GED Social Studies Practice Test 2

Based on the provided visual representation of average real income trends, which of the following statements is most accurate regarding the economic disparity between the top 1 percent and the bottom 90 percent since 1980?

Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important heat-trapping gas, also known as a greenhouse gas, that comes from the extraction and burning of fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, and natural gas), from wildfires, and natural processes like volcanic eruptions. The first graph shows atmospheric CO2 levels measured by NOAA at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii, since 1958. The second graph shows CO2 levels during Earth’s last three glacial cycles, as captured by air bubbles trapped in ice sheets and glaciers.

Since the onset of industrial times in the 18th century, human activities have raised atmospheric CO2 by 50% – meaning the amount of CO2 is now 150% of its value in 1750. This human-induced rise is greater than the natural increase observed at the end of the last ice age 20,000 years ago.

DIRECT MEASUREMENTS: 2010-PRESENT

Based on the pattern of the graph, what can be inferred about the fluctuations in emissions over the years?

Summary of Australia’s critical energy minerals potential

Australia has significant potential to derive value from  shortlisted critical energy minerals. However, despite its endowment, there is likely to be a real resources constraint (e.g. greenfield exploration, infrastructure, skilled workforce) that will require careful consideration of investments.

Figure 11 therefore seeks to help prioritize investment by comparing the potential value of each opportunity (based on 2050 global demand from the energy transition only and market price of each metal), against the associated investment risk for Australia. Noting the expected volatility in supply and demand for a number of these critical minerals, the market value of each is based on the average traded price of the metal over the last 5 years.

Which of the following statements accurately represents what is depicted in the graph above?

Monetary policy in the Great Depression

Monetary policy prolonged the Great Depression. The real interest rate data in the figure below suggests that monetary policy was contractionary in the US economy from 1925 to 1932: The real interest rate increased, reaching a peak of 13% in 1932.

Once the downturn began in 1929, this policy stance reinforced, rather than offset, the decline of aggregate demand. But note that the nominal interest rate was falling after its peak in 1929; the real interest rate went up because prices were falling too.

After analyzing the information above, which of the following statements is correct?

Movements to Achieve African American Equality

Black Lives Matter (BLM), a decentralized, grassroots movement focused on fighting police brutality and racially motivated violence, represents, for many, a new civil rights movement. While earlier civil rights movements focused on equal access to opportunities and public accommodations, according to its website, the mission of Black Lives Matter “is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.” The movement has primarily used social media to organize marches, protests, and boycotts and to communicate with elected officials. In this way it is markedly different from the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, which was primarily inspired and organized by political institutions like African American churches and by student/youth-heavy organizations like the Congress of Racial Equality, Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, and Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

In its examination of the nature of systemic and institutional racism at the national, state, and local levels and on a global scale, Black Lives Matter represents to many the next stage in the effort to secure civil rights for Black people. Where past civil rights movements focused on the consequences of racism, BLM adds an examination of racism’s origins and the structural constructs like patriarchy, colorism, capitalism, and homophobia that create the conditions that allow for racist institutions.

One of the biggest outcomes of BLM’s efforts has been the mainstreaming of the phrase “structural racism.” As senior correspondent for TIME magazine Justin Worland notes, “once confined to academic and activist circles on the left of the spectrum, [the term structural racism] has become the phrase du jour.”

Me Too

One of the most remarkable social movements of the 21st century has been Me Too, a global effort that encourages people to speak out about their experiences of sexual harassment and assault and to publicly name their attackers. American activist Tarana Burke originally coined the phrase in 2006 in response to working with children of color who were victims of molestation and childhood sexual abuse. As she heard story after story of the horrors Black girls experienced, Burke was reminded of her own experience of rape at the age of seven and the shame she subsequently felt. She came up with the expression “Me Too” as a form of solidarity with the victims, particularly girls of color.

Ten years later, in 2017, the movement exploded, primarily through the Twitter hashtag #MeToo, building an online community of millions of people, mostly women, who push not only for recognition of the generational trauma of sexual harassment, but also for immediate civil rights change.

Me Too movements have sprung up around the world, uniting people across the globe and across generations. The movement has sparked public outrage over the past untouchability of celebrities and public figures accused of sexual harassment like Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer, Larry Nassar, Louis C.K., Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew, James Franco, Woody Allen, Bill Clinton, Al Franken, Kevin Spacey, and others whose cult of personality shielded them for years from criminal investigation or accountability.

