It is said that George Washington was one of the first to realize how important the building of canals would be to the nation’s development.
Menurut kabar, George Washington adalah salah satu dari perintis yang menyadari betapa pentingnya terusan bagi pembangunan bangsa (Amerika).

In fact, before he became President, he headed the first company in the United States to build a canal which was to connect the Ohio and Potomac rivers.
Bahkan, sebelum menjadi Presiden, dia mengepalai perusahaan pertama di Amerika Serikat yang membuat sebuah terusan yang rencananya menghubungkan sungai Ohio dan sungai Potomac.

It was never completed, but it showed the nation the feasibility of canals.
Terusan itu tidak pernah terselesaikan, tapi pembangungannya menunjukkan pada Amerika tentang mungkinnya membangun terusan.

As the country expanded westward, settlers in western New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio needed a means to ship goods.
Ketika Amerika berkembang ke arah barat, pemukim di wilayah barat New York, Pennsylvania dan Ohio memerlukan cara untuk mengirimkan barang-barang.

Canals linking natural waterways seemed to offer an effective solution.
Terusan yang menghubungkan jalan perairan nampaknya menawarkan solusi yang efektif.

In 1791 engineers commissioned by the state of New York investigated the possibility of a canal between Albany on the Hudson River and Buffalo on Lake Erie, which would link the Great Lakes area with the Atlantic seacoast.
Pada tahun 1791, insinyur yang ditugaskan Negara Bagian New York menginvestigadi kemungkinan dibangun terusan antara Albany di Sungai Hudson dan Buffalo di Danau Erie, yang akan menghubungkan area Great Lakes dengan pantai samudera Atlantic.

It would avoid the mountains that served as a barrier to canals from the Delaware and Potomac rivers.
Ia akan menghindari pegunungan yang menjadi penghalang bagi terusan dari sungai Delaware dan sungai Potomac.

The first attempt to dig the canal, to be called the Erie Canal, was made by private companies, but only a comparatively small portion was built before the project was halted for lack of funds.
Upaya pertama untuk menggali terusan, yang nantinya disebut Terusan Erie, dibuat oleh perusahaan swasta, tapi hanya sebagian kecil yang dibangun sebelum proyek itu dihentikan karena kekurangan dana.

The cost of the project was an estimated five million dollars, an enormous amount for those days.
Biaya proyek itu diperkirakan lima juta dolar, sebuah jumlah yang sangat luat biasa untuk saat itu.

There was some on-again-off-again Federal funding, but the War of 1812 put an end to this.
Ada pendanaan Negara yang maju mundur, tapi Perang 1812 membuat pendanaan ini berakhir.

In 1817 DeWitt Clinton was elected Governor of New York and persuaded the state to finance and build the canal.
Pada tahun 1817, DeWitt Clinton terpilih sebagai Gubernur New York dan membujuk pemerintah negara bagian untuk membiayai dan membangun terusan itu.

It was completed in 1825, costing two million dollars more than expected.
Terusan itu diselesaikan pada tahun 1825, dengan biaya dua juga dolar lebih banyak dari yang diperkirakan.

The canal rapidly lived up to its sponsors’ faith, quickly paying for itself through tolls.
Terusan itu dengan cepat membalas kepercayaan para sponsor, dengan cepat menutup biaya pembangunan melalui tarif tol.

It was far more economical than any other form of transportation at the time.
Itu adalah metode transportasi yang jauh lebih hemat dari metode lain saat itu.

It permitted trade between the Great Lake region and East Coast, robbing the Mississippi River of much of its traffic.
Ia memungkikan perdagangan antara area Great Lake deang Pantai Timur, dan mencuri banyak lalu lintas perdagangan dari Sungai Mississippi.

It allowed New York to supplant Boston, Philadelphia, and other Eastern cities as the chief center of both domestic and foreign commerce.
Ia memungkinkan New York untuk menggantikan Boston, Philadelphie, dan kota-kota wilayah Timur lainnya sebagai pusat perdagangan domestik dan internasional.

Cities sprang up along the canal.
Kota-kota bermunculan di sepanjang terusan.

It also contributed in a number of ways to the North’s victory over the South in the Civil War.
Ia juga berkontribusi dalam sejumlah hal untuk kemenangan pihak Utara atas Selatan dalam Perang Saudara.

An expansion of the canal was planned in 1849.
Perluasan terusan direncanakan pada tahun 1849.

Increased traffic would undoubtedly have warranted its construction had it not been for the development of the railroads.
Lalu lintas yang meningkat akan membenarkan pembangunan itu jika tidak ada perkembangan perkeretaapiaan.

12. Why does the author most likely mention George Washington in the first paragraph?
(A) He was President at the time the Erie Canal was built.
(B) He was involved in pioneering efforts to build canals.
(C) He successfully opened the first canal in the United States.
(D) He commissioned engineers to study the possibility of building the Erie Canal

Jawaban yang tepat adalah
(B) He was involved in pioneering efforts to build canals.
(George Washinton terlibat dalam upaya perintisan pembangunan terusan)

It is said that George Washington was one of the first to realize how important the building of canals would be to the nation’s development.
Menurut kabar, George Washington adalah salah satu dari perintis yang menyadari betapa pentingnya terusan bagi pembangunan bangsa (Amerika).

