The Rise and Fall of the British Textile Industry IELTS Reading
The Rise and Fall of the British Textile Industry IELTS Reading is an academic passage. The Rise and Fall of the British Textile Industry is an important topic for IELTS reading. The Rise and Fall of the British Textile Industry IELTS Reading comes with 13 questions. The questions types found in this The Rise and Fall of the British Textile Industry IELTS Reading passage are:
- Fill in the blanks with 2-3 words
- Choose the correct answer
- True/False
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Originally the passage of The Rise and Fall of the British Textile Industry IELTS Reading is a part of Quality Is More Than Making a Good Product. To understand how to answer the questions of IELTS reading, check the IELTS reading sample papers with explanation.
Section 1
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
The Rise and Fall of the British Textile Industry IELTS Reading
- Textile production in Britain can be said to have its roots as an industry at the beginning of the 18th century when Thomas Crotchet and George Sorocold established what is thought to be the first factory built in Britain. It was a textile mill with a waterwheel as its source of power, the latest machinery, and even accommodation for the workers. As well as possibly being the first sweatshop in the modern sense, it was the beginning of the end for traditional textile production.
- For hundreds of years, the spinning and weaving of cloth had been done manually by men, women and children in their own homes. The yarn would be combed and spun using a spindle, then woven on a handloom, and what they produced would be mainly for local consumption. Technology far more sophisticated than the spindle and handloom would change all that. The demand for cotton textiles had been growing since the Middle Ages, fostered by the importation of high-quality cotton fabrics from the Middle East and India. So how were local producers to fight off the competition? The imported fabrics were, of course, expensive, so textile makers (not just in Britain but throughout Europe) produced mixed fabrics and cotton substitutes. They also had foreign textiles banned. But the key to the increased productivity needed to meet the demand was machine production. It would be faster, cheaper, and the finished products would be consistent in quality. Not least of the advantages was that it would allow manufacturers to market their goods on a large, if not yet global, scale.
- The story of the growth of the British textile industry from about 1733 and for the next two hundred years is one of constant technological innovation and expansion. In 1733 John Kay invented the fly-shuttle, which made the hand-loom more efficient, and in 1764 James Hargreaves came up with the spinning jenny, which among other things had the effect of raising productivity eightfold. The next great innovator was Richard Arkwright, who in 1768 employed John Kay (of the fly-shuttle) to help him build more efficient machinery. He was a man with a vision – to mechanise textile production – and by 1782 he had a network of mills across Britain. As the water-powered machinery, though not yet fully mechanised, became more complex, Kay began to use steam engines for power. The first power-loom, however, which was invented in 1785 by Dr Edmund Cartwright, really did mechanise the weaving stage of textile manufacture.
- The pace of growth quickened with the expansion of Britain’s influence in the world and the acquisition of colonies from which cheap raw materials could be imported. For example, in a single decade, from 1781 to 1791, imports of cotton into Britain quadrupled, going on to reach 100 million pounds in weight in 1815 and 263 million in 1830. The increase in exports is equally impressive; in 1751 £46,000 worth of cloth was exported and by the end of the century this had risen to £5.4 million. By the end of the 19th century, the figure had soared to close on £50 million. Britain was now supplying cheaper and better quality clothing to a global market. Yet during the course of the 20th century, Britain lost its position as a major textile manufacturer.
- So what happened? There are a number of views on this question, not all of them conflicting, and where there is disagreement, it is usually about when the decline began. Whether it began before the First World War (1914-18), or during the inter-war years (1919—1939), or after 1945, most economists would give roughly the same reasons. To start with, there was competition from abroad, especially from developing countries in the Far East, notably Japan. It was thought by manufacturers that the best way to combat this increased competition was to modernise. However, management and the labour unions were unable to agree on how to handle this situation. Modernisation would mean people losing their jobs and possibly a change in labour practices. Such changes as were made served only to slow down the industry’s decline rather than help regain its predominant position. Economically less developed countries, on the other hand, had the advantage of being able to provide low wage competition, without the problem of powerful labour unions.
