Name: Date:

Who Created Democracy?—

Selection Vocabulary
Read each item below carefully and choose the
correct answer.

1 Which word has almost the same meaning as the

word restrict?
a confine
b enlarge
c modify
d release

2 Which word has almost the same meaning as the

word promote?
f consider
g deny
h help
i withhold

3 What does the word principal mean?

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

a most popular
b most frequent
c most important
d most expensive

4 Which word has the opposite meaning of the

word withstood?
f challenged h endured
g disputed i surrendered

GO ON ➜
Selection Tests Grade 6 1
Name: Date:

5 What does the word foundation mean?

a addition
b basis
c discovery
d supplement

6 Which word has the opposite meaning of the word

preceded?
f accelerated
g delayed
h followed
i foreshadowed

7 What does the word aspiring mean?

a planning for
b allowing for
c hoping for
d fearing for

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

8 What does the word speculation mean?
f decision or choice
g wonder or thought
h vision or perception
i basis or groundwork

STOP

2 Grade 6 Selection Tests

 Name: Date:

Who Created Democracy?—

Comprehension
Read the following questions carefully. You may look back
at the selection to help find the answer to each question.

1 How is a democracy different from an autocracy?

a A democracy is a government ruled by the people, and
an autocracy is a government ruled by one person.
b A democracy is a government ruled by one person, and
an autocracy is a government ruled by the people.
c A democracy is a government ruled by a small group of
wealthy people, and an autocracy is a government
ruled by one person.
d A democracy is a government ruled by one person, and
an autocracy is a government ruled by a small group of
wealthy people.

2 Why did the oligarchy of Greece decide to make changes

around 630 B.C.?
f They wanted to help the poor.
g They needed the poor to help make laws.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

h They wanted to give more power to the poor.

i They knew they did not have enough people to fight
the poor.

3 When the American colonists asked for a voice in

Parliament, what did King George III do?
a He began to wage war on the colonists.
b He passed the Stamp Act to tax the colonists.
c He allowed them to have a seat in Parliament.
d He sent troops to take the colonists’ weapons.

GO ON ➜
Selection Tests Grade 6 3
Name: Date:

4 Who formed the Assembly in Greece which led to

a democracy?
f Cleisthenes
g Hippias
h Peisistratus
i Solon

5 How is the American government like the government of

ancient Rome?
a It has three branches.
b It has one president.
c It has two branches.
d It has two leaders.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

STOP

4 Grade 6 Selection Tests