The Luddites – IELTS Reading Answers

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Reading Passage

The Luddites

A The term Luddite is used to refer to a person who is opposed to new technology. The word derives from the name Ned Ludd, a man who may or may not have actually existed. The original Luddites were textile workers in early nineteenth-century England who protested changes brought on by the Industrial Revolution. These weavers made lace and stockings by hand, carrying out their craft independently in their homes according to traditional methods. In the 1800s, automated power looms and stocking frames were introduced, radically changing the traditional work system. Weavers’ work was moved from individual homes to factories; individuals could not afford to buy the new machines for themselves. The new machines were not difficult to run. They could be operated by unskilled workers and turned out an inferior product, but they produced large quantities cheaply, which was the aim of the new factory owners. The makers of finely crafted, handmade textiles could not compete with the new machines. Instead of continuing their tradition as skilled, independent workers, they would have to go to work in factories for low wages.

B The industrial revolution was happening everywhere. In the textile-producing towns of England, workers focused on the new weaving machines as the source of their troubles. The height of Luddite activity occurred in the years 1811-1812. Groups of men, often in disguise, would arrive at a factory and make demands for higher wages and better working conditions. If these demands were not met, the group retaliated by smashing the factory machines. These groups often claimed that they were working under the command of General Ned Ludd, and thus came to be called Luddites.

C Who was Ned Ludd? Rumors about this mysterious person abounded. He came to be associated with that traditional champion of the poor, Robin Hood. The original Luddite activity was centered around Nottingham, and many said that Ned Ludd hid out in nearby Sherwood Forest, just as the legendary Robin Hood had. According to another tradition, Ned Ludd was a weaver who had accidentally broken two stocking frames, and from that, came to be the one blamed any time an expensive piece of weaving equipment was damaged. Whoever Ned Ludd may or may not have been, riots protesting the new factories were carried out in his name throughout England’s textile-producing region.

D Workers’ families suffered as wages fell and food prices rose. There were food riots in several towns, and Luddite activity spread. In the winter of 1812, the Frame-Breaking Act was passed, making the destruction of factory equipment a crime punishable by death. The government sent thousands of troops into areas affected by the riots. In the spring of that year, several factory owners were killed during Luddite riots, and a number of textile workers died as well. Following one of the largest incidents, when rioters set fire to a mill in Westhoughton, four rioters, including a young boy, were executed. In another incident that spring, a group of over a thousand workers attacked a mill in Lancashire with sticks and rocks. When they were beaten back by armed guards protecting the mill, they moved to the mill owner’s house and burned it down. The wave of violence resulted in a crack down by the government. Suspected Luddites were arrested and imprisoned, and many of them were hanged.

E By the summer of 1812, Luddite activity had begun to die down, although there continued to be sporadic incidents over the next several years. In 1816, a bad harvest and economic downturn led to a small revival of rioting. In June of that year, workers attacked two mills, smashing equipment and causing thousands of dollars worth of damage. Government troops were brought in to stop the violence. In the end, six of the rioters were executed for their participation. However, rioting never again reached the levels it had in 1811 and 1812.

F The Luddites were short-lived, but they left an impressive mark. They were responsible for destroying close to one thousand weaving machines during the height of their activity in 1811-1812, as well as burning down several factories. Beyond the physical damage, however, they left their mark in people’s minds. The famed English novelist Charlotte Bronte set her novel Shirley in Yorkshire at the time of the riots. This novel is still widely read today. In our present time of rapid technological change, people who are concerned about the pace of technological advance often call themselves Neo-Luddites. Although the responses to it may differ, concern about the changes brought on by technology continues.

Questions 1-6

List A Causes

1. The new weaving machines were expensive to buy. ………………………
2. The new weaving machines were easy to operate. ………………………
3. Workers’ demands for better pay and conditions were not met. ………………………
4. Rioting spread to many towns. ………………………
5. A law was passed against destroying factory equipment. ………………………
6. Economic conditions worsened in 1816. ………………………

List B Effects

1. Troops were sent into the area.
2. Weavers stopped working at home and went to work in factories.
3. Rioters often wore disguises.
4. Workers destroyed factory equipment.
5. Many rioters were hanged.
6. Charlotte Bronte wrote a novel about the Luddites.
7. Prices went up, and salaries went down.
8. Factory owners did not need to hire skilled weavers.
9. Luddite rioting resumed for a short while.
10. People compared Ned Ludd to Robin Hood.

Questions 7-14

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

7 A Luddite is a person who resists new technology. ………………………

8 Before the nineteenth century, weavers made lace by hand. ………………………

9 Factory owners, as well as workers, died as a result of Luddite rioting. ………………………

10 The Luddite movement did not spread beyond England. ………………………

11 Nobody knows for certain who Ned Ludd was. ………………………

12 Worker protests during the economic downturn of 1816 were nonviolent. ………………………

13 Luddite activity lasted for many years. ………………………

14 Neo-Luddites do not use computers. ………………………

The Luddites IELTS Reading Answers

Now, you will find the answers along with the location of the answers in the passage and the keywords that help you find the answers. Check out 'The Luddites' answers and assess your improvement for a high IELTS Reading band score.

