Questions 1-8 refer to the following passage from a history textbook.

The California Gold Rush occurred in 1849, (1)... loads of people west in search of wealth through gold. This important event needs (2)..... in all American history books, as it explains how the state of California got developed. The Gold Rush was an opportunity that many poor Americans did not want to miss. At that time, it was difficult (3)... wealth. Free gold in California seemed (4).... a lot of potential. Besides (5).... to get rich, many came to set up businesses and new lives in California. Unfortunately, most of the people (6).... in the east who traveled west were not (7).... (8).... their money for the journey, they were often penniless upon arrival. When they arrived in the final years of the gold rush, they found that most of the gold was already gone. Thanks to the Gold Rush, California is the most populated state in the United States today.