Spring 2011 Government Mid-Term Multiple Choice Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1. Which of these is the best example of a public good? a. a gas station c. a movie theater b. a town library d. a clothing store 2. According to the social contract theory, the contract is a. a document describing the territory of the state. b. impossible without the king s consent. c. the purpose of government. d. a constitution. MAIN IDEAS 3. The collapse of the Soviet communist government was mainly due to a. the outpouring of support for the coup in 1991. b. Gorbachev's refusal to restructure the political system. c. the election of Boris Yeltsin as President. d. its own inability to accommodate the rising demand for widespread democratic reform. 4. Locke, Harrington, Hobbes, and Rousseau would most likely agree that a. the state developed out of force. b. those of royal birth should rule the state. c. the state exists to serve the will of the people. d. government should be eliminated. 5. With the words, "We the People," the Constitution establishes its authority on the basis of a. popular sovereignty. b. the rule of law. c. the separation of powers. d. limited government.
6. All political powers in a state are concentrated at the central level under which form of government? a. federal b. confederate c. unitary d. executive 7. The theory underlying modern democracies was developed to challenge the idea that a. those of royal birth have absolute authority to rule. b. the people as a whole are the sole source of political power. c. the head of a family, clan, or tribe has the natural right to govern. d. the strongest person or group has the right to control others by force. 8. The government set up by the Articles of Confederation had a. no legislative or judicial branch. b. only a legislative and an executive branch. c. only a legislative branch, consisting of a unicameral Congress. d. only a legislative branch, consisting of a bicameral Congress. 9. The legislative branch can check the judicial branch by its power to a. name federal judges. b. remove judges through impeachment. c. declare executive actions unconstitutional. d. override a presidential veto. 10. In the United Kingdom, courts and judges may never overrule the policies of a. the executive branch. b. regional courts. c. the Constitution. d. Parliament. 11. The individual 50 States lack which basic characteristic of a state? a. government b. sovereignty c. Constitution d. defined population
12. China s government is an example of a a. failed state. b. communist dictatorship. c. consolidated democracy. d. feudal state. 13. When there is a separation of powers, a. power is divided between the National Government and the States. b. power is distributed among three independent branches of government. c. the people grant the States the authority to govern. d. the basic powers of government are held by a single agency. 14. Among the broad purposes of the United States government spelled out in the Preamble to the Constitution is the obligation to a. keep the executive and legislative branches of government separate. b. create an autocratic form of government. c. defend the country against Americans who oppose its policies. d. provide for justice and the people's general welfare. 15. Which of the following statements is NOT true of parliamentary government? a. The executive is chosen by the legislature. b. The legislature is subject to the direct control of the executive. c. The prime minister and cabinet are part of the legislative branch. d. The prime minister and cabinet must resign if they lose the support of a majority of the legislature. 16. The Mexican constitution of 1917 a. set off waves of invasions, revolutions, dictatorships, and reforms. b. established a system in which the government played a more active role in promoting the quality of Mexican life. c. denied democratic representation to the Native American population. d. was the country's first constitution. 17. The dominant political unit in the world today is the
a. government. b. nation. c. Constitution. d. state. 18. Which idea is NOT included in the Declaration of Independence? a. People have certain natural rights. b. God gives certain people the right to govern. c. Government can exist only with the people's permission. d. The people may change or abolish the government. 19. A federal government is one in which a. all power is concentrated in the central government. b. limited powers are assigned to a central agency by independent states. c. power is divided between a central government and local governments. d. powers are divided between a legislative branch and an executive branch. 20. Which of the following best describes the role of the English monarchy today? a. to serve as the final veto power over Parliament b. to continue to exert absolute authority over the United Kingdom c. to serve as a figurehead of state d. to dismiss the prime minister when it is called for by Parliamentary vote 21. The President's power to veto an act of Congress is an example of a. executive agreement. b. judicial review. c. checks and balances. d. limited government. 22. Which of the following best describes the concept of limited government? a. Powers are divided among three independent branches of government. b. All political power belongs to the people. c. Government must operate within certain bounds set by the
people. d. The people must behave according to rules set by the government. 23. In a feudal society, a vassal was someone who a. did agricultural work for a feudal lord in exchange for military protection. b. owned a large amount of farmland and governed peasant workers. c. was a lord who pledged his loyalty to a more powerful lord. d. traveled from town to town trading luxury goods. 24. Which of these individuals is most likely to exercise power without authority? a. a traffic officer c. a business owner b. an armed robber d. a school principal 25. The U.S. Congress is an example of a a. confederal democracy c. parliamentary democracy b. direct democracy d. representative democracy 26. What kind of economy is the most common in the world today? a. command c. mixed b. market d. traditional 27. The power of judicial review applies to actions by a. the Federal Government only. b. both the Federal Government and the States. c. the States only. d. the executive branch only. 28. Which kind of country is most likely to have a federal system of government? a. large, with a diverse population c. poor, with an unskilled population b. urban, with an industrial economy d. small, with an abundance of resources 29. Which of the following is the oldest form of government still in use today? a. republic c. democracy b. monarchy d. dictatorship 30. The major difference between the Communist Party in China and political parties in the United States is that a. in the United States, political parties have no role in government.
