U6Q3: Urban Challenges

Which generalization comparing the use of urban transportation systems in four cities does the table support?

• People in no country have placed much importance on urban public transportation

• European and Asians have placed about the same importance on urban public transit as have people in the US

• People in the US have placed more importance on public transit than have Europeans and Asians

• European and Asian urban transit systems meet the needs of residents, but systems in the US fail to do so.

• European and Asian urban transit systems serve a higher proportion of residents than do systems in the US.

Based on current and historical conditions, which would be most likely to help alleviate the problem of food deserts?

• encouraging food trucks that are part of the informal economy to serve food deserts

• encouraging gentrification and building upscale housing in poor neighborhoods

• establishing new farmers' markets in the suburban and exurban communities

• opening upscale food stores in neighborhoods that have already gentrified

• opening supermarkets in inner city neighborhoods that have poor public transportation.

Which has been a partially effective response to the problems of public housing?

• gentrification, because it creates a safer and more diverse community

• scattered-site housing, because it places families in safer areas with better schools

• redlining, because it limits bad housing investments in the inner city

• eminent domain, because it allows government to gain vast urban lands to develop

• blockbusting, because it makes affordable housing more available.

Based on the table, Egypt would be much more likely than Canada or Greece to have

• government control over sectors of the shadow economy

• cost-free infrastructure, such as water and sewer systems

• strong promotion and regulation of emerging small businesses

• taxation on food carts, parade vendors, and street markets

• black market sales and paid labor not being reported

Which activity most directly uses racial prejudices to perpetuate segregation in housing?

• gentrification by young professionals and suburbanites moving into the inner city

• leapfrogging over suburbs by developers to expand communities far form the inner city

• blockbusting by realtors who want to promote movement to the suburbs

• scattered-site housing by city governments to keep the poor in the city

• ideas of new urbanism applied by developers who are creating mixed-use neighborhoods

The revival of downtown nightlife and an increase in street lighting are methods used by city governments primarily to

• deter criminal activity

• generate tax revenue during evening hours

• decrease traffic congestion during the day

• promote new urbanism

• reduce the effects of exurbanization

Which common urban characteristic contributes most directly to the environmental problem of flooding?

• urban canyons created by streets lined with tall buildings

• skyscrapers that keep sunlight from reaching the ground

• the radiation of heat from buildings and rooftops

• hard surfaces such as streets, sidewalks, and parking lots

• the increased concentration of pollutants in the air.

What is this image demonstrating?

• New urbanism

• Gentrification

• Urban canyons

• Urban heat island

• Urban sprawl

What is this image demonstrating?

• Urban sprawl

• Urban canyon

• Urban heat island

• Urbanization

• Inner cities

What are greenbelts?

• Parks created in the inner city to decrease pollution.

• Rings of open space surrounding European cities like London to combat sprawl

• The loop around the edge of Harris' peripheral model.

• Corridors of agricultural land within suburban areas.

• Eco-friendly subway lines in central cities.