Question

jane addams: a heroine of the progressive movement
lindsay rock
1 the progressive era was a great period in american history during which social reformers sought to improve many of the ills that plagued society. from the 1890s until the 1920s, leaders of the progressive movement tackled issues such as poor living conditions, women’s suffrage, equality between the races, better working conditions, shorter work days, child labor laws, and food and drug safety. one need not wonder why historians often refer to the progressive era as the “age of reform.” jane addams, the cofounder of one of the first settlement houses in the united states, was one of the many reformers who strove to make america a better place during the progressive era.
2 born into a wealthy illinois family, addams received a good education including a bachelor’s degree from what became rockford college for women. she considered a career in medicine, but poor health forced her to leave her studies. at twenty - seven, addams traveled to london where she visited toynbee hall, a settlement house that provided important services to underprivileged citizens. the visit encouraged her to act on an idea already forming in her mind. she wanted to open a similar
c to enumerate the many accomplishments of jane addams.
d to demonstrate the importance of the progressive movement
select two central ideas communicated by the passage
a jane addams accomplished many great things.
b jane addams worked tirelessly to better other people’s lives.
c jane addams had many friends and family members who assisted her.
d jane addams had a different idea of what it meant to be a progressive.
e jane addams was an extremely entertaining woman with a wonderful personality.

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option:

• Option A: The passage focuses on Jane Addams' accomplishments (like co - founding a settlement house, working for reform) which supports this as a central idea.
• Option B: The text says she "strove to make America a better place" and her work (e.g., settlement house, reform efforts) shows she worked to better others' lives, so this is a central idea.
• Option C: There's no mention of friends/family assisting her, so eliminate.
• Option D: The passage doesn't suggest she had a different view of being Progressive; it's about her work, so eliminate.
• Option E: The passage is about her reform work, not her personality/entertainment value, so eliminate.

Answer:

A. Jane Addams accomplished many great things.
B. Jane Addams worked tirelessly to better other people’s lives.