ENVR--chapter 17
21) Which of the following is a good example of a biological hazard to public health? A) Rotavirus infections lead to deadly diarrhea in more than a million children each year. B) Chewing tobacco is known to greatly increase the chances of cancer of the mouth and throat. C) Living deep in a forest, the drought increased the chances of a deadly forest fire. D) The use of air bags and safety belts has greatly reduced accidental deaths in moving vehicles.
a
28) The rise of tuberculosis in the past few decades is largely the result of A) the evolution of antibiotic resistance and increases in HIV infections which compromise the immune system of victims. B) more people moving to large cities, living more closely together. C) the increased use of genetically engineered crops and drugs. D) the spread of mice and rats across the globe, carrying the disease.
a
9) Biologists advising park rangers wondered how best to dispose of human wastes with the potential of transmitting diarrhea at remote camping sites along a turbulent river. Every year thousands of people canoe down the river and are required to stay at predetermined campsites. These remote locations are not accessible by road or any large boat. Which of the following strategies of managing human waste would have the least impact on the environment? A) Encourage people to urinate in the river and carry out solid human waste in special biodegradable bags later to be disposed of as hazardous waste. B) Require everyone to dig their own latrine and bury their own waste when they are done. C) Accumulate all human wastes in large tanks, seal them forever and bury them when they are full. D) Allow people to leave all human wastes on top the ground as long as they are out of sight.
a
16) The concern about human-to-human transmission of bird flu is most closely monitored by A) the national governments of the countries of the world. B) the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control. C) World Wide Institute for Infectious Disease. D) International Centers for Health and Human Disease
b
27) In the United States, we could save more lives if we simply A) drove more safely and did not abuse drugs. B) stopped smoking and reduced obesity. C) stopped drug abuse and suicides. D) reduced the number of infections with HIV.
b
41) Which of the following is the best predictor of underweight of people of in a particular country? A) the amount of annual precipitation B) the wealth or poverty of the country C) the country's distance from the equator D) the reliance on coal for heat and electricity generation
b
1) Which of the following types of pollution became much more common in the 20th century? A) large-scale pollution in developing countries B) small-scale regional pollution in developing countries C) small-scale regional pollution in developed countries D) large-scale pollution in developed countries
a
13) In the winter in North America, the common cold often shows A) high morbidity but low mortality. B) high morbidity and high mortality. C) low morbidity but high mortality. D) low morbidity and low mortality.
a
31) Which of the following natural threats to human health is least predictable, providing the least amount of lead time before the disaster strikes? A) earthquakes, tsunamis, and tornados B) forest fires C) hurricanes and floods D) severe snowstorms
a
33) Questions about the danger of a particular chemical hazard will relate to that chemical's A) toxicity, exposure, and dose. B) exposure in the natural environment. C) toxicity and abundance in the environment. D) ability to dissolve in either water or oil.
a
42) A person who dies of a heart attack at the age of 93 is more likely to have lived in a A) developed country. B) developing country. C) country located near the equator. D) country in Central America.
a
50) Since the 1960s in the United States, public policies and high taxes on cigarettes to discourage smoking have A) increased, and the number of adult smokers has been cut in half. B) increased, but the number of adult smokers has stayed about the same. C) increased, but the number of adult smokers has increased by about 50%. D) decreased, and the number of adult smokers has dropped by about 20%.
a
54) Although all of the following have had positive effects, the most effective way to reduce smoking in children in the United States has been to A) raise cigarette taxes. B) prohibit the use of cigarettes by characters in movies and on TV. C) ban cigarette sales within a half-mile of schools. D) ban cigarette sales to people under the age of 18.
a
59) The most effective antimalarial strategies involve the use of A) DDT, bed nets, and quick access to drug treatment. B) DDT, immunization, and the drainage of all standing water in a region. C) immunizations, surgery, and a change in diet. D) sterilization of mosquitoes, treatment of mosquito breeding sites, and antibiotics
a
8) Studying environmental biology has got you thinking about what you do with your kitchen wastes, the discarded egg shells, orange and banana peels, coffee grounds, etc. Living at the edge of town, you have several options. Which of the following would be the least efficient (or slowest) way to allow natural decay of your kitchen wastes? A) collecting your kitchen garbage in small plastic bags and disposing of it in a large city landfill B) collecting your kitchen garbage in paper bags and disposing of it in a large city landfill C) spreading your kitchen wastes on the top of a garden D) burying your kitchen wastes deep in your garden soil
a
12) The H1N1 swine flu pandemic of 2009-2010 resulted in the immunization of millions of people. When the immunizations were first available, people under 25 or over 65 were given priority. This was done because H1N1 A) was a hazard to people in these age groups, and only these people were vulnerable to infection. B) these age groups were most vulnerable to the hazard, putting them at greatest risk. C) was not a hazard to these people, but they were most vulnerable to infection. D) vaccines only worked on people in these age groups.
b
2) As depicted in the film Contagion, isolated viral outbreaks can quickly become global threats if the virus is easily A) transferred between infected animals and people. B) transferred between people who then travel widely while infected. C) transferred between people who then quickly get ill and do not travel. D) transferred from infected people to people already ill with other diseases.
b
26) Which of the following is true or accurate about malaria? A) Malaria is the greatest health threat to northern Eurasia and North America. B) Mosquito saliva transmits tiny sporozooites to the victim when they are bitten. C) The organism that causes malaria is a virus related to H5N1. D) Malaria can be transmitted to humans by contact with pig or bird feces.
b
29) More than anything else, the greatest adult mortality from infectious disease in the world can be traced to A) tuberculosis. B) compromised immune systems resulting from HIV infection. C) malaria. D) cancer from toxic pollutants in the environment.
b
34) Some milk becomes contaminated with mercury. If each of the following people consume 16 ounces of this contaminated milk each day for a month, who will most likely be impacted by this poison? A) an 82-year-old woman B) a fetus inside a mother who drinks this contaminated milk C) a 12-year-old girl D) a 51-year-old man
b
51) Under the 2009 Tobacco Control Act, the FDA A) cannot regulate tobacco in any way. B) can regulate cigarettes as a drug. C) can only regulate the way that cigarettes are packaged. D) can investigate the health effects of cigarettes but not regulate how they are manufactured and sold.
b
56) One of the greatest risks of diarrheal disease outbreaks in industrialized countries, for example, from Salmonella, results from A) poorly trained public health inspectors in the food industry. B) contamination in the mass production of food. C) the increased demand for organic products. D) the addition of preservatives in foods.
b
58) Treating malaria with drugs is difficult because A) no drug has yet been found that effectively treats malaria. B) the malarial parasite has quickly evolved drug resistance. C) it is impossible to distribute drugs to regions affected by malaria. D) the best drugs cost thousands of dollars per person.
b
6) During a January storm in Vermont, a highway truck crashes and spills 3 tons of rock salt onto the side of the road, covering grasses and tumbling down to a creek. Learning about this accident, you wonder about the environmental consequences. This sort of salt naturally occurs in the soil. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's definition of pollution, this spill would be considered as a A) nontoxic, non-polluting spill of a natural substance. B) pollutant that should be cleaned up as much as possible. C) nutrient supplement, and no environmental harm is expected. D) problem better suited for the CDC.
b
60) Lyme disease is a serious bacterial infection of humans caused by the bite of infected deer ticks. Therefore, the vector of Lyme disease is A) bacteria. B) ticks. C) deer. D) people.
b
65) Health problems associated with indoor air pollution in developing countries is most commonly associated with A) chlorine gas released from tap water. B) the use of biofuels for cooking and heating. C) poor hygiene and sanitation inside the home. D) the widespread use of pesticides to control disease vectors.
b
10) People suffering from AIDS have a weakened immune system. Because of their disease, AIDS patients are A) more vulnerable to the risk of nitrogen in the air. B) less vulnerable to the risk of bacteria in the air. C) more vulnerable to bacteria, which are less of a risk to healthy people. D) less vulnerable to any type of fungal, bacterial, or viral infection.
c
11) Risk in environmental health is most related to A) hazards. B) vulnerability. C) hazards multiplied by vulnerability. D) hazards or vulnerability.
c
20) Which of the following is a good example of a physical hazard to public health? A) In much of the United States, mosquitoes are known to transmit West Nile Virus to people. B) The use of condoms is known to reduce the risk of most sexually transmitted diseases. C) An earthquake kills more than 200,000 people in Haiti and destroys countless homes, roads and buildings. D) Levels of mercury in some lakes result in dangerous levels in the meat of fish.
c
22) Which of the following is a good example of a chemical hazard to public health? A) Immunizations may be the best defense against pandemic viral disease. B) In southern Florida, homes must be well constructed to resist severe hurricanes. C) Before the switch to unleaded gas, children living near highways had high lead exposure. D) Women who smoke and use birth control pills greatly increase their risk of developing heart disease.
c
30) The greatest risk of death from an infectious disease for people living in northern Eurasia and Africa is most likely A) tetanus. B) measles. C) tuberculosis. D) hepatitis.
c
35) A pharmacist asks a mother about a new prescription for an antibiotic, wanting to be sure that the drug is for the mother. The pharmacist is most likely concerned because A) antibiotics do not typically work on children. B) most types of antibiotics prescribed to an adult will likely kill a child. C) a normal dosage for an adult can be toxic to a child. D) a normal child's dosage may be toxic to an adult.
c
36) You learn that an old friend has died from a disease that resulted from their lifelong exposure to a substance. This loved one most likely died from A) whooping cough. B) a bacterial infection. C) cancer. D) malaria.
c
37) Which of the following products contains the greatest number of carcinogens? A) a thick vanilla milkshake B) a Twinkie snack C) chewing tobacco D) tap water from most cities in the United States
c
38) Carcinogens' danger lies in their effect on A) oxygen-carrying red blood cells. B) the ability of the lining of the lungs to absorb oxygen. C) DNA molecules inside cells. D) the ability to absorb nutrients in the wall of the intestines
c
39) Developing countries are said to face double jeopardy for environmental hazards because of the threats of A) physical disasters and traditional cultural practices. B) physical disasters and infectious disease. C) infectious disease and increased exposure to toxic chemicals. D) their dependence on farms for food and income.
c
4) Even if people cannot easily spread bird flu from person to person, how might bird flu virus spread in the world? A) Vaccines against bird flu might spread the disease all over the world. B) Antibiotics against bird flu will stop working. C) Migrating birds might spread the flu widely. D) Hunters shooting the birds and eating the meat might be infected.
c
44) Around the world, the greatest health risk to children under the age of five, especially in low income families and nations is A) infectious disease. B) lack of immunizations. C) being underweight. D) the loss of both parents
c
46) The most rapidly increasing cultural risk to health in most developing countries is A) lack of exercise. B) poor nutrition. C) the use of tobacco. D) consumption of alcohol
c
49) Synergistic health risks are associated with a person who smokes and A) delivers mail in a farming community. B) works inside of an office building. C) works in a coal mine. D) jogs in a park for exercise
c
5) A recent study indicated that more than 60% of human pathogens are zoonotic, meaning that they A) can infect any animal species. B) originate in humans and spread to various species of animals. C) can be transmitted between animals and humans. D) are invariably fatal in animals but can cause serious illness to humans.
c
52) Being exposed to secondhand smoke by living with a person who smokes A) only poses a health risk for those in the household who smoke. B) has not been shown to increase the health risks of nonsmokers in the home. C) is now known to increase the chances of cancer of everyone in the home. D) increases the risk of cardiovascular disease but not cancer for others living in the home.
c
55) Mexico reduced deaths in children by 70% in less than a decade by A) improving sanitation in villages. B) improving hygiene in the homes. C) fighting dehydration from diarrhea with home hydration kits. D) requiring the use of bottled water.
c
57) Malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever are most common in A) North America. B) Australia and New Zealand. C) countries located near the equator. D) countries that are located nearest the poles.
c
7) Which of the following is the least biodegradable? A) paper bag from a grocery store B) leaves and branches piled up on a hillside C) glass beer bottle D) polyethylene wrapper that was used to package Campbell's soup
c
14) The Centers for Disease Control employs many people who study epidemiology. These people might be interested in A) identifying new types of infectious disease. B) the prevention of infectious disease. C) the worldwide distribution of infectious disease. D) identifying, tracking the spread of, and preventing infectious disease.
d
15) In the United States, if you are concerned about an infectious disease such as the bird flu, the most reliable source of information would be the A) United States Department of Human Health and Sciences. B) United States Department of Agriculture. C) National Academy of Sciences. D) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
d
17) Over the past 50 years, global life expectancy has A) decreased by about 5 years, due primarily to increases in viral infections. B) stayed about the same, due to new diseases spread by global climate change. C) risen about 5 years due to the development of many poor nations. D) risen more than 20 years due to better health care and nutrition worldwide.
d
18) The causes of mortality differ greatly between developing and developed countries. In developing countries, a high proportion of mortality is caused by A) infectious disease while in the developed world; most deaths are related to crime. B) poor nutrition while in the developed world; infectious disease causes most deaths. C) wars and accidents while in the developed world; most deaths are related to infectious disease. D) infectious disease while in the developed world; most deaths are related to voluntary behaviors.
d
19) Which of the following is a good example of a cultural hazard to public health? A) During an earthquake in Japan, people are killed by falling pieces of a building. B) Air pollution near an oil refinery releases known carcinogens into the air. C) People living in southern Africa face some of the highest risks of developing tuberculosis. D) Eating a high-fat diet and engaging in little exercise, a man increasingly becomes obese.
d
25) The infectious diseases that cause the greatest mortality in the world today are A) malaria, meningitis, and dengue. B) syphilis, hepatitis, and herpes. C) trypanosomiasis, intestinal roundworms, and tuberculosis. D) acute respiratory infections, diarrhea, and HIV/AIDS.
d
3) The greatest public health concerns about the H5N1 bird flu virus, as recently highlighted in the potentially dangerous dual-use experiments, is that it will A) be spread from one bird to another. B) be spread from birds to people. C) spread out of the country of Australia. D) spread from person to person.
d
43) In general, countries that enjoy the best health have A) the warmest climates. B) diets primarily based on eating grains. C) the largest families. D) good educational systems, particularly for women.
d
45) According to the WHO, the greatest global root cause of risk of disease is A) infectious disease. B) cancer. C) heart disease. D) poverty.
d
47) According to the CDC, approximately what fraction of Americans will die or become disabled because of smoking cigarettes? A) 4 in 10 B) 3 in 10 C) 2 in 10 D) 1 in 10
d
48) Smoking is attributed to all of the following, except A) lung cancer. B) heart disease. C) COPD and other related lung diseases. D) malaria and tuberculosis.
d
53) The FAO's MPOWER campaign and FCTC program are a global efforts to A) decrease poverty in the world. B) decrease underweight children in the world. C) increase the influence of women in developing countries. D) reduce smoking primarily in developing countries
d
64) In the case of indoor air pollutants, increasing the insulation in a home will most likely A) increase the risk of developing an infectious disease. B) decrease acute reactions to pollutants already in the home. C) decrease the chances of developing chronic respiratory diseases. D) increase the chances of developing chronic respiratory diseases.
d