Lacemaking in Brazil Quiz

Which central idea develops over the course of the text?

• The lacemaker’s wrinkled hands are surprisingly agile. This seventy-something lady in Prainha, on the northeastern coast of Brazil, rapidly maneuvers two dozen wooden bobbins, which make a pleasant clicking sound as she works.

• Early colonists made lace to pass the time and supplement their families’ income, making doilies, collars, and tablecloths out of white and colored linen threads.

• Several factors can influence the price of a lace piece, including the type of thread used (cotton, silk, or other materials), the intricacy of the design, and the size, which is a measure of the time it takes to complete it.

• Whether watching lacemakers at work in the market, at a lace center, or in the shade of their own doorways, it’s a pleasure to witness the production of such delicate finery, inch by inch.

What is the meaning of the word frenetic in paragraph 1?

• relaxed

• active

• fragile

• clumsy

How is paragraph 1 significant to the author’s claims?

• It sets the tone for the rest of the text by explaining the origins of lacemaking.

• It emphasizes the lacemaker’s ability to create a wonderful product to sell to people.

• It describes the beauty of the art designs used in lacemaking.

• It expresses the level of difficulty involved in lacemaking.

What is the meaning of laborious based on the sentences below from paragraphs 1 and 2? “Incongruously, her frenetic movements produce a minuscule lace fragment. In fact, a full day’s work yields just a few inches of delicate finery. “The extraordinarily laborious craft of bobbin lace (renda di bilros in Portuguese) came to Brazil along with Portuguese colonists who claimed its beautiful northeastern coastline as their own in the seventeenth century.”

• easily performed

• extremely dull

• excessively difficult

• quickly finished

How was the art of lacemaking in the New World viewed differently than it was viewed in Europe in the seventeenth century?

• Lacemaking was viewed as an everyday task in the New World; in Europe, lace was seen as a luxurious fashion accessory.

• Lacemaking was seen as a luxury that pioneers could not afford in the New World; in Europe, lace was found on common accessories.

• Lacemaking was seen as strictly women’s work in the New World; in Europe, it was seen as a proper way to make a living for both men and women.

• Lacemaking was seen as an art form for only the upper class in the New World; in Europe, all classes of people wore and produced lace.

How does the author advance her purpose in the sentences below from paragraph 5? “If you want to see lacemakers in action, take a day trip to the seaside towns of Iguape or Prainha, both of which boast lacemaking centers where you can watch women and girls making lace. Ask the lacemakers to indicate which patterns are most traditional, as each town is known for its own patterns.”

• She encourages everyone to visit Iguape and Prainha to see the authentic lacemakers.

• She makes convincing statements about the higher cost of lacemaking in Iguape and Prainha.

• She provides information about the historical role Iguape and Prainha played in creating the art of lacemaking.

• She shares her feelings about the lacemaking practices in Iguape and Prainha that take advantage of women and girls.

How does the art of making lace represent Brazilian cultural heritage?

• Portuguese colonists were developing the lacemaking market in Brazil during the seventeenth century.

• Lacemaking is directly related to the daily tasks performed in the seaside colonies of Brazil.

• Lace is considered a luxurious fashion accessory in Brazil.

• Lace has a religious significance to the people of Brazil.

Which statement from the text supports the author’s claim that making lace is laborious?

• Lace can be produced either with a needle and thread (needle lace) or by interweaving threads wound on bobbins.

• As many as 50 bobbins, each holding an individual thread, might be used to work a single pattern.

• Ask the lacemakers to indicate which patterns are most traditional, as each town is known for its own patterns.

• You can pick up small items like napkins for around seven to 15 Brazilian reals (just a few dollars).

How does the author order events to develop her points?

• She details the various aspects of the lacemaking process.

• She compares and contrasts the different methods of lacemaking.

• She discusses the historical causes of lacemaking and its great impact.

• She states an opinion about lacemaking in Brazil without evidence to support it.