Comprehension

Question

1. They spurned democracy and would have been shocked to see themselves held up as its defenders. The phrase “help up” means a) delayed b) cited c) accommodated d) carried e) waylaid. I chose c)?

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

1. They spurned democracy and would have been shocked to see themselves held up as its defenders. The phrase “help up” means a) delayed b) cited c) accommodated d) carried e) waylaid.
I chose c)? No, B (cited = quoted as/used as examples for other people)

2. "The fifth class comprises large numbers of the population that have no occupation; but it requires no argument to prove that the wife, the mother, the mistress of an English family – fills offices and discharges duties of no ordinary importance; or that children are or should be occupied in filial or household duties, and in the task of education, either at home or at school. "

Idon't really get the meaning out of it. Does it say that mothers is the fifth class? no jobs? but what happened with the children?

The fifth class consists of people with no jobs.
But it is easy to show that wives, mothers and children work.
The writer's point is that wives and children should not be considered part of this fifth class.

Best wishes, Clive

AlpheccaStars · Answer

1. "held up" means "to be represented as an example of". So I would choose "cited" as the closest match.
2. The writer is describing his allocation of people to different classes in society. Examples (perhaps his first four classes) are the aristocratic class, the ruling class, the working class, and the merchant class. The writer puts people without an occupation in the fifth class, and this class includes wives, mothers, and children.

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