- There are, of course, many other reasons for the textile industry’s decline, two of which became particularly noticeable in the late twentieth century and are related. The first is outsourcing when manufacturers establish factories in countries where there is cheap labour. This obviously leads to less demand for locally-produced goods. Related to this, the textile and clothing industries have acquired a bad reputation for exploiting workers, often illegal immigrants, in sweatshops where they are forced to work long hours and are paid far less than the minimum wage. We seem to be back with Crotchet and Sorocold and their first live-in factory. The globalising trend of out-sourcing, however, was a rational response to the growing competition from overseas, which, it goes without saying, does not excuse the exploitation of workers. The British industry itself, while no longer holding a key place in the global textile market has adapted itself and now concentrates more on the world of fashion and design, where it seems to be doing quite well.
Section 2
Solution and Explanation
Questions 1-6 - Complete the notes below.
Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Textile Manufacture
Early history
Begins as a cottage industry, products hand-woven and made for 1___________________________________.
Answer: Local consumption
Explanation: the products are made for local consumption. In Paragraph B, it is stated that “What they produced would be mainly for local consumption.” Therefore, it is clear that they wanted the products to be popular among the local people. Also, they want the local people to purchase their products. As the products are made by these people, that too inside their home, it was mainly for the locals.
Supporting sentence: For hundreds of years, the spinning and weaving of cloth had been done manually by men, women and children in their own homes. The yarn would be combed and spun using a spindle, then woven on a handloom, and what they produced would be mainly for local consumption. Technology far more sophisticated than the spindle and handloom would change all that.
Keywords: mainly for local consumption
Location in the passage: Paragraph B
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Local producers face 2_________________________________ from overseas.
Answer: Competition
Explanation: This keyword precisely explains that local producers were facing competition from overseas because of the globalisation trend. At that time, the products of overseas were much popular among the local people and those were available easily. Therefore, it is very natural that the locals will not find it very easy to get a steady market for the products.
Supporting sentence: The globalising trend of out-sourcing, however, was a rational response to the growing competition from overseas,
Keywords: growing competition, overseas
Location in the passage: Paragraph F
Ways found to deal with situation
Imported fabrics 3______________________, mixed cottons produced.
Answer: Banned
Explanation: This answer gives an explanation regarding the competition faced by local producers & to deal with the ongoing scenario, foreign textiles were banned. As the locals found it extremely difficult to cope up with the competition with others, the foreign products are mostly banned to give opportunities to the locals. The aim was to increase the productivity of the locals and meet the demands of the people.
Supporting sentence: So how were local producers to fight off the competition? The imported fabrics were, of course, expensive, so textile makers (not just in Britain but throughout Europe) produced mixed fabrics and cotton substitutes. They also had foreign textiles banned. But the key to the increased productivity needed to meet the demand was machine production.
Keywords: foreign textiles banned
Location in the passage: Paragraph B
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Early technology
Machine production needed to 4________________ for cotton fabrics
Answer: meet (the) demand
Explanation: Machine production needed to meet the demand for cotton fabrics. This is because machine production needed to meet the demands of cotton fabrics. In Paragraph B, it is mentioned that the key to increase productivity is only to meet the demand of the people. Due to machine production, a huge quantity of goods were produced and this same quantity needs to be meet now.
Supporting sentence: But the key to the increased productivity needed to meet the demand was machine production.
Keywords: increased productivity, demand
Location in the passage: Paragraph B
Improved technology (such as the fly-shuttle) more 5_________________ and productive.
Answer: Efficient
Explanation: Improved technology like the fly-shuttle was more efficient and productive compared to this one. It is pretty natural that a machine and a human being will have lots of differences and the different levels of efficiency are natural between these. A human will produce fewer products as he or she needs to put huge effort. But a machine will do the same task faster as it not done manually.
Supporting sentence: In 1733 John Kay invented the fly-shuttle, which made the hand-loom more efficient.
Keywords: more efficient
Location in the passage: Paragraph C
Machinery begins to be powered by 6_________________
Answer: steam (engines)
Explanation: Machinery begins to be powered by steam engines and it made the tasks easier. Also, the machinery became more powerful with this invention. This statement precisely justifies that machinery was powered with steam engines. Compared to the water-powered machinery, these were more efficient to do the same tasks and sometimes even more tasks in the least time. Though the use of steam engines, made the machinery complex, the daily lives of people became easier.
Supporting sentence: As the water-powered machinery, though not yet fully mechanised, became more complex, Kay began to use steam engines for power.
