HOW MUCH FAMILY INCOME DOES IT TAKE TO BE IN THE RICHEST 5 PERCENT? Go to the U.S. Census Bureau Web site, www.census.gov, and select Income (under People), Historical Income Tables (CPS), and Income Inequality. What is the lower limit of household income for the richest 5 percent of families in the most recent year listed? Do the historical data in the table suggest the poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer in absolute terms? Return to the site's tables (under Households) and determine what has happened to the relative income share of the richest 5 percent of households over the last 10 years listed.

IS POVERTY ON THE RISE OR ON THE DECLINE? Go to the U.S. Census Bureau Web site, www.census.gov, and select Poverty (under People). Use the data provided to answer the following questions:

1. Is the number of people living below the official government poverty level higher or lower than it was in the preceding year? Than it was a decade earlier?
2. Is the poverty rate (in percent) higher or lower than it was in the preceding year for the general population, children under 18, blacks, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and whites?
3. How many states had increases in the poverty rate compared to the preceding year?