ap multiple choice questions by subject

8/2/2019 AP Multiple Choice Questions by Subject

1/64

AP Multiple Choice Questions By Subject

CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATIONS

1999

1. Which of the following is an example of checks and balances, as established by the Constitution?(A) A requirement that states lower their legal drinking age to eighteen as a condition of

receiving funds through federal highway grant programs

(B) Media criticism of public officials during an election campaign period

(C) The Supreme Courts ability to overturn a lower court decision(D) The requirement that presidential appointments to the Supreme Court be approved by the

Senate

(E) The election of the President by the electoral college rather than by direct election

9. Supreme Court justices were given tenure subject to good behavior by the framers of the

Constitution in order to ensure that(A) justices are free from direct political pressure

(B)justices remain accountable to the public

(C) justices are encouraged to make politically popular decisions(D) cooperation between the judicial and legislative branches is assured

(E) Presidents are encouraged to seek younger nominees for the Supreme Court

16. The importance of Shays Rebellion to the development of the Constitution of the United StatesConstitution was that it

(A) revealed the necessity of both adding the Bill of Rights to the Constitution and creating a

new system of checks and balances(B) demonstrated the intensity of antiratification sentiment within the thirteen states

(C) indicated that a strong, constitutionally designed national government was needed to

protect property and maintain order(D)convinced the delegates attending the Constitutional Convention to accept the Connecticut

Plan(E) reinforced the idea that slavery should be outlawed in the new Constitution

46. The reserved powers of the state governments can best be described as those powers

(A) not specifically granted to the national government or denied to the states

(B) implied in the Fifth Amendment(C) listed specifically in the Tenth Amendment

(D) exercised by both national and state governments

(E) granted to states as part of the implied powers doctrine


2/64

2002

12. Of the following, which ahs been used most to expand the power of the national government?

(A) the commerce clause of the Constitution

(B) The habeas corpus clause of the Constitution(C) The bill of attainder clause of the Constitution

(D) The First Amendment

(E) The Fifth Amendment

19. The procedure for formally amending the Constitution best illustrates which of the following?

(A) The dominance of the national government over the state governments

(B) The dominance of the state governments over the national governments(C) The Founding Fathers desire to facilitate rapid constitutional revisions

(D) The Supreme Courts power to review constitutional amendments

(E) The federal structure of the United States government

36. Which of the following is true under the system of checks and balances?

(A) The Supreme Court can overrule the Presidents policy proposals(B) The Senate must ratify treaties negotiated by the President before they become law

(C) A bill becomes a law when the House and the Senate pass it, and the Supreme Court

declares it Constitutional

(D) The Supreme Court can remove members of Congress, and Congress can impeachthe President

(E) The House of Representatives appoints justices to the Supreme Court and the Senate

approves the appointments

38. The Supreme Court ruled the legislative veto unconstitutional on the grounds that such vetoes

(A) were the province of the courts alone(B) violated the principal separation of powers

(C) would give the executive branch too much power(D) would give too much authority to nonelected officials

(E) were an unwarranted infringement on the rights of state governments

41. In The Federalist No. 10 James Madison argued that factions in a republic are

(A) a more serious threat if the republic is large(B) natural but controllable by institutions

(C) not likely to occur if people are honest

(D) prevented by majority rule(E) prevented by free elections

49. Which of the following was the most important effect of replacing the Articles of Confederation withthe Constitution of 1787?

(A) The protection of free speech

(B) The guarantee of states rights

(C) The establishment of direct democracy(D) The creation of a strong national government

(E) The establishment of judicial review


3/64

1989

33. In the Constitution as originally ratified in 1788, the provisions regarding which of the following most

closely approximate popular, majoritarian democracy?(A) Election of members of the House of Representatives

(B) Election of members of the Senate

(C) Election of the President

(D) Ratification of treaties(E) Confirmation of presidential appointments

39 POLITICAL CARTOON

47. All of the following issues were decided at the Constitutional Convention EXCEPT

(A) representation in the legislature(B) voting qualifications of the electorate

(C) method of electing the President

(D) congressional power to override a presidential veto(E) qualifications for members of the House and Senate

SAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR US GOV AND POL COLLEGE BOARD

12. All of the following were concerns about the Articles of Confederation that led to the calling of the

Constitutional Convention of 1787 EXCEPT(A) dissatisfaction over safeguards of individual rights and liberties

(B) fear for the stability of the central government

(C) desire to promote trade among the states(D) the need to give the central government the power to levy taxes

(E) dissatisfaction with the central governments ability to provide for national defense

20. Which of the following is argued by James Madison in The Federalistpaper number 10?(A) A system of republican representation helps to limit the excesses of factionalism

(B) Small republics are better able to ensure individual liberty than are large republics

(C) The presence of a few large factions helps to protect the rights of minorities(D) Participatory democracy is the surest way to prevent tyranny

(E) The elimination of the causes of factionalism is the best protection against tyranny

PRACTICE TEST #1 AP REVIEW BOOK (Princeton Review )

1. The Constitution as ratified in 1788 most clearly reflects the framer commitment to

(A) the idea of direct democracy

(B) the principle of limited government

(C) the abolition of slavery(D) protecting the rights of the accused

(E) maintaining the primacy of the states


4/64

2. Which of the following most accurately describes The Federalist Papers?(A) The Federalist party platform during the presidency of John Adams, the first Federalist

president

(B) A popular anti- British booklet of the pre-Revolutionary era(C) A collection of essays arguing the merits of the Constitution

(D) A series of congressional acts defining the relationship between the federal and state

Governments(E) The laws under which the South was governed during Reconstruction

17. All of the following are specifically mentioned in the Constitution EXCEPT

(A) judicial review(B) the national census

(C) rules of impeachment

(D) the State of the Union address(E) length of term of federal judgeships

30. Which of the following best illustrates a use of the elastic clause?

(A) The Supreme Court allows a lower court ruling to stand by refusing to hear an appeal

(B) A congressional committee prevents the full chamber from voting on legislationdelaying its report

(C) Congress passes legislation establishing a national speed limit

(D) A member of the House of Representatives introduces a bill to increase federal income

tax rates(E) A governor issues an executive order requiring all state employees to submit to drug

testing

31. According to theFederalist Papers, federalism has which of the following effects on political

factions?

(A) It provides a structured environment in which factions may flourish(B) It limits the dangers of factionalism by diluting political power

(C) It allows factions to dominate on the national level while limiting their influence onstate governments

(D) It eliminates any opportunity for factions to form(E) It prevents factions by declaring them illegal

32. The Constitution, as originally ratified, addressed all of the following weaknesses of the Articles ofConfederation EXCEPT the

(A) lack of chief executive office

(B) national governments inability to levy taxes effectively(C) absence of a central authority to regulate interstate trade

(D) insufficiency of the governments power to raise an army

(E) omission of a universal suffrage clause


5/64


2. The swift adoption of the Bill of Rights in the years following ratification of the Constitution

demonstrates the

(A) framers unqualified commitment to individual rights(B) small states determination to receive equal representation in the legislature

(C) Northern states support for abolitionism

(D) Federalists concerns that the system of checks and balances would weaken the national

government

16. The Tenth Amendment most often comes into conflict with which section of the Constitution?

(A) The full faith and credit clause(B) The necessary and proper clause

(C) The provisions for the impeachment of a president

(D) The clause prohibiting states from coining money and entering into treaties(E) The provisions for constitutional amendment

17. People who interpret the Tenth Amendment as greatly restricting the powers of the nationalgovernment are often referred to as

(A) Federalists

(B) isolationists

(C) laissez-faire capitalists(D) loose constructionists

(E) states rights

20. The relative stability of American public policy is achieved through

(A) cooperation between the two major political parties

(B) judicial activism(C) the Constitutional fragmentation of power

(D) affirmative action programs(E) the delegation of unique reserved powers to each house of Congress

