Unit 2 AP Comp Multiple Choice

One difference between the parliamentary and presidential forms of government is that the presidential form

makes the executive electorally independent of other branches of government

The common law system, especially as practiced in Great Britain, is based on

the use of precedents to guide legal decisions

Which of the following assertions is used by the author to support the claim in the passage?

López Obrador is attempting to control judicial decision making

Which of the following is a feature shared by the political systems of Great Britain and Russia?

Separate individuals serving as head of state and head of government

Which of the following is the most substantial cause of the weak judiciary in Russia?

The executive branch, which appoints judges, uses the courts to target opposition.

The types of motions discussed in the passage are most common only in countries with

parliamentary systems

Which of the following is typically a function of the head of state in a parliamentary system?

Greeting new foreign ambassadors

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of a head of state and a head of government?

A head of state generally serves as the symbolic political representative of the nation, while a head of government is the official responsible for running the government.

Iran and China share which of the following institutional arrangements?

A national assembly with only limited powers to oversee the executive and enact laws

Which of the following explains why a country would choose a parliamentary system over a presidential system?

A parliamentary system does not divide powers among as many branches of government, so it is more efficient.

Which description below most accurately describes Iran's Islamic republic?

A unitary government with a dual executive whose prerogatives and responsibilities are specified in the Constitution

If Mr. Downie's prediction was accurate, which of the following would have been likely to occur?

A vote of no confidence would have been staged and James Callaghan would have been removed from office

Which of the following is a similarity between the political systems of Mexico and Iran?

Both countries have popularly elected presidents.

Which of the following accurately describes a similarity between the parliamentary system of the United Kingdom and the presidential system of Mexico?

Both systems have a cabinet that advises the chief executive.

Which of the following statements is true with regard to the judicial systems in Nigeria and Iran?

Both systems have elements of Shari'ah law incorporated into their judicial systems.

Which answer best describes one of the author's claims in the passage?

Both the president and legislature have democratic legitimacy, but conflicts may arise between the two institutions over policy disputes.

Which of the following is true of a presidential system?

Cabinet members operate more independently of the legislature in a presidential system than in a parliamentary system.

Which of the following institutions most limit the exercise of independent legislative power?

China's Standing Committee of the Politburo and Iran's Guardian Council

For citizens involved in legal disputes with the government in China and the United Kingdom, which of the following best explains the likely outcome?

Citizens in China are less likely to receive a fair trial because the judicial system is governed by rule by law, whereas the United Kingdom's judicial system is governed by rule of law.

Which of the following is a role of the supreme leader and explains why Khamenei has the authority to take the actions described by the authors?

Commander in chief

Which of the following statements accurately compare the parliamentary systems of China and the United Kingdom?

Even though China and the United Kingdom have parliamentary systems, they differ in how they choose their leadership: there is little competition over the selection of China's premier, while the selection of the United Kingdom's prime minister is competitive.

Which of the following best explains different checks that legislatures have on the executive in the United Kingdom and Mexico?

Even though the United Kingdom and Mexico have different types of political systems, in both countries the legislature can be a powerful check on the executive.

Which of the following explains a potentially negative consequence of executive term limits?

Executive term limits can force effective executives out of office

Which of the following is an accurate explanation of an advantage of executive term limits?

Executive term limits can prevent executives from consolidating power.

Which of the following is true of Iran's Supreme Leader?

He has the power to appoint half of the members of the Guardian Council

Which of the following best explains a major source of power for a president in a presidential system?

In addition to serving as head of government, head of state, and commander in chief, a president often appoints people to several positions in all three branches of government.

Which of the following legislative functions is similar in Iran and Russia?

In both countries, the legislature reviews and oversees the budget.

Which of the following most accurately compares the national legislatures of Iran and the United Kingdom?

In both countries, the legislatures approve legislation and oversee the budget.

In comparing the legislatures of the United Kingdom and Mexico, which of the following statements is true?

In both countries, the lower house is popularly elected.

Which of the following sets of contrasts is true for all parliamentary and presidential systems?

In parliamentary systems, the legislative and executive branches are fused, while in presidential systems they are separate.

Which of the following is an accurate description of a difference in the legislative structures of the countries?

In the United Kingdom, the upper house is not elected, while in Nigeria, the upper house is elected.

Which of the following is a potential implication of the "flood the system" strategy discussed by the authors in the passage for Iran's legislative system?

It has the potential to elect more reformers to political office.

Which of the following is true of the bureaucracy in Mexico?

It is a major source of employment within Mexico.

Which of the following is the best description of Great Britain's Fixed-Term Parliaments Act of 2011 ?

