Directions: Read the following excerpt from the e-text and answer the question below using the RACES method
Question: How does poverty harm a country's economy?
Many countries, including Mexico, have made significant strides against difficult economic problems. Yet, severe challenges remain. Many people in Middle America live in poverty. Haiti is by far the poorest country, with a GDP per person of less than half that of the next poorest country, Honduras. In nearly every country in the region, many people live in poverty. Poverty hurts an economy in several ways. First, the government has to use resources to help people living in poverty so that they can survive. Second, poverty limits educational opportunities. That holds back economic growth, because workers with little education or training are less productive than skilled workers. Income inequality is a problem as well, with a growing gap between the rich and poor. The richest 20 percent of the population earn more than half of all the country’s income in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. Crime and corruption are another source of economic challenges for Mexico and many Central American countries. When corrupt government officials may demand payments as a condition for doing business, businesses may avoid creating jobs in that country. Due to poverty and the illegal drug trade, the region has a high rate of crime, which also hurts the economy. In 2014, Honduras had the highest murder rate in the world. High crime rates also discourage investment. Businesses do not want to open offices or factories in a country if they think they will be robbed or face a risk of violence. A lack of good infrastructure—or networks of structures such as highways, clean water supplies, and electrical grids—also holds the region’s economy back. If a business cannot count on reliable transportation to its customers or on clean water or electricity, then that business is not going to create jobs in a region
33 answers
RACES Method:
Restate: Poverty harms a country's economy in multiple ways.
Answer: Poverty harms a country's economy through diverting resources, limiting educational opportunities, creating income inequality, fostering crime and corruption, discouraging investment, and hindering infrastructure development.
R - Restate the question: How does poverty harm a country's economy?
A - Answer the question: Poverty harms a country's economy in several ways.
C - Cite evidence from the text: The government has to use resources to help people living in poverty so that they can survive. Poverty limits educational opportunities, which holds back economic growth. Income inequality is a problem, with a growing gap between the rich and poor. Crime and corruption are another source of economic challenges for Mexico and many Central American countries. High crime rates also discourage investment. A lack of good infrastructure, such as highways, clean water supplies, and electrical grids, holds the region's economy back.
E - Explain your answer: Poverty harms a country's economy by diverting resources, limiting educational opportunities, creating income inequality, fostering crime and corruption, discouraging investment, and hindering infrastructure development. The government has to allocate resources to support those in poverty, which could otherwise be used for infrastructure development or investment in productive sectors. Limited educational opportunities result in a less skilled workforce, impacting productivity and economic growth. Income inequality leads to social unrest and hinders economic development as resources concentrate in the hands of a few, while the majority struggles. Crime and corruption deter businesses from investing and creating jobs. High crime rates create an unsafe environment for businesses and individuals, leading to reduced economic activity. Lastly, a lack of good infrastructure makes it difficult for businesses to operate efficiently and hampers economic growth. Without reliable transportation, clean water, and electricity, businesses cannot effectively cater to their customers or carry out their operations. Overall, poverty has a detrimental effect on a country's economy through various channels.
Many countries, including Mexico, have made significant strides against difficult economic problems. Yet, severe challenges remain. Many people in Middle America live in poverty. Haiti is by far the poorest country, with a GDP per person of less than half that of the next poorest country, Honduras. In nearly every country in the region, many people live in poverty. Poverty hurts an economy in several ways. First, the government has to use resources to help people living in poverty so that they can survive. Second, poverty limits educational opportunities. That holds back economic growth, because workers with little education or training are less productive than skilled workers. Income inequality is a problem as well, with a growing gap between the rich and poor. The richest 20 percent of the population earn more than half of all the country’s income in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. Crime and corruption are another source of economic challenges for Mexico and many Central American countries. When corrupt government officials may demand payments as a condition for doing business, businesses may avoid creating jobs in that country. Due to poverty and the illegal drug trade, the region has a high rate of crime, which also hurts the economy. In 2014, Honduras had the highest murder rate in the world. High crime rates also discourage investment. Businesses do not want to open offices or factories in a country if they think they will be robbed or face a risk of violence. A lack of good infrastructure—or networks of structures such as highways, clean water supplies, and electrical grids—also holds the region’s economy back. If a business cannot count on reliable transportation to its customers or on clean water or electricity, then that business is not going to create jobs in a region
R: How does poverty harm a country's economy?
A: Poverty harms a country's economy in several ways, including crime rates.
