INTRODUCTION TO GOVERNMENT
1) One of the most fundamental concepts of US government is that the
A) United States is a direct democracy.D) National government’s supremacy power
B) United States is the “melting pot” of the worldE) Protection of natural rights
C) Economic equality
2) For most societies, government is
A) Based on a form of democracy
B)Not relevant to the average person in his or her daily activity.
C)Ultimately the authority, which controls the policy agenda.
D)Formulated by individuals who have received formal training.
E)An institution that links people to their policymakers
3) A major reason that the public will comply with the decisions of the US government is that the people
A)Understand that government makes nearly all the decisions
B)Consider government to be sacred
C)Are socialized by public schools to adhere to government policies
D)Believe government actions are appropriate, legal and correct
E)Will do as they are told
4)Which of the following is not a linkage institution?
A) media B) Congressmen C) political parties D) elections E) political action committees
5)What kind of government was established by the US Constitution?
A) direct democracy B) limited monarchy C) unitary system D) representative democracy E) oligarchy
6) Which of the following describes a system of government in which the ultimate political authority is vested in the people?
A) anarchy B) democracy C) dictatorship D) proletariat E) sovereign immunity
7) For many centuries, any form of democracy was considered
A)A dangerous and unstable approach to governmentD) a major obstacle to communism
B)The only legitimate form of a governmentE) the best form of government
C)Necessary, but impossible to achieve
8)The framers of the Constitution believed in all of the following concepts EXCEPT:
A) federalism D) representative democracy
B) limited government E) economic equality
C) consent of the governed
9)Class-elitists believe that elections are
A)necessary evilsD) effective forms of democracy
B)a means to placate the massesE) the most important form of political participation
C)often fraudulent and unreliable
10) Which of the following political theories claims that US public policy results from a compromise among many competing interest groups?
A) hyperpluralism B) communism C) class-elitism D) democratic E) pluralism
11) Two relatively moderate positions on the political spectrum of the United States that have dominated for decades are
A)Liberalism and Conservatism D) Socialism and Capitalism
B)Elitism and Pluralism E) Liberalism and Libertarianism
C)Majority and Minority
12) In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote that individuals should establish “a government deriving its just powers from the consent of the governed,” meaning that the government
A)Has the power to govern the peopleD) makes laws that people must obey
B)Obtains authority from the peopleE) allows people to have a voice
C)Has limited authority due to separation of powers
13) Which of the following methods of participation is NOT used by people to shape the institutions that make binding decisions for society?
A) contributions to political partiesD) paying taxes
B) votingE) protests in front of government buildings
C) campaigning for candidates
14) One theory about why more people do NOT participate in government, centers on the notion that
A)People are not aware of the need for them to participate
B)The majority of the people are too egocentric
C)Governmental structure doesn’t allow access into the system
D)People are overwhelmed by government’s complexity
E)People rely too much on broadcast media for news
15) The major business of government at all levels is
A) Making choices about the issues to addressC) regulating intrastate commerce
B) Protecting its citizens from invasionD) exploring new frontiers
C) Enforcing social, moral, and family laws
16) Since there are limits to the resources that government has at its disposal, government must
A)Cultivate international agreementsC) analyze the total cost of each project
B)Prioritize society’s needs D) tax each citizen
C)Enforce mandatory community service
17) Which of the following is NOT an issue regarding government assistance to the homeless
A)Are the homeless a responsibility of the government?
B)What are the trade-offs in dealing with the homeless?
C)Is the homeless problem serious enough for government to become involved?
D)What are the costs for government to solve the homeless problem?
E)What type of assistance should be given to the homeless?
18)The structure of state government in the United States consists of
A) federal systems B) unitary systems C) confederal systems D) semi-federal systems E) tripartite systems
19)Policies that tend to alter the status or wealth of people
A) progressive B) distributive C) regulatory D) regressive E) redistributive
1) e 2) c 3) a 4) b 5) d 6) b 7) a 8) e 9) b 10) e 11) a 12) b 13) d 14) d 15) a 16) b 17) c 18) b 19) e