1 Answer: B

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 7 – line 8

Answer explanation: The following lines from Paragraph A say that “Weavers’ work was moved from individual homes to factories; individuals could not afford to buy the new machines for themselves.” Thus we can infer that the new machines were expensive to buy, leading workers to stop working at home and go to work in factories. Hence the answer is B.

2 Answer: H

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 8 – line 11

Answer explanation: The following lines from Paragraph A say that “The new machines were not difficult to run. They could be operated by unskilled workers and turned out an inferior product, but they produced large quantities cheaply, which was the aim of the new factory owners.” Thus we can infer that the new machines were easy to operate and factory owners did not need to hire skilled weavers. Hence the answer is H.

3 Answer: D

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 3 – line 5

Answer explanation: The following lines from Paragraph B say that “Groups of men, often in disguise, would arrive at a factory and make demands for higher wages and better working conditions. If these demands were not met, the group retaliated by smashing the factory machines.” This clearly shows that workers destroyed factory equipment when their demands were not met. Hence the answer is D.

4 Answer: A

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 3 – line 5

Answer explanation: The following lines from Paragraph D say that “The government sent thousands of troops into areas affected by the riots. In the spring of that year, several factory owners were killed during Luddite riots, and a number of textile workers died as well.” From these lines, we understand that troops were sent into the areas where riots broke out. Hence the answer is A.

5 Answer: E

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 6 – line 7, line 10 – line 11

Answer explanation: The following lines from Paragraph D say that “Following one of the largest incidents, when rioters set fire to a mill in Westhoughton, four rioters, including a young boy, were executed. Suspected Luddites were arrested and imprisoned, and many of them were hanged.” This clearly suggests that rioters were either executed or hanged. Hence the answer is E.

6 Answer: I

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph E, line 2 – line 3

Answer explanation: The following lines from Paragraph E say that “In 1816, a bad harvest and economic downturn led to a small revival of rioting.” This suggests that there were economic conditions during this time and riots started in a minor capacity. Hence the answer is I.

7 Answer: True

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 1

Answer explanation: The first line from Paragraph A states that “The term Luddite is used to refer to a person who is opposed to new technology.” Hence the answer is true.

8 Answer: True

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 2 – line 5

Answer explanation: The following lines from Paragraph A say that “The original Luddites were textile workers in early nineteenth-century England who protested changes brought on by the industrial revolution. These weavers made lace and stockings by hand,

carrying out their craft independently in their homes according to traditional methods.” This suggests that before the nineteenth century, weavers made lace by hand. Hence the answer is true.

9 Answer: True

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 3 – line 5

Answer explanation: The following lines from Paragraph D say that “The government sent thousands of troops into areas affected by the riots. In the spring of that year, several factory owners were killed during Luddite riots, and a number of textile workers died as well.” This suggests that both factory owners, as well as workers, died as a result of Luddite rioting. Hence the answer is true.

10 Answer: Not Given

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: N/A

Answer explanation: The following lines from Paragraph C say that “Whoever Ned Ludd may or may not have been, riots protesting the new factories were carried out in his name throughout England’s textile-producing region.” From these lines, we can infer that Luddite activity spread throughout England but it is not mentioned in the passage whether this phenomenon spread beyond England or not. Hence the answer is not given.

11 Answer: True

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 1 – line 2

Answer explanation: The following lines from Paragraph A say that “The term Luddite is used to refer to a person who is opposed to new technology. The word derives from the name Ned Ludd, a man who may or may not have actually existed.” This suggests that the existence of Ned Ludd was ambiguous. Hence the answer is true.

12 Answer: False

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph E, line 3 – line 5

Answer explanation: The following lines from Paragraph E say that “In 1816, a bad harvest and economic downturn led to a small revival of rioting. In June of that year, workers attacked two mills, smashing equipment and causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.” This clearly shows that the riots in 1816 were violent in nature. Hence the answer is false.

13 Answer: False

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph F, line 1

Answer explanation: The first line of Paragraph F states that “The Luddites were short-lived, but they left an impressive mark.” This suggests that Luddite activity did not last long. Hence the answer is false.

14 Answer: Not Given

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: N/A

Answer explanation: The term Neo-Luddite is mentioned in Paragraph F in the following lines, “In our present time of rapid technological change, people who are concerned about the pace of technological advance often call themselves Neo-Luddites. Although the responses to it may differ, concern about the changes brought on by technology continues.” However, it is not mentioned in the passage that Neo-Luddites do not use computers. Hence the answer is not given.

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