Question 1

Environmental problems can be amplified by advocates and minimized by opponents. What does this phenomenon demonstrate about environmental problems?

Accepted Answer

A)  They are largely imaginary. 
B)  They are socially constructed. 
C)  They are subject to whim. 
D)  They are a political battlefield. 
A)  They are largely imaginary. 
B)  They are socially constructed. 
C)  They are subject to whim. 
D)  They are a political battlefield.

Question 2

David is excited because he has suddenly realized the potential of science to create a better life for people all over the world. What is David excited about?

Accepted Answer

A)  biodiversity 
B)  evolution 
C)  technology 
D)  social constructionism 
A)  biodiversity 
B)  evolution 
C)  technology 
D)  social constructionism

Question 3

What is a risk society?

Accepted Answer

A risk society is a concept developed by

Question 4

Sheldon Ungar tells us that most people are prepared to sacrifice on behalf of global warming only when exposed to a "social scare."

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

According to the textbook, which of the following is the most likely to suffer from cancer?

Accepted Answer

A)  Pete, a rural farmer 
B)  Don, a working-class truck driver 
C)  Joe, a middle-class teacher 
D)  Albert, an upper-middle-class business owner 
A)  Pete, a rural farmer 
B)  Don, a working-class truck driver 
C)  Joe, a middle-class teacher 
D)  Albert, an upper-middle-class business owner

Question 6

Technological determinism is the belief that technology is the major force shaping human society and culture.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Which of the following may provide humankind with the inability to contract HIV/AIDS?

Accepted Answer

A)  DNA simplification 
B)  DNA diversification 
C)  recombinant DNA 
D)  designer DNA 
A)  DNA simplification 
B)  DNA diversification 
C)  recombinant DNA 
D)  designer DNA

Question 8

On the popular cartoon The Simpsons, Marge serves a three-eyed fish for dinner to Homer's boss, Mr. Burns, owner of the nuclear power plant. What point was Marge making?

Accepted Answer

A)  Genetic mutations are examples of biodiversity. 
B)  Radioactive waste was contaminating the local water. 
C)  Air pollution from the power plant was destroying the ecosystem. 
D)  Fish are highly sensitive to pollution. 
A)  Genetic mutations are examples of biodiversity. 
B)  Radioactive waste was contaminating the local water. 
C)  Air pollution from the power plant was destroying the ecosystem. 
D)  Fish are highly sensitive to pollution.

Question 9

Environmental racism is a form of discrimination against minority groups and people from poor countries who are subjected to a disproportionate share of environmental hazards and polluting industries. Utilizing examples from your textbook and personal experiences discuss this phenomenon and propose ways that it can be minimized or eliminated.

Accepted Answer

Environmental racism is a pervasive issu

Question 10

What are normal accidents?

Accepted Answer

Normal accidents, a term coined by socio

Question 11

In which of the following nations are people most likely to be concerned about environmental dangers?

Accepted Answer

A)  Australia 
B)  Canada 
C)  Japan 
D)  India 
A)  Australia 
B)  Canada 
C)  Japan 
D)  India

Question 12

Who was the sociologist who developed the risk society thesis?

Accepted Answer

A)  Nikolai Kondratiev 
B)  Charles Perrow 
C)  Ulrich Beck 
D)  J. Robert Oppenheimer 
A)  Nikolai Kondratiev 
B)  Charles Perrow 
C)  Ulrich Beck 
D)  J. Robert Oppenheimer

Question 13

Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, what have humans been doing that has contributed the most to global warming?

Accepted Answer

A)  building larger urban environments 
B)  eroding more soil 
C)  consuming more fossil fuel 
D)  expanding arable land 
A)  building larger urban environments 
B)  eroding more soil 
C)  consuming more fossil fuel 
D)  expanding arable land

Question 14

According to the textbook's discussion regarding who most opposes the information about the dangers of global warming, which of the following is a reasonable conclusion?

