practice exam 3 mcq
Which best describes a likely reason for the information depicted in the graph?
An increase in concerns over media bias
Based on the data, which of the following is the most likely consequence for the legislative process in Congress?
An increase in gridlock and failure to compromise on legislation
Which of the following illustrates a situation that would not be protected by the First Amendment due to time, place, and manner restrictions?
Antibusiness protestors are arrested and prosecuted for shutting down major intersections in New York City's Times Square during rush hour.
Which of the following describes the origin of the United States court system presented in the diagram?
Article III of the Constitution established a Supreme Court, while other federal courts were established by Congress.
Which of the following most accurately depicts a member of Congress adhering to the delegate model of representation and a member of Congress adhering to the trustee model of representation in making a legislative decision?
C Delegate Model- A member of the House votes for a bill based on positive polling results about the bill in their district.,Trustee Model- A member of the House votes against a bill that is popular in their district because they believe it violates their own morals.
Which of the following statements best explains the diagram?
Cases arising at both the state and federal level may be appealed to the United States Supreme Court.
Which of the following scenarios best explains how the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment has influenced political behavior?
Civil Rights leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., cited constitutional arguments as a basis for opposing segregation and inequality.
South Carolina passed a law to increase the state tax on gasoline to help fund repairs on highways and bridges. The state tax is in addition to the federal tax on every gallon of gasoline that is sold. Which of the following constitutional provisions does this scenario illustrate?
Concurrent powers
A formula for calculating a state's enslaved population for the purposes of representation was enacted.
Congress exceeded its authority in the use of the commerce clause
"In the last years presidential primacy, so indispensable to the political order, has turned into presidential supremacy. The constitutional Presidency—as events so apparently disparate as the Indochina War and the Watergate affair showed, has become the imperial Presidency and threatens to be the revolutionary Presidency. . . . Based on the passage above, which of the following constitutional provisions would the author most likely identify as a solution to the problem of the imperial presidency?
Congress insisting that it declare war prior to the use of international force
Which of the following is an example of Congress using its implied powers?
Congress passing occupational safety regulations for the private sector
Which of the following represents the most likely way the information in the table will be used?
Congress will use the data to suggest that there is support for their legislative proposals.
Critics of the winner-take-all aspect of the electoral college are most likely to make which of the following arguments?
Critics of the winner-take-all aspect of the electoral college are most likely to make which of the following arguments?
A member of Congress votes in favor of a bill as a result of receiving many letters of support for the bill from constituents. Which form of democratic representation best describes this voting decision?
Delegate
Which constitutional principle best explains the differences in poverty rates presented in the map?
Federalism
In 2013 a parliamentary procedure was implemented in the Senate that allowed a simple majority vote to end debate on Cabinet member confirmations. Which of the following best explains how the procedural change relates to the information in the graphic?
If the procedural change had not occurred, Republican senators would not have been able to immediately invoke cloture of a filibuster.
A member of Congress who advocates for a more Keynesian approach to solving a recession will likely support which of the following policies?
Increasing federal spending programs to improve transportation systems
Which of the following statements about Americans' trust in the mass media is best supported by the data in the graph?
It generally decreased over time.
In 2014, a poll reported that 51 percent of Americans support legislation to reduce carbon emissions, while 47 percent oppose it. The reported margin of sampling error was +/- 4 percent. Which of the following inferences can be made from the poll?
It is unclear whether more people support legislation to reduce carbon emissions than oppose it.
In The Federalist 78, Alexander Hamilton argued that the federal judiciary "is beyond comparison the weakest of the three departments of power." Which of the following statements represents a reason he gave for this argument?
It must depend on the executive for enforcement of its decisions.
In May of 2015, a federal appeals court ruled that the National Security Agency's collection of Americans' phone records was in violation of the USA PATRIOT Act. Which of the following debates is at the center of the national conversation regarding the surveillance program referred to in this scenario?
Liberty versus stability and order
Which of the following scenarios best explains the inclusion of Title IX as part of the Education Amendments of 1972 ?
Members of Congress added the amendment to the bill in response to social movements seeking to address inequality in education for women.
Based on the data in the chart, which of the following is true?
The percentage of liberal decisions made by the Supreme Court on civil rights and civil liberties cases decreased between 1964 and 1996.
"In the last years presidential primacy, so indispensable to the political order, has turned into presidential supremacy. The constitutional Presidency—as events so apparently disparate as the Indochina War and the Watergate affair showed, has become the imperial Presidency and threatens to be the revolutionary Presidency. . . . Which of the following statements is a correct implication of the author's argument?
The perception of multiple crises has led to the growth of an executive branch that is undermining the separation of powers in the government.
Which of the following is true based on information on the map?
The poverty rate in the United States varies by state and region.
"In the last years presidential primacy, so indispensable to the political order, has turned into presidential supremacy. The constitutional Presidency—as events so apparently disparate as the Indochina War and the Watergate affair showed, has become the imperial Presidency and threatens to be the revolutionary Presidency. . . . Which of the following situations best reflects the author's concern about an "imperial" presidency?
The president issuing an increasing number of executive agreements
Which statement best explains the information in the graphic?
The secretary was confirmed by a partisan vote.
The graphic illustrates which of the following statements about political parties?
