The World in focus: 2005-2006 skills manual.Name:-- The World in Focus is a valuable data bank of easy-to-find facts about the world's 193 countries. For example, can you name the three smallest European countries in land size? Just to give you a clue, the smallest of the three is just 109 acres! By contrast, do you know which country in Europe is the largest, with an area of 6,592,819 square miles? To find out, consult the World in Focus tables. To use the data expertly, first study the sample entry at the top of the opening two pages. Then, answer the questions below. (Supply figures when appropriate for both males and females.) 1. (A) A country's literacy rate, life expectancy Life Expectancy 1. The age until which a person is expected to live. 2. The remaining number of years an individual is expected to live, based on IRS issued life expectancy tables. , percentage of the population under the age of 15, and per capita [Latin, By the heads or polls.] A term used in the Descent and Distribution of the estate of one who dies without a will. It means to share and share alike according to the number of individuals. gross domestic product are important indications of a country's standard of living. Below are two of the world's poorest and two of its wealthier countries. Find the data for each:
Literacy (%) Life Expectancy Percentage of Per Capita
Population GDP
Under 15
Ethiopia: -- / -- / -- / --
Somalia: -- / -- / -- / --
Italy: -- / -- / -- / --
Germany: -- / -- / -- / --
(B) In general, the figures are higher for the European countries--except for which category?-- 2. (A) A country's year of independence and the major languages spoken there offer us clues to a country's history. In what years did these five South American countries List of American countries Nations:
Ecuador:--Venezuela:--Chile:--Argentina:--Bolivia:-- (B) What is the major language of all five countries?-- (2) Now find the major language and date of independence of South America's largest country, Brazil:-- (D) What conclusions can you draw about the history of these six countries?-- 3. (A) China and India rank first and second in terms of population. Compare these countries in terms of population and other factors:--
Population Percentage of Literacy (%) Life Per Capita
Urban Population Expectancy GDP
China: -- / -- / -- / -- / --
India: -- / -- / -- / -- / --
(B) In which would you think the standard of living would be higher, and why? (C) Another indication of the standard of living is the HDI HDI Human Development Index (UNDP yardstick of human welfare) HDI Help Desk Institute HDI Humpty Dumpty Institute (New York, New York) HDI High Density Interconnect . What is the figure for these two countries? 4. (A) Compare Canada and the U.S. in terms of area and population. Use the atlas map of North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. to answer (C).
Area (in sq mi) Population
Canada: -- / --
U.S.: -- / --
(B) Canada has much more open space than the U.S., but which country has a higher percentage of people living in urban areas?-- (C) Looking at the map, where do you think most people in Canada live Canada Live is a Canadian radio program, which debuted on March 19, 2007 on CBC Radio Two. Hosted by Matt Galloway weekdays and Patti Schmidt on weekends, the program airs concert performances in a variety of musical genres from locations across Canada. and why?-- 5. (A) Find the male/female literacy rates for these countries of the Middle East: Syria:--/--Afghanistan:--/--Yemen:--/-- (B) What pattern do you see in all these countries?-- 6. (A) What is the form of government and the title of the leader in each of the following countries: Israel:-- Iran:-- Germany:-- Libya:-- (B) In which countries do the people elect leaders?-- (C) In which country is the leader an army officer?-- (D) In which country can the elected leader be overruled by the country's Islamic religious leaders Islamic religious leaders have traditionally been persons who, as part of the clerisy, mosque, or government, performed a prominent role within their community or nation. However, in the modern contexts of Muslims minorities in non-Muslim countries as well as secular Muslim states ?-- Discussion Questions The following questions are all open-ended, meaning there can be several different correct answers to each one. Some of them require knowledge of current events. Choose two questions to discuss in a small group. Give reasons to support your answers. 1. Note the figures comparing the poor and wealthy countries in Question I on p. 16. (A) What factors can contribute to a country's poverty and low standard of living? (B) What significant social problems do you think are indicated by the poor countries' large percentage of population under 15? 2. Note the difference in male and female literacy rates in the countries in Question 5 on p. 16. What do you think can explain this difference? 3. In August, the government of Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip Gaza Strip (gäz`ə), (2003 est. pop. 1,330,000) rectangular coastal area, c.140 sq mi (370 sq km), SW Asia, on the Mediterranean Sea adjoining Egypt and Israel, in what was formerly SW Palestine. , Palestinian land it has administered since the Six Day War of 1967. Find Gaza on the map of the Middle East. In withdrawing from Gaza, 21 Jewish settlements built since 1967 were abandoned. Israeli soldiers moved thousands of settlers from these settlements, sometimes forcibly. (A) Why was this withdrawal traumatic for both these settlers and some Israeli soldiers? (B) Will this withdrawal from the Gaza Strip restart peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians? Offer reasons for your answer. 