30. The Supreme Court has used the Fourteenth Amendment to apply portions of the Bill or Rights to state

law by citing the amendments

(A) prohibition on unreasonable search and seizures(B) due process of law

(C) guarantee of privacy rights

(D) abolition of slavery(E) reserved powers provision

31. The framers of the Constitution sought to insulate the Senate from public opinion by(A) restricting Senate membership to those who previously served in the House of

Representatives

(B) delegating the responsibility for electing senators to the state legislatures

(C) requiring all spending bills to originate in the House of Representatives(D) empowering the Senate to provide advice and consent to the executive branch

(E) assigning exactly two senators to each states congressional delegation


6/64

32. Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government had the power to(A) negotiate treaties

(B) collect taxes

(C) establish a federal judiciary(D) enforce its laws

(E) regulate interstate commerce

49. The principles of freedom- we hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal-

stated in the Declaration of Independence were influenced by the beliefs of political philosopher

(A) Thomas Hobbes

(B) Niccolo Macchiavelli(C) Jonathan Edwards

(D) John Locke

(E) John Calvin

50. In Federalist No. 10, James Madison argues that a federal system of government reduces the danger

of political factions by(A) creating insurmountable obstacles to the founding of factions

(B) making it difficult for one faction to gain the power necessary to govern

(C) requiring equal representation of all factions within the government(D) restricting factional political activity to the state level only

(E) allowing federal agencies to strictly regulate the activities of factions


7/64

FEDERALISM

1999

18. In the federal system of government, political power is primarily

(A) vested in local governments

(B) vested in the regional governments(C) vested in the central governments

(D) divided between the central government and regional governments

(E) divided between regional governments and local governments

41. Diversity of public policy throughout the United States is primarily a consequence of

(A) federalism(B) separation of powers

(C) innovation within bureaucratic agencies

(D) decentralization in the Senate(E) lack of party discipline in the House

2002

5. The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution has been interpreted by the Supreme Court to

(A) prevent states from taxing agencies of the federal government

(B) reserve powers to the states(C) restrict the application of judicial review

(D) allow for the burning of the flag as an expression of protest

(E) limit the use of the legislative veto

6. CHARTf

9. The terms fiscal federalism and cooperative federalism refer to situations in which

(A) the federal government completely dominates state and local governments(B) states are forbidden any activity that has not been specifically approved by the Supreme

Court(C) the federal judiciary uses its power of judicial review to ensure congressional dominance

over state legislature

(D) state, municipal, and local income taxes are pooled by special agreement and redistributedin accordance with individual need

(E) federal, state, and local governments work together to complete a project, with the federal

government providing much of the project funding

21. Congressional district boundaries are usually redrawn every ten years by

(A) Bureau of the Census

(B) state legislatures

(C) President(D) House Rules Committee

(E) Federal Election Commission


8/64

29. States and localities have the most discretion in establishing policy when federal funding isderived from

(A) categorical grants

(B) matching grants(C) block grants

(D) project grants

(E) grants-in-aid

42. Which of the following actions by the federal government best illustrates the concept of unfunded

mandates?

(A) Requiring that polling booths remain open beyond the hours of the work day(B) Requiring states the municipalities to provide certain services for their citizens without

providing resources to pay for those services

(C) Requiring state governments to guarantee short-term bonds issued by large municipalities intheir states

(D) Requiring all municipalities to impose a minimum property tax on all residential and

business properties(E) Requiring states and municipalities to privatize many previously publicly funded

services

60. Federal benefits that must be funded by Congress and must be paid to all citizens who meet

eligibility criteria are called

(A) discretionary appropriations

(B) individual entitlements(C) distributive benefits

(D) tax expenditures

(E) continuing appropriations

1989

Questions 16 -17 refer to the following excerpt from a United States Supreme Court decision

We are unanimously of opinion, that the law passed by the legislature of Maryland, imposing a taxon the Bank of the United States, is unconstitutional and void...This is a tax on the operation of an

instrument employed by the government of the Union to carry its powers into execution. Such a tax mustbe unconstitutional...

16. This decision of the Supreme Court upheld the principle that(A) the federal government and the state governments are equal

(B) Congress has only those powers specifically enumerated in the Constitution

(C) Congress has the power to make laws to carry out its constitutional duties(D) taxation without representation is unconstitutional

(E) the federal government alone may levy taxes

17. Which of the following resulted from this Supreme Court decision?

(A) The power of the national government was strengthened

(B) The power of the Supreme Court was weakened

(C) The power of state governments to tax individual citizens was clearly limited(D) Congress was given the power to coin money

(E) Congress alone was given the power to charter banks


9/64

46. Which of the following best defines the constitutional interpretation of federalism?

(A) The federal government and the states each have separate and mutually exclusive roles and

responsibilities; neither controls the other(B) The states have some powers reserved to theme which they may exercise if the Supreme Court

permits

(C) The federal government and the states have separated but overlapping powers; where thesepowers conflict the federal government prevails

(D) The states may only exercise those powers delegated to them by Congress

(E) The federal government may exercise only those powers specifically enumerated in the

Constitution


1. In the organization of government, the principle of federalism is illustrated best by the

(A) Presidents power as commander in chief(B) separation of powers between the United States Supreme Court and Congress

(C) representation system for electing senators

(D) qualifications for the office of President(E) federal bureaucracy

18/19 CHART


16. Of all of the following, American federalism is most clearly exemplified by the

(A) system of checks and balances among the three branches of the national government

(B) process by which international treaties are completed(C) special constitutional status of Washington, DC

(D) Tenth Amendment to the Constitution(E) presidents power to grant reprieves and pardons


1. To which characteristic of American government does the term federalism refer?(A) The system of checks and balances within the national government

(B) The power of the Supreme Court to review the constitutionality of laws

(C) The Bill of Rights protection of the rights of the accused(D) The process by which the size of each states delegation to the House of

Representatives is determined

(E) The division and sharing of power between the national and state governments

7. The national and state governments share all of the following powers EXCEPT the power to

(A) administer elections

(B) impose taxes(C) establish courts

(D) borrow money

(E) enact laws


10/64

19. The government often finds it difficult to make substantive change to entitlement programs for which

of the following reasons?

(A) Most such programs were established by constitutional amendment(B) These programs are extremely popular among their numerous beneficiaries

(C) Such programs are vital to national defense

(D) Most such programs primarily benefit the wealthy, a powerful political bloc(E) These programs budgets are determined by nonelected bureaucrats, not by Congress

38. In the majority of cases, federal programs are implemented by

(A) private businesses working as subcontractors to the government(B) state and local governments, by means of federal funding

(C) Congress, through the local offices of its elected representatives

(D) the federal courts by means of criminal prosecutions(E) federal agencies, though their many local offices in cities and towns


11/64

ELECTIONS AND CAMPAIGNS

1999

3. A primary election in which voters are required to identify a party preference before the election and are

not allowed to split their ticket is called(A) an open primary

(B) a blanket primary

(C) a closed primary

(D) a runoff primary(E) a presidential preference primary

4. When selecting a vice-presidential candidate, a presidential nominee is usually concerned primarily withchoosing a running mate who

(A) has significant personal wealth

(B) adds balance and appeal to the national ticket(C) comes from the same ideological wing of the party as the President

(D) can serve as the most important domestic policy adviser to the President

(E) can effectively preside over the Senate

5. The primary function of political action committees (PACs) is to

(A) serve as fund-raising organizations for challengers

(B) provide members of Congress with unbiased information regarding proposed legislation(C) consult with the President regarding domestic policy

(D) encourage broader participation in politics among the electorate

(E) raise campaign funds to support favored candidates

7. Registered voters directly elect which of the following?

I. The President and Vice PresidentII. Supreme Court justices

III. Members of the SenateIV. Members of the House of Representatives

(A) I only

(B) IV only

(C) I and II only(D) III and IV only

(E) II, III, and IV only

19. Which of the following generalizations about group voting tendencies is true?

(A) Jewish voters tend to vote Republican(B) Protestant voters tend to be more liberal than Roman Catholics on economic

issues.

