Question 1

Which of the following developments would give most Americans a good reason to be optimistic regarding race?
A) the Hispanic middle class has grown
B) American Indian nations' effective economic development strategies
C) Asian Americans acquiring positions of influence in politics and business
D) the election of Barack Obama
E) all of these

Accepted Answer

All of these developments indicate progress in racial equality and representation, giving Americans reasons to be optimistic about the state of race relations.

Question 2

How many incidents of hate-crime did the FBI tally in 2004?
A) 1,649
B) 3,649
C) 7,649
D) 11,649
E) 24,649

Accepted Answer

In 2004, the FBI reported 7,649 incidents of hate crimes.

Question 3

Which of the following offenses are reported as part of hate-crime incidents tallied by the FBI?
A) intimidation
B) destruction of property
C) rape
D) burglary
E) all of these

Accepted Answer

All of the listed offenses are reported as part of hate-crime incidents tallied by the FBI.

Question 4

Which of the following groups of Americans were the poorest in the nation with poverty rates of 25%?
A) African Americans
B) Japanese Americans
C) Armenian Americans
D) Mexican Americans
E) Chinese Americans

Accepted Answer

African Americans have historically faced systemic racism and discrimination, which has contributed to their high poverty rates.

Question 5

How many times more likely are African Americans to be incarcerated than whites?
A) two times
B) three times
C) five times
D) six times
E) eight times

Accepted Answer

The answer of How many times more likely are African...

Question 6

Which of the following diseases does the textbook use as an example to show that racism is still prevalent in the United States?
A) tuberculosis
B) cancer
C) polio
D) measles
E) smallpox

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following diseases does the...

Question 7

In which of the following areas of everyday life does race play a part?
A) it structures the inner workings of our prisons
B) we witness its effects on our art
C) our intimate relationships are influenced by race
D) in the way we understand our own identities
E) all of these

Accepted Answer

Race plays a significant role in various aspects of everyday life, including the structure of prisons, the influence on art, the shaping of intimate relationships, and the understanding of personal identities.

Question 8

Which of the following sociologists spoke of the importance of history in understanding present-day society? He wrote, "[I]n each one of us, in differing degrees, is contained the person we were yesterday…[T]he present is necessarily insignificant when compared with the long period of the past because of which we have emerged in the form we have today."
A) Karl Marx
B) Max Weber
C) Emile Durkheim
D) W.E.B. Dubois
E) Robert Merton

Accepted Answer

Emile Durkheim emphasized the importance of understanding the historical context to comprehend the present state of society. He believed that the present is shaped by the cumulative history of society, which influences current social structures and individual behaviors.

Question 9

While only 25% of white households possess absolutely no net financial assets, what percentage of African American households are in a similar pinch?
A) 21%
B) 31%
C) 41%
D) 51%
E) 61%

Accepted Answer

The answer of While only 25% of white households possess...

Question 10

What is the difference in genetic variation comparing within traditionally defined racial groups and between them?
A) within groups has 8.6 times more variation
B) the variation is equal
C) between groups has 8.6 times more variation
D) within groups has 4.6 times more variation
E) between groups has 5.6 times more variation

Accepted Answer

Studies in genetics have shown that there is significantly more genetic variation within traditionally defined racial groups than between them. The figure of 8.6 times more variation within groups compared to between groups is a way to quantify this difference, highlighting the fact that the concept of race is not a strong indicator of genetic diversity.

Question 11

A social and symbolic hierarchical system of classification and separation that organizes people into rigid groups characterized by inner-group marriage, heredity, lifestyle, and occupation is referred to as a:
A) monarchy.
B) totalitarian system.
C) feudal system.
D) caste system.
E) none of these

Accepted Answer

A caste system is a form of social stratification characterized by hereditary status, endogamy, and social barriers sanctioned by custom, law, or religion. It is most commonly associated with South Asian cultures, particularly India, and involves a division of people into social groups where assignments of rights are determined by birth, are fixed, and hereditary.

Question 12

Which social scientist correctly observed that we "do not perceive racial differences…[but] phenotypical differences of colour, hair form, underlying bone structure and so on"?
A) Emile Durkheim
B) Robert Merton
C) W.E.B. Dubois
D) Michael Banton
E) Talcott Parsons

Accepted Answer

Michael Banton is known for his work in the field of racial and ethnic relations, where he emphasized the social construction of racial categories based on observable physical differences rather than inherent racial distinctions.

Question 13

What area do people who believe there are certain races that are naturally different than others often and usually point to as an example?
A) money skills
B) IQ
C) potential for violence
D) manual dexterity
E) potential to apply scientific principles

Accepted Answer

People who believe in racial differences often point to IQ as an example, claiming that certain races are naturally more intelligent than others, despite the lack of scientific evidence supporting such claims.

