critical thinking skills activities

SOCIAL STUDIES OBJECTIVE: Analyze statistics to interpret social studies information.

Learning the SkillTo infer means to evaluate information and

arrive at a conclusion. When you make infer-ences, you “read between the lines,” or draw con-clusions that are not stated directly in the text.Drawing conclusions means using facts togetherwith your own knowledge, experience, andinsight to make a judgment about the informa-tion. For example, when you are evaluating sta-tistics, you need to ask what the numbers imply,or suggest, about the subject. Then you mustdraw conclusions about the information. To make

inferences and draw conclusions, follow thesesteps:

• Read the information carefully for statedfacts and ideas.

• Summarize the information and list the mostimportant facts.

• Apply related information that you mayalready know to make inferences.

• Add your knowledge and insight to developa conclusion.

• Look for information to check the accuracyof your conclusion.

Applying the SkillDirections: Read the information about world population below. Then answerthe questions on the next page.

The world’s population exceeded 6 billion in October1999. In that year, the earth’s population grew by nearly 80million. Ninety-seven percent of this growth happened in thepoorest parts of the world. In the next generation, there willbe 3 billion young people. This is equal to the whole popu-lation of the world as short a time ago as 1960. This genera-tion will then begin to have children of their own. If thingsdon’t change, by no later than the year 2025, the combinedpopulation of Asia and Africa will be 6.5 billion. That is morepeople than live on the entire earth right now.

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OUR SOCIAL WORLD

Critical Thinking Skills Activity 1Drawing Inferences and Conclusions

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1. What is the approximate current populationof the earth?

2. Where was the greatest population growth in1999?

3. What percentage of the world’s populationwill be young people?

4. How will a large percentage of young peopleaffect the growth of the world’s population?

5. What is predicted for Asia and Africa by theyear 2025? Why is this alarming?

6. Imagine your own home has a populationproblem. The number of people living theresuddenly multiplies by 10, yet yourresources, budget, and available room doesnot change. What are some of the possiblesolutions to this situation?

Practicing the SkillDirections: Use the information in the paragraphabout world population to answer the followingquestions by circling the letter of the correct answer.

1. In October 1999, the world’s population

A. was less than 6 billion.B. was more than 6 billion.C. grew by 100 million.D. grew by 97 percent.

2. In 1999, 97 percent of the world’s popula-tion growth occurred in

A. the United States.B. Europe.C. the poorest countries.D. Antarctica.

3. The world’s population in 1960 was approx-imately equal to

A. one-fourth the population in 1999.B. one-half the population in 1999.C. double the population in 1999.D. four times the population in 1999.

4. If the rate of growth in population does notchange,

A. Asia and Africa will have a combinedpopulation of 6.5 billion by no laterthan 2025.

B. the October 1999 population will morethan double by 2025.

C. the population of Asia and Africa will begreater than the world’s population rightnow.

D. all of the above.

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Critical Thinking Skills Activity 1 (continued)

Learning the SkillAn observation is a piece of information you

have noticed and recorded about a subject bylooking at it or at a representation of it. A repre-sentation of a subject could be a map or a pho-tograph. Observations form the basis for studyingand understanding a subject and its characteris-tics. You can make observations about the phys-ical features and location of a country by studyingmaps. To make observations by studying a map,follow these steps:

• Read the map title. This will indicate whatthe map shows.

• Read the map key. This tells you what thesymbols on the map represent.

• Study the map itself.

Applying the SkillDirections: Study the map of Madagascar below.Based on the map, answer the following questionson the lines below.

1. Where is Madagascar located in relation tomainland Africa?

2. What type of landform is Madagascar?

3. What is the height in meters of the highestpoint on Madagascar?

MADAGASCARMADAGASCARMADAGASCAR0 250 500

0 250 500

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Feet Meters

COMOROSCOMOROSINDIANINDIANOCEANOCEAN

MAURITIUSMAURITIUS

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MADAGASCAR: Physical

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Critical Thinking Skills Activity 2Making Observations

SOCIAL STUDIES OBJECTIVE: Evaluate visual sources of information.

EARTH PATTERNS


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OLOLYMPICYMPICNANATIONALTIONAL

PARKARK

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OlympiaOlympia

SequimSequim

Forks Forks

Port AngelesPort Angeles

AberdeenAberdeen

HoodsportHoodsport

BrinnonBrinnon

Noah BayNoah Bay VictoriaVictoria

Olympia

Tacoma

Seattle

Tacoma

Sequim

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Aberdeen

Hoodsport

Brinnon

Noah Bay Victoria

Seattle

PACIFICOCEANPACIFICOCEAN

CANADAUNITED STATES

CANADAUNITED STATES

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0 10 20 Km

CityExpresswayMain roadWater route

Canada

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Metropolitanarea

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4. What body of water lies between Madaga-scar and mainland Africa?

5. What small island country lies to the east ofMadagascar?

6. What general observation can you makeabout the elevation levels in Madagascar?

Practicing the SkillDirections: The map below is a road map of the Olympic Peninsula, which is inthe northwest portion of the state of Washington in the United States. Based on themap, answer the following questions by circling the letter of the correct answer.

1. In relation to the Olympic Peninsula,Canada is

A. to the south. C. across the Pacific.B. to the east. D. to the north.

2. A Canadian city near the Olympic Peninsula is

A. Tacoma. C. Victoria.B. Seattle. D. Ottawa.

3. The main highway you would travel on inthe Olympic Peninsula is Highway

A. 5. C. 90.B. 20. D. 101.

4. The Olympic Peninsula is bordered by thePacific Ocean on the

A. east. C. north.B. west. D. south.

opinions with logical arguments. Studentsshould complete the Citizenship Activity Taskby working individually and in groups. At theend of the project, have students review theirwork by discussing the difficulties they facedand how they resolved them. Encourage stu-dents to explain how they would improve theirwork if they did this project again.

World Literature Reading 1Keepers of the Earth

1. The boy called the rock Grandfather. 2. The first story was about how the earth

was created. 3. The stories protected the boy and people

from the cold. Two times words like “thestory seemed to drive away the cold” areused: when Great Stone told the firststory to the boy, and when the boy toldthe story in the longhouse.

The Creation1. The roots of the beautiful tree in Sky-

World were white.2. Finally, the muskrat was able to dive deep

enough to reach a tiny speck of earth. 3. Answers will vary, but should be similar

to kind, caring, friendly, respectful, andhelpful.

Vocabulary Activity 11. true2. true3. false; limited government4. true5. false; globalization6. false; unlimited government7. true8. true9. false; urbanization

10. true11. true12. true

Cooperative Learning Activity 1Students should complete the CooperativeGroup Process activities and questions andanswer the Quick Check questions. Have stu-dents share their responses with their groups orwith the class as a whole.

Chapter Map Activity 1Use the reproducible maps in the classroom.You may wish to use the teacher strategies presented for this chapter or other map skillsstrategies of your own design.

Chapter Skills Activity 1Practicing the Skill

1. Protestant2. Roman Catholic3. South America, northeast4. Native American

Applying the SkillStudent answers will vary. Students should firstchoose an area of focus, such as physical, eco-nomic, climatic, historic, or cultural aspects ofthe local area. Some students may need addi-tional information to help them with thisassignment. Articles from a local newspaper ora possible list of local economic activities mayhelp students get started.

Reteaching Activity 1 Traditional Economies: C, F, ICommand Economies: A, E, KMarket Economies: B, G, JMixed Economies: D, H

Critical Thinking Skills Activity 1Applying the Skill

1. The approximate current population ofthe world is more than 6 billion.

2. The greatest population growth occurredin the poorest parts of the world.

3. Fifty percent of the world’s populationwill be young people.

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4. Students should note that young peoplewill have more children in the future thanolder people will. As a result the popula-tion will experience additional growth.

