The Concept of Childhood in Western Countries Reading Answers

Dec 3, 2022

The Concept of Childhood in Western Countries Reading Answers 13 questions that need to be answered in 20 minutes. The Concept of Childhood in Western Countries Reading Answers comprises two types of questions, namely- True/False/Not Given, and No more than two-three words. For True/False/Not Given, candidates must read the passage and understand the statement provided and answer whether the statement is true, false, or not given. For No more than two-three words, candidates must read the IELTS reading passage, and make a note of tehe situationms described in it. Candidates must read the IELTS Reading reading passage, identify keywords, and recognize synonyms to answer the question. There are more topics available that students can get from IELTS Reading practice papers.

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Reading Passage Questions

The history of childhood has been a heated topic in social history since the highly influential book Centuries of Childhood’, written by French historian Philippe Aries, emerged in 1960. He claimed that ‘childhood’ is a concept created by modern society.

Whether childhood is itself a recent invention has been one of the most intensely debated issues in the history of childhood. Historian Philippe Aries asserted that children were regarded as miniature adults, with all the intellect and personality that this implies, in Western Europe during the Middle Ages (up to about the end of the 15th century). After scrutinising medieval pictures and diaries, he concluded that there was no distinction between children and adults for they shared similar leisure activities and work; However, this does not mean children were neglected, forsaken or despised, he argued. The idea of childhood corresponds to awareness about the peculiar nature of childhood, which distinguishes the child from adults, even the young adults. Therefore, the concept of childhood is not to be confused with affection for children.

Traditionally, children played a functional role in contributing to the family income in history. Under this circumstance, children were considered to be useful. Back in the Middle Ages, children of 5 or 6 years old did necessary chores for their parents. During the 16th century, children of 9 or 10 years old were often encouraged or even forced to leave their family to work as servants for wealthier families or apprentices for a trade.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, industrialisation created a new demand for child labour; thus many children were forced to work for a long time in mines, workshops and factories. The issue of whether long hours of labouring would interfere with children’s growing bodies began to perplex social reformers. Some of them started to realise the potential of systematic studies to monitor how far these early deprivations might be influencing children’s development.

The concerns of reformers gradually had some impact upon the working condition of children. For example, in Britain, the Factory Act of 1833 signified the emergence of legal protection of children from exploitation and was also associated with the rise of schools for factory children. Due partly to factory reform, the worst forms of child exploitation were eliminated gradually. The influence of trade unions and economic changes also contributed to the evolution by leaving some forms of child labour redundant during the 19th century. Initiating children into work as ‘useful’ children was no longer a priority, and childhood was deemed to be a time for play and education for all children instead of a privileged minority. Childhood was increasingly understood as a more extended phase of dependency, development and learning with the delay of the age for starting full-time work- Even so, work continued to play a significant, if less essential, role in children’s lives in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Finally, the ‘useful child’ has become a controversial concept during the first decade of the 21st century, especially in the context of global concern about large numbers of children engaged in child labour.

The half-time schools established upon the Factory Act of 1833 allowed children to work and attend school. However, a significant proportion of children never attended school in the 1840s, and even if they did, they dropped out by the age of 10 or 11. By the end of the 19th century in Britain, the situation changed dramatically, and schools became the core to the concept of a ‘normal’ childhood.

It is no longer a privilege for children to attend school and all children are expected to spend a significant part of their day in a classroom. Once in school, children’s lives could be separated from domestic life and the adult world of work. In this way, school turns into an institution dedicated to shaping the minds, behaviour and morals of the young. Besides, education dominated the management of children’s waking hours through the hours spent in the classroom, homework (the growth of ‘after school’ activities), and the importance attached to parental involvement.

Industrialisation, urbanisation and mass schooling pose new challenges for those who are responsible for protecting children’s welfare, as well as promoting their learning. An increasing number of children are being treated as a group with unique needs, and are organised into groups in the light of their age. For instance, teachers need to know some information about what to expect of children in their classrooms, what kinds of instruction are appropriate for different age groups, and what is the best way to assess children’s progress. Also, they want tools enabling them to sort and select children according to their abilities and potential

Solution and Explanation

Questions 1-7

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
In boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet, 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

Aries pointed out that children did different types of work to adults during the Middle Ages.

Answer: FALSE
Supporting Sentence: Historian Philippe Aries asserted that children were regarded as miniature adults, with all the intellect and personality that this implies, in Western Europe during the Middle Ages (up to about the end of the 15th century).
Keyword: Middle Ages, Children, Adult, work
Keyword Location: Section 1, 2nd paragraph, 2nd line
Explanation: According to the passage, children were viewed as little adults and were just like adults in terms of intelligence and personality, not in terms of labour, making the statement false.

Working children during the Middle Ages were generally unloved.

Answer: FALSE
Supporting Sentence: After scrutinising medieval pictures and diaries, he concluded that there was no distinction between children and adults for they shared similar leisure activities and work. However, this does not mean children were neglected, forsaken or despised, he argued.
Keyword: Children, neglected, useful, adults
Keyword Location: Section 1, 2nd paragraph, 5th line.
Explanation: Despite the fact that children and adults in the mediaeval ages shared many characteristics, it is made clear in the paragraph that kids were not abandoned or ignored. Instead, it claims that the kids were helpful, which goes against the aforementioned assertion and renders it incorrect.

