NAFTA, the Amazon, and the Mayans

From "Analysis: Where NAFTA succeeded and where it failed"

Read the section "NAFTA was supposed to lead to job growth, but didn't." Select the paragraph that suggests Mexican workers did NOT benefit much from NAFTA.

• Supporters of NAFTA had argued that establishing a free-trade area in North America would bring wealth. They said it would increase trade and production. They believed the agreement would result in the creation of millions of good-paying jobs in the three countries.

• Opponents, however, viewed the agreement as a way for giant corporations to increase their profits. They believed this would be at the expense of the ordinary citizens of the countries involved. They also felt that low wages in Mexico would attract U.S. and Canadian companies, resulting in a shift of factories to Mexico. This would cause a rapid decline in manufacturing jobs in the United States and Canada. People also worried that new factories in Mexico would damage the environment there. Some people worried that small farmers would lose their farms in all three countries because they wouldn't be able to compete with big farms.

• NAFTA failed to deliver all that its supporters had promised. Mexico experienced a huge increase in its exports and imports. This resulted in a wave of better-quality and lower-priced goods for Mexican consumers. The United States and Canada might have gotten a small benefit from NAFTA, but some experts think NAFTA may have lowered pay for some workers in the U.S

• In addition, little changed in terms of the job market. Immigration restrictions still kept Mexicans from going back and forth to the U.S. or Canada. This meant Mexicans still made much less money than people in the United States and Canada. American and Canadian companies did invest much more in Mexico, but the lack of infrastructure — like roads, ports, railroads and energy plants — in Mexico caused many U.S. and Canadian companies to not to invest in that country. As a result, there were no significant job losses in the United States and Canada. There was also no environmental disaster caused by new factories in Mexico, as some people had feared.

From "Analysis: Where NAFTA succeeded and where it failed"

Which section of the article highlights the idea that NAFTA is still in place despite the criticism is has received?

• "Making more products is key to free trade"

• "U.S. and Canada got greater access to Mexico"

• "NAFTA was supposed to lead to job growth, but didn't"

• "Other countries joined"

From "Analysis: Where NAFTA succeeded and where it failed"

WHY was free trade important to the members of NAFTA?

• The members believed that free trade would benefit the environment by making it easier for farms and companies to specialize in growing the products best suited to their countries.

• The members believed that free trade would benefit companies and workers by making it easier and less expensive to export what they made and import what they needed.

• The members believed that free trade between them would allow them to import and export a greater number of goods more quickly than the European Union had.

• The members believed that free trade would allow them to more efficiently divide labor by putting a higher tax on individuals and companies that made a lot of money

From "Analysis: Where NAFTA succeeded and where it failed"

What is one way NAFTA was intended to affect the United States?

• NAFTA was intended to improve the relationship between the United States and Central America by creating greater access to Mexican markets.

• NAFTA was intended to improve the environment in the United States by allowing companies to build more of their factories in Mexico.

• NAFTA was intended to bring more wealth to the United States by increasing trade and production between its companies and Mexican markets.

• NAFTA was intended to bring more wealth to the United States by giving it a way to sell goods bought from Canada for higher prices in Mexico.

From "The Amazon Rainforest"

Why is the Amazon rainforest in danger?

• The rainforest has some of the highest biodiversity.

• Human development is changing the rainforest too quickly.

• The indigenous tribes have no contact with the outside world.

• It is home to 2.5 million insect species.

From "The Amazon Rainforest"

Trees are being cut down for lumber in the Amazon. In addition, new farms and factories are beginning to replace the forests and villages. What is an effect of this human activity?

• more carbon dioxide can be absorbed by the Amazon rainforest

• new diseases will be brought to the rainforest and harm indigenous tribes

• the planet's atmosphere will gradually begin to cool down

• less carbon dioxide is being absorbed by the Amazon rainforest

From "The Amazon Rainforest"

The indigenous tribes in the Amazon rainforest have different cultures and ways of life. What evidence from the passage best supports this statement?

• Some tribes are nomadic, while others are settled in one place.

• Indigenous tribes rely on native plants and animals for food

• Different tribes have different names, like Yanomami and Nukak.

• Some tribes have no contact with the outside world.

From "The Amazon Rainforest"

Read the following sentences: "People are using the Amazon to grow plants for humans, like bananas and sugar cane plants. Others are digging holes in the earth to look for oil or gas reserves. And still others are cutting down the trees for lumber."

Based on this information, what is the main reason why humans are changing the Amazon rainforest?

• the preservation of rare plant and animal species

• bringing modern technology to indigenous tribes

• the desire for more resources

• minimizing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

From "The Amazon Rainforest"

What is this passage mostly about?

• dangers faced by the Amazon rainforest

• how volunteers are working to save the rainforest

• how the rainforest can help moderate global warming

• biodiversity in the Amazon rainforest

From "The Amazon Rainforest"

Read the following sentences: "While all environments change over time, some scientists think that rapid human development is changing the Amazon too quickly. These changes are putting some plants, animals, and humans in danger."

What does "rapid" mean as used in this sentence?

• detailed

• expensive

• advanced

• very fast