A The Examination System

Entry to the elite ruling class (about 1.1 million till 1850) has been largely
through an examination. This required writing an eight legged essay in classical
Chinese in a prescribed form. The examination was held twice in three years at
different levels and of those allowed to sit only 1-2 per cent passed the first
level, usually by age 24, to become what was called “beautiful talent’. At any
given time before 1850 there was about 526,869 civil and 212,330 official
positions, many lower level degree holders did not have jobs. The examination
acted as a barrier to the development of science and technology as it demanded
literary skills. In 1905 it was abolished as it was based on skills of classical
Chinese learning that had it was felt , no relevance in the modern world.
1 What was the method by which one could get an entry into the ‘elite ruling 2
classes?
Entry into the ruling class could be possible by passing an examination which
consisted of –
An eight legged essay in classical Chinese of a prescribed form.

2 What was the frequency of the examination and how much was its success rate? 2
The examination was held twice a year at different levels only 1-2 per cent
passed ay the first level.
3 How many such degree holders could be found in the whole country before 2
1850?
Before 1850 there were 526,869 civil and 212,330 official positions, and many
lower level degree holders did not have the job.

4 When was this examination abolished? Why? 2

In 1905 it was abolished as it was based on skills of classical Chinese learning
that had it was felt , no relevance in the modern world

15 B ....From a talk by Lee Brown 1986

‘It was indicated on the stone tablets that the Hopis had that the first brothers
and sisters that would come back to them would come as turtles across the
land .They would be human beings but they would come as turtles. So when the
time came close the Hopis were at a special village to welcome the turtles that
would come across the land and they got up in the morning and looked out at
the sunrise. The looked out across the desert and they saw the Spanish
Conquistadores, covered with armour, looking like turtles across the land. So this
was them .So they went out to the Spanish man and they extended their hand
hoping for a handshake but into the hand the Spanish man dropped a trinket.
And so word spread throughout North America that there was going to be a
hard time, and maybe some of the brothers and sisters have forgotten the
sacredness of all things and all the human beings are going to suffer for this on
earth.
1 Why did the Hopis go to a special village? 2
The Hopis thought that the first brothers and sisters that would come back to
them would come as turtles across the land .They would be human beings but
 they would come as turtles. So when the time came close the Hopis were at a
special village to welcome the turtles.

2 What did the stone tablet indicate? 2

It was indicated on the stone tablets that the Hopis had that the first brothers
and sisters that would come back to them would come as turtles across the land
3 Why did the Spanish Conquistadores look like turtles? 2
The Spanish Conquistadores were covered with armour and thus they like turtles
across the land.

4 Differentiate between the ideology of the settlers and the natives. 2

The natives

16 C Dickens view on the Industrial Revolution

In his novel Hard times, Charles Dickens, the most severe contemporary critic of
the horrors of industrialization for the poor, wrote a fictional account of an
industrial town which he aptly called Cokestown.
‘It was a town of red brick, or bricks that would have been red if smoke and ash
would have allowed it; but as matters stood it was a town of unnatural red and
black like the painted face of a savage. It was a town of machinery and tall
chimneys out of which interminable serpents of smoke trailed themselves for
ever and ever and never uncoiled. It had a black canal in it and a river that ran
purple with ill smelling dye, and vast piles of buildings full of windows where
there was rattling and trembling all day long, and where the pistons of the steam
engine worked monotonously up and down like the head of an elephant in a
stare of a melancholy madness.
1 Mention any four characteristics of industrial cities of this age. 4
2 A popularly used technology has been mentioned in this passage .What was it 2
3 List any two problems faced by the industrial workers.