ATAR Humanities & Social Sciences 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which global agreement aimed to limit greenhouse gas emissions was adopted in Paris in 2015?
- The Kyoto Protocol
- The Copenhagen Accord
- The Paris Agreement (Correct answer)
- The Montreal Protocol
Correct answer: The Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement (2015) is an international treaty on climate change, aiming to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
Question 2: In sociology, 'social stratification' refers to:
- The geographic distribution of populations
- The hierarchical ranking of individuals or groups in a society (Correct answer)
- The process of cultural assimilation
- The study of social media networks
Correct answer: The hierarchical ranking of individuals or groups in a society
Social stratification describes the way society is organized into layers or strata based on factors such as wealth, power, and prestige.
Question 3: The term 'GDP' stands for:
- Gross Domestic Product (Correct answer)
- General Development Plan
- Government Debt Percentage
- Global Distribution Policy
Correct answer: Gross Domestic Product
GDP (Gross Domestic Product) measures the total monetary value of all goods and services produced within a country's borders in a specific time period.
Question 4: Which event is widely considered to have triggered the beginning of World War I?
- The sinking of the Lusitania
- The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Correct answer)
- Germany's invasion of Poland
- The fall of the Ottoman Empire
Correct answer: The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914 set off a chain of events that led to World War I.
Question 5: In political geography, a 'buffer state' is best described as:
- A nation with the largest military in a region
- A small neutral country lying between two rival powers (Correct answer)
- A colony administered by a foreign government
- A state that controls major trade routes
Correct answer: A small neutral country lying between two rival powers
A buffer state is a small, often neutral country situated between two larger rival powers, serving to reduce tension or conflict between them.
Question 6: The philosophical concept of 'utilitarianism' holds that the best action is one that:
- Follows universal moral rules regardless of consequences
- Maximizes happiness or utility for the greatest number of people (Correct answer)
- Prioritizes the rights of the individual above all
- Upholds traditional social values
Correct answer: Maximizes happiness or utility for the greatest number of people
Utilitarianism, associated with Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, holds that the morally correct action is the one that produces the greatest good for the greatest number.
Question 7: Australia's federal system of government means that:
- All power is held by the national government
- Power is divided between the Commonwealth and state/territory governments (Correct answer)
- States have no independent legislative powers
- Local councils hold the highest governing authority
Correct answer: Power is divided between the Commonwealth and state/territory governments
In Australia's federal system, power is constitutionally divided between the Commonwealth (federal) government and the six state and two territory governments.
ATAR Humanities & Social Sciences 4
Which global agreement aimed to limit greenhouse gas emissions was adopted in Paris in 2015?