<p>Passage 1
Eli Whitney is generally credited with the invention of the cotton gin, which he patented in 1794, but some historians question the extent of Whitney’s authorship. Some studies conclude that Georgia plantation owner Catharine Greene contributed key elements of the design. Another study shows that slaves working on Greene’s plantation devised the first cotton gins but were not allowed to register a patent. Still other theories maintain that primitive “roller gins” had been for centuries before Whitney, who only mechanized and improved the process. It’s not hard to imagine that one or all of these parties made unacknowledged contributions, yet the United States Patent and Trademark Office will not issue a patent if the inventor concedes outside influences.</p>
<p>Passage 2
History books observed that Eli Whitney invented and patented the cotton gin in 1794, but most texts don’t give proper credit to Catharine Greene, who made significant contributions to Whitney’s original model. Greene hired Whitney to live on her plantation and tutor her, and it was there that Whitney heard planters complain about manually removing the seeds from the cotton. Whitney began to develop his cotton gin, while Greene provided food, shelter, and encouragement. Greene’s contribution was more than symbolic, however: when Whitney initial gins kept clogging, Greene suggested he use comb-like device to separate the pulled cotton fibers from the machine. It was this device that elevated Whitney’s gin above the other primitive and inept tools already available.</p>
<p>8/ The author of Passage 2 would most likely characterize the “roller gins” (passage 1) as
a/ largely identical to Eli Whitney’s cotton gin
b/ superior to their primitive predecessors
c/ useful only in smaller plantations
d/ improperly awarded a patent
e/ meaningfully inferior to Whitney’s gin</p>
<p>So the answer is B. But why? I thought E would be accurate. Are “roller gins” in this context the primitive equipment or the Whitney’s invention?
Thank you.</p>