6.2 and 6.3 Review

Which of the following best explains the rapid development of edge cities in the United States Southwest in comparison with other regions of the United States?

• Edge cities have not developed in the Midwest region of the United States because residents abandoned the suburbs and moved into the inner cities for less-expensive housing and for jobs that required less commuting.

• Edge cities have developed in the Southeast region of the United States, but growth is limited because the government has zoned out commercial buildings at the edge of suburban areas.

• Edge cities developed rapidly in the Southwest region of the United States because large numbers of people migrated from the Midwest for the warmer climate and for the jobs resulting when corporations relocated for financial incentives.

• Edge cities have not developed in the Mountain West region of the United States because the rugged terrain cannot accommodate large-scale building projects necessary for edge city development; residential development is limited to small villages and remote cabins.

• Edge cities have not developed in the New England region of the United States because the severe winter weather makes it too expensive to heat large commercial buildings.

As old central business districts and industrial zones in more developed countries lost businesses and employment in the mid- to late twentieth century, suburban development expanded. Which of the following types of cities resulted from rapid suburban growth and the expansion of retail areas, office developments, business centers, and corporate headquarters to provide jobs and services in suburban areas?

• A. Megalopolises

• B. Financial districts

• C. State capitals

• D. Edge cities

• E. Manufacturing zones

La Défense is an edge city constructed in the late twentieth century and characterized by high-rise office buildings. Which of the following best explains why La Défense is located on the outskirts of Paris?

• The land at the center of Paris is filled with numerous historic buildings that residents do not want torn down.

• Land in the city center is not as valuable as land on the edge of the city.

• The center of Paris is not well-served by public transportation.

• La Défense needs access to the river in order to export manufactured goods to other countries in Europe.

• The center of Paris is inhabited by low-income residents, and wealthy residents prefer to live in the suburbs.

Which of the following is true of an edge city?

• It is located on the edge of a lake, river, or other physical feature.

• It is close to bankruptcy.

• It is an outlet for a region’s trade.

• It is increasingly used for heavy industry.

• It has a large amount of recently developed retail and office space.

Which of the following statements best explains the growth pattern behind a majority of the world’s megacities?

• North American and European cities continue to dominate global financial services and generate large volumes of media and entertainment.

• Indian and Chinese cities have experienced enormous urban growth in recent years as these countries continue to industrialize and develop service industries.

• Japan and Germany are the most highly urbanized developed countries in the world, with much of their economies focused on high technology and financial services.

• Brazilian and Mexican cities remain the largest metropolitan areas in the world because of continuous rural-to-urban migration.

• Africa and the Middle East have produced a large number of metropolitan areas where commercial development and real estate values have increased significantly.

Which of the following best explains a geographic characteristic shared by megacities in the global periphery?

• Megacities developed due to major investments in high-speed railways and subway systems.

• Abundant job opportunities in megacities lead to low unemployment rates.

• Deindustrialization is causing megacity populations to decline.

• Megacities demonstrate unplanned growth patterns and often contain squatter settlements.

• Megacities were built in strategic defensive locations and maintain a strong military presence.

Which of the following is the primary reason for the rapid population growth in megacities throughout the developing world?

• Interregional migration

• A decline in the death rate

• The natural increase rate

• The decline in the dependency ratio

• A decrease in the doubling time

International company headquarters, significant global financial functions, and a polarized social structure are defining characteristics of

• primate cities

• entrepôts

• forward capitals

• world cities

• edge cities

In the new global economy, an increasing proportion of influential financial decisions are being made in

• the informal sector

• regional centers and small towns where fax machines are used

• the field, close to the sources of agricultural production

• national capitals because of the increasing importance of the nation state

• major corporate centers such as New York, London, and Tokyo

Which of the following best describes a similarity among world cities such as London and Tokyo?

• They occupy top positions in the world’s urban hierarchy.

• They are primarily located in less developed regions.

• They may be classified as boomburbs or exurbs.

• They govern themselves as autonomous regions.

• They limit globalization through the use of communication technologies.