Historians have only recently begun to note the increase in demand for

Mind map:

Para1: Histo's recent observation --> ML & Plumb given as two examples of researchers --> 3Qs are presented
Para2: 1st and 3rd question answered
Para3: Answers why consumers became so eager to buy --> Challenges ML's hypothesis
Para4: Discusses consequences of this consumer demand for luxuries --> states the relation b/w industrial revo and demand
Para5: Future research must not contradict the existing one, as it forms the basis for current world spending trends

1. In the first paragraph, the author mentions McKendrick and Plumb most probably in order to

(A) contrast their views on the subject of luxury consumerism in eighteenth-century England There is not contradiction, just two separate views
(B) indicate the inadequacy of historiographical approaches to eighteenth-century English history inadequacy is not discussed
(C) give examples of historians who have helped to establish the fact of growing consumerism in eighteenth-century England Spot on. As discussed in the mind map
(D) support the contention that key questions about eighteenth-century consumerism remain to be answered Incorrect
(E) compare one historian's interest in luxury goods such as pottery to another historian's interest in luxury services such as musical festivals OOS

2. Which of the following items, if preserved from eighteenth-century England, would provide an example of the kind of documents mentioned?

The "document" is presented in the argument as something written by the consumer. Of all the option presented below "the diary" is the only thing written by the consumer

(A) A written agreement between a supplier of raw materials and a supplier of luxury goods
(B) A diary that mentions luxury goods and services purchased by its author
(C) A theater ticket stamped with the date and name of a particular play
(D) A payroll record from a company that produced luxury goods such as pottery
(E) A newspaper advertisement describing luxury goods and services available at a seaside resort

3. According to the passage, Thompson attributes to laboring people in eighteenth-century England which of the following attitudes toward capitalist consumerism?

Thompson has probably exaggerated the "opposition" of these people

(A) Enthusiasm
(B) Curiosity
(C) Ambivalence
(D) Stubbornness
(E) Hostility Only word that matches the tone of the quoted text

4. In the third paragraph, the author is primarily concerned with

The opening line of the para says " To answer the question of why consumers became so eager to buy" and then presents what "some historians"
and "McKendrick" say. But later presents a new view which seems to be the dominating one

(A) contrasting two theses and offering a compromise Compromise is not offered
(B) questioning two explanations and proposing a possible alternative to them Correct as discussed above
(C) paraphrasing the work of two historians and questioning their assumptions There's more to it by presenting the third view
(D) examining two theories and endorsing one over the other Incorrect.
(E) raising several questions but implying that they cannot be answered. OOS

5. According to the passage, a Veblen model of conspicuous consumption has been used to

The para opens by: "To answer the question of why consumers became so eager to buy" and everything written after that is basically explaining this

(A) investigate the extent of the demand for luxury goods among social classes in eighteenth-century England
(B) classify the kinds of lUXUry goods desired by eighteenth-century consumers
(C) explain the motivation of eighteenth-century consumers to buy luxury goods Correct
(D) establish the extent to which the tastes of rich consumers were shaped by the middle classes in eighteenth-century England
(E) compare luxury consumerism in eighteenth-century England with such consumerism in the twentieth century

6. According to the passage, eighteenth-century England and the contemporary world of the passage's readers are

"foreshadows our own world" means that there are some similarities in the spending patters and reasons. With that in mind eliminate A, B, and C

(A) dissimilar in the extent to which luxury consumerism could be said to be widespread among the social classes
(B) dissimilar in their definitions of luxury goods and services
(C) dissimilar in the extent to which lUXUry goods could be said to be a stimulant of industrial development
(D) similar in their strong demand for a variety of goods and services Spot on
(E) similar in the extent to which a middle class could be identified as imitating the habits of a wealthier class OOS

7. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would most probably agree with which of the following statements about the relationship between the Industrial Revolution and the demand for lUXUry goods and services in eighteenth-century England?

Author concludes: "It is perfectly possible to have the psychology and reality of a consumer society without a heavy industrial sector"

(A) The growing demand for luxury goods and services was a major factor in the cQrning of the Industrial Revolution. 180 degrees answer
(B) The Industrial Revolution exploited the already existing demand for luxury goods and services. OOS
(C) Although the demand for lUXUry goods may have helped bring about the Industrial Revolution, the demand for luxury services did not. Incorrect no distinction b/w good and service is drawn
(D) There is no reason to believe that the Industrial Revolution was directly driven by a growing demand for luxury goods and services. Spot on
(E) The increasing demand for luxury goods and services was a cultural phenomenon that has been conclusively demonstrated to have been separate from the coming of the Industrial Revolution. Seems partially correct, but no where in the passage is it mentioned that it was a "cultural phenomenon"

It took me ~20 mins to type this. Please hit the Kudos button if you liked the explanations!