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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
696 views9 pagesReading
reading practice
Uploaded by
Lívia Helena RodriguesCopyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF or read online on Scribd
PRACTICE SET 5 J
ARTISANS AND INDUSTRIALIZATION
Before 1815 manufacturing in the United States had been done in homes or shops by
skilled artisans. As master craftworkers, they imparted the knowledge of their trades to
apprentices and journeymen. In addition, women often worked in their homes part-time,
making finished articles from raw material supplied by merchant capitalists. After 1815
this older form of manufacturing began to give way to factories with machinery tended by
unskilled or semiskilled laborers. Cheap transportation networks, the rise of cities, and the
availability of capital and credit all stimulated the shift to factory production
The creation of a labor force that was accustomed to working in factories did not occur
easily, Before the rise of the factory, artisans had worked within the home. Apprentices
were considered part of the family, and masters were responsible not only for teaching
their apprentices a trade but also for providing them some education and for supervis-
ing their moral behavior. Journeymen knew that if they perfected their skill, they could
become respected master artisans with their own shops. Also, skilled artisans did not work
by the clock, at a steady pace, but rather in bursts of intense labor alternating with more
leisurely time.
The factory changed that. Goods produced by factories were not as finished or elegant
{as those done by hand, and pride in craftsmanship gave way to the pressure to increase
rates of productivity. The new methods of doing business involved a new and stricter sense
of time, Factory life necessitated a more regimented schedule, where work began at the
sound of a bell and workers kept machines going at a constant pace. At the same time,
workers were required to discard old habits, for industralism demanded a worker who was
alert, dependable, and self-disciplined. Absenteeism and lateness hurt productivity and,
since work was specialized, disrupted the regular factory routine. Industrialization not only
produced a fundamental change in the way work was organized: it transformed the very
nature of work.
The first generation to experience these changes did not adopt the new attitudes eas-
ily. he factory clock became the symbol of the new work rules. One mill worker who finally
quit complained revealingly about “obedience to the ding-dong of the bell—justas though
we are so many living machines” With the loss of personal freedom also came the loss of
standing in the community. Unlike artisan workshops in which apprentices worked closely
with the masters supervising them, factories sharply separated workers from management.
Few workers rose through the ranks to supervisory positions, and even fewer could achieve
the artisan’s dream of setting up one's own business. Even well-paid workers sensed their
decline in status.
In this newly emerging economic order, workers sometimes organized to protect their
rights and traditional ways of life. Craftworkers such as carpenters, printers, and tallors
formed unions, and in 1834 individual unions came together in the National Trades’ Union.
The labor movement gathered some momentum in the decade before the Panic of 1837,
but in the depression that followed, labor's strength collapsed. During hard times, few
workers were willing to strike! or engage in collective action. And skilled craftworkers, who
spearheaded the union movement, did not feel a particularly strong bond with semiskilled
factory workers and unskilled laborers. More than a decade of agitation did finally bring a workday shortened to 10 hours to most industries by the 1850s, and the courts also recog-
nized workers’ right to strike, but these gains had little immediate impact.
Workers were united in resenting the industrial system and their loss of status, but they
were divided by ethnic and racial antagonisms, gender, conflicting religious perspectives,
‘occupational differences, political party loyalties, and disagreements over tactics. For them,
the factory and industrialism were not agents of opportunity but reminders of their loss of
independence and a measure of control over their lives. As United States society became
more specialized and differentiated, greater extremes of wealth began to appear. And as
the new markets created fortunes for the few, the factory system lowered the wages of
workers by dividing labor into smaller, ess skilled tasks.
1. Strike: stopping of work that is organized by workers
Directions: Now answer the questions.
1. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about articles manufactured
before 1815?
® They were primarily produced by women.
® They were generally produced in shops rather than in homes.
© They were produced with more concern for quality than for speed of production.
®© They were produced mostly in large cities with extensive transportation networks.
The creation of a labor force that was accustomed to working in factories did not occur
easily. Before the rise of the factory, artisans had worked within the home. Apprentices
Were considered part of the family, and masters were responsible not only for teaching
their apprentices a trade but also for providing them some education and for supervis-
ing their moral behavior, Journeymen knew that if they perfected their skill, they could
become respected master artisans with their own shops. Also, skilled artisans did not work
by the clock, at a steady pace, but rather in bursts of intense labor alternating with more
leisurely time.
2. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the high
lighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in
important ways or leave out essential information.
® Masters demanded moral behavior from apprentices but often treated them
irresponsibly.
® The responsibilities of the master to the apprentice went beyond the teaching
of atrade.
© Masters preferred to maintain the trade within the family by supervising and
educating the younger family members.