(C) More women than men identify themselves as Republicans

(D) Rural voters are more likely to support Democratic candidates than are urbanvoters

(E) African American Democrats tend to support the more liberal candidates within

their party


12/64

20. Which of the following is a significant trend in the presidential nominating process over the pastthree decades?

(A) Replacement of national party conventions by national primaries for each party

(B) Increasing importance of presidential primaries rather than state conventions(C) A sharply declining role for political action committees (PACs)

(D) Decreasing cost of campaigns

(E) Increasing control of political party leaders over outcomes

24. CHART

32. Political socialization is the process by which

(A) the use of private property is regulated by the government(B) governments communicate with each other

(C) public attitudes toward government are measured and reported

(D) political values are passed to the next generation(E) children are trained for successful occupations

33. Which of the following is the most important influence on the choice made by voters in presidentialelections?

(A) Partisan identification

(B) Party platform adopted at the national convention

(C) Vice-Presidential running mate(D) Endorsement by political incumbents

(E) Appeal of the candidates spouses

34. The advantages of incumbency in congressional elections include which of the following?

I. Incumbents receive more campaign contributions than do challengersII. Incumbents are able to provide important services for individual voters

III. The government provides campaign funds for incumbentsIV. The President usually endorses incumbents for reelection

V. Most American voters believe Congress does a good job

(A) I and II only

(B) II and IV only(C) I, IV and V only

(D) II, III, and V only

(E) III, IV, and V only

39. The boundaries of United States congressional districts are usually determined by

(A) the Federal Election Commission (FEC)(B) the state legislatures

(C) the House Rules Committee

(D) a conference committee of the House and Senate

(E) the director of the United States Census Bureau


13/64

47. Critical elections in the United States typically have occurred(A) as a result of temporary shift in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties

(B) whenever a third party has secured more than fifteen percent of the presidential vote

(C) each time a Republican has been elected President(D) when voter turnout has declined significantly from the previous election

(E) when groups of voters have changed their traditional patterns of party loyalties

48. When 18 to 21 year olds received the right to voted in 1971, in the 1972 elections they did which

of the following?

(A)Voted overwhelmingly for Republican candidates

(B)Voted overwhelmingly for Democratic candidates(C)Voted overwhelmingly for radical candidates

(D)Turned out at a lower rate than the rest of the electorate

(E) Turned out at the same rate as the rest of the electorate

49. The largest amount of political coverage in newspapers during presidential campaigns is devoted to(A) day-to-day campaign activities

(B) the platforms of the major parties

(C) candidates policy stands on domestic issues(D) candidates stands on foreign policy issues

(E) candidates experience and qualifications

50. A state has 11 electoral votes. In a presidential election, the Democratic candidate receives 48percent of that states popular vote, the Republican candidate receives 40 percent of the vote, and an

independent candidate receives 12 percent of the vote.

If the state is similar to most other states, how will the electoral votes most likely be allocated?

(A) The Democratic candidate will receive 5 electoral votes, the Republican will receive 4, and

the independent will receive 2(B) The Democratic candidate will receive 6 electoral votes and the Republican will receive 5

(C) The Democratic candidate will receive all the 11 electoral votes(D) The votes will not be allocated until there has been a runoff election between the

Democratic and Republican candidates(E) The House of Representatives will determine the allocation of the electoral votes

51. Which of the following is the most accurate statement about political parties in the United States?

(A) Parties increasingly identify themselves with coherent ideologies to attract large blocs of voters(B) The percentage of voters identifying themselves as either Democrats or Republicans has been

declining since the 1970s

(C) National party organizations are generally the strongest party organizations(D) It is increasingly difficult for third parties to gain more than two percent of the popular vote

(E) Most candidates prefer to run as independents rather than as Democrats or Republicans

56. An election involving more than two candidates in which the person who receives the most votes isthe winner is called

(A) a majority election

(B) a proportional election


14/64

(C) a plurality election(D) a simple election

(E) an indirect election

2002

1. Considering all elections at all levels of government, which of the following best describes electoralbehavior in the United States?

(A) Primary elections tend to elicit a higher voter turnout than do general elections

(B) The majority of the electorate does not vote in most elections

(C) Voter turnout plays and insignificant role in election outcomes(D) Adult citizens under the age of 30 tend to have the highest rate of voter turnout

(E) Voters with strong party identification vote less regularly than do independents

3/4 CHART

10. Which of the following is a result of the Electoral College system?(A) The winner of the presidency often lacks a majority of the popular vote

(B) Candidates focus on one-party states in which they can win most of the electoral votes

(C) The House of Representatives frequently chooses the President from the top threecandidates

(D) Candidates focus on the states with the largest populations

(E) Campaign spending increases because candidates emphasize television advertising

16/17 CHART

21. Which of the following best explains why delegates to both the Republican and DemocraticConventions in 1996 were much more likely to have college and postgraduate degrees than was the

rest of the voting population?(A) College education increases the likelihood of the holding liberal political

positions(B) College education increases the likelihood of holding conservative political

positions

(C) Political activism increases with education levels(D) Education allows people to have more time to attend conventions

(E) Some states required delegates to hold college degrees

23. Which of the following took place after presidential candidates Truman in 1948, Nixon in 1968, and

Clinton in 1992 won only pluralities of the popular vote?

(A) The election was formally decided in the House of Representatives


15/64

(B) The election was formally decided in the Senate(C) The winning candidate took office after receiving less than 50 % of the popular votes cast

(D) The electoral college votes cast by independents were critical in determining the winner

(E) The results of the popular vote necessitated a runoff

24. Which of the following is generally true of the gerrymandering of congressional districts?

(A) It results in more Democrats being elected to the House(B) It results in more Republicans being elected to the House

(C) It guarantees that all minority parties will be equally represented

(D) It creates districts that favor one political party over another

(E) It violates the principle of one-person, one-vote

30. CHART

35. An electoral system based on single-member districts is usually characterized by

(A) strong, centralized political parties and a weak executive

(B) higher rates of voter turnout than are common in other systems(C) legislative representation of each party in proportion to the number of votes it receives

(D) domination of the legislature by two political parties

(E) ideological rather than mass-based parties

44. Which of the following is a provision of federal election laws?(A) A small fee must be paid by persons voting in federal elections

(B) On-site registration to vote must be permitted on the day of any federal election

(C) Electoral districts must be apportioned to equalize the numbers of Democratic andRepublican voters wherever a historic imbalance exists

(D) Citizens must be automatically registered to vote on their eighteenth birthday

(E) In areas with significant populations of linguistic minorities, voting materials must be madeavailable in the preferred languages of the population

58. The concept of critical elections is most closely associated with

(A) the electoral college process(B) elections during wartime

(C) the nomination process

(D) economic recession(E) party realignment

1989


16/64

8. Which of the following statements most accurately compares elections in the United States withthose in other Western democracies?

(A) United States citizens have fewer opportunities to vote in elections

(B) Political parties exert a stronger influence over voting in the United States(C) There are fewer obstacles to voting in the United States

(D) There are more political parties in the United States

(E) The voter turnout rate in the United States is usually lower

11 CHART

12. Suppose that in 1980 strong Democrats who shared Ronald Reagans views on taxation andRepublican women who opposed their partys plank on the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) both

turned out to vote at unexpectedly low rates.

