, Chapter 1
Diversity in the United States:
Questions and Concepts
Test Bank and Answer Key
1. The fastest growing groups in the United States are:
A) Asian and Pacific Islanders
B) Non-Hispanic white Americans
C) Irish Americans
D) African Americans
E) Africans
2. The population of the United States is currently:
A) Affected by long-standing unresolved minority issues
B) Affected by rising immigration rates
C) Increasingly diverse
D) Increasingly multilingual
E) All of the above
3. Which of the following is NOT one of the defining charactersitics of a minority group?
A) Inequality
B) A pattern of disadvantage or inequality
C) Visible identifying traits or characteristics
D) Small group size
E) Usually determined by birth
4. By definition, a minority group is always a group:
A) Smaller in number than the dominant group
B) Residentially segregated from the dominant group
C) Singled out for differential and unequal treatment
D) Distinguishable from the dominant group by its racial characteristics
E) Distinguished from the dominant group by its ethnic origins
5. Which of the following would be classified as primarily an ethnic minority group?
A) African Americans
B) Native Americans
C) Jewish Americans
D) Asian Americans
E) None of the above
Page 1
, 6. The social or physical characteristics that mark the boundaries between groups are
usually:
A) Highly visible
B) Selected by the minority groups themselves
C) Scientifically significant
D) Selected for their biological importance
E) All of the above
7. Which of the following is NOT an example of a cultural trait that may be associated
with minority status?
A) Language
B) Facial features
C) Religion
D) Types of foods eaten
E) Speech patterns
8. Which of the following characteristics is NOT typical of ascribed status?
A) It is usually acquired at birth
B) It typically cannot be changed easily
C) It is usually involuntary
D) It can be altered through hard work and motivation
E) It is usually for life
9. Laws on miscegenation referred to laws that:
A) Prevented people from passing as members of another race
B) Prevented people of different races from eating together in public restaurants
C) Prevented members of different races from intermarrying
D) Prevented members of different races from going to the same schools
E) Prevented members of the same sex from marrying
10. Stratification is another term for:
A) Prejudice
B) Discrimination
C) The unequal distribution of valued goods and services
D) Status symbol
E) All of the above
Page 2
, 11. Marxism is a complex theory of history and social change in which is a
central concept of concern.
A) Inequality
B) Prejudice
C) Fame or respect
D) International war
E) Consensus
12. "The most important source of inequality arises from a person's relationship to the
means of production." This statement is most likely to be heard from a:
A) Capitalist
B) Weberian
C) Libertarian
D) Marxist
E) Republican
13. According to Marx, the means of production in an agricultural society would include:
A) Factories
B) Social class
C) Wealth
D) Land
E) Banks
14. In Marxist terms, the elite class in an industrial society would be the:
A) Bourgeoisie
B) Proletariat
C) Workers
D) Minority groups
E) Women
15. Max Weber thought that Marx's ideas about inequality were too:
A) Narrow
B) Optimistic
C) Complex
D) Abstract
E) Pessimistic
Page 3
Diversity in the United States:
Questions and Concepts
Test Bank and Answer Key
1. The fastest growing groups in the United States are:
A) Asian and Pacific Islanders
B) Non-Hispanic white Americans
C) Irish Americans
D) African Americans
E) Africans
2. The population of the United States is currently:
A) Affected by long-standing unresolved minority issues
B) Affected by rising immigration rates
C) Increasingly diverse
D) Increasingly multilingual
E) All of the above
3. Which of the following is NOT one of the defining charactersitics of a minority group?
A) Inequality
B) A pattern of disadvantage or inequality
C) Visible identifying traits or characteristics
D) Small group size
E) Usually determined by birth
4. By definition, a minority group is always a group:
A) Smaller in number than the dominant group
B) Residentially segregated from the dominant group
C) Singled out for differential and unequal treatment
D) Distinguishable from the dominant group by its racial characteristics
E) Distinguished from the dominant group by its ethnic origins
5. Which of the following would be classified as primarily an ethnic minority group?
A) African Americans
B) Native Americans
C) Jewish Americans
D) Asian Americans
E) None of the above
Page 1
, 6. The social or physical characteristics that mark the boundaries between groups are
usually:
A) Highly visible
B) Selected by the minority groups themselves
C) Scientifically significant
D) Selected for their biological importance
E) All of the above
7. Which of the following is NOT an example of a cultural trait that may be associated
with minority status?
A) Language
B) Facial features
C) Religion
D) Types of foods eaten
E) Speech patterns
8. Which of the following characteristics is NOT typical of ascribed status?
A) It is usually acquired at birth
B) It typically cannot be changed easily
C) It is usually involuntary
D) It can be altered through hard work and motivation
E) It is usually for life
9. Laws on miscegenation referred to laws that:
A) Prevented people from passing as members of another race
B) Prevented people of different races from eating together in public restaurants
C) Prevented members of different races from intermarrying
D) Prevented members of different races from going to the same schools
E) Prevented members of the same sex from marrying
10. Stratification is another term for:
A) Prejudice
B) Discrimination
C) The unequal distribution of valued goods and services
D) Status symbol
E) All of the above
Page 2
, 11. Marxism is a complex theory of history and social change in which is a
central concept of concern.
A) Inequality
B) Prejudice
C) Fame or respect
D) International war
E) Consensus
12. "The most important source of inequality arises from a person's relationship to the
means of production." This statement is most likely to be heard from a:
A) Capitalist
B) Weberian
C) Libertarian
D) Marxist
E) Republican
13. According to Marx, the means of production in an agricultural society would include:
A) Factories
B) Social class
C) Wealth
D) Land
E) Banks
14. In Marxist terms, the elite class in an industrial society would be the:
A) Bourgeoisie
B) Proletariat
C) Workers
D) Minority groups
E) Women
15. Max Weber thought that Marx's ideas about inequality were too:
A) Narrow
B) Optimistic
C) Complex
D) Abstract
E) Pessimistic
Page 3