5. It is predicted that the population in Asiaand Africa will exceed that of the entireearth today. Answers may vary but stu-dents may mention that this is alarmingbecause parts of Asia and Africa cannotadequately feed their current populations.

6. Answers will vary but students shouldmention that they would need to managetheir available resources, determine waysto bring in additional resources, limit fur-ther population growth, and plan for thebest use of their available space.

Practicing the Skill1. B2. C3. B4. D

Map and Graph Skills Activity 1Applying the Skill

1. Suriname, French Guiana, and Uruguay2. Brazil, Colombia, and Ecuador3. Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French

Guiana4. 30°S (33°S); 10°N (8°N)5. A. Brazil; B. Venezuela; C. Paraguay;

D. Argentina; E. Chile; F. Brazil6. Students should find the coordinates of

their city or the city closest to it.

Practicing the Skill1. B2. C3. A4. C

Reading and Writing SkillsActivity 1Applying the Skill

1. traditional economy, command economy,market economy

2. Supporting details for the role of the mar-ket would be under III./B. Role of themarket, labeled with Arabic numerals.

3. Facts come after the corresponding sup-porting detail, which is under the capitalletter for the role of the market. Thesefacts are labeled with lowercase letters. Forexample:C. Role of the Market

1. supply and demanda. Producers make products to

meet customer’s demands.4. Student answers may vary. The following

is a correct example.

Why do people move from one place toanother?I. To find jobs

A. UrbanizationB. Improved standard of living

II. To find safetyA. WarsB. Unjust governments

Practicing the Skill1. A2. C

GeoLab Activity 11. Students will probably especially note

electronic items, shoes, and cars. Theyshould also mention food products andother clothing items and accessories.

2. Students should comment on the highconcentration of companies in Europeand Japan. Students should note thatthese areas have strong economies andmanufacturing industries.

3. Students should notice the lack of repre-sentation from developing countries. Theyshould comment on the probable lack ofeducational opportunities and naturalresources. They should also recognize thelack of financial resources to buy or sellproducts. People in many parts of theworld are struggling to develop moderneconomies and products.

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14. globalization15. technology

Vocabulary Activity 21. geography2. environment3. Global Positioning System (GPS)4. geographic information systems (GIS)5. plate tectonics6. climate7. plain8. tropics9. greenhouse effect

10. conservation11. pesticides12. crop rotation13. deforestation

Cooperative Learning Activity 2Students should complete the CooperativeGroup Process activities and questions andanswer the Quick Check questions. Havestudents share their responses with their groupsor with the class as a whole.



1. It is a major industrial area.2. Corn, oats, and soybeans are grown.3. petroleum, coal, fluorspar, lead, and zinc

Applying the SkillStudent maps will vary. Correct examples willinclude a compass rose, a map key, and somelocal landmarks.

Reteaching Activity 21. human geography2. region

3. geographic information systems (GIS)4. greenhouse effect5. faults6. water7. physical geography8. landform9. mountains

10. Global Positioning System (GPS)


1. Madagascar lies to the east of mainlandAfrica.

2. Madagascar is an island.3. The height at the highest point is 5,000

to 10,000 feet, or 1,500 to 3,000 meters.4. The body of water between Madagascar

and mainland Africa is the MozambiqueChannel.

5. Mauritius lies east of Madagascar.6. Answers may vary but students should

mention that the lowest elevations are onthe outside of the island along the IndianOcean and Mozambique Channel andgradually rise to the center of the island.

Practicing the Skill1. D2. C3. D4. B


1. It is north (northwest) of London.2. One would travel northwest.3. Cork4. English Channel and Atlantic Ocean5. Dublin6. Manchester, Birmingham, and London7. You would travel west to Liverpool, then

north to Glasgow, and then south back toManchester.

8. Answers should accurately reflect the loca-tions of the places chosen by the student.

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Critical Thinking Skills Activity 3Drawing Conclusions

SOCIAL STUDIES OBJECTIVE: Analyze information by drawing conclusions.

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Learning the SkillDrawing conclusions from collected facts is

a necessary step in making sense of information.You draw conclusions by making a judgment afterthinking about facts you have studied. For yourconclusion to be valid, it must be supported bylogical and factual evidence. You can find facts inbooks and articles, and on the Internet. You alsocan find facts in special reference works such asalmanacs, encyclopedias, and atlases. For instance,you may learn from an almanac that a country hasthree main language groups. From this fact youmay draw the conclusion that the country’s peo-ple have different ethnic backgrounds.

To draw conclusions, use the following steps:

• Read the information carefully for statedfacts and ideas.

• Make a list of the important facts or ideas inthe material you are studying.

• Study the list and ask what more needs to beknown.

• Write down several conclusions that mightexplain the meaning of the information.

• Look for information to check the accuracyof your conclusions.

Applying the SkillDirections: Use the facts below to draw some conclusions about the three majorreligions that developed in the Middle East’s Fertile Crescent. Then answer thequestions that follow.

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Date founded: approximately 4,000 years ago

Principal figure: patriarch Abraham

Primary beliefs: One God; followersshould live a moral life and observe thelaw of Moses, including the TenCommandments

Important writings: the Torah

Main types: Orthodox, Conservative,Reformed

Place of worship: synagogue

Number of people: about 13 million

JUDAISMDate founded: approximately 2,000years agoPrincipal figure: Jesus, a descendant of AbrahamPrimary beliefs: One God; followersshould live by the Golden Rule: Treat oth-ers as you would like to be treated.Important writings: the Bible, whichincludes the TorahMain types: Roman Catholic, Orthodox,ProtestantPlace of worship: churchNumber of people: about 1 billion

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1. What conclusions can you draw about thesimilarities of the three religions?

2. In what ways do you think Judaism, theoldest of these religions, has influenced Christianity and Islam?

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3. What conclusions can you draw about thenumber of people who follow each religion?

Practicing the SkillDirections: Use the same information about thethree religions to answer the following questionsby circling the letter of the correct answer.

1. Which of the following is NOT a conclusionthat you can draw from the facts given?

A. All three religions believe in one God.

B. Any building can function as a place ofworship.

C. Islam is the newest of the three religions.

D. The religions support doing good workand helping others.

2. Which of the following would likely violateall three religions?

A. opening a business

B. getting married

C. stealing from another person

D. exercising daily

Date founded: approximately 1,500years agoPrincipal figure: Muhammad, a descen-dant of AbrahamPrimary beliefs: One God; daily prayerfive times a day; give alms to the poor;fasting during Ramadan (holy month); pilgrimage to holy city of Makkah (Mecca)at least once during lifetimeImportant writings: the Quran (Koran)Main types: Sunni, Shi’itePlace of worship: mosqueNumber of people: about 1 billion

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Critical Thinking Skills Activity 4Recognizing Propaganda

SOCIAL STUDIES OBJECTIVE: Identify propaganda in written, oral, and visual material.

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Learning the SkillPeople whose jobs involve persuading oth-

ers—such as advertisers, writers, and politi-cians—often use propaganda. Propaganda is thespreading of ideas that aims to persuade peopleto accept a viewpoint that may be good or bad.Often propaganda appeals to people’s emotionsin an attempt to get them to accept a particularviewpoint without careful consideration. Somecommon techniques used in propaganda are:

• Using words, themes, or tone of voice thatpeople will respond to with strong emotion.For example, themes of safety, justice, andtruth move people.

• Using negative labels for people or ideas thepropagandist wants others to reject.

• Using positive labels for people or ideas thepropagandist wants others to approve.

• Using testimonials from famous people.

• Using only those facts that support a certainpoint of view.

To recognize propaganda, follow these steps:

• Look for words or images that are filled withemotion or used as warnings.

• Find out who is the target of the propaganda.

• Draw conclusions about the use of propa-ganda to unite and motivate.

Applying the SkillDirections:A. Put an X in front of each statement that is an example of propaganda.

