Question

Read the excerpt from "The Invention of the Sewing Machine" by Grace Rogers Cooper.

Isaac Singer, whose name is known around the world as a manufacturer of sewing machines, was the eighth child of poor German immigrants. Isaac was born on October 27, 1811, in Pittstown, New York, but most of his early life was spent in Oswego. He worked as a mechanic and cabinetmaker, but acquired an interest in the theater. Under the name of Isaac Merritt, he went to Rochester and became an actor. In 1839, during an absence from the theater, he completed his first invention, a mechanical excavator, which he sold for $2000. With the money Singer organized a theatrical troupe of his own, which he called “The Merritt Players.” When the group failed in Fredericksburg, Ohio, Singer was stranded for lack of funds.

What was an immediate cause of Isaac Singer’s becoming an actor?

acquiring an interest in the theater
selling his first invention for $2000
being the eighth child of poor German immigrants
organizing a theatrical group called "The Merritt Players"

Answer 1

C

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

The immediate cause of Singer's becoming an actor was acquiring an interest in the theater.

In the chronology of his biography, it is indeed the event which directly precedes becoming a theater actor. We are told that Singer "acquired an interest in the theater," and the very next sentence starts with his stage name, Isaac Merritt, and his trip to Rochester to "become an actor." This makes sense because attempting to become a professional in an area that interests you is a logical path to take.