Deck 13: Balancing Work and Family Life

Question 1

Which of the following is not a reason why work is socially significant?

A)It gives us money.
B)It leads to better health and a sense of accomplishment and usefulness.
C)It is a major source of social identity.
D)It provides a sense of stability and order and a daily rhythm over the life course.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The middle class has been experiencing a "squeeze"because

A)Americans no longer like hard work.
B)individuals do not work as many hours as they should.
C)Americans are spendthrifts rather than savers.
D)their real median household income has declined.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The growth and spread of investment,trade,production,communication,and new technology around the world is called

A)globalization.
B)deindustrialization.
C)offshoring.
D)reskilling.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following statements is TRUE concerning part-time work in the United States?

A)The majority of part-time workers are involuntary because they couldn't find suitable full-time work.
B)The percentage of part-time employees is likely to decrease as jobs are moved to other countries.
C)Many part-time workers do so voluntarily because they do not want to work more hours.
D)Employers tend to prefer full-time workers as they cost less in training and benefits.

Question 5

Which group is most worried about paying their bills? Americans with

A)less than a high school degree.
B)a high school or vocational degree.
C)some college.
D)a college degree or beyond.

Question 6

A process of social and economic change resulting from the reduction of industrial activity,especially manufacturing is called

A)globalization.
B)deindustrialization.
C)offshoring.
D)reskilling.

Question 7

The money and economic assets that a person or family owns is called

A)income.
B)property.
C)stocks.
D)wealth.

Question 8

What is the term for a worker who wants a job and has looked for work during the preceding year but has not searched in the past four weeks because of the belief that job-hunting efforts are futile?

A)chronically unemployed
B)part-time worker
C)discouraged worker
D)rejected worker

Question 9

People who spend at least 27 weeks a year in the labor force (working or looking for work)but whose family or personal incomes fall below the official poverty level are called the

A)welfare class.
B)relative poor.
C)working poor.
D)poverty class.

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT a reason for the rising income inequality in America?

A)Many workers do not want the minimum wage jobs that are available to them.
B)Minimum wages have been too low to lift many families out of poverty.
C)The growth of imports produced by unskilled laborers in other countries has decreased the need for similar labor in the U.S.
D)Unemployment and the number of low-wage jobs has increased.

Question 11

The amount of money a person receives,usually through wages or salaries,but it can also include rents,interests on savings accounts,dividends on stocks,or the proceeds from a business,is called

A)income.
B)property.
C)stocks.
D)wealth.

Question 12

The physical or mental activity that accomplishes or produces something,either goods or services,is called

A)employment.
B)work.
C)multitasking.
D)manufacturing.

Question 13

The sending of work or jobs to another country to cut a company's costs at home is called

A)globalization.
B)deindustrialization.
C)offshoring.
D)reskilling.

Question 14

Which of the following statements about low-income families is true?

A)Many have at least one full-time,year-round worker.
B)Most of the adults in these families do not have a strong work ethic.
C)The majority of these families are solely supported by government welfare.
D)Many have health and other benefits that make up for their low incomes.

Question 15

Which Western industrialized nation has the greatest income inequality?

A)England
B)France
C)the United States
D)Canada

Question 16

Shift work is more common among

A)women.
B)whites.
C)people in service occupations.
D)manufacturing workers.

Question 17

Why have unemployment rates been about twice as high among African Americans as among whites?

A)Very few African Americans work in professional or mid-level management jobs.
B)Many African American young adults do not look for work.
C)Many African Americans have been employed in manufacturing and construction which have been hard hit by layoffs.
D)African Americans are more likely to wait for a good job than to take any job.

Question 18

Which of the following is a way that shift work affects families?

A)One or both parents may spend less time with their children especially on weekends and evenings.
B)There is less conflict because families tend to be better off economically.
C)Parents are more likely to report being happy that they can balance work and family.
D)Children usually do better in school because they always have a parent at home.

Question 19

Between 1979 and 2006,what happened to the share of the country's income earned by the richest 1 percent of U.S.households?

A)It shrank dramatically.
B)It more than doubled.
C)It has been fluctuating.
D)It has remained unchanged.

Question 20

The social institution that determines how a society produces,distributes,and consumes goods and services is called the

A)family
B)government
C)production sector
D)economy.

Question 21

Which children are disproportionately likely to be poor?

A)African American and Latino children
B)Latino and white children
C)white children
D)Asian and Pacific Islander children

Question 22

Which of the following is not an example of a discouraged worker?

A)A retiree who believes he cannot get work because of age discrimination.
B)A mother who has been home taking care of children and now cannot find a suitable job after entering the job market.
C)A young adult who dropped out of high school and does not have the necessary schooling or job experience that many employers seek.
D)A person who does not want to find a job because they would no longer qualify for government benefits.

