longer be a contract; it would
be a fraud, against which annulment might at any time be invoked justly.

The main idea of Passage 1 is that

 Choose 1 answer:

 (Choice A)A

 it is safer for people to live in a state of nature than to consent to live in a community.

 (Choice B)B

 people who choose to become part of a community are subject to the will of the majority.

 (Choice C)C

 minority opinions and majority opinions should be given equal consideration in community affairs.

 (Choice D)D

 it is unrealistic to expect people to surrender their natural liberties when joining a community.

 (Choice E)E

 I would be guessing.
QUESTION 2 OF 10
In Passage 1, the reference to “bonds” (

line 5

(“bonds”)

) mainly serves to

Choose 1 answer:

 (Choice A)A

 insert a personal opinion into an otherwise objective discussion of social rights.

 (Choice B)B

 suggest that all people must rely on one another in a state of nature.

 (Choice C)C

 emphasize the point that one has to relinquish some freedom in order to join a community.

 (Choice D)D

 call into question the idea that natural liberty exists.

 (Choice E)E

 I would be guessing.
QUESTION 3 OF 10
Which statement best reflects the perspective of the author of Passage 2 on the dissolution of the social
contract?
 Choose 1 answer:

 (Choice A)A

 The contract should never be dissolved under any circumstances.

 (Choice B)B

 The contract should only be dissolved if every person is in favor of it.

 (Choice C)C

 The contract should be dissolved if any people are being oppressed.

 (Choice D)D

 The contract should be dissolved if a majority of the population agrees that it is the best course of
action.

 (Choice E)E

 I would be guessing.
QUESTION 4 OF 10
How do the authors of the two passages view the relationship between society and personal liberty?

Choose 1 answer:

 (Choice A)A

 They both acknowledge that participation in society increases the liberties of every individual.

 (Choice B)B

 They both agree that participation in society increases the liberties of a limited number of citizens.

 (Choice C)C

 The author of Passage 1 believes that participation in society increases the liberties of those in the
majority, while the author of Passage 2 believes that it does not increase liberties for anyone.

 (Choice D)D

 The author of Passage 1 believes that participation in society decreases individuals’ liberties, while
the author of Passage 2 believes that it increases them.

 (Choice E)E

 I would be guessing.
QUESTION 5 OF 10
The author of Passage 2 would most likely respond to the assertion in Passage 1 that it is necessary for a
community to follow the “consent of the majority” (

line 22
 (“consent of the majority”)

) with

Choose 1 answer:

 (Choice A)A

 agreement, because it is impossible for every member of a society to agree with one another.

 (Choice B)B

 agreement, because some individuals in a society are more important than others.

 (Choice C)C

 disagreement, because society must address the needs of every individual.

 (Choice D)D

 disagreement, because some minority opinions may in fact be better than the majority opinion.

 (Choice E)E

 I would be guessing.