Question 1

In the opening vignette to Chapter 5, what would you conclude from the experiences of Barbara Ehrenreich?

Accepted Answer

A) Mexico is an extremely stratified country, and becoming more so every year. 
B) It is impossible to survive on minimum- or near-minimum-wage work. 
C) The wealthy live in their own virtual world and have little understanding of the middle class. 
D) A marriage that occurs between a wealthy person and a poor person faces many serious challenges, but these difficulties can be overcome. 
E) The uninsured in America have difficulty accessing the health care system.

Question 2

The working poor, which are those whose wages are generally less than about $20,000 a year, comprise about ________ percent of the U.S. population.

Accepted Answer

A) 25 
B) 15 
C) 10 
D) 5 
E) 2-3

Question 3

List the four (4)theories that have been offered to explain the nature of poverty.

Accepted Answer

The answer of List the four (4)theories that have been...

Question 4

Fatalism explains poverty as attributable to quirks, chances, or bad luck.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

About how many people are poor in the U.S.?

Accepted Answer

A) 8 million 
B) 15 million 
C) 26 million 
D) 37 million 
E) 44 million

Question 6

The individualistic explanation of poverty suggests that the poor have developed a subcultural set of values, traits, and expectations as a direct result of the structural conditions associated with poverty.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Some people suggest that the Social Register might represent ________ rather than class because membership is based on ascription rather than achievement.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Some people suggest that the Social Register...

Question 8

Describe the pathways from poverty to adverse child outcomes.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the pathways from poverty to adverse...

Question 9

According to Karl Marx, the ________ represents the individuals who must sell their labor to the owners in order to earn enough to survive.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Karl Marx, the ________ represents...

Question 10

Lonnie and her children suffer from food insecurity, which means:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Lonnie and her children suffer from food...

Question 11

The federal tax credit for low-income working families is called the _________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The federal tax credit for low-income working...

Question 12

Your friend is writing a paper about social mobility in the U.S. As her friend, you advise her:

Accepted Answer

A) there is little substantial upward social mobility 
B) upward mobility is primarily found at the middle income levels, with middle-class children moving up from their parents 
C) one reason for so much social mobility is that more avenues for mobility exist than in the past, such as the availability of college 
D) the U.S. has more social mobility than many other industrialized, developed nations, including Canada, Finland, Sweden, and Germany 
E) most Americans support the estate tax because it would make society more equitable

Question 13

There is little substantial upward mobility in the U.S., and most of what does exist occurs among the highest income levels.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Poverty has many harmful consequences for children. Which of the following is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A) Poverty puts the health of children at risk by decreasing the frequency of low birthweight babies. 
B) Poor children are more likely to have increased blood levels. 
C) Poor children are more likely to suffer from depression. 
D) Poor children perform lower academically. 
E) Poor children score lower on various standardized tests.

Question 15

From birth to death (cradle to grave)we know that social-class standing has a significant impact on our lives. List eight (8)of the impacts discussed briefly in the beginning of Chapter 5, and choose two (2)to discuss in more depth.

Accepted Answer

The answer of From birth to death (cradle to grave)we...

Question 16

Henry's father was a lower-level manager of a department store. Meanwhile, Henry was able to go to college and get his master's degree in business administration, and now is a district manager overseeing all department stores that operate on the West Coast. This is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

A) social mobility 
B) individual-level factors 
C) resiliency 
D) ascribed status 
E) proletariat

Question 17

As the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS)revealed, what country has the highest rates of poverty?

Accepted Answer

A) Australia 
B) Spain 
C) U)S. 
D) Ireland 
E) Belgium

Question 18

Which of the following is true about the middle class?

Accepted Answer

A) They wield the most power in society because of their size. 
B) They are often highly educated professionals. 
C) They comprise about 60 percent of the population. 
D) They average from about $40,000 to possibly even $100,000 with two incomes. 
E) About half work in "blue collar" occupations.

Question 19

Where would we find a social class system developed and sanctioned by the government that views the population as being in distinct categories?

Accepted Answer

A) The United States 
B) India 
C) Japan 
D) China 
E) Great Britain

Question 20

Most Americans tend to blame their financial problems on the poor rather than on the rich.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 5: Social Stratification, Social Class, and Families

In the opening vignette to Chapter 5, what would you conclude from the experiences of Barbara Ehrenreich?

The working poor, which are those whose wages are generally less than about $20,000 a year, comprise about ________ percent of the U.S. population.

List the four (4)theories that have been offered to explain the nature of poverty.

Fatalism explains poverty as attributable to quirks, chances, or bad luck.

About how many people are poor in the U.S.?

The individualistic explanation of poverty suggests that the poor have developed a subcultural set of values, traits, and expectations as a direct result of the structural conditions associated with poverty.

Some people suggest that the Social Register might represent ________ rather than class because membership is based on ascription rather than achievement.

Describe the pathways from poverty to adverse child outcomes.

According to Karl Marx, the ________ represents the individuals who must sell their labor to the owners in order to earn enough to survive.

Lonnie and her children suffer from food insecurity, which means:

The federal tax credit for low-income working families is called the _________.

Your friend is writing a paper about social mobility in the U.S. As her friend, you advise her:

There is little substantial upward mobility in the U.S., and most of what does exist occurs among the highest income levels.

Poverty has many harmful consequences for children. Which of the following is FALSE?

From birth to death (cradle to grave)we know that social-class standing has a significant impact on our lives. List eight (8)of the impacts discussed briefly in the beginning of Chapter 5, and choose two (2)to discuss in more depth.

Henry's father was a lower-level manager of a department store. Meanwhile, Henry was able to go to college and get his master's degree in business administration, and now is a district manager overseeing all department stores that operate on the West Coast. This is an example of ________.

As the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) revealed, what country has the highest rates of poverty?

Which of the following is true about the middle class?

Where would we find a social class system developed and sanctioned by the government that views the population as being in distinct categories?

Most Americans tend to blame their financial problems on the poor rather than on the rich.