13. The word “feasibility” in line 6 is closest in meaning to
(A) profitability
(B) difficulty
(C) possibility
(D) capability

Jawaban yang tepat adalah
(C) possibility
– feasibility = possibillity = kemungkinan
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/feasibility

14. According to the passage, the Erie Canal connected the
(A) Potomac and Ohio rivers
(B) Hudson River and Lake Erie
(C) Delaware and Potomac rivers
(D) Atlantic Ocean and the Hudson River

Jawaban yang tepat adalah
(B) Hudson River and Lake Erie

Ini bisa disimpulkan dari dua kalimat di bawah ini:

In 1791 engineers commissioned by the state of New York investigated the possibility of a canal between Albany on the Hudson River and Buffalo on Lake Erie, which would link the Great Lakes area with the Atlantic seacoast.
Pada tahun 1791, insinyur yang ditugaskan Negara Bagian New York menginvestigadi kemungkinan dibangun terusan antara Albany di Sungai Hudson dan Buffalo di Danau Erie, yang akan menghubungkan area Great Lakes dengan pantai samudera Atlantic.

…

The first attempt to dig the canal, to be called the Erie Canal, was made by private companies, but only a comparatively small portion was built before the project was halted for lack of funds.
Upaya pertama untuk menggali terusan, yang nantinya disebut Terusan Erie, dibuat oleh perusahaan swasta, tapi hanya sebagian kecil yang dibangun sebelum proyek itu dihentikan karena kekurangan dana.

15. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “comparatively” in line 17?
(A) Relatively
(B) Contrarily
(C) Incredibly
(D) Considerably

Jawaban yang tepat adalah
(A) Relatively
– comparatively = relatively = relatif, jika dibandingkan dengan
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/relatively?q=relatively
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/comparatively

16. The phrase “on-again-off-again” in line 20 could be replaced by which of the following with the least change in meaning?
(A) Intermittent
(B) Unsolicited
(C) Ineffectual
(D) Gradual

Jawaban yang tepat adalah
(A) Intermittent
– on-again-off-again = intermittent = mulai berhenti mulai berhenti
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/intermittent?q=Intermittent

17. The completion of the Erie Canal was financed by
(A) the state of New York
(B) private companies
(C) the federal government
(D) DeWitt Clinton

Jawaban yang tepat adalah
(A) the state of New York
(Negara bagian New York)

Ini bisa disimpulkan dari:
In 1817 DeWitt Clinton was elected Governor of New York and persuaded the state to finance and build the canal.
Pada tahun 1817, DeWitt Clinton terpilih sebagai Gubernur New York dan membujuk pemerintah negara bagian untuk membiayai dan membangun terusan itu.

18. The actual cost of building the Erie Canal was
(A) five million dollars
(B) less than had been estimated
(C) seven million dollars
(D) more than could be repaid

Jawaban yang tepat adalah
(C) seven million dollars
(tujuh juta dolar)

Ini bisa disimpulkan dari dua kalimat ini:

The cost of the project was an estimated five million dollars, an enormous amount for those days.
Biaya proyek itu diperkirakan lima juta dolar, sebuah jumlah yang sangat luat biasa untuk saat itu.

…

It was completed in 1825, costing two million dollars more than expected.
Terusan itu diselesaikan pada tahun 1825, dengan biaya dua juga dolar lebih banyak dari yang diperkirakan.

19. The word “tolls” in line 26 is closest in meaning to which of the following?
(A) Jobs
(B) Grants
(C) Links
(D) Fees

Jawaban yang tepat adalah
(D) Fees
– toll = fee = tarif tol
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/toll_1?q=toll

20. Which of the following is NOT given in the fourth paragraph as an effect of the building of the Erie Canal?
(A) It allowed the East Coast to trade with the Great Lakes area.
(B) It took water traffic away from the Mississippi River.
(C) It helped determine the outcome of the Civil War.
(D) It established Boston and Philadelphia as the most important centers of trade.

Jawaban yang tepat adalah
(D) It established Boston and Philadelphia as the most important centers of trade.

Di paragraf 4 yang dibuat sebagai pusat perdagangan adalah New York, bukan Boston atau Philadephia:

It allowed New York to supplant Boston, Philadelphia, and other Eastern cities as the chief center of both domestic and foreign commerce.
Ia memungkinkan New York untuk menggantikan Boston, Philadelphie, dan kota-kota wilayah Timur lainnya sebagai pusat perdagangan domestik dan internasional.

21. What can be inferred about railroads in 1849 from the information in the last paragraph?
(A) They were being planned but had not yet been built.
(B) They were seriously underdeveloped.
(C) They had begun to compete with the Erie Canal for traffic.
(D) They were weakened by the expansion of the canal.

Jawaban yang tepat adalah
(C) They had begun to compete with the Erie Canal for traffic.
(Mereka mulai bersaing dengan Terusan Erie untuk memperebutkan lalu lintas)

Ini bisa disimpulkan dari kalimat:

Increased traffic would undoubtedly have warranted its construction had it not been for the development of the railroads.
Lalu lintas yang meningkat akan membenarkan pembangunan itu jika tidak ada perkembangan perkeretaapiaan.

-> Perluasan Terusan Erie tidak dilanjutkan karena adanya persaingan dari kereta api.

22. The word “warranted” in line 35 is closest in meaning to
(A) guaranteed
(B) justified
(C) hastened
(D) prevented

Jawaban yang tepat adalah
(B) justified
– warrant = justify = membenarkan
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/warrant_2

23. At what point in the passage does the author focus on the beginning of construction of the Erie Canal?
(A) Lines 3-5
(B) Lines 10-13
(C) Lines 16-18
(D) Lines 25-26

Jawaban yang tepat adalah
(C) Lines 16-18
The first attempt to dig the canal, to be called the Erie Canal,
was made by private companies, but only a comparatively small
portion was built before the project was halted for lack of funds.