Gen Z has played a pivotal role in Me Too gaining momentum. As columnist David Bloom put it, “Youths are approaching power in new ways, wielding it collectively through social media and new vectors of influence . . . a self-organizing flash mob responding to a perceived problem or issue.”

Which statement draws a significant connection between the Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Me Too movements based on the provided passages?

Jefferson’s Secret Message to Congress Regarding the Lewis & Clark Expedition (1803)

In this secret message of January 18, 1803, President Jefferson asked Congress for $2,500 to explore the West – all the way to the Pacific Ocean. At the time, the territory did not belong to the United States. Congress agreed to fund the expedition that would be led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.

The modesty of the small request, explained principally in terms of promoting commerce, concealed the greater intentions of Jefferson’s expansionist goals. Jefferson had long been interested in exploration of the North American frontier, and believed that the United States should stretch across the entire continent.

Meriwether Lewis commanded the expedition jointly with William Clark. Jefferson instructed them to seek new trade routes, to establish relations with the western tribes of American Indians, and to report on the geography, geology, astronomy, zoology, botany, and climate of the West. The 8,000-mile expedition provided the U.S. Government with its first glimpse of the vast lands that lay west of the Mississippi River, much of which it would acquire from France with the Louisiana Purchase.

President Jefferson worked closely with Meriwether Lewis to ensure that he was well prepared – anticipating what the party would need in the way of arms, food, medicines, camping gear, scientific instruments, and gifts for Indian tribes. They planned well. While the expedition ran out of such luxuries as whiskey, tobacco, and salt, they never ran out of rifles and powder, needed both for self-defense and food supply — and they never ran out of ink and paper, needed to record their findings.

What historical evidence from Jefferson’s Secret Message to Congress (1803) supports the claim that Thomas Jefferson’s goals for the Lewis & Clark Expedition extended beyond the stated purpose of promoting commerce?

The Dust Bowl

Between 1930 and 1940, the southwestern Great Plains region of the United States suffered a severe drought. Once a semi-arid grassland, the treeless plains became home to thousands of settlers when, in 1862, Congress passed the Homestead Act. Most of the settlers farmed their land or grazed cattle. The farmers plowed the prairie grasses and planted dry land wheat. As the demand for wheat products grew, cattle grazing was reduced, and millions more acres were plowed and planted.

Dry land farming on the Great Plains led to the systematic destruction of the prairie grasses. In the ranching regions, overgrazing also destroyed large areas of grassland. Gradually, the land was laid bare, and significant environmental damage began to occur. Among the natural elements, the strong winds of the region were particularly devastating.

With the onset of drought in 1930, the overfarmed and overgrazed land began to blow away. Winds whipped across the plains, raising billowing clouds of dust. The sky could darken for days, and even well-sealed homes could have a thick layer of dust on the furniture. In some places, the dust drifted like snow, covering farm buildings and houses. Nineteen states in the heartland of the United States became a vast dust bowl. With no chance of making a living, farm families abandoned their homes and land, fleeing westward to become migrant laborers.

In his 1939 book The Grapes of Wrath, author John Steinbeck described the flight of families from the Dust Bowl: “And then the dispossessed were drawn west–from Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico; from Nevada and Arkansas, families, tribes, dusted out, tractored out. Car-loads, caravans, homeless and hungry; twenty thousand and fifty thousand and a hundred thousand and two hundred thousand. They streamed over the mountains, hungry and restless–restless as ants, scurrying to find work to do–to lift, to push, to pick, to cut–anything, any burden to bear, for food. The kids are hungry. We got no place to live. Like ants scurrying for work, for food, and most of all for land.” In all, 400,000 people left the Great Plains, victims of the combined action of severe drought and poor soil conservation practices.

Which of the following statements from the passage best illustrates possible bias or propaganda?

Détente and Arms Control, 1969–1979

Between the late 1960s and the late 1970s, there was a thawing of the ongoing Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. This détente took several forms, including increased discussion on arms control. Although the decade began with vast improvements in bilateral relations, by the end of the decade events had brought the two superpowers back to the brink of confrontation.

