Question 1. A bill has received majority support in the Senate and is supported by the President. It can become a new federal law without receiving majority support in the House of Representatives.
True
False
Question 2. In scientific opinion polling, issue framing is important because:
1. A small population can be used to represent a larger population
2. The information people have about an issue will tend to change their expressed opinions
3. Online polls are likely to be the most accurate today, because most people have internet access
4. The information people have about an issue has little effect on their expressed opinions
Question 3. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures:
1. The balance between public goods and private goods in an economy
2. The distribution of wealth in an economy
3. The value of goods and services produced in an economy
4. The ratio of services to manufacturing in an economy
Question 4. In scientific opinion polling, sampling means:
1. That polls can be used to shape people's opinions
2. That a small group cannot be used to represent a larger population
3. That a small group can be used to represent a larger population
4. That online polls are the most accurate today
Question 5. The fact that most Americans support the same political party as their parents shows the effect of:
1. Sampling
2. Political socialization
3. Direct democracy
4. Rational legal legitimacy
Question 6. The 5th Amendment protection against self-incrimination means that:
1. Police may not torture criminal suspects
2. Evidence of a crime found in a private residence may not be used in court
3. People being questioned by the police must answer all of their questions truthfully
4. Police may not question criminal suspects
Question 7. The winner of a U.S. Presidential election is not always the winner of the largest number of votes cast by citizens.
True
False
Question 8. The President can raise or lower the levels of government borrowing and spending without the approval of Congress.
True
False
Question 9. The 4th Amendment prohibition of general warrants means that:
1. Search warrants issued by courts may allow police to search anywhere for evidence of a crime
2. Search warrants are not required by federal law enforcement officers
3. Search warrants may only be issued by a state Attorney General
4. Search warrants issued by courts must be specific to people, places, or things
Question 10. The government agency primarily responsible for managing relations between the U.S. and other countries is:
1. The Department of Homeland Security
2. The Department of the Interior
3. The Department of State
4. The Department of Defense
Question 11. Divided government refers to a situation in which:
1. The President and the majority in Congress belong to the same political party
2. The President and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court belong to different political parties
3. The President and the majority in Congress belong to different political parties
4. The President and the Vice President belong to different political parties
Question 12. Supply-side economic policy suggests that:
1. Government should supply public goods
2. Government should cut taxes for businesses and investors
3. Government should reduce the Gini coefficient
4. Government should invest in production and create jobs
Question 13. According to the theory of realism:
1. In international relations, countries are forced to respect international law
2. In international relations, countries always pursue their own security and prosperity
3. In international relations, countries never make treaties or alliances with each other
4. In international relations, countries sometimes pursue moral or ideological goals
Question 15. Gini coefficients measure:
1. The value of goods and services produced in an economy
2. The ratio of services to manufacturing in an economy
3. The ratio of public goods to private goods in an economy
4. The distribution of wealth in an economy
Question 16. Demand-side economic policy suggests that:
1. Government should lower the Gini coefficient
2. Government should cut taxes for businesses and investors
3. Government should not require that businesses pay minimum wages
4. Government should invest in production and create jobs
Question 17. Which of the following is an example of direct democracy in the United States?
1. Citizens electing members of the Senate
2. Citizens electing the President
3. Citizens electing a State Governor
4. Citizens electing members of the House of Representatives
5. None of the above
Question 18. Executive orders are:
1. Agreements between the United States and the governments of foreign countries
2. Rules issued by the heads of international organizations such as NATO and the UN
3. Instructions from the President to Congress, requiring that certain types of legislation be passed
4. Instructions from the President to government agencies on how the laws should be implemented
Question 19. Consensus is:
1. a Roman modification of the Greek form of democracy
2. a highly efficient form of democracy
3. a pure, but inefficient form of democracy
4. a procedural rule often used in the U.S. Senate
Question 20. According to the theory of idealism:
1. In international relations, countries are forced to respect some international laws
2. In international relations, countries sometimes pursue moral or ideological goals
3. In international relations, countries always respect treaties and alliances with each other
4. In international relations, countries always pursue
ir own security and prosperity
Question 21. The President:
1. Is Commander in Chief of the military
2. Is a ceremonial member of the Supreme Court
3. Cannot be removed from office under any circumstances
4. Is able to make new federal laws without the approval of Congress
Question 22. Which poll would be most likely to create a sampling error?