These findings would provide evidence for which of the following hypotheses?

(A) Anything that produces cross-pressure reduces turnout

(B) Strong party identification promotes participation(C) Rational voters need a sense of civic duty to motivate them to vote

(D) Those who express satisfaction with candidate choices are less likely to vote

(E) Those who are party activists are not likely to vote

27. Which of the following would result from the direct election of presidential candidates?

(A) A national primary would be established

(B) Party nominating conventions would be abolished(C) Each vote would count equally in determining which candidate won the election

(D) The electoral college would become more influential in the electoral process

(E) Third-Party candidates would have less chance of winning the election

28. Since 1960 the presidential election process has been affected by an increase in all of the

following EXCEPT the(A) proportion of independents in the electorate

(B) influence of political consultants(C) number of primaries

(D) turnout of voters(E) role of television

29. Between 1964 and 1984, which of the following would have been most likely to vote for theDemocratic presidential candidate?

(A) A Cuban- American business executive from Miami

(B) A Black teacher from Los Angeles(C) A White doctor from Atlanta

(D) A Polish-American truck driver from Phoenix

(E) A Methodist farmer from Iowa


17/64

30. Voting is partly a matter of habit: the more frequently a person has voted in the past, the morelikely she or he is to vote in the current election

All of the following support the observation above EXCEPT:(A) Immediately after Twenty- Sixth Amendment in 1971 gave 18-to-21 year olds the vote, the

proportion of eligible voters who actually voted declined.

(B) Immediately after the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920 gave women the right to vote, theproportion of eligible voters who actually voted declined.

(C) Immediately after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the participation rate of

Black voters in the South was lower than the White voters in the South.

(D) Unmarried persons over the age of 65 are less likely to vote than are married persons inthat age group.

(E) Newly naturalized citizens may need special inducements to vote.

55. During the past forty-five year, all of the following changes in public opinion and political

behavior have occurred in the United States EXCEPT

(A) a decline in party competition in the South(B) a decline in the level of trust in government

(C) a drop in voter turnout

(D) an increase in ticket-splitting(E) an erosion of party loyalties, especially among young people


2. All of the following contribute to the success of incumbent members of Congress in election campaigns

EXCEPT(A) Incumbents usually raise more campaign funds than do their challengers

(B) Incumbents tend to understand national issues better than do their challengers

(C) Incumbents are usually better known to voters than are their challengers(D) Incumbents can use legislative staff to perform campaign services

(E) Incumbents often sit on committees that permit them to serve district interests

15. The primary election system of selecting presidential candidates has had which of the followingeffects?

(A) It has increased importance of state party organizations

(B) It has loosened the hold of party leaders over the nominations process(C) It has reduced the role of citizens in the candidate selection process

(D) It has lowered the cost of running for office

(E) It has led to a decline in the importance of party voter-registration drives

23 CHART


18/64


13. Voters who rely exclusively on television network news coverage of national elections are most likely

to be aware of(A) which special interest groups have endorsed which candidates

(B) the relative strength of each candidates support, as indicated by public opinion polls

(C) candidates positions on international crisis(D) candidates positions on domestic issues

(E) candidates congressional voting records

27. Which of the following is the most accurate statement about the voting behavior of Americans over theage of 65?

(A) They are as, or more, likely to vote than are members of other age groups because they have

received the highest level of formal education of all age groups(B) They are as, or more, likely to vote than are members of other age groups because they believe

that they have a personal stake in government policy

(C) They are less likely to vote than are members of other age groups because they are less likelyto be aware of election schedules

(D) They are less likely to vote than are members of other age groups because they are less likely

to be aware of election schedules(E) They are less likely to vote than are members of other age groups because very few senior

citizens run for political office

35. Which of the following statements about the electoral college is correct?(A) Each state must split its electoral votes among all the candidates that receive votes

(B) Each state is equally represented in the electoral college

(C) The electoral college was created by an amendment to the Constitution(D) The results of electoral college voting tend to distort the winners margin of victory, when

compared with the popular vote for president

(E) Each states delegation to the electoral college consists of that states U.S. senators andrepresentatives

36. Which of the following statements is true of congressional incumbents who run for reelection?

(A) Incumbent senators are more likely to be reelected than are incumbent members of the Houseof Representatives

(B) Incumbents are prohibited by law from spending more on their reelection campaigns than

their challengers spend(C) Incumbents have a great advantage over challengers because they are better known and

can raise campaign funds more easily

(D) Ever since the 1994 election, the majority of congressional incumbents have failed in theirreelection attempts

(E) Most incumbents who run for reelection are unopposed in the general election


19/64

40. The boundary lines of congressional districts must be redrawn every 10 years to(A) reflect population shifts indicated by the national census

(B) guarantee the turnover of the majority of congressional seats

(C) make sure each states congressional delegation exactly mirrors its residents partyaffiliations

(D) determine which partys leader will be named Speaker of the House

(E) increase the number of female and minority members of Congress

41 CHART

56 CHART

57. Which of the following factors would mist likely explain why voter registration records underestimate

the number of Independent voters in the United States?(A) Independents are less likely than Republicans or Democrats to register to vote

(B) Many Americans who consider themselves Independent do not participate in elections

(C) Independents make up only a small portion of the electorate(D) Because Independents in many states are not allowed to participate in primary elections,

many Independents register as either Republicans or Democrats

(E) The majority of Independents are non-citizens who are not allowed to vote


13. All of the following can be considered true about the impact of a higher level of education on votinghabits EXCEPT

(A) voters are more likely to support government-enforced racial and sexual equality

(B) voters are more likely to support environmental protection efforts(C) voters are more likely to support public prayer in schools

(D) voters are less likely to support restrictions on abortion rights

(E) voters are more likely to promote civil liberties

23. In the past decade many states have moved forward the date of their presidential primary elections inan effort to

(A) minimize the cost of running the election(B) convince the national government to move forward the date of the general election

(C) restrict the number of entrants in the presidential race

(D) focus greater national attention on their state primary races(E) increase the significance of their election results

35. The rules governing the electoral college make it especially important for presidential candidates to(A) win as many states as possible, regardless of the size of the states

(B) spend most of their time campaigning in the south

(C) campaign most aggressively among those who will be chosen as electors(D) concentrate their campaign efforts on battleground states

(E) concentrate on the states in which they are farthest behind, to reduce the margin of their

eventual losses in those states


20/64

41. An open primary is a primary election in which(A) voters registered as independents may not vote

(B) candidates do not specify the office for which they are running

(C) voters may register at their polling place on election day(D) candidates need not announce their candidacy until the day of the primary

(E) voters may vote in the election of a party other than the one to which they are registered

42. Which of the following describes an unintended result of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974?

(A) Limits were placed on the amount of money individuals could donate to a federal

election campaign

(B) Federal funding became available to presidential candidates who agree to abide byspending

(C) Candidates drastically decreased the amount of money spent on television advertising

(D) Thousands of political action committees were created to raise funds for candidates(E) The number of third-party campaigns for the presidency decreased dramatically

43. Politicians and political reporters are natural adversaries; the adversarial nature of their relationship,however, is tempered by the fact that

(A) younger politicians who are more comfortable with the media are gradually displacing older

politicians(B) government regulations on interaction between the two groups are very strict

(C) each group is dependent on the other to perform its job effectively

(D) very few media outlets will cover a story that is embarrassing to a political leader

(E) most government activity is classified and therefore inaccessible to the media

60. Which of the following is true of congressional redistricting?

(A) The responsibility for redrawing congressional districts belongs to congressionalcommittees

(B) It is a noncontroversial process because it has few political ramifications

(C) It occurs every 10 years to reflect changes in population according to the census(D) The Supreme Court has ruled that legislators may not consider racial demographics when

redrawing districts

LOBBYING AND INTEREST GROUPS


21/64

1989

43. All of following are commonly used by interest groups to influence the political process EXCEPT(A) lobbying

(B) contributing money to candidates

(C) nominating candidates(D) filling lawsuits

(E) appealing to public opinion

51. Which of the following techniques would a corporate lobbyist by likely to use influence politicaloutcomes in Congress?

