Many people who look at the careers of Mexican gardeners in Los Angeles see them as dirty workers, people who blow leaves around, work in the dirt, and do exploited, unskilled, subordinated work. Yet, Ramirez and Handagneu-Sotelo paint a possibly more optimistic view of these people. Which of the following most accurately represents this idea?
a. Despite the common opinion of these people, they receive a great deal of emotional satisfaction by working with their hands and watching gardens flourish.
b. Mexican gardeners are often independent operators, running their own businesses, owning their own tools and trucks, and offering them the possibility of upward mobility through their labor.
c. Mexican gardeners understand that these jobs are the only ones they can get in America, and they are thankful for any money they can make to support their families.
d. The authors of this article believe that Mexican gardeners suffer from false consciousness, and despite the fact that they may be happy, there is no escaping the idea that they are exploited laborers.
Question 2
The authors of this article note that many Latino immigrants end up being exploited by the American economic system. Which of the following is NOT a reason they mention as a reason for this exploitation?
a. Lack of family living in the United States who can provide economic and emotional support.
b. Low levels of literacy that make it difficult for these immigrants to find jobs in the formal or informal economies.
c. A basic lack of knowledge of English as a primary language that makes it difficult to get jobs, particularly service jobs where immigrants have face-to-face contact with customers.
d. A lack of job skills that makes it difficult to obtain jobs that require training.