It mandates that parliamentary elections must occur every five years starting in 2015

Which of the following caused the British government to establish a Supreme Court of the United Kingdom in 2009 ?

It was determined that a permanent legal body be established with jurisdiction to resolve disputes relating to devolution in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

Which of the following best describes how judiciaries remain independent from other branches of government?

Judiciaries overrule executive and legislative actions.

Which of the following best describes the authors' evidence that Supreme Leader Khamenei sided with President Ahmadinejad in the aftermath of the 2009 presidential election in Iran?

Khamenei used the Revolutionary Guard to preserve the status quo by suppressing protests

The institution in Iran that makes laws related to civil liberties is the

Majles

Which of the following would have been the most effective way to prevent the Callaghan government from falling in a vote of no confidence?

Mr. Callaghan could have worked closer with members of the Labour Party and minor parties to earn support.

According to the Chinese constitution, formal power of governing rests with the

National People's Congress

Which of the following pairs of countries have a parliamentary bicameral system?

Nigeria and Mexico

Russia's prime minister is primarily responsible for which of the following?

Overseeing the civil service

Which of the following is an implication of the author's argument?

Passing laws on policy may be more efficient in parliamentary governments because the legislative and executive branches are fused.

Which of the following is a consequence of the bicameral legislature in both Mexico and the United Kingdom?

Policy making is slowed because both chambers participate in the policy-making process.

Nigeria's head of state is the

President

In the British political system, effective policy- making power rests primarily with the

Prime Minister and cabinet

Which of the following pairs of countries has a bicameral national legislature?

Russia and Britain

In which two countries does the legislative branch have the power of impeachment?

Russia and Nigeria

Which of the following countries have bicameral legislatures?

Russia and Nigeria

Which of the following statements best describes the judiciary in Russia and Nigeria?

Russia's government uses the judicial system to target opposition, and Islamic Sharia Courts have been established in northern Nigeria.

The political institution that exerts the most power in China is the

Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party

Which of the following is an accurate description of the Mexican judiciary?

Supreme Court justices are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

Which of the following statements concerning Mexican and Nigerian politics is most accurate?

Supreme courts in both countries can exercise judicial review.

Which of the following accurately explains an outcome of differing judicial systems among the Comparative Government course countries?

The British judiciary uses common law to enforce rule of law, whereas the Russian judiciary uses the judiciary to target opposition.

Which of the following best explains why, between general elections, the British prime minister is more likely than the president of Mexico to be replaced between general elections?

The British prime minister can be removed by members of Parliament (MPs), while the Mexican president can be removed only by the impeachment process.

Which of the following is a difference between the parliamentary systems of China and the United Kingdom?

The House of Commons features Question Time and gives members the chance to question the prime minister, which does not occur in the National People's Congress.

Which of the following best explains the role of the judiciary in China?

The Chinese judiciary promotes rule by law instead of rule of law, resulting in a judicial system that is subservient to the Communist Party.

Which of the following institutions in Iran has the ultimate authority to assess the compatibility of laws with Islam?

The Guardian Council

Which of the following have veto power over legislation passed by the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majles) ?

The Guardian Council and the Supreme Leader

Which of the following expresses the role that the Guardian Council plays in Iran's electoral process, according to the passage?

The Guardian Council vets all of the candidates seeking political office in Iran to make sure that all candidates have proper qualifications.

Which of the following describes an accurate difference between executive term limits in Iran and in Mexico?

The Iranian president is limited to two terms, whereas the Mexican president is limited to one term.

. Which of the following are the two most powerful policy-making institutions in Iran?

The Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majles) and the Guardian Council

Which of the following are the two most powerful policy-making institutions in Iran?

The Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majles) and the Guardian Council

Which of the following best explains how power in the National People's Congress is constrained?

The National People's Congress is subservient to the Politburo Standing Committee, which is the actual center of power in China.

Which of the following best explains why many respondents to the poll agreed that the statement "The court system treats everyone fairly" described Nigeria well?

The Nigerian government has made an effort to reduce corruption in the judicial system by protecting the power of judicial review and independence.

Which of the following best describes how the president is removed in Nigeria?

The Nigerian president is removed through impeachment proceedings in the legislature

Which of the following is an accurate description of the executive in Nigeria?

The Nigerian president is the head of state and conducts foreign policy.

Which of the following is a difference between the prime minister of Russia and the prime minister of the United Kingdom?

The Russian prime minister may be removed by the president, while the British prime minister may be removed as a result of a vote of no confidence.

Which of the following is an argument that the authors would make about elections in Iran, based on the passage?

The authors would argue that the role that the Guardian Council plays in the Iranian electoral system prevents elections in Iran from being truly competitive.

