An Min Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 People had been trying to invent a sewing device for half a century in America and abroad, without any great success. Some early devices patented in England simply did not work. A functional sewing machine, introduced by French tailor Barthelemy Thimonnier in 1830, roused tailors to radical action. Fearing that they would be put out of business, they stormed and destroyed his plant. The inventor fled and later died a bankrupt. In 1834, Walter Hunt, credited with creating a forerunner of the Winchester repeating rifle and the safety pin, built America’s first sewing machine but lost interest in a device he saw as a destroyer of jobs. Elias Howe is credited with inventing the sewing machine. By the early 1840s, he had married and had children to support. But Howe, always in frail health, became too ill to work. His wife began to take in sewing to pay the growing family’s bills. Watching her at work, Howe realized that no machine would be able to duplicate the motions of hand and arm in sewing. Instead, he hit on a process that used thread from two different sources. In an 1845 demonstration, his invention out-sewed five seamstresses, but he was unable to sell a single machine. Armed with an 1846 patent, he tried to promote sales of the device in England but was swindled out of his British royalties. He managed to ship his family home, then pawned his patent model and papers to buy his own passage back to America. Soon after his turn, his wife died. The sewing-machine business, however, was flourishing. Howe found that in his absence other inventors had usurped his discovery. The most successful was that of Isaac Singer, who combined mechanical talent with the marketing flair that Howe lacked. Singer’s sewing machine differed from Howe’s: its needle moved up and down, rather than sideways, and it was powered by a treadle rather than a hand crank. But it used the same lock stitch process and a similar needle. After years of legal battles, his patent was upheld in 1854, and Singer was ordered to pay fifteen thousand dollars in back royalties. When the various manufactures pooled their patents in 1856, How managed to negotiate a five-dollar royalty for each machine sold in the United States and one dollar for each sold abroad. The deal brought him two million dollars, but the struggle had taken its toll, and the forty-eight year-old Howe died in 1867, the year his patent expired. 21. What does the passage mainly discuss? (a) how the sewing machine came to be invented (b) the inventor of the sewing machine © the history of sewing machine invention (d) the main people involved in developing the sewing machine 22. The word “functional” in line 3 closest in meaning to (a) working (b) model © noisy (d) complete 23. America’s first sewing machine was built by (a) Howe (b) Thimonnier © Singer (d) Hunt 24. The word “duplicate” in line 11 is closest in meaning to (a) develop (b) reproduce © standardize (d) match 25. What can be inferred about Howe’s 1845 demonstration? (a) the machine probably broke down (b) people may have had similar fears to those in France in 1830 © Howe was an inventor, not a salesman (d) The seamstresses were not efficient 26. Which of the following factors enabled Howe to return to America from England (a) his family (b) British royalties © Getting cash for his model and papers (d) Recovering money owed to him 27. In which of the following ways did Singer’s sewing machine differ from Howe’s? (a) the needle moved up and down (b) it was backed by a patent © it was powered by a hand crank (d) it used a lock stitch process 28. The word “it” in line 21 refers to (a) Singer’s (b) Howe’s © needle (d) treadle 29. The word “upheld” in line 22 is closest in meaning to (a) written (b) found © altered (d) supported 30. Which of the following did Howe NOT receive after 1854? (a) royalties (b) compensation © a new patent (d) income from abroad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippo Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 Hi An Min, Thank you for the texts. Here is my try: 21. D 22. A 23. B 24. I'd say D, but may be B 25. B 26. C 27. A 28. A 29. D 30. C Best regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsengoren Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 Hi, I'm typing only the ones that are different from Hippo's: Q23. I'd say D America’s first sewing machine was built by (d) Hunt In 1834, Walter Hunt, credited with creating a forerunner of the Winchester repeating rifle and the safety pin, built America’s first sewing machine but...... Q24. I say B (duplicate=reproduce) Q25. I'd say C What can be inferred about Howe’s 1845 demonstration? On line 12 it says: In an 1845 demonstration, his invention out-sewed five seamstresses, but he was unable to sell a single machine. It indicates that he was an inventor, not a salesman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippo Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 Q23. I agree that 23th should be D. Q24. In Q24 I still think that match is a better word. Q25. According to the Hsengoren's example the promotion action was ok. So I think that people feared to loose their jobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsengoren Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 Originally posted by Hippo Q25. According to the Hsengoren's example the promotion action was ok. So I think that people feared to loose their jobs. But, after the 1845 demonstration nobody tried to destroy his invention as they did in 1830. People just didn't buy it, because Howe was a bad businessman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippo Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 You have a point, let's wait for the answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsengoren Posted August 24, 2003 Share Posted August 24, 2003 An Min, we are waiting for the official results! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
An Min Posted August 25, 2003 Author Share Posted August 25, 2003 Originally posted by hsengoren An Min, we are waiting for the official results! 21. What does the passage mainly discuss? © the history of sewing machine invention 22. The word gfunctionalh in line 3 closest in meaning to (a) working 23. Americafs first sewing machine was built by (d) Hunt 24. The word gduplicateh in line 11 is closest in meaning to (b) reproduce 25. What can be inferred about Howefs 1845 demonstration? (b) people may have had similar fears to those in France in 1830 26. Which of the following factors enabled Howe to return to America from England © Getting cash for his model and papers 27. In which of the following ways did Singerfs sewing machine differ from Howefs? (a) the needle moved up and down 28. The word gith in line 21 refers to (a) Singerfs 29. The word gupheldh in line 22 is closest in meaning to (d) supported 30. Which of the following did Howe NOT receive after 1854? © a new patent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
io Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Can one tell me where can I get this reading texts posted? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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