Gender-based trends in labor are linked to the ever-changing concept

Question

Gender-based trends in labor are linked to the ever-changing concept of what constitutes work appropriate to women as distinct from that of men. This concept underwent a significant change during the evolution from the Colonial era, in which most families farmed or ran small cottage industries in their homes, to the era of the Industrial Revolution, when a large segment of the population labored in mills and factories. Though the society of both eras was patriarchal, the pre-industrial women colonists enjoyed a degree of economic egalitarianism that would all but disappear with industrialization.

Work was considered a civic duty for women in the Colonial era, integral to the family’s economic survival, and wasn’t confined to the home: many women were also shopkeepers, midwives, and even blacksmiths. But while Colonial women had the satisfaction of contributing to the family’s economic well-being, the society of the Industrial Revolution, on the whole, appreciated neither women’s presence in nor their contributions to the labor force. Instead, in the America of the Industrial Revolution, men and women occupied different social and physical spaces. This distance developed into the Doctrine of the Two Spheres—men lived in the realm of public visibility and economic opportunity, while women managed private, domestic responsibilities. As the divide between the two spheres widened, women felt further demoted in an already patriarchal society.

Mainstream society of the time endorsed another disempowering phenomenon known as the Cult of True Womanhood. Women’s roles were both idealized and restricted; women were held to the highest standards of piety, purity, domesticity, and submissiveness. The moral authority given to women was nominal in comparison to the actual authority that their husbands possessed. Men felt the pressure and anxiety created by the Cult of True Womanhood as well. Many men could not successfully maintain the position of sole breadwinner. Some over-performed the provider role at the expense of emotional intimacy with their wives and children; others refused the burden and abandoned their families. Caught between these two extremes were the everyday male workers who tried their best to maintain social status and strong familiar ties—dual goals that were often unattainable.    1 
 1. According to the passage, the Doctrine of the Two Spheres describes which of the following societal situations?

A. Men and women shared responsibility for the economic upkeep of the family.
B. Women were afforded a moral authority that had no practical application.
C. Gender roles became less defined than they had been in the Colonial era.
D. Men were afforded the option of working outside or inside the home.
E. Society became more patriarchal, as women were prevented from contributing economically to the upkeep of the family.

2 
 2. Which of the following general theories is best supported by the passage?

A. A sharp economic downturn at the end of the Colonial era prompted a move toward the gender-segregated labor system of the Industrial Revolution.
B. The Colonial era in America was characterized by a social egalitarianism that disappeared with the advent of the Industrial Revolution.
C. The Industrial Revolution, while known as a time of great progress in American history, caused significant socioeconomic strain for men and women alike.
D. The beginning of the women’s movement in the early twentieth century was a backlash against the Cult of True Womanhood created during the Industrial Revolution.
E. Single-parent families became socially acceptable during the Industrial Revolution, as men abandoned their families under the pressure of being the sole breadwinner.

3 
 3. Which of the following situations would the author most likely consider to be an example of adherence to the Cult of True Womanhood?

A. A woman works in a garment factory all day and then returns home to clean the house, bathe the children, and cook dinner for the family.
B. A woman sacrifices the financial advantages of taking a job in a factory so that she can tend to the children and participate in church activities.
C. A woman opens a tailoring service in her home so that she can contribute to the family’s income without having to work outside the house.
D. A woman’s husband becomes overwhelmed with the pressure of providing for his wife and children and eventually abandons the family.
E. A woman opens a child-care center, so that other women can work in factories and contribute to the economic upkeep of their families.

4 
 4. Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage?

A. A paradox is stated, discussed, and finally resolved.
B. Two opposing viewpoints are expressed and debated, with no resolution proffered.
C. A generalization is stated and then followed up by two points that support the generalization and one point that contradicts it.
D. A thesis is stated in the first paragraph and supported by subsequent paragraphs.
E. An argument is stated and then refuted by pointing out the flaw in the assumption of the original argument.

5 
 5. The last paragraph performs which of the following functions in the passage?

A. It describes a social phenomenon that contrasts with a previously mentioned societal norm.
B. It offers an explanation for an observed change in gender perception.
C. It provides foreshadowing of a development that will be observed in the future.
D. It refutes the dominant trend discussed in the preceding paragraph.
E. It introduces a social trend that serves to undermine the author’s thesis.

RC Butler 2021  -  Practice Two RC Questions Everyday.   
Passage # 59 Date: 11-Feb-2021
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2021 .  Click here for Details

road740 · Answer

My answers  
 
1. According to the passage, the Doctrine of the Two Spheres describes which of the following societal situations?   
--> E

A. Men and women shared responsibility for the economic upkeep of the family. 
--> Eliminate.

B. Women were afforded a moral authority that had no practical application.

C. Gender roles became less defined than they had been in the Colonial era.
--> Eliminate.

D. Men were afforded the  option  of working outside or inside the home.
--> Eliminate. Nothing is said about the fact that men had an option; rather were they expected to work in order to provide for their family.

E. Society became more patriarchal, as women were prevented from contributing economically to the upkeep of the family. 
--> "Many men could not successfully maintain the position of  sole breadwinner " - men were the only ones to work and to contribute economically to the upkeep of the family, since women were prevented to do so 
--> "women colonists  enjoyed a degree of economic egalitarianism  that would all but  disappear  with industrialization.