Question 14

Which of the following characteristics were used to describe Jewish basketball players during the early part of the twentieth century?
A) superior balance
B) greater speed
C) scheming mind
D) flashy trickiness
E) all of these

Accepted Answer

During the early part of the twentieth century, Jewish basketball players were often stereotypically described using characteristics such as superior balance, greater speed, a scheming mind, and flashy trickiness. These descriptions reflect the broader ethnic stereotypes of the time and were part of the cultural narrative surrounding Jewish athletes in sports, particularly in basketball.

Question 15

The claims regarding race-based high athletic ability with low cognitive skills is considered a:
A) positive correlation.
B) inverse correlation.
C) negative correlation.
D) double-negative correlation.
E) correlation of equality.

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is C because a negative correlation indicates that as one variable increases, the other variable decreases. In this case, the claim is that race-based high athletic ability is associated with low cognitive skills, which is a negative correlation.

Question 16

When was the intelligence quotient test first developed by Alfred Binet to locate children with special needs?
A) 1965
B) 1942
C) 1932
D) 1917
E) 1905

Accepted Answer

The intelligence quotient test was first developed by Alfred Binet in 1905 to identify children who needed special educational programs.

Question 17

Which of the following was a criticism from intellectuals following the publication of the book The Bell Curve in 1994?
A) IQ cannot be extracted and measured as a single number
B) IQ is genetically based and immutable
C) the authors hid results which contradicted their central claims
D) IQ differences cease to matter once social and historical facts are considered
E) all of these

Accepted Answer

The criticisms following the publication of "The Bell Curve" included concerns about the oversimplification of IQ as a single number, the controversial claim that IQ is largely genetic and immutable, allegations that the authors ignored evidence contradicting their claims, and arguments that the importance of IQ differences is diminished when social and historical contexts are taken into account.

Question 18

Which of the following is an example of biological determinism demonstrated during the twentieth century?
A) the use of the IQ test after World War I
B) Arthur Jensen's 1969 article emphasizing innate IQ differences between blacks and whites
C) The Bell Curve published in 1994
D) none of these
E) all of these

Accepted Answer

All of these examples (A, B, C) reflect the concept of biological determinism, which is the idea that human behavior and social status are determined by biological factors such as genetics. The use of IQ tests, Arthur Jensen's article, and "The Bell Curve" publication all promoted the notion that intelligence and other social outcomes are primarily the result of genetic differences.

Question 19

According to Stephen Jay Gould, with which of the following occurrences does biological determinism correlate?
A) episodes of political retrenchment
B) campaigns to reduce government spending on social programs
C) times of fear from ruling elites
D) when disadvantaged groups threaten to usurp power
E) all of these

Accepted Answer

Stephen Jay Gould argued that biological determinism correlates with all of these occurrences: episodes of political retrenchment, campaigns to reduce government spending on social programs, times of fear from ruling elites, and when disadvantaged groups threaten to usurp power. He believed that in such times, biological determinism is often invoked to justify inequalities and maintain the status quo by attributing social and economic differences to innate, immutable biological differences.

Question 20

Which great American novelist observed that "Color is not a human or personal reality; it is a political reality"?
A) Jack London
B) James Baldwin
C) Mark Twain
D) F.Scott Fitzgerald
E) Toni Morrison

Accepted Answer

James Baldwin is known for his insightful observations on race, identity, and society in America. This quote reflects his understanding of color as a construct used for political and social purposes rather than a reflection of personal identity.

Quiz 1: Race in the Twenty-First Century

Which of the following developments would give most Americans a good reason to be optimistic regarding race?

How many incidents of hate-crime did the FBI tally in 2004?

Which of the following offenses are reported as part of hate-crime incidents tallied by the FBI?

Which of the following groups of Americans were the poorest in the nation with poverty rates of 25%?

How many times more likely are African Americans to be incarcerated than whites?

Which of the following diseases does the textbook use as an example to show that racism is still prevalent in the United States?

In which of the following areas of everyday life does race play a part?

While only 25% of white households possess absolutely no net financial assets, what percentage of African American households are in a similar pinch?

What is the difference in genetic variation comparing within traditionally defined racial groups and between them?

A social and symbolic hierarchical system of classification and separation that organizes people into rigid groups characterized by inner-group marriage, heredity, lifestyle, and occupation is referred to as a:

Which social scientist correctly observed that we "do not perceive racial differences…[but] phenotypical differences of colour, hair form, underlying bone structure and so on"?

What area do people who believe there are certain races that are naturally different than others often and usually point to as an example?

Which of the following characteristics were used to describe Jewish basketball players during the early part of the twentieth century?

The claims regarding race-based high athletic ability with low cognitive skills is considered a:

When was the intelligence quotient test first developed by Alfred Binet to locate children with special needs?

Which of the following was a criticism from intellectuals following the publication of the book The Bell Curve in 1994?

Which of the following is an example of biological determinism demonstrated during the twentieth century?

According to Stephen Jay Gould, with which of the following occurrences does biological determinism correlate?

Which great American novelist observed that "Color is not a human or personal reality; it is a political reality"?