ENGLISH 4 LISTENING WORK

LETTERS FROM WORKING WOMEN

FROM BBC1, GOOD MORNING WITH ANNE AND NICK, 1994

"First published in 1915, this unique book was compiled as part

of a campaign for nationally funded maternal and infant care

grants for needy women. The letters were written in response

to a request by Margaret Llewelyn Davies, General Secretary

of the women's cooperative Guild, a social, economic, and

political organization established in Britain in 1883. For the

first time, working women's voices were heard on all aspects

of childbearing as mothers themselves experienced it. The

accounts give a wrenching picture of poverty and hardship,

but, at the same time, inspiring testimony of courage and

resourcefulness."

Now, in 1915 a book was published (A1) which ……………….. (B1 cause) a

sensation. ‘Letters from Working Women’ is a moving (A2) record of the

cou……………….. (B2) and self-sacrifice (A3) involved in br……………….. (B3)

up a family in extremely poor circumstances (A4) at the t……………….. (B4) of the

century. In a moment we’ll find out if things have improved (A5) over the last 80 years.

First of ……………….. (B5), this is the way we used (A6) to live in Edwardian England.

App……………….. (B6) living (A7) conditions, b……………….. (B7) control

ignorance and high male unemployment (A8) ………………..B8 (force) women to

work well into their pregnancy (A9) and quickly after conf……………….. (B9). If she

was not working long (A10) hours in the f……………….. (B10), she was working even

longer (A11) hours at home and w……………….. (B11) often go without in order

(A12) to f……………….. (B12) her children and husband. She was too poor to obtain

(A13) medical ad……………….. (B13) during her pregnancy and had to rely (A14) on

the experience, ign……………….. (B14) of neighbours. Almost a third of pregnancies ended

in miscarriage (A15) or ignorance. Those babies that ……………….. (B15) born

alive (A16) had a one in six ch……………….. (B16)of dying (A17) before their

first birthday. Letters describing the d……………….. (B17) lives of ordinary (A18)

working cl……………….. (B18) women paved (A19) the way for better

health……………….. (B19) and survival (A20) for babies and their mothers.