Government Test # 6 (ch 10-12)

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

MAIN IDEAS

____ 1. Which qualification for House members is NOT in the Constitution?

a. must be at least 25 years old
b. must have been a citizen for at least seven years
c. must live in the district being represented
d. must live in the State from which chosen

____ 2. Which statement about the Senate is true?

a. It has two members from each State.
b. Its members are chosen by State legislatures.
c. Each member represents one congressional district.
d. Seats are apportioned among the States according to their populations.

____ 3. Which fact disqualifies a person from representing Utah in the Senate?
a. The candidate was born in Guatemala.
b. The candidate is 43 years old.
c. The candidate lives in Utah but works in Idaho.
d. The candidate has been a citizen for eight years.

____ 4. The fact that all congressional districts in a State must have about the same number of people so that one
person's vote is equal to another's, is due to the
a. Reapportionment Act of 1929.
b. Wesberry v. Sanders ruling.
c. 17th Amendment.
d. Census Bureau.

____ 5. Compensation for senators is

a. set by the Constitution.
b. higher than for representatives.
c. set by the President.
d. the same as for representatives.

____ 6. In Congress, screening bills for floor consideration is a major duty of

a. committee members.
b. constituent servants.
c. constituent representatives.
d. politicians.

____ 7. The regular period of time during which Congress conducts its business is called a
a. prorogue.
b. session.
c. special session.
d. congressional meeting.
____ 8. The House may refuse to seat a member-elect only if he or she
a. has engaged in disorderly behavior.
b. has violated the code of ethics passed by the House in 1977.
c. does not meet constitutional standards of age, citizenship, and residency.
d. does not meet informal standards set by two-thirds of the members.

____ 9. Few members of Congress today

a. are minorities.
b. have college degrees.
c. are white males.
d. are married.

____ 10. Members of Congress fill all of the following roles EXCEPT that of
a. legislator.
b. committee member.
c. Cabinet member.
d. servant to constituents.

____ 11. The Framers of the Constitution favored bicameralism because

a. two houses could block the acts of a single President.
b. it allowed for fair and equal representation of the States at the national level.
c. Great Britain had only one house of Parliament.
d. one house would spend more money than two.

____ 12. Which of the following is true of the House of Representatives?

a. It currently has 100 members.
b. The total number of seats in the House is fixed by the Constitution.
c. The number of terms a representative may serve is fixed by the Constitution.
d. Every State is represented by at least one member.

____ 13. When must congressional elections be held?

a. the first Tuesday of every November
b. the 3rd day of January in odd years
c. the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year
d. the Monday after the first Tuesday in November of each odd-numbered year

____ 14. Which statement about congressional districts is true?

a. They are apportioned by the Constitution.
b. There are three for every seat in the House.
c. They function as voting districts within each State.
d. Their lines are drawn by State courts.

____ 15. Senators are elected to serve

a. two-year terms.
b. three-year terms.
c. four-year terms.
d. six-year terms.
____ 16. Which of the following is a qualification for senators?
a. must have been born in the State from which elected
b. must have a degree in law
c. must have been a citizen for at least nine years
d. must be at least 40 years old

____ 17. Before the 17th Amendment was adopted, senators were chosen by
a. the people of each State.
b. the State legislatures.
c. special State conventions.
d. select House committees.

____ 18. Why does the Constitution guarantee that the courts may not prosecute members of Congress for what they
say in the House or Senate in relation to congressional business?
a. Members never criticize one another.
b. Freedom of speech is a vital part of legislative debate.
c. The courts have no jurisdiction in Washington, D.C.
d. Members have the same privileges in their districts.

____ 19. All of the following are differences between the House of Representatives and the Senate EXCEPT
a. size of the membership.
b. length of term.
c. method of election.
d. size of constituency.

____ 20. Supreme Court rulings have been key to broadening the scope of which expressed power?
a. the postal power
b. the power to tax
c. the commerce power
d. eminent domain

____ 21. In McCulloch v. Maryland, the Supreme Court

a. ruled the doctrine of implied powers to be unconstitutional.
b. upheld the doctrine of implied powers.
c. upheld the right of the State of Maryland to tax a federal agency.
d. ruled the creation of a bank by Congress to be unconstitutional.

____ 22. The level of the nation's debt

a. is limited by the Constitution.
b. is always limited by Congress.
c. is not limited by any government agency.
d. may not exceed $10 billion.

