The reading passage name is VILLAGE SCHOOLS AND TRAVELING SOLDIERS on commonlit.

Question

4. PART A: What does the word “gross” most closely mean as it is used in Paragraph 1?

A. Largely unacceptable

B. Muddy or dirty

C. Nauseating

D. Undiscovered 5.

PART B: Which phrase from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

A. “The object of Chinese education is to pump up the wisdom of the ancients into the minds of the moderns.” (Paragraph 1)

B. “a school which should only be in session for six months of the year” (Paragraph 1)

C. “The moment a child fails to attend school, he is supposed (and with reason) to become ‘wild.’” (Paragraph 1)

D. “The territory to be traversed is so vast” (Paragraph 2)

Answer 1

The answers here are A and C. This is because, as illustrated in the text, education was considered so essential that neglecting one's studies was seen as absolutely unacceptable. School was the highest priority, and education had to be earned "at whatever cost." Smith builds on this later when he references the attitude toward adults who fail to continue studying all throughout life, describing them as "nobodies."