Keywords: more complex, use steam engines, power
Location in the passage: Paragraph C
Questions 7-9
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
- Which of the following innovations increased productivity by 800%?
- the power-loom
- the steam engine
- the spinning jenny
- the fly-shuttle
Answer: C. the spinning jenny
Explanation: The innovations of spinning jenny increased productivity by 800%. Paragraph C, explains that spinning jenny leads to an increase in productivity by eightfold. It is very important at that time and to produce more products in less time, it became very important to include complex machinery in the existing systems. The spinning jenny is one of the new inclusions.
Supporting sentence: In 1764 James Hargreaves came up with the spinning jenny, which among other things had the effect of raising productivity eightfold.
Keywords: spinning jenny, raising productivity eightfold
Location in the passage: Paragraph C
- During which period was the British textile industry at its peak?
- 1733-1785
- 1781-1791
- 1791-1830
- 1830-1900
Answer: D. 1830-1900
Explanation: British textile was industry at its peak during 1830-1900 and this information is given in the passage itself. As mentioned in the keyword, at the end of the 19th century around £50 million worth of cloth was exported. Hence, during this period British textile industry was at its peak. The statistics are also given in the paragraph and the sale of around £46,000 was seen at that time.
Supporting sentence: In 1751 £46,000 worth of cloth was exported and by the end of the century this had risen to £5.4 million. By the end of the 19th century, the figure had soared to close on £50 million.
Keywords: £46,000 worth of cloth was exported, 19th century, £50 million
Location in the passage: Paragraph D
- Which of the following was a major cause of the British textile industry’s decline?
- the expansion of foreign textile industries
- the loss of overseas markets
- there is no demand for products
- labour becoming too expensive
Answer: A. the expansion of foreign textile industries
Explanation: The expansion of foreign textile industries was definitely a major cause of the British textile industry’s decline. The competition from abroad was the major reason for collapsing of the British textile industry. The competition was unequal and the laborers were not able to cope up with the expectation and demands of the consumers at that time. It was the competition was mostly from the east, to be more specific, it was Japan.
Supporting sentence: There was competition from abroad, especially from developing countries in the Far East, notably Japan.
Keywords: competition from abroad, Japan
Location in the passage: Paragraph E
Questions 10-13
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
Write
- TRUE, if the statement agrees with the information
- FALSE, if the statement contradicts the information
- NOT GIVEN, if there is no information on this
- Foreign textiles were banned because of their inferior quality.
Answer: False
Explanation: It elucidates that the foreign textiles were of high quality and not inferior quality. It is not that Foreign textiles were banned because of their inferior quality. Rather, the locals were not able to compete with them and this was the reason behind the ban on foreign products. Plus these were expensive. So, the given information is incorrect and the actual information differs from this.
Supporting sentence: The demand for cotton textiles had been growing since the Middle Ages, fostered by the importation of high-quality cotton fabrics from the Middle East and India. The imported fabrics were expensive, so textile makers produced mixed fabrics and cotton substitutes. They also had foreign textiles banned.
Keywords: high-quality cotton fabrics, imported fabrics were expensive
Location in the passage: Paragraph B
- Richard Arkwright built the first fully-mechanized textile mill.
Answer: Not Given
- In less developed countries, the industry could rely on cheap labour.
Answer: True
Explanation: The given information is correct because, in the less developed countries, the industry could actually rely on cheap labor. The less developed countries can give skilled workers too. As the country is not developed, there will be a number of unemployed people who will want to get employed at any cost. The employers, on the other side, will hire these workers paying them a low salary.
Supporting sentence: Economically less developed countries, had the advantage of being able to provide low wage competition, without the problem of powerful labour unions.
Keywords: Economically less developed countries, low wage competition
Location in the passage: Paragraph E
- Out-sourcing was one method used to compete with foreign manufacturers.
Answer: True
Explanation: The statement is correct because outsourcing happened to be one method used to compete with foreign manufacturers. By outsourcing, the companies can meet the demands of the consumers and they can increase productivity too. In paragraph F, there is a clear mention that at that time, outsourcing was a rational way for the local companies to compete with foreigners.
Supporting sentence: The globalising trend of out-sourcing, however, was a rational response to the growing competition from overseas.
Keywords: out-sourcing, rational response, growing competition
Location in the passage: Paragraph F
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