United States Government

Government By The People by Magleby and Light, 23rd edition.

Multiple Choice Questions

1) Figure 9-1 in your book demonstrates that

a. most House seats are won by the candidate of the same party as the presidential candidate getting the most popular votes in that district.
b. about half of House elections are closely contested.
c. a large majority of House seats are not competitive. most Senate elections are won by incumbents.
d. None of these.

2. ________ primaries have become the main method of choosing delegates to the national convention.

a. State
b. National
c. Judicial
d. Local
e. County

3. Diversification of the news media lessens the ability of any one medium to influence
a. straight ticket voting.
b. the outcome of elections.
c. party loyalty.
d. partisanship.
e. individual ideology.

4) The modern president who had held the fewest total news conferences was
a. Johnson.
b. Clinton.
c. Nixon.
d. Carter.
e. Reagan.

5) Newspapers no longer play an important role in American political culture.
a. True
b. False

6) In large urban areas, residents are bombarded with news stories about their local member of Congress.
a. True
b. False

7) The general goal of "police patrol" oversight is to detect criminal activity among federal employees.
a. True
b. False

8) Judges in the United States
a. can personally enforce their decisions.
b. can only rule on the actual cases before them.
c. are the most free of all government officials to take action.
d. prevent politicians from making foolish legal mistakes.
e. All of the above.

9) Research has proven that female or minority judges decide most cases differently than white male judges.
a. True
b. False

10) Which of the following is NOT a guideline used by the Supreme Court to apply the equal protection clause to legislation?
a. Suspect classification test
b. Strict scrutiny test
c. Rational basis test
d. Separate but equal test
e. None of the above are used by Supreme Court