Two decades after the Second World War, Soviet-American tension had become a way of life. Fears of nuclear conflict between the two superpowers peaked in 1962 in the wake of the Cuban Missile Crisis, paving the way for some of the earliest agreements on nuclear arms control, including the Limited Test Ban Treaty in 1963. Although these agreements acted as important precedents, the U.S. escalation of the war in Vietnam increased tensions again and served to derail any efforts in the mid-1960s to pursue further arms agreements. By the late 1960s, however, both countries had several concrete reasons for resuming arms talks. The ongoing nuclear arms race was incredibly expensive, and both nations faced domestic economic difficulties as a result of the diversion of resources to military research. The emergence of the Sino-Soviet split also made the idea of generally improving relations with the United States more appealing to the USSR. The United States faced an increasingly difficult war in Vietnam, and improved relations with the Soviet Union were thought to be helpful in limiting future conflicts. With both sides willing to explore accommodation, the early 1970s saw a general warming of relations that was conducive to progress in arms control talks.

In practical terms, détente led to formal agreements on arms control and the security of Europe. A clear sign that a détente was emerging was found in the signing of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in 1968. Then, in 1972, the first round of Strategic Arms Limitations Talks yielded the Antiballistic Missile Treaty along with an interim agreement setting caps on the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles each side could develop. At mid-decade, in 1975, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe emerged from two years of intense negotiations to sign the Helsinki Final Act, which recognized political borders, established military confidence building measures, created opportunities for trade and cultural exchange, and promoted human rights. By the end of the decade, however, cracks had begun to form in the precarious U.S.-Soviet relationship. The leadership of the two countries signed a second SALT agreement but did not ratify it, although both nations voluntarily adhered to the provisions for reduced limits on strategic weapons for years thereafter.

The breakdown of détente in the late 1970s stalled progress on arms control. Ultimately, the United States and the Soviet Union had different visions of what détente meant and what its pursuit would entail. Overblown expectations that the warming of relations in the era of détente would translate into an end to the Cold War also created public dissatisfaction with the increasing manifestations of continued competition and the interventions in the Third World. By the time the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, the spirit of cooperation had been replaced with renewed competition and formal implementation of the SALT II agreement stalled. Arms control talks ceased in the early 1980s and only restarted when Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in the Soviet Union.

In the context of this text, what is the best definition of the word détente?

In an 1897 Atlantic Monthly article and again in his 1903 Souls of Black Folk, Du Bois innovated by using a term already in currency – and with multiple associations in a variety of literary, philosophical, and scientific discourses – in a distinctive and original way to name a theretofore largely unremarked phenomenon. The innovation was part of an account of the life-experience he ascribed to “black folk” in America generally in then-current social circumstances – Jim Crow in the south, de facto segregation in the North, and the threat and actuality of racist violence throughout the nation.

The term he used – “double-consciousness” – dropped entirely, after just these two uses, from his published writing. Those uses nonetheless struck a chord; use of the term, interpreted in a number of ways, has frequently recurred as the century since its appearance has passed. While the disappearance of the term from Du Bois’s writing after 1903 has fueled questions about the significance of the concept in the overall assessment of his work, some commentators insist nonetheless on the centrality of the concept for Du Bois’s legacy.

The utilization of “double-consciousness” by Du Bois in his writings primarily aimed to describe:

The prohibition era in the United States, lasting from 1920 to 1933, was marked by the nationwide ban on the production, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages. Prohibition, legal prevention of the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages in the United States from 1920 to 1933 under the terms of the Eighteenth Amendment.

Although the temperance movement, which was widely supported, had succeeded in bringing about this legislation, millions of Americans were willing to drink liquor (distilled spirits) illegally, which gave rise to bootlegging (the illegal production and sale of liquor) and speakeasies (illegal, secretive drinking establishments), both of which were capitalized upon by organized crime. As a result, the Prohibition era also is remembered as a period of gangsterism, characterized by competition and violent turf battles between criminal gangs.

This movement stemmed from the belief that alcohol consumption led to societal issues such as crime, poverty, and domestic violence. The 18th Amendment, ratified in 1919, officially prohibited alcohol, leading to the emergence of illegal speakeasies and the rise of organized crime, notably led by figures like Al Capone. The Prohibition era came to an end with the ratification of the 21st Amendment in 1933, repealing the ban on alcohol.

Which statement in the passage is factual regarding the Prohibition era?

After reviewing the maps about the Missouri Compromise above, which of the following states always allowed slavery?

