Question 19 and 20 are based on the following reading passage.

According to the functionalists, the family performs important tasks, which contribute to society’s basic needs and helps perpetuate social order. The functionalist perspective argues that modern industrial societies function best if women look after the family and men earn the family livelihood. In India studies, however, suggest that families need not become nuclear in an industrial pattern of the economy. This is but one example to show how trends based on experiences of one society cannot necessarily be generalized. The nuclear family is seen as the unit best equipped to handle the demands of industrial society by the functionalists. In such a family one adult can work outside of the home while the second adult cares for the home and children.

In practical terms, this specialization of roles within the nuclear family involves the husband adopting the ‘instrumental’ role as breadwinner, and the wife assuming the ‘affective’, emotional role in domestic settings (Giddens 2001). This vision is questionable not just because it is gender unjust but because empirical studies across cultures and history show that it is untrue. Indeed, as you will see in the discussion on work and economy how in contemporary industries like the garment export, women form a large part of the labour force. Such separation also suggests that men are necessarily the heads of households. This is not necessarily true.

According to the given passage, what can be inferred about the role of women in modern industrial societies?

(A) Women can only perform an emotional role in the domestic setting.
(B) Women are considered as the head of the family according to functionalists.
(C) Trends based on experiences of one society can be generalized as women can only look after the family and can not earn.
(D) functionalists are always wrong about the place of women in society.
(E) Women can work both as breadwinner and can also play an emotional role in the domestic setting.


Answer: (E)

Explanation: Above passage that women can also act as the large part of labour force and look after the family.
So option (E) is the most appropriate.


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