One Hundred Days of Reform Reading Answers

Jan 7, 2023

One Hundred Days of Reform Reading Answers contains a write up about theReforms brought in China and the overtook of powers. One Hundred Days of Reform Reading Answers contains a total of 5 paragraphs. Related to the paragraphs are 13 questions. Candidates in this IELTS Section will be shown various question types with clear instructions.

One Hundred Days of Reform Reading Answers comprises two types of questions: Match the reforms and choose the correct option. To Answer the match heading candidates must interpret the overall idea of each paragraph. The reforms initiated must be remembered in a serial order as mentioned in the paragraph. For choosing the correct option the knowledge and information mentioned in the paragraph must be remembered. To answer the questions provided in the IELTS Reading passage,Applicants must attentively read each passage. To gain proficiency, candidates can practice from IELTS reading practice test.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

One Hundred Days of Reform Reading Answers

Since the early 1800s, the term one hundred days has represented a political phrase, referring to a short period of concentrated political reform. In most cases, this period comes immediately after a new leader takes over a nation. The original Hundred Days took place between March and June of 1815, when Napoleon escaped from Elba, and King Louis XVIII reclaimed his throne. This was one of the results of the Battle of Waterloo. The Hundred Days of Reform in China (also known as the Wuxu Reform) was inspired by a similar event. After losing the Sino-Japanese war, the Emperor Guangxu found his country to be in a major crisis. Desperate for change, the emperor hired the help of a young political activist named Kang Yu-wei. At the age of only 27, K'ang had graduated with the highest degree (chin-shih), written two books on reform, and initiated several of his own political reform movements. K'ang impressed the court and convinced the emperor that China, like Japan, should form a constitutional government and do away with its monarchy.
On June 11, 1898, Emperor Guwangu entrusted the reform movement to Kang and put the progressive scholar-reformer in control of the government. Immediately, K'ang, with the help of a few other reformers, began work on changing China into a more modern society. Within days, the imperial court issued a number of statutes related to the social and political structure of the nation. First, K'ang planned to reform China's education system. The edicts called for a universal school system with an emphasis on practical and Western studies rather than Neo-Confucian orthodoxy. The new government also wanted to modernize the country's examination systems and send more students abroad to gain firsthand knowledge of how technology was developing in other countries. K'ang also called for the establishment of a national parliamentary government, including popularly elected members and ministries. Military reform and the establishment of a new defense system as well as the modernization of agriculture and medicine were also on the agenda.
These edicts were threatening to Chinese ideologies and institutions, especially the army, which at the time was controlled by a few governor-generals. There was intense opposition to the reform at all levels of society, and only one in fifteen provinces made attempts to implement the edicts. The Manchus, who considered the reform a radical and unrealistic idea, suggested that more gradual changes needed to be made. Just three months after the reform had begun, a coup d'etat was organized by Yuan Shikai and Empress Dowager bd to force Guangxu and the young reformers out of power and into seclusion. A few of the reformer's chief advocates who refused to leave were executed. After September 21st, the new edicts were abolished, and the conservatives regained their power.
Many Chinese civilians felt that the aftermath of the One Hundred Days of Reform was more detrimental to China than the short-lived failed attempt at reform. Immediately following the conservative takeover, anti-foreign and anti-Christian secret societies tore through northern China, targeting foreign concessions and missionary facilities. The violence of these "Boxer bands" provoked retaliation from the offended nations, and the government was forced to declare war on the invaders. By August, an Allied force made up of armies from nine European nations as well as the United States and Japan entered Peking. With little effort, north China was occupied, and foreign troops had stationed themselves inside the border. The court was ordered to either execute or punish many of its high officials under the Protocol of 1901. Rather than dividing up the occupied territory among the powers, the Allies settled on an "open door" trade policy. Within a decade, the court ordered many of the original reform measures, including the modernization of the education and military systems.
The traditional view of the One Hundred Days of Reform depicted Emperor Guwangxu and K'ang Yu-wei as heroes and Empress Dowager Cixi as the villain who refused to reform even though the change was inevitable. However, since the One Hundred Days has turned into a cliche related to political failures, historians in the 20th century often portray the Wuxu Reform as an irrational dream. The fact that the reforms were implemented in a matter of decades, rather than months, suggests that the conservative elites may have been more opposed to the immediacy of the proposed edicts rather than the changes themselves.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 1-4

What were some of the reforms planned during the One Hundred Days of Reform in China? Choose four answers from the list below, and write the correct letters, A-G, in boxes 1-4 on your Answer Sheet.

Modernization of the school system
Establishment of a parliament
Focus on the study of Confucianism
Reorganization of the military
Abolition of elections
Improvement of farming & initiation of foreign trade

Question 1)

Answer: A
Supporting Statement: The new government also wanted to modernize the country's examination systems
Keywords: modernize, examination systems
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2
Explanation: As per paragraph 2, one of the reforms done by One Hundred Days of Reform in China was to modernize the school systems. This also includes modernizing the examination system and sending more students abroad to gain firsthand knowledge of how technology was developing in other countries. Bringing new ways and methods of examination taking and conducting. So, the correct answer is A.

Question 2)

Answer: B
Supporting Statement: K'ang also called for the establishment of a national parliamentary government, including popularly elected members and ministries.
Keywords: establishment, national parliamentary
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2
Explanation: As per paragraph 2, one of the reforms done by One Hundred Days of Reform in China was the establishment of parliament. THis was the national parliament government. This included elected ministers and popular members. So, as per the explanation the correct answer is B.

