Hey, You In That Bunker, You Can Come Out Now! (pages 2 and
3)
1. The Y2K problem originated when computer programmers abbreviated
dates to two digits; this format was expected to cause problems when
the year 2000 arrived. Businesses made extensive preparations so that
their computers were able to display and understand the 2000 date; the
government took action on fronts ranging from the military to sewage
treatment; and some citizens stockpiled food and withdrew cash. Total
cost in U.S.: $100 billion.
2. The "moment of truth" arrived at midnight on January 1, 2000.
The transition into the new century went smoothly, without the glitches
or problems that some had feared.
Maps and Graphs in Focus (page 6) World Population:
a. 6 billion.
b. Current rate is 1.3%, down from 1.7% in 1987. Reasons for
decrease include broader education and use of family planning.
c. China is the most populous country today; India is expected
to be the most populous in 2050.
d. 9.8 billion.
e. Answers will vary.
The Century:
a. Americans have moved from industrial cities in the Northeast
to the Sun Belt of the South and West.
b. Biggest age group in 1900 was 5-14; biggest group today is
35-44. c. Pneumonia, influenza was the leading cause of death
in 1900; today it ranks fifth.d. Tuberculosis, diarrhea and senility
are no longer leading causes.
e. The 1900 cost (adjusted for inflation) was $.39; today it's
$.33.
f. Eggs, butter, coffee and train tickets cost more in 1900.
g. Between 1901 and 1910, 91% of immigrants came from Europe.
h. In 1998, 33.3% of immigrants to the U.S. came from Asia; between
1901 and 1910, only 4% came from Asia. Liberalization of immigration
laws is the principal reason for this shift.
Albert Einstein: Person of the Century (pages 7 and 8)
1. Time characterized Einstein as "the pre-eminent scientist
in a century dominated by science," as well as a deeply moral man.
2. The writer notes that Einstein's ideas influenced modern culture
from painting to poetry. His sense of morality was apparent in his willingness
to sign an antiwar petition during World War I; in his concern for Arabs
within a Jewish state; and in his campaigns against nuclear weaponry,
racism and bigotry.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Runner-Up (pages 9 and 10)
1. F.D.R.'s first victory was over economic depression; his second
was over fascism.
2. From F.D.R.'s vision emerged the American middle class; Social
Security; bank reform; the United Nations; and the World Bank.
Mohandas Gandhi: Runner-Up (pages 11 and 12)
1. Gandhi remained committed to nonviolence in his campaign to
end British rule in India; Mandela added a military dimension to his
struggle against apartheid in South Africa. Both saw passive resistance
as key. 2. Violence against the Zulus led Gandhi to denounce
the British and to celebrate indigenous peoples.
Voices of the Century (page 13)
1.O 2.H 3.I 4.L 5.A 6.M 7.K
8.J 9.C 10.B 11.G 12.F 13.D
14.E 15.N
Primary Questions (pages 14 and 15)
1. The writer sees McCain as a "Navy prince" who developed a
fighting spirit during his years at war; McCain has struggled to keep
his violent temper in check. The writer describes Bush as a "political
prince" who talks of compassion and struggles to be seen as sufficiently
serious and intellectually curious to make an effective President.
2. Bush responded by saying that too much knowledge can clutter
a leader's vision.
How To Tell Them Apart
(pages
16 and 17)
1. Generally, Bradley stands for big, bold ideas, while Gore
represents steady progress. The biggest difference between the two is
on health care, where Bradley promises near- universal coverage right
away and Gore proposes an incremental plan.
2. According to the poll data, Gore is significantly ahead of
Bradley, and voters believe that Gore would do a better job on health
care, education and other policy issues.
Mutually Assured Destruction (pages 19 and 20)
1. The treaty is designed to ban tests of nuclear weapons.
2.The vote reveals that the climate between Congress and Clinton
has been poisoned by the impeachment fight, and that partisanship is
playing a major role in lawmakers' votes.