I. Organizing a demonstration in Washington just before a key House voteII. Ensuring that the corporations political action committee (PAC) makes

donations to the campaigns of members of key committees

III. Meeting informally with Senate aides over lunch or cocktailsIV. Bringing influential constitutions to Washington to discuss important policy

matters with their representatives

(A) II only

(B) I and II only

(C) II and IV only

(D) I, II and IV only(E) II, III, and IV only

58. Which of the following statements about political action committees (PACs) is true?

(A) PACS may give unlimited contributions to the election campaigns of individualcandidates

(B) PAC spending has not kept pace with inflation(C) PAC activity is limited to direct contributions to candidates

(D) Social issue groups are the source of most PAC dollars(E) PAC spending makes up a higher percentage of congressional campaign funds than of

presidential campaign funds

1999

19. A corporate lobbyist would be LEAST likely to have an informal discussion about a pending policy

matter with which of the following?


22/64

(A) A member of the House in whose district the corporation has a plant

(B) A member of the White House staff concerned about the issue

(C) A member of the staff of the Senate committee handling a matter of concern to thecorporation

(D) A federal judge in whose court a case important to the corporation is being heard

(E) A journalist for a major newspaper concerned about the issue

37. Interest groups and political parties both promote United States democracy by

(A) expressing detailed, ideologically distinct programs

(B) centralizing public authority(C) linking citizens to the political process

(D) increasing domination of the political process by elites

(E) lobbying members of Congress

8. Which of the following is true ofamicus curiae briefs?

(A) They are used by interest groups to lobby courts(B) They are used exclusively by liberal interest groups

(C) They are used exclusively by conservative interest groups

(D) They are now unconstitutional(E) They are means by which of litigant seeks Supreme Court review of a lower court

decision

2002

27. Lobbyists try to influence legislators mainly through

(A) wining and dining legislatures(B) orchestrating petition drives and letter-writing campaigns

(C) placing persuasive advertisements in the media

(D) threatening to help the legislators opponent in the next election(E) providing legislators with information on technical issues

55. Political action committees (PACs) representing which of the following groups have increased in

number most substantially since the mid-1970s?(A) Labor

(B) Business

(C) Health-care professionals(D) Veterans groups

(E) Civil rights advocates


21. An interest group is most likely to have influence in Congress when the issue at stake


23/64

(A) is narrow in scope and low in public visibility(B) is part of the Presidents legislative package

(C) has been dramatized by the media

(D) engages legislators deeply held convictions(E) divides legislators along party lines


12. The primary function of political action committees (PACs) is to

(A) contribute money to candidates for reelection

(B) coordinate local get-out-the-vote campaigns(C) promote the defeat of incumbents in the federal and state legislatures

(D) organize protest demonstrations and other acts of civil disobedience

(E) contact Congress to suggest legislation

42. Interest groups representing businesspeople and investors are often among the most successful

lobbying groups in Washington, DC, for all of the following reasons EXCEPT

(A) Such groups have the financial resources to mount sustained campaigns on their own behalf

(B) Many such groups have been in existence for several decades or more, allowing them tomaster the legislative system and to develop close ties with legislators

(C) In many districts, these groups constituents make up the majority of voters

(D) These groups constituents contribute heavily to many legislators campaigns, and in doing

so, gain greater access to legislators(E) Economic lobbyists often campaign for obscure or minute changes to tax law about which

the public knows little, and therefore frequently meet little opposition

53. The term iron triangle refers to the interrelationship of the

(A) president, Congress, and the Supreme Court

(B) electorate, Congress, and political action committees(C) local, state, and federal governments

(D) State Department, the Pentagon, and the National Security Council(E) federal bureaucracy, congressional committees, and lobbyists


5. The legislative successes of the National Rifle Association, antiabortion activists, and other powerfulinterest groups demonstrate that

(A) United States domestic policy has grown more conservative in the 1990s

(B) the influence of political action committees has weakened in recent years(C) the power of interest groups depends on the degree of support for their positions in the White

House

(D) majority opinion on an issue can sometimes be overridden by the intensity of a minorityscommitment of activism

(E) the most powerful interest groups in the United States are generally those that support

uncontroversial positions

8. Which group most frequently benefits from political action committee (PAC) donations?

(A) Charitable organizations

(B) Federal judges


24/64

(C) Political interest groups(D) Research institutes

(E) Incumbents running for reelection

28. CHART

57. Considered as a single group, the Small Business Administration, the Small Business committees inthe House and Senate, and small business advocacy groups are an example of

(A) an iron triangle

(B) a conference committee

(C) a regulatory agency(D) dual Federalism

(E) a third party

POLITICAL PARTIES/IDEOLOGY


25/64

1989

10. Which of the following best describes the relationship between socioeconomic status and

participation in politics?

(A) The lower ones socioeconomic status the more likely it is that one will run for publicoffice

(B) The higher ones socioeconomic status, the greater the probability of active involvement in

the political process(C) Adults who are unemployed have a greater personal interest in policy and tend to

participate more actively in politics than do employed adults

(D) People in the lower middle class are not the most likely to participate in politics

(E) There is no relationship between socioeconomic status and political participation

13. Which of the following were LEAST likely to have been part of the New Deal electoral coalition?

(A)Blue-collar workers(B)Racial minorities

(C)Southerners

(D)Northern business leaders(E) Farm laborers

22. Which of the following statements reflects a pluralist theory of American politics?(A) American politics is dominated by a small elite

(B) Public policies emerge from cooperation among elites in business, labor, and

government

(C) Public policies emerge from compromises reached among competing groups(D) American politics is dominated by cities at the expense of rural areas

(E) The American political arena is made up of isolated individuals who have few

group affiliations outside the family

42. American political culture is characterized by strong popular support for all of the following EXCEPT(A) the rule of law

(B) limited government(C) individual liberty

(D) equality of opportunity(E) economic equality

54. Which of the following is an accurate statement about political participation in the United Statestoday?

(A) A majority of Americans campaign for a candidate in each presidential election

(B) Over 75% of Americans vote in presidential elections(C) People who participate in the political process are usually angry at the government

(D) Similar proportions of eligible men and women vote in presidential elections

(E) People in their thirties or forties are less likely to be active in politics than are those aged 18 to21

1999

2 CHART


26/64

2002

13. Which of the following statements best describes the organization of the two major political parties inthe United States?

