CUET English: CUET Reading Comprehension”Labour Day”
Passage on Labour Day (Passage 1)
Passage 1: The Significance of Labour Day
May 1, celebrated as Labour Day worldwide, is a tribute to the resilience and struggles of workers who fought for their rights during the Industrial Revolution. It began with the 1886 Haymarket Affair in Chicago, where workers rallied for an eight-hour workday, a demand that led to violent clashes but ultimately sparked a global movement. Today, Labour Day serves as a reminder of the importance of fair wages, safe working conditions, and the right to unionize. In India, where millions still face exploitation through bonded labor and informal work, the day holds special significance. Rallies and protests on May 1 amplify workers’ voices, advocating for justice and freedom from oppressive labor practices. It is a day of solidarity, urging governments and societies to address systemic issues like poverty and lack of education that trap workers in cycles of exploitation.
10 RC-Style MCQs on Passage 1 (Labour Day)
- What is the primary purpose of Labour Day as described in the passage?
a) To celebrate the Industrial Revolution
b) To honor workers’ struggles and advocate for their rights
c) To promote bonded labor reforms
d) To commemorate the Haymarket Affair alone
Answer: b
Reasoning: The passage states that Labour Day is a “tribute to the resilience and struggles of workers” and a reminder of fair wages and rights, making b the correct choice. - What event is associated with the origin of Labour Day?
a) The Industrial Revolution
b) The 1886 Haymarket Affair
c) A global workers’ strike
d) The formation of unions in India
Answer: b
Reasoning: The passage mentions the 1886 Haymarket Affair in Chicago as the event that sparked the global movement for Labour Day. - What specific demand did workers make during the Haymarket Affair?
a) Higher wages
b) Safe working conditions
c) An eight-hour workday
d) The right to unionize
Answer: c
Reasoning: The passage explicitly states that workers rallied for an “eight-hour workday” during the Haymarket Affair. - Why does Labour Day hold special significance in India according to the passage?
a) It marks the end of bonded labor
b) Millions face exploitation through bonded labor and informal work
c) It celebrates India’s industrial growth
d) It is a national holiday for all workers
Answer: b
Reasoning: The passage highlights that in India, “millions still face exploitation through bonded labor and informal work,” making Labour Day significant. - What activities are mentioned as part of Labour Day in India?
a) Cultural festivals
b) Rallies and protests
c) Government policy announcements
d) Educational seminars
Answer: b
Reasoning: The passage states that “rallies and protests on May 1 amplify workers’ voices” in India. - What systemic issues does Labour Day urge societies to address?
a) Technological advancements
b) Poverty and lack of education
c) Industrial pollution
d) Urban migration
Answer: b
Reasoning: The passage mentions “poverty and lack of education” as systemic issues that trap workers in exploitation cycles, which Labour Day urges to address. - What does the passage imply about the role of solidarity on Labour Day?
a) It encourages workers to take holidays
b) It unites workers to demand justice and freedom
c) It promotes industrial productivity
d) It focuses on historical celebrations
Answer: b
Reasoning: The passage describes Labour Day as “a day of solidarity” that advocates for “justice and freedom,” implying unity in demanding rights. - What is the tone of the passage regarding workers’ struggles?
a) Indifferent
b) Sympathetic
c) Critical
d) Humorous
Answer: b
Reasoning: The passage honors workers’ “resilience and struggles” and highlights exploitation, reflecting a sympathetic tone. - Which of the following is NOT a focus of Labour Day as per the passage?
a) Fair wages
b) Safe working conditions
c) Technological innovation
d) The right to unionize
Answer: c
Reasoning: The passage mentions fair wages, safe conditions, and unionizing as focuses, but not technological innovation. - What broader movement did the Haymarket Affair spark, according to the passage?
a) A movement for industrial reforms
b) A global movement for workers’ rights
c) A movement against bonded labor
d) A movement for educational reforms
Answer: b
Reasoning: The passage states that the Haymarket Affair “ultimately sparked a global movement,” which aligns with Labour Day’s focus on workers’ rights.
Two Important Passages from the Editorial “India’s shame – the trap of bonded labour”
Passage 2: A Dark Corner of Exploitation
In a quiet corner of Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, Mukesh Adivasi, 35, lies on a weathered charpoy, his once-robust frame now frail, his spirit scarred by a traumatic past. In 2023, enticed by promises of work in Indore, Mukesh and his family were trafficked 1,400 kilometers to Karnataka, trapped as bonded labourers. Brutal violence on a sugarcane farm left him with a painful limp and profound exhaustion. “I blame my greed,” Mukesh mourns, recalling the ₹500 advance that hooked him, which ignited hope, crammed into trucks, they endured a gruelling journey, only to face relentless toil – between 14 hours to 16 hours work every day.
6 RC-Style MCQs on Passages 2 and 3 (3 MCQs per Passage)
Passage 2: A Dark Corner of Exploitation
- What caused Mukesh Adivasi’s physical condition as described in the passage?
a) A long journey to Karnataka
b) Brutal violence on a sugarcane farm
c) Lack of food during his work
d) His greed for money
Answer: b
Reasoning: The passage states that “brutal violence on a sugarcane farm left him with a painful limp and profound exhaustion.” - What motivated Mukesh to take the job offer in Indore?
a) A promise of high wages
b) A ₹500 advance that ignited hope
c) A desire to escape poverty
d) A need for better working conditions
Answer: b
Reasoning: The passage mentions that a “₹500 advance that hooked him, which ignited hope” motivated Mukesh. - How does Mukesh reflect on his decision to take the job?
a) He feels proud of his efforts
b) He blames his greed
c) He regrets leaving Shivpuri
d) He is hopeful for the future
Answer: b
Reasoning: Mukesh mourns, “I blame my greed,” as stated in the passage, reflecting on his decision.
