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May Day or International Workers Day is observed on May 1 all over the world today to commemorate the historical struggle and sacrifices of the working people to establish an eight-hour workday. It is a public holiday in almost all the countries of the world. Since the Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe and the US, the workers in mills and factories had been working a long shift, fourteen or even more hours a day. On May 1st in 1886, inspired by the trade unions, half of the workers at the McCormic Harvester Company in Chicago went on strike demanding an eight-hour workday. Two days later, a workers’ rally was held near the McCormic Hervester Company and about 6000 workers had joined it. The rally was addressed by the labour leaders. They urged the workers to stand together, to go on with their struggle and not to give in to their bosses. Just at this moment some strikebreakers started leaving the meeting place. The strikers went down the street to bring them back. Suddenly about 200 policemen attacked them with clubs and revolvers. One striker was killed instantly, five or six others were seriously wounded and many of them were badly injured. The events of May 1, 1886 is a reminder that workers will continue to be exploited until they stand up and speak out to gain better working conditions, better pay and better lives.1. Choose the correct answer from the following alternatives. (a) May Day is observed all over the world to ---(i)inspire workers to work sincerely (ii) ensure better future of the workers (iii) to enhance workers' pay (iv) commemorate the site of the workers at Chicago (b) The workers in mills and factories used to work for about (i) Fourteen hours or more (ii) teen hours or more (iii) sixteen hours or more (iv) thirteen hours or more (c) The workers in 1886 went on strike demanding --- workday.(i) an eight and half an hour (ii) an eight-hour (iii) marine-hour (iv) a ten hour (d) The phrase 'public holiday means (i)workers holiday (ii)holiday of the public (iii) public day (iv) govt. holiday (e) The labour leaders urged the workers to(i) continue their struggle (ii) stand together and continue their struggle (iii) to have more patience before going on strike (iv) to negotiate with the authority of the company (f) What is the purpose of the author of this passage?(i) to portray the brutality and atrocity of the owners of mills and factories (ii) to state the short history of May Day and the significance of it (iii)to highlight the violent roles of about 200 policemen(iv) to heighten the kind and sympathetic roles of some of strikebreakers (g)The workers were inspired by --- to go on strike.(i) the women unions (ii) on the trade unions (iii)in the worker unions (iv) the striker unions (h) May Day now serves as a reminder for the workers to (i)remain united in materializing their demand (ii) hope for a better life (iii)work more attentively (iv) to go on strike (i)The working people struggled(i) as a protest against long working hours (ii) to uplift their working environment (iii) for a break during working hours (iv) to form trade union (j)May Day is observed to honour the --- of the working people. (i)the historical fight and sacrifice (ii) the historical peace and sacrifices (iii) the historical struggle and sacrifices (iv) the historical struggle and fight (k) The labour leaders also urged the workers not to(i)go back home till demands were met (ii)report to their working places (iii) surrender to their bosses (iv) light the authority (l) What did some strikebreaker do? (i) started pelting stones to the leaders (ii) started leaving the meeting place (iii) started chanting slogan (iv) started merry-making (m) Which one of the following is not true?(i) workers in mills and factories had to work for a long shift (ii)working hours lasted for fourteen or even more hours(iii)The workers of Europe went on strike (iv) Working class demanded an eight-hour workday. (n) Which of the following best describes the workers before May 1st? (i)benefited (ii) privileged (iii) solvent (iv) deprived (o) Which of the following statement is true about the workers of McCormic Harvesting Machine Company?(i)They were modest. (ii) They raised their voice against deprivation (iii) They withstood everything (iv) They were careless of everything. (p) Death and Injury were common at many work places. What does the expression mean?(i)The work places were wholesome. (ii) The work places were in good condition (iii)The work places were hazardous. (iv) The work places were danger free.(q) What is the main theme of the passage? (i) exploitation of the workers (ii) deprivation (iii) struggle and sacrifice of the workers (iv) all these (r) May day signifies -(i) the rights of working class people (ii) the assurance of a day's holiday (iii) the inspiration of hardworking people (iv) none of them (s)Where is May Day observed today? (i) in Chicago (ii) in USA (iii) in Europe (iv) all over the world (t) Who struggled and sacrificed?(i) people of USA (ii) people of Europe (iii) working people (iv) people of Chicago (u)What does the expression, "Industrial Revolution" mean? (i) demands of the labourers (ii) rights of the labourers (iii) revolution of the owners of the industries (iv) expansion of mills and factories (v)The labour leaders inspired the workers not to --- to their bosses. (i) give something (ii) hit their bosses (iii) start protesting (iv) surrender (w)If the workers do not stand united in realizing their demand, they may still be --- (i) oppressed (ii) benefited. (iii) venerated (iv) appreciated (x)It was a struggle organized by the workers to settle for --- (i) eight-hour workday (ii) round the clock workday (iii) freedom to work (iv) minimum service (y) What does the expression "to commemorate the historical struggle and sacrifices of the working people" in the line 2 mean? (i) to publish the effort of the working class (ii) to despise the effort of the working class (iii) to remember and honour the effort of the working class (iv) to dramatise the effort of the working class (z) Which of the following best describes the similarity between 18th and 19th centuries in Europe? (i) Industrial revolution (ii) French revolution (iii) Romantic period (iv) Industrialization (z1) Suddenly about --- policemen attacked the strikers with clubs and revolvers. (i) 100 (ii) 200 (iii) 300 (iv) 400 (z2) The