1. A poll of San Francisco residents conducted on the San Francisco Chronicle website
2. A poll of California voters conducted using statewide phone interviews
3. A poll of United States voters conducted using phone interviews in California and New York
4. A poll of California voters conducted on the Los Angeles Times website
Question 23. The theory of realism is based on:
1. Thomas Hobbes' ideas about human interaction without government
2. Max Weber's ideas about the legitimacy of government
3. Thomas Jefferson's ideas about natural rights
4. Thomas Paine's ideas about the original form of government
Question 24. If Congress fails to pass a budget for the U.S. government, the President can put one into effect after 60 days.
True
False
Question 25. During a recession, the Federal Reserve would be likely to:
1. Reduce interest rates, to encourage borrowing and spending
2. Raise interest rates, to discourage borrowing and spending
3. Cut taxes for businesses and investors
4. Lower the Gini coefficient to redistribute wealth
Question 26 . The President refuses to sign a bill passed by Congress. That bill can still become a new federal law if it receives 2/3 majority support in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
True
False
Question 27. Duverger's Law explains:
1. Why single member district systems tend to have two dominant parties
2. Why incumbents win most elections
3. Why proportional representation systems tend to have two dominant parties
4. Why party realignments occur on a 4-6 year cycle
Question 28. The Constitution gives the power to elect the President to:
1. The House of Representatives
2. The electoral college
3. The Supreme Court
4. The American people
Question 29. Which branch of government is primarily responsible for making federal laws?
1. Military
2. Executive
3. Judicial
4. Legislative
Question 30. Setting the levels of taxation and government spending is referred to as:
1. Excise policy
2. Fiscal policy
3. Reserve policy
4. Monetary policy
Question 31. According to the Constitution, state governments (such as California, New York, Arizona, etc.):
1. May make their own laws, even if those laws clash with federal laws or Constitutional law
2. May not make their own laws
3. May only make laws specifically authorized by Congress and the President
4. May make their own laws, provided they do not clash with federal laws or with Constitutional law
Question 32. Today, international relations increasingly involves:
1. Only nation-states
2. Only international organizations, such as the United Nations
3. Non-denominational states
4. Non-state actors
Question 33. Which institution of government is meant to have the closest connection to ordinary citizens?
1. The Department of State
2. The Senate
3. The House of Representatives
4. The Supreme Cour
Question 34. The Supreme Court has consistently ruled that 1st Amendment rights to free speech:
1. May not be restricted by government
2. May be restricted. but only in times of war
3. May be restricted if speech represents a danger to others
4. May be restricted by state governments, but not by the federal government
Question 35. The power of the Senate to accept or reject a Presidential nominee to the Supreme Court is an example of:
The system of Presidential discretion
The system of proportional representation
The system of judicial restraint
The system of checks and balances
Question 36. In a federation - or a federal form of government:
1. No one holds sovereign power
2. Sovereign power is divided between regional governments and a central government
3. Sovereign power is held by a single central government
4. Sovereign power is held by regional governments
Question 37. According to the theory of realism, there are some international laws that all countries are forced to respect.
True
False
Question 38. Monetary policy controls:
1. The distribution of wealth
2. The level of minimum wages
3. The amount of U.S. currency in circulation
4. The suppy of public goods
Question 39. A recession occurs when:
1. The Gini coefficient declines for two consecutive quarters
2. Unemployment increases for two consecutive quarters
3. GDP declines by 30 percent or more
4. GDP declines for two consecutive quarters
Question 40. An ideology is:
1. Always consistent with party membership
2. A form of rational legal legitimacy
3. A relatively coherent system of political belief
4. Never consistent with party membership
Question 41. The number of electoral votes held by each state is:
1. Equal to the number of Representatives and Senators each state has in Congress
2. Equal for all states
3. Based on the year each territory was admitted as a state
4. Equal to the number of Senators each state has in Congress