Grade 9 Reading Comprehension Worksheets - Free Printable

Let's solve the reading comprehension questions based on the passage titled "Taxation in the U.S.". Here is a step-by-step explanation for each question, followed by the correct answers.

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Passage Summary:

- America was originally an income-tax-free country.
- Early American colonists paid taxes to the British government (e.g., head tax, real estate tax).
- The Constitution gave Congress the power to tax the general public.
- Taxes collected by states were passed to the federal government and included excise taxes on goods like alcohol and tobacco.
- The first federal income tax was created in 1861 to fund the Civil War.
- The Office of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue was created in 1862 to collect these taxes.
- The first income tax was repealed in 1872, but reinstated in 1909 by the 16th Amendment.
- Corporate income taxes began in 1913.
- Today, many other taxes exist: real estate, gift tax, state sales taxes, Social Security taxes, etc.

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Now let’s answer each True/False question:

#### 1. American colonists paid an American federal income tax.
- False
Explanation: The passage says that early American colonists paid taxes to the British government, not to an American federal government. At that time, there was no U.S. federal income tax. The first federal income tax wasn't introduced until 1861. So this statement is false.

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#### 2. The British government gave Congress the power to tax the general public.
- False
Explanation: The passage clearly states that the Constitution gave Congress the power to tax the general public — not the British government. By the time the Constitution was written, the U.S. had already broken away from Britain. So the British government did not give this power. This statement is false.

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#### 3. An excise tax is a tax on goods and services.
- True
Explanation: The passage says: "These consisted mainly of excise taxes: taxes on goods and services, such as alcohol and tobacco." This directly defines an excise tax as a tax on goods and services. So this statement is true.

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#### 4. The first income tax in America was created to pay for the Civil War.
- True
Explanation: The passage states: "The first version of what we now call the Internal Revenue Service... was created in 1861 as a way to pay for the Civil War." This confirms that the purpose of the first income tax was to fund the Civil War. So this statement is true.

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✔ Final Answers:

1. False
2. False
3. True
4. True

Let me know if you'd like a printable version or further explanation!