(A) Parties have no organizations except at the traditional level

(B) Parties are centrally organized to provide a smooth transition from one national campaign tothe next

(C) Parties are organized much like a large corporation, in that decisions flow from national

to state and local levels

(D) Local and state parties have virtually no power in the party system(E) Separate and largely independent party organizations exist at the national, state and local

levels

16/ 17 CHART28. CHART


8. CHART

10. Which of the following statements about Democrats and Republicans is true?(A) City dwellers are more likely to call themselves Republicans than Democrats

(B) Republicans are more likely than Democrats to label themselves

conservatives

(C) African American citizens are more likely to call themselves Republicansthan Democrats

(D) Republicans are more likely than Democrats to believe that adequate medical

care should be guaranteed by the federal government(E) People in working-class occupations are more likely to call themselves

Republicans than Democrats

11. Of the following groups of eligible voters, which is least likely to vote?

(A)The young with low education levels(B) The middle-aged with low education levels

(C)Middle-aged and older women(D) Blue-collar workers

(E) Middle-class African American citizens

14. Political parties serve which of the following functions in the United States?

I. Informing the public about political issuesII. Mobilizing voters and getting them to the polls

III. Organizing diverse interests within society

IV. Establishing the rules governing financial contributions to political candidates


27/64

(A) II only

(B) I and II only

(C) III and IV only(D) I, II, and III only

(E) I, III, and IV only

16. Of the following, which best predicts the likelihood that citizens will vote?

(A) Their race

(B) Their religion(C) Their educational level

(D) Their gender

(E) Their region of residence

24. Political socialization is the process by which

(A) the use of private property is regulated by the government(B) governments communicate with each other

(C) public attitudes toward government are measured and reported

(D) political values are passed to the next generation(E) children are trained for successful occupations


8. Which of the following best describes the practice of ticket splitting?

(A) A presidential nominee selects a running mate who can appeal to voter groups whose support

of the nominee is weak(B) A voter chooses the presidential nominee of one major party, but chooses congressional

nominees of the other major party

(C) A mayor orders the local police force to hand out fewer parking violations in the weeksleading up to the general election

(D) A delegate to a national party convention supports the front-runner but remains uncommittedon the party platform

(E) A member of Congress votes against legislation proposed by his or her party leader

10. Compared with political parties in countries such as England and Israel, both of which have

multiparty systems, American political parties are(A) less interested in influencing the outcome of elections

(B) less clearly indentified with consistent political ideologies

(C) less effective at raising money from political supporters(D) better able to reflect the goals of their entire constituencies

(E) more likely to organize around a single issue or goal

23. Successful candidates for the Republican presidential nomination tend to be more conservative

than rank-and-file Republicans because

(A) moderate Republicans are less likely than conservative Republicans to gain widespread

support in the general election(B) most moderate Republicans have approved of the Democratic presidential candidate

(C) most rank-and-file Republicans do not care whether their partys nominee shares their

political views


28/64

(D) party activists, whose political participation is disproportionate to their numbers, tend to bevery conservative

(E) the Republican Party does not allow rank-and-file member to participate in the selection of the

partys nominee

28. A member of which of the following demographic groups is most likely to support a Republican

presidential candidate?(A) White male

(B) White female

(C) African American, male or female

(D) Youths under the age of 25, male or female(E) Individuals earning below poverty-level wages, male or female

43. Of the following groups that have traditionally supported the Democratic Party, which wouldLEAST likely be cited by someone arguing that the Democrats represented only liberal constituencies?

(A) White southerners

(B) Labor union members(C) African Americans

(D) Northern ethnic minorities

(E) Environmentalists

44. The greatest number of American voters identify themselves as

(A) liberal

(B) conservative(C) progressive

(D) reactionary

(E) moderate

45. People who join a political party other than the one to which their parents belong most often do so

because of(A) peer pressure

(B) economic issues(C) religious beliefs

(D) pressure from their employers(E) issues of international politics

46. Which of the following best describes the fate of most popular third-party movements?

(A) They displace one of the two major parties and become major parties themselves

(B) The are ultimately abandoned by the public because their politics are perceived as too radical

(C) Their supporters become frustrated and withdraw from the political process(D) They remain active participants in the American political system indefinitely

(E) They disintegrate when one or both of the major parties adopt the third partys goals


29/64


10 CHART

11. Which of the following is an accurate statement about the leadership of the two major politicalparties?

(A) The national party organization controls all facets of party activity throughout

the country(B) Party leadership is dispersed among numerous officials at the national, state,

and local levels

(C) The highest elected official in each national party directs that partys activities

and operations all the way down to the state and local levels(D) All major decisions concerning party activities are made during each partys

presidential nomination conventions

(E) Prominent former officeholders, such as ex-presidents, lead their respectivepolitical parties

15. Under which of the following conditions are people most likely to vote?(A) When they believe that none of the contested races is close

(B) When media coverage of the election is intense

(C) When the voter is unfamiliar with the candidates(D) When the voter is unaffiliated with a political party

(E) During a midterm election

37. The absence of a political party solely dedicated to labor and working class issues in the UnitedStates

(A) the membership of committees often over-represents

(B) is the result of government restrictions placed on the political activities of labor unions(C) reflects the difficulty of unifying a party around a single issues in a winner-take-all f format

(D) demonstrates that, in the United States, most political issues regarding workers have been

decided in the workers favor(E) illustrates that race, not class, is the primary political division in the United States

44. All of the following contribute to lower voting rates among Americans in the 18-to-25 age bracket

EXCEPT(A) college attendance in a state other than ones home state

(B) frequent relocation of ones primary residence

(C) the remoteness of most political issues to the daily lives of young people(D) the fact that the minimum voting age in some states is 21

(E) military service

46. When the Democratic Party pursues liberal social policies, it is most likely to alienate which of its

traditional bases?

(A) People holding advanced academic degrees(B) Northeastern city dwellers

(C) Southerners

(D) Jewish Americans

(E) Urban African Americans

53. Which of the following is true of most third parties in U.S. history?

(A) They arose and succeeded during times of prosperity


30/64

(B) They were created to protest wars(C) At some point they won a majority of seats in Congress

(D) They flourished during periods of widespread dissatisfaction

(E) They arose in response to increased government regulation

56. Which of the following statements about voting patterns is NOT true?

(A) Non-whites are more likely to vote Democratic than are whites(B) Women are more likely to vote Democratic than are men

(C) Low-income Americans are more likely to vote Democratic than are upper-

income Americans

(D) Fundamentalists are more likely to vote Democratic than are non-religiousAmericans

(E) Homosexuals are more likely to vote Democratic than are heterosexuals

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH1989

2. A first-term member of the House of Representatives from North Dakota who wished to maximizeopportunities for constituent service would be opportunities for constituent service would be most

likely to seek placement on which of the following?

(A) Judiciary

(B) Agriculture


31/64

(C) Rules(D) Foreign affairs

(E) Science and technology

3. In the last years, the single most important variable in determining the outcome of an election for a

member of the House of Representatives has been

(A) Incumbency(B) Personal wealth

(C) Previous political offices held in the district

(D) Membership in the political party of the President

(E) Positions on key social issues

4. The power of the Rules Committee in the House of Representatives rests on its authority to

(A) Choose the chairs of other standing committees and issues rules for the selection ofsubcommittee chairs

(B) Initiate all spending legislation and hold budget hearings

(C) Place a bill on the legislative calendar, limit time for debate, and determine the type ofamendments allowed

(D) Determine the procedures by which nominations by the President will be approved by the

House(E) Choose the President if no candidate wins a majority in the electoral college

18. The details of legislation are usually worked out in which of the following settings?

(A) A party caucus(B) the majority leaders house

(C) The floor of the House

(D) Legislative hearings(E) A subcommittee

21. Pork barrel legislation helps the reelection chances of a member of Congress because suchlegislation

(A) gives the member of Congress national standing and coverage on national television news(B) helps earn the member of Congress a reputation for service to his or her district

(C) attracts campaign contributions from ideological political action committees (PACs)(D) prevents other candidates from claiming that the member of Congress is too liberal for his or

her district

(E) requires the member of Congress to travel extensively

34. Most of the bills introduced in the House and the Senate are then(A) passed by one chamber but not the other

(B) passed by both chambers but vetoed by the President

(C) referred to committee but never sent to the full Congress(D) voted down during the amendment stage of the floor debate

(E) killed in the Rules Committee

36. A President may persuade recalcitrant members of Congress to vote for a particular bill by(A) having members who oppose the bill transferred to unpopular committees

