SSC CGL Tier1 English Language Reading Comprehension Test 5
Corduroy is fast establishing itself at this year's fabric, While the ribbed cotton itself provides utilitarian tenaciary, texture and warmth. it is the fabric's long held associations may provide a hint to its current revival as a fabric for all seasons. It is Corduroy's link with the good breeding and country living that made it an essential ingredient in the gentleman's wardrobe along with Wellington boots and decent wooly. I combines the comfortable nonsense appeal of cotton with the perfectly correct luxury finish of velvet. Corduroy has the ability to appear either supremely sophisticated or rough and ready.
37806.Which one of the following best describes the passage?
It tell us about the usefulness of corduroy
It talks us about the virtues of corduroy
It persuades us to buy corduroy
It makes as understand the everlasting appeal of corduroy to the young
37807.According to the author, the special quality of corduroy is that
it needs no ironing
it combines the virtues of both cotton and velvet
it contains the correct mixture of cotton and velvet
both the rich and that not-so rich can afford to buy it
37808.Corduroy is a fabric for all seasons because
it can be worn not only in winter but also in summer
of its peculiar texture and warmth
it is made popular by catchy advertisements
gentleman can wear it in both formal and informal occasions
37809.According to the passage, corduroy is essential in a gentleman wardrobe because
it goes with Wellington boots
its current revival gives a taste of the latest fashion
it has its associations with good upbringing and a conservative lifestyle
it can be an idea alternative to the woollen clothes
37810.When the writer refers to corduroys utilitarian tenacity he means that
though expensive, it is economic in the long run
it is useful because it is durable
it has remained fashionable over several years
it does not need frequent washing
In an unfinished but highly suggestive series of essays, the late Sarah Eisentein has focused attention on the evolution of working women’s values from the turn of the century to the First World War. Eisenstein argues that turn-of-the-century women neither wholly accepted nor rejected what she calls the dominant “ideology of domesticity,” but rather took this and other available ideologies-feminism, socialism, trade unionism-and modified or adapted them in light of their won experiences and needs. In thus maintaining that wages-work helped to produce a new “consciousness” among women, Eisenstein to some extent challenges the recent, controversial proposal by Leslie Tentler that for women the work experience only served to reinforce the attractiveness of the dominant ideology. According to the Tentler, the degrading conditions under which many female wage earners worked made them view the family as a source of power and esteem available nowhere else in their social world. In contrast, Eisenstein’s study insists that wage-work had other implications for women’s identities and consciousness. Most importantly, her work aims to demonstrate that wage-work enabled women to become aware of themselves as a distinct social group capable of defining their collective circumstance. Eisenstein insists that as a group working-class women were not able to come to collective consciousness of their situation until they began entering the labor force, because domestic work tended to isolate them from one another. Unfortunately, Eisenstein’s unfinished study does not develop these ideas in sufficient depth or detail, offering tantalizing hints rather than an exhaustive analysis. Whatever Eisenstein’s overall plan may have been, in its current form her study suffers from the limited nature of the sources she depended on. She use the speeches and writings of reformers and labor organizers, who she acknowledges were far from representative, as the voice of the typical woman worker. And there is less than adequate attention given to the differing values of immigrant groups that made up a significant proportion of the population under investigation. While raising important questions, Eisenstein’s essays do not provide definitive answer, and it remains for others to take up the challenges they offer.
This question asks you to identify the primary purpose of the passage as a whole. Choice B is the best answer. The passage gives an overview of Eisenstein`s approach to women`s history and then offers an evaluation of that approach. Choice A is not correct: while the passage mentions certain criticisms of Eisenstein`s work, it is not her underlying assumptions that are being challenged. Furthermore, the criticisms do not constitute the primary concern of the passage. Choice C is not correct: while two theories are mentioned, a passage whose primary purposes were to compare those two theories would have to discuss the second theory in greater detail. Choice D and E are incorrect because the passage does not suggest that there have been misconceptions about feminist theory, and no particular ideology is being defended.
47072.It can be inferred from the passage that, in Eisenstein`s view, working women at the turn of the century had which of the following attitudes toward the dominant ideology of their time?
They resented the dominant ideology as degrading.
They preferred the dominant idology to other available ideologies.
They began to view the dominant idology to other availbale ideologies.
They accepted some but not all aspects of the dominant ideology.
They believed that the dominant ideology isolated them from one another.
Explanation:
This question requires you to make an inference, based on Eisenstein`s argument, regarding her view of the attitudes of the women she studies. The best answer is D. The first paragraph of the passage notes Eisenstein`s argument that women neither wholly accepted nor rejected the dominant ideology of the time, and that they modified this and other ideologies to suit their needs. Choice A is incorrect. The dominant ideology is one among several ideologies that Eisenstein argues were adapted and modified by working women; the passage does not suggest that Eisenstein believed that working women resented that ideology or considered it degrading. Choice B is incorrect because Eisenstein`s argument is that women took aspects of several available ideologies and modified them; there is no suggestion that any one ideology was preferred over others. Choice C can be eliminated because according to the passage, it is Tentler, not Eisenstein, who argues that working conditions increased the attractiveness of the dominant ideology. Choice E is not correct. Eisenstein argues that domestic work tended to isolate women from one another; there is no indication in the passage that the women themselves believed the dominant ideology was responsible for this.
47073.Which of the following best describes the organization of the first paragraph of the passage?
A chronological acount of a historical development is presented, and then furture develpments are predicted.
A term is defined according to several different schools of thought, and then a new definition is formulated.
A theory is presented, an alternative viewpoint is introduced, and then the reasoning behind the initial theory is summarized.
A tentative proposal is made, reasons for and against it are weighed, and then a modified version of the proposal is offered.
A controversy is described, its historical implications are assessed, and then a compromise is suggested.
Explanation:
This question asks you to identify the structure of the first paragraph of the passage. The best answer is C. The first paragraph presents Eisenstein` theory, then makes note of Tentler`s opposing views, then continues with further explication of Eisenstein`s argument. Choice A can be eliminated because the paragraph discusses a certain historical development, the evolution of working women`s values, but it does not make prediction about future developments. Choice B is not correct because the paragraph is not concerned with contrasting definitions of any term. Choice D and E are not correct because the paragraph does not discuss a tentative proposal that requires evaluation or a controversy that calls for resolution.
47074.Which of the following would the author of the passage be most likely to approve as a continuation of Eisenstein`s study?
An oral history of promotion women labor organizers
An analysis of letters and diaries written by typical female wage earners at the turn of the century
An assessment of what different social and political groups defined as the dominant ideology in the early twentieth century
A theoretical study of how socialism and feminism influenced one another at the turn of the century
A documentary account of labor`s role in the introduction of women into the labor force
Explanation:
To answer this question you must decide which answer would best provide the sort of information that the author feels is lacking in Eisenstein`s study. The author`s critique of Eisenstein`s argument is found primarily in the second paragraph. Choice B is the best answer because the author points out that Eisenstein`s study is flawed in that it relies on sources that are not representative of the average female worker. An analysis of writings by typical female wage earners would help to rectify this problem. Choice A is not correct. Eisenstein`s study already focuses on labor organizers; it is unlikely that the author feels that even more attention to this group is necessary. Choice C is not correct because the passage does not suggest that three were disagreements among social and political groups as to the definition of the dominant ideology. Choices D and E are incorrect because Eisenstein`s study is not concerned with the interaction between socialism and feminism, nor with labor`s particular role in the introduction of women into the workforce.
