Includes bibliographical references.

Contents: International trade : which countries have a Communist or Socialist system of government? -- Regional conflict: what are the major regional conflicts in the world today? -- Modern technology: what are the newest information technology products on the market? -- Economic conditions: which are the seven richest countries in the world? -- Scientific research: how many hours of sleep should a person get every night? -- Global epidemics: what major epidemics have devastated societies throughout history? -- Corporate reform: which major global corporations have been accused of unethical procedures? -- World hunger: how many people in the world suffer from hunger? -- Gender equality: which countries deny women their civil and human rights? -- The digital divide: which country has the largest number of Internet users? -- Immigration policy: should the United States revise its immigration laws? -- Social inequality: what cities in the world have the highest crime rates? -- Cultural heritage: which archaeological sites throughout the world have been designated as World Heritage sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)? -- Intellectual property: what is the meaning of the word plagiarism? --