Deck 5: Social Stratification, Social Class, and Families

Question 1

Which of the following arguments challenges the United States as a meritocracy and has characteristics of a caste system?

A) The Social Register is based on ascribed status.
B) Social mobility is frequent with talent and hard work.
C) The income gap between rich and poor is large.
D) Social class is based on ascribed status and individual achievement.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Based on statistics, predict which student will graduate from college.

A) Ian, a B student, whose single mother is a teacher.
B) Morgan, a B student, whose parents are attorneys
C) Alice, an A student whose parents both work in retail.
D) Russell, an A student whose single mother is a waitress.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Andrew was born into a wealthy, powerful family in the United States. Maria became wealthy through her occupation and eventual investments. Which best distinguishes their status in society?

A) Maria is more likely to have attended an exclusive prep school.
B) Andrew is lower-upper class and Maria upper-upper class.
C) Andrew is more likely a blueblood than Maria.
D) Maria is more likely to be found in the Social Register.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

A couple earning $60,000 a year is considered to be ________ class.

A) underclass
B) working
C) middle
D) upper middle

Question 5

Which group did not see an increase in poverty during the mid-to-late-2000s?

A) Very young
B) Elderly
C) Young adults
D) Middle aged

Question 6

Val and Nichole live in the same city in the United States. Val attends a private school with class sizes under 20 that offers art, music, foreign language, and advanced courses. In addition, Val takes private music lessons, gymnastics, and is involved in a children's theater program. Nichole attends a public school is a poor neighborhood with most class sizes over 30 and offers remedial courses, but no advanced courses. Art and music courses are minimal. Val and Nichole's life differences are based on

A) legacy preference.
B) achieved status.
C) caste system.
D) ascribed status.

Question 7

A system based on ascribed characteristics with no social mobility is known as a ________ system.

A) proletariat
B) class
C) bourgeoisie
D) caste

Question 8

Abhiraj's status in the community has been passed down from his father. He has no aspiration to move up through the social classes because his society has a ________ and does not provide

A) caste system; social stratification.
B) class system; social mobility.
C) class system; social stratification.
D) caste system; social mobility.

Question 9

A family that skips meals because they do not have food is experiencing

A) very high food insecurity.
B) low food insecurity.
C) high food insecurity.
D) very low food insecurity.

Question 10

Rosa and Jonathan have two children and earn $42,000 a year. What federal tax credit would they probably qualify?

A) EITC
B) AFDC
C) SNAP
D) EHUD

Question 11

Austin receives SNAP, but has no income. After an injury, he experienced depression and stopped cooperating with industrial insurance so he lost his disability payments and medical. His wife then divorced him. Since the divorce he has been living in his car and holding a sign on street corners begging. He rarely sees his children because he does not have a home for them to visit. He recently went to a social service agency to ask for assistance. Which barriers stand in Austin's way?

A) As a member of the underclass, Austin may not have resources to deal with his depression nor skills for a job he can perform with his injury.
B) As a member of the working class, Austin may not have the coping skills to deal with his mental health and employment needs.
C) As a homeless individual, Austin probably has serious drug or alcohol problems and treatment is the biggest barrier.
D) As a disabled individual, Austin is eligible for immediate free housing and other generous welfare programs if he applies.

Question 12

Rebecca does the dishes and her brother takes out the garbage. In which group is this behavior most likely found?

A) Middle class
B) Lower class
C) Lower middle class
D) Upper class

Question 13

Eighty percent of Americans believe

A) it is possible for poor children to become rich.
B) the estate tax is unfair to families after a death.
C) financial problems are caused by the rich.
D) working hard does not pay off.

Question 14

Which of the following could explain why obesity might be an issue in lower income individuals?

A) They have fewer coping strategies available.
B) They have less self-control and discipline.
C) They have more sedentary jobs.
D) They have more family get-togethers.

Question 15

Nick's mother is a maid at the local resort and his father is a salesclerk. Which social class in the United States would they fall?

A) Working
B) Middle
C) Under
D) Upper

Question 16

Which of the following did Barbara Ehrenreich discover from her experiment?

A) Low wage workers are treated well by employers and customers.
B) Opportunities are the same regardless of social class.
C) It is not possible to survive on minimum wage.
D) It was not even possible to pay housing cost.

Question 17

________ families typically spend more time together.

A) Upper middle class
B) Poor
C) Middle class
D) Upper class

Question 18

If one multiplies the minimal USDA food budget by three the result is the

A) poverty threshold.
B) average family income. Consider The food budget parallels the Thrift Food Plan.
LO 5.5: Discuss how families in poverty differ from stereotypes of poverty
C) average cost of housing. Consider The food budget parallels the Thrift Food Plan.
LO 5.5: Discuss how families in poverty differ from stereotypes of poverty
D) poverty limit. Consider The food budget parallels the Thrift Food Plan.
LO 5.5: Discuss how families in poverty differ from stereotypes of poverty

Question 19

The EITC was enacted in 1975 to encourage

A) businesses to hire the poor.
B) women to work.
C) businesses to hire women.
D) the poor to work.

Question 20

Gabe is a 15-year-old African American young man who lives in the inner city with his mother and 3 younger siblings. His older brother, Jake, died when he was 17. Which is the most likely cause of death?

A) Lead poisoning
B) Suicide
C) Homicide
D) Drug addiction

Question 21

Evaluate the causes of poverty in the United States.

Question 22

Explain the difference between how Americans and the British view social class.

Question 23

Examine the challenges in upward social mobility in the United States.

Question 24

Examine how poverty affects a family's coping methods.

Question 25

Assess the effectiveness of the Earned Income Tax Credit.

Question 26

Which explains the difference between relative poverty and absolute poverty?

A) Absolute poverty is easier to overcome than relative poverty because there are more programs for assistance.
B) Relative poverty is common in countries such as India and Africa, and absolute poverty is the focus in countries such as the United States.
C) Relative poverty is comparative, and absolute poverty is a complete lack of basic resources.
D) Purchasing power is used to determine relative poverty, and the poverty threshold is used to determine absolute poverty.

Question 27

Assess the factors involved in social mobility in the United States.

Question 28

Choose two social classes and compare and contrast the values parents socialize in their children.

Question 29

Differentiate between a caste system and social classes in the United States.

Question 30

What is the relationship between a college degree and socioeconomic status in the United States?

A) Working-class occupations often require a college degree.
B) Middle-class occupations often require a college degree.
C) A college degree is not a factor in entering the upper-middle-class.
D) A college degree is not a factor in socioeconomic status.

Question 31

Differentiate the experience of a poor family in the United States with a poor family in India.

Question 32

Discuss the ability of a minimum wage worker to pay housing, food, and other life expenses.

Question 33

Which conclusion can be made about the effectiveness of the EITC on poverty?

A) The boost in income helps poor families, but up to 20 percent of those eligible may not claim their credit.
B) The monthly assistance helps families by their basic needs, but 10 percent do not apply.
C) The EITC has had no effect on poverty and has not shown to help in transition from welfare to work.
D) The EITC is credited with being the program that lowered the poverty rate during the mid 2000s.

Question 34

In Great Britain, Rachel and Troy are classified in social class II. If they lived in the United States, how would their social class change?

A) They would be social class III.
B) They would be upper class.
C) They were be working class.
D) They would not be classified.

Question 35

Which accurately explains describes how the individualistic perspective views poverty?

A) People are poor because of bad luck, fate, and other forces beyond their control.
B) Individuals are poor because of inequalities in the social structure.
C) People are poor because of their culture and values.
D) People are poor because they make bad choices.