®© Masters who trained members of their own family as apprentices demanded
excellence from them, e
a
g
x
a
P
4
‘
The factory changed that. Goods produced by factories were not as finished or elegant
as those done by hand, and pride in craftsmanship gave way to the pressure to increase
rates of productivity. The new methods of doing business involved a new and stricter sense
of time. Factory life necessitated a more regimented schedule, where work began at the
sound of a bell and workers kept machines going at a constant pace. At the same time,
workers were required to discard old habits, for industrialism demanded a worker who was
alert, dependable, and self-disciplined. Absenteeism and lateness hurt productivity and,
since work was specialized, disrupted the regular factory routine. industrialization not only
produced a fundamental change in the way work was organized; it transformed the very
nature of work.
3. The word “disfUpted” in the passage is closest in meaning to
® prolonged
established
© followed
@® upset
The first generation to experience these changes did not adopt the new attitudes easily,
‘The factory clock became the symbol of the new work rules, One mill worker who finally
quit complained revealingly about “obedience to the ding-dong of the bell—just as though
we are so many living machines’ With the loss of personal freedom also came the loss of
standing in the community. Unlike artisan workshops in which apprentices worked closely
with the masters supervising them, factories sharply separated workers from management.
Few workers rose through the ranks to supervisory positions, and even fewer could achieve
the artisan’s dream of setting up one’s own business. Even well-paid workers sensed their
decline in status.
4, Inparagraph 4, the author includes the 5. All of the following are mentioned in
quotation from a mill worker in order paragraph 4 as consequences of the
to new system for workers EXCEPT a loss
® support the idea that it was of
dificult for workers to adjust to ® freedom
working in factories @® status in the community
® show that workers sometimes quit © opportunities for advancement
because of the loud noise made by @) contact among workers who were
factory machinery not managers
© argue that clocks did not havea
useful function in factories
© emphasize that factories were
most successful when workers
revealed their complaints In this newly emerging economic order, workers sometimes organized to protect their
rights and tra
formed unions, and in 1834 individual unions came together in the National Trades’ Union.
The labor movement gathered some momentum in the decade before the Panic of 1837,
but in the depression that followed, labor's strength collapsed. During hard times, few
workers were willing to strike or engage in collective action. And skilled craftworkers, who
spearheaded the union movement, did not feel a particularly strong bond with semiskilled
factory workers and unskilled laborers. More than a decade of agitation did finally bring a
workday shortened to 10 hours to most industries by the 1850s, and the courts also recog-
nized workers’ right to strike, but these gains had little immediate impact.
ional ways of life, Craftworkers such as carpenters, printers, and tailors
6. Which of the following statements about the labor movement of the 1800s is sup-
ported by paragraph 5?
® Itwas successful during times of economic crisis.
Its primary purpose was to benefit unskilled laborers
© Itwas slow to improve conditions for workers
@® Ithelped workers of all skill evels form a strong bond with each other.
Workers were united in resenting the industrial system and their loss of status, but they
were divided by ethnic and racial antagonisms, gender, conflicting religious perspectives,
occupational differences, political party loyalties, and disagreements over tactics. For them,
the factory and industrialism were not agents of opportunity but reminders of their loss of
independence and a measure of control over their lives. As United States society became
more specialized and differentiated, greater extremes of wealth began to appear. And as
the new markets created fortunes for the few, the factory system lowered the wages of
workers by dividing labor into smaller, less skilled tasks.
7. The author identifies “political party loyalties” and “disagreements over tactics’
of several factors that
® encouraged workers to demand higher wages
® created divisions among workers
© caused work to become more specialized
@ increased workers’ resentment of the industrial system Before 1815 manufacturing in the United States had been done in homes or shops by
skilled artisans. (A) As master craftworkers, they imparted the knowledge of their trades
to apprentices and journeymen. (B) In addition, women often worked in their homes part-
time, making finished articles from raw material supplied by merchant capitalists. (C) After
1815 this older form of manufacturing began to give way to factories with machinery
tended by unskilled or semiskilled laborers. (D) Cheap transportation networks, the rise of
cities, and the availability of capital and credit all stimulated the shift o factory production.
8, Directions: Look at the part of the passage that is displayed above. The letters (A), (8)
(©), and (D) indicate where the following sentence could be added.
This new form of manufacturing depended on the movement of goods to dis-
tant locations and a centralized source of laborers.
Where would the sentence best fit?
@D Choice A
Choice B
© Choice c
D Choice D
rections: Complete the table below by indicating which of the answer choices de-
scribe characteristics of the period before 1815 and which describe characteristics of
the 1815-1850 period, This question is worth 3 points.
Before 1815 oH
Answer Choices
[i] [Link], highly successful labor movement took shape.
Workers took pride in their workmanship.
The income gap between the rich and the poor increased greatly.
[D] Transportation networks began to decline.
[E]_ Emphasis was placed on following schedules.
[E]_ Workers went through an extensive period of training.