(B) denying campaign funds to members who oppose the bill

(C) threatening to deny re-nomination to members who oppose the bill


32/64

(D) regulating certain industries to protect the public interest(E) increasing the Presidents patronage powers

40. Which of the following has decreased in Congress over the past thirty years?(A) the chances of members reelection

(B) the influence of committee chairs

(C) the power of subcommittees(D) the total number of congressional staff employees

(E) the cost of congressional elections

49. CHART

52. Congress has exerted the greatest influence on the operation of a federal agency by doing which of the

following?(A) Requiring the agency to participate in interagency task forces

(B) Dismissing and agency head who disagrees with congressional priorities

(C) Reviewing the annual budget appropriations for the agency(D) Passing sunset legislation that terminates programs after a certain period

(E) Asking the Supreme Court for advisory opinions on agency regulations

60. Debate of a bill in the House of Representatives under a closed rule means that

(A) the bill can only be amended by section

(B) debate on the bill will consist of five-minute speeches, pro and con

(C) only senior members are allowed to participate(D) amendments to the bill cannot be offered

(E) the bill must be approved by two-thirds of the House

1999

8. The role of a conference committee in Congress is to(A) hold hearings on proposed legislation

(B) oversee the actions of the executive branch of the government(C) decide which bills should be considered by the full Senate

(D) conduct hearings that make information available to the public(E) reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate

10. The committee system is more important in the House than in the Senate because

(A) the seniority system plays no role in the House and therefore committees must play a larger

role(B) the Constitution mandates the type of committee structure in the House

(C) committee members are appointed by the President

(D) the House is so large that more work can be accomplished in committees than on the floor

(E) the majority party in the House prefers to give priority to the work of committees

21. Congressional standing committees are best described as

(A) specially appointed investigative bodies


33/64

(B) joint committees of the two houses of Congress(C) committees created for each session

(D) permanent subject-matter committees

(E) advisory staff agencies

23. In which of the following did Congress move to regain powers previously lost to the executive branch?

(A) Budget and Impoundment Control Act(B) Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act

(C) Presidential Disability Act

(D) Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

(E) Persian Gulf War Resolution

25. Which of the following actions can Congress take if the Supreme Court finds a federal law

unconstitutional?(A) Appeal the Courts decision to the District of Columbias Court of Appeals

(B) Formally request the President to veto the Courts decision

(C) Remove certain members of the Court and replace them with new members(D) Try to amend the Constitution

(E) Reenact the same law

26. Which of the following statements about Congress is true?

(A) Members of Congress only occasionally are interested in and pay attention to constituents

(B) The legislative process is frequently lengthy, decentralized, and characterized by compromise

and bargaining(C) Lobbyists and political action committees (PACs) successfully induce most members of

Congress to trade with votes for campaign contributions

(D) The growth in the size of Congress as an organization is the principal cause of growth in thefederal budget deficit

(E) Debate in both houses is structured by elaborate rules enacted by leaders of the majority party

28. In the 1992 election, the membership of Congress was altered significantly by an increase in

the number of(A) conservative Democrats

(B) liberal Republicans(C) third-party representatives

(D) political independents

(E) minorities and women

35. Which of the following statements about rules of procedure in the House and Senate is correct?

(A) Debate by a determined minority in either chamber cannot be halted(B) The rules in each chamber are determined by the majority whip

(C) The rules are specified in Article I of the Constitution

(D) The rules can be changed by the President during a national emergency(E) The House operates more by formal rules, while the Senate operates more on informal

understandings

43. One of the formal tools used by Congress for oversight of the bureaucracy is(A) the line-item veto

(B) authorization of spending

(C) impoundment bills


34/64

(D) private bills(E) senatorial courtesy

52. The congressional power that has been contested most frequently in the federal courts is thepower to

(A) establish post offices

(B) coin money(C) levy taxes

(D) regulate commerce with foreign nations

(E) regulate interstate commerce

53. Which of the following is an accurate statement about committees in Congress?

(A) The work of a committee ends when it submits a bill to the full House or Senate for

consideration(B) An individual representative or senator can serve on only one committed and one

subcommittee

(C) Membership on key committees such as House Rules and Senate Finance is limited tofixed terms

(D) Standing committees oversee the bureaucracys implementation of legislation

(E) Committee recommendations tend to have little influence on floor voting

55. Which of the following for an iron triangle?

(A) President, Congress, Supreme Court

(B) President, House majority leader, Senate majority leader(C) Interest group, Senate majority leader, House majority leader

(D) Executive department, House majority leader, President

(E) Executive department, Congressional committee, interest group

2002

11. Which of the following committees of the House of Representatives sets the conditions for debate andamendment of most legislation?

(A) Ways and Means(B) Appropriation

(C) Judiciary(D) Rules

(E) Government Operations

22. The franking privilege refers to the

(A) Federal Reserve Boards control over interest rates

(B) practice of permitting senators to preview lists of judicial nominees(C) practice whereby legislators with the most seniority select the committees on which they want

to serve

(D) right of the chair to control the schedule of his or her congressional committee(E) right of members of Congress to send mail to their constituents at the governments expense

51. A major difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate is that

(A) filibusters are possible only in the House(B) revenue bills must originate in the Senate

(C) judicial nominations originate in a House committee

(D) each state has equal representation in the House but not in the Senate


35/64

(E) there is unlimited debate in the Senate but not in the House

54. To which of the following congressional committees would a proposal to reform the national income-

tax system initially be sent?(A) House Appropriations Committee

(B) House Ways and Means Committee

(C) House Budget Committee(D) Senate Budget Committee

(E) Senate Finance Committee


3. The voting patterns of members of Congress correlate most strongly with

(A) the population density of their districts(B) their economic background

(C) their educational level

(D) their political party affiliation(E) the location of their districts

13. A member of the House of Representatives who wished to be influential in the House itself wouldmost likely seek a place on which of the following committees?

(A) Agriculture

(B) International Relations

(C) Transportation and Infrastructure(D) Rules

(E) Veterans Affairs


9. The Rules Committee is considered among the most powerful in the House of Representatives becauseit has great power over the

(A) ethical conduct of House members(B) selection of federal judges

(C) number of subcommittees that a standing committee may establish at any given time(D) scheduling of votes and the conditions under which bills are debated and amended

(E) regulations governing federal elections

11. Which of the following people would most likely be accused of influence peddling?

(A) A congressperson who retires to take a position teaching political science at a university

(B) A former president who advises a current president on a particular foreign policy issue(C) A voter who researches the positions of all candidates in a race before choosing whom to

support

(D) A judge who consistently hands down the maximum sentence to convicted felons(E) An official who leaves the State Department to work as a paid consultant to foreign

governments

19. The line-item veto was found unconstitutional because(A) it gave executive powers to the legislature

(B) it gave legislative powers to the bureaucracy

(C) it gave legislative powers to the president


36/64

(D) it delegated too many powers to the states(E) it permitted the Senate to use judicial review to reverse the House of Representatives

24. Those who argue that the House of Representatives is the government institution most responsive tothe will of the public are most likely to cite as evidence the fact that

(A) congressional reelection campaigns are extremely costly

(B) term limits may soon restrict the number of years a congressperson may serve(C) Congress has oversight power over many executive agencies

(D) average citizens may, on occasion, be called to testify before a congressional committee

(E) representatives must run for reelection every two years

26. Which of the following generally results when the Senate and House of Representatives pass different

versions of the same bill?

