For years scholars have contrasted slavery in the United States and in

Let's take it from the top, shall we!!

1. In the passage, the author is primarily concerned with

(A) contrasting the systems of slavery that were established in Brazil and in the United States - The passage indicates going deeper into the issue by stating "For years scholars have contrasted slavery in the United States and in Brazil"
(B) criticizing the arguments of those scholars who considered religion and law to be the determinants of the systems of slavery in Brazil and in the United States. - It isn't a criticism per se author is trying to contrast yes
(C) describing the factors currently thought to be responsible for the differences in the racial patterns that evolved in Brazil and in the United States - BINGO the contrasting, yes that's what we want
(D) advocating further study of the differences between the racial systems that developed in Brazil and in the United States- This is more about taking action rather than study
(E) pointing out the factors that made the status of Blacks in the United States lower than that of Blacks in Brazil - passage also describes those too so not quite what we are looking for

2. According to the passage, early scholars explained the differences between the racial systems that developed in the United States and in Brazil as the result of which of the following factors?

(A) Institutional - This is it look at this line in 1st paragraph "...persuasive explanation for these differences was that Portuguese institutions especially the Roman Catholic church and Roman civil law, promoted recognition of the slave’s humanity"
(B) Demographic - no way
(C) Economic - it's a factor
(D) Geographical - no
(E) Historical - nope


3. In the context in which it is found, the phrase “constructed their system of slavery out of whole cloth” (lines 15-16) implies that the system of slavery established by the English settlers was

(A) based on fabrications and lies[quote="chechaxo"]Took 10 mins to crack the 8 questions.

Here is my take on Q3, hope it helps..

3. In the context in which it is found, the phrase “constructed their system of slavery out of whole cloth” (lines 15-16) implies that the system of slavery established by the English settlers was
(A) based on fabrications and lies - no piece of information over lies
(B) tailored to the settlers’ particular circumstances - Circumstances contributed to the state of settlers and this seems for realistic in light of the events that transpired
(C) intended to serve the needs of a frontier economy - no piece of information over lies
(D) developed without direct influence from the settlers’ religion or legal system - Institutional system was in the mix yes, but not alone there were other contributing factors too
(E) evolved without giving recognition to the slave’s humanity - not true

4. The author implies that the explanation proposed by early scholars for the differences between the systems of slavery in the United States and in Brazil is

(A) stimulating to historians and legal scholars - no
(B) more powerful than more recent explanations - no
(C) persuasive in spite of minor deficiencies - no
(D) excessively legalistic in its approach - no
(E) questionable in light of current scholarly work - Refer to starting of 2nd paragraph "But the assumption that institutions alone could so powerfully affect the history of two raw and malleable frontier countries seems, on reexamination, untenable. Recent...." This sets the tone of questioning that author has taken up backed by recent studies.

5. The author mentions intermarriage, manumission, and the shortage of skilled workers in Brazil primarily in order to establish which of the following?

(A) The environment in which Brazil’s racial system developed - these were factors leading to some change
(B) The influence of different legal and economic conditions in Brazil and the United States on the life-style of persons of mixed race - NO
(C) The origins of Brazil’s large class of free skilled persons of mixed race - All the factors mentioned fuel this particular point, it's clearly mentioned in 2nd para.
(D) The differences between treatment of slaves in Brazil and in the United States - close but yet we are more focused on brazil here in this questions what changes did brazil see
(E) The difficulties faced by persons of mixed race in the United States, as compared to those in Brazil - close but not there yet


6. According to the passage, Brazilian laws prohibiting intermarriage were ineffective because Brazil had a

(A) Portuguese Catholic heritage -nope
(B) Small minority of whites - Refer to this "Though intermarriage was illegal in both countries, the laws were unenforceable in Brazil since Whites formed a small minority in an overwhelmingly Black population."
(C) Liberal set of laws concerning manumission -nope
(D) Large number of freed slaves -nothing to do with marrige
(E) Shortage of people in the skilled crafts and trades -nothing to do with marrige


7. The use of quotation marks around the word “place” (line 59) suggests that the author intended to convey which of the following?

(A) An ambivalent attitude toward the city of New Orleans - not about new orleans
(B) A negative attitude toward the role of race in determining status in the United States - nope author has been critical but not negetive
(C) A critical comment about the maltreatment of persons of mixed race in the United States - yes but also represents a place soo.. not quiet
(D) A double meaning, indicating both a social status and a physical location - presents a place and status of mixed-race people in the US
(E) An ambiguity, referring to either the role persons of mixed race actually played or the role they were assigned by the society - Close but neither tells anything about new orleans

8. With which of the following statements regarding human behavior would the author of the passage be most likely to agree?

(A) Only a fool or a political candidate would sing very loudly the glories of the institutions of Western culture. - Too harsh
(B) Contact sports—displacements of our abiding impulses to kill—speak of essential human behavior more truthfully than all the theories of psychologists and historians. -No way
(C) Family, church, political party: these are the strong foundations of history and human behavior. -No mention of these
(D) Money and its pursuit: an exploration of that theme will chart accurately the development of civilizations and the determinants of human behavior. - maybe but it was more about power and supression
(E) The circumstances in which humans find themselves—more than treasured beliefs or legal prescriptions—mold human behavior. - Clearly, it was circumstances that shaped how institutional segregation happened. how whites kept blacks out of factories and so on.

PHEW!!!
Finally done.

I personally was unable to answer questions 3 and 7 but on further examination of questions, this became clear. Key is to get involved in passage actively and keeping noting down your key-words.

I am no expert. I have recently started doing 5 RC passages a day. Though I'm not good but I enjoy them. Hope to improve soon!

Hope this helps. Some Kudos didn't hurt anyone