The identification of femininity with morality and a belief in the

Question

The identification of femininity with morality and a belief in the innate moral superiority of women were fundamental to the cult of female domesticity in the nineteenth-century United States. Ironically, this ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism, enabling them to escape the confines of their traditional domestic spheres and to enter prisons, hospitals, battlefields, and slums. By following this path, some women came to wield considerable authority in the distribution of resources and services in their communities.

The sentimentalized concept of female benevolence bore little resemblance to women's actual work, which was decidedly unsentimental and businesslike, in that it involved chartering societies, raising money, and paying salaries. Moreover, in the face of legal limitations on their right to control money and property, women had to find ingenious legal ways to run and finance organized philanthropy. In contrast to the day-to-day reality of this work, the idealized image of female benevolence lent a sentimental and gracious aura of altruism to the very real authority and privilege that some women commanded—which explains why some women activists clung tenaciously to this ideology. But clinging to this ideology also prevented these women from even attempting to gain true political power because it implied a moral purity that precluded participation in the messy world of partisan politics.   1 
 1. According to the passage, the ideology of female benevolence was consistent with women taking part in each of the following spheres of activity EXCEPT

(A) organized philanthropy
(B) domestic life
(C) electoral politics
(D) fund-raising for worthy causes
(E) social work

2 
 2. Information in the passage suggests that the author would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements concerning the cult of female domesticity?

(A) The cult of female domesticity developed independently of the concept of female benevolence.
(B) The cult of female domesticity was incompatible with women's participation in social activism.
(C) The cult of female domesticity incorporated ideological elements that actually helped some women to escape from their traditional domestic roles.
(D) The original motivation behind the promotion of the cult of female domesticity was to exclude women from partisan politics.
(E) The growth of organized philanthropy in the nineteenth-century United States is ultimately attributable to the cult of female domesticity.

3 
 3. Which of the following best summarizes the main point of the passage?

(A) The identification of femininity with morality promoted the notion of women's moral purity while excluding women from positions of authority in their communities.
(B) The belief in women's innate moral superiority allowed women to exercise political power without participating in partisan politics.
(C) The cult of female domesticity helped some women to gain power and privilege but kept most women confined to the domestic sphere.
(D) The ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism but placed limits on their direct political power.
(E) The idealization of female altruism enabled women to engage in philanthropic activities but prevented them from managing money and property.

4 
 4. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following about women’s relationship to politics in the nineteenth-century United States?

(A) social activism was the best path to political power for women.
(B) had women wished to seek true political power they would have had to abandon the ideology of female benevolence.
(C) women’s desire for true political power was the primary cause of their eventual abandonment of the ideology of female benevolence.
(D) only women in positions of authority in their communities exercised political influence indirectly through men.
(E) most men believed that they were protecting women by excluding them from politics.

JarvisR · Answer

Time taken 9 mins.
=====================================
1. According to the passage, the ideology of female benevolence was consistent with women taking part in each of the following spheres of activity EXCEPT
C. electoral politics
"clinging to this ideology also prevented these women from even attempting to gain true political power because it implied a moral purity that precluded participation in the messy world of partisan politics."

2. Information in the passage suggests that the author would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements concerning the cult of female domesticity?
C. The cult of female domesticity incorporated ideological elements that actually helped some women to escape from their traditional domestic roles.
"this ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism, enabling them to escape the confines of their traditional domestic spheres and to enter prisons, hospitals, battlefields, and slums"

3. Which of the following best summarizes the main point of the passage?
D. The ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism but placed limits on their direct political power.
"this ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism, enabling them to escape the confines of their traditional domestic spheres and to enter prisons, hospitals, battlefields, and slums...
blah
blah
But clinging to this ideology also prevented these women from even attempting to gain true political power because it implied a moral purity that precluded participation in the messy world of partisan politics.
"

AmithKumarSingh · Answer

1. According to the passage, the ideology of female benevolence was consistent with women taking part in each of the following spheres of activity EXCEPT

(A) organized philanthropy
women had to find ingenious legal ways to run and finance organized philanthropy
(B) domestic life

(C) electoral politics
But clinging to this ideology also prevented these women from even attempting to gain true political power because it implied a moral purity that precluded participation in the messy world of partisan politics.

(D) fund-raising for worthy causes
women had to find ingenious legal ways to run and finance organized philanthropy

(E) social work
this ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism

2. Information in the passage suggests that the author would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements concerning the cult of female domesticity?

(A) The cult of female domesticity developed independently of the concept of female benevolence.

(B) The cult of female domesticity was incompatible with women's participation in social activism.

(C) The cult of female domesticity incorporated ideological elements that actually helped some women to escape from their traditional domestic roles.
this ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism, enabling them to escape the confines of their traditional domestic spheres and to enter prisons, hospitals, battlefields, and slums.

