A fold culture is small, isolated, cohesive, conservative, nearly self-sufficient
group that is homogeneous in custom and race, with a strong family or clan structure
and highly developed rituals. Order is maintained through sanctions based in the
religion or family, and interpersonal relationships are strong. Tradition is paramount,
and change comes infrequently and slowly. There is relatively little division of labor
into specialized duties. Rather, each person is expected to perform a great variety of
tasks, though duties may differ between the sexes. Most goods are handmade, and a
subsistence economy prevails. Individualism is weakly developed in folk cultures, as
are social classes. Unaltered folk cultures no longer exist in industrialized countries
such as the United States and Canada. Perhaps the nearest modern equivalent in Anglo-
-America is the Amish, a German American farming sect that largely renounces the
products and labor saving devices of the industrial age. In Amish areas, horse-drawn
buggies till serve as a local transportation device, and the faithful are not permitted to
own automobiles. The Amish's central religious concept of Demut, "humility", clearly
reflects the weakness of individualism and social class so typical of folk cultures, and
there is a corresponding strength of Amish group identity. Rarely do the Amish marry
outside their sect. The religion, a variety of the Mennonite faith, provides the principal
mechanism for maintaining order.
By contrast, a popular culture is a large heterogeneous group, often highly
individualistic and constantly changing. Relationships tend to be impersonal, and a
pronounced division of labor exists, leading to the establishment of many specialized
professions. Secular institutions, of control such as the police and army take the place of
religion and family in maintaining order, and a money-based economy prevails.
Because of these contrasts, "popular" may be viewed as clearly different from "folk".
The popular is replacing the folk in industrialized countries and in many developing
nations, Folk-made objects give way to their popular equivalent, usually because the
popular item is more quickly or cheaply produced, is easier or time saving to use, or
lends more prestige to the owner.
22. What does the author imply about the United States and Canada?
(A) They value folk cultures.
(B) They have no social classes.
(C) They have popular cultures.
(D) They do not value individualism.
group that is homogeneous in custom and race, with a strong family or clan structure
and highly developed rituals. Order is maintained through sanctions based in the
religion or family, and interpersonal relationships are strong. Tradition is paramount,
and change comes infrequently and slowly. There is relatively little division of labor
into specialized duties. Rather, each person is expected to perform a great variety of
tasks, though duties may differ between the sexes. Most goods are handmade, and a
subsistence economy prevails. Individualism is weakly developed in folk cultures, as
are social classes. Unaltered folk cultures no longer exist in industrialized countries
such as the United States and Canada. Perhaps the nearest modern equivalent in Anglo-
-America is the Amish, a German American farming sect that largely renounces the
products and labor saving devices of the industrial age. In Amish areas, horse-drawn
buggies till serve as a local transportation device, and the faithful are not permitted to
own automobiles. The Amish's central religious concept of Demut, "humility", clearly
reflects the weakness of individualism and social class so typical of folk cultures, and
there is a corresponding strength of Amish group identity. Rarely do the Amish marry
outside their sect. The religion, a variety of the Mennonite faith, provides the principal
mechanism for maintaining order.
By contrast, a popular culture is a large heterogeneous group, often highly
individualistic and constantly changing. Relationships tend to be impersonal, and a
pronounced division of labor exists, leading to the establishment of many specialized
professions. Secular institutions, of control such as the police and army take the place of
religion and family in maintaining order, and a money-based economy prevails.
Because of these contrasts, "popular" may be viewed as clearly different from "folk".
The popular is replacing the folk in industrialized countries and in many developing
nations, Folk-made objects give way to their popular equivalent, usually because the
popular item is more quickly or cheaply produced, is easier or time saving to use, or
lends more prestige to the owner.
22. What does the author imply about the United States and Canada?
(A) They value folk cultures.
(B) They have no social classes.
(C) They have popular cultures.
(D) They do not value individualism.