C: The excerpt mentions that poverty and the illegal drug trade contribute to a high crime rate in the region. In 2014, Honduras had the highest murder rate in the world. High crime rates discourage investment, as businesses are hesitant to open offices or factories in countries where they face the risk of violence or robbery.
E: Crime rates resulting from poverty have a negative impact on a country's economy. Businesses are less likely to invest in a region with high crime rates out of concern for the safety of their operations and employees. The fear of violence and theft creates an environment that businesses perceive as risky and unstable. This discourages the creation of new jobs and the growth of industries in the country. Additionally, the presence of crime can have a detrimental effect on the overall well-being of the population, affecting social stability and further impeding economic progress.
In summary, poverty's connection to crime rates harms the economy by deterring investment and creating an unsafe environment for businesses and individuals.
R - Restate the question: How does poverty harm a country's economy, specifically in relation to crime?
A - Answer the question: Poverty harms a country's economy in multiple ways, including contributing to high crime rates.
C - Cite evidence from the text: The excerpt states that poverty and the illegal drug trade in the region contribute to a high rate of crime. Honduras, for example, had the highest murder rate in the world in 2014. High crime rates discourage investment, as businesses are unwilling to open offices or factories in countries with a risk of violence or robbery.
E - Explain your answer: Poverty has a detrimental effect on a country's economy through its association with high crime rates. The lack of resources and opportunities that comes with poverty can lead individuals to turn to illegal activities, such as drug trade or theft, as a means of survival or as an attempt to improve their financial situation. These activities not only harm the well-being of a country's citizens but also create an environment of insecurity and fear. This, in turn, deters businesses from investing and operating in the region, as they do not want to risk their assets or the safety of their employees. Reduced investment and economic activity further perpetuate poverty and hinder economic growth.
Using the RACES strategy, poverty's effect on crime can be seen as one of the ways it harms a country's economy. The presence of high crime rates creates an unfavorable environment for businesses and inhibits economic development.
1. Start by subtracting 24 from both sides of the equation:
x + 24 - 24 = -17 - 24
Simplifying the equation, we have:
x = -41
2. The solution to the equation is x = -41.
R - Restate the question: How does poverty harm a country's economy?
A - Answer the question: Poverty harms a country's economy in several ways.
C - Cite evidence from the text: The government has to use resources to help people living in poverty so that they can survive. Poverty limits educational opportunities, which holds back economic growth. Income inequality is a problem, with a growing gap between the rich and poor. Crime and corruption are another source of economic challenges for Mexico and many Central American countries. High crime rates also discourage investment. A lack of good infrastructure, such as highways, clean water supplies, and electrical grids, holds the region's economy back.
E - Explain your answer: Poverty harms a country's economy by diverting resources, limiting educational opportunities, creating income inequality, fostering crime and corruption, discouraging investment, and hindering infrastructure development. The government has to allocate resources to support those in poverty, which could otherwise be used for infrastructure development or investment in productive sectors. Limited educational opportunities result in a less skilled workforce, impacting productivity and economic growth. Income inequality leads to social unrest and hinders economic development as resources concentrate in the hands of a few, while the majority struggles. Crime and corruption deter businesses from investing and creating jobs. High crime rates create an unsafe environment for businesses and individuals, leading to reduced economic activity. Lastly, a lack of good infrastructure makes it difficult for businesses to operate efficiently and hampers economic growth. Without reliable transportation, clean water, and electricity, businesses cannot effectively cater to their customers or carry out their operations. Overall, poverty has a detrimental effect on a country's economy through various channels.
dumb it down
R - How does poverty harm a country's economy?
A - Poverty harms the economy by diverting resources, limiting education, creating inequality, fostering crime, discouraging investment, and hindering infrastructure development.
C - Evidence from the text: Poverty diverts resources, limits educational opportunities, creates income inequality, fosters crime and corruption, discourages investment, and hampers infrastructure development.
E - Poverty harms a country's economy through resource diversion, restricted education, income inequality, increased crime, reduced investment, and hindered infrastructure development.
R - How does poverty harm a country's economy?
A - Poverty harms the economy through resource diversion, limited education, inequality, crime, reduced investment, and hindered infrastructure development.
C - Evidence from the text: Poverty diverts resources, limits education, creates income inequality, fosters crime, discourages investment, and hampers infrastructure.
E - Poverty harms a country's economy by diverting resources, limiting education, creating inequality, fostering crime, discouraging investment, and hindering infrastructure.