1. Many cities in North Africa cannot provide adequate housing or jobsfor their rapidly growing populations.

2. Militant forces in North Africa must be stopped before their evilinfluence spreads throughout the region.

3. Libya expected the easy money from oil revenues would fund dozensof poorly planned projects for industrial development.

4. In 1980, the United States suspended all activities at its embassy inTripoli.

5. The aggression and greed of Western nations prevent the farmersand nomadic herders of North Africa from obtaining prosperity.

6. Egypt was once one of the most important centers of art, learning,and science in the ancient world.

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Practicing the SkillDirections: Answer the following questions bycircling the letter of each correct answer.

1. Which of the following techniques of propaganda does the writer of the AswanHigh Dam paragraph use?

A. using negative words to influence thereader

B. using negative labels for peopleC. using only those facts that support his

viewD. all of the above

2. The Aswan High Dam was built on whichof the following rivers?

A. MississippiB. TigrisC. NileD. Euphrates

3. Who might be the target audience of this paragraph?

A. Gamal Abdel NassarB. potential dam builders in EuropeC. American teensD. Egyptian voters

B. The Aswan High Dam in Egypt helped Egyptian agriculture and industry. How-ever, it also caused serious environmental problems. The paragraph below is anexample of propaganda. It tells about the problems caused by the dam, but it doesnot mention the benefits. As you read it, circle the negative words the author usesto influence the reader against the Aswan High Dam. Underline phrases that try tomake the reader angry or fearful.

The construction of the Aswan High Dam has been disas-trous for Egypt. The rich, life-giving deposits of silt that theNile used to carry downstream are now trapped behind thedam, forcing farmers to use expensive, unhealthy fertilizers.The lack of silt has also caused massive erosion of landalong the shores of the Nile. Gamal Abdel Nassar’s “dream”of creating this dam was hardly a dream of Egyptian pros-perity. Instead, it was the dream of a self-obsessed leader toglorify himself through the creation of this monstrous feat ofengineering. Just as the lake that bears his name hasdrowned Egypt’s ancient historical sites, so it has begun toengulf [overwhelm] Egypt’s hopes for the future.

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Reteaching Activity 3Mesopotamia: A, C, F, G, J, K, L, N, P Ancient Egypt: B, D, E, H, I, M, O


1. Answers may vary. Students should men-tion that all three religions trace theirroots back to Abraham, all believe in oneGod who created humans, all advocate amoral life, and all have more than onetype.

2. Answers will vary but should mention thefact that both Jesus and Muhammad tracetheir ancestry to Abraham, that the beliefin one God is common to the three reli-gions and that elements of Jewish law canbe found in the other two religions.

3. Answers will vary but should note thatChristianity and Islam have made greaterefforts to spread their religions around theworld than Judaism.

Practicing the Skill1. B2. C


1. Lebanon2. Yemen3. Morocco4. Kuwait has more automobiles per 1,000,

but it has a smaller population than othercountries on the spreadsheet. Therefore,the total number of automobiles inKuwait is less than most of the othercountries.

5. Answers will vary depending on thesource used and the countries selected.Students should use the population fig-ures from the Country Profiles in theirtextbooks.

Practicing the Skill1. A2. D3. B


1. Student answers will vary. Correct exam-ples will include the thesis statement andall three main ideas. Make sure the sen-tence lengths are varied and the paragraphdoes not bring in unrelated information.A sample correct paragraph is as follows.

Women of ancient Egypt had moreopportunities than women in otherancient civilizations. For example,Egyptian women could own propertyin their own names, a right not sharedby women of other civilizations at thattime. Egyptian women were alsoallowed to make legal contracts, bringlawsuits, and make business decisions.Plus, when a woman’s husband died,she became the owner of one-third ofhis property.

2. Student answers will vary. Correct exam-ples will include the thesis statement andall three main ideas. Make sure the sen-tence lengths are varied and the paragraphdoes not bring in unrelated information.A sample correct paragraph is as follows.

We learn much about the ancientEgyptian culture from hieroglyphics.Hieroglyphics, a form of writing thatuses symbols or pictures for words,expresses ideas by combining pictures.Archeologists, now able to read thehieroglyphics, report that the pharaohsused scribes to keep records. Thescribes wrote about many differentaspects of life in ancient Egypt, fromreporting about great military battles torecording important events in thepharaoh’s life. Scribes carved business

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1. Student answers will vary. Possible namesmay include Yahoo!, AltaVista, Excite,Ask Jeeves, and Lycos.

2. Student answers may vary. Kabul, Kabul(city), Afghanistan: CIA Factbook, CNNWeather—Kabul, Kabul: Capital ofAfghanistan, Kabul City Map, andEncyclopedia.com: Kabul.

3. Student answers will vary. The informa-tion in the report should contain the factsthat oil production is the most importanteconomic activity in the country and thatSaudi Arabia is the world’s largest pro-ducer of oil.

4. Student answers will vary. Examples of thefacts students can give include: Islammeans to surrender to the will of Allah;Islam was founded by the ProphetMuhammad; Muslims are the followers ofthe Islam religion; Islam began in Arabia;Makkah is the city that a Muslim musttry to travel to at least once in his/her lifetime.

Applying the SkillStudent answers will vary. Some students mayneed help with selecting the keywords that willgive them results. Have a list ready with wordssuch as the name of your area, the name ofyour local news stations, “entertainment,”“news,” and “weather.”

Reteaching Activity 41. Israel2. Iraq3. Saudi Arabia4. Egypt5. Turkey6. Lebanon7. Afghanistan8. Jordan9. Iran

10. Syria11. Libya

Critical Thinking Skills Activity 4Applying the SkillA. Sentences 2, 3, and 5 are examples of

propaganda.B. Answers will vary although students

might circle disastrous, trapped, forcing,expensive, unhealthy, self-obsessed, mon-strous, drowned, engulfed. Answers willvary but students should underline thelast two sentences.

Practicing the Skill1. D2. C3. D


1. The base is the line of 0° longitude, orthe Prime Meridian, passing throughGreenwich (London), England.

2. The time is later in all time zones east of your location.

3. Answers may vary but students couldmention that one advantage is that thereis no confusion in China about the offi-cial time as it is always the same through-out the country. One obvious disadvan-tage is that official time deviates from nat-ural time, especially in western China.

4. A. 4 A.M. B. 10 P.M. C. 2 P.M.D. 9 A.M.

Practicing the Skill1. B2. D3. A


1. Students’ answers may vary. Students’revision suggestions may include: The first two sentences should be the last twosentences. The contractions should bespelled out. Insert a comma after stereos

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Critical Thinking Skills Activity 5Making Generalizations

SOCIAL STUDIES OBJECTIVE: Analyze information by making generalizations.

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Learning the SkillA broad statement drawn from a group of

facts about a topic is called a generalization. Youmake generalizations by starting with a fewexamples of a specific characteristic in someone,something, or a group. Then you form a broaderopinion or conclusion based on that characteris-tic. As an example, you notice that the first fewdays of September have been rainy. You couldmake the generalization that it is going to be avery wet fall season. As another example, you seea few pictures of Indian women wearing nose-rings. You could generalize that most Indianwomen wear jewelry in their noses. Both of thesegeneralizations may or may not be true. They aremerely generalizations based on a few specificfacts or instances. To make a generalization youfirst observe a few factors, then you make a muchlarger statement about the group of those factors.To be valid, a generalization must be supportedby evidence that is logical and factual. To makevalid generalizations, follow these steps:

• Identify the subject matter.

• Collect factual information and examplesrelevant to the topic.

• Identify similarities among the facts.

• Say to yourself, “if these are true, then itmust follow that. . . ”

• Put the specifics together and make a gener-alization that states a relationship and is con-sistent with most of the supporting facts.

Applying the SkillDirections: Read the following specific informa-tion about India and Pakistan.

• India has slightly more than 1 billionpeople.

• About 80 percent of India’s peo-ple are Hindus and 14 percent are Muslims.

