16. Which of these factors have played the most important role in the development of non-Western economies?
(1) language, literature, and cultureThere is a graph that goes with a whole page of questions, but I don't see how it helps to answer this one; it shows that Africa and Southeast Asia had similar economic growth rates from 1950 to 1980, but since then Africa has stagnated and Southeast Asia has boomed.
(2) climate, geography, and demography
(3) disease, famine, and medicine
(4) race and religion
(5) art, architecture, and engineering
How to answer? We can certainly rule out (4), since these days race and religion are not allowed to have any impact on anything. But I could make an argument for all of the rest. Consider (5). Art has little impact, since as far as I am concerned ancient barbarians had much better art than we do, and medieval Japan did a lot better than Pokemon and Manga. But isn't engineering almost the essence of economic development? (1) is of course very controversial, but I would happily invoke it to explain the economic differences between northern and southern Italy, or Denmark and Greece. Widespread knowledge of English has greatly helped the high-tech economy of India. (3) has had a huge impact in those parts of the world infested by malarial mosquitoes and tse tse flies.
The answer in the back of the test says:
Of the choices listed here, economic development is most directly effected by climate, geography, and demography. While many of the other factors listed among the choices, especially those in choice 3, are important, they exert less of an impact than those of choice 2. Consider, for example, the role that climate and geography play in the development of agriculture and manufacturing. A desert area rich in gold and iron will encourage the development of mining, rather than agriculture.Really? Time for my favorite economic development image:
The most important factor in modern economic development is economic policy, which is strongly influenced by politics; other factors I think matter a lot include education, tribalism, and the level of violence. If you exclude oil-rich desert states, I think geography has rather little impact.
I know this doesn't matter much. I guessed which answer they wanted, and smart 17-year-olds probably can, too. It just amuses me when we expect teenagers to answer questions that top experts have been debating for decades.
2 comments:
Having been for a period of time the Chief GED Examiner for the Northern Neck of VA, I'm quite familiar with the tests.
I wonder if, in looking at the question, you are ignoring some of the text that went with the graph? Normally there is sufficient information in the set-up material to allow test-takers to infer the correct answers from the information.
I also want to say that those people who think the GED is a "cheap" or "easy" way to avoid staying in HS and getting a diploma that they're way off the beam.
Seven hours plus of tests in reading, writing, science, math and social studies demand knowledge equivalent to that a high school student is expected to know to pass. And there are validated studies that demonstrate that 60% of HS graduates can't pass the entire GED.
It's not easy-- and most places it's not cheap, since not only does the person have to take classes to prepare, but also must pay for the test itself.
(The program of which I was a part was funded to cover much of this expense b/c its target audience is among the neediest populations in Virginia. And Virginia's Community College system offers a program for youngsters 18-22 or so where they take classes at the CC to prep for the GED and then transition naturally into CC programs upon earning the certificate.)
So many of the test questions I run across are subjective and sometimes you even have to guess where you are being lead. In far too many instances you are not supposed to think, you are supposed to regurgitate.
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