Nineteenth Century Paperback Literature – IELTS Reading Answers

Sep 30, 2024

Nineteenth Century Paperback Literature – IELTS Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. Nineteenth Century Paperback Literature – IELTS Reading Answers has a total of 14 IELTS questions in total. Questions 14-19 you have to choose the correct option and match with the question, questions 20-23 match the correct event with the given years, 24-27 you have to write yes or no according to the question.

Candidates should read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly to recognize synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions below. IELTS Reading practice papers feature topics such as Nineteenth Century Paperback Literature – IELTS Reading Answers. Candidates can use IELTS reading practice questions and answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

Nineteenth Century Paperback Literature

A publishing craze that hit both America and England from the mid-to-late nineteenth century attracted the readership of the semiliterate working class. In America, dime novels typically centered on tales of the American Revolution and the Wild West, while British penny blood (later called penny dreadfuls) told serial tales of horror or fictionalized versions of true crimes. These paperback novels were sold at newsstands and dry goods stores and succeeded in opening up the publishing market for both writers and readers. The industrial revolution facilitated the growth of literacy, making it easier to print and transport publications in large quantities, thus providing inexpensive entertainment for the masses.

Though Johann Gutenberg's printing press was designed in the fifteenth century, it was not until after the first newspapers began circulating in the eighteenth century that it became a profitable invention. Throughout the nineteenth century, commoners in England were becoming educated through normal schools, church schools, and mutual instruction classes, and by the 1830s, approximately 75 percent of the working class had learned to read. In 1870, the Forster Education Act made elementary education mandatory for all children. Though few children's books were available, penny dreadfuls were highly accessible, especially to male youths who created clubs in order to pool their money and start their own libraries. Similar to reading a newspaper, dime novels, and penny dreadfuls were meant to be read quickly and discarded, unlike the hard-bound high literature that was written in volumes and published for the elite. Struggling authors, many of whom had limited writing and storytelling skills, suddenly found an audience desperate to read their work. When the first typewriter became available in the 1870s, authors were able to maximize their output. Successful authors, some of whom wrote over 50,000 words a month, were able to earn a decent living at a penny per word.

From the 1830s to 1850s, penny blood featured tales of gore that often depicted the upper class as corrupt. One of the most beloved characters from the penny blood serials was Sweeney Todd. In the original story, String of Pearls: A Romance, published in 1846, Sweeney Todd was a demon barber who used his razor to torture his victims before turning them into meat pies. In 1847, hack playwright George Dibdin Pitt adapted Thomas Prest's story for the stage, renaming it The String of Pearls: The Fiend of Fleet Street. With no copyright laws, authors were always at risk of having their ideas pilfered. Pitt's play was released again one year later at one of London's "bloodbath" theaters1 under the name "Founded on Fact". The Sweeney Todd story also made its way into musicals and comedies. Controversy still exists over whether Thomas Prest's character was based on a real person. No records of a barbershop on Fleet Street, or a barber named Sweeney Todd have been found, though Thomas Prest was known for getting his inspiration from "The Old Bailey" of the London Times, a section devoted to real-life horror stories.

Despite the warning from Lord Shaftesbury that the paperback literature was seducing middle-class society into an unproductive life of evil, the penny blood grew in popularity. They provided a literary voice for commoners at an affordable price. Eventually, penny blood became known as penny dreadfuls and began to focus more on an adventure than horror.

In 1860, Beadle and Adams was the first firm in the United States to publish a title that would be categorized as a dime novel. Malaeska: The Indian Wife of the White Hunter, by Anne Stephens, had originally been published twenty years earlier as a series in a magazine. In novel form, approximately 300,000 copies of the story were sold in the first year, paving the way for the new fad in America. Many dime novels were written as serials with recurring characters, such as Deadwood Dick, Commander Cody, and Wild Bill. Originally, the paperbacks were intended for railroad travelers; however, during the Civil War, soldiers quickly became the most avid dime novel readers. Beadle dime novels became so popular that the company had to build a factory of hack writers to mass-produce them. As urbanization3 spread, stories of the Wild West were in less demand, and tales of urban outlaws became popular. At that time, dime novels were chosen for their illustrated covers rather than their sensational stories and characters. Despite their popularity, by the late 1880s, dry goods stores were so full of unsold books that prices dropped to less than five cents per copy. Many titles that could still not sell were given away or destroyed. The International Copyright Law, passed by Congress in 1890, required publishers to pay royalties to foreign authors. Selling at less than five cents a copy, the paperback industry was doomed until the arrival of pulp paper.