King of the Internet (pages 21 and 22)
1. Bezos envisioned and helped create the online retailing universe,
allowing people to shop, communicate and live closer together.
2. The key principle of e-commerce economics is the idea that
whoever has the most information wins.
Happily Ever After? (pages 23 and 24)
1. aol wanted access to the cable television pipes that could
carry Internet content; Time Warner wanted to catch up with established
Internet players and develop a stronger presence on the Web.
2. The new company is not like traditional businesses because
it combines two very different companies into a new entity that was
not imaginable a decade ago.
Rage Against the Machine (pages 25 and 26)
1. The World Trade Organization establishes rules for international
trade. The WTO argues that freer trade creates jobs around the globe
and lower prices for consumers.
2. Among the protesters were environmentalists, who claim that
greedy capitalists are ignoring the environment in their rush to make
money; and labor advocates, who say that workers' rights are being trampled
through the use of low-wage and child labor.
No Tears for Boris (pages 27 and 28)
1. Yeltsin resigned on December 31, 1999. His key motive was
to elevate a successor who would protect the interests of the outgoing
President and his family.
2. Putin's views are not entirely clear, but he is expected to
strengthen the military, pursue capitalistic economic policies and root
out corruption within the government.
Men at Work (page 29)
1. The general plan calls for Israel to return the Golan Heights
in exchange for peaceful relations with Syria.
2. Clinton's strategy was to get the two sides to talk to each
other as much as possible.
On the Razor's Edge (pages 30 and 31)
1. When plans for the referendum on East Timor's independence
were announced, militia groups began to acquire guns, and observers
predicted that violence would follow the balloting.
2. Some believe that militia groups feared that other provinces
would lobby to secede; others argue that pro-Jakarta militia forces
wanted to reduce East Timor to anarchy to cancel out the referendum
results.
East Timor's Independence Struggle (page 32)
1. East Timor is a half-island territory located 1,250 miles
east of Jakarta.
2. After Portugal ended 400 years of colonial rule, Indonesia
invaded and annexed East Timor in 1975.
3. East Timor's independence was the issue at stake in the referendum.
Nearly 80% of the electorate voted for independence.
4. Militia forces opposed to East Timor's independence used violence
in an attempt to prevent East Timor from becoming independent. The U.S.
condemned the violence but said it had no plans to intevene; the U.N.
has sent international peacekeepers.
The Japan Syndrome (page 33)
1. Workers' mishandling of stainless-steel pails full of uranium
235 caused the accident.
2. The writer says that the accident's most frightening aspect
was the amount of time that passed before details on its significance
became known.
Giving Up the Ship? (pages 34 and 35)
1. Some conservatives are concerned that the Panamanians are
trying to make the canal into a profit-making venture and that a Hong
Kong-based company, hired to run two ports near the canal's entrances,
is involved with the Chinese government and may deny passage to U.S.
ships. The writer suggests that fears of a Chinese conspiracy are unfounded.
2. Ships traveling to Japan from the East Coast of the U.S. save
3,000 miles by not having to go around South America. 3. Panama is attempting
to make itself into a technologically literate and future-oriented country,
to eradicate widespread corruption, and to lower the unemployment rate.
A Big Battle for a Little Boy (pages 36 and 37)
1. Elián left Cuba on Nov. 21 in an attempt to obtain
freedom in the U.S.
2. Some argue that Elián should return to his father in
Cuba; others (including the creator of the cartoon on p. 37) argue that
he would have greater opportunities in the U.S.
Greenhouse Effects (pages 38 and 39)
1. Emissions from fossil fuels collect in the atmosphere and
create a "greenhouse effect" that traps heat on the earth's surface;
as a result, scientists predict that the earth's temperature could rise
as much as 6.3¡F over the next century.
2. Answers will vary.
Current Events in Review (page 40)
1.d 2.a 3.c 4.c 5.b 6.d 7.b
8.a 9.d. 10.c 11.G 12.K 13.A
14.F 15.C 16.B 17.J 18.L 19.D
20.H