• The people of India speak 18 majorlanguages and more than 1,000other local languages.

• About 70 percent of India’s peoplelive in rural villages.

• The literacy rate is 52 percent:males—65.5 percent, females—37.7percent.

INDIA

• Pakistan has slightly more than 146million people.

• About 97 percent of Pakistan’s peo-ple are Muslims.

• The people of Pakistan speak threemajor languages.

• About 70 percent of Pakistan’s peo-ple live in rural villages.

• The literacy rate is 37.8 percent:males—50 percent, females—24.4percent.

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Circle the letters of the following statements that are reasonable generalizations about India and/orPakistan:

A. Both Indians and Pakistanis are religiouspeople.

B. Muslims who live in rural villages are moreeducated than Hindus who live in cities.

C. In both cultures, the women are less literatethan the men.

D. Indians, in general, are 1,000 times moretalkative than Pakistanis.

E. With so many people living in rural villages,India’s cities are not crowded.

F. Improving reading skills should be a prior-ity for both countries.

G. There are many more Indians than Pakistanis.

Practicing the SkillDirections: Read the information about Bangladesh. Then answer the questionsthat follow by circling the letter of each correct answer.

1. What generalization could you make aboutliving in Bangladesh?

A. Living conditions there are very crowded.B. Windsurfing is a common sport there.C. It is a good place to eat seafood.D. There are wide open spaces and few

people.

2. What generalization could you make aboutthe economy of Bangladesh?

A. It depends on fishing.B. It depends on shipbuilding.C. It depends on farming.D. None of the above.

3. What generalization could you make aboutits people?

A. They are mostly Hindu.B. They are very poor.C. They are good swimmers.D. They are very healthy.

4. In general, which area of Bangladesh’s econ-omy holds the most promise?

A. fishing industryB. forestry productsC. water sportsD. umbrella manufacturing

Bangladesh has nearly 126 million people living in an area aboutthe size of Wisconsin. It suffers from severe overpopulation. AlthoughBangladesh’s economy depends on farming, many people are land-less and forced to farm land that is prone to flooding. Monsoons andcyclones cause flooding during the summer. Farmers raise rice, sug-arcane, and jute. However, few of them have modern farming tools oruse modern farming methods. There is limited access to drinkablewater. Diseases carried by water are extremely common. Water pol-lution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercialpesticides. On the bright side, Bangladesh’s thick forests provideteak. This is a wood used for shipbuilding and fine furniture.

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CHINA AND ITS NEIGHBORS

Critical Thinking Skills Activity 6Recognizing Stereotypes

SOCIAL STUDIES OBJECTIVE: Detect bias and analyze propaganda.

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Learning the SkillA stereotype is a fixed mental picture of the

way members of a group think or behave.Assigning simple or general characteristics to allmembers of a group of people creates stereo-types. The group could be a country, a religion,a race, an age group, and so on. When youstereotype, you tend to ignore individual traitsor characteristics. For example, the stereotype ofyoung people as rebellious, self-centered, care-less, and in love with loud music clearly does notinclude all young people. Another example isthe stereotype of the “ugly American.” Thisstereotype assumes that all Americans are rich,proud, demanding, and rude. Stereotypes areoversimplified opinions that do not recognizethat individual people have special qualities oftheir own. To recognize stereotypes, follow thesesteps:

• Look at the information and find generalstatements about groups of people. Try tonotice exaggerations, often indicated bywords like all, none, always, and never. Iden-tify strong adjectives such as lazy, sneaky,cruel, or corrupt. Note a positive or negativetone to the description.

• Once you recognize a stereotype, evaluate itsaccuracy. Ask yourself, “Is this statement orimage true for all the members of thatgroup?” Think about whether the stereo-type puts a positive or negative slant on theinformation concerning a specific group.

Applying the SkillDirections:A. Put a check mark in front of each statementbelow that represents a stereotype, then answerthe question that follows.

1. Chinese civilization is more than4,000 years old.

2. About 30 percent of the populationof China live in cities.

3. The Chinese are excellent gymnastsand musicians.

4. Chinese students work and studymuch harder than American students.

5. Taiwanese people excel at computersand understanding new technology.

6. Poor people in Hong Kong live onboats, called “junks,” in the harbors.

7. Mongolians are famous for their skillsin raising and riding horses.

8. Mongolia is more than twice the sizeof Texas.

9. Chinese are great cooks and own suc-cessful restaurants.

10. Chinese children are always wellbehaved and respectful of their elders.

What stereotypes exist about groups in your com-munity? Evaluate their accuracy.

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B. Think of a television program or movie you haveseen, or a book you have read, that was set in Chinaor a “Chinatown” in a major United States city. Didthe characters seem stereotyped? Answer the fol-lowing questions.

1. What was the name of the television pro-gram, movie, or book?

2. What was it about?

3. Describe the character or characters thatseemed stereotyped. In what way did the character fit a popular stereotype of Chinesepeople?

Practicing the SkillDirections: Answer the following questions bycircling the letter of each correct answer.

1. Which of the following statements aboutstereotypes is NOT true?

A. Stereotypes are general statements abouta group of people.

B. Stereotypes can be made about anygroup of people.

C. Stereotypes recognize the individualqualities of the people who make up thegroup.

D. Stereotypes are fixed mental pictures ofhow certain people think or behave.

2. Which of the following groups can be stereo-typed?

A. senior citizensB. AsiansC. BuddhistsD. all of the above

3. Which of the following statements is astereotype?

A. Workers in Taiwan produce many use-ful products such as clothing, radios,and computers.

B. The Chinese are famous for their silkdrawings, painting, sculpture, andarchitecture.

C. Chinese are much more quiet and politethan Americans.

D. Mongolians have a higher rate of liter-acy than the Chinese.

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JAPAN AND THE KOREAS

Critical Thinking Skills Activity 7Determining Cause and Effect

SOCIAL STUDIES OBJECTIVE: Analyze information by identifying cause-and-effect relationships.

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Learning the SkillDetermining cause and effect means you look

for something that makes something else hap-pen—a cause. Then you look for the result of thecause or what happened—the effect. For example,someone flips a switch in your living room andthe overhead light comes on. The person flippingthe switch is a cause. The light coming on is aneffect. Unusual rain patterns cause the waterbehind a dam to rise to dangerous levels. Therain is the cause. The dangerous state of the damis the effect. To better understand any event, youcan view it as an “effect” and then examine whatyou believe to be the cause. In the same way, youcan identify the causes of an event and predictwhat the effects might be. By identifying cause-

and-effect relationships you can get a betterunderstanding of events or situations. To identifycause-and-effect relationships, use these steps:• Identify an event or situation.• Compare the situation with conditions

before it happened (causes) and after it hap-pened (effects).

• Look for words or terms that help you decidewhether one event caused another. Words orphrases such as brought about, produced,resulted in, when, and therefore indicate cause-and-effect relationships.

• Look for logical relationships between events.Identify the outcomes of events. Rememberthat some effects have more than one cause,and some causes lead to more than one effect.

Although Korea is now divided, it has a long history as a united country. NorthKorea and South Korea sit on a peninsula between the Sea of Japan and the Yel-low Sea. For centuries, the Korean Peninsula was a bridge between Japan andthe mainland of Asia. Trade and ideas traveled back and forth. After World WarII, troops from the Soviet Union took over northern Korea, and American troopsoccupied the south. Eventually Korea was divided along the 38th parallel. A Com-munist government took power in the north while a non-Communist governmentgoverned the south. South Korea has more than twice the population of NorthKorea. South Korea’s economy is strong. North Korea, however, struggles withpoverty and food shortages. Most South Koreans practice Christianity, Buddhism,or the teachings of Confucius. Religion is discouraged in North Korea.

