Page 42 - psychometric_july_2019

2019 ‫מועד קיץ‬ - 41 - ‫ פרק ראשון‬- ‫אנגלית‬

Text II (Questions 18-22)

(1) The Aunt Jemima product line, which includes pancake mix, frozen pancakes and
waffles, and syrup, is one of the oldest and most successful business ventures in the
United States. After more than a hundred years, Aunt Jemima remains one of the
country's most recognizable commercial images. The problem with this trademark,

(5) however, is that it is based on a shameful chapter in American history.

The roots of the trademark lie in "Old Aunt Jemima", a song once sung by black
slaves in the American South. "Jemima" was a name often given to female slaves by
white slave owners, and "Aunt" was a title used for older slaves. The picture on the
products' packaging showed a black woman wearing an apron and headscarf typical of

(10) those worn by household slaves. In advertisements, Aunt Jemima spoke in a way
associated with Southern black slaves. The product name and image played on the
stereotype of black female slaves as excellent cooks.

Not surprisingly, a product so strongly identified with slavery aroused some
controversy even though it sold well. In the 1950s and 1960s, as the civil rights

(15) movement gained momentum, the Quaker Oats Company, which owned the product
line, drew increasing criticism. As a result, in 1968, Aunt Jemima was given a
makeover, eliminating the visual associations with slavery: her headscarf was replaced
with a more modern hairband and her apron with a white blouse. In 1989, Aunt
Jemima's appearance was altered further, and she was given pearl earrings and styled

(20) hair. Nonetheless, all these external changes missed the point: the Aunt Jemima
trademark was intrinsically connected with slavery.

Quaker Oats has resisted all demands that it remove the name and image from the
product line. It claims that doing so would cost vast sums of money and involve
establishing a new product identity in the marketplace. The fact remains, however, that

(25) the company is perpetuating a symbol of historic wrongs.

Questions

18. The main purpose of this text is to discuss -

(1) a successful product line
(2) a controversial trademark
(3) a debate about civil rights
(4) a period in American history

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