V30-06

Question

With the outbreak of the Civil War (1861 – 65), men and women alike rushed to serve the Union cause. In the North, women formed ladies’ aid societies that baked, canned, and planted gardens for soldiers; sewed and laundered uniforms, knitted socks and gloves, and mended blankets; and raised cash through door‐to‐door campaigns, county fairs, and benefit performances. 
 
Many women, inspired by Florence Nightingale’s work in the Crimean War, sought a more active role on the front lines. In June 1861 the federal government established the United States Sanitary Commission, “a preventive hygienic and sanitary service for the benefit of the army.” Its chief aim was to combat preventable disease by improving camp cookery and hygiene and to relieve sick and wounded soldiers. By war’s end the Commission had delivered nearly $15 million in supplies, most of them gathered by women, to the Union Army. 
 
Nearly 20,000 women served more directly in the war effort. Working‐class white women and both free and enslaved African‐American women labored as laundresses, cooks, and matrons, while about 3,000 middle‐class white women became nurses. The reformer Dorothea Dix, superintendent of Army nurses, recruited volunteers who were “past thirty years of age, healthy, plain almost to repulsion in dress, and devoid of personal attractions.” (The writer Louisa May Alcott was among them.) These nurses moved from hospital to hospital, offering humane, efficient care to wounded, sick, and dying soldiers and providing a semblance of home for the men under their charge.

Which of the following statements can be most reasonably inferred from the passage about women’s involvement in the Civil War?

A. The U.S. Sanitary Commission’s primary impetus for forming was to broaden women’s participation in the Civil War.
B. Only working-class women and formerly enslaved women served as laundresses, cooks, and matrons.
C. The Commission’s ability to furnish nearly $15 million in supplies depended significantly on the contributions of Northern women.
D. Women were legally prohibited from front-line service before the Sanitary Commission.
E. First priority: direct medical care; second priority: addressing camp hygiene.

souvik101990 · Answer

Official Solution:

With the outbreak of the Civil War (1861 – 65), men and women alike rushed to serve the Union cause. In the North, women formed ladies’ aid societies that baked, canned, and planted gardens for soldiers; sewed and laundered uniforms, knitted socks and gloves, and mended blankets; and raised cash through door‐to‐door campaigns, county fairs, and benefit performances. 
 
Many women, inspired by Florence Nightingale’s work in the Crimean War, sought a more active role on the front lines. In June 1861 the federal government established the United States Sanitary Commission, “a preventive hygienic and sanitary service for the benefit of the army.” Its chief aim was to combat preventable disease by improving camp cookery and hygiene and to relieve sick and wounded soldiers. By war’s end the Commission had delivered nearly $15 million in supplies, most of them gathered by women, to the Union Army. 
 
Nearly 20,000 women served more directly in the war effort. Working‐class white women and both free and enslaved African‐American women labored as laundresses, cooks, and matrons, while about 3,000 middle‐class white women became nurses. The reformer Dorothea Dix, superintendent of Army nurses, recruited volunteers who were “past thirty years of age, healthy, plain almost to repulsion in dress, and devoid of personal attractions.” (The writer Louisa May Alcott was among them.) These nurses moved from hospital to hospital, offering humane, efficient care to wounded, sick, and dying soldiers and providing a semblance of home for the men under their charge.
 
 Which of the following statements can be most reasonably inferred from the passage about women’s involvement in the Civil War?

A. The U.S. Sanitary Commission’s primary impetus for forming was to broaden women’s participation in the Civil War.
B. Only working-class women and formerly enslaved women served as laundresses, cooks, and matrons.
C. The Commission’s ability to furnish nearly $15 million in supplies depended significantly on the contributions of Northern women.
D. Women were legally prohibited from front-line service before the Sanitary Commission.
E. First priority: direct medical care; second priority: addressing camp hygiene.

The correct answer is (C). The passage explains that the Sanitary Commission ultimately provided nearly $15 million in supplies by the end of the war and that most of these supplies were gathered through women’s efforts in the Northern states. This indicates the Commission’s material contributions relied significantly on those women’s contributions.
 
