VOTES FOR WOMEN - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 03 Academic Reading Test 4 · Part 2 · Questions 14–28
Reading Passage
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-27 which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.
VOTES FOR WOMEN
The suffragette movement, which campaigned for votes for women in the early twentieth century, is most commonly associated with the Pankhurst family and militant acts of varying degrees of violence. The Museum of London has drawn on its archive collection to convey a fresh picture with its exhibition The Purple, White and Green: Suffragettes in London 1906-14.
The name is a reference to the colour scheme that the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) created to give the movement a uniform, nationwide image. By doing so, it became one of the first groups to project a corporate identity, and it is this advanced marketing strategy, along with the other organisational and commercial achievements of the WSPU, to which the exhibition is devoted.
Formed in 1903 by the political campaigner Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Christabel and Sylvia, the WSPU began an educated campaign to put women’s suffrage on the political agenda. New Zealand, Australia and parts of the United States had already enfranchised women, and growing numbers of their British counterparts wanted the same opportunity.
With their slogan ‘Deeds not words’, and the introduction of the colour scheme, the WSPU soon brought the movement the cohesion and focus it had previously lacked. Membership grew rapidly as women deserted the many other, less directed, groups and joined it. By 1906 the WSPU headquarters, called the Women’s Press Shop, had been established in Charing Cross Road and in spite of limited communications (no radio or television, and minimal use of the telephone) the message had spread around the country, with members and branch officers stretching to as far away as Scotland.
The newspapers produced by the WSPU, first Votes for Women and later The Suffragette, played a vital role in this communication. Both were sold throughout the country and proved an invaluable way of informing members of meetings, marches, fund-raising events and the latest news and views on the movement.
Equally importantly for a rising political group, the newspaper returned a profit. This was partly because advertising space was bought in the paper by large department stores such as Selfridges, and jewellers such as Mappin & Webb. These two, together with other like-minded commercial enterprises sympathetic to the cause, had quickly identified a direct way to reach a huge market of women, many with money to spend.
The creation of the colour scheme provided another money-making opportunity which the WSPU was quick to exploit. The group began to sell playing cards, board games, Christmas and greeting cards, and countless other goods, all in the purple, white and green colours. In 1906 such merchandising of a corporate identity was a new marketing concept.
But the paper and merchandising activities alone did not provide sufficient funds for the WSPU to meet organisational costs, so numerous other fund-raising activities combined to fill the coffers of the ‘war chest’. The most notable of these was the Woman’s Exhibition, which took place in 1909 in a Knightsbridge ice-skating rink, and in 10 days raised the equivalent of £250,000 today.
The Museum of London’s exhibition is largely visual, with a huge number of items on show. Against a quiet background hum of street sounds, copies of The Suffragette, campaign banners and photographs are all on display, together with one of Mrs Pankhurst’s shoes and a number of purple, white and green trinkets.
Photographs depict vivid scenes of a suffragette’s life: WSPU members on a self-proclaimed ‘monster’ march, wearing their official uniforms of a white frock decorated with purple, white and green accessories; women selling The Suffragette at street corners, or chalking up pavements with details of a forthcoming meeting.
Windows display postcards and greeting cards designed by women artists for the movement, and the quality of the artwork indicates the wealth of resources the WSPU could call on from its talented members.
Visitors can watch a short film made up of old newsreels and cinema material which clearly reveals the political mood of the day towards the suffragettes. The programme begins with a short film devised by the ‘antis’ - those opposed to women having the vote -depicting a suffragette as a fierce harridan bullying her poor, abused husband. Original newsreel footage shows the suffragette Emily Wilding Davison throwing herself under King George V’s horse at a famous race-
Although the exhibition officially charts the years 1906 to 1914, graphic display boards outlining the bills of enfranchisement of 1918 and 1928, which gave the adult female populace of Britain the vote, show what was achieved. It demonstrates how advanced the suffragettes were in their thinking, in the marketing of their campaign, and in their work as shrewd and skilful image-builders. It also conveys a sense of the energy and ability the suffragettes brought to their fight for freedom and equality. And it illustrates the intelligence employed by women who were at that time deemed by several politicians to have ‘brains too small to know how to vote’.
Questions
Questions 14–15 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the appropriate letters A-D.
Questions 16–17 Multiple Choice (Two Answers)
Choose TWO letters A-E.
Questions 18–20 Note Completion
Complete the notes below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from Reading Passage 2 for each answer.
Three ways in which the WSPU raised money:
- the newspapers: mainly through selling 18
- merchandising activities: selling a large variety of goods produced in their 19
- additional fund-raising activities: for example, 20
Questions 21–27 Yes / No / Not Given
Do the following statements reflect the situation as described by the writer in Reading Passage 2?