Applying the SkillDirections: When studying the history of a country, filling in a chart can help youunderstand the causes and effects of events in that country’s history. Read the arti-cle about Korea below. Then complete the chart by filling in the missing causes oreffects. The first cause-and-effect relationship has been given.

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1. What event did NOT cause Japan to take amore aggressive security role in East Asia?

A. North Korea’s missile launch in 1998.B. The start of a new millennium in the

year 2000.C. China’s attempt to bully Taiwan in

1996.D. President Clinton’s “strategic partner-

ship” plan with China in 1998.

2. What is NOT an effect of Japan’s moreaggressive security role?

A. Japan set up a network of spies.B. Japan is gathering and evaluating intel-

ligence information.C. Japan is paying more attention to North

and South Korea.D. Japan is economically successful.

Practicing the SkillDirections: Read the paragraphs below. Then answer the questions that followby circling the letter of the correct answer.

After World War II, Japan stopped all military activity for more than 50 years.Japan is now beginning to take a more active security role in East Asia. Insteadof relying on the United States to take care of problems, Japan is taking its ownaction. During the 1990s, several events occurred that caused Japan to takesecurity issues more seriously. These events included:

• China’s attempt to bully Taiwan in 1996.• North Korea’s missile launch in 1998.• President Bill Clinton’s consideration of forming a “strategic partnership”

between the United States and China in 1998.

As a result, Japan has started gathering and evaluating intelligence (mili-tary information) on its own. This effort includes setting up a network of spies.Japan has also taken more interest in developments in North and South Korea.

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Cause

Korean Peninsula was a bridge betweenJapan and mainland Asia.

Communist government took power inNorth Korea.

Non-Communist government took powerin South Korea.

Effect

Trade and ideas traveled back and forthbetween Korea and mainland Asia.

Korea divided along 38th parallel.

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Learning the SkillA point of view is an opinion or belief about

something. A person’s point of view often affectsthe way he or she interprets a topic or event. It isimportant to recognize, or interpret, an author’spoint of view when you are using information.Much of history is the story of people with dif-ferent viewpoints and how the differencesbetween them were resolved. To understand his-tory, as well as current issues, you must compare

points of view on issues. To compare points ofview, use the following steps:• Read the material to identify the general

subject.• Identify the different viewpoints. Determine

what aspect of the issue each viewpointstresses.

• Ask the same questions about each point ofview as you study it.

• Analyze how the answers to these questionsare similar or different.

“The principal lesson of the Vietnam War is thatthe United States should not intervene [inter-fere] in other countries with military forcesunless that country is a serious threat to ourown [country’s] security. We should not usemilitary force to dictate [determine] the politi-cal system of another country—especially smallcountries that wish to have a political systemdifferent from ours.”

——J. William Fulbright, U.S. senator from

Arkansas, 1945–1974

“First, the Vietnam War was not a civil war, nora South Vietnamese insurgency [uprising].Second, our motives for helping the SouthVietnamese were moral. We wanted to preventa small democracy from being subjugated[controlled] by a communist state by force ofarms. The United States wanted no territory inVietnam, none of its scarce resources, and nomilitary bases there.”

——Phillip Davidson, Jr., veteran of World War II,

Korean War, Vietnam War

Applying the SkillDirections: Read these statements by two people who were involved in differentways with the Vietnam War. Then answer the following questions on the lines below.

1. According to Senator Fulbright, why was theUnited States not justified in entering theVietnam War?

2. According to Phillip Davidson, why was theUnited States justified in entering the Viet-nam War?

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Critical Thinking Skills Activity 8Comparing Points of View

SOCIAL STUDIES OBJECTIVE: Identify participants’ points of view from thehistorical and/or cultural context surrounding an event.

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3. What is the major difference between Sena-tor Fulbright’s point of view and PhillipDavidson’s point of view?

4. With which of the two points of view doyou agree? Does the author’s backgroundinfluence your decision? If so, how?

“If we could have stopped communism in Asia, it would have been a gigan-tic step forward… When President Eisenhower first sent advisors to South Vietnam, with no idea of going to war, I thought it was a good thing. When Pres-ident Kennedy sent 15,000 Marines and told them to shoot back, I was both-ered, because there was no real decision made at the presidential level to winthe war. When you decide to go to war, you must at the same instant decideto win it. It’s just like having a fight with another fellow: if you go into ithalfheartedly, you’re going to get the daylights beat out of you. That’s what hap-pened in Vietnam.”

——Barry Goldwater, U.S. senator from Arizona1953–1965, 1969–1987

Practicing the SkillDirections: Read the following quote by Barry Goldwater about the Vietnam War.Then answer the questions that follow by circling the letter of each correct answer.

1. Senator Goldwater objected to the UnitedStates’s involvement in the Vietnam Warbecause

A. he believed that war is evil.B. there was no decision to win the war.C. he was afraid of losing the war.D. he believed Vietnam was too small to

pick on.

2. What kind of involvement in Vietnamseemed reasonable to Goldwater?

A. sending advisors to VietnamB. sending the Marines to VietnamC. declaring war on VietnamD. beating the daylights out of the

Vietnamese

3. Senator Goldwater might have agreed thatthe United States

A. should not have sent advisors toVietnam.

B. should not have declared war.C. was justified in entering the Vietnam

War. D. was not justified in entering the Viet-

nam War.

4. According to Senator Goldwater, the UnitedStates did not win the Vietnam War because

A. we did not use nuclear weapons.B. the Vietnamese fought dirty.C. Vietnam’s jungles were too thick.D. we fought halfheartedly.

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Vocabulary Activity 51. jute2. cottage industry3. subcontinent4. monsoon5. cyclone6. pesticides7. dzong8. castes9. reincarnation




1. ethnic groups of Sri Lanka and India2. Indo-Aryans3. Sri Lanka4. 74%

Applying the SkillStudent circle graphs will vary. Check studentcircle graphs to make sure the graphs are in thecorrect format as shown by the circle graph onthe page and in the student text.

Reteaching Activity 51. Pakistan2. Sri Lanka3. Bhutan4. Bangladesh5. India6. Nepal

Critical Thinking Skills Activity 5Applying the SkillThe following letters should be circled: A, C, F,and G.

Practicing the Skill1. A2. C3. B4. B


1. miles and kilometers2. about 150 miles (240 kilometers)3. Agra4. about 500 miles (800 kilometers)5. Mumbai6. Faisalabad7. approximately 7 1/2 hours (It is about

375 miles from Kathmandu to Calcutta;dividing 375 [miles] by 50 [miles perhour] equals 7 1/2 hours.)

8. Most students will decide that it would beeasier for them to hike 25 miles (40kilometers) per day in Bangladesh than inNepal, because the terrain in Nepal ismuch more mountainous than that ofBangladesh.

Practicing the Skill1. C2. B3. C


1. Mohandas K. Gandhi2. his delay in leaving Bombay due to the

weather3. The Indian Ocean is rough in June and

July. A ship had just been sunk in astorm. His brother did not want him torisk the poor weather conditions.

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5. nomad6. consumer goods7. yurt8. invest9. dynasty

10. fault11. dike12. communist state13. high-technology industries—industries

that produce computers and other kindsof electronic equipment




1. The Taiwanese elected a new president onMarch 18, 2000.

2. Taiwan has developed into a true democ-racy. The people of Taiwan have demon-strated that the will of the people ofTaiwan cannot be coerced. The right ofself-determination of Taiwan’s people can-not be sabotaged. The new American pres-ident indeed will need a new China policy.A new United States China policy needsto be clear and must reflect the reality ofthe Taiwan Strait. The United States’s“One China Policy” needs to be replacedby a “One China, One Taiwan Policy.”

3. The purpose of the passage is to explainthat the author feels that the new UnitedStates president should base his policies

toward acknowledging that Taiwan is itsown nation, not just a part of China.

Applying the Skill1. Student answers will vary. Check that the

student understands what distinguishes afact from an opinion. Ask students tohand in the editorial with this assignment.

