Dix also joined a growing movement to improve conditions in prisons. Men, women, and children were often crammed together in cold, damp rooms. When food supplies were low, prisoners went hungry—unless they had money to buy meals from jailers.

Question

Dix also joined a growing movement to improve conditions in prisons. Men, women, and children were often crammed together in cold, damp rooms. When food supplies were low, prisoners went hungry—unless they had money to buy meals from jailers.

Five out of six people in northern jails were debtors or people who could not pay the money they owed. While behind bars, debtors had no way to earn money to pay back their debts. As a result, many debtors remained in prison for years.
Use the passage to answer the question.
Based on this excerpt from the text, how did the jailing of debtors hurt their chances of repaying their debts?
A. They were unable to work.
B. They spent their money on food.
C. They could not repay debts on time.
D. They often did not survive prison conditions.

Answer 1

The passage states that debtors, who were in jail because they could not pay back the money they owed, had no way to earn money while behind bars. This means that they were unable to work to generate income to repay their debts. Therefore, the correct answer is A. They were unable to work.

Answer 2

Dix also joined a growing movement to improve conditions in prisons. Men, women, and children were often crammed together in cold, damp rooms. When food supplies were low, prisoners went hungry—unless they had money to buy meals from jailers.

The passage states that debtors, who were in jail because they could not pay back the money they owed, had no way to earn money while behind bars. This means that they were unable to work to generate income to repay their debts. Therefore, the correct answer is A. They were unable to work.

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