Question

Margaret Knight, born in 1838, created many practical inventions. Several of her inventions are still in use today. She created her first invention before she was a teenager. After Margaret saw how a worker at a mill was injured when a piece of thread became stuck in a machine, she began working on a solution. As a result, Margaret invented a way for a machine to stop when something was caught in it. This invention was called a covered shuttle, and it was used in mills to increase safety.
While working at a paper bag plant, Margaret realized that a flat-bottom bag would make items easier to pack. She then designed a machine to make, fold, and glue paper to create flat-bottom bags. Today, these bags are still used to hold school lunches and groceries.
However, before she received the patent for her paper bag machine, Margaret had to prove that it was her invention. Charles Annan had secretly watched the machine being made. He soon made a similar machine and claimed that he was the inventor. He argued that it was impossible for a woman to have invented such a complicated machine. Margaret took him to court in order to disprove his claims. In 1871, she won the rights for her paper bag machine.
Throughout her life, Margaret invented dozens of other devices and machines. She gained patents for many of her designs, including several automobile engines.
Read the following sentence from the third paragraph.

However, before she received the patent for her paper bag machine, Margaret had to prove that it was her invention.

Based on the context of the passage, the word patent means
A.
legal rights.
B.
new instructions.
C.
building supplies.
D.
donated money.

Answer 1

A. legal rights.

Context shows she had to prove she invented the machine and went to court to win the rights to it, so "patent" means legal rights to an invention.