Deck 4: Death-Related Practices and the American Death System

Question 1

According to our textbook, _________.

A)death systems may be formal, explicit, and widely acknowledged in some of their aspects
B)some type of death system is found in every society
C)some death systems are largely hidden and not much talked about
D)All of these
E)None of these

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Chapter Four in of the eighth edition of Death Dying, Life and & Living is most directly focused on:

A)Death-related encounters
B)Death-related practices
C)Death-related attitudes
D)Death-related experiences
E)None of these

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The phrase "human-induced deaths" includes deaths caused by_________.

A)accidents
B)homicide
C)suicide
D)All of these
E)None of these

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The components of a "death system" include:

A)Preventing death
B)Caring for the dying
C)Objects and symbols
D)Disposing of the dead
E)Sanctioning certain kinds of killing

Question 5

Since 1992 homicide in our society as a leading cause of death overall, _________.

A)has been declining in relative importance
B)increased sharply
C)has remained largely unchanged
D)has shown an unexpected reduction in only one year (2001)
E)has been extraordinarily low for a developed society

Question 6

After degenerative diseases, the next leading cause of death in the United States is

A)heart disease
B)cancer
C)suicide
D)homicide
E)accidents

Question 7

In the U.S., homicides are most prominently correlated with _________.

A)the use or misuse of firearms
B)poisoning
C)drowning
D)older adults
E)adults between 45-54 years of age

Question 8

In the days following September 11, 2001, the contemporary American death system_________.

A)gave advance warnings of the assault that was to occur at the World Trade Center
B)sought to work toward social consolidation
C)rejected the idea that rallying symbols could be helpful to our society
D)found those responsible for placing a bomb in a parking garage at the World Trade Center
E)prevented the spreading of anthrax spores through the mails

Question 9

Dying by homicide is:

A)Usually sudden and unexpected
B)Often nonviolent
C)Rarely an experience involving family members
D)Typically found among older members of society
E)Most frequently experienced by females

Question 10

Experts describe typical characteristics of perpetrators of mass shootings as including:

A)Having access to weapons powerful enough to satisfy their need for revenge
B)Finding emotional support from friends or family
C)A tendency to internalize blame
D)Heightened ability to cope with life's disappointments
E)Being able to overcome catastrophic precipitating events

Question 11

Which of the following caused the largest number of death within the United States In 2014?

A)HIV
B)Homicide
C)Accidental falls
D)Motor vehicle accidents
E)War

Question 12

According to Kastenbaum, a "death system"_________.

A)includes persons (e.g., lawyers, florists)
B)refers to specific times (e.g., Memorial Day)
C)points to symbols associated with death (e.g., a skull and crossbones)
D)All of these
E)None of these

Question 13

In its study of events associated with September 11, 2001, the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks found that there were many failures of intelligence and coordination. These failures primarily affected the American death system in its function of:

A)Caring for the dying
B)Working toward social consolidation after death
C)Bringing about socially-sanctioned killing
D)Helping to make sense of death
E)Giving warnings and predictions

Question 14

Since 2000, deaths rates for accidents in our society_________.

A)have been gradually increasing
B)have been gradually declining
C)have remained basically the same
D)have not been affected by wearing seatbelts
E)None of these

Question 15

Approximately 50% of all homicides in the United States occur _________.

A)between people of opposite genders
B)between people of different races
C)between family members or acquaintances
D)between persons of different national origin
E)between people in widely different age cohorts

Question 16

Among accidental deaths in the United States In 2014, the leading cause of death was_________.

A)motor vehicle accidents
B)accidental falls
C)accidents involving firearms
D)suicide
E)poisoning

Question 17

In recent years, homicide rates in the U.S. have been highest among _________.

A)females overall
B)the elderly
C)Caucasian males
D)African-American females
E)African-American males

Question 18

The functions of a "death system" include:

A)People and places
B)Times
C)Objects and symbols
D)Making sense of death
E)None of these

Question 19

Among the four natural disasters described in Focus On 4.2, the largest numbers of death occurred in:

A)New Orleans and the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005
B)Haiti after the earthquake in January 2010
C)Japan after the earthquake and tsunami in March 2011
D)Haiti in connection with the cholera epidemic from October 2010 through January 2011
E)None of these

Question 20

On September 11, 2001, the contemporary American death system_________.

A)destroyed a significant portion of the Pentagon
B)provided a formal network whereby passengers on one airliner overcame their hijackers and frustrated the goals of the terrorists
C)prevented the spreading of anthrax spores through the mails
D)found those responsible for placing a bomb in a parking garage at the World Trade Center
E)mobilized to try to prevent death and save lives

Question 21

Acts of terrorism in the 21^st century _________.

A)typically lead to traumatic losses
B)are often careless in their disregard for human life
C)frequently result in sudden death
D)All of these
E)None of these

Question 22

Since World War II, the lethal potential of nuclear weapons and nuclear power has been manifested in _________.

A)the nuclear power plant accident at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania in 1979
B)the results of a natural disaster in Japan in 2011
C)the explosion in the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl in Ukraine in 1986
D)All of these
E)None of these

Question 23

Most people in contemporary American society have _________.

A)encountered death directly and often
B)encountered death vicariously (e.g., through the media)
C)witnessed non-violent deaths in media news reports
D)All of these
E)None of these

Question 24

In children's cartoons like "Roadrunner," death is often depicted as _________.