Question 23

Researcher Diana Pearce coined the term __________ to describe the likelihood that female heads of households will be poor.

A)feminization of poverty
B)women's poverty
C)comparable worth
D)glass ceiling

Question 24

The inability to maintain an average standard of living is called

A)absolute poverty.
B)basic poverty.
C)extreme poverty.
D)relative poverty.

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT one of the most common reasons of homelessness?

A)substance abuse
B)lack of education
C)lack of motivation
D)domestic violence

Question 26

Researchers find that most people are poor because

A)they do not want to work.
B)of values,beliefs,and attitudes that focuses on the present rather than the future.
C)they do not want to move to where the jobs are.
D)of economic conditions,job loss,and physical or mental disabilities,and health problems.

Question 27

Which of the following is NOT a reason why more racial-ethnic families are poor?

A)During economic recessions they are particularly vulnerable to layoffs.
B)Most families have smaller cushions of wealth and so extended unemployment takes a bigger toll.
C)Most racial-ethnic families find it easier to rely on government benefits than look for full-time work.
D)Many racial-ethnic minorities have lower levels of education.

Question 28

Herbert Gans (1971)maintained that poverty and inequality have many functions.Which of the following is NOT a function of poverty,according to Gans?

A)The poor ensure that society's dirty work gets done.
B)The poor help to subsidize the middle and upper classes by working for low wages.
C)The poor buy goods and services that would otherwise be rejected.
D)The poor are more likely to lobby for urban renewal and community growth.

Question 29

Which of the following is NOT a reason for the growing number of women and children who are poor?

A)increases in divorce
B)low paying jobs and wage discrimination
C)staying home to for their children.
D)increases in unmarried childbearing

Question 30

What is the term used for longtime street residents who often suffer from mental illness,drug abuse,or alcoholism?

A)the hidden homeless
B)the economic homeless
C)the chronic homeless
D)the displaced homeless

Question 31

Which of the following statements is not part of the culture of poverty perspective?

A)Poor people have values,beliefs,and attitudes about life that differ from those who are not poor.
B)Poor people get discouraged because they experience discrimination in the workplace.
C)Poor people are more likely to seek immediate gratification instead of planning for the future.
D)Poor people are too permissive in raising their children.

Question 32

Not having enough money to afford the most basic necessities of life,such as food,clothing,and shelter,is called

A)absolute poverty.
B)basic poverty.
C)extreme poverty.
D)relative poverty.

Question 33

Which of the following is not an effect of unemployment on families?

A)High-income workers are less likely than low-income workers to be able to prove they were fired due to layoffs and are therefore less likely to collect unemployment benefits.
B)Rising job losses have increased consumers' bankruptcy filings,which,in turn,ruins a person's credit rating and ability to borrow money in the future to buy a house or car.
C)Middle class families that collect too much in unemployment benefits often don't qualify for federal or state food stamps.
D)Many Americans have stopped taking the prescription drugs they need because they need the money for groceries and housing.

Question 34

Which age group has the lowest levels of poverty?

A)children under age 18
B)young adults age 18 to 24
C)middle-aged adults age 30-50
D)adults age 65 and older

Question 35

Which of the following statements about the poverty line is FALSE?

A)The poverty line is three times the estimate of the annual cost of food that contains the minimum nutrients required for survival.
B)Only families officially making less than the poverty line in income are eligible for government assistance.
C)The poverty line is adjusted every year to reflect cost of living increases.
D)The poverty line is adjusted to reflect differences in the cost of living in different metropolitan areas or states.

Question 36

The text points out that there are two ways to define poverty:

A)minor and severe.
B)moderate and extreme.
C)absolute and relative.
D)young and old.

Question 37

The minimal level of income that the federal government considers necessary for individual's and families' basic subsistence is called the

A)poverty line.
B)minimum wage.
C)welfare subsidy.
D)taxable income.

Question 38

The majority of the homeless are

A)families with children
B)single women
C)the elderly
D)single men

Question 39

The term for workers who have part-time jobs but would rather be working full time,as well as those who have jobs below their experience,skill,and educational levels,is

A)underemployed worker.
B)unemployed worker.
C)discouraged worker.
D)job share worker.

Question 40

Which of the following has led to the rise in homelessness?

A)increase in federal low-income housing expenditures
B)a lack of affordable housing and a surge in unemployment
C)increased numbers of unmarried men
D)increase in people with no family or friends

Question 41

Zoe participates in her husband's musical career by acting as his personal assistant.However,she does not get any pay or recognition for this work.This division of labor is called the

A)dual-earner family
B)two-person single career.
C)visible-invisible occupation.
D)underemployed worker role.

Question 42

Two-income parents are more likely to feel that

A)they provide responsible adult role models for their children.
B)their children are less independent.
C)their children are more needy.
D)they are letting their children down.

