Deck 13: The Changing Context of American Race and Ethnic Relations: Current and Future Issues

Question 1

We can expect that because most immigrants coming to the U.S.today are non-white, their _____________ may present the biggest obstacle to assimilation.

A)racial status
B)cultural values
C)ethnic practices
D)language

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Legal rulings in the U.S.Supreme Court continue to demonstrate ____________ on the part of public officials and the courts toward affirmative action policies.

A)support
B)ambivalence
C)disdain
D)empathy

Answer 2

B

Question 3

In the past, sociologists tended to connect ethnic issues primarily to problems of:

A)segmentation.
B)acculturation.
C)assimilation.
D)immigration.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Most of the immigrants from __________ are unskilled and take their place at the lowest levels of employment.

A)India
B)China
C)the Philippines
D)Mexico

Question 5

U.S.polls in the 1990s found that some whites see affirmative action as a form of:

A)state-sanctioned assimilation.
B)alternative justice.
C)worker's compensation.
D)reverse discrimination.

Question 6

Public attitudes toward immigration in the U.S.appear to depend most on:

A)educational attainment.
B)political orientation.
C)occupational status.
D)economic conditions.

Question 7

American-born workers tend to view immigrants as:

A)more inclined to be entrepeneurs.
B)threats to their jobs and wages.
C)less inclined to work hard.
D)contributors of key technological skills.

Question 8

Questions regarding the social impact of immigrants on American culture center on the issue of:

A)health care expenditures.
B)employment shortages.
C)affirmative action in higher education.
D)language assimilation.

Question 9

Spanish continues to be a frequently used language in the U.S.today primarily because Hispanic immigrants:

A)have new technologies at their disposal to communicate.
B)have no need to learn English because of a largely bilingual country.
C)have become part of the dominant white culture.
D)represent the largest group of immigrants.

Question 10

One aspect of the labor market different for immigrants today than in the early 20th century is the relative lack of:

A)industrial jobs.
B)technological jobs.
C)professional jobs.
D)managerial jobs.

Question 11

Sociological research has shown that children of recent U.S.immigrants:

A)quickly drift away from using their native language outside the home.
B)continue to use their native language both in public and private.
C)seek out a network of friends who speak their native language.
D)are not as inclined to adopt English as previous generations of immigrants.

Question 12

Bilingual education has been an especially divisive issue in states and cities with:

A)an influx of African immigrants.
B)relatively few immigrants.
C)large Hispanic populations.
D)varied Native American populations.

Question 13

The "guest worker" system was proposed to help:

A)Mexican laborers transition to American life.
B)create a more efficient program for obtaining employment visas.
C)assist immigrants in securing higher-skilled jobs.
D)deter illegal immigrants from entering the United States.

Question 14

American popular culture is a global phenomenon; most immigrants have absorbed a good deal of it before they actually migrate.For example, a Brazilian can undergo the process of __________ (Gans, 1999) while retaining their "Latino __________" (Suro, 1998).

A)technological migration; conscience
B)cultural networking; sensibilities
C)remote assimilation; conscience
D)anticipatory acculturation; sensibilities

Question 15

In the case of the University of California v.Bakke, the U.S.Supreme Court determined that:

A)universities cannot use race or ethnicity as a criterion for selecting students for admission.
B)universities can use quotas based on race or ethnicity as needed to attain an ethnically diverse student body.
C)using race as a criterion in selecting students was legitimate if it was one among many criteria in creating a more ethnically balanced student body.
D)using race or ethnicity as a criterion in selecting students constituted a form of reverse discrimination against whites.

Question 16

What do studies indicate about the children of Latino immigrants?

A)For first-generation immigrants, English has become the primary - and for most, the only - language spoken.
B)For second-generation immigrants, English has become the primary - and for most, the only - language spoken.
C)For third-generation immigrants, English has become the primary - and for most, the only - language spoken.
D)For immigrants of all generations, bilingualism is the norm.

Question 17

What percentage of health care workers in the United States are foreign-born?

A)5 percent
B)10 percent
C)15 percent
D)20 percent

Question 18

Immigration scholars generally agree that immigration:

A)poses a fiscal burden on the economy.
B)is favorable to the economy.
C)places a burden on the welfare system.
D)does not have a uniform economic impact.

