About UsManagementNewsArticlesAffiliatesResearch
We're currently working on improving the scoring process to ensure it works properly in modern browsers. We hope to have it fixed shortly. Thank you for your patience.

Cultural Literacy Test - Technology II

Take your time with the following cultural literacy test. If you select the correct answer it will be highlighted in green and the related information will be shown. If the first answer selected is incorrect, it will be highlighted in yellow, indicating try again. If the second answer selected is incorrect, the correct answer will be displayed. See the Bibliography to learn more about this test.

Wrong Answer Try Again Correct
1. What is the aim of the SDI system?
to defend against nuclear attack
to develop self-aimed ballistic missiles
to protect against germ warfare
to use lasers to aid in medical operations
2. How does a nuclear reactor work?
Atomic nuclei are split, producing a self-perpetuat­ing chain reaction.
Alpha, beta, or gamma rays cause a discharge that produces a nuclear reaction.
Coal is heated to such intensity that atomic nuclei fuse together.
An atom absorbs energy and then emits a photon, causing intense heat.
3. What is the difference between radar and sonar?
Radar is used to record sounds; sonar is used to make sounds.
Radar records sounds at very high frequencies; sonar records very low frequency sounds.
Radar uses electromagnetic waves; sonar uses sound waves.
Radar absorbs echoes; sonar produces echoes.
4. Which of these devices use cathode-ray tubes?
semiconductors, generators, and transformers
microphones, cameras, and holographs
anemometers, teleprinters, and microwave ovens
television, radar, and computer terminals
5. What can a receiver produce?
sound waves and pictures
microwaves and audio frequencies
holograms and infrared waves
all of the above
6. In which of these are microprocessors not used?
X-ray machines, lasers, and calculators
floppy disks, turbojet engines, and incandescent lamps
wristwatches, computers, and telescopes
microscopes, mass spectrographs, and radar
7. For what is Guglielmo Marconi best known?
the invention of the steam engine
the development of the incandescent lamp
the invention of the telephone
the development of wireless telegraphy
8. What is the usual method for toxic waste disposal?
burning
sealing in metal drums and burying
processing and dumping at sea
recycling
9. What do these things have in common: coal, gas, the sun, plutonium, water, and wind?
They are all potential pollutants.
They all provide safe, inexpensive heat.
They all provide methods of combustion.
They are all sources of energy.
10. How does hydraulic machinery work?
through liquid that expands and contracts
through pressure exerted by heat
through the movement of levers
through pressure exerted on liquid
11. What did Anton van Leeuwenhoek invent?
the thermometer
the microscope
the bifocal lens
the telescope
12. Where would you be most likely to find a mainframe computer?
a home
a bank
a college English department
a high school
13. How does a VCR record from a television?
Electrical signals from the television are transmitted to magnetic tape.
Sound and picture are transformed into printed messages on the television.
Glass fibers pick up radio wave transmissions and record them on tape.
A disk in the television reacts directly with magnetic tape, producing a recording.
14. How does a telescope work?
Light is magnified.
Objects are photographed and enlarged.
Light is refracted or reflected and focused.
Light is bounced back and forth between mirrors.
15. Why was the space shuttle an important technological advance?
It could go farther than any other spacecraft.
It was reusable.
It could fly unmanned with great precision.
all of the above
16. What is a robot?
a machine in the shape of a human
a machine controlled from a distance
a machine that can think
a machine that senses and then reacts
17. For what is a transistor used?
playing music loudly
amplifying an electrical current
providing a connection between receiver and turn­table
negating electrical current in a circuit
18. Where might you find an internal combustion engine?
in a jet
in a hovercraft
in an automobile
in a steamship
19. Where can computer data be stored?
on a hard disk
on a floppy disk
on a tape
all of the above
20. What is a watt?
a unit of power
a degree of brightness
a charge of electricity
an open circuit
21. How does a turbine work?
Steam moves a piston to and fro in a cylinder.
A heavy wheel rotates, storing kinetic energy.
A stream of fluid or air turns a shaft that drives machinery.
A bar turns around a pivot.
22. What is the purpose of isotope scanning, ultrasound, and electrocardiographs?
diagnosis and control of disease
cure of heart disease
maintenance of a healthy fetus
reduction of the size of a tumor
23. Which of these are satellites?
Sputnik I
the moon
Ganymede
all of the above
24. What is a hologram?
a colorized picture of an object
a three-dimensional image of an object
a photograph that develops automatically
a photograph taken from the moon
25. For what inventions is Benjamin Franklin known?
the lightning rod and bifocals
the marine torpedo and the steamship
the calculating machine and the hydraulic press
the phonograph and the wax record
SCORING KEY
90-100%
Excellent. You are on your way to true cultural literacy.
80-89%
Good. You have more than a passing knowledge of this subject.
70-79%
Fair. You have a competent grasp of many aspects of this subject.
60-69%
Poor. You could use some improvement in this area.
Below 60%
Time for literacy training.
Additional Tests:
Copyright 2010 The Literacy Company. Designed by Rareview

Questions? Use Live Chat or call (866) 732-3327