Excerpt from
"Art in Needlework"
Embroidery begins with the needle, and the needle (thorn, fish-bone,
or whatever it may have been) came into use as soon as savages started sewing
skins together to keep themselves warm—modesty, we may take it, was an
afterthought. If the stitches made any
sort of pattern, that was embroidery.
The term is often vaguely used to denote all kinds of
ornamental needlework, and some with which the needle has nothing to do. That
is misleading. There is tapestry,
which may be described as a kind of embroidery with the shuttle; and there is lace,
which is needlework pure and simple.
The term "embroidery" is used in common language
to express any kind of superficial or excessive ornamentation. A poet is said
to embroider the truth. This hints at
the real nature of the work—embellishment, enrichment, added.
If added, there must first of all be something it is added to. In this case, it's the material on which the
needlework is done. In tapestry weaving, the pattern is made by threading the
fabric. In lace, it is formed from the
threads. In embroidery, it is made by
working with the thread on a piece of fabric that has already been created.
There is the difference, but there is clearly a certain
amount of overlap in the crafts...
Reading
Comprehension Questions
1) What was the author’s purpose in writing the above
passage?
a.
to encourage readers to embroider
b.
to give a detailed history of needlework
c.
to explain the different types of embroidery
d.
to advertise lace and tapestry tools
2) Which of the following describes the author’s tone in
the above passage?
a.
persuasive
b.
nostalgic
c.
informative
d.
argumentative
3) Based on the passage above, the term “embroidery” is usually
used to describe which type of stitches?
a.
those made on a sewing machine
b.
those that form a pattern
c.
those formed from threads
d.
those that show no decoration
4) At the start of the 2nd paragraph in the above
passage, what is the meaning for the word “vaguely”?
a.
clearly
b.
loosely
c.
angrily
d.
precisely
5) According to the 3rd paragraph of the above
passage, the words “embroidery” and “embellishment” are often used as which of
the following in modern language?
a.
antonyms
b.
synonyms
c.
homonyms
d.
opposites
6) When using a library database, the above passage would most
likely be found by which “key word search”?
a. “tapestry weaving
techniques”
b. “history of lace making”
c. “ornamental needlework”
d. “definition of embellishment”
Answer Key
1)
What was the
author’s purpose in writing the above passage?
a.
to encourage readers to embroider
b.
to give a detailed history of needlework
c.
to explain the
different types of embroidery
d.
to advertise lace and tapestry tools
2)
Which of the
following describes the author’s tone in the above passage?
a.
persuasive
b.
nostalgic
c.
informative
d.
argumentative
3)
Based on the
passage above, the term “embroidery” is usually used to describe which type of stitches?
a.
those made on a sewing machine
b.
those that form a
pattern
c.
those formed from threads
d.
those that show no decoration
4)
At the start
of the 2nd paragraph in the above passage, what is the meaning for
the word “vaguely”?
a.
clearly
b.
loosely
c.
angrily
d.
precisely
5)
According to
the 3rd paragraph of the above passage, the words “embroider” and “embellish”
can be used as which of the following in modern language?
a.
antonyms
b.
synonyms
c.
homonyms
d.
opposites
6)
When using a
library database, the above passage would most likely be found by which “key
word search”?
a.
“tapestry weaving techniques”
b.
“history of lace making”
c.
“ornamental
needlework”
d.
“definition of embellishment”