Questions 14—19

Which of the 14—19 characteristics below belongs to which type of literature?

On the lines answer sheet write:

if it is characteristic of penny blood
if it is characteristic of dime novels
if it is characteristic of both penny blood and dime novels

14.They were popular in America.

Answer: B

Supporting statement: In America, dime novels typically centered on tales of the American Revolution and the Wild West, while British penny blood (later called penny dreadfuls) told serial tales of horror or fictionalized versions of true crimes.

Keyword: America, dime novels

Keyword location: Paragraph 1, line 2

Explanation: In America, dime novels typically centered on tales of the American Revolution and the Wild West, while British penny blood (later called penny dreadfuls) told serial tales of horror or fictionalized versions of true crimes. The dime novels were popular in America.

15.They were popular in Britain.

Answer: A

Supporting statement: ……while British penny blood (later called penny dreadfuls) told serial tales of horror or fictionalized versions of true crimes.

Keyword: British, horror, crimes

Keyword location: 1st paragraph, 2nd line

Explanation: British penny blood (later called penny dreadfuls) told serial tales of horror or fictionalized versions of true crimes. Penny blood novels were popular in Britain .

16.They showed members of the upper class as corrupt.

Answer: A

Supporting statement: From the 1830s to 1850s, penny blood featured tales of gore that often depicted the upper class as corrupt

Keyword: penny blood, upper class, corrupt

Keyword location: 3rd paragraph, 1st line

Explanation: From the 1830s to 1850s, penny blood featured tales of gore that often depicted the upper class as corrupt.

17.They were inexpensive.

Answer: C

Supporting statement: The industrial revolution facilitated the growth of literacy, making it easier to print and transport publications in large quantities, thus providing inexpensive entertainment for the masses.

Keyword: print, transport, inexpensive

Keyword location: Paragraph 1, line 5

Explanation: The industrial revolution facilitated the growth of literacy, making it easier to print and transport publications in large quantities, thus providing inexpensive entertainment for the masses. The dime novels and the penny blood novels both were inexpensive.

18.They featured tales of the Wild West.

Answer: B

Keyword: America, dime novels, Wild West

Keyword location: Paragraph 1, line 2

19.They were popular among members of the working class.

Answer: C

Supporting statement: These paperback novels were sold at newsstands and dry goods stores and succeeded in opening up the publishing market for both writers and readers. The industrial revolution facilitated the growth of literacy, making it easier to print and transport publications in large quantities, thus providing inexpensive entertainment for the masses

Keyword: novels, literacy, masses

Keyword location: Paragraph 1, line 4,5

Explanation: These paperback novels were sold at newsstands and dry goods stores and succeeded in opening up the publishing market for both writers and readers. The industrial revolution facilitated the growth of literacy, making it easier to print and transport publications in large quantities, thus providing inexpensive entertainment for the masses. The penny blood and the dime both were popular among the working class.

Questions 20-23

Match each year with the event that occurred during that year. Choose the correct

event, A-F, from the box below and write the correct letter on lines 20—23 on your answer sheet.

There are more events than years, so you will not use them all.

20 1870

Answer: C

Supporting statement: In 1870, the Forster Education Act made elementary education mandatory for all children. Though few children's books were available, penny dreadfuls were highly accessible, especially to male youths who created clubs in order to pool their money and start their own libraries.

Keyword: 1870, education, money , libraries

Keyword location: paragraph 2, line 5

Explanation: In 1870, the Forster Education Act made elementary education mandatory for all children. Though few children's books were available, penny dreadfuls were highly accessible, especially to male youths who created clubs in order to pool their money and start their own libraries.

21 1846

Answer: F

Supporting statement: In the original story, String of Pearls: A Romance, published in 1846, Sweeney Todd was a demon barber who used his razor to torture his victims before turning them into meat pies.

