New Zealand home textile crafts of the 1930s to 1950s
Read New Zealand home textile crafts of the 1930s to 1950s and check the IELTS Reading answers. Domestic crafts do not build monuments to their makers, nor do they create wealth, and too often they have not survived. In consequence, the domestic crafts produced by mothers, grandmothers and great gr…
Passage preview
Domestic crafts do not build monuments to their makers, nor do they create wealth, and too often they have not survived. In consequence, the domestic crafts produced by mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers in New Zealand are often overlooked. But needlework should be preserved, for it helps to convey a sense of people's identity and past beliefs in these remote islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Vocabulary from this passage
9 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- deteriorate verb
To become progressively worse in quality, condition, or functionality over a sustained period of time
Without proper climate control, the fragile historical manuscripts will rapidly deteriorate in the national archives.
- drudgery noun
Hard, menial, tedious, or dull labor that requires significant physical effort but provides little intellectual stimulation
The automation of factory assembly lines successfully liberated human workers from repetitive daily drudgery.
- evocative adjective
Bringing strong, vivid images, memories, or complex emotional responses to mind through specific sensory stimuli
The author's highly evocative descriptions of the coastal village immediately transported readers directly into the setting.
- hindsight noun
The understanding, realization, or accurate evaluation of a specific situation or event only after it has occurred
With the benefit of hindsight, the central bank's decision to lower interest rates was notably premature.
- idyllic adjective
Extremely happy, peaceful, or picturesque, typically associated with an idealized version of rural or natural life
They spent an idyllic summer retreating in a remote mountain cabin completely disconnected from modern digital technology.
- inducement noun
A thing that persuades, influences, or motivates someone to take a particular action or make a decision
Substantial financial inducements are often utilized by major corporations to attract highly qualified executive talent.
- prosperous adjective
Successful in material terms; flourishing financially or characterized by continued financial success and good fortune
The coastal region gradually evolved from a small agricultural community into a highly prosperous industrial hub.
- sanitise verb
To alter something to make it more palatable by removing elements perceived as unacceptable, harsh, or controversial
Modern historians argue that the textbook tends to sanitise the more brutal aspects of colonial expansion.
- serendipity noun
The occurrence and development of events by chance in a highly happy, beneficial, or fortuitous way
The accidental discovery of penicillin is often cited as one of the greatest examples of scientific serendipity.
Answers with explanations
- 27. C
The question asks for the writer's view on domestic crafts in the **first paragraph**. The writer states that needlework helps **convey a sense of people's identity and past beliefs**, making it a valuable **source of information about society**. This points directly to the correct option.
- 28. D
The **main point** in the second paragraph is about what needlework meant to the women who did it. The text highlights that it was an **opportunity to explore their identities, beliefs and dreams**, which strongly supports the idea that **sewing could be a means of self-expression**.
- 29. B
The question asks **why** domestic crafts are **not frequently collected**. Paragraph 3 explains that textiles are **fragile**, stain, rust, and rot, concluding that this is why they are not a popular collectible. This matches the idea that they are **easily damaged**.
- 30. D
Regarding **signatures on textiles**, the writer explains in Paragraph 3 that women did not sign their work because it was meant for the home, where the **creator's identity was never in doubt**. This matches the option that signatures were **unnecessary since everyone would know the maker**.
- 31. B
In the fourth paragraph, the writer argues against the idea that domestic, useful items cannot be considered art. By asking **"Why not?"**, the writer is directly **challenging the usual distinction** made between 'fine arts' and practical household 'crafts'.
- 32. B
The writer compares textile collecting to **archaeology** in Paragraph 5 by noting that both involve "history and detective work" and "digging for the past". The word **Likewise** shows the writer is drawing a parallel between how the two fields operate, meaning they **involve similar processes**.
- 33. C
The summary mentions women's magazines focusing on a certain type of society. Paragraph 6 states the magazines allowed women to glimpse how **more prosperous** (wealthy) people lived. The letter C corresponds to "wealthy", which perfectly captures the meaning of "prosperous".
- 34. D
The summary contrasts the aspirational magazines with more [34] assistance via printed patterns. Paragraph 6 calls these patterns a **down-to-earth and useful** means of improving homes. The option that best matches "useful and down-to-earth" is D ("practical").
- 35. B
The summary talks about work demonstrating a specific side of the maker. Paragraph 6 highlights work that women **dreamed up themselves** as reflections of their **imagination**. This deeply aligns with option B, "creative".
- 36. E
The summary notes a characteristic distinguishing needlework from other arts. Paragraph 6 explains that in needlework, **flaws can be enjoyable** and **failure may bring pleasure**, contrasting this with arts that require perfection. Option E, "imperfect", fits the idea of "flaws" and "failure" perfectly.
- 37. YES
The statement claims nostalgia can promote an **unreliable image of the past**. The text in Paragraph 7 explicitly warns that nostalgia **should not always be trusted** because it is a **sanitised form of history** that hides harsh realities. This fully agrees with the statement, so the answer is YES.
- 38. NOT GIVEN
The statement suggests that in the **1950s**, women chose fabric based on its **durability**. Paragraph 7 mentions women in the 1950s agonizing over choices in fabric shops, but it provides absolutely no information regarding what criteria (like durability) they used to make those choices. Thus, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
- 39. NO
The statement claims patchwork quilts are **only of interest to the makers' family**. However, Paragraph 7 states that women used patchwork to record their family's story for **others to appreciate**. This directly contradicts the limiting word "only", making the answer NO.
- 40. YES
The statement says needlework was a way for women to **escape the reality of their lives**. Paragraph 8 supports this, noting that because women's lives were hard, these fabrics acted as a way of **daydreaming about a life** that was better (an escape from harsh reality). Therefore, the answer is YES.