Deck 14: Technology and the Environment

Question 1

Those who risk their reputations,livelihood,and sometimes their lives,in order to reveal dangers in technology or the use of technology,are known as __________.

A)technological snitches
B)whistle-blowers
C)traitors
D)converts
E)publicists

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Peter Faulkner is an engineer who "blew the whistle" on his company for selling nuclear power systems with design flaws that posed grave threats to the public and the environment.For his actions,he was __________.

A)promoted
B)cited by Congress
C)transferred to a less public job
D)praised by the president of the United States
E)fired from his job

Answer 2

E

Question 3

In the United States,the gap between those with access to computers and the Internet and those without such access is often referred to as the __________.

A)cybernetic chasm
B)digital divide
C)high-tech separation
D)electronic valley
E)None of the above

Answer 3

B

Question 4

__________ refers to the replacement of workers by a nonhuman means of producing the same product.

A)The humanization of work
B)Innovation
C)Automation
D)Deindustrialization
E)Invention

Question 5

Recent estimates indicate that __________ American adults has been affected by identity theft.

A)one in ten
B)one in eight
C)one in six
D)one in five
E)one in four

Question 6

ChoicePoint,Inc.is one of the largest providers of __________ in the United States.

A)computer parts
B)weapons systems
C)consumer information
D)audio components
E)surveillance equipment

Question 7

Langdon Winner uses the term __________ in referring to the dimension of technology that involves technical skills,procedures,etc.,which involve behavior directed toward a step-by-step,rational method of doing things.

A)actions
B)planning
C)organization
D)rationalization
E)activities

Question 8

__________ is defined as the totality of means employed by a people to provide themselves with the objects of material culture.

A)Technology
B)Science
C)Business
D)Technique
E)Acculturation

Question 9

Daniel Bell defines __________ as the combination of all methods for increasing the productivity of labor and capital.

A)management skills
B)postindustrial society
C)industrial society
D)technological change
E)capitalist method

Question 10

In 1991,Daniel Bell noted that "smart bombs" and computer-assisted weapons are technologies designed to __________.

A)accomplish widely distributed objectives
B)meet well-defined and very narrow objectives
C)solve today's social problems
D)protect us during the twenty-first century
E)provide autonomous technology

Question 11

Each robot-like machine that is introduced to replace human labor replaces __________ human worker(s).

A)1
B)at least 3
C)about 10
D)more than 100
E)approximately 2,000

Question 12

William F.Ogburn concluded that some parts of culture (such as technology)change more rapidly than other parts (such as norms and values),creating a lack of adjustment or gap between these parts.This reflects Ogburn's concept of __________.

A)future shock
B)culture shock
C)technological determinism
D)culture lag
E)value gap

Question 13

Langdon Winner uses the term __________ in referring to the dimension of technology that involves tools,instruments,etc.,which are the devices of technical performance.

A)material culture
B)apparatus
C)objects
D)paraphernalia
E)concrete culture

Question 14

The authors of the Human Development Report conclude that the global gap between haves and have-nots,between know and know-nots is __________.

A)widening
B)narrowing
C)holding its own
D)fluctuating
E)disappearing

Question 15

Langdon Winner identifies three dimensions of technology,which are __________.

A)material,nonmaterial,and immaterial
B)positive,neutral,and negative
C)apparatus,activities,and organizational networks
D)structure,organization,and function
E)planning,realization,and consequences

Question 16

In a famous series of experiments conducted at Yale University,_____________ studied the conditions under which people forsake the universally shared moral injunction against doing harm to another person in order to obey the instructions of someone in a position of authority.

A)Talcott Parsons
B)Howard Becker
C)Stanley Milgram
D)George Orwell
E)William F.Ogburn

Question 17

Which of the following exacerbated the circumstances that led to the BP-Deep Horizon oil Disaster in 2010?

A)The federal Minerals Management Service (MMS)exempted BP from filing an environmental-impact statement for the well that exploded.
B)BP did not complete crucial engineering drawings and other paperwork for subsea components of its offshore drilling projects.
C)The regulating agency responsible for overseeing offshore drilling was essentially beholden to the companies it was mandated to regulate.
D)The Interior Department inspector general's office found that several MMS officials had engaged in improper conduct with oil and gas company representatives.
E)All of the above.

Question 18

Some technological changes have revolutionary significance in that they alter the basic institutions of society.The best example is the __________.

A)Russian Revolution
B)sexual revolution
C)Industrial Revolution
D)American Revolution
E)revolution of rising expectations

Question 19

Some critics of technology conclude that technology has become a complex,powerful force in society;democratic political institutions and powerless citizens find it difficult to control.This idea is summarized by the phrase __________.

A)technological revolution
B)anti-democratic technology
C)independent technology
D)autonomous technology
E)industrial revitalization

Question 20

Advances in technology can have both positive and negative impacts.The text refers to this as __________.

