Sample of AP Style Stimulus Based Analysis

Sample of AP Style Stimulus Based Analysis

Multiple Choice Questions

The following questions are the type you can expect to find on your summer reading quiz on the first day of school in September. Take note of how it does not test your memorization of content knowledge, but instead tests your understanding of the content by asking you to apply historical thinking skills to stimulus given (primary source excerpt from Ronald Reagan in this case).

Questions 1-5 refer to the excerpt below.

"We haven't built a new long-range bomber for 21 years. . . . Our land-based missiles are increasingly threatened by the many huge, new Soviet ICBM's. . . . At the same time, we're working in the START and INF negotiations with the goal of achieving deep reductions in the strategic and intermediate nuclear arsenals of both sides.

We have also begun the long-needed modernization of our conventional forces. The Army is getting its first new tank in 20 years. The Air Force is modernizing. . . . Our nation needs a superior navy to support our military forces and vital interests overseas. . . . And we're building a real capability to assist our friends in the vitally important Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf region.

This adds up to a major effort, and it isn't cheap.

. . . Back in 1955, payments to individuals took up only about 20 percent of the Federal budget. For nearly three decades, these payments steadily increased and, this year, will account for 49 percent of the budget. By contrast, in 1955 defense took up more than half of the Federal budget. By 1980 this spending had fallen to a low of 23 percent. Even with the increase that I am requesting this year, defense will still amount to only 28 percent of the budget.

The calls for cutting back the defense budget come in nice, simple arithmetic. They're the same kind of talk that led the democracies to neglect their defenses in the 1930's and invited the tragedy of World War II. We must not let that grim chapter of history repeat itself through apathy or neglect."

--Ronald Reagan, address to the nation on Defense and National Security, March 23, 1983

1.Which action of earlier administrations was most rejected by the policy goals supported in this speech?

(A)Containment of the expansion of communist influence

(B)Military action in support of anticommunist regimes worldwide

(C)Economic support for developing nations near communist strongholds

(D)Normalization of relations with communist nations

2.Which statement best characterizes the effect that the Reagan administration sought to achieve through the above policy?

(A)Investment in military technology would spur economic growth.

(B)Heavy arms spending would display U.S. military commitment in the Cold War.

(C)Shared development of new military technology would ease relations with communist countries.

(D)Rapid escalation of missile power would end rising tensions between Eastern and Western Europe.

3.In keeping with the spirit of his Cold War stance reflected in the above excerpt, Reagan pursued which of the following foreign policies?

(A)Supporting stricter control over the aeronautics industry in supplying U.S. military needs

(B)Initially supporting arms control treaties

(C)Employing military action in developing countries against any internal, ideologically communist-leaning forces

(D)Promoting American aid organizations to provide direct humanitarian assistance to impoverished countries, in order to lessen their likelihood of falling into communist hands

4.Despite Reagan’s stance, as reflected in the above speech, which of the following eventually led Reagan to negotiate a significant nuclear arms control agreement with then Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev?

(A)Gorbachev’s sincerity in reforming Soviet politics

(B)Gorbachev’s reckless and threatening rhetoric leading to fear of a nuclear confrontation

(C)Increased public demonstrations in the U.S. and Europe for nuclear arms control

(D)Gorbachev offering deep concessions, in light of Reagan’s military initiative to build a “shield” against nuclear missiles using lasers and satellites

5.Which of the following is a reasonable argument tying Reagan’s military stance to the ending of the Cold War?

(A)The U.S. strong military build-up encouraged Soviet satellite nations to rebel.

(B)The Soviets were losing military control over its satellite countries.

(C)The Soviets could not economically keep up with the U.S. in military build-up.

(D)The Soviet people, fearing U.S. military attack, urged Gorbachev to start reforms.

Answer Key:

1)D

2)B

3)C

4)A

5)C