4. Coalition forces (mainly American and British troops) continue to fight bravely in Iraq. What makes this such a difficult war, for Iraqis and for many in the U.S. and Britain? 5. The International Olympic Committee “IOC” redirects here. For other uses, see IOC (disambiguation). The International Olympic Committee (French: Comité International Olympique) is an organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas on June 23 has chosen London as the site of the 2012 Summer Olympics. The day after the announcement in July, London was the scene of terrorist attacks in the transportation system. (A) Why was the choice of the Olympic Committee made so many years ahead of time? (B) What impact do you think the attacks will have on London's planning for the Olympic Games Olympic games, premier athletic meeting of ancient Greece, and, in modern times, series of international sports contests. The Olympics of Ancient Greece Although records cannot verify games earlier than 776 B.C. ? Answers 1. (A) Ethiopia: 50/35: 47/49: 44; S800; Somalia: 50/26; 46/49; 45; $600; Italy: 99/98; 77/83; 14; $27,700; Germany: 99 overall; 76/81; 15; $28,700. (B) Percentage of Population Under Age 15. 2. (A) Ecuador: 1822; Venezuela: 1811 : Chile: 1810; Argentina: 1816; Bolivia: 1825 (B) Spanish (C) Portuguese, 1822 (D) Brazil was a colony of Portugal while the others belonged to Spain. All six gained their independence within a brief time period, a clue to the independence movements that swept South America South America, fourth largest continent (1991 est. pop. 299,150,000), c.6,880,000 sq mi (17,819,000 sq km), the southern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. in the early 19th century. 3. (A) China: 1,303,700,000; 37: 95/87; 70/74; $5,600. India: 1,103,600,000; 28; 70/48; 61/63; $3,100. (B) China has a higher standard of living. This conclusion can be drawn from its much higher GDP GDP (guanosine diphosphate): see guanine. and life expectancy rates. (C) China: 0.745; India: 0.595. 4. (A) Canada: 3,849,670 sq mi, 32,200,000; U.S.: 3,717,796 sq mi, 296,500,000. (B) Both countries are the same, 79%. (C) Most people live in the cities near the southern border. Upper Canada Upper Canada: see Ontario. , near the Arctic Circle Arctic Circle, imaginary circle on the surface of the earth at 66 1-2°N latitude, i.e., 23 1-2° south of the North Pole. It marks the northernmost point at which the sun can be seen at the winter solstice (about Dec. , is much colder and its land more inhospitable in·hos·pi·ta·ble adj. 1. Displaying no hospitality; unfriendly. 2. Unfavorable to life or growth; hostile: the barren, inhospitable desert. . 5. (A) Syria: 90/64; Afghanistan: 51/21 ; Yemen: 71/30 (B) The literacy rates are much lower for females. 6. (A) Israel: parliamentary democracy parliamentary democracy Democratic form of government in which the party (or a coalition of parties) with the greatest representation in the parliament (legislature) forms the government, its leader becoming prime minister or chancellor. , Prime Minister; Iran: presidential-parliamentary under Islamic religious control, President; Germany: parliamentary democracy, Chancellor; Libya: one party-dictatorship, Colonel (B) Israel, Germany, Iran (C) Libya (D) Iran Discussion Questions Answers will include some variation of the following: 1. (A) Chronically inadequate crop production, health care, education, and employment; overpopulation overpopulation Situation in which the number of individuals of a given species exceeds the number that its environment can sustain. Possible consequences are environmental deterioration, impaired quality of life, and a population crash (sudden reduction in numbers caused by and harsh environments; corrupt governments. (B) Having a larger ratio of young people to adults puts a greater strain on a country's ability to provide food, education, and health care. Such a number can also indicate a larger percentage of orphans. 2. Women's education is less valued in traditional, male-dominated societies. Girls are often expected to stay at home to do chores and care for younger siblings. 3. (A) Many Israeli settlers lived there for decades; Israeli soldiers sometimes sympathized with them. (B) Yes: It shows Israel is serious about allowing a Palestinian state The Palestinian state (Arabic (دولة فلسطين) is a proposed country. The proposed location includes the Gaza Strip and the autonomously controlled areas of the West Bank, currently controlled by the Palestinian National to be negotiated; No: Palestinian militants will not be satisfied, particularly when Jewish settlements remain in the West Bank. 4. Many people are troubled by the increased bombing From Iraqi insurgents Insurgents, in U.S. history, the Republican Senators and Representatives who in 1909–10 rose against the Republican standpatters controlling Congress, to oppose the Payne-Aldrich tariff and the dictatorial power of House speaker Joseph G. Cannon. and the high death toll among coalition forces, Iraqi police The creation of this unit was guided by the Coalition Provisional Authority however the command of the Police belongs to the new Government of Iraq. Overview The Iraqi Police Forces are part of the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior (MOI) which in conjunction with the Civilian , and citizens. It is also uncertain whether democracy can take hold in Iraq and civil war prevented. 5. (A) It takes many years to plan and build housing for the athletes, stadiums, tracks, pools, and other facilities for the Games. (B) Security is always a concern with a huge undertaking such as the Olympics, but in an era of terrorist attacks it will be given even more importance to ensure safety. |
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