A)bipolar technology
B)bipartisan impacts of technology
C)technological consequentials
D)technological dualism
E)two-sided technology

Question 21

Humans produce heat and noise and transform the environment through such actions as drilling,damming,mining,etc.This produces __________.

A)progress
B)human fulfillment
C)business growth
D)environmental stress
E)population growth

Question 22

Bronchitis,emphysema,and lung cancer are all products of __________ pollution.

A)noise
B)soil
C)fresh water
D)air
E)salt water

Question 23

In some instances,social and economic needs change,but up to that time there is no technology to supply these needs.This is __________.

A)the Eichmann effect
B)social determinism
C)culture lag
D)technological lag
E)the Hawthorne effect

Question 24

In the United States in the late nineteenth century,new industrial technology contributed to a rise in industrial accidents,but social welfare legislation to aid those injured did not yet exist.This illustrates __________.

A)the Eichmann effect
B)future shock
C)culture lag
D)autonomous technology
E)the Hawthorne effect

Question 25

Carbon dioxide may trap heat near the earth's surface,raising the average temperature of the atmosphere.This process is referred to as __________.

A)the greening of the earth
B)dioxide dilemma
C)the browning of the earth
D)carbonizing the environment
E)the greenhouse effect

Question 26

Transhumanists are fascinated by the idea of the __________,a creature that is part human and part technological systems.

A)predator
B)cyborg
C)automaton
D)robot
E)genetically engineered organism

Question 27

Fluorocarbon molecules are important in the problem of __________.

A)obesity
B)brown lung disease
C)ozone layer depletion
D)acid rain
E)water pollution

Question 28

__________ has described the fundamental problem of the harmful effects of certain technologies on the natural environment in terms of a clash between the speed of change in human civilization and the pace of change in the cycles of the natural environment.

A)Frank Close
B)William F.Ogburn
C)Max Weber
D)Barry Commoner
E)Langdon Winner

Question 29

Another name for photochemical soup is __________.

A)cloud
B)acidity
C)photosynthesis
D)the atmosphere
E)smog

Question 30

In 1991,research physicist Frank Close conducted a study of the "__________" scandal,wherein he warned that the pressure on scientists to make discoveries and bring in profits for universities and research institutes is creating an incentive for manipulations of data and serious lapses in scientific judgment.

A)technological lag
B)cold fusion
C)genetic fix
D)Oncomouse
E)linear accelerator

Question 31

Environmental __________ refers to the presence of toxic agents in the environment in kinds and qualities potentially damaging to humans or to other organisms.

A)excretion
B)pollution
C)deterioration
D)adjustment
E)destruction

Question 32

Large concentrations of sulfur dioxide are an important part of __________.

A)auto exhaust pollution
B)acid rain
C)heart disease
D)brown lung disease
E)cancer

Question 33

According to the text,the air,water,earth,plants,animals,and mineral resources are part of the __________.

A)solar system
B)demographic system
C)natural system
D)exosystem
E)habitat

Question 34

The classic study by Cottrell describes the demise,during the 1940s,of a small southwestern town he called "Caliente." The main reason the town "died" was that __________.

A)World War II took too many citizens away to serve in the military
B)the introduction of diesel locomotive technology undermined the economic base of the town
C)real-estate speculation overinflated the value of property
D)interest rates had increased,making it impossible to get loans
E)the town was corruptly administered by officials taking bribes from organized crime

Question 35

Which of the following is NOT a concept that is basic to understanding environmental stress?

A)balance
B)interdependence
C)limits
D)complexity
E)diversity

Question 36

One of the concepts basic to understanding environmental stress emphasizes that everything is related to,and depends upon,everything else.This is captured by the phrase __________.

A)the organic network
B)the web of life
C)all or nothing at all
D)the whole is greater than the sum of its parts
E)the network of living things

Question 37

Hydrocarbons,the oxides of carbon,and particulate matter are all important pollutants of __________.

A)the atmosphere
B)lakes
C)the oceans
D)the soil
E)rivers

Question 38

__________ is the very small but growing social movement that advocates the ethical use fo technologies to enhance human capabilities..

A)culture determination
B)transhumanism
C)technician theory
D)transplant determinism
E)technological determinism

Question 39

The earth's resources are finite;only a certain number of a given species can inhabit an environment.These are examples of a concept that is basic to understanding environmental stress,which is __________.

A)finiteness
B)interdependence
C)limits
D)complexity
E)balance

Question 40

Environmental stress involves the interaction of three systems: the "natural" environment,the technological system,and the __________ system.

A)solar
B)capital
C)religious
D)physical
E)social

Question 41

Frances Adeola is a sociologist who studies __________.

A)global warming and dispersal of pollutants
B)trends in environmental injustice and racism
C)the greenhouse effect and authoritarian regimes
D)desertification and reclamation
E)nuclear disasters and dispersal of pollutants

Question 42

__________ is/are the most dangerous form of air pollution.

A)Smog
B)Radioactivity
C)Auto exhaust
D)X-rays
E)Acid rain

Question 43

Radioactive wastes must be stored safely for __________ years before they become harmless.