2. Student answers will vary. Check that thestudent understands what distinguishes afact from an opinion.

3. Student answers will vary. Read the edito-rial if necessary to make sure the studentunderstood the editorial’s purpose.

Reteaching Activity 6China: B, C, F, G, J, M, NTaiwan: D, H, K, OMongolia: A, E, I, L, O

Critical Thinking Skills Activity 6Applying the SkillA. Students should place check marks in

front of 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 10. Students’answers will vary. Challenge them to eval-uate the accuracy of the stereotypes byidentifying exaggerations, negative or pos-itive slants, and individual characteristics.Students should find that most stereo-types are inaccurate.

B. Students’ answers will vary dependingupon the movie, program, or book theychoose. Their answers should reflect anunderstanding of stereotypes.

Practicing the Skill1. C2. D3. C


1. The largest percentage of workers are inagriculture.

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Vocabulary Activity 71. clan2. samurai3. shogun4. constitutional monarchy5. tsunami6. archipelago7. megalopolis8. intensive cultivation9. monsoon




1. the religions of North Korea and SouthKorea

2. Buddhism and Christianity3. South Korea

Applying the SkillStudent circle graphs will vary. Check thegraphs to be sure they are in the correct formatas in the “Practicing the Skill” section of thisworksheet.

1. Student answers will vary. Check to makesure the circle graph agrees with the stu-dent’s answer.

2. Student answers will vary. Check studentanswers for a well thought-out comparison.

Reteaching Activity 7Japan: A, F, G, I, J, K, O, P, QNorth Korea: B, C, D, E, L, M, RSouth Korea: B, D, H, M, N


• Cause: Soviet Union troops took over thenorth and American troops occupied thesouth.

• Effect: North Korea struggles with pover-ty and food shortage; religion is discour-aged.

• Effect: South Korea’s economy is strong;religion is freely practiced.

Practicing the Skill1. B2. D


1. China has the largest population. 2. Singapore has the smallest population.3. Taiwan4. False5. Japan is more densely populated. Although

it is similar in size to Malaysia, Japan hasabout six times the number of people.

6. Students should compare the populationpercentages with the land area of the coun-tries to come up with a list of countriesranked from greatest to least populationdensities. Students should then find theactual population densities (see list below)and compare their lists to the actual num-bers. Students should explain their processesand why their guesses were right or wrong.

Population Densities of Asian Pacific Rim Countries:Singapore: 16,732 per sq. mi. (6,471 per sq. km)Taiwan: 1,583 per sq. mi. (611 per sq. km)South Korea: 1,226 per sq. mi. (473 per sq. km)Japan: 869 per sq. mi. (335 per sq. km)

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5. True.6. False. Manufacturing and trade dominate

South Korea’s economy.7. False. Farming does not provide enough

food for the whole country. Famines haverecently occurred.

8. True.9. False. Mountains run only through the

center of the country.10. True.

Vocabulary Activity 81. plate2. free port3. socialism4. precious gems5. terraced fields6. monsoons7. Strait8. delta9. civil war

10. deforestation




1. Java in Indonesia2. 300 m, 600 m, 1,500 m3. a flatter, gradual slope; a steep slope

Applying the Skill1. Obtain a contour map of your state.

Check student answers on this map.

2. Check student answers on the contourmap of your state.

3. Check student answers on the contourmap of your state.

Reteaching Activity 81. Thailand2. Brunei3. Malaysia4. Singapore5. Laos6. Philippines7. Vietnam8. Indonesia9. Myanmar

10. Cambodia


1. According to Senator Fulbright, Vietnamwas not a threat to our own country’ssecurity, and the United States shouldhave let the people of Vietnam choose the political system they wanted.

2. Davidson believes the United States wasjustified in entering the war because acommunist state threatened the democra-cy of South Vietnam.

3. Senator Fulbright did not think theUnited States should have fought in theVietnam War, even if it meant protectinga democratic country. Davidson thoughtthe United States should have fought inVietnam for moral reasons because theUnited States was trying to protect anoth-er democratic country.

4. Answers will vary. Students can agree ordisagree for logical reasons. They may beinfluenced by Davidson, who had been aveteran of three wars, or Fulbright, whohad been a United States senator.

Practicing the Skill 1. B2. A3. C4. D

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Learning the SkillA sequence of events is the order in which the

events take place. Putting things in their propersequence sometimes helps you see cause-and-effectrelationships, or how one event causes another. Awriter who describes a process, such as the erup-tion of a volcano, presents the steps in a logicalsequence. Knowing the order in which things hap-

pen helps you understand the process better. Fol-low these steps to help you sequence events:• Look for dates or clue words that provide you

with a chronological order—the order inwhich events occurred. For example, these maybe clue words: in 2025, the late 1990s, first,then, finally, after World War II, and so on.

• Pay special attention to transitional words inorder to follow the time sequence.

Applying the SkillDirections: Read the passage below. Then place a number in the blank next toeach event listed to show the sequence of events.

There is a point in Bavaria, Germany, where two great river sys-tems nearly touch. In 1992 a canal linking the two rivers was finallycompleted. Called the Main-Danube Canal, it links the Rhine andDanube River systems.

About 1,200 years ago, the emperor Charlemagne realized thebenefits of connecting these two river systems. He set workers todigging an eight-foot-deep trench. Unfortunately, the trench kept fill-ing with water during heavy rains. The workers had to stop digging.After two months, Charlemagne had to abandon the project.

King Ludwig I of Bavaria also attempted to build the canal. Lud-wig’s canal was successful. It operated for more than a century.However, this canal was not wide enough for river barges to passthrough it. In 1921 a German company was formed to build areplacement canal. The project took 70 years. It eventually includedroads, bridges, hydroelectric plants, and reservoirs.

Emperor Charlemagne abandonedwork on the canal.

The Main-Danube waterway opened.

King Ludwig had a canal built thatoperated for more than a century.

Emperor Charlemagne started workon the canal linking the two river systems.

The German company that built theMain-Danube Canal was formed.

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EUROPE—EARLY HISTORY

Critical Thinking Skills Activity 9Sequencing

SOCIAL STUDIES OBJECTIVE: Analyze information by sequencing events; organizeand interpret time lines.

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Practicing the SkillDirections: Time lines can be either vertical or horizontal. Using the blank timeline below, create a time line of the events mentioned in the following passage.Include every event, starting with the first event on the left and the last event on theright. When possible, list a date with the event.

During the Middle Ages (approximately A.D. 900–1450), the livesof the early Dutch farmers changed. When herring from the BalticSea started migrating to the North Sea, the farmers began to fish.Dutch towns supplied southern Europe with dried herring. The her-ring became a staple of the European diet. The growing Dutch townssoon began to trade other goods. The Netherlands developed into athriving commercial region.

In the 1600s, the Netherlands became the leading sea power inthe world. The Dutch founded colonies in what is now Indonesia, thesouthern tip of Africa, and in the Americas. A long series of warswith France weakened the Netherlands, however. In the early part ofthe 1700s, the Dutch gave up their place as rulers of the sea to GreatBritain.

Directions: Refer to your completed time line. Then identify the following eventsby writing your answers on the blank lines.

A. The first event to occur:

B. The second event to occur:

C. The last event to occur:

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EUROPE—MODERN HISTORY

Critical Thinking Skills Activity 10Making Predictions

SOCIAL STUDIES OBJECTIVE: Analyze social studies information by making predictions.

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Learning the SkillSometimes you can make predictions about

specific events or conditions based on trends, obser-vations, and/or history. Although predicting futureevents can be risky, you can make more accuratepredictions if you gather reliable facts and observepast behaviors in similar situations. For example,Jews had been mistreated in many countries aroundthe world. Even before the Holocaust, many Jewswere searching for their own land to form a Jewishstate. Given the historic homeland of the Jews wasin Palestine, you can predict that most Jews would

favor Palestine over other land that may be avail-able. To make predictions, follow these steps:

• Review what you already know by listingfacts, events, and people’s responses to events.

