Directions: Read the given passage carefully and answer the questions as follows:
Passage
For years, U.S. employers have counted on a steady flow of labor from Mexico willing to accept low-skilled, low paying jobs. These workers, many of whom leave economically depressed villages in the Mexican interior, are often more than willing to work for wages well below both the U.S. minimum wage and the poverty line.
However, thanks to a dramatic demographic shift currently taking place in Mexico, the seemingly inexhaustible supply of workers migrating from Mexico to the United States might one day greatly diminish if not cease.
Predictions of such a drastic decrease in the number of Mexican immigrants, both legal and illegal, are driven by Mexico’s rapidly diminishing population growth. As a result of a decades-long family planning campaign, most Mexicans are having far fewer children than was the norm a generation ago. The campaign, organized around the slogan that “the small family lives better,” saw the Mexican government establish family-planning clinics and offer free contraception. For nearly three decades, the government’s message concerning population hasn’t wavered. In fact, the Mexican Senate recently voted to extend public school sex education programs to kindergarten.
The result of Mexico’s efforts to stem population growth is nothing short of stunning. In 1968, the average Mexican woman had just fewer than seven children; today, the figure is slightly more than two. For two primary reasons, Mexico’s new demographics could greatly impact the number of Mexicans seeking work in the U.S. First, smaller families by their nature limit the pool of potential migrants.
Second, the slowing of Mexico’s population growth has fostered hope that Mexico will develop a healthy middle class of people content to make their livelihoods in their home country.
Though the former of these factors is all but assured, the growth of a healthy middle class is far from a foregone conclusion. The critical challenge for Mexico is what it does with the next 20 years. Mexico must invest in education, job training, and infrastructure, as well as a social-security system to protect its aging population. If Mexico is willing to step forward and meet this challenge, America may one day wake up to find that, like cheap gasoline, cheap Mexican labor has become a thing of the past.
Question for Practice Test: Reading Comprehension - 4
Try yourself:Which of the following can be inferred about U.S. employers of Mexican immigrants?
Explanation
If some of these immigrant workers are accepting wages “well below the U.S. minimum wage,” their American employers must be violating wage laws (i.e. paying wages below what the U.S. minimum wage requires).
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Question for Practice Test: Reading Comprehension - 4
Try yourself:One function of the final paragraph of the passage is to
Explanation
The final paragraph explains that Mexico must take specific actions to foster the development of a healthy middle class. Without a healthy middle class, the author believes that large numbers of Mexicans will continue to seek work in the United States.
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Question for Practice Test: Reading Comprehension - 4
Try yourself:The passage does NOT indicate which of the following concerning Mexico’s current demographics?
Explanation
- (a): Correct — This is not supported by the passage.
The passage says that Mexico’s population growth is slowing, not that the population is currently diminishing. A slower growth rate means the population is still increasing, just at a reduced pace.
Mexico’s rapidly diminishing population growth..."
- (b): Incorrect — This is supported by the passage:
"In 1968, the average Mexican woman had just fewer than seven children; today, the figure is slightly more than two."
That’s roughly one-third.
- (c): Incorrect — The passage opens by stating that many Mexicans migrate to the U.S. for work.
"These workers... are often more than willing to work for wages well below both the U.S. minimum wage and the poverty line."
- (d): Incorrect — The passage refers to Mexico’s aging population.
"Mexico must invest in... a social-security system to protect its aging population."
- (e): Incorrect — The passage makes it clear that a healthy middle class has not yet fully developed.
"The growth of a healthy middle class is far from a foregone conclusion."
Therefore, (a) is the only option NOT directly indicated in the passage.
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Question for Practice Test: Reading Comprehension - 4
Try yourself:With which of the following statements would the author of the passage MOST likely agree?
Explanation
In the final paragraph, the author indicates that "the growth of a healthy middle class is far from a foregone conclusion. The critical challenge for Mexico is what it does with the next 20 years.” Then, the author indicates the steps that Mexico must take. Thus, the author obviously believes that Mexico does not currently have the infrastructure to develop a healthy middle class. The key, for the author, is whether Mexico is willing and able to build this infrastructure.
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