Question 1

Environmentalism stemming from the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring differed from earlier North American conservation perspectives by

Accepted Answer

A)  focusing on human population growth. 
B)  placing more emphasis on pollution problems. 
C)  emphasizing international problems. 
D)  encouraging energy efficiency. 
E)  emphasizing the value of natural resources.

Question 2

In explaining your choice of an environmental science major in college to your roommate, you would probably emphasize the fact that environmental science is a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  applied interdisciplinary field concerning the environment with an emphasis on solving problems. 
B)  well-established field that has been in existence for a long time. 
C)  theoretical discipline that will help to solve the problems created by human impact. 
D)  relatively new field that will identify remedies to environmental issues. 
E)  theoretical field with an emphasis on scientific understanding.

Question 3

Ideally, science

Accepted Answer

A)  is correct most of the time. 
B)  tells us what we expected to find. 
C)  uses new technology. 
D)  is methodical and logical. 
E)  proves that our hypotheses are correct.

Question 4

The concept that a resource that is degraded by the increasing populations that utilize the resource without any regulation of that resource is referred to as

Accepted Answer

A)  the tragedy of the commons. 
B)  the population bomb. 
C)  the lack of sustainable thinking. 
D)  a paradigm shift.

Question 5

Which of the following was key to the recovery of the Apo Island's reef fish population?

Accepted Answer

A)  The establishment of a small marine sanctuary. 
B)  A complete ban on all fishing. 
C)  Importation of fish from other islands. 
D)  Heavy government investment in alternative food sources. 
E)  None of these are correct.

Question 6

When testing a new drug to treat arthritis what method should be used to avoid bias in the data?

Accepted Answer

A)  Deductive reasoning. 
B)  Inductive reasoning. 
C)  Critical thinking. 
D)  Statistics. 
E)  Double-blind experiments.

Question 7

Parsimony is one of the basic principles of science.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Why is world hunger an environmental issue?

Accepted Answer

A)  Food production is global but the resources are unequally distributed. 
B)  Agriculture is only possible in developed nations. 
C)  There is not enough fresh water for irrigation. 
D)  There is not enough fertilizer to provide high yields for crops.

Question 9

Plants capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere would be an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  sustainable development. 
B)  environmentalism. 
C)  ecosystem services. 
D)  throughput.

Question 10

Of the following statements and questions, which is the best example of deductive reasoning?

Accepted Answer

A)  If all insects have six legs, then butterflies have six legs. 
B)  In repeated tosses of a coin, there is a 50/50 chance of each toss resulting in a "head." 
C)  How many times will the toss of coins turn "heads-up" if 100 people each toss a coin? 
D)  Since every insect I have examined so far has six legs, I conclude that all insects must have six legs. 
E)  All of these are examples of deductive reasoning.

Question 11

A group of concerned citizens are collecting water samples from a local river to detect the level of nitrogen in the water. They plan to take samples every day for a month and then will divide the sum by the number of days they sampled. What is the group trying to do?

Accepted Answer

A)  Determine the mean level of nitrogen in the water. 
B)  Determine the average level of nitrogen in the water. 
C)  Determine the confidence level of the sample. 
D)  Both determine the mean level of nitrogen in the water and determine the average level of nitrogen in the water. 
E)  Both determine the average level of nitrogen in the water and determine the confidence level of the sample.

Question 12

Places in the world where indigenous people live tend to have high biodiversity.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Evidence of progress in dealing with increasing population problems is best illustrated by

Accepted Answer

A)  current evidence of a stable population in the developing and developed world. 
B)  a decrease in the average number of children born to each woman. 
C)  current evidence of a globally stable population growth. 
D)  the decreasing population growth rate in the United States. 
E)  current evidence of a stable population in the developing world.

Question 14

Poverty is passed on from one generation to the next primarily through

Accepted Answer

A)  the lack of available opportunities. 
B)  genetic conditions. 
C)  improper care of natural resources. 
D)  the lack of motivation to change. 
E)  illnesses spread by viruses.

Exam 1: Understanding Our Environment

Environmentalism stemming from the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring differed from earlier North American conservation perspectives by

In explaining your choice of an environmental science major in college to your roommate, you would probably emphasize the fact that environmental science is a(n)

Ideally, science

The concept that a resource that is degraded by the increasing populations that utilize the resource without any regulation of that resource is referred to as

Which of the following was key to the recovery of the Apo Island's reef fish population?

When testing a new drug to treat arthritis what method should be used to avoid bias in the data?

Parsimony is one of the basic principles of science.

Why is world hunger an environmental issue?

Plants capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere would be an example of

Of the following statements and questions, which is the best example of deductive reasoning?

A group of concerned citizens are collecting water samples from a local river to detect the level of nitrogen in the water. They plan to take samples every day for a month and then will divide the sum by the number of days they sampled. What is the group trying to do?

Places in the world where indigenous people live tend to have high biodiversity.

Evidence of progress in dealing with increasing population problems is best illustrated by

Poverty is passed on from one generation to the next primarily through