(A) is Incorrect because the passage identifies disease prevention and improved hygiene as the Commission’s main objectives, not expanding women’s participation. 
 
(B) is incorrect because it uses the word “only,” which is too exclusive. The text mentions working-class white women and African American women did much of the cooking and laundering but does not say no one else participated in those roles. 
 
(D) is incorrect because the passage never states there was a legal prohibition on women’s involvement. 
 
(E) is incorrect because the Commission’s first goal was to prevent disease and improve sanitation, whereas providing direct relief to soldiers was an additional role, not the primary one.

Answer: C

ankushbagwale · Answer

some 3,000 middle-class white women worked as nurses

Posted from my mobile device

Talayva · Answer

Some introduces uncertainty . However Option D certainly says that 3000 were involved

disenapati · Answer

so if you are saying D is incorrect because of the word "some" in passage then for option C also the passage says....Northern states, women organized ladies' aid societies to supply the Union troops  with everything they needed , from food, to clothing (to cash. This is means it was including but not limited to, and the option says restricted to which may include these and beyond, so if D is wrong then C is also not right.. For me it seems C & D are both correct

VodkaHelps · Answer

I have the same concern. In the first paragraph, no where is stated that those were the only activities performed by the women. For option D, I don't see it to be wrong either. The Answer provided even skipped the option D. Please elaborate.

ankitamundhra28 · Answer

The statement that addressed the number of nurses in the given passage is this: "Nearly 20,000 women worked more directly for the Union war effort. Working-class white women and free and enslaved African-American women worked as laundresses, cooks and "matrons," and some 3,000 middle-class white women worked as nurses."

If you continue reading, the immediate sentence says: "Dorothea Dix, the superintendent of  Army nurses  put out a call for responsible, maternal volunteers..."
This suggests that more nurses were asked to volunteer and join The Sanitary Commission.
This means that its quite probable that there were more than 3,000 nurses participating in the initiative.

Hope this helps!

Deepshikha007 · Answer

I also think the answer should be D. It is clearly stated.

bb · Answer

Sorry, it is close but not the winner. 
The passage states that "3,000 middle-class white women worked as nurses."

That does not automatically mean that there only 3,000 nurses. It just means there were 3,000 middle-class white women who worked as nurses. There could have been 10,000 upper-class white women who worked as nurses or 10,000 male nurses or 20,000 lower class white women. This expression does not work both ways. Be careful!

Ronal_Khara · Answer

In Option D instead of discussing for 'There' and 'Some' Why are we not dicussing where option is absolutely restricting the roles of woman to nursing, food etc. Passage mentions these roles but does not confine to these role boundries.

That way Option D fits more appropiately.

That way Option D fits more appropiately.

bb · Answer

Thank you. I will add the explanation for D, for some reason it seems it went missing. 
D says that there were 3,000 nurses, but weare not sure if that's the case. We know that 3,000 white middle-class women worked as nurses but we do not know the total number of nurses which may have included men or women of other backgrounds/races, etc.

Shivang29 · Answer

how can we assume that the role of all women was restricted when the passage only mentions what the women in the northern states were restricted to?  bb  @Bunnel

bb · Answer

Hi and sorry about the wait. I think I agree with you. That's too strong of a statement to be correct. I think Souvik was trying to catch people with a tricky question but it is too tricky... I am going to have to rework this question. Thank you for pointing it out, I have provided your account with 2 weeks of GMAT Club tests for your help! Question choices updated. 31D

miag · Answer

hi, I am not too convinced on why A) is incorrect
I believe there is a difference between impetus and objective: impetus is more of the driving force behind the formation of the committee which was that they wanted to play a more active role, but objectives were the 2 mentioned above? Not too convinced on rejecting A) on those grounds thats why.
Option E) was also not too clear on the meaning  bb  could you advise?

Unknown5612 · Answer

bb

I rejected C because second paragraph specifically do not mention that the women mentioned are from Northern states - can't it be women in general in US (not restricted to any states)?

bb · Answer

The second paragraph talks about the Union army and continues talking about the Norther states. In the first paragraph it talks about the women from Northern states supplying the Union army and the second paragraph talks about the same union army which was in the north.

V30-06

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