Poverty in developing nations
Nigeria (etc.)
Apartheid and other problems
Oil and energy
India, IT, and Monsoon Asia
100
What is meant by "gender-based division of labor" and give two examples.
Tasks are assumed to be the jobs of one gender rather than the other. Examples: Taking care of kids on a daily basis usually falls to females in most countries. In America professional football players (NFL) are assumed to be men. People usually assume that nurses will be women. People usually assume that plumbers will be men.
100
What is a "cultural region"?
a region where the majority of the people share the same way of life (language, customs, types of food, styles of clothing, holidays, religious practices)
100
What made the racist culture of South Africa unique among racist cultures? (Hint: What was apartheid?)
Many countries experience racism, but South Africa's policy of apartheid was an official government policy backed by police and military to enforce official rules and restrictions against blacks and "coloreds". South Africa's racism was deeply built into its government and laws.
100
What makes a natural resource "renewable"? Name three sources of renewable energy.
A renewable resource is one that is in limitless supply or one that can be replaced relatively quickly. Examples: wind, solar, biofuels (fuels made from plants that are easily grown), geothermal, wave energy from oceans, hydrogen fuel cells
100
What two types of data are represented by a climagraph?
Average monthly temperature and average monthly precipitation.
200
What is a micro-enterprise?
a small business, often in a developing nation, usually started by a woman or women, has few or no other employees at start-up
200
What sort of "ism" was largely responsible for the way national boundaries currently are drawn in Africa?
colonialism (European powers divided huge parts of the continent into "their" countries in the 1700s, 1800s and 1900s by re-drawing national boundaries in a way that ignored tribal and cultural regions that were already in place)
200
What was the purpose of South Africa's policy of apartheid?
segregation of the races (to keep the races "apart").
200
What is OPEC and what are its two major goals. OPEC is an example of a global _________.
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. OPEC wants to keep the supply and price of oil relatively steady. They do this by dialing the amount of oil they produce and sell in global markets up and down. OPEC is a global cartel.
200
What is meant by the term "monsoon"? What is meant by the term "orographic effect"?
A monsoon is a seasonal wind that often (but not necessarily) brings steady precipitation. Orographic effect is when the moisture in the air condenses and falls as precipitation as the air is forced up and over mountains (where the temperature drops significantly due to elevation).
300
What is an "informal economy"?
Where business is done outside of formal business channels; no regulations; no banks; no contracts; often involves barter rather than formal payment in currency; selling from a portable stall or roadside stand rather than a permanent store; widely used by locals in poor neighborhoods; also called a "poor man's market" or an "underground market"
300
What is the most important economic activity in Nigeria and in what part of the country does it take place?
oil exploration and production in the Niger River delta along Nigeria's coast
300
What was the immediate goal of the ANC government led by Nelson Mandela when it took power in terms of South Africa's educational system?
to integrate the schools, to devote educational resources specifically to blacks and coloreds who previously had been denied a proper education, and to bring South Africa's oppressed racial majorities up to speed in math and science in order for blacks and coloreds to get jobs; increased employment for blacks was the primary and immediate goal
300
True or false: Oil reserves are distributed evenly throughout the middle east.
False. Some countries have far more oil reserves than others and oil is therefore distributed unevenly among middle eastern countries. Some countries have few if any oil reserves.
300
What are two ways that people can adapt their agricultural practices to deal with a semiarid (very dry) climate.
They can grow more drought-resistant crops; they can use drip irrigation that preserves valuable water; they can grow seasonal crops according to that season's dominant weather (such as growing rice only during the rainy season).
400
Name a few key root causes of poverty in Africa.
drought/famine; war; government corruption
400
What European power colonized Nigeria and what are a few of the legacies of that foreign occupation?
England colonized Nigeria. A few remnants of British rule: English is widely spoken (especially by the Igbo people); British style education system; legal system resembles England's; tribal conflict and resentment between the Igbo and other ethnic groups
400
How did the end of apartheid change the distribution of political power in South Africa.
Millions of blacks were then allowed to vote, giving the previously oppressed majority (blacks) control of the government (ANC party led by Mandela).
400
Why are fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas considered to be nonrenewable resources?
Because it takes millions of years for them to form underground from the deposition of dead plants and animals.
400
Name three comparative advantages India has when it comes to their pool of potential IT workers.
They have good english language skills, are well educated, and earn lower wages than more developed countries pay their workers.
500
Name a few benefits of providing loans to women to start small businesses in poor developing nations.
The women can support themselves and their families; they can create jobs for other people in the village/town; their children can attend school rather than staying home to help earn money; they can build better homes for their families; they can teach other women how to start and run a business
500
Nigeria is a culturally diverse country with several main tribal groups and many dialects. What is the difference between a language and a dialect?
A dialect is a local version of a broader language. Some regions might share the same root language but have different dialects according to local phrases, pronunciation, or unique words.
500
What is a widespread health epidemic in Africa and who among Africa's population are most infected?
HIV (aids) is rampant in Africa and most directly affects working-age adults.
500
What is "HDI" and what are its three components?
"HDI" stands for "human development index". It is a way to quantitatively measure (using numerical data) how well a country's population is doing. It measures a combination of health (life expectancy), wealth (median household income), and education (the average number of years in school). It was intended to be a better measure of a country's well being than its GDP.
500
The US pays relatively high wages, so that is not a comparative advantage when it comes to their pool of potential IT workers. What comparative advantages does the US enjoy over other countries?
US workers are among the most highly educated and trained, and they have the highest english language skills, especially when it comes to American english (the international language of business).
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