(A) The president signs the version he prefers(B) The bill goes back to each houses committee and restarts the legislative process

(C) All amendments to the bill are invalidated, and the original version of the bill is sent to the

president to sign(D) The Senates version of the bill is sent to the president because the Senate is the higher

legislative body

(E) The two legislative bodies form a conference committee

33. Congresss power to determine national policy

(A) usually increases as a presidents popularity decreases, and vice versa

(B) has declined steadily since the ratification of the Constitution(C) is severely limited by the elastic clause of the Constitution

(D) increases during times of war

(E) stems primarily from its control over the judicial branch

37. Before serving in the House of Representatives or Senate, the greatest number of federal legislators

(A) own and operate small businesses(B) are professional athletes

(C) teach political science at the college level(D) work as journalists

(E) earn law degrees

38. A member of the House of Representatives wishing to influence tax policy would most likely try to

serve on which of the following committees?(A) Commerce

(B) Ways and Means

(C) Education and the Workforce(D) Resources

(E) Judiciary

50. The largest portion of the federal budget covers the costs of

(A) national defense

(B) social welfare programs

(C) interest on the national debt(D) entitlement programs

(E) tax collection


37/64

51. Which of the following accurately describes congressional committees?

I. The committee chairpersons always belong to the majority party

II. Seats on each committee are divided between the two major parties in exactproportion to the parties representation in Congress

III. They recommend whether Congress should pass various pieces of legislation, and those

recommendations are always approved by the full congressional bodyIV. When a committee vote results in a tie, the vice president casts the tie breaking vote

(A) I only

(B) II only(C) I and III only

(D) II and III only

(E) I, II, and IV only


18. Which committee in the House of Representatives determines the procedure by which bills are debated

and amended?

(A) Ways and Means(B) Judiciary

(C) Ethics

(D) Rules

(E) Government Reform

24. Incumbent members of the House of Representatives win reelection more often than incumbent

senators for all of the following reasons EXCEPT(A) representatives constituents more often belong largely to the representatives party

(B) senators have more political power than representatives, and Senate races are accordingly

contested more aggressively(C) representatives may use federal funds to publicize their achievements via direct mail to

constituents(D) representatives more often run uncontested

(E) the fact that Senate races are held statewide generates more media coverage and thus morepublic awareness

26. Congress would be required to use the elastic clause of the Constitution to

(A) change citizenship requirements(B) impose workplace safety standards

(C) increase tax rates

(D) authorize the treasury to print money(E) declare war

33. Congress has attempted to protect independent regulatory agencies from political influence byrequiring that each agency

(A) be led by a group of commissioners representing both major political parties

(B) plan policy cooperatively with the appropriate congressional committees

(C) reapply for funding at the end of each fiscal year(D) submit all planned policy changes to the president for approval

(E) seek the advice and cooperation of the industries they regulate


38/64

36. They opinions of congressional committees often fail to accurately mirror public opinion because(A) the membership of committees often over represents constituencies with the greatest stake in

the committees business

(B) most committees are too small to include representatives of all popular opinions(C) the minority party controls nearly half of all committees

(D) committee members often lose track of their constituents priorities because of their frequent

contact with special-interest lobbyists(E) committee members rely primarily on their legislative aides to develop their positions on

committee business

45. Which of the following defines salience of a political issue?(A) The amount of coverage the issue receives in the major news media

(B) The degree to which public opinion on the issue is likely to shift quickly

(C) The number of people affected by the issue(D) The degree to which the issue can be addressed through government action

(E) The importance of the issue to a particular individual or group

52. House members are more concerned about their committee assignments than are senators

because

(A) House members may serve on only one committee at a time(B) Senate committees have relatively little power to alter legislation

(C) bills in the Senate must pass through all committees before reaching the floor

(D) senators may change their committee assignments whenever they wish

(E) the rules make it extremely difficult for representatives to influence legislation on theHouse floor

55. Which of the following is true of Congresses power of oversight?(A) Congressional oversight activities most often take place at the committee and

subcommittee level

(B) State challenges to congressional oversight have severely weakened Congresssoversight powers

(C) Congressional oversight is primarily directed at the judicial branch(D) Constituent input does not influence congressional oversight

(E) Congressional oversight primarily concerns Congresss power to discipline its ownmembers

59. Filibusters are less likely to occur in the House of Representatives than in the Senate because(A) Senate decorum forbids one senator from attempting to stop anothers speech

(B) the House meets for substantially fewer hours per day than does the Senate

(C) Senate sessions, unlike House sessions, are open to the public(D) debate in the House is in most instances strictly regulated by the rules

(E) all speeches in the House are delivered by the House Speaker


39/64

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

1989

7. The activities of the Federal Reserve Board have the most direct influence on(A) bank interest rates

(B) government spending

(C) oil prices(D) troop-strength levels of the armed services

(E) availability of scarce minerals

8. Which of the following statements most accurately compares election s in the Untied States with those

in most other Western democracies?

(A) United States citizens have fewer opportunities to vote in elections

(B) Political parties exert a stronger influence over voting in the United States


40/64

(C) There are fewer obstacles to voting the in the United States(D) There are more political parties in the United States

(E) The voter turnout in the United States is usually lowers

19. Which of the following is responsible for the preparation of executive spending proposals submitted to

Congress?

(A) Treasury Departments(B) Council of Economic Advisors

(C) Federal Trade Commission

(D) Department of Commerce

(E) Office of Management and Budget

20. In United States v. Nixon the Supreme Court rule that

(A) the judicial branch should not intervene in political disputes between the President andCongress

(B) presidential power is not automatically extended during times of national emergency

(C) Presidents must account to the Court for the way in which they implement policy(D) there is no constitutional guaranteed of unqualified executive exchange

(E) the President does not have the power of and item veto over congressional legislation

23. All of the following are formal or informal sources of presidential power EXCEPT

(A) presidential authority to raise revenue

(B) presidential access to the media

(C) precedents set during previous administrations(D) public support

(E) the Constitution

24. An advantage that bureaucrats in federal government have over the President in the policymaking

process is that bureaucrats

(A) control the budget process(B) have an independence from the President that is guaranteed by the Constitution

(C) find it easier to marshall public support than does the President(D) usually have a continuity of service in the executive branch that the President lacks

(E) have better access to the media than does the President

27. Which of the following would result from the direct election of presidential candidates?(A) A national primary would be established

(B) Party nominating conventions would be abolished

(C) Each vote would count equally in determining which candidate won the election(D) The electoral college would become more influential in the electoral process

(E) Third-Party candidates would have less chance of winning the election

28. Since 1960 the presidential election process has been affected by and increase in all of the

following EXCEPT the

(A) proportion of independents in the electorate

(B) influence of political consultants(C) number of primaries

(D) turnout of voters

(E) role of television


41/64

36. A President may persuade recalcitrant members of Congress to vote for a particular bill by

(A) having members who oppose the bill transferred to unpopular committees

(E) denying camping funds to members who oppose the bill(C) threatening to deny re-nomination to members who oppose the bill

(D) threatening to item veto part of a different bill that enjoys bipartisan support in

Congress(E) making a direct appeal to the public through the mass media

37. In general, independent regulatory commissions are created primary for the purpose of(A) supporting and helping cabinet-level departments

(B) proposing policy alternatives during period of crises

(C) regulating the activities of other bureaucratic agencies to ensure that they act in a fair anobjective manner

(D) regulating certain industries to protect the public interest

(E) increasing the Presidents patronage powers

38, The Presidents veto power is accurately described by which of the following statements?

I. A President sometimes threatens to veto a bill that is under discussion in order to influence

congressional decision-making

II. A President typically vetoes about a third of the bills passed through CongressIII.. Congress is usually unable to override a Presidents veto

(A) I only(B) III only

(C) I and III only

(D) II and III only(E) I, II, and III

41. Invocation of the War Powers Act of 1973 would be most important in determining which of the

following?

(A) The nature of the commitment of United States Marine to a peace-keeping role

ap multiple choice questions by subject

Documents