Question

According to the article, which of the following characteristics fit Standard Oil? Check all that apply.

It practiced ruthless business techniques.
It helped its competitors stay in business.
It dominated the oil market.
It controlled the transportation of oil.
It successfully stopped journalists from writing about it.

Answer 1

I don’t have the article you’re referring to, but based on standard historical accounts of Standard Oil, the following apply:

- It practiced ruthless business techniques. (Yes — rebates, price-cutting, secret deals, buying or driving out rivals.)
- It dominated the oil market. (Yes — became a near-monopoly.)
- It controlled the transportation of oil. (Yes — pipelines, railroad rebates and tight control over shipping.)

These do not fit:
- It helped its competitors stay in business. (No — it typically bought up or undercut competitors.)
- It successfully stopped journalists from writing about it. (No — muckrakers like Ida Tarbell exposed its practices.)

If you can paste the specific article text or a link, I’ll confirm exactly which options the article supports.