Deck 31: Herbert J Glans, Use of the Underclass in America

Question 1

In general, Gans sees the use of the term "undeserving" as a(n)

A) mark of pride.
B) illegal intrusion into the privacy of people's lives.
C) shorthand reference to men who abandon their families-that is, "deadbeat dads."
D) stigma.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

In his essay, Gans describes how

A) many people prefer to live in poverty, despite its hardships and social disapproval.
B) half of all poor make no effort to improve their situation, despite the efforts of governments, churches, and communities to help.
C) the nonpoor benefit in many ways from the existence of poverty and poor people.
D) many of the most famous and successful people we know have come from impoverished families.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Gans argues that

A) the label "undeserving," when attached to poor persons, provides an excuse for not trying to solve the problem of poverty itself.
B) poverty has always been a "testing ground" for personal worth and the will to work hard in order to succeed.
C) many cultural innovations (e.g., music, fashion, and literature) come from people who are considered poor in material terms but are rich in creativity.
D) poverty causes the nonpoor to think about social problems and take steps to help solve these problems through their churches, schools, and community organizations.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The idea of an "undeserving poor" allows all of the following EXCEPT

A) a small minority of the poor, especially a very visible ethnic group, receive special privileges.
B) the nonpoor feel no responsibility for the plight of the poor or the social processes that generate poverty.
C) employers and government agencies view many poor people as "unemployable," thus neglecting to find solutions to the poor's employment problems.
D) the nonpoor show respect for a social norm that they don't actually follow in their own lives.

Question 5

At the end of his essay, Gans makes clear that being a single parent is

A) a sign of moral breakdown in certain groups.
B) not inherently harmful to individuals or society-the harm comes from the fact that poverty so often accompanies single-parent status.
C) much better when the single parent is past the age of 35.
D) harder on the noncustodial parent than on the parent with whom the children live.

Question 6

In Gans's essay, the "underclass" is

A) composed of creative and entrepreneurial people who provide the energy for economic growth, but have no control over the economy.
B) a misguided term that falsely describes persistently poor people as responsible for their poverty due to behavior that they are unwilling to change.
C) any immigrant group that begins at the bottom of the stratification system and pushes its way into the middle class.
D) the invisible middle class-unrecognized in society but paying most of the taxes.