Question

The following passage is from page 114 of the book The History of East Germany by Spartacus Mann:

The Trabant was a car produced in East Germany from 1957 to 1991. During a large part of that time, Germany was divided into two parts by the Berlin Wall—East and West. Cars were not readily available in East Germany.
The Trabant, also known as the Trabi, was a small car with a weak engine. The car measured about 11 ½ feet long, 5 feet wide, and 5 feet tall. The frame of the Trabi was made from steel, and the body was made from a hard, lightweight plastic. The engine had only two cylinders and took more than 20 seconds to reach its top speed of about 67 miles per hour. In addition to its lack of power, the Trabi produced a lot of pollution. The car did not have modern engine parts to reduce the amount of carbon and other gases produced.
Despite the Trabi’s lack of efficiency, it was very popular due to the limited availability of cars. In East Germany, owning a car was a luxury. People living in Berlin had to remain on a waiting list for 11 to 15 years for one of the Trabis. People who lived in other parts of Germany had to wait up to 18 years for the car. The value of a used Trabi was actually around 4,000 marks (the German currency at the time) more than a new one. The increase in the used car’s value was due to its immediate availability.
4
Read the following sentences from the passage.

People living in Berlin had to remain on a waiting list for 11 to 15 years for one of the Trabis. People who lived in other parts of Germany had to wait up to 18 years for the car.

According to MLA guidelines, which of the following best paraphrases these sentences from the passage?
A.
Germans had to be on a waiting list for 11 to 18 years before they could get a Trabi (Mann 114).
B.
Some people had their names on a waiting list for 11 to 15 years while others waited for 18 years (Mann 114).
C.
The Trabant was so popular that everyone was willing to wait a long time to get one (Mann 114).
D.
It was normal for people to wait 11 or more years to get something that they wanted very badly (Mann 114).

Answer 1

A

Explanation: Option A accurately and succinctly restates the time range (11–18 years) and includes the MLA in-text citation. Options B–D either alter the meaning (B implies exactly 18 years for others, C and D generalize or add interpretation).