YES if the statement reflects the situation as described by the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to know what the situation is from the passage
Questions 28–28 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the appropriate letter A-D.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q14 | C | By doing so, it became one of the first groups to project a corporate identity, and it is this advanced marketing strategy, along with the other organisational and commercial achievements of the WSPU, to which the exhibition is devoted | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that the group was one of the first to create a professional brand (corporate identity) and that this smart marketing and business success are the main topics of the museum's exhibition. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the museum show focuses on how the group created and used a professional and recognizable look to help their cause succeed. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is Choice C because the passage specifically says the exhibition is 'devoted' (mostly about) the movement's 'advanced marketing strategy' and 'corporate identity.' While many people think of the movement in terms of the Pankhurst family or violence, the museum wants to show a 'fresh picture' by highlighting their professional business-like image and commercial success. The use of a 'uniform, nationwide image' via a specific color scheme is what the exhibition mainly presents. |
| Q15 | D | With their slogan ‘Deeds not words’, and the introduction of the colour scheme, the WSPU soon brought the movement the cohesion and focus it had previously lacked. Membership grew rapidly as women deserted the many other, less directed, groups and joined it | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that the WSPU gave the fight for women's voting rights a sense of unity and a clear target. It points out that other groups did not have this strong direction, which is why women chose to leave those groups and join the WSPU. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the WSPU group was very organized and had a very clear goal, which made them more popular than other groups. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because the text highlights that the WSPU provided "cohesion and focus"—meaning they were organized and had a clear aim. It compares them directly to other groups that were "less directed," meaning those other groups lacked a clear plan or direction. Because the WSPU knew exactly what they wanted and how to show it, many women left the other groups to join them. |
| Q16 | — | — | |
| Q17 | D / E | graphic display boards outlining the bills of enfranchisement of 1918 and 1928, which gave the adult female populace of Britain the vote, show what was achieved | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that there are signs showing laws from 1918 and 1928. These specific laws gave the women of Britain the power to vote. Answer Explanation: The answer explains that the years 1918 and 1928 are when female citizens in Britain were officially given the legal right to vote. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the final paragraph of the text. It mentions 'bills of enfranchisement' for the years 1918 and 1928. In a political context, a 'bill' is a law, and 'enfranchisement' is the term for giving people the right to vote. The text explicitly states that these two laws gave the female people of Britain the vote. |
| Q18 | advertising space / advertising | This was partly because advertising space was bought in the paper by large department stores such as Selfridges, and jewellers such as Mappin & Webb | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage clarifies that the newspapers were profitable because well-known stores paid to have their advertisements included in the pages to reach the paper's many readers. Answer Explanation: The answer means companies paid money to the organization to place announcements or notices for their products inside the newspapers. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the section of the text that describes the WSPU's business activities. It explains that the group's newspapers were not just for news but were also a source of income. This income was generated by selling spots, or 'advertising space,' to big businesses that wanted to sell products to women. Pay attention to the word 'profit,' which shows the newspaper was making money, and the phrase 'advertising space,' which describes what was being sold. |
| Q19 | colour scheme / color scheme / purple,white,green | The creation of the colour scheme provided another money-making opportunity which the WSPU was quick to exploit. The group began to sell playing cards, board games, Christmas and greeting cards, and countless other goods, all in the purple, white and green colours | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that the organization sold many types of items and used those three specific colors for all of them. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies the specific three colors (purple, white, and green) that the group used on all the products they sold to earn money. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the section about how the group made money. They used a smart business plan by selling many different items, like games and cards. To make these items special and easily recognizable, the group made sure all of them featured their official "colour scheme" (the purple, white, and green colors). This helped the group create a strong brand and raise the money they needed for their work. |
| Q20 | the Woman's Exhibition / Woman's Exhibition | But the paper and merchandising activities alone did not provide sufficient funds for the WSPU to meet organisational costs, so numerous other fund-raising activities combined to fill the coffers of the ‘war chest’. The most notable of these was the Woman’s Exhibition, which took place in 1909 in a Knightsbridge ice-skating rink, and in 10 days raised the equivalent of £250,000 today | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that since other methods did not make enough money, the group did many other activities to get funds. It says the "Woman’s Exhibition" was the most famous example because it made a very large amount of money in a short time. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to a large event called the "Woman’s Exhibition" that was held to collect money for the group's activities. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the part of the text discussing how the group collected money (fund-raising). After talking about newspapers and selling products, the passage mentions that they needed even more money, so they did other activities. It specifically names the "Woman’s Exhibition" as the most important or famous example of these extra activities used to fill their "war chest" or savings. |
| Q21 | NO | Formed in 1903 by the political campaigner Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Christabel and Sylvia, the WSPU began an educated campaign to put women’s suffrage on the political agenda. New Zealand, Australia and parts of the United States had already enfranchised women, and growing numbers of their British counterparts wanted the same opportunity | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage shows that when the suffragette group was created in 1903, women in Australia were already allowed to vote. It uses the word 'enfranchised' to say that the government had given women the legal right to vote. Answer Explanation: The answer is NO because the statement is not true. Women in Australia were already allowed to vote by the year 1903. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NO because the passage explains that when the WSPU group was started in 1903, Australia had 'already enfranchised women'. To 'enfranchise' means to give people the legal right to vote. Because they already had this right, the statement saying they were still not allowed to vote is incorrect. |