Keyword: 1846, Sweeney Todd, victims

Keyword location: 3rd paragraph, line 3

Explanation: In the original story, String of Pearls: A Romance, published in 1846, Sweeney Todd was a demon barber who used his razor to torture his victims before turning them into meat pies.

22 1860

Answer: A

Supporting statement: In 1860, Beadle and Adams was the first firm in the United States to publish a title that would be categorized as a dime novel.

Keyword: first ,dime novels, United States

Keyword location: 4th paragraph, line 1

Explanation: In 1860, Beadle and Adams was the first firm in the United States to publish a title that would be categorized as a dime novel.

23 1890

Answer: E

Supporting statement: The International Copyright Law, passed by Congress in 1890, required publishers to pay royalties to foreign authors.

Keyword: International Copyright Law, Congress

Keyword location: last paragraph, 2nd last line

Explanation: The International Copyright Law, passed by Congress in 1890, required publishers to pay royalties to foreign authors.

Events

A.The first dime novel was published in the US

B. Lord Shaftesbury warned people about the dangers of penny blood

C. if it is characteristic of both penny blood and dime novels

D. A law was passed requiring children to attend school

E. A law about copyrights was passed

F. The first Sweeney Todd story was published

Questions 24—27

Do the following statements agree with the information in the reading passage? On lines 24—27 on your answer sheet write:

YES: if the statement agrees with the information

NO: if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN: If there is no information on this in the passage

24.The literacy rate in England rose in the nineteenth century.

Answer: Yes

Supporting statement: A publishing craze that hit both America and England from the mid-to-late nineteenth century attracted the readership of the semiliterate working class.The industrial revolution facilitated the growth of literacy, making it easier to print and transport publications in large quantities, thus providing inexpensive entertainment for the masses.

Keyword: nineteenth century, literacy, readership

Keyword location: paragraph 1

Explanation: A publishing craze that hit both America and England from the mid-to-late nineteenth century attracted the readership of the semiliterate working class.The industrial revolution facilitated the growth of literacy, making it easier to print and transport publications in large quantities, thus providing inexpensive entertainment for the masses.

25. Children’s books were popular in the nineteenth century.

Answer: No

Supporting statement: Though few children's books were available, penny dreadfuls were highly accessible, especially to male youths who created clubs in order to pool their money and start their own libraries.

Keyword: children's books, highly accessible

Keyword location: paragraph 2, line 6

Explanation: Though few children's books were available, penny dreadfuls were highly accessible, especially to male youths who created clubs in order to pool their money and start their own libraries. Children’s books were not popular in the nineteenth century.

26. Most people agree that Sweeney Todd was based on a real person.

Answer: No

Supporting statement: One of the most beloved characters from the penny blood serials was Sweeney Todd. In the original story, String of Pearls: A Romance, published in 1846, Sweeney Todd was a demon barber who used his razor to torture his victims before turning them into meat pies. The Sweeney Todd story also made its way into musicals and comedies. Controversy still exists over whether Thomas Prest's character was based on a real person.

Keyword: Sweeney Todd, real person, controversy

Keyword location: Paragraph 3, line 2 and 9

Explanation: One of the most beloved characters from the penny blood serials was Sweeney Todd. In the original story, String of Pearls: A Romance, published in 1846, Sweeney Todd was a demon barber who used his razor to torture his victims before turning them into meat pies. The Sweeney Todd story also made its way into musicals and comedies. Controversy still exists over whether Thomas Prest's character was based on a real person. Not all people agree with the statement that the character of Sweeney Todd is a real character. Thus the correct answer is no.

27. Dime novels were popular among Civil War soldiers.

Answer: Yes

Supporting statement: Originally, the paperbacks were intended for railroad travelers; however, during the Civil War, soldiers quickly became the most avid dime novel readers. Beadle dime novels became so popular that the company had to build a factory of hack writers to mass-produce them.

Keyword: Civil War, soldiers, popular

Keyword location: paragraph 5, line 4

Explanation: Originally, the paperbacks were intended for railroad travelers; however, during the Civil War, soldiers quickly became the most avid dime novel readers. Beadle dime novels became so popular that the company had to build a factory of hack writers to mass-produce them. Dime novels were popular among Civil War soldiers.

Read More IELTS Reading Related Samples