Conservation in the Progressive Era

In the mid to late 19th century, natural resources were heavily exploited, especially in the West. Land speculators and developers took over large tracts of forests and grazing land. Acreage important to waterpower was seized by private concerns. Mining companies practiced improper and wasteful mining practices. Assuming a seemingly inexhaustible supply of natural resources, Americans developed a “tradition of waste.”

Alarmed by the public’s attitude toward natural resources as well as the exploitation of natural resources for private gain, conservationists called for federal supervision of the nation’s resources and the preservation of those resources for future generations. In President Theodore Roosevelt, the conservationists found a sympathetic ear and man of action. Conservation of the nation’s resources, putting an end to wasteful uses of raw materials, and the reclamation of large areas of neglected land have been identified as some of the major achievements of the Roosevelt era.

President Roosevelt’s concern for the environment was influenced by American naturalists, such as John Muir, and by his own political appointees, including Gifford Pinchot, Chief of Forestry. Working in concert with many individuals and organizations, the Roosevelt administration was responsible for the following: the Newlands Act of 1902, which funded irrigation projects from the proceeds of the sale of federal lands in the West; the appointment of the Inland Waterways Commission in 1907 to study the relation of rivers, soil, forest, waterpower development, and water transportation; and the National Conservation Commission of 1909, which was charged with drawing up long-range plans for preserving national resources. Along with a vocal group of conservationists, the Roosevelt administration created an environmental conservation movement whose words and actions continue to be heard and felt throughout the nation today.

During the mid to late 19th century, what prompted conservationists to advocate for federal supervision of natural resources in the United States?

The Cold War in Space

The Cold War was a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union in every conceivable arena – even space. When the Soviets launched the world’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, in October 1957, it set off alarm bells in the Eisenhower administration and created intense fear and anxiety among the US public that the Soviet Union had surpassed the technological achievements of the United States. In response to perceptions of Soviet technological success, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was established on October 1, 1958 as the primary federal agency responsible for aerospace research and the civilian space program. In December, NASA took control of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory operated by the California Institute of Technology, forming NASA-JPL. The Advanced Research Projects Agency, which took the lead in developing space technology for military purposes, was also created in 1958.

Sputnik orbited the earth and transmitted radio signals for twenty-one days before burning up in the earth’s atmosphere. Sputnik II was launched the following month, in November, carrying a dog named Laika. In May 1958, the Soviets launched Sputnik III, which weighed almost three thousand pounds. Continuing their run of successful launches, the Soviets in 1959 sent a space probe, Lunik III, to photograph the dark side of the moon.

NASA’s earliest objective was to launch a manned vehicle into Earth’s orbit as soon as possible. It would be the Soviets, however, who would win the race to put a man in space. In April 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to enter Earth’s orbit, in a single-pilot spacecraft called Vostok I.

The Americans were not far behind, however, and one month later, in May, Alan Shepard became the first American in space, piloting a 15-minute suborbital flight. In February 1962, John Glenn became the first American to enter Earth’s orbit. Early Soviet successes in the space race led US President John F. Kennedy to announce the inauguration of the Apollo program, which pledged to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade.

One of the responses was more federal funding for math and science education. In 1958, Congress passed the National Defense Education Act (NDEA), which envisioned public education as a key component of national security. The bill appropriated $800 million for loans to college students and for states to improve instruction in the hard sciences. The act was divided into ten titles, which each addressed a distinct issue. For instance, Title II dealt with provisions for student loans, while Title VI appropriated funding for the study of foreign languages designated as crucial “national security” languages, such as Russian and Mandarin Chinese. Title III strengthened existing public education programs in science and mathematics, and Title IX established a new Science Information Service operating under the auspices of the National Science Foundation.

During the Cold War space race, what event prompted the establishment of NASA, and how did the United States respond to the perceived Soviet technological success?

The impact of socioeconomic factors on crime rates.

Crime rates are influenced by a complex interplay of factors, including socioeconomic conditions. Understanding the link between socioeconomic factors and crime is essential for developing effective strategies to reduce crime rates and promote safer, more equitable communities. Economic disparities create environments of social and economic deprivation, where individuals may resort to criminal activities as a means of survival or to improve their economic situation. Poverty increases the likelihood of engaging in illegal activities, such as theft, drug trafficking, and property crimes, as individuals may perceive limited legitimate opportunities for advancement. Unemployment is another significant socioeconomic factor linked to crime. Joblessness leads to financial strain, reduced access to resources, and diminished social integration. Unemployed individuals may become more susceptible to involvement in criminal activities due to financial desperation, limited social support networks, and a loss of purpose or identity associated with work. Inequality within a society also contributes to crime rates. The perception of inequitable distribution of resources and opportunities can breed resentment, frustration, and social unrest, which can manifest in criminal behavior. Inequality may create feelings of injustice and exclusion, fueling a sense of disillusionment and a disregard for social norms.

