Comprehension

Read the given passage carefully and answer the five questions that follow.
Cottage industry is the smallest manufacturing unit. The artisans use local raw materials and simple tools to produce everyday goods in their homes with the help of their family members or part-time labour. Finished products may be for consumption in the same household or for sale in local (village) markets. Capital and transportation do not wield much influence as this type of manufacturing has low commercial significance and most of the tools are devised locally. Some common everyday products produced in this sector of manufacturing include foodstuff, fabrics, mats, containers, tools, furniture, shoes and figurines of wood from the forest, shoes, thongs and other articles from leather, pottery and bricks from clays and stones. Goldsmiths make jewellery of gold, silver and bronze. Some artefacts and crafts are made out of bamboo and wood obtained locally from the forests.
Small scale manufacturing is distinguished from household industries by its production techniques and place of manufacture (a workshop outside the home/cottage of the producer). This type of manufacturing uses local raw materials, simple power-driven machines and semi skilled labour. It provides employment and raises local purchasing power. Therefore, countries like India, China, Indonesia and Brazil, etc. have developed labour intensive small-scale manufacturing in order to provide employment to their population.
Large scale manufacturing involves a large market, various raw materials, enormous energy, specialised workers, advanced technology, assembly line mass production and large capital. This kind of manufacturing developed in the last 200 years, in the United Kingdom, North eastern USA and Europe. Now it has diffused almost all over the world.

Question: 1

The small-scale manufacturing and the cottage manufacturing are distinguished on the basis of _______.
Fill in the blank with the correct option.

Updated On: Mar 26, 2025
  • Raw materials
  • Quantity of production
  • Production techniques
  • Scale of profits
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The Correct Option is C

Approach Solution - 1

Small-scale and cottage industries are mainly distinguished by their production techniques, with cottage industries using more traditional methods.
The correct option is (C): Production techniques
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Approach Solution -2

The passage clearly distinguishes small-scale manufacturing from cottage manufacturing based on their production techniques. Cottage industries typically use simple tools and local raw materials, with the manufacturing happening in the home, often with the help of family members or part-time labor. In contrast, small-scale manufacturing, while also using local raw materials, involves the use of simple power-driven machines and is usually done in a workshop outside the home.

Thus, the distinction is made primarily on the production techniques.

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Question: 2

Which one of the following is not a feature of small-scale manufacturing?

Updated On: Mar 26, 2025
  • It engages semi-skilled labour force.
  • It provides employment and raises local purchasing power.
  • The artisans produce goods in their homes with the help of their family members or part-time labour.
  • It is labour-intensive manufacturing.
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The Correct Option is C

Approach Solution - 1

Small-scale manufacturing is distinct from cottage industries, which involve artisans producing goods in their homes with family or part-time labor. Small-scale manufacturing typically takes place in workshops outside the home and uses semi-skilled labor and power-driven machines.

The other options are features of small-scale manufacturing:

  • (A) It engages semi-skilled labor force: Small-scale manufacturing does indeed rely on semi-skilled labor.
  • (B) It provides employment and raises local purchasing power: Small-scale manufacturing contributes to employment generation and local economic growth.
  • (D) It is labor-intensive manufacturing: Small-scale manufacturing is typically labor-intensive, relying on a significant workforce.

Therefore, (C) is not a feature of small-scale manufacturing, but rather a characteristic of cottage industries.

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Approach Solution -2

Small-scale manufacturing typically involves workshops or factories, unlike cottage industries, which involve home-based production.
The correct option is (C): The artisans produce goods in their homes with the help of their family members or part-time labour.
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Question: 3

From the following, identify the feature of the cottage industry:

Updated On: Mar 26, 2025
  • Use of advanced technology
  • Specialized workers
  • Finished products may be for consumption in the same household
  • Mass production
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The Correct Option is C

Approach Solution - 1

The cottage industry is characterized by small-scale, home-based production using simple tools and local raw materials. One key feature of cottage industries is that the finished products may be for consumption in the same household, meaning that goods produced might be used locally, either within the household or the immediate community.

The other options are not features of cottage industries:

  • (A) Use of advanced technology: Cottage industries typically do not use advanced technology; they rely on simple tools and techniques.
  • (B) Specialized workers: Cottage industries generally involve family labor or part-time workers, not specialized workers.
  • (D) Mass production: Cottage industries focus on small-scale, often handmade production, not mass production.

Thus, (C) Finished products may be for consumption in the same household is the correct feature of cottage industries.

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Approach Solution -2

Cottage industries often produce goods for local consumption, including within the household itself.
The correct option is (C): Finished products may be for consumption in the same household
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Question: 4

Fill in the blank with the correct option.
Large-scale manufacturing is not ______ .

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Large-scale manufacturing is generally not labor intensive, as it relies more on capital, technology, and energy.
The correct option is (D): Labor intensive
Updated On: Mar 26, 2025
  • Capital intensive
  • Energy intensive
  • Technology intensive
  • Labor intensive
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Large-scale manufacturing is typically capital intensive, energy intensive, and technology intensive, meaning it requires significant investment in machinery, energy, and advanced technology to operate efficiently. However, it is not labour intensive, as it often relies on automation and specialized machinery to reduce the need for a large labor force.

Therefore, labour intensive is not a characteristic of large-scale manufacturing, making (D) labour intensive the correct answer.

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Question: 5

Which of the following is not a product of cottage industry?

Updated On: Mar 26, 2025
  • Mat
  • Shoes
  • Car
  • Basket
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The Correct Option is C

Approach Solution - 1

A cottage industry typically produces small, handmade goods using simple tools and local raw materials, often within the home or small workshops. Examples include products like mats, shoes, and baskets, which are typically produced in such settings.

A car, however, is a mass-produced item requiring advanced technology, machinery, and a large-scale manufacturing setup, which is not a feature of cottage industry production.

Therefore, the correct answer is (C) Car, as it is not a product of cottage industry

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Approach Solution -2

Cottage industries typically produce small goods like mats, shoes, and baskets, but not large manufactured goods like cars.
The correct option is (C): Car
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