Margaret Knight: The Woman Who Invented the Paper Bag Machine

Lexile: 720 | Grade: 4

Passage

Margaret Knight was always full of ideas. Born in 1838, she loved building things, even as a child. While other kids played with dolls, Margaret made kites and wooden toys in her father’s workshop.

As a young woman, she worked in a factory that made paper bags. At the time, the bags had flat tops and didn’t open very well. Margaret thought there had to be a better way.

So, she designed a machine that could cut, fold, and glue paper to make strong, flat-bottomed bags—the kind we still use today!

But before she could finish her invention, a man saw her design and tried to steal the idea by patenting it himself.

Margaret didn’t give up. She took the case to court and showed proof that the idea was hers. In the end, she won the patent in 1871. That was a big deal, especially since women inventors were rare at the time.

Margaret went on to create more than 20 inventions in her lifetime. She proved that great ideas can come from anyone—no matter their age or gender.

Questions

Q1: What is the main idea of this passage?

  • A. Paper bags were once made by hand.
  • B. Margaret Knight invented a machine to improve paper bags and fought for her ideas.
  • C. Factories are dangerous places to work.
  • D. Men invented most useful machines.

Q2: What happened after the man tried to steal Margaret’s invention?

  • A. She gave up and stopped inventing.
  • B. She started building toys instead.
  • C. She went to court and proved the idea was hers.
  • D. She let him have the patent to avoid trouble.

Q3: What does the word 'patent' mean in this passage?

  • A. A type of paper bag
  • B. A special tool used in factories
  • C. A legal right to an invention
  • D. A machine that folds paper

Q4: What does this story tell you about Margaret Knight?

  • A. She didn’t like going to court.
  • B. She was curious, clever, and stood up for what was right.
  • C. She only liked making paper bags.
  • D. She had help from many other inventors.

Q5: Why is Margaret’s invention still important today?

  • A. It made wooden toys easier to build.
  • B. It helped women get better jobs.
  • C. It made paper bags faster and stronger to produce.
  • D. It helped invent plastic bags later.

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Answers & Reasoning

Q1: What is the main idea of this passage?

✅ Correct Answer: B

💡 Reasoning: The passage focuses on how Margaret invented a useful machine and stood up for her invention.

Q2: What happened after the man tried to steal Margaret’s invention?

✅ Correct Answer: C

💡 Reasoning: The passage explains that Margaret took the man to court and showed proof that it was her invention.

Q3: What does the word 'patent' mean in this passage?

✅ Correct Answer: C

💡 Reasoning: A patent gives the inventor legal ownership of an invention, which is what Margaret fought for.

Q4: What does this story tell you about Margaret Knight?

✅ Correct Answer: B

💡 Reasoning: Margaret invented useful things, solved problems, and fought for her rights in court.

Q5: Why is Margaret’s invention still important today?

✅ Correct Answer: C

💡 Reasoning: Her machine allowed companies to make the flat-bottomed paper bags we still use today.