A)at least 10
B)a minimum of 50
C)about 100
D)at least 500
E)up to 1,000

Question 44

The Obama administration took a leadership role in convincing a record number of nations that are responsible for 80 percent of the world's carbon dioxide emissions to sign _________.

A)the 2008Arctic Agreement on environmental pollution
B)the 2009 World Bank Project on global warming
C)the 2011 Save the Planet Treaty
D)the 2011 Human Environment Impact Plan
E)the 2010 Copenhagen Accords on global warming

Question 45

Which of the following poses a threat to the general well being of the planet and its inhabitants due to the indiscriminate use of technological knowledge?

A)Land degradation
B)Noise
C)Chemical contamination and globalization of the food supply
D)Large scale engineering projects
E)All of the above

Question 46

The United States currently produces about __________ percent of its electricity in nuclear power plants.

A)5
B)10
C)15
D)20
E)50

Question 47

U.S policy makers and legislators were not convinced that there was a need for stricter enforcement of mandatory emission limits;they prefer the creation of markets to buy and sell pollution credits,a system otherwise known as __________.

A)"cap and balance"
B)"emit and pay"
C)"voluntary compliance"
D)"trade and tax"
E)"cap and trade"

Question 48

In most cases,appropriate technology is __________ technology.

A)large-scale
B)micro
C)smaller-scale
D)macro
E)None of the above

Question 49

Despite much controversy,the Obama Administration used federal bailout funds to _______.

A)impose regulations on forms of technology that facilitate the production of potentially lucrative products
B)convince U.S.automakers to produce fuel-efficient cars that can compete with those made in Japan and elsewhere
C)create a broad coalition of conservative and pro-oil proponents to formulate environmental initiatives
D)fund the production of jets based on research findings indicating that sonic boom effects can be controlled
E)All of the above

Question 50

According to the text's discussion of the United States and the world environment __________.

A)there is not that much difference in living standards between the United States and most other countries
B)most Americans eat a much larger proportion of grain than meat in their diets
C)energy resources and consumption are equally distributed throughout the world
D)All of the above
E)None of the above

Question 51

Wind and solar energy are considered to be _________ .

A)renewable energy sources
B)practical energy sources
C)compliance energy sources
D)man-made energy sources
E)None of the above

Question 52

Define technology.Of what does it consist? In general,how does it affect society?

Question 53

With only 5 percent of the world's population,the United States consumes 25 percent of the world's fossil fuel and produces __________ percent of its hazardous wastes.

A)72
B)82
C)92
D)98
E)99

Question 54

By 2000,an estimated 36 percent of the earth's land was threatened by desertification.This illustrates the problem of __________.

A)toxic waste disposal
B)air pollution
C)land degradation
D)the greenhouse effect
E)wasteland use

Question 55

Appropriate technologists advocate major changes in ___________.

A)the circumstances surrounding technology
B)technology itself
C)the infrastructure of technology
D)cybernetics
E)electronics

Question 56

Love Canal,located near Niagara Falls,is a notorious example of the failure to protect against __________.

A)improper disposal of toxic wastes
B)discharge of radiation from nuclear generating plants
C)acid rain
D)smog
E)ground water run-off

Question 57

Water moves through what is called the __________ cycle.

A)biological
B)annual
C)purification
D)carbonificerous
E)hydrologic

Question 58

Oil,detergents,pesticides,and plant nutrients are all important agents in __________.

A)water pollution
B)air pollution
C)noise pollution
D)upper-atmosphere depletion
E)the greening of the atmosphere effect

Question 59

As of 2002,United States has __________ tons of spent nuclear fuel and other nuclear wastes.

A)57,000
B)77,000
C)97,000
D)107,000
E)177,000

Question 60

The text points out that solid-waste dump sites are often located near low-income neighborhoods on the outskirts of metropolitan regions or in rural areas.This practice has been referred to as environmental __________.

A)discrimination
B)prejudice
C)ethnocentrism
D)racism
E)ethnic slurring

Question 61

What are the major contributors to water pollution? How do they affect human beings,the economy,and the ecosystem?

Question 62

What is technological dualism? Provide a number of specific examples.

Question 63

Explain how land degradation,noise,chemical hazards,and large-scale engineering projects threaten the well being of the earth and its inhabitants.

Question 64

What did William Ogburn mean by the term "culture lag"? Provide some specific examples of culture lag in American society today.

Question 65

Environmental stress can be conceptualized as involving the interrelated action of "three systems." List and define these and how they interface.Provide some specific examples.

Question 66

Is technology "autonomous"? Why or why not?

Question 67

What are the major contributors to air pollution? How do they affect human beings,the economy,and the ecosystem?

Question 68

What is "whistle blowing"? Why do people do this and what typically happens when they do?

Question 69

How would appropriate technology policy advocates and technology assessment policy advocates adjust our policies toward technology and social change?

Question 70

What is transhumanism? Provide some examples of transhumanism.