• Identify patterns. Try to determine what thepatterns show.

• Incorporate what you know and have observedwith similar events.

• Make a prediction. Analyze each of the con-sequences by asking: How likely is it that thiswill occur?

Applying the SkillDirections: Read the paragraph below. Then answer the questions on the next page.

Shall we choose Argentina or Palestine? We will take whatis given to us and what is selected by Jewish public opinion.Argentina is one of the most fertile countries in the world,extends over a vast area, and has a sparse population. TheArgentine Republic would derive considerable profit from thecession [turning over] of a portion of its territory to us.

Palestine is our ever-memorable historic home. The veryname of Palestine would attract our people with a force ofextraordinary potency [power] . . .

SOURCE: Theodor Herzl, “A Solution of the Jewish Question,” The Jewish Chronicle, January 17, 1896, p. 13.

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1. What two places are being considered for aJewish homeland?

2. What advantages does the writer list for eachchoice?

3. What problems would you predict if a newnation is established within the territory ofan existing nation?

4. Based on the author’s descriptions, howwould you predict Jews would react to eachof the choices?

Practicing the SkillDirections: Reread the preceding paragraph.Then answer the questions that follow by circlingthe letter of each correct answer.

1. How likely is it that Jews will favor Argentinaover Palestine?

A. somewhat unlikely

B. highly unlikely

C. somewhat likely

D. highly likely

2. How likely is it that people living in Pales-tine will willingly give up their land to helpthe Jews have a country where people willnot persecute them?

A. somewhat unlikely

B. highly unlikely

C. somewhat likely

D. highly likely

3. Which of the following is a factor that thewriter mentions in deciding the location ofthe Jewish state?

A. The Jews hold title to the land in Palestine.

B. The land should be chosen based on thedistance Jews will have to travel to getto it.

C. The choice should include considera-tion of the opinions of Jewish people.

D. The name of the country will varydepending on the choice.

4. The place most likely to welcome the Jewsappears to be

A. the United States.

B. Israel.

C. Palestine.

D. Argentina.

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WESTERN EUROPE TODAY

Critical Thinking Skills Activity 11Identifying Alternatives

SOCIAL STUDIES OBJECTIVE: Evaluate sources of print, visual, and electronicinformation and use decision-making skills.

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Learning the SkillBefore you can solve a problem, you have to

think about all the alternatives. These are thepossible choices of actions you could take to solvethe problem. To identify alternatives and make asound judgment or decision, follow these steps:

• Identify the problem you are trying to solve.

• Review the facts. Then make a list of all ofthe possible actions you can think of to solvethe problem.

• Examine how others have solved the sameproblem.

• Make a list of new actions you find for solv-ing the problem.

• From your list, decide on the best course ofaction to solve your problem.

• Look for information to check the accuracyof your judgment or decision. Examineinformation that both supports and contra-dicts your conclusion.

Applying the SkillDirections: As you read this summary of a newspaper article, note concerns thatthe country of Denmark has for changing its currency and underline the reasons whyother European countries are not worried about this change. Then answer the ques-tions on the next page.

Europe is attempting to develop a single currency, called the euro.Many European countries have decided to adopt this change. OneEuropean country worried about what it will mean for it is Denmark.Denmark worries that its currency, the krone, will lose value. It is con-cerned that changing to the euro will make it a poorer nation. It wor-ries about losing its identity as a separate country. Denmark worriesthat combining currencies will affect taxes in the country and threatensocial security. When the idea of the euro was first proposed, Denmarkvoted against it. Later, it reconsidered the idea.

There are many reasons why people in Europe like the idea of theeuro. It will make trade among their countries easier. Europeans willnot need to calculate what each of their different currencies are worthcompared to one another. It will also help tourism because travelerswill not have to exchange money at each border.

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1. Denmark is struggling with the idea ofchanging its currency to the euro. What aresome of the problems or concerns it has withmaking this change?

2. What are some of the reasons other Europeancountries are not worried about this change?

3. One course of action is for Denmark to keepits currency, the krone. What might be someof the results of this action?

4. Another course of action is for Denmark tochange to the euro and have the same cur-rency as the other European countries. Whatmight be some of the results of this action?

Practicing the SkillDirections: Read the following article and thenanswer the questions by circling the letter of eachcorrect answer.

1. What alternative to simply taking the landfrom the Sami is mentioned in the reading?

A. The Norwegians could recognize thatthe Sami have land rights.

B. The Norwegians could give up themining.

C. A Sami Parliament could be created.D. The Sami could give the land to the

Norwegian government.

2. What alternatives does the Sami Parliamenthave?

A. Use their power to stop mining.B. Accept the loss of their land.C. Continue to advise the Norwegian

government.D. Take their land back.

Norway’s Other Nation Demands Land

Plans to mine for gold in northern Norwaymay cause a conflict over land rights. The Sami,sometimes called Lapps, have lived in northernEurope for several thousand years. They saythe land is traditionally theirs and want the Nor-wegian government to recognize their landrights. They need the land for fishing, recre-ation, and herding caribou or reindeer. TheSami feel that they never gave up the land toNorway, and want to be consulted on any min-ing plans. The Norwegian government, how-ever, is not prepared to do that. An official ofNorway’s Sami Parliament states that the rightto the land is fundamental to the identity of theSami people. However, the Sami Parliamentdoes not have the power to make decisions. Itcan only advise in this situation.

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Learning the SkillYou may sometimes find yourself forming

questions as you read an article or a book, orwhen you study charts and graphs. A good wayto check your understanding is to ask yourselfquestions. Rather than just taking things at facevalue, forming questions is essential to criticalthinking. Here are some questions to ask yourselfwhen reading informative material:

• What is the author saying in this article orchart?

• Why is the author saying this?

• Is this really true?

• What does this information mean?

• How did the author come to that conclusion?

• Is the author prejudiced?

• Is anything in the article or graph unclear?

• Reread or review the information to try toanswer your questions. Then use thoseanswers to draw conclusions about the infor-mation.

Applying the SkillDirections: Look at the graph of the birthrates, death rates, and infant mortalityrates in Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus. Then answer the questions on the nextpage.

Birth rate / 1,000 people

Death rate / 1,000 people

Infant mortality rate / 1,000 people

Ukraine

Moldova

Belarus

9.03

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

9.2713.9614.63

12.8612.58

43.32

16.4821.67

Estimated Rates of Birth, Death, and Infant Mortality in 2000

SOURCE: CIA: The World Factbook 2000

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EASTERN EUROPE TODAY

Critical Thinking Skills Activity 12Forming Questions

SOCIAL STUDIES OBJECTIVE: Analyze data by forming questions and drawing conclusions.

EASTERN EUROPE TODAY


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1. Look at the statistics for Moldova. Whatwould be your first concern and your firstquestion?

2. Compare the death rates for these threecountries. What question would you ask thegovernment of Ukraine?

3. Compare the birthrates versus the death ratesfor these three countries. What conclusionwould you draw about their populationgrowth rates?

4. Where did the author find the statistics forthis graph? Are they reliable?

Practicing the SkillDirections: Analyze the graph from the previouspage. Then answer the following questions by cir-cling the letter of the correct answer.

1. Which country would you most want toquestion about their medical facilities forpregnant mothers and children?

A. UkraineB. MoldovaC. Belarus

2. Which country would you most want toquestion about its comparatively high deathrate for the year 2000?


3. Which country has the lowest infant mor-tality rate?


4. Which country has the highest number ofbirths per 1,000 people?


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1. Cato the Elder, 234–149 B.C.2. 135 years3. before4. later5. Ovid

Applying the SkillStudent answers will vary. Check student timelines to make sure students have thoughtthrough the chronological order of the detailssurrounding the events of that day. Check thetimes (B.A. and A.A.) against the supportingpictures or illustrations for a parallel to thesequence of events.

