Explain Relationships Between Individuals, Events, Concepts Practice Test

Read the passage, then answer the question.

In 1793, Eli Whitney designed the cotton gin in the United States. The machine quickly separated cotton fibers from seeds. Because it saved time, farmers could clean more cotton each day. As a result, cotton became more profitable to grow.

Next, many Southern farmers planted more cotton than before. This led to a greater need for workers to plant and pick cotton. Therefore, the cotton gin changed farming and also affected the economy in the South.

What is the relationship between Eli Whitney’s cotton gin and the increase in cotton farming in the South?

Read the passage, then answer the question.

In the early 1900s, doctors wanted a safer way to protect people from diseases. In 1928, a scientist named Alexander Fleming noticed something important in his lab in London. He saw that a mold called Penicillium stopped bacteria from growing on a dish. Because of this discovery, Fleming realized the mold might help fight infections.

However, Fleming could not turn the mold into a strong medicine by himself. Years later, in 1939 and 1940, two scientists at Oxford University, Howard Florey and Ernst Chain, built on Fleming’s work. They figured out how to make penicillin purer and test it on animals and people. As a result, penicillin became a useful antibiotic that could be produced in larger amounts.

During World War II, the need to treat wounded soldiers led to even more penicillin production. Therefore, Fleming’s discovery influenced Florey and Chain’s research, and their improvements helped save many lives.

How did Alexander Fleming’s work relate to the work of Howard Florey and Ernst Chain?