. In Russia, the Yukos trial and the subsequent imprisonment of Mikhail Khodorkovsky reflected which of the following?

The continued weakening of the rule of law in Russia

Which of the following is a consequence of the establishment of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom in 2009 ?

The doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty remains intact, which means the Supreme Court has limited powers and cannot overturn parliamentary legislation.

Which of the following best explains why the policy-making process in the United Kingdom is usually more efficient than in Mexico?

The fusion of executive and legislative power in the United Kingdom leads to fewer institutional obstacles to enacting policy, whereas the divided branch powers in Mexico make it more difficult.

Which of the following can be considered a fundamental feature of parliamentary government?

The head of government can be dismissed through a vote of no confidence in the assembly.

Which of the following is an effect of fused executive and legislative branches in parliamentary systems?

The legislature can remove the executive without an impeachment proceeding.

The role of the executive in Nigeria is similar to that of the executive in Mexico in which of the following ways?

The legislature has a constitutional check on the executive.

Which of the following is a check on the executive in both a presidential and a parliamentary system?

The legislature may refuse to pass executive proposed legislation.

Which of the following is true of the cabinet in both Mexico and Nigeria?

The legislature must approve cabinet members nominated by the executive.

Who selects the head of the British government?

The majority party in the House of Commons

Which of the following is a correct explanation of the limited power of the Iranian Majles?

The power of the Majles is limited because the Iranian Constitution created a theocratic state with democratic characteristics, with religious leaders having more power in the system.

Which of the following correctly describes the relationship between the Mexican Supreme Court of Justice and other political institutions in Mexico?

The president has the power to appoint or nominate members to the National Supreme Court of Justice.

Which of the following best explains the effect of the president's combined role as both head of state and head of government in countries such as Nigeria and Mexico?

The president is responsible for both executing the laws and representing the state.

Which of the following is often true about semi-presidential systems?

The president usually nominates the prime minister, which implies that the prime minister would support the president's policy agenda.

Russia's constitution provides for a semipresidential system in which of the following ways?

The president's choice for prime minister must be approved by the Duma

Which of the following sets the overall state agenda, serves as commander in chief, and appoints half the Guardian Council and all members of the Expediency Council in Iran?

The supreme leader

Chinese leaders Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin gained their political authority and effective political power from which of the following?

Their position as general secretary

Which of the following is an accurate feature of the judiciary in China?

There is no independent judicial review

The primary difference between a commander in chief in a democratic regime and a commander in chief in an authoritarian regime is that only in

a democratic regime is the commander in chief accountable to the citizens

Russia and Nigeria share all of the following characteristics EXCEPT

a parliamentary system

In Iran, the head of the judiciary is

appointed by the Supreme Leader

The political systems of Mexico, Nigeria, and Russia all have

bicameral legislatures based partly on regions and partly on population

In recent years, all of the following reforms have been instituted in China EXCEPT

creation of an independent judiciary

The main duty of China's Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) is to

draft and passes legislation

The primary purpose of the Question Hour in the British Parliament is to

hold government ministers accountable for their actions

One of the primary functions of Russia's Constitutional Court is to

exercise judicial review

In Great Britain, the title "chancellor of the exchequer" refers to the

finance minister

Parliamentary systems differ from presidential systems in that the head of government in a parliamentary system

is selected by the legislature, while a President is not

The use of judicial review in the United Kingdom is limited because

judicial review is seen as violating the principle of parliamentary sovereignty

One similarity between the Prime Minister of Russia and the Prime Minister of Great Britain is that both

may be removed as a result of votes of no confidence in the lower house of the legislature

In Nigeria, Shari'ah law is part of the legal system in the

northern region

Bureaucrats are best described as

officials who are responsible for the implementation of public policy

In Great Britain, the House of Lords has the power to

postpone the enactment of legislation

Divided government is possible in Mexico because it is a

presidential system

Different political parties can control the legislative and executive branches in Mexico and Nigeria because both countries have

presidential systems

In addition to its basic lawmaking function, the Federation Council of the Russian Federation also has the power to

ratify treaties and approve troop deployments

In Iran, the concept of jurist guardianship states that

senior clerics have authority over the entire community

The power of the Russian prime minister is more limited than the power of the prime minister in the United Kingdom because

the Russian prime minister is limited by a much more powerful head of state

A successful vote of no confidence in a parliamentary system means that

the government steps down and a new government must be formed

Rule of law is stronger in the United Kingdom than it is in Russia because

the judiciary in the United Kingdom is independent, whereas the judiciary in Russia is not

In a parliamentary system, a minimum winning coalition refers to

the smallest number of parties necessary to command a majority in an assembly