(D) The original motivation behind the promotion of the cult of female domesticity was to exclude women from partisan politics.

(E) The growth of organized philanthropy in the nineteenth-century United States is ultimately attributable to the cult of female domesticity.

3. Which of the following best summarizes the main point of the passage?

(A) The identification of femininity with morality promoted the notion of women's moral purity while excluding women from positions of authority in their communities.

(B) The belief in women's innate moral superiority allowed women to exercise political power without participating in partisan politics.

(C) The cult of female domesticity helped some women to gain power and privilege but kept most women confined to the domestic sphere.

(D) The ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism but placed limits on their direct political power.
empowered women in the realm of social activism: escape the confines of their traditional domestic spheres and to enter prisons, hospitals, battlefields, and slums
limits on their direct political power: prevented these women from even attempting to gain true political power because it implied a moral purity that precluded participation in the messy world of partisan politics.

(E) The idealization of female altruism enabled women to engage in philanthropic activities but prevented them from managing money and property.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following about women’s relationship to politics in the nineteenth-century United States?

(A) social activism was the best path to political power for women.
No information about what is the best way

(B) had women wished to seek true political power they would have had to abandon the ideology of female benevolence.
But clinging to this ideology also prevented these women from even attempting to gain true political power

(C) women’s desire for true political power was the primary cause of their eventual abandonment of the ideology of female benevolence.
This ideology prevented women from gaining true political power.

(D) only women in positions of authority in their communities exercised political influence indirectly through men.
No information

(E) most men believed that they were protecting women by excluding them from politics.
No information

Please let me know the correct answers.

Skywalker18 · Answer

Took 7 mins , including 2 mins 10 seconds to read 
-The author does not provide an opinion
- The author merely states facts on how the cult of female domesticity led to women having an influence on non domestic spheres as well
-The only realm that was out of reach for women was partisan politics

1
"enabling them to escape the confines of their traditional domestic spheres and to enter prisons, hospitals, battlefields, and slums."
and "chartering societies, raising money, and paying salaries."
Answer C

2.
"ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism, enabling them to escape the confines of their traditional domestic spheres"
Answer C

3.
the author wants to illustrate that women started to gain power socially but did not enter the realm of politics. Hence option (D) is the right answer.

Shivikaa · Answer

Hi, 
Can someone please explain me the difference between B and C in Q4?

GMATNinjaTwo · Answer

Choice (C) implies that the women DID abandon the idealogy of female benevolence.

On the other hand, choice (B) describes a  hypothetical  situation: IF the women had wanted to seek true political power, then they  would have  needed to abandon the idealogy. Choice (B) does not suggest that they ACTUALLY abandoned the ideology.

Abhishekrao12 · Answer

1. According to the passage, the ideology of female benevolence was consistent with women taking part in each of the following spheres of activity EXCEPT

(B) domestic life
(C) electoral politics

In this above question , we can easily eliminate all but these 2 options. 
The passage clearly says ideology of female benevolence allowed women to escape from domestic spheres. 
The question is asking us the opposite i.e ideology was consistent with what activity.
I dont find a good enough reason to eliminate this option. Option C is also clearly mentioned in the passage.

Can you please help ?  GMATNinjaTwo

bM22 · Answer

Hi  Abhishekrao12 ,

The question mentions: According to the passage, the ideology of female benevolence was  consistent  with women taking part in each of the following spheres of activity  EXCEPT

Now consistent means: not containing any contradictions. We don't really have to find an option that actually agrees with the ideology of female benevolence, we have to find an answer that contradicts it, which is E as the contradiction can be inferred from the lines: "But clinging to this ideology also prevented these women from even attempting to gain true political power because it implied a moral purity that precluded participation in the messy world of partisan politics". Nothing has been mentioned in the passage about ideology of female benevolence not being consistent with domestic life.

Hope this Helps.
Thanks.

anshul0130 · Answer

GMATNinja   VeritasKarishma  - Can you pls share your understanding of the passage ?

KarishmaB · Answer

The idea is that women were considered benevolent and morally superior in 1800s so confined to domestic life (raising family etc). But these principles led them to social activism (reforms in prisons, slums etc). This led to women acquiring quite a lot of authority on financial and other matters in these spheres. But because they clung to the image of benevolence, morality etc, they could not enter the messy (immoral) field of politics (where true power lies).

hientranzx · Answer

1. According to the passage, the ideology of female benevolence was consistent with women taking part in each of the following spheres of activity  EXCEPT

(A) organized philanthropy
 women had to find ingenious legal ways to run and finance organized philanthropy 
(B) domestic life

(C) electoral politics
 But clinging to this ideology also prevented these women from even attempting to gain true political power because it implied a moral purity that precluded participation in the messy world of partisan politics.

