Reading Passage 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.

“Gender-based trends in labor are linked to the ever-changing concept”- is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates need a strong knowledge of English GMAT reading comprehension.

This GMAT Reading Comprehension consists of 5 comprehension questions. The GMAT Reading Comprehension questions are designed for the purpose of testing candidates’ abilities in understanding, analyzing, and applying information or concepts. Candidates can actively prepare with the help of GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.

Solution and Explanation

1. According to the passage, the Doctrine of the Two Spheres describes which of the following societal situations?

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

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

1. A sharp economic downturn at the end of the Colonial era prompted a move toward the gender-segregated labor system of the Industrial Revolution.
2. The Colonial era in America was characterized by a social egalitarianism that disappeared with the advent of the Industrial Revolution.
3. The Industrial Revolution, while known as a time of great progress in American history, caused significant socioeconomic strain for men and women alike.
4. 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.
5. Single-parent families became socially acceptable during the Industrial Revolution, as men abandoned their families under the pressure of being the sole breadwinner.

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. A woman’s husband becomes overwhelmed with the pressure of providing for his wife and children and eventually abandons the family.
5. 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. Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage?

1. A paradox is stated, discussed, and finally resolved.
2. Two opposing viewpoints are expressed and debated, with no resolution proffered.
3. A generalization is stated and then followed up by two points that support the generalization and one point that contradicts it.
4. A thesis is stated in the first paragraph and supported by subsequent paragraphs.
5. 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?

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

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