Some scientists thought that overwork might damage the health of young children.

Answer: TRUE
Supporting Sentence: The issue of whether long hours of labouring would interfere with children’s growing bodies began to perplex social reformers. Some of them started to realise the potential of systematic studies to monitor how far these early deprivations might be influencing children’s development.
Keyword: Overwork, health, long hours, children
Keyword Location: Section 1, 4th paragraph, 3rd line.
Explanation: The passage makes it abundantly clear that everyone was concerned about the issue of working long hours and how it might affect children's bodies, which fully supports and validates the statement.

The rise of trade unions majorly contributed to the protection of children from exploitation in the 19th century.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: No relevant information was found in the reading passage.

Through the aid of half-time schools, most children went to school in the mid-19th century.

Answer: FALSE
Supporting Sentence: The half-time schools established upon the Factory Act of 1833 allowed children to work and attend school. However, a significant proportion of children never attended school in the 1840s, and even if they did, they dropped out by the age of 10 or 11.
Keyword: Half time, schools, children, most, significant.
Keyword Location: Section 1, 6th paragraph, 1st line.
Explanation: We learn from the paragraph that a "large" number" of children never went to school even after the formation of half-time school, proving the adage incorrect. The adage states that most children went to school, but the facts in the passage show that most children never went to school. Thus, the response will be untrue.

In the 20th century, almost all children needed to go to school with a full-time schedule.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: No relevant information was found in the reading passage.

Nowadays, children’s needs are much differentiated and categorised based on how old they are.

Answer: TRUE
Supporting Sentence: Industrialisation, urbanisation and mass schooling pose new challenges for those who are responsible for protecting children’s welfare, as well as promoting their learning. An increasing number of children are being treated as a group with unique needs, and are organised into groups in the light of their age.
Keyword: Industrialisation, needs, age.
Keyword Location: Section 1, 8th paragraph, 1st line.
Explanation: This statement is accurate because the passage's discussion of industrialization and urbanisation reflects the current era, or today, and because phrases like "organized into groups in the light of their age" indicate that people's needs were classified according to their ages.

Questions 8-13:
Answer the questions below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer:
Write your answers in boxes 8-13 on your answer sheet.

What had not become a hot topic until the French historian Philippe Aries’ book caused great attention?

Answer: History of childhood
Supporting Sentence: The history of childhood has been a heated topic in social history since the highly influential book Centuries of Childhood’, written by French historian Philippe Aries, emerged in 1960.
Keyword: French historian, book, childhood, history.
Keyword Location: Section 1, 1st paragraph, 1st line.
Explanation: The history of childhood was not a topic that was discussed until 1960, when French historian Philippe Aries published a book titled "Centuries of Childhood". Since then, the history of childhood has become a very contentious subject in social history.

According to Aries, what was the typical image of children in Western Europe during the Middle Ages?

Answer: Miniature Adults
Supporting Sentence: Historian Philippe Aries asserted that children were regarded as miniature adults, with all the intellect and personality that this implies, in Western Europe during the Middle Ages (up to about the end of the 15th century).
Keyword: Historian Philippe Aries, Adults, Work.
Keyword Location: Section 1, 2nd paragraph, 2nd line.
Explanation: According to historian Philippe Aries, since children's personalities and intellect were comparable to adults' in the Middle Ages, children were seen as miniature adults.

What historical event generated the need for a large number of children to work for a long time in the 18th and 19th centuries?

Answer: Industrialisation/Industrialization
Supporting Sentence: In the 18th and 19th centuries, industrialisation created a new demand for child labour; thus many children were forced to work for a long time in mines, workshops and factories.
Keywords: Industrialisation, children, long time work.
Keyword Location: Section 1, 4th paragraph, 1st line.
Explanation: Similar circumstances occurred in the 18th and 19th centuries when industrialization began. As a result, there was an increased demand for labor, which in turn led to the requirement that children work for an extended period of time.

What bill was enacted to protect children from exploitation in Britain in the 1800s?

Answer: The factory act
Supporting Sentence: For example, in Britain, the Factory Act of 1833 signified the emergence of legal protection of children from exploitation and was also associated with the rise of schools for factory children.
Keyword: Britain, Factory act, protection, exploitation.
Keyword Location: Section 1, 5th paragraph, 2nd line.
Explanation: The factory act of 1833 was passed to give children legal protection from exploitation and to assist in the establishment of schools for them. As a result of industrialization, children were forced to work long hours and were exploited.

Which activities were becoming regarded as preferable for almost all children in the 19th century?

Answer: Play and Education
Supporting Sentence: Initiating children into work as ‘useful’ children was no longer a priority, and childhood was deemed to be a time for play and education for all children instead of a privileged minority.
Keyword: Play, working, priority, children, growth
Keyword Location: Section 1, 5th paragraph, 7th line.
Explanation: Working was no longer a priority for children because of growing concerns about their development and the application of the Factory Act; instead, play and education were preferred because it is their age to enjoy and learn, not to work.

In what place did children spend the majority of time during their day in school?

Answer: Classroom
Supporting Sentence: It is no longer a privilege for children to attend school and all children are expected to spend a significant part of their day in a classroom.
Keyword: Privilege, school, work, classroom.
Keyword Location: Section 1, 7th paragraph, 1st line.
Explanation: Children spend the majority of their time in their classrooms during school hours, which helps them distinguish between home life and the working world of adults.