Grade 8 · Social Studies · Unit 14 of 15
Quality of Life Around the World
Indicators, inequalities and helping groups
What your child practises
Measures such as life expectancy, literacy rate, infant mortality and access to clean water, how these connect to each other, how to compare countries, and the work of groups such as Doctors Without Borders, Right To Play and Water For People. All country data in the questions are made up.
Ontario Curriculum expectation: Geography B1.1, B1.3, B1.4, B3.1, B3.2, B3.5 · indicators of quality of life, comparing countries, how factors are connected, and organizations and programs that work to improve lives
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Does each sign usually point to higher or lower quality of life?
Sort into: 😊 Higher quality of life · 😟 Lower quality of life
- 👶very few infant deaths
- 👵life expectancy of 82 years
- 📖literacy rate of 99%
- ⏳life expectancy of 52 years
- ✏️literacy rate of 40%
- 🚰clean water for nearly everyone
- 🪣many families without safe water
- 🏥high infant mortality rate
Show answer
😊 Higher quality of life: very few infant deaths, life expectancy of 82 years, literacy rate of 99%, clean water for nearly everyone · 😟 Lower quality of life: life expectancy of 52 years, literacy rate of 40%, many families without safe water, high infant mortality rate
Hint: Longer life expectancy, high literacy and clean water point to a higher quality of life. High infant mortality, little schooling and unsafe water point to a lower one.
Question 2
How can a lack of clean water lead to higher death rates?
- People live longer without it.
- Water-borne diseases spread more easily.
- Clean water increases disease.
- Water has no link to health.
Show answer
Water-borne diseases spread more easily.
Hint: Interrelationships mean one problem can lead to others.
Question 3
Which approach is most likely to improve quality of life for a community over the long term?
- working with the community to meet its own priorities
- making decisions without them
- sending goods that are not needed
- ignoring local knowledge
Show answer
working with the community to meet its own priorities
Hint: Programs work best when communities lead.
Question 4
The table shows made-up numbers. Which country probably has the higher quality of life?
Made-up data for two countries Indicator Country P Country Q Life expectancy (years) 80 58 Literacy rate (%) 98 61 Infant deaths per 1000 births 4 52 - They are the same.
- It cannot be known.
- Country P
- Country Q
Show answer
Country P
Hint: Compare several indicators: higher life expectancy and literacy and lower infant mortality are signs of a higher quality of life.
Question 5
The Human Development Index (HDI) combines which three things?
- population, area and borders
- rainfall, temperature and wind
- life expectancy, education and income
- flags, anthems and languages
Show answer
life expectancy, education and income
Hint: The United Nations uses the HDI to compare countries.
Question 6
Fair trade aims to…
- make goods more expensive for no reason
- lower all prices
- give producers fair prices and safer working conditions
- ban trade
Show answer
give producers fair prices and safer working conditions
Hint: Fair-trade labels appear on goods such as coffee and chocolate.