Question 19

The English-only movement has entailed an effort to:

A)limit U.S.immigration to those from England and Western Europe.
B)make it easier for people from England to immigrate to the U.S.
C)require people to "speak English" in public and private settings.
D)make English the "official language" of the U.S.

Question 20

New immigrants differ from past generations of immigrants in that they are:

A)more likely to follow a path of reverse assimilation.
B)less likely to follow traditional assimilation patterns.
C)more likely to achieve high-income status.
D)less likely to adopt English as their primary language.

Question 21

Which statement best describes recent changes in the U.S.ethnic system?

A)The ethnic composition of the U.S.has become less diverse.
B)Increasing ethnic diversity makes traditional classification schemes viable.
C)Ethnic groups of Euro-American descent still maintain cultural dominance.
D)Ethnic disparities between Asian Americans and African Americans have dissipated.

Question 22

Assimilation:

A)is a reciprocal process involving a cultural exchange.
B)has its greatest effect at the moment of immigration.
C)results in the elimination of ethnic distinctions.
D)leads to a disintegration of American culture.

Question 23

Which statement best describes ethnic relations in the U.S.today?

A)The public is more pessimistic about the future of ethnic relations.
B)Ethnic conflict is more virulent than in previous generations.
C)The black/white binary is less useful for understanding ethnic relations.
D)Ethnic divisiveness is one primary outcome of multiculturalism.

Question 24

According to some studies, the United States may be entering a postethnic age in which clearly perceived racial and ethnic groups:

A)blend into a "beige continuum."
B)become more "fundamentally" distinct.
C)become more "joyfully celebrated" than ever before.
D)cause more "ethnic strife" than ever before.

Question 25

Many people report that in cities like Los Angeles, _______________ has nearly made ethnicity insignificant.

A)identity collapse
B)bilingualism
C)ethnic fusion
D)differential power

Question 26

The major institutions in American society today:

A)struggle with absorbing aspects of diverse ethnic cultures.
B)are still entrenched in Anglo-conformity ideology.
C)make it more difficult to retain one's ethnicity.
D)are more accepting of multicultural or pluralist ideas and policies.

Question 27

Low levels of personal interaction between Latinos and African Americans in the South are most evident when these groups are in competition for:

A)marriage partners.
B)blue-collar jobs.
C)university degrees.
D)job promotions.

Question 28

Corporations are likely to continue to implement preferential policies for minorities because:

A)a diverse labor force is essential for success in a diverse society.
B)the government offers tax incentives for participation.
C)most CEOs are in favor of affirmative action.
D)lawsuits involving discriminatory practices are on the rise.

Question 29

The "melting pot" is a metaphor for describing how American society is becoming:

A)more homogenous.
B)more heterogenous.
C)more tolerant of ethnic diversity.
D)less tolerant of ethnic diversity.

Question 30

Which statement best describes U.S.public opinion regarding racial and ethnic issues?

A)Blacks are generally more positive than whites about the way minorities are treated.
B)Latinos are less positive than whites about the way minorities are treated.
C)Asians are more positive than whites about the way minorities are treated.
D)Native Americans are less positive than whites about the way minorities are treated.

Question 31

Public opinion polls regarding black-white relations reveal that a slight majority of:

A)blacks believe that there will always be a problem.
B)whites believe that there will always be a problem.
C)blacks believe that a solution will eventually be worked out.
D)both blacks and whites think that there is no problem.

Question 32

Language debates most vividly illustrate the clash between __________ perspectives.

A)racial and ethnic
B)mainstream and subcultural
C)dominant and minority
D)pluralist and assimilationist

Question 33

The impact of multicultural ideas and policies is most evident in:

A)business.
B)government.
C)education.
D)mass media.

Question 34

Surveys taken after Barack Obama, a self-identified African American, occupied the White House indicate that:

A)a slight majority of Americans expressed prejudice toward blacks, an increase since Obama's 2008 election.
B)a signigicant minority of Americans expressed prejudice toward blacks, a decrease since Obama's 2008 election.
C)whites believe that they benefit economically at the expense of blacks.
D)blacks believe that they benefit economically at the expense of whites.

Question 35

Today's U.S.immigrants appear to be most committed to:

A)assimilation.
B)language retention.
C)cultural pluralism.
D)homeland preservation.