b. in China, the Communist Party shares power with the National People s Congress. c. in the United States, political parties hold widely differing views on almost every topic. d. in China, the Communist Party runs the government with no opposition. 31. Failed states present a serious problem not only for their citizens, but for their neighbors as well, because a. they require enormous amounts of financial aid from neighboring countries. b. they declare war on neighboring countries. c. the can become a haven for terrorists. d. they cannot contribute to regional economies. 32. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of fascist governments? a. a charismatic leader in charge of an all-powerful political party b. racist, nationalist beliefs targeting other nations c. suspicion of democracy d. a struggle against capitalism and the free market 33. Promote the general welfare really means that a. the government is a servant to its citizens. b. the government controls the economy. c. the state promotes private industry. d. the Constitution establishes the meaning of welfare. 34. Politics is a(n), while government is a(n). a. process, institution b. policy, institution c. institution, process d. negative, positive 35. Socialism began as an attempt to correct which disadvantage of capitalism? a. lack of motivation to work c. uneven distribution of wealth b. failure to reward new ideas d. inflexibility in the face of change 36. Why do former European colonies, such as Nigeria, have a difficult time creating a national identity?
a. Because they have single-crop economies that make it difficult to create jobs. b. Because their boundaries were drawn by foreign countries and did not take into account the languages, religions, and cultures of the people living there. c. Because they share common institutions and a sophisticated legal system. d. Because the divine right of kings discourages people from developing a sense of patriotism. 37. Which of these is an essential feature of political activity? a. it is difficult c. it is individualistic b. it is idealistic d. it is purposeful 38. Which of the following powers does a religious leader have? a. persuasion c. coercion b. rewards d. all of these 39. Inability to resolve conflicts can be a characteristic of a a. dictatorship. b. unitary government. c. presidential government. d. parliamentary government. 40. Which of these factors most distinguishes dictators from monarchs? a. how they acquire & maintain c. how they choose their close power advisors b. how they make economic d. how they regard the rights of decisions citizens 41. In a parliamentary democracy, who chooses the prime minister? a. the country s single party c. electors appointed by the monarch b. an assembly of eligible voters d. the party with a legislative majority 42. Which of the following are considered the basic building blocks of government? a. revenue collection & coercion c. a legitimate ruler & happy subjects
b. political conflict and compromise d. a stable population & fixed territory 43. A ruler s legitimacy depends mainly on which of these factors? a. the ruler s personal wealth c. people s fear of the ruler s power b. the ruler s political ambition d. people s acceptance of the ruler s authority 44. In a command economy, who decides how much to produce? a. governmental planners c. industrial labor unions b. individual consumers d. corporate shareholders 45. For what reason might the ruler(s) in a dictatorship feel threatened by the existence of the Internet? a. The Internet might not be accessible to everyone. b. The Internet might provide a forum through which people could unite and rebel. c. The Internet can be unreliable. d. The Internet can inform, but only when citizens make the effort to utilize its resources. 46. The United States does not have a unitary form of government because a. the British would not allow it. b. the States have powers reserved to them in the Constitution. c. the executive and legislative branches are separate. d. the States hold more power than does the Federal Government. 47. Where does sovereignty rest in a dictatorship? a. with a small group or a single person b. with the people c. with the legislature d. all of the above 48. A New England town meeting is an example of a. a confederal democracy c. parliamentary democracy b. direct democracy d. representative democracy 49. The Star Wars Trade Federation is an example of a a. confederal democracy c. parliamentary democracy b. direct democracy d. representative democracy
50. Which of the forms of power would a teacher have/use? a. formal authority d. coercion b. persuasion e. all of these c. expertise
Spring 2011 Government Mid-Term Answer Section MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. B 2. D 3. D 4. C 5. A 6. C 7. A 8. C 9. B 10. D 11. B 12. B 13. B 14. D 15. B 16. B 17. D 18. B 19. C 20. C 21. C 22. C 23. C 24. B 25. D 26. C 27. B 28. A
29. B 30. D 31. C 32. D 33. A 34. A 35. C 36. B 37. D 38. D 39. C 40. A 41. D 42. A 43. D 44. A 45. B 46. B 47. A 48. B 49. A 50. E