Reteaching Activity 9700s B.C.: E400s B.C.: M300s B.C.: C200s B.C.: G

31 B.C.: LA.D. 300s: IA.D. 400s: DA.D. 800: HA.D. 1000s: NA.D. 1350: BA.D. 1492: JA.D. 1520: KA.D. 1770: FA.D. 1815: A

Critical Thinking Skills Activity 9Applying the SkillThe students’ numbers should appear in thefollowing order: 2, 5, 3, 1, 4

Practicing the SkillStudents’ time lines may vary. Possible answers:A. Dutch farmers began to fish for herring.B. The Dutch became the leading sea power.C. The Dutch gave up their place as rulers of

the sea to Great Britain.


1. the Alps2. the Douro, Tagus, Guadiana, and

Guadalquivir Rivers3. Mt. Olympus is located in Greece, in the

Pindus Mountains.4. the Strait of Gibraltar, the Mediterranean

Sea5. the Apennines6. 0–1,000 feet (0–300 meters)7. Mountains and highlands run down the

middle of the country; plains and low-lands lie along the Italian coastlines.

8. Answers will vary but should generallydiscuss environmentalists’ desires to pre-serve the natural beauty of the region.

9. Brochures should reflect accurate informa-tion about the physical and human geog-raphy of the students’ chosen locations.

Practicing the Skill1. B2. C3. A


1. In medieval times, castles were built fordefense.

2. French nobles invited traveling performersto teach them to dance.

Answers will vary. Check student paragraphs tobe sure they contain a topic sentence. Acceptall logically written paragraphs that contain atopic sentence (and main idea).

Practicing the Skill1. D2. B

GeoLab Activity 91. The Greeks and Romans had great appre-

ciation for beautiful things. Because these

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Reteaching Activity 10A. 1949B. 1930sC. 1700sD. 1990E. 1955F. 1993G. 1914H. 1948I. 1939J. 1985K. 1917L. 1991M. 1957N. 1961


1. Argentina and Palestine are being considered.

2. The advantages of Argentina are fertileland; vast, unoccupied land; and a smallpopulation. The advantage of Palestine isthat it is the historic place of the Jewishhomeland.

3. Answers may vary. Students may note anunwillingness of current residents to leave,a resentment of Jewish immigrants, andan unwillingness of Jews to move to thenew homeland.

4. Answers will vary. Students will likelyobserve that Jews would have been lessenthusiastic about Argentina thanPalestine.

Practicing the Skill1. B2. B3. C4. D


1. tundra and subarctic2. Bergen

3. Southwestern Norway has a marine westcoast climate; eastern Norway has ahumid continental climate.

4. Alta5. Trondheim would be most affected by a

harsh winter because it is farthest north.6. The population density in the area sur-

rounding Oslo is probably greater thanthe density in the area surrounding Altabecause the climate is much more hospit-able in the vicinity of Oslo.

7. Alaska; northwestern United States

Practicing the Skill1. C2. B3. A

Reading and Writing Skills Activity 10Applying the Skill

1. Outlines will vary. Encourage students touse good outline form. A sample for itemA is as follows. Outlines for the otheritems can be taken from the basic infor-mation provided in the textbook.I. Increased productivity

A. New machinesB. Increased availability of human

resourcesII. Organizations of workers

A. Dangerous factory conditionsB. Rise of labor unions

III. Improved standard of livingA. More jobsB. Increased availability of goodsC. Improved health conditionsD. Longer life span

2. Introductory paragraphs will vary.Paragraphs should show good form andhave a beginning, middle, and end. Asample for item A is as follows.

Major changes occurred in Europe dur-ing the Industrial Revolution. Scientificdiscoveries and new innovations changed

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1. encyclopedia, almanac2. encyclopedia, biographical dictionary,

card catalog, the World Wide Web3. encyclopedia, atlas, almanac, computer

database4. periodical guide, the World Wide Web5. periodical guide, computer database6. encyclopedia, atlas

Applying the Skill1. Student answers will vary. Check student

answers for accuracy.2. Student answers will vary. Check student

answers to make sure the information is correct and the student understandswhy that person has an impact on thecommunity.

3. Student answers will vary. Check studentanswers to make sure the information iscorrect, and that the student understandsthat events shape the history of an areaand its people.

Reteaching Activity 111. E2. F3. G, H, I4. B5. C6. A7. D8. J


1. Denmark worries that changing to theeuro will cause its currency to lose value,make it a poorer nation, cause it to loseits identity as a country, affect taxes, andthreaten social security.

2. Other European countries like the idea ofchanging to one currency because itwould make trade easier, they would not

have to exchange currency when goingfrom one country to another in Europe,and it will help tourism because touristswould not have to exchange currency ateach country’s border.

3. Answers may vary. Students could mentionany of the following: If Denmark kept itsexisting currency, the krone could keep orlose its current value; Denmark would stillbe identified as a separate country; itwould still have the problems with tradingthat exist because its currency would notmatch the other countries in Europe;Denmark’s citizens would have to exchangetheir currency every time they went toanother European country; and Europeantourists would also have to exchange theirmoney when coming to Denmark.

4. Answers may vary. Students could men-tion any of the following: If Denmarkchanged to the euro, it would still beidentified as a separate country because ofits unique culture; it would not have theproblems with trading that exist becauseits currency would match that of theother countries in Europe; Denmark’s citi-zens would not have to exchange theircurrency every time they went to anotherEuropean country; and European touristswould not have to exchange their moneywhen coming to Denmark.

Practicing the Skill1. A2. C


1. The population density in most parts of Belgium is more than 250 persons per square mile (over 100 per square kilometer).

2. The population density in Paris, France, is125–250 persons per square mile (50–100per square kilometer).

3. Paris

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1. Answers may vary but students may men-tion a concern about the infant mortalityrate. Their first question might be, “Whyis the infant mortality rate so high?”

2. Answers may vary. Students may ask,“Why is your death rate higher than thedeath rates in Moldova or Belarus?”

3. Answers may vary. Students may concludethat their populations are not growing butare declining.

4. The source line states that the statisticsare from the CIA World Factbook 2000.The CIA (U.S. government) is a reliablesource.

Practicing the Skill1. B2. A3. C4. B


1. Slavic family2. Albanian family3. They are both part of the Uralic group.4. Latvia and Lithuania5. The map indicates that both the Slavic

and Albanian families are spoken inYugoslavia. Students’ answers regardingpotential difficulties will vary, but mostwill probably mention that Yugoslaviansmight have trouble communicating withone another if different languages are spo-ken. Some students might mention therecent conflict in the region and speculateon the effect of language as contributingto tensions there.

6. The Romanian language is part of theRomance family, just like the languagesspoken in France, Italy, Portugal, andSpain. Latin is the source of the Romancelanguages.

Practicing the Skill1. B2. A3. A


1. Student answers may vary. Correctanswers may include the information in atable or a Venn diagram showing Russian,Polish, and Ukrainian as similaritiesbetween the two nations.

2. Students should use a cause-and-effectdiagram that shows “the fall of the SovietUnion in 1991” as the cause and“Lithuania became independent” as theeffect.

3. Students should use a chart with twocolumns: one titled “Country” and onetitled “Crops grown.”

Practicing the Skill1. B2. D

GeoLab Activity 121. This answer will depend on the country

researched. Students can comment onpolitical unrest or peace. Any kind of elec-tion, economic problems or recoveries,and warring factions will provide news.Countries existing under peaceful condi-tions will probably not have as muchinformation available.

2. Student impressions will vary, but theyshould be able to name specific reactionsto places and people.

3. If the country students use is Croatia,they should have heard a great deal. A country like Moldova would probablynot be so familiar to them.

4. Students should note specific details orgeneralizations. They should compareareas of prosperity and peace or areas

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critical thinking skills activities

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