A)a natural part of living
B)an occasion for grief
C)an unrealistic phenomena that does not involve finality
D)All of these
E)None of these

Question 25

Nuclear power became a new force for death:

A)In the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in August, 1945
B)At the accident in the nuclear power plant at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania in 1979
C)On July 16, 1945, at the Trinity test site in New Mexico
D)At the explosion in the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl in Ukraine in 1986
E)On March 9, 1945, at the firebombing of Tokyo

Question 26

In contemporary American society, _________.

A)individuals never use death-related language
B)most individuals are horrified to hear someone say "dead" or "die"
C)many individuals use death-related language, but usually in contexts other than those involving the dying or death of a human being
D)All of these
E)None of these

Question 27

Entertainment programs in contemporary media tend to distort portrayals of death because they use:

A)Selectivity and fantasization
B)Realism and individuation
C)Impossible situations
D)All of these
E)None of these

Question 28

Which of the following is correct?

A)Individual terrorism involves one person acting as a long agent to harm or kill others or to destroy property.
B)Group terrorism depends on a formally organized group of people.
C)State-supported terrorism is always explicitly supported by a government.
D)Terrorism which acts at a distance endangers the life of the terrorist.
E)None of these

Question 29

A prominent example of an ongoing genocide that began in 2003 is found in:

A)Iraq
B)Afghanistan
C)Poland
D)Sudan
E)Iran

Question 30

Phrases used to describe death, such as "bought the farm" or "passed away" typically reflect:

A)Non-acceptance of death
B)Denial of death
C)Distancing from death
D)All of these
E)None of these

Question 31

The term "thanatechnology" refers to _________.

A)death-related notices in technological newspapers
B)the way our death system functions for all Americans
C)technology-related resources about grief and loss
D)All of these
E)None of these

Question 32

Which of the following is not an example of socially sanctioned deaths discussed in Chapter 4 in our textbook?

A)Genocide
B)Homicide
C)War
D)The Holocaust
E)Ethnic cleansing

Question 33

Reports of deaths in the news media of contemporary society:

A)Are not governed by criteria of newsworthiness
B)Are a highly selective portrait of death
C)Emphasize ordinary people who die in ordinary ways
D)All of these
E)None of these

Question 34

Ethnic cleansing _________.

A)is closely regulated by international groups like the United Nations
B)defies easy definition
C)easily distinguished from forced emigration and population exchange
D)not found in the history of the United States of America
E)typically relatively benign in its goals and methods

Question 35

Acts of terrorism in the 21^st century _________.

A)typically lead to non-traumatic losses
B)are often careless in their disregard for human life
C)rarely bring about sudden death
D)often have political or religious implications
E)Allow time to prepare for the deaths they cause

Question 36

The use of euphemisms about death:

A)Is declining in American society
B)Can be useful if they are not overused
C)Supports the acceptance of dying and death
D)Demonstrates American willingness to support the grief of survivors
E)Is most prevalent among Americans who are 19-26 years of age

Question 37

Terrorism that employs suicide bombings _________.

A)is an example of acting at a distance
B)is an example of the use of roadside bombs
C)was used by Timothy McVeigh against the Oklahoma City Federal Building in April 1995
D)was used against the World Trade Center on Feb. 26, 1993
E)was attempted by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit OTHER:

Question 38

Death announcements are _________.

A)an exception to the general rules of newsworthiness
B)different from obituaries
C)brief notices mentioning the fact of death, names of survivors, and plans (if any)for funeral or burial services
D)All of these
E)None of these

Question 39

The Holocaust is thought to be:

A)Similar in its basic characteristics to other forms of human-induced death
B)Unique for its scope and political or ideological basis
C)Distinguished by its focus on prisoners of war
D)Limited to the Japanese in World War II
E)None of these

Question 40

To speak of fantasized death in the media means that:

A)Death is frequently present in the entertainment media, but often in unrealistic ways.
B)Death is almost completely absent in the entertainment media.
C)Those who usually die are "good guys," heroic figures.
D)All of these
E)None of these

Question 41

Using the text's definition of terrorism, show how terrorism is significant for our study of death, dying, and bereavement in terms of its perpetrators, means, and goals. Be specific. Give examples.

Question 42

Identify and explain one way in deaths associated with the Holocaust and deaths associated with the atomic bombing of Hiroshima are similar, as well as one way in which they are different. Be specific.

Question 43

This chapter uses Kastenbaum's concept of a "death system" to draw together information about death-related encounters, attitudes, and practices. Respond to the following three requirements:
a. Define what is meant by a death system.
b. Identify, briefly explain, and give an example of each of the components of a death system.
c. Identify, briefly explain, and give an example of each of the functions of a death system.

Question 44

Explain what is unique about the Holocaust and the beginning of the nuclear era in terms of their effects on our encounters and attitudes toward death. That is, why and how do they change in some ways our understanding of, encounters with, and attitudes toward death.

Question 45

Identify and explain three (3)lessons arising from the discussion of human-induced death in Chapter 4 that are significant for our understanding of the contemporary American death system.

Question 46

Identify and explain one way in which accidental deaths and deaths from homicide are similar, as well as one way in which they are different. Be specific.

Question 47

Compare and contrast typical ways in which death appears in any two (2)of the following three media contexts: (A)television news reports, (b)death announcements in the newspapers, (c)entertainment programs on television.

Question 48

Identify and explain one important element in the contemporary American death system and show how it functioned in relation to the events of September 11, 2001.
Be specific. Give examples.

Question 49

Explain the role that the media plays in our death system. Show how the media portrays death, how it affects our encounters with death, and how they help to shape our attitudes toward death.

Question 50

In contemporary American society, there are some situations in which language about death is not used or avoided, and other situations in which death-related language is used freely. Why is that so? What is different about these contrasting sets of situations and about these two kinds of languages?