Core-periphery models are generally based on the idea that

• all world regions are equally well developed

• levels of social and economic development are fairly uniform between core areas and peripheral areas

• sharp spatial contrasts in social and economic development exist between economic heart­lands and outlying subordinate areas

• the growth and prosperity of core countries has not been achieved at the expense of peripheral countries

• the economic and social heart of a territory should be at its geographic center

The port of Los Angeles is the busiest port in the United States and a major break-of-bulk point. Which of the following statements correctly explains why Los Angeles is a break-of-bulk point?

• The robotic systems at the port results in fewer workers being required to unload container ships.

• The port can accommodate large container ships that can be unloaded quickly so that containers can be transferred onto carriers that use California’s highway and rail systems.

• The massive warehouses located at the port allow goods from container ships to be stored easily for long periods of time.

• Goods can be transferred to other container ships going to the port of San Francisco.

• Los Angeles is on the Pacific Ocean allowing for more trade with countries in Asia.

A clustering of doctor’s offices and pharmacies near hospitals is BEST explained by the benefits of

• decentralization

• agglomeration

• intervening opportunity

• balkanization

• enfranchisement

Even though it is a relatively clean source of energy, which of the following is a disadvantage of hydroelectric power?

• The water used needs to be chemically treated immediately upon leaving the powerhouse.

• The electricity generated has a lower voltage than electricity generated by traditional coal and natural gas plants.

• The generators are more complex than coal or gas generators and are expensive to purchase and maintain.

• It is not an effective power source in regions which traditionally experience less rainfall.

• It can alter the ecosystems above and below the dam site.

Contemporary manufacturing is characterized by

• production facilities that are generally located as close as possible to the sites of raw material production

• strong unions and localized involvement in all facets of the production process

• spatial disaggregation of the production process

• reliance on highly skilled labor at all phases of the production process

• production facilities located close to railroads

The early stages of the core-periphery model describe the

• relationship between the outward appearance of a place and its internal functioning

• ways that suburban workers commute to urban workplaces

• relationship between the underlying structure of a society and its outward expressions

• social and cultural differences between urban and rural people

• relationship of power and the transfer of resources from less developed to more developed areas

It is generally agreed that the current trend in climate change is caused by

•  sea-level rise

• increased use of fossil fuels

• reduction in biodiversity

• tilt of Earth’s axis

• changes in the velocity of ocean currents

Which of the following processes explains the change in coal miners employed in the United States from 1950 to 2000?

• Technological diffusion

• Just-in-time production

• Industrial revolution

•  Devolution

• Deindustrialization

Compare the bar graph showing coal mine employment and the line graph showing miner production. Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from trends in this data?

• Coal mining has been outsourced to less-developed countries.

• Mechanization and computer automation in mining have increased.

• Legal restrictions have been imposed on the amount of coal exported overseas.

• Renewable resources are being used more frequently to power vehicles.

• Natural gas and oil production of electricity has declined.

Debt-for-nature swaps are financial transactions in which a portion of a developing country’s foreign debt is forgiven in exchange for local investments in environmental conservation measures. Which of the following explains the significance of debt-for-nature programs?

• The programs utilize a dependency theory-based approach to improve local economic development.

• The programs provide a sustainable-development approach to reducing uneven levels of development between countries.

• The programs combat the economic decline of deindustrialization and improve service and technology development.

•  The programs provide improvements in environmental health and sanitation that reduce mortality and epidemic disease rates.

• The programs invest in environmental education that informs youth populations about preserving economic resources for future use.