Accepted Answer

A)  Those who stand to profit from the causes of global warming want the information discredited. 
B)  Those who stand to profit the most from the causes of global warming want the information widely known. 
C)  Ordinary citizens stand to benefit the most from global warming. 
D)  Ordinary citizens stand to benefit the least from global warming. 
A)  Those who stand to profit from the causes of global warming want the information discredited. 
B)  Those who stand to profit the most from the causes of global warming want the information widely known. 
C)  Ordinary citizens stand to benefit the most from global warming. 
D)  Ordinary citizens stand to benefit the least from global warming.

Question 15

Which of the following characterizes a risk society?

Accepted Answer

A)  most people's engagement in risky behaviour 
B)  most young people's engagement in risky behaviour 
C)  the weighing of technological hazards against the benefits 
D)  the global danger posed by all technologies 
A)  most people's engagement in risky behaviour 
B)  most young people's engagement in risky behaviour 
C)  the weighing of technological hazards against the benefits 
D)  the global danger posed by all technologies

Question 16

Provincial governments give cheques to consumers who trade in their old refrigerators for new ones and see to the safe disposal of their old refrigerators. What are these governments trying to protect with such initiatives?

Accepted Answer

A)  the average surface air temperature 
B)  the ozone layer 
C)  biodiversity 
D)  cultivatable land 
A)  the average surface air temperature 
B)  the ozone layer 
C)  biodiversity 
D)  cultivatable land

Question 17

What is technology?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is technology?...

Question 18

Which scientist is regarded as the father of the atomic bomb?

Accepted Answer

A)  R.J. Collingwood 
B)  Leslie Groves 
C)  Nikolai Kondratiev 
D)  Robert Oppenheimer 
A)  R.J. Collingwood 
B)  Leslie Groves 
C)  Nikolai Kondratiev 
D)  Robert Oppenheimer

Question 19

Which of the following was a major contributor to Thomas Edison's inventions?

Accepted Answer

A)  the creation of mass public education 
B)  the support of large corporations such as General Electric 
C)  vast investments of money 
D)  federal government support 
A)  the creation of mass public education 
B)  the support of large corporations such as General Electric 
C)  vast investments of money 
D)  federal government support

Question 20

What do we call the tendency of powerful people to put marginalized people in harm's way?

Accepted Answer

A)  toxic prejudice 
B)  environmental racism 
C)  socio-ecological insensitivity 
D)  discrimination degradation 
A)  toxic prejudice 
B)  environmental racism 
C)  socio-ecological insensitivity 
D)  discrimination degradation

Exam 22: Technology and the Global Environment

Environmental problems can be amplified by advocates and minimized by opponents. What does this phenomenon demonstrate about environmental problems?

David is excited because he has suddenly realized the potential of science to create a better life for people all over the world. What is David excited about?

What is a risk society?

Sheldon Ungar tells us that most people are prepared to sacrifice on behalf of global warming only when exposed to a "social scare."

According to the textbook, which of the following is the most likely to suffer from cancer?

Technological determinism is the belief that technology is the major force shaping human society and culture.

Which of the following may provide humankind with the inability to contract HIV/AIDS?

On the popular cartoon The Simpsons, Marge serves a three-eyed fish for dinner to Homer's boss, Mr. Burns, owner of the nuclear power plant. What point was Marge making?

What are normal accidents?

In which of the following nations are people most likely to be concerned about environmental dangers?

Who was the sociologist who developed the risk society thesis?

Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, what have humans been doing that has contributed the most to global warming?

According to the textbook's discussion regarding who most opposes the information about the dangers of global warming, which of the following is a reasonable conclusion?

Which of the following characterizes a risk society?

Provincial governments give cheques to consumers who trade in their old refrigerators for new ones and see to the safe disposal of their old refrigerators. What are these governments trying to protect with such initiatives?

What is technology?

Which scientist is regarded as the father of the atomic bomb?

Which of the following was a major contributor to Thomas Edison's inventions?

What do we call the tendency of powerful people to put marginalized people in harm's way?

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