Chart 1. Life Expectancy at Birth, 1965 and 1998

1. What was the overall trend in life expectancy between 1965 and 1998? [It increased.]
2. Which group of countries-low income, middle income, or high income-- had the greatest percentage increase in life expectancy? (Subtract the 1965 number from the 1998 number, divide the result by the 1965 number, and multiply by 100 to get the percentage.) [low income: 34%; middle income: 28%; high income: 9%. Low-income countries had the greatest percentage increase.]
3. What do the numbers suggest about living conditions in low-income countries and middle-income countries? [The living conditions are not as high as in high-income countries, but they are improving, especially in low-income countries.]
4. Looking at the chart, what are some assumptions you can make about living conditions in the United States in 1900? [Living conditions were probably very similar to those in low-income countries in 1965: people lacked adequate health care, clean water, and sanitary facilities, and levels of education and income were much lower than in the United States today.]

2. Refer to Chart 1, the Text, and the Social Data Table.

1. How did life expectancy change in your country between 1980 and 1998? [Answers will vary.]
2. What do you think caused this change? Use the text and your own knowledge to support your answer. [Answers will vary.]
3. Was this change typical of your country's income group? [Answers will vary.]
4. What does this suggest to you about living conditions in your country relative to others in its income group? [Answers will vary.]