Question

Potato Chips
K. Reiter

Potato chips are one of the most popular snacks in America. These salty, crunchy snacks are devoured at a rate of 1.2 billion pounds annually. But did you know that they were invented purely by accident?

Potato chips were invented by George Crum in 1853, who was a chef at an elegant resort in Saratoga Springs, New York. A customer who visited the restaurant complained about the thick, soggy French fries. Crum made a thinner batch, but the customer was still dissatisfied.

Crum became frustrated and wanted to teach the customer a lesson, so he sliced the potatoes as thin as possible. He then fried them until they were hard and crunchy. He added a generous pile of salt on top. The customer actually enjoyed the thin potatoes, and a new snack was born. The original name of the chips was Saratoga Chips and potato crunches. Crum went on to open his own restaurant in 1860. On each table, he served a basket of potato chips.

Before chips were sold in bags, they were stored in cracker barrels or glass display cases and served in paper bags. However, the chips did not last long when stored this way. In 1926, Laura Scudder had an idea to hand-iron sheets of wax paper into bags. She then filled them with potato chips and ironed the top. The bags kept the chips fresher for a longer period of time and also prevented them from being crushed.

In the 1920s, Herman Lay, a traveling salesman, began selling potato chips out of the trunk of his car. He became very successful and Lay’s potato chip became the first successfully marketed national brand. Today, there are many different flavors and brands of potato chips that are enjoyed by many people.


Chips stay fresh in bags.
Question
What is the best summary of paragraph 3?
Responses
A Crum sliced the potatoes as thin as he could and cooked them for a long time. When they were finished, they were thin and crunchy. He then added a heaping pile of salt on the top. That is how potato chips were invented. Crum sliced the potatoes as thin as he could and cooked them for a long time. When they were finished, they were thin and crunchy. He then added a heaping pile of salt on the top. That is how potato chips were invented.
B Crum invented potato chips because a customer complained about the thick fries. They were called Saratoga Chips and potato crunches before becoming potato chips. Crum went on to open his own restaurant and served chips on every table. Crum invented potato chips because a customer complained about the thick fries. They were called Saratoga Chips and potato crunches before becoming potato chips. Crum went on to open his own restaurant and served chips on every table.
C George Crum was frustrated with a customer who kept complaining. He wanted to teach him a lesson, so he sliced the potatoes really thin. To his surprise, the thin fries were a hit, and potato chips were invented. Crum opened his own restaurant where he served potato chips on each table. George Crum was frustrated with a customer who kept complaining. He wanted to teach him a lesson, so he sliced the potatoes really thin. To his surprise, the thin fries were a hit, and potato chips were invented. Crum opened his own restaurant where he served potato chips on each table.
D A new snack was born when a customer complained during a visit to the restaurant where Crum worked. Crum became frustrated and wanted to teach him a lesson. The thin fries were originally called Saratoga Chips or potato crunches. A new snack was born when a customer complained during a visit to the restaurant where Crum worked. Crum became frustrated and wanted to teach him a lesson. The thin fries were originally called Saratoga Chips or potato crunches.

Answer 1

B — it mentions the complaint that led to Crum's invention, the original names (Saratoga Chips/potato crunches), and that he opened a restaurant and served chips on every table.