Question 43

Couples where both partners work outside the home are called

A)dual-earner couples.
B)co-income couples.
C)affluent couples.
D)two-person career couples.

Question 44

Which of the following is NOT a reason why women who have invested more time in their education return to work more rapidly after having children?

A)They have a greater commitment to their careers.
B)They can command higher salaries.
C)They have more resources to purchase child care services.
D)They are more conflicted about being a mother.

Question 45

A collection of attitudinal and organizational biases in the workplace that prevent women from advancing to leadership positions is called

A)gender discrimination.
B)organizational prejudice.
C)the glass ceiling.
D)patriarchal authority.

Question 46

Mary is strongly committed both to her profession and to her family.She is able to afford good child care for her children.According to Moen,Mary fits into which of the following categories of working mothers?

A)captives
B)conflicted
C)copers
D)committed

Question 47

Which of the following statements concerning the employment of women is accurate?

A)Except for a brief period after WWII,the percentage of working women has increased steadily since the late nineteenth century.
B)The majority of mothers with children younger than age 6 are stay-at-home moms.
C)The majority of mothers with a child younger than one year old are not in the labor force.
D)The percentage of women who return to work within three months of childbirth has been decreasing since the 1960s.

Question 48

Studies of two-income parents have found that

A)most couples tend to equally share parenting duties.
B)fathers tend to work less hours in order to care for children.
C)mothers are more likely to restrict their work hours or rearrange their schedules.
D)most couples endorsed traditional gender roles even though they shared many domestic tasks.

Question 49

Michele feels that working is harmful for young children.Therefore,she quit her job after her daughter was born because she and her husband could afford to live on his salary alone.According to Moen,Michele fits into which of the following categories of working mothers?

A)captives
B)conflicted
C)copers
D)committed

Question 50

A benefit of being a stay-at-home dad is

A)being more involved with one's kids.
B)having more time to learn new business skills.
C)having more time to network with future employers.
D)increased self-esteem due to giving up the competitive breadwinner role.

Question 51

Heather and Eric were both working in Phoenix when Eric accepted a job in San Diego.Heather gave up her job in Phoenix and looked for a job in San Diego as well.Someone in Heather's position is called a

A)dangling spouse.
B)dual-career spouse.
C)repositioned spouse.
D)trailing spouse.

Question 52

Men who relinquish the role of breadwinner to their wives and stay home to care for the family and do the housework are called

A)house breadwinners.
B)two-person single career workers.
C)stay-at-home dads.
D)underemployed workers.

Question 53

Income that remains after such basic necessities as food,rent,utilities,and transportation have been paid for,and that is then available for other purposes is called

A)taxable income.
B)discretionary income.
C)relative income.
D)supplemental income.

Question 54

Which of the following is NOT a reason why women work outside the home?

A)personal satisfaction
B)to support themselves and their dependents
C)economic necessity
D)lack of education

Question 55

Which of the following is NOT one of the strategies suggested by practitioners for successfully juggling competing demands in dual-earner families?

A)Emphasize the positive.
B)Set priorities.
C)Integrate family and work roles.
D)Cultivate a sharing attitude.

Question 56

Couples,in which both partners work in professional or managerial positions that require extensive training,a long-term commitment,and ongoing professional growth,are called

A)dual-earner couples.
B)trailing spouses.
C)dual-career couples.
D)two-person career couples.

Question 57

Which of the following is not an accurate statement concerning stay-at-home dads?

A)Being a stay-at-home dad is usually temporary.
B)The number of stay-at-home dads increases when the economy is strong and women can find work.
C)In the past,many stay-at-home dads had wives that earned more than they did and had greater job security and benefits.
D)Recently,many men have become stay-at-home dads because they have been laid off and cannot find comparable work.

Question 58

In the __________,one spouse,typically the wife,participates in the partner's career behind the scenes without pay or direct recognition.

A)dual-career couple
B)dual-income occupation
C)trailing spouse pattern
D)two-person single career

Question 59

What is the term used for working and middle class people who were newly displaced from homes by layoffs,foreclosures,or other financial problems.

A)the hidden homeless
B)the economic homeless
C)the chronic homeless
D)the displaced homeless

Question 60

Cate has a job with enough flexibility to accommodate her family.Unfortunately,it also has a lower wage and few benefits.According to Moen,Cate fits into which of the following categories of working mothers?

A)captives
B)conflicted
C)copers
D)committed

Question 61

Which of the following is an example of verbal sexual harassment?