Question 3)

Answer: D
Supporting Statement: Military reform and the establishment of a new defense system as well as the modernization of agriculture and medicine were also on the agenda.
Keywords: new defense system
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2
Explanation: As per paragraph 2, one of the reforms done by One Hundred Days of Reform in China was the establishment of a new defense system. This included new military recruitment and new weapons. New techniques and new strategies to strengthen the military. So, the correct answer is D.

Question 4)

Answer: F
Supporting Statement: Military reform and the establishment of a new defense system as well as the modernization of agriculture and medicine were also on the agenda.
Keywords: modernization of agriculture
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2
Explanation: As per paragraph 2, one of the reforms done by One Hundred Days of Reform in China was the modernization of agriculture. This was to bring about new techniques of agriculture and farming. This made the agricultural sector and benefited the people. So, the correct answer is F.

Questions 5-13

Complete the sentences below about the reading passage. Choose your answers from the box below, and write them in boxes 5-13 on your Answer Sheet. There are more choices than spaces, so you will not use them all.

overthrew the government after the rerforms were introduced
in charge of the reform movement
were voted in
in prison
were abolished
lost a war
began trade
foreigners in China
were executed
reform supporters
occupied China
were initiated
opposed the reforms
were re-estabilshed

China………….. with Japan.

Answer: F
Supporting Statement: After losing the Sino-Japanese war, the Emperor Guangxu found his country to be in a major crisis.
Keywords: losing, sino-japanese
Keyword Location: Paragraph 1
Explanation: As per paragraph 1, the one hundred days of reform was a result of losing the war. The paragraph mentions clearly that China lost the war with japan. So, as per the explanation provided, the correct answer is F.

Emperor Guangxu put K'ang Yu-wei…………………

Answer: B
Supporting Statement: On June 11, 1898, Emperor Guwangu entrusted the reform movement to Kang and put the progressive scholar-reformer in control of the government.
Keywords: entrusted, reform
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2
Explanation: As per paragraph 2 the introductory lines clearly states about the reform movement. The emperor Guangxu entrusted Kang with the movement. He was made incharge of the reform movement and all its activities. So, the correct answer is B.

After June 11,1898, the reforms.....……………..

Answer: L
Supporting Statement: On June 11, 1898, Emperor Guwangu entrusted the reform movement to Kang and put the progressive scholar-reformer in control of the government. Immediately, K'ang, with the help of a few other reformers, began work
on changing China into a more modern society.
Keywords: June 11,1898, reforms
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2
Explanation: As per paragraph 2, the introductory lines state the reforms initiation. The reforms were initiated after June 11,2898 after Emperor Guwangxu entrusted Kang with the reform movement. Paragraph 2 further explains the various reforms initiated. So, the correct answer is L.

People throughout China………………..

Answer: M
Supporting Statement: These edicts were threatening to Chinese ideologies and institutions, especially the army, which at the time was controlled by a few governor-generals. There was intense opposition to the reform at all levels of society, and only one in fifteen provinces made attempts to implement the edicts.
Keywords: threatening, opposition
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3
Explanation: As per paragraph 3, there was huge opposition against the reform programme. The opposition mainly came from the army sector as it was then controlled by generals. The people went against it also due to lack of knowledge. 1 in 15 provinces made the implementations. So, the correct answer is M.

Yuan Shikai and Empress Dowager Cixi………………….

Answer: A
Supporting Statement: Just three months after the reform had begun, a coup d'etat was organized by Yuan Shikai and Empress Dowager by to force Guangxu and the young reformers out of power and into seclusion.
Keywords: three months after reforms
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3
Explanation: As per the paragraph 3, it has been clearly stated that just after three months of the reform inclination Yuan Shikai and Empress Dowager used the force to exclude Emperor Guwangxu out of power. They overthrew the kingdom and became the rulers. So, the correct answer is A.

The reforms ………………….after September 21st.

Answer: E
Supporting Statement: After September 21st, the new edicts were abolished, and the conservatives regained their power.
Keywords: regained power
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3
Explanation: As per paragraph 3, just after the overthrowing of the kingdom by Yuan Shikai and Empress Dowager the reforms were abolished. After September 21 all the reforms were abolished and conservatives again took the control and hold of the power. So, the correct answer is E.

Secret societies attacked………………….

Answer: H
Supporting Statement: immediately following the conservative takeover, anti-foreign and anti-Christian secret societies tore through northern China, targeting foreign concessions and missionary facilities. The violence of these "Boxer bands''
provoked retaliation from the offended nations, and the government was forced to declare war on the invaders.
Keywords: anti-foreign, foreign concessions
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4
Explanation: As per paragraph 4, there were secret societies who were anti-foreigners and anti- christian. They often attacked the foreign concessions and missionary facilities. This was immediately after the conservatives took the hold of power. So, the correct answer is H.

European, U.S., and Japanese troops……………………….

Answer: K
Supporting Statement: By August, an Allied force made up of armies from nine European nations as well as the United States and Japan entered Peking. With little effort, north China was occupied, and foreign troops had stationed themselves
inside the border.
Keywords: US, European countries
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4
Explanation: As per paragraph 4, an allied force of nine European countries along with the US, Japan attacked China. THis was an attempt made to take over it. These forces successfully occupied China. So, the correct answer is K.

Eventually, the reforms……………………

Answer: N
Supporting Statement: Within a decade, the court ordered many of the original reform measures, including the modernization of the education and military systems.
Keywords: decade, reforms
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4
Explanation: As per paragraph 4, the reforms were again implemented. Within a decade the court ordered the reforms. These reforms included modernization of the education and military systems.. So, as per the explanation the correct answer is N.

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