Question 1

The likelihood,over 20 years,of a hurricane that kills 1000 people is greater than that of an earthquake that kills 1000 people.

Accepted Answer

Hurricanes are more common than earthquakes and can cover a larger area, making them more likely to cause widespread damage and casualties. Additionally, hurricane-prone regions often have lower building standards and less infrastructure than regions prone to earthquakes, increasing the likelihood of fatalities in the event of a hurricane.

Question 2

Before the time of initial settlement by Polynesians,Easter Island had all but which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Easter Island did not have several species of native terrestrial mammals before the time of initial settlement by Polynesians.

Question 3

In general,there is an inverse correlation between the frequency and the magnitude of a disaster process.

Accepted Answer

This statement is generally true. This means that disasters with a high frequency, such as small-scale floods or landslides, tend to have a lower magnitude or impact, while larger disasters like earthquakes or volcanic eruptions happen less often but can have devastating consequences.

Question 4

Today,the world growth rate for human population is rapidly declining.

Accepted Answer

The statement is not true. The world's population is still growing, but the rate of growth has slowed down compared to the past.

Question 5

The locations of the worst dollar-loss disasters for the insurance industry present a very different picture than the list of worst locations for fatalities in the last three decades of the twentieth century.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true, as the worst dollar-loss disasters for the insurance industry may be caused by events such as natural disasters, whereas the worst locations for fatalities may be influenced by factors such as population density and building codes.

Question 6

Most of the 40 deadliest disasters between 1970 and 2012 occurred in a belt running from China and Bangladesh through India and Iran to Turkey.This area was particularly vulnerable because __________________.

Accepted Answer

The area is particularly vulnerable because it has a high population density, which increases the likelihood of casualties in the event of a disaster.

Question 7

In the period between 1970 and 2005,26 of the 40 worst disasters occurred in a belt running from Bangladesh through India and Iran to Turkey.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. According to data from the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, 26 of the 40 worst disasters between 1970 and 2005 occurred in a region spanning Bangladesh, India, Iran, and Turkey. This region is known for its high vulnerability to natural disasters such as cyclones, floods, earthquakes, and droughts.

Question 8

About 1550C.E. ,the human population of Easter Island was about 7,000;when the first European contact came from the crew of a Dutch ship on Easter Sunday,5 April 1722,the population of Easter Island __________________.

Accepted Answer

Studies suggest that overexploitation of natural resources and internal conflicts had led to a significant decrease in the population of Easter Island by the time of European contact. The best estimate for the population in 1722 is around 2000 people. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

Question 9

The famous statues on Easter Island were carved out of _______________.

Accepted Answer

The Easter Island statues, also known as Moai, were carved out of volcanic rock. The island itself was formed by volcanic eruptions, and the statues were made from the rock that was readily available on the island.

Question 10

In general,the larger and more energetic the disaster event,the shorter the return period between such events.

Accepted Answer

The return period, also known as recurrence interval, generally increases with the size and energy of the disaster event. Larger and more energetic events are less frequent, meaning they have longer return periods.

Question 11

The population of Easter Island was limited by all but which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The Ebola virus is not a known factor that affected the population of Easter Island. A, B, C, and D are all factors that have been documented as contributing to the decline of the population.

Question 12

Today,the less-developed countries have ____________.

Accepted Answer

Many less-developed countries experience low death rates due to improvements in healthcare and nutrition, but still have high birth rates due to various socio-economic factors, leading to rapid population growth.

Question 13

During prosperous times,the Easter Islanders' diet was based on _______________.

Accepted Answer

The Easter Islanders' diet during prosperous times primarily consisted of chickens and yams, reflecting the agricultural practices and animal husbandry of the island.

Question 14

Asia dominates the list of the 40 worst killing disasters of the last three decades of the 20^th century,with almost 86 percent of the fatalities occurring in these regions.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true. As per the provided information, Asia saw almost 86 percent of the fatalities in the 40 worst killing disasters of the last three decades of the 20th century.

Question 15

In 2005,over 98,000 people lost their lives to natural disasters.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, over 98,000 people lost their lives to natural disasters in 2005.

Question 16

Easter Island is _________________.

Accepted Answer

Easter Island is an isolated volcanic island located in the Pacific Ocean.

Question 17

Of the 40 worst disasters between 1970 and 2012,the most frequent mega-killers were earthquakes.

Accepted Answer

According to data from the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), earthquakes were responsible for the highest number of deaths in the 40 worst disasters between 1970 and 2012.

Question 18

The annual likelihood of a tornado that kills 10 people is less than that of an earthquake killing the same number of people.

Accepted Answer

Historically, earthquakes have caused more catastrophic events with higher death tolls in a single occurrence compared to tornadoes. Earthquakes can impact larger areas and affect structures more extensively, leading to higher fatalities in some instances.

Question 19

After initial settlement about 1500 years ago,the population of Easter Island _____________.

Accepted Answer

The population of Easter Island reached a peak and then declined before the Dutch arrived in 1722. This is evidenced by the depletion of natural resources on the island and the collapse of the civilization that initially thrived there. While smallpox was introduced to the island by the Dutch, it was not the sole cause of the decline in population.

Question 20

If a particular disaster has a high frequency of occurrence,then it also has a large return period (recurrence interval).

Accepted Answer

The statement is false. A high frequency of occurrence means that the time between events is shorter, which results in a shorter return period (recurrence interval).

Quiz 1: Natural Disasters and the Human Population