A)staring,leering,or ogling
B)using indecent gestures
C)pressures for date or demands for sexual favors in return for hiring,promotion or tenure
D)displaying posters of a sexual nature

Question 62

When a wife has a higher income than her husband,

A)both the husband and wife feel that the husband should do more of the household chores.
B)couples are less likely to have joint bank accounts.
C)many couples ignore the income differences or minimize them.
D)she usually has more decision making power than the husband.

Question 63

__________ are legal proceedings brought by one or more people but representing the interests of a larger group.

A)Changes of venue claims
B)Civil litigations
C)Class action suits
D)Torts

Question 64

According to the concept of comparable worth,

A)men should be paid more than women since they have more work experience.
B)women should be paid more than men to make up for past discrimination.
C)women should be paid less than men since they are usually not the main breadwinners in the family.
D)men and women should receive equal pay for doing work that involves similar skills,effort,responsibility,and work conditions.

Question 65

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)allows eligible workers of employers with 50 or more employees to take up to __________ of unpaid,job-protected annual leave,with the continuation of health benefits,following the birth or adoption of a child,to care for a seriously ill family member,or to recover from their own serious illnesses.

A)3 weeks
B)6 weeks
C)12 weeks
D)6 months

Question 66

A practice that allows workers to change their daily arrival and departure time is called

A)telecommuting.
B)part-time employment.
C)flex-time.
D)zone work.

Question 67

The EEOC has reported that charges of pregnancy discrimination has

A)decreased in recent years.
B)increased in recent years.
C)stabilized in comparison with previous years.
D)fluctuated in recent years,although the overall trend is downward.

Question 68

The United States requires employers to pay full-time workers an annual leave of ten days.

Question 69

Which of the following is NOT a cost of commuter marriages?

A)high telephone and travel bills
B)the commuting partner may feel isolated from the community
C)each partner devotes more time to work during the week
D)the stay-at-home parent may resent the weekend parent

Question 70

In which type of marriage do partners live and work in different geographic areas and get together at various intervals,such as over weekends?

A)commuter marriages
B)dual-earner marriages
C)trailing spouse marriages
D)underemployed marriages

Question 71

Which act protects pregnant women from being fired,demoted,or penalized?

A)Family and Medical Leave Act
B)Pregnancy Discrimination Act
C)Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
D)The Civil Rights Act

Question 72

Which of the following is an example of nonverbal sexual harassment?

A)pinching,touching,etc.
B)using indecent gestures
C)pressure for date or demands for sexual favors in return for hiring,promotion or tenure
D)threat of rape,attempted rape,or rape

Question 73

Many people claim that there is a fine line between sexual harassment and flirting or simply giving a compliment.This argument is

A)wrong,because if someone says "stop it" and the perpetrator doesn't stop,it is sexual harassment.
B)correct,because most people do not know when sexual attentions are unwelcome.
C)wrong,because all compliments are sexual harassment.
D)correct,because most people enjoy the attentions of their co-workers.

Question 74

Which of the following is FALSE concerning the benefits and costs of giving up one's job to follow a spouse to a new location?

A)The main provider can increase his or her income and job opportunities.
B)Women find that they can now stay home with children and not feel guilty about giving up a job.
C)Some spouses may not be able to find an equivalent job to the one they left behind.
D)Employers are more likely to hire the trailing spouse to help their new employee

Question 75

Compared to other industrialized countries,the U.S.

A)is the only one that does not guarantee paid leave after childbirth.
B)is one of the few countries that guarantees fathers paid leave after the birth of a child.
C)has one of the most generous parental leave policies in the world.
D)is more likely to provide resources to workers to care for children and elderly parents.

Question 76

Which of the following statements about telecommuting is FALSE?

A)Telecommuters spend less money on clothes and reduce the cost of child care.
B)Some telecommuters miss their coworkers and the face-to-face communication of the workplace.
C)Some telecommuters find that it is hard to separate their work and family lives.
D)Telecommuters tend to have less flexible work schedules to make up for not being in the office.

Question 77

Working from home through electronic linkups to the central office is called

A)telecommuting.
B)part-time employment.
C)flex-time.
D)zone work.

Question 78

Which of the following is not a reason many couples have a commuter marriage?

A)One partner may see that relocation will have a negative affect on his or her employment prospects and therefore decide not to move.
B)If both partners have well-established careers in different cities,neither may be willing to make major job sacrifices.
C)A commuter marriage may avoid the stress of uprooting teenage children or elderly parents.
D)When jobs are plentiful,spouses have more choice of where to work and may choose to relocate temporarily to check out a new career.

Question 79

Employment is a major source of social identity.

Question 80

Which of the following is NOT a limitation of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)?

A)It only covers leave in case of routine illnesses and not extended hospitalizations.
B)Workers in companies with fewer than 50 employees are not covered by the law.
C)Workers who are in part-time,temporary positions are not covered by the law.
D)Employers and employees may disagree as to what constitutes an equivalent job upon return.