Anthony Giddens | Sociology 5th Edition | Student Resources

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Chapter 22 — The Environment and Risk

Supporters of sustainable development are arguing for:
a) more resources to be directed towards economic growth
b) more resources to be put into Third World development
c) growth that minimises resource depletion and pollution
d) fewer resources to be directed towards economic growth
North America and Europe have less than 12% of the world’s population, but their share of the world’s private consumption is approximately:
a) 30%
b) 40%
c) 50%
d) 60%
Which of the following vehicles emits the most carbon?
a) single-occupancy light truck
b) high-occupancy city bus
c) long-haul aeroplane
d) high-speed coal-fired train
What proportion of groundwater in Europe is regarded by the EU as contaminated?
a) 15%
b) 20%
c) 25%
d) 30%
The ‘grey goo problem’ refers to
a) the polluting effects caused by detergents and domestic waste
b) the possibility of nano-size particles self-replicating uncontrollably
c) clouds of toxic smoke particles emitted from high density urban areas
d) the effects of oil spillages upon wild birds in areas of isolated coast
Global warming can most accurately be defined as:
a) the build-up of heat-trapping gases within the earth’s atmosphere
b) the devastating environmental consequences of climate change
c) the chemically induced rise in the earth’s average temperature
d) the generation of by-products such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Which of the following has NOT been identified as a potential consequence of global warming?
a) falls in agricultural yields
b) the spread of disease
c) the use of nuclear energy
d) a rise in sea levels
Which of the following had the lowest per capita carbon dioxide emissions in 1995?
a) Germany
b) USA
c) Japan
d) South Africa
GM crops are different from anything that has existed before because:
a) they are produced by techniques of cross-breeding
b) they are capable of drastically improving agricultural yields
c) they involve transplanting genes between different organisms
d) they have become front-page stories in the news everyday
The term ‘manufactured risk’ refers to:
a) risks which result from human interaction with the natural world
b) risks associated with the activities of manufacturing industries
c) risks that have been exaggerated by the output of the media
d) risks that only affect advanced industrial economies

Anthony Giddens — Sociology, 5th Edition

Anthony Giddens • Sociology 5th Edition

Student Resources

Chapter 22 — The Environment and Risk