Deck 38: Joe R Feagin and Robert Parker, the Rise and Fall of Mass Rail Transit From Building American Cities: the Urban Real Estate Game

Question 1

According to Feagin and Parker, Los Angeles's urban development, especially its urban sprawl

A) emphasizes population density, concentrating people around commercial districts.
B) grew as a consequence of "water politics" that favored suburban homeowners.
C) began with the extension of mass transit trolley and rail routes spreading outward from the central city.
D) was inevitable, given the topography of the area-hilly and difficult to develop with a typical grid pattern.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Feagin and Parker discuss an axis or "complex" composed of

A) military, political, and industrial elites.
B) urban, rural, and suburban voters.
C) technology, economics, and social values.
D) automobile, oil, and rubber (tire) companies.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Urban areas in the United States have often grown with a poor or absent public transit system in place because

A) public mass transit was not necessary once people could own cars.
B) public mass transit has been opposed by businesses that profit from individually owned means of transportation.
C) Americans have never liked the idea of public (government-owned) mass transit.
D) there were no technological breakthroughs that would make public mass transit as economical as private transportation.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Feagin and Parker's discussion of mass rail transit casts urban politics as

A) chaotic and driven by many conflicting interest groups that cannot agree among themselves.
B) democratic-in fact, too democratic-in paying undue attention to the needs and voices of ordinary people who do not understand most issues.
C) dominated by economic elites.
D) highly bureaucratic, corrupt, and incapable of effecting significant social changes.

Question 5

Mass transit, according to Feagin and Parker, has

A) been opposed by businesses that make and market petroleum products, automobiles, and tires.
B) grown steadily in this country since the turn of the century, but will decline in the future.
C) become increasingly important in wealthier countries of the world, but has declined in importance where people are very poor.
D) gained support as a result of technological breakthroughs and lost support due to catastrophic accidents that cost human lives.

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT a form of mass transit?

A) electric-powered trains
B) horse-drawn trolleys taking people to and from work
C) privately owned, publicly available airline service
D) automobiles using a public highway

Question 7

Feagin and Parker compare U.S. experiences of transit system development to

A) Mexico.
B) China.
C) Germany.
D) Indonesia.