Several theories help explain the relationship between socioeconomic factors and crime rates. Strain theory suggests that individuals experience strain when they are unable to achieve socially accepted goals, such as financial success or upward mobility. When faced with limited opportunities for legitimate success, some individuals may turn to criminal activities as an alternative means of achieving their goals. Social disorganization theory posits that high levels of poverty, residential instability, and community disorganization contribute to higher crime rates. Communities with limited resources, weak social networks, and a lack of formal and informal social control mechanisms are more likely to experience higher crime rates.  Economic deprivation theory emphasizes the role of economic inequality and lack of access to resources as drivers of crime. The frustration and relative deprivation experienced by individuals in disadvantaged communities can lead to increased criminal behavior as a response to perceived social and economic injustices. Education plays a crucial role in breaking the cycle of crime and poverty.

Limited access to quality education hampers individuals’ opportunities for personal and economic growth, increasing the likelihood of criminal involvement. Investing in educational resources, providing equal opportunities, and promoting vocational training can empower individuals and reduce crime rates. Family structure also influences crime rates. Children raised in unstable or dysfunctional family environments, characterized by neglect, abuse, or parental criminality, are more likely to engage in criminal behavior. Strengthening family support systems, providing parenting education, and offering interventions that promote healthy family dynamics can contribute to crime prevention. Communities with adequate resources and support systems are better equipped to prevent and address crime. Access to healthcare, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, employment opportunities, and community development programs can help address the underlying socioeconomic factors that contribute to criminal behaviour.

According to the economic deprivation theory, which of the following statements best captures the theoretical perspective on the relationship between economic inequality and crime?

Understanding the unpaid work roles amongst households, during COVID-19

The dependent variable of interest is the change in family and home responsibilities during the pandemic. This variable is the total score from the modified self-reported questionnaire “Home and Family Work Roles Questionnaire”. This 19-item questionnaire is on a Likert scale of 0% of “work completed” to 100% of “work completed”. The questionnaire aims to understand the distribution of unpaid work roles within a household, i.e. chores, childcare, shopping and home repairs. The questionnaire was completed by participants to capture unpaid work roles both before COVID-19 and during COVID-19. The current study used a modified version of the “Home and Family Work Roles Questionnaire”, as a question about supervising children was added to capture the change in roles due to COVID-19.

In this study, we chose to assess the impact of independent variables of age, gender, number of dependent children, number of household members, and marital status. These variables were self-reported within the overall survey. These variables were chosen based on previous literature and clinical significance. Factors of age, marital status and gender are consistently shown in literature to be drivers of uneven unpaid work roles in families, with older married females having higher unpaid work roles than younger single men . Higher numbers of dependent children and more household members are generally linked to more unpaid work roles within families. As shown in literature, this can be linked with having to care for younger children, taking care of sick older adults and needing to do more house chores, as a result of living with many family members (i.e. greater than five immediate family members within the house).

Descriptive statistics and percentages were reported for all the data regarding the study variables. Means and standard errors were reported for the individual items of the modified “Home and Family Work Roles Questionnaire” and stratified by gender; with self-reported recall of pre-COVID-19 unpaid work roles to get a cross-sectional impression of the change in roles pre- and post-COVID-19.

A multivariable regression model was used to understand which factors may explain the changes with the distribution of unpaid work roles recalling before and during the pandemic. This will allow us to better understand the changes in the data and establish relationships with our predictor variable during the early stages of the pandemic. Variables were assessed for all statistical assumptions prior to the analysis; there were no indications of normality violations. Additionally, multicollinearity was assessed using tolerance statistics (1/variance inflation factor). R program (RStudio Team, 2020) was used to compute all models. SPSS (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 25.0) was used to categorize all raw data. Missing data was handled by using maximum likelihood.

In the study assessing the impact of the pandemic on family and home responsibilities, what was the rationale for adding a question about supervising children to the modified version of the “Home and Family Work Roles Questionnaire”?