[E] Few workers expected to own their own businesses. PRACTICE SET 5 ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS
1
@ This is an Inference question asking for an inference that can be sup-
ported by the passage. The correct answer is choice C, “They were produced
with more concern for quality than for speed of production.”
A number of statements throughout the passage support choice C. Para-
graph 1 states, “Before 1815 manufacturing in the United States had been
done in homes or shops by skilled artisans . . . After 1815 this older form
of manufacturing began to give way to factories with machinery tended by
unskilled or semiskilled laborers.”
Paragraph 2 states, “Before the rise of the factory... . skilled artisans did
not work by the clock, at a steady pace, but rather in bursts of intense labor
alternating with more leisurely time.”
Paragraph 3 states, “The factory changed that. Goods produced by factories
were not as finished or elegant as those done by hand, and pride in crafts-
manship gave way to the pressure to increase rates of productivity.”
‘Taken together, these three statements, about production rates, the rise of
factories after 1815, and the decline of craftsmanship after 1815, support the
inference that before 1815, the emphasis had been on quality rather than on
speed of production, Answer choices A, B, and D are all contradicted by the
passage.
@ This is a Sentence Simplification question. As with all of these questions,
a single sentence in the passage is highlighted:
‘Apprentices were considered part of the family, and masters were responsible not only
for teaching their apprentices a trade but also for providing them some education and
for supervising their moral behavior.
The correct answer is choice B. Choice B contains all of the essential infor-
mation in the highlighted sentence. The highlighted sentence explains why
(part of the family) and how (education, moral behavior) a master’s responsi-
ity went beyond teaching a trade. The essential information is the fact that
's responsibility went beyond teaching a trad
contains all that is essential without changing the meaning of the highlighted
sentence.
Choice A changes the meaning of the highlighted sentence by stating that
masters often treated apprentices irresponsibly.
Choice C contradicts the essential meaning of the highlighted sentence. The
fact that “Apprentices were considered part of the family” suggests that they
‘were not actual family members
Choice D, like choice C, changes the meaning of the highlighted sentence
by discussing family members as apprentices.
therefore choice B
@ This is a Vocabulary question, The word being tested is disrupted. It is
highlighted in the passage. The correct answer is choice D, “upset.” The word
upset here is used in the context of “hurting productivity.” When something is
hurt or damaged, it is 4. @ This is a Factual Information question asking for specific information that
can be found in paragraph 4. The correct answer is choice A, “support the
idea that it was difficult for workers to adjust to working in factories.” The
paragraph begins by stating that workers did not adopt new attitudes toward
work easily and that the clock symbolized the new work rules. The author
provides the quotation as evidence of that difficulty. There is no indication in
the paragraph that workers quit due to loud noise, so choice B is incorrect.
Choice C (usefulness of clocks) is contradicted by the paragraph. The factory
clock was “useful,” but workers hated it. Choice D (workers’ complaints as a
cause of a factory's success) is not discussed in this paragraph.
5. @ This is a Negative Factual Information question asking for specific infor-
mation that can be found in paragraph 4. Choice D, “contact among work-
ers who were not managers,” is the correct answer. The paragraph explicitly
contradicts this by stating that “factories sharply separated workers from
management.” The paragraph explicitly states that workers lost choice A
(freedom), choice B (status in the community), and choice € (opportunities
for advancement) in the new system, so those choices are all incorrect.
6, @ This is a Factual Information question asking for specific information that
can be found in paragraph 5. The correct answer is choice C, “It was slow to
improve conditions for workers.” The paragraph states, “More than a decade
of agitation did finally bring a workday shortened to 10 hours to most indus-
tries by the 1850s, and the courts also recognized workers’ right to strike, but
these gains had little immediate impact.” This statement explicitly supports
choice C, All three other choices are contradicted by the paragraph,
7. @ This is a Factual Information question asking for specific information
about a particular phrase in the passage. The phrase in question is high-
lighted in the passage. The correct answer is choice B, “created divisions
among workers.” The paragraph states, “they (workers) were divided by eth-
nic and racial antagonisms, gender, conflicting religious perspectives, occu-
pational differences, political party loyalties, and disagreements over tactics.”
So “political party loyalties” and “disagreements over tactics” are explicitly
stated as two causes of division among workers. The other choices are not
stated and are incorrect.
8. @ This is an Insert Text question, You can see the four possible answer
choices in paragraph 1
Before 1815 manufacturing in the United States had been done in homes or shops by
skilled artisans. (A) As master craftworkers, they imparted the knowledge of their trades
to apprentices and journeymen. (B) In addition, women often worked in their homes part-
time, making finished articles from raw material supplied by merchant capitalists. (C) After
1815 this older form of manufacturing began to give way to factories with machinery
tended by unskilled or semiskilled laborers. (D) Cheap transportation networks, the rise of