events of May 1, 1886 is a --- for the workers. (i) recognition (ii) destruction (iii) trouble (iv) warning (z3) Half of the workers at the McCormic Harvesting Machine Company in --- went on strike demanding an eight-hour workday. (i) London (ii) Chicago (iii) New York (iv) Canada (z4) About --- workers joined the workers' rally. (i) 50,000 (ii) 5,000 (iii) 10,000 (iv) 6,000 (z5) --- striker was killed instantly. (i) 100 (ii) 5 (iii) 10 (iv) 1 (z6) What did the speaker urge the workers? (i)not to give in to the bosses (ii) to give into the bosses (iii)to give up their struggle (iv) to go to working as per the previous school (z7) The word "historical' used in the 2nd line means (i) famous in the history (ii) having a history behind to (iii)historic (iv) a tragedy in history (z8) ‘Not to give in' used in the 5th line of the 3rd para means – (i) not to give anything (ii)not to surrender (iii)not to talk to (iv) not to settle (z9) Which of the following statement is true about May 1, 1886?(i) It inspires the workers to stand other (ii)it inspires the workers to work more(iii)It inspires the workers to work hard (iv) It inspires the workers to work long hours (z10) The movement of May Day was for --- of people. (i)elite class (ii) working class (iii) aristocratic class (iv) dissolvable class (z11) The phrase 'stand together’ means (i)to be helpful (ii) to be united (iii)to help each other (iv) to raise hands together (z12) The word revolution in the passage means – (i) edition (ii) annihilation (iii) extermination (iv) rebellion (z13) Which of the following has the closest meaning of the word 'commemorate"? (i) forget (ii) dishonor (iii) respect (iv) disrespect (z14) What is the synonym of 'Inspire'? (i) fight (ii) struggle (iii) motivate (iv) strike (z15) The objective of May Day was to establish --- workday. (i) a six-hour (ii)an eight-hour (iii)an eighteen-hour (iv) a seven-hour (z16) May Day is observed – (i) in Europe (ii) in the US (iii) in Europe & the US (iv) across the globe (z17) A striker was killed on the --- May in 1886.(i) 3rd (ii)2nd (iii)1st (iv) 4th (8) Where did Industrial Revolution take place?(i) in Europe (ii) in the USA (iii)in Europe and the USA (iv) all over the world(z19) May Day is observed on(i)May 1 (ii) May 2 (iii) May 3 (iv) June 1(z20) It is a holiday in almost all the countries of the world. (i) individual (ii) secular (iii) public (iv) special (z21) The policemen attacked the strikers on – (i) May 1st (ii) May 2nd (iii) May 3rd (iv) May 4th (z22) Clubs and revolvers were used upon – (i) trade union leaders (ii) policemen (iii) strikers (iv) strikebreakers (z23) The workers demand was to --- work time. (i) sustain (ii) assign (iii) reduce (iv) upgrade (z24) To stop exploitation, workers should not (i) express their opinion in public (ii) rule out any unfair condition by their bosses (iii) speak meekly (iv) think of their privilege (z25) McCormick Harvesting Machine Company was situated in – (i) Europe (ii) America (iii) Canada (iv) the UK (z26) Why is May 1st observed?(i) to remember the people who worked long hours (ii) to honour the historic struggle of working people (iii) to remind the workers that they have to work hard(iv) to gain better working conditions, better pay and better lives (z27) Which of the following has the closest meaning of the word 'exploit'?(i) to treat somebody fairly for benefit (ii) to treat somebody unfairly for benefit (iii) to take due opportunity (iv) to stand together (z28) What do you understand by trade union? (i) an organization of traders (ii) an association of workers (iii) an organization of workers (iv) an organization of factory owners. (z29) "The workers in mills and factories had been working a long shift". What period of time do the long shifts refer to? (i) eight-hour a day (ii) fourteen or more hours a day (iii) ten hours a day (iv) six hours a day (z30) The word 'struggle' means (i) invade (ii) hurt (iii) fight (iv) strike (z31) The events of May Day is a --- for the workers. (i) recognition (ii) distraction (iii) trouble (iv) warning (z32) There occurred a great --- in the industrial sector in the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe and the US.(i) revolt (ii) damage (iii) develop (iv) change (z33) Workers were on strike in (i) New York (ii) Chicago (iii) Florida (iv) Washington (z34) The word 'commemorate' stands for – (i) a unity among people (ii) loyality towards authority (iii) the struggle for movement (iv) honour the memory of an event (z35) May the 1st, 1886 is a --- day in the history of working class people. (i) negligible (ii) working (iii) remarkable (iv) joyous(236) The day reminds the historic --- of working people. (i) war (ii) struggle (iii) fight (iv) clash2. Answer the following auestions.(a) Why is May 1st called International Workers Day? (b) What are the advantages workers enjoy today as a result of their sacrifice? (c) What would happen if there was no "May Day' in the history of the world? (d) What do the events of May Day remind us? (e) Do you support the idea that May Day is an inspiration for the workers across the world? Give reasons for your answer. (f) What did the workers want by struggling against the authority? (g) Why is May Day observed all over the world? (h) What were the causes that led to the struggle?(i)What does May Day commemorate? (j) What is Industrial Revolution? Where and when did Industrial Revolution take place?(k)Why is the events of May 1, 1886 a reminder for the workers? (l) What have the workers learnt from the events of May 1, 1886? (m) Do you support the idea that the events of May 1, 1886 will act as a reminder to the workers of their exploitation? Explain (n) What happened on 1st May 1886? What did the workers want? (o) Who addressed the rally? What did some strikebreakers do? (p) What is the consequence of May Day?(q)What is the lesson of May Day for the workers? (r) How long did the workers have to work a day before the May 1st strike? (s) Why did the workers in Chicago go on a strike?(t)What inspired the workers? (u) Why do we observe May Day in every year?(v)How the workers are exploited? (w) Which demand did the workers struggle for? (x) What do the workers learn from the events of May 1, 1886? Do you agree with them? (y) What inspired the workers to go on strike for eight-hours workday? (z) Why did the workers sacrifice their lives? ................
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