Passage 3: Systemic Issues and Bonded Labour
Bonded labour emerges from a web of interconnected factors. Immediate triggers, such as medical emergencies, religious ceremonies, dowries, food shortages, or the sudden loss of a job or a breadwinner, may force an impoverished worker to seek a loan or advance from an employer or labour agent. However, deeper systemic issues amplify this vulnerability: discrimination and social exclusion based on religion, ethnicity, or caste; widespread illiteracy and a lack of access to information; employer monopolies over local financial and labour markets; and the dominance of social elites. These elements transform a simple economic transaction between the lender and borrower into a mechanism of social control and exploitation.
Passage 3: Systemic Issues and Bonded Labour
- What immediate triggers lead workers to bonded labour, according to the passage?
a) Discrimination and illiteracy
b) Employer monopolies
c) Medical emergencies and dowries
d) Social elites’ dominance
Answer: c
Reasoning: The passage lists “medical emergencies, religious ceremonies, dowries, food shortages” as immediate triggers for seeking loans. - What deeper systemic issues amplify vulnerability to bonded labour?
a) Economic growth and industrialization
b) Discrimination, illiteracy, and employer monopolies
c) Lack of technology in rural areas
d) Government policies on labor
Answer: b
Reasoning: The passage mentions “discrimination and social exclusion based on religion, ethnicity, or caste; widespread illiteracy; employer monopolies” as deeper issues. - What does the passage suggest about the nature of bonded labour transactions?
a) They are simple economic agreements
b) They lead to fair labor practices
c) They transform into mechanisms of social control
d) They benefit both lender and borrower
Answer: c
Reasoning: The passage states that these elements “transform a simple economic transaction into a mechanism of social control and exploitation.”
20 Words Related to May 1 (Labour Day)
- Workers
- Rights
- Union
- Solidarity
- Protest
- Rally
- Exploitation
- Justice
- Freedom
- Wages
- Conditions
- Strike
- Dignity
- Labor
- Movement
- Equality
- Struggle
- Oppression
- Reform
- Advocacy
2 Poems on Labour Day
Poem 1: “Voices of the Toil”
On May the first, we rise as one,
With banners high, beneath the sun,
For workers’ rights, we chant and sing,
A song of hope, a freedom’s ring.
Our hands that build, our hearts that strive,
Demand a world where all can thrive.
- What do workers do on May the first, according to the poem?
a) Rest and celebrate
b) Rise as one and chant
c) Work harder than usual
d) Build new factories
Answer: b
Reasoning: The poem states, “On May the first, we rise as one” and “we chant and sing.” - What is the symbolic imagery used in the poem to represent hope?
a) Banners high
b) A freedom’s ring
c) Hands that build
d) Hearts that strive
Answer: b
Reasoning: The poem mentions “a song of hope, a freedom’s ring” as a symbol of hope. - What do the workers demand in the poem?
a) More work opportunities
b) A world where all can thrive
c) Higher profits for factories
d) A day of rest
Answer: b
Reasoning: The poem ends with “Demand a world where all can thrive.” - What is the tone of the poem?
a) Despairing
b) Hopeful
c) Angry
d) Indifferent
Answer: b
Reasoning: Phrases like “a song of hope” and “a world where all can thrive” reflect a hopeful tone. - What role do “banners high” play in the poem?
a) They symbolize workers’ unity
b) They block the sun
c) They represent factory work
d) They signify defeat
Answer: a
Reasoning: “With banners high, beneath the sun” suggests unity and visibility during the rally. - What do “hands that build” and “hearts that strive” represent?
a) Workers’ physical and emotional efforts
b) The tools of labor
c) The factories they work in
d) Their fear of exploitation
Answer: a
Reasoning: The phrase refers to workers’ physical labor (hands) and determination (hearts).
Poem 2: “The Labourer’s Cry”
We labor hard from dawn to dusk,
In fields and factories, we bear the husk,
On Labour Day, we stand up tall,
For rights and dignity, we call.
No chains shall bind, no fear shall stay,
Our fight for justice lights the way.
- What does the poem describe as the daily routine of laborers?
a) Resting from dawn to dusk
b) Laboring hard from dawn to dusk
c) Chanting for rights all day
d) Building factories at night
Answer: b
Reasoning: The poem states, “We labor hard from dawn to dusk.” - Where do the laborers work, according to the poem?
a) In offices and schools
b) In fields and factories
c) In cities and towns
d) In mines and rivers
Answer: b
Reasoning: The poem mentions “In fields and factories, we bear the husk.” - What do the laborers demand on Labour Day?
a) More work hours
b) Rights and dignity
c) Higher profits
d) New tools
Answer: b
Reasoning: The poem states, “For rights and dignity, we call.” - What does the phrase “no chains shall bind” symbolize?
a) Freedom from exploitation
b) Physical chains in factories
c) Lack of tools for work
d) A call for new laws
Answer: a
Reasoning: “No chains shall bind” symbolizes liberation from oppressive labor practices. - What is the ultimate goal of the laborers’ fight in the poem?
a) To build more factories
b) To light the way for justice
c) To earn higher wages only
d) To stop working entirely
Answer: b
Reasoning: The poem ends with “Our fight for justice lights the way.” - What is the mood of the poem?
a) Defeated
b) Resilient
c) Joyful
d) Confused
Answer: b
Reasoning: Despite the hard labor, the poem reflects resilience through “we stand up tall” and “our fight for justice.”