There is an ongoing debate between political parties over the power and scope of the federal government, even as economic and demographic changes have altered party coalitions.
A political science professor is researching the effects that the Fifteenth and Twenty-Sixth Amendments have had on the American political system. Which of the following is the most likely reason the professor is researching these amendments?
To study the expansion of voting rights
Which of the following scenarios explains how demographic factors affect voter participation in elections?
Wealthier individuals are more likely to become involved in campaigns because they believe that their actions may influence the candidates.
In the last years presidential primacy, so indispensable to the political order, has turned into presidential supremacy. The constitutional Presidency—as events so apparently disparate as the Indochina War and the Watergate affair showed, has become the imperial Presidency and threatens to be the revolutionary Presidency. . . . Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the text by Schlesinger and The Federalist 70 ?
While Schlesinger views centralization of power in the presidency as dangerous, The Federalist 70 views it as vital to the presidency's effectiveness.
Which of the following accurately compares the powers of Congress and the president?
b Congress Has Greater Control-Budgetary policy, President Has Greater Control-Cabinet appointments
Which of the following is an accurate description of the powers of the House of Representatives and the Senate?
b House of Representatives-Initiates all revenue bills, Senate- Confirms presidential appointments
Which of the following is a correct comparison between the United States Constitution and the Articles of Confederation?
b United States Constitution- Granted Congress the power to levy taxes, Articles of Confederation- Granted states alone the power to levy taxes
Which of the following is an example of checks and balances?
A rule issued by a bureaucratic agency may be declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the checks held by the legislative and judicial branches?
A Legislative checks to the judicial branch- Impeaching and removing federal judges, Judicial checks to the legislative branch- Declaring an entire law unconstitutional
Which of the following decisions is most likely to cite the Supreme Court's decision in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969) as a legal precedent in support of the decision?
A decision in favor of students holding signs that protest a new policy
Which of the following was a direct outcome of the Three-Fifths Compromise?
A formula for calculating a state's enslaved population for the purposes of representation was enacted.
Which of the following scenarios is most closely related to the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission(2010) ?
A labor union spends millions of dollars to independently run negative advertisements about a presidential candidate shortly before the election.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it, and to insist upon the institution of a new government . . . Which of the following amendments to the United States Constitution addresses the grievance that a woman is not permitted "to exercise her inalienable right to the elective franchise"?
Nineteenth Amendment
Congress passes a law requiring that all public accommodations provide access for people with disabilities. The United States Supreme Court rules that the law does not apply to the airline industry. Which of the following is the best way for Congress to provide people with disabilities access to the airline industry in light of the Court's ruling?
Pass a new law that specifies that the airlines must provide access for people with disabilities
Which of the following situations is an example of the president using the bully pulpit as a tool for agenda setting?
President Reagan delivering a televised address urging a reduction in federal taxes
A person votes for Democratic candidates based on the belief that the policies of the Democratic Party will be personally beneficial. This type of voting matches which of the following voting behavior models?
Prospective voting
The Supreme Court ruled in McDonald v. Chicago (2010) that a citizen's right to keep and bear arms at home for self-defense is protected from state and federal infringement. Which of the following is most relevant to that decision?
Selective incorporation
Arizona enacted an immigration law in 2010, claiming the legislation complemented existing federal law. The Obama administration disagreed, claiming the state law conflicted with national law. Which clause of the Constitution did the Supreme Court most likely use to strike down a section of the state law?
Supremacy clause
"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it, and to insist upon the institution of a new government . . . The language in the first paragraph of the selection most closely parallels that of which of the following documents?
The Declaration of Independence
Which of the following is an example of the executive branch implementing a public policy passed by Congress?
The Department of Health and Human Services determines eligibility requirements for government assistance.
A person claiming that the House can pass legislation with a simple majority, but the Senate is unlikely to pass legislation unless a bill has the support of a 60-vote supermajority is most likely to cite which of the following institutional differences as the cause of this trend?
The House has strict limits on debate, while the Senate allows unlimited debate.
Which of the following statements regarding political parties is true based on the graphic?
The Republican Party initially emerged as an antislavery political party.
Which of the following is a limitation of the data when drawing a conclusion about the most important problem facing the country in 2017 ?
The data were collected in a short time frame, which does not reveal full-year trends.
A woman is arrested for possessing illegal substances that were obtained after a warrantless search of her home by local police. Which of the following best explains whether the evidence could be used in a criminal trial?
The exclusionary rule, derived from the Fourth Amendment, prevents the evidence from being used against the suspect.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it, and to insist upon the institution of a new government . . . Which of the following best captures a portion of the author's argument?
The government has made women subservient by denying them the right to vote.
The Washington Post receives a top secret report that details how the executive branch mishandled a deal made with a foreign nation regarding nuclear weapons. The executive branch attempts to stop the publishing of the report, but the publishers cite the precedent in New York Times Company v. United States (1971) establishing which of the following legal rules?
The heavy presumption against prior restraint
Which of the following factors most likely led to shifts in Supreme Court decision making over time?
The ideological composition of the justices on the Supreme Court shifted to become less liberal over time.
Which of the following statements represents a trend supported by the data in the bar graph?
The number of House members between the most liberal Republican and the most conservative Democrat decreased between 1982 and 2012.
