B2CEFRReading18 min

Reading: The History of Cooperatives

Worker cooperatives and member-owned business

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How to use this lesson

For the Teacher:

• Guide students through this 18-minute reading lesson by introducing the key context of member-owned businesses and historical timelines.

• Have students complete questions individually, then check answers together using the exact passage evidence provided in the explanations.

For the Learner:

• First, read paragraphs A to D carefully, paying attention to specific dates, locations, and the writer's cautious point of view.

• Next, answer the 10 IELTS-style questions below, re-checking the text evidence before finalizing each of your answers.

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Sentence Pattern Example

"The shop began in the late 1800s and grew steadily over the next fifty years."

IELTS Academic Reading

Worker Cooperatives and Member-Owned Businesses

Suggested time: 6–8 minutes for reading

AThe International Cooperative Alliance, or ICA, says that the earliest record of a cooperative comes from Fenwick, in Scotland. In March 1761, local weavers began to sell a sack of oatmeal at a discount there. The United Nations says that in 1844 a group of 28 artisans from the cotton mills in the north of England started the first modern cooperative business.

BThe ICA says that these 28 workers set up the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society in the town of Rochdale. It says that at first the shop sold only four things: flour, oatmeal, sugar and butter, and that every customer of the shop became a member. A heritage network says that the shop opened on 21 December 1844.

CThe ICA says that it was founded in London on 19 August 1895, at the first Cooperative Congress. It says that delegates came from countries such as Argentina, Australia, India and the USA. They agreed that the ICA would give information, defend the Cooperative Principles and develop international trade.

DI think these dates show that members owning a business is an old idea and not a new one, but it seems that a short history cannot say how many cooperatives lasted and how many closed. The ICA and the United Nations are organisations of cooperatives, so I would also look for outside studies before I decide how well this kind of business works.

Reading Exercises (10 Questions)

Answer all questions based strictly on the passage above.

Questions 1–2: Matching Information

Which paragraph contains the following information? Select the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.

1. Specific details regarding the initial four items offered for sale when the modern shop launched.

____ Paragraph A ____ Paragraph B ____ Paragraph C ____ Paragraph D

2. An account of international representatives convening to create a global organization.

____ Paragraph A ____ Paragraph B ____ Paragraph C ____ Paragraph D

Questions 3–5: Yes / No / Not Given

Do the following statements agree with the views/claims of the writer in the reading passage?

YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer

NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer

NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

3. The earliest documented cooperative trading activity took place in England in the eighteenth century.

____ YES ____ NO ____ NOT GIVEN

4. Cotton mill artisans who founded the Rochdale society earned higher wages than other local workers.

____ YES ____ NO ____ NOT GIVEN

5. Additional external research is required before drawing firm conclusions about the success of cooperative enterprises.

____ YES ____ NO ____ NOT GIVEN

Questions 6–7: Multiple Choice

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.

6. In Paragraph D, what key shortcoming of short historical summaries does the author highlight?

____ A. They fail to recognize the significance of the Rochdale Pioneers. ____ B. They do not clarify how many cooperative ventures survived versus how many failed. ____ C. They rely exclusively on data from outside research institutions. ____ D. They exaggerate the role of international delegates at early congresses.

7. What can be inferred from Paragraph C regarding the core objectives agreed upon by the ICA delegates in 1895?

____ A. To restrict trade solely within participating European countries. ____ B. To replace local weaving groups across Scotland and England. ____ C. To safeguard cooperative values while expanding international commerce. ____ D. To enforce mandatory membership for all retail shoppers globally.

Questions 8–10: Summary Completion

Complete the summary below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

In 1761, Scottish weavers sold oatmeal at a discount, establishing an early cooperative record. Decades later in 1844, cotton mill artisans in Rochdale launched a shop where every single purchaser automatically became a ____ ((8)...) . Initially, the Rochdale store offered just four staple products: flour, oatmeal, sugar, and ____ ((9)...) . Much later in 1895, delegates gathered in London to form the ICA, which committed to defending principles and developing international ____ ((10)...) .

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