______________________________________________________________________________

2. Which of the following general theories is best supported by the passage? 
--> My first guess was A, B or C
--> I tend to B

A. A  sharp economic downturn  at the end of the Colonial era prompted a move toward the  gender-segregated labor system  of the Industrial Revolution.
--> Nothing is said about an economic downturn; furthermore, the passage "gender-segregated labor system" implies that women AND men were working, just in gender-seperate units (similar to e.g. the segregation between ethnicities during the 20th century) but the text is about the fact that women were not supposed to work at all

B. The Colonial era in America was characterized by a  social egalitarianism  that  disappeared with the advent of the Industrial Revolution . 
--> Most fitting answer, although I am unsure about "social" egalitarianism, since in the text it says "economic" egalitarianism.

C. The Industrial Revolution,  while known as a time of great progress in American history , caused significant socioeconomic strain for men and women alike.
--> Nothing is said about the fact that the Industrial Revolution was "known as a time of great progress"

D. The  beginning of the women’s movement  in the early twentieth century was a backlash against the Cult of True Womanhood created during the Industrial Revolution.
--> The women´s movement is not mentioned here

E. Single-parent families  became socially acceptable  during the Industrial Revolution, as men abandoned their families under the pressure of being the sole breadwinner.
--> Nothing is said about the acceptance of single-parent families; also, this does not really support the passage´s main point

______________________________________________________________________________

3. Which of the following situations would the author most likely consider to be an example of adherence to the Cult of True Womanhood?  
-->D

A. A woman works in a garment factory all day and then returns home to clean the house, bathe the children, and cook dinner for the family.
--> Eliminate: Women were not expected to work outside the home ("women were held to the highest standards of piety, purity,  domesticity , and submissiveness")

B. A woman sacrifices the financial advantages of taking a job in a factory so that she can tend to the children and participate in church activities.
-- Eliminate.

C. A woman opens a tailoring service in her home so that she can contribute to the family’s income without having to work outside the house.
--> Women were not expected to contribute economically to the family´s situation.

D. A woman’s husband becomes overwhelmed with the pressure of providing for his wife and children and eventually abandons the family. 
--> "Many men (...) over-performed the provider role at the expense of emotional intimacy with their wives and children; others refused the burden and abandoned their families."

E. A woman opens a child-care center, so that other women can work in factories and contribute to the economic upkeep of their families.
--> Eliminate.

______________________________________________________________________________

4. Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage? 
--> D

A. A paradox is stated, discussed, and finally resolved.
B. Two opposing viewpoints are expressed and debated, with no resolution proffered.
C. A generalization is stated and then followed up by two points that support the generalization and one point that contradicts it.

D. A thesis is stated in the first paragraph and supported by subsequent paragraphs. 
--> "Gender-based trends in labor are linked to the ever-changing concept of what constitutes work appropriate to women as distinct from that of men.  This concept underwent a significant change during the evolution from the Colonial era ..."
--> In the next paragraph it is supported by the "Doctrine of the Two Spheres" and in the subsequent paragraph by the "Cult of True Womanhood"

E. An argument is stated and then refuted by pointing out the flaw in the assumption of the original argument.
______________________________________________________________________________

5. The last paragraph performs which of the following functions in the passage? 
--> B

A. It describes a social phenomenon that contrasts with a previously mentioned societal norm.
--> The Doctrine of the Two Spheres and the Cult of True Womanhood are quite alike

B. It offers an explanation for an observed change in gender perception.

C. It provides foreshadowing of a development that will be observed in the future.
--> The text is about the past

D. It refutes the dominant trend discussed in the preceding paragraph.
--> The Cult of True Womanhood supports the Doctrine of the Two Spheres

E. It introduces a social trend that serves to undermine the author’s thesis.
--> It supports the author´s thesis

Mithulesh · Answer

Please provide the official explanation to the questions, my answers to each are 
E
B
D
D
B

BenjaminS · Answer

Sajjad1994 
I try to understand question no.4 but It is not quite easy.
Let me show you how I think.

Para1: described the Gender of women and men in several eras.
Para2: the work of women
Para3: the new concept of women working.

So I eliminate A, B, C, and E.
Finally, I choose the answer D.

Could you give me the OE?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Hi BenjaminS

I have edited the OA to question number 4 from B to D and I think D should be the answer. Great to raise the issue.

Good luck

luhem79 · Answer

Could someone please explain why option B is wrong for the third question? 
Acc to the passage Women’s roles were both idealized and restricted; women were held to the highest standards of piety, purity, domesticity, and submissiveness.

luhem79 · Answer

Option B states that a woman does not take a job and instead focuses on raising children and on the church. Option D states that a man becomes overwhelmed with family responsibilities and abandons them. 
Option B is supported as women's focus is on family responsibilities and not on financial support while option D states that man left as he could not bear the burden (reason for this is given in the passage that man was supposed to be the sole provider for the family).
Both of these points are supported in the passage but I feel that option B has more ground.

nedunurianurag · Answer

For question 1, how can the answer be E. It is indicated in the first paragraph itself like this: " Though the society of both eras was patriarchal , the pre-industrial women colonists enjoyed a degree of economic egalitarianism that would all but disappear with industrialization."

How can we say that the society became more patriarchal? This is not an inference question in order to infer. We need to provide an answer that best supports from the passage. This option is like inference as it says that society became more patriarchal.

lewdtoucan · Answer

Hello! could you please post explanation for Q3?

I think the word "domesticity" directly supports answer choice B, which states that the women sacrificed working in favor of familial duties. Can you please explain how B is incorrect? thank you!

Rege1988 · Answer

Could someone explain to me of the questions 2 to 5 only got number one right but I got the others wrong and can somebody break it down for me to understand these questions so I can use them for other reading comprehension questions? Thank you.

Gender-based trends in labor are linked to the ever-changing concept

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Gender-based trends in labor are linked to the ever-changing concept

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