| Q22 | YES | The newspapers produced by the WSPU, first Votes for Women and later The Suffragette, played a vital role in this communication | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that the two newspapers made by the group were extremely important for sharing their message and keeping everyone informed. Answer Explanation: The answer is YES. This means it is true that the two newspapers were the primary and most important ways for the WSPU group to share information and news with people. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is YES because the text highlights how essential the newspapers were for spreading the group's message. Since there was no radio or television at that time, these papers, called Votes for Women and The Suffragette, were used to tell members about meetings and news across the country. Phrases like "vital role" in the text show that these newspapers were the most important tools for "communication." |
| Q23 | NO | the message had spread around the country, with members and branch officers stretching to as far away as Scotland | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that the group's ideas reached many different places and they had staff located all the way in Scotland. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the statement is false because the organization's work was not limited to just London and the southern part of the country. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NO because the writer mentions that the WSPU's message and members reached all across the nation. While their main office was in London, they had people working for them as far north as Scotland. This contradicts the idea that they were only active in the south. |
| Q24 | NO | Both were sold throughout the country and proved an invaluable way of informing members of meetings, marches, fund-raising events and the latest news and views on the movement | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the newspapers were very useful for telling the members about their plans, like public walks and collecting money, and sharing information about the progress of their group. Answer Explanation: The answer is no because the newspapers published by the WSPU were not used for social talk or gossip about famous people; they were used to help the movement's political work. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NO because the text describes the WSPU newspapers as tools for communication within the movement. Instead of society news and gossip, the papers focused on informing members about meetings, marches, fund-raising events, and the latest news and views on the movement. Because the content was focused on the political fight for women's voting rights, the statement in the question is incorrect. |
| Q25 | NOT GIVEN | The most notable of these was the Woman’s Exhibition, which took place in 1909 in a Knightsbridge ice-skating rink, and in 10 days raised the equivalent of £250,000 today | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that the 1909 event was a very successful way to get money for the movement, but it says nothing about what the government thought of it. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the passage does not provide enough information to know if the government (Parliament) was against the event or not. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because while the passage mentions the Woman's Exhibition in 1909, it only talks about where it was and how much money it made. It does not mention 'Parliament' at all in relation to this event, nor does it say if politicians showed 'opposition' (meaning they were against it or tried to stop it) to the exhibition. |
| Q26 | YES | The group began to sell playing cards, board games, Christmas and greeting cards, and countless other goods, all in the purple, white and green colours Against a quiet background hum of street sounds, copies of The Suffragette, campaign banners and photographs are all on display, together with one of Mrs Pankhurst’s shoes and a number of purple, white and green trinkets |
Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the group sold things like cards and other items to raise money for their cause. It also states that the museum currently shows many of these items, like newspapers and small jewelry, to the people who visit. Answer Explanation: The answer YES means that it is true that items the women's group used to sell for money are now part of the museum's display. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is YES because the passage provides evidence that the museum displays items that were originally sold as merchandise. First, it mentions that the group (WSPU) sold various items, such as greeting cards and 'other goods' in their signature colors, to raise money. Later, it confirms that the Museum of London has 'items on show' including 'trinkets' (small ornaments) in those same colors and 'The Suffragette' newspaper, which was also a product sold to the public. This confirms the exhibition contains some of the goods the movement sold. |
| Q27 | YES | The programme begins with a short film devised by the ‘antis’ - those opposed to women having the vote -depicting a suffragette as a fierce harridan bullying her poor, abused husband | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that people who were against women getting the right to vote made a short film. In this film, they portrayed a woman from the movement as a mean person who was cruel to her husband to turn people against the suffragettes. Answer Explanation: The answer YES means the statement is true and matches the information given in the text. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is YES because the passage explicitly mentions that a group of people called the 'antis'—who were the opponents of the movement—created a short movie. This movie was used to show women in the movement in a negative way. The word 'devised' in the text means they planned and made the film, and 'antis' refers to those 'opposed' to the cause (the opponents). |
| Q28 | D | It demonstrates how advanced the suffragettes were in their thinking, in the marketing of their campaign, and in their work as shrewd and skilful image-builders. It also conveys a sense of the energy and ability the suffragettes brought to their fight for freedom and equality. And it illustrates the intelligence employed by women who were at that time deemed by several politicians to have ‘brains too small to know how to vote’ | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the exhibition shows how the suffragettes were smart and good at planning. It gives visitors a clear idea of their energy and how they fought for equality, proving that they were very intelligent people. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the writer believes the museum show provides a lot of useful information and helps people learn about the history of the movement. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is correct because the article explains that the exhibition uses old papers, films, and photographs to teach visitors about the suffragettes. The writer uses words like 'demonstrates', 'conveys', and 'illustrates' to show how the exhibition provides a clear and detailed look at how the women worked and what they achieved. This makes the show an educational or informative experience. |