(D) fund-raising for worthy causes
 women had to find ingenious legal ways to run and finance organized philanthropy

(E) social work
 this ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism

2. Information in the passage suggests that the author would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements concerning the cult of female domesticity?

(A) The cult of female domesticity developed independently of the concept of female benevolence.

(B) The cult of female domesticity was incompatible with women's participation in social activism.

(C) The cult of female domesticity incorporated ideological elements that actually helped some women to escape from their traditional domestic roles.
 this ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism, enabling them to escape the confines of their traditional domestic spheres and to enter prisons, hospitals, battlefields, and slums.

(D) The original motivation behind the promotion of the cult of female domesticity was to exclude women from partisan politics.

(E) The growth of organized philanthropy in the nineteenth-century United States is ultimately attributable to the cult of female domesticity.

3. Which of the following best summarizes the main point of the passage?

(A) The identification of femininity with morality promoted the notion of women's moral purity while excluding women from positions of authority in their communities.

(B) The belief in women's innate moral superiority allowed women to exercise political power without participating in partisan politics.

(C) The cult of female domesticity helped some women to gain power and privilege but kept most women confined to the domestic sphere.

(D) The ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism but placed limits on their direct political power.
 empowered women in the realm of social activism: escape the confines of their traditional domestic spheres and to enter prisons, hospitals, battlefields, and slums
limits on their direct political power: prevented these women from even attempting to gain true political power because it implied a moral purity that precluded participation in the messy world of partisan politics.

(E) The idealization of female altruism enabled women to engage in philanthropic activities but prevented them from managing money and property.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following about women’s relationship to politics in the nineteenth-century United States?

(A) social activism was  the best path  to political power for women.
 No information about what is the best way

(B) had women wished to seek true political power they would have had to abandon the ideology of female benevolence.
 But clinging to this ideology also prevented these women from even attempting to gain true political power

(C) women’s desire for true political power was the  primary cause  of their eventual abandonment of the ideology of female benevolence.
This ideology prevented women from gaining true political power.

(D)  only women in positions of authority  in their communities exercised political influence indirectly through men.
No information

(E) most  men believed  that they were protecting women by excluding them from politics.
No information

dhart · Answer

1. According to the passage, the ideology of female benevolence was consistent with women taking part in each of the following spheres of activity EXCEPT

(A) organized philanthropy
women had to find ingenious legal ways to run and finance organized philanthropy
(B) domestic life
(C) electoral politics 
 looks correct 
(D) fund-raising for worthy causes
women had to find ingenious legal ways to run and finance organized philanthropy
(E) social work
this ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism

2. Information in the passage suggests that the author would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements concerning the cult of female domesticity?

(A) The cult of female domesticity developed independently of the concept of female benevolence.
(B) The cult of female domesticity was incompatible with women's participation in social activism.

(C) The cult of female domesticity incorporated ideological elements that actually helped some women to escape from their traditional domestic roles.
acceptance of domestiicty in wake of morality gave rise to benevolence $ enabled them to escape the confines of their traditional domestic spheres and to enter prisons, hospitals, battlefields, and slums.

(D) The original motivation behind the promotion of the cult of female domesticity was to exclude women from partisan politics.

(E) The growth of organized philanthropy in the nineteenth-century United States is ultimately attributable to the cult of female domesticity.

3. Which of the following best summarizes the main point of the passage?

(A) The identification of femininity with morality promoted the notion of women's moral purity while excluding women from positions of authority in their communities.

(B) The belief in women's innate moral superiority allowed women to exercise political power without participating in partisan politics.

(C) The cult of female domesticity helped some women to gain power and privilege but kept most women confined to the domestic sphere.

(D) The ideology of female benevolence empowered women in the realm of social activism but placed limits on their direct political power.
empowered women in the realm of social activism: escape the confines of their traditional domestic spheres and to enter prisons, hospitals, battlefields, and slums
limits on their direct political power: last lines clearly state due to morality adherence ofwomen it precluded women to enter into impurity of politics

(E) The idealization of female altruism enabled women to engage in philanthropic activities but prevented them from managing money and property.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following about women’s relationship to politics in the nineteenth-century United States?

(A) social activism was the best path to political power for women.
No information about what is the best way

(B) had women wished to seek true political power they would have had to abandon the ideology of female benevolence.
as the last line states cling to bevevolence idealogy prevented these women from even attempting to gain true political power correct

(C) women’s desire for true political power was the primary cause of their eventual abandonment of the ideology of female benevolence.
This ideology prevented women from gaining true political power.

(D) only women in positions of authority in their communities exercised political influence indirectly through men.
No information

(E) most men believed that they were protecting women by excluding them from politics.
No information

The identification of femininity with morality and a belief in the

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

The identification of femininity with morality and a belief in the

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia