World History Questions
Name: ___________________________
Chapter 20, Section 5: Cultures Blend in a Global Age
1. The textbook says the blending of cultures has
been going on since the beginning of civilization.
What is different about cultural blending today?
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2. Give six examples of popular culture.
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3. Which of the forms of culture that you listed
in the previous question has the greatest effect
on your life? Why?
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4. What makes television such a powerful means
by which popular culture is spread around the
world?
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5. How do popular entertainment programs
spread popular culture? (Hint: What two things
do these programs show people about the
places they are filmed?)
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6. What might a poor peasant in India or Africa
conclude about the U.S. by watching a program
like American Idol or Glee or CSI: Miami?
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7. What news channel has perhaps the widest
global reach of any other? How many countries
does it reach?
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8. Why do Western cultures, especially American
culture, tend to dominate culture across the
world?
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9. Give three reasons that the textbook authors
consider English the premier (main)
international language, even though more
people speak Mandarin Chinese than English.
1.
2.
3.
1.
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2.
3.
1.
10. Give three examples of the influence of
Western culture around the world.
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2.
3.
11. A Western idea that is spreading throughout
the world is materialism. Define: materialism
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12. The Pope frequently warns against
materialism in Western culture as one of the
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4.
5.
6.
great evils of our time. Do you agree? Why or
why not?
13. The textbook says that Non-Western cultures
(African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American)
also influence Western cultures (American and
European). But the textbook does not give any
example of influence in this direction. Try to
think of three examples of Non-Western to
Western cultural influence (think: clothes, food,
music, film, art, architecture, religion)
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14. According to the textbook, why do many
people fear the American domination of popular
culture around the world? (Hint: What do they
fear will be lost?)
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15. How have France and South Korea tried to
limit the influence of American television in their
countries?
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16. Do you think that limiting the amount of
foreign television is an effective way of
protecting one’s own local culture? Why or why
not?
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17. Some countries censor (block) international mass media
from entering their countries. (For example, China censors the
internet in their country.) Why do they do this?
18. In order to help preserve the Maori culture,
New Zealand has recognized their language as
an official language of New Zealand. Should the
U.S. recognize Spanish or the languages of our
native people to help preserve these cultures?
Or do you agree with those who want to make
English the only official language of the U.S.?
Give reasons for your answer.
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19. Do you agree with the quote from Martin
Luther King that ends this textbook unit? Why or
why not? Do you think of yourself first as a
member of the planet earth sharing a planet
with 7 billion others, or do you think of yourself
first as an American, or a member of some racial
or ethnic group or other local group above all
else? If you went to live in Africa or India for a
year, do you think you would be more impressed
with how much you had in common with the
people there or how different you were? Or
both?
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