Grade 9 Reading Comprehension Worksheets - Free Printable

Let’s go through each question one by one using the text in the image.

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Question 1: American colonists paid an American federal income tax.

Look at the first paragraph:
> “America was originally an income-tax-free country because there was not yet a federal government to impose one.”

Also:
> “Rather, early American colonists paid various taxes to the British government…”

So — no federal income tax existed back then. The answer is false.

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Question 2: The British government gave Congress the power to tax the general American public.

Check the second paragraph:
> “The Constitution gave Congress the power to tax the general public.”

That means it was the U.S. Constitution (after independence), NOT the British government, that gave Congress taxing power.

So — false.

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Question 3: An excise tax is a tax on goods and services.

Second paragraph says:
> “These consisted mainly of excise taxes: taxes on goods and services, such as alcohol and tobacco.”

Yes — directly stated. So — true.

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Question 4: The first income tax in America was created to pay for the Civil War.

Third paragraph:
> “The first income tax... was created in 1861 as a way to pay for the Civil War.”

Exactly matches. So — true.

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Final Answer:
1. false
2. false
3. true
4. true