Question 1

Some people who make up the poor work full-time.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Many people who are considered poor have full-time jobs but still struggle to make ends meet due to low wages and high living expenses.

Question 2

According to the Class Structure Hypothesis, the poor have more choices, yet find it harder to solve their personal dilemmas compared to members of other social classes

Accepted Answer

The Class Structure Hypothesis suggests the opposite – that the poor have fewer choices and resources to solve their personal dilemmas compared to members of other social classes.

Question 3

Anomie refers to the minimum income below which individuals find it difficult to subsist.

Accepted Answer

Anomie refers to a state of normlessness or lack of social cohesion resulting from a breakdown of standards and values. It does not refer to a specific income level.

Question 4

The U.S. employs a relative definition of poverty.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. uses an absolute definition of poverty, based on a set income threshold that varies by family size and composition.

Question 5

The most useful strategy, when comparing cross- national rates of poverty, is to look at the absolute definitions of poverty.

Accepted Answer

Comparing cross-national rates of poverty is more accurately done using relative definitions of poverty, as absolute definitions do not account for differences in living standards, prices, and societal norms across countries.

Question 6

The U.S. poverty rate is lower than that in most Western European nations.

Accepted Answer

Most Western European nations have lower poverty rates than the United States, largely due to their comprehensive welfare systems and social safety nets.

Question 7

The official poverty line in the U.S. varies by family size.

Accepted Answer

The official poverty line in the U.S. is determined based on family size and composition.

Question 8

About one in seven young persons in the United States lives in poverty.

Accepted Answer

According to the United States Census Bureau, 13.7% of young persons under the age of 18 were living in poverty in 2019. This translates to about one in seven.

Question 9

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Thrifty Food Plan, currently used as one of the components of the poverty line, does not provide a nutritionally adequate diet over the long-term.

Accepted Answer

Several studies have shown that the Thrifty Food Plan does not include enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other nutrient-dense foods to meet the dietary recommendations for many people over time.

Question 10

In general, a family of four living at the poverty line should have little trouble meeting its expenses if it is reasonably careful.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. Families living at the poverty line often struggle to make ends meet and may have to make difficult choices about which expenses to prioritize.

Question 11

People who have few options often must turn to public assistance in order to survive

Accepted Answer

People with limited options, such as low income or health issues, may need support from public assistance programs like food stamps or welfare in order to meet their basic needs.

Question 12

The class structure hypothesis is:.
A) the lower the social class, the more crafty people must be to get by
B) The lower the social class, the greater the need they have
C) The lower the social class, the more politically active people are and the more effective they are in obtaining government benefits
D) The lower the social class, the fewer choices people have and the less effective they are in solving personal problems
E) The lower the social class, the more choices people have and the more effectively they can solve their personal problems.

Accepted Answer

The class structure hypothesis suggests that individuals in lower social classes have fewer choices and are less effective in solving personal problems. This hypothesis is based on the idea that individuals in lower classes have limited access to resources and opportunities, making it more difficult for them to overcome obstacles and improve their circumstances.

Question 13

The harshness with which the non-poor judge the poor alerts us to the fact that they (the poor) _________________________.
A) should often be in jail
B) usually live in government subsidized housing
C) get more tax expenditures than do other social classes
D) get more perquisites than do other social classes
E) have fewer choices than do the non-poor

Accepted Answer

The harsh judgment of the non-poor towards the poor indicates that they may lack an understanding of the limited choices and opportunities that the poor have. This suggests that option E, which highlights the fact that the poor have fewer choices than the non-poor, is the most appropriate answer. Options A, B, C, and D are all incorrect or irrelevant as they do not accurately reflect the circumstances of the poor in relation to the attitudes of the non-poor.

Question 14

________________________ refers to a minimum income level below which individuals or families find it difficult to subsist.
A) Absolute deprivation
B) Poverty
C) tax expenditures
D) job perquisites
E) anomie

Accepted Answer

Poverty refers to a minimum income level below which individuals or families find it difficult to subsist. Absolute deprivation is a concept related to poverty, but it refers to the inability to achieve a certain level of material well-being, regardless of income level. Tax expenditures and job perquisites are not related to poverty, and anomie refers to a breakdown of social norms, not economic conditions.

Question 15

The level of poverty in the United States:
A) remains unknowable
B) rose steadily over the last century
C) remained the same over the last century
D) declined over time from the late 19th century until about 1970
E) could be understood if only scholars would study it

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is D. While poverty rates fluctuate year-to-year and data collection methods have changed, the overall trend since the late 19th century has been a decline in poverty rates until about 1970. After 1970, poverty rates have remained relatively stagnant.

Question 16

The level of poverty in the United States:
A) is about the same as in other Western nations
B) is much lower than in other Western nations
C) is much higher than in other Western nations
D) has risen in other Western nations
E) is irrelevant to understanding inequality

Accepted Answer

The level of poverty in the United States is much higher than in other Western nations. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the US has one of the highest poverty rates among wealthy nations, with nearly 18% of the population living below the poverty line in 2018. This is significantly higher than other Western nations such as Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Question 17

Determining the poverty line involves decisions about all these factors except:
A) the level of TANF benefits
B) the cost of a market basket of food
C) the ratio between food and non-food costs
D) an index for changing prices
E) whether to include the value of in-kind benefits

Accepted Answer

Determining the poverty line involves decisions about the cost of basic necessities such as food, housing, and healthcare, as well as the ratio between food and non-food costs, an index for changing prices, and whether to include the value of in-kind benefits. However, the level of TANF benefits is not a factor in determining the poverty line, as TANF benefits are a program designed to assist families who are already considered to be living below the poverty line.

Question 18

Public assistance alleviates some of the problems inherent to living poorly and helps get them out of poverty.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Public assistance alleviates some of the problems...

Question 19

Under TANF, all needy families with children are eligible to receive aid, but each state determines the definition of "needy."

Accepted Answer

This is true. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides federal funding to states to provide cash assistance to eligible families with children, but the states have the flexibility to determine their own eligibility criteria, benefit levels, and other program aspects.

Question 20

Under TANF, parents are now discouraged from working while receiving aid, because spending more time with parents results in lower crime, better educational performance, and greater economic success for children.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. TANF actually requires that parents work or participate in work-related activities in order to receive aid, with the goal of promoting self-sufficiency and reducing dependence on welfare.

Quiz 10: The Poor