Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Sweatshop
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This is a single-word substitution question focusing on social and economic vocabulary. The phrase describes an exploitative workplace where labourers are forced to work long hours for very low pay in unsafe or unpleasant conditions. In discussions about labour rights, industrialisation and globalisation, there is a widely used term in English that captures this entire idea in one word. Your task is to identify that word among the options.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The term "sweatshop" is commonly used to describe factories or workshops, especially in industries like garments or electronics, where workers are exploited: they are paid very low wages, expected to work extremely long hours, and exposed to unsafe or unhealthy conditions. None of the other options have this specific meaning. "Impalpable" means something that cannot be touched or easily understood. "Outset" means the beginning of something. "Bloomy" is not a standard word in this context. "Workshop" simply refers to a place where work is done, without implying exploitation. Therefore, "sweatshop" is the correct single-word substitute.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the key ideas in the phrase: factory setting, low wages, long working hours and poor working conditions.Step 2: Recall commonly used terms in social and economic discussions. "Sweatshop" is a widely known word that combines "sweat" (suggesting hard labour) with "shop" (a place of work) and is used specifically for exploitative factories.Step 3: Examine option D, "Sweatshop". It exactly corresponds to the described concept of an exploitative factory.Step 4: Examine option A, "Impalpable". This means intangible or difficult to grasp, and is unrelated to workplaces.Step 5: Examine option B, "Outset", meaning the beginning or start of an event, which again has nothing to do with workers or factories.Step 6: Examine option C, "Bloomy", which is not a standard term in this sense, and option E, "Workshop", which can be any place of work or even a training session, without the negative connotations of exploitation. Thus, "Sweatshop" is the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
Consider example sentences: "Many international clothing brands have been criticised for using sweatshops in developing countries", "Labour activists are campaigning to shut down sweatshops where children work long hours." In these sentences, "sweatshop" clearly carries the meaning described in the question. If we replaced "sweatshop" with "workshop", the negative sense would largely disappear. Reference dictionaries define "sweatshop" as a place where workers are employed for long hours at low wages and under poor conditions, which matches the given phrase almost word for word.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Common Pitfalls:
Some learners may be attracted to "workshop" because it sounds similar to "sweatshop" and also refers to a place of work. However, the key in single-word substitution is to cover the entire meaning of the phrase, not just one aspect such as "factory". Without the implication of low wages and poor conditions, "workshop" is incomplete. When answering such questions, always check whether the option matches each important part of the description, not just the main noun.
Final Answer:
The correct single-word substitute is Sweatshop.
Discussion & Comments