____ 23. Since 1789, the expansion of power of the National Government has been caused by all of the following
EXCEPT
a. strict construction of the Constitution.
b. liberal construction of the Constitution.
c. technological advances.
 d. economic crises.

____ 24. For what purpose does the Constitution give Congress the power to regulate bankruptcy?
a. to finance projects that current revenues cannot cover
b. to establish uniform procedures for dealing with insolvent debtors
c. to coin money and regulate its value
d. to act on matters affecting the nation's security

____ 25. The Supreme Court ruling in Gibbons v. Ogden expanded the
a. currency power by including paper money as legal tender.
b. power to tax by allowing a tax on incomes.
c. commerce power to include all commercial interactions.
d. power over territories to include the taking of private property.

____ 26. According to the Constitution, who has the sole power to impeach the President?
a. The House of Representatives
b. the Vice President
c. the Supreme Court
d. State courts

____ 27. Which of the following nonlegislative powers may be exercised solely by the Senate?
a. the power to propose constitutional amendments
b. the power to elect a President if the electoral college fails to do so
c. the power to approve or reject major presidential appointments
d. the power to investigate the activities of public officials

____ 28. Which of the following is an example of the investigatory powers of Congress?
a. accepting a treaty made by the President
b. the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations
c. the power to lay and collect taxes
d. gathering information useful in making legislative decisions

____ 29. All the following expressed powers belong to Congress EXCEPT
a. the power to declare war.
b. the power to tax exports.
c. the power to naturalize citizens.
d. the power to raise an army.

____ 30. Under the Constitution, Congress has the sole power to
a. act as the commander in chief.
b. meet with foreign leaders.
c. declare war.
d. none of the above.

____ 31. All treaties must be approved by a two-thirds vote of

a. the Senate.
b. the House.
c. both houses of Congress.
d. the Supreme Court.
____ 32. Why did the Framers include the Necessary and Proper Clause in the Constitution?
a. to empower Congress to pass laws needed to carry out the expressed powers
b. to limit congressional powers to those expressly stated in the Constitution
c. to define the scope of the inherent powers of Congress
d. to set forth those powers considered necessary to the States

____ 33. Who has the power to propose constitutional amendments?

a. the President
b. the Supreme Court
c. Congress
d. State courts

____ 34. The Commerce Clause entitles Congress to

a. tax Minnesota's wheat exports to Russia.
b. regulate airline routes in New England.
c. require Texas oil tankers to dock and pay duties in Louisiana.
d. give San Francisco the exclusive right to receive cargo ships from Japan.

____ 35. Congress is given investigatory powers in order to

a. examine matters related to its lawmaking powers.
b. bring criminal charges against constituents.
c. bring criminal charges against the President.
d. establish a national public school system.

____ 36. All of the following war powers are granted to Congress EXCEPT the power to
a. call forth the militia.
b. declare war.
c. raise and support a navy.
d. appoint a commander in chief.

____ 37. Congress shares foreign relations power with the

a. President.
b. Supreme Court.
c. States.
d. armed forces.

____ 38. The duties of the House Rules Committee are best described as those of a
a. factory foreman.
b. traffic cop.
c. congressional chaplain.
d. accounting clerk.

____ 39. When the Senate's Republican caucus wants party members to vote for a bill, the person who determines how
many votes can be counted on is the
a. senior senator.
b. policy-committee chairperson.
c. floor leader.
d. whip.
____ 40. Which of the following is a way a bill can become a law without the President's signature?
a. The President delegates the signing of a bill to the Vice President.
b. The President waits until the Congress is not in session.
c. The President fails to act on the bill within 10 days of receiving it while Congress is in
session.
d. The President leaves the country.

____ 41. To propose a constitutional amendment, Congress uses a

a. public bill.
b. joint resolution.
c. concurrent resolution.
d. rider.

____ 42. Unlike the House, the Senate has a legislative process with
a. few limits on debate.
b. strict limits on debate.
c. no roll-call voting.
d. no voice voting.

____ 43. Bills are introduced in the Senate by

a. the Rules Committee.
b. individual senators.
c. investigative committees.
d. the majority floor leader.

____ 44. In the Vice President's absence, the presiding officer of the Senate is the
a. Dean of the Senate.
b. majority floor leader.
c. president pro tempore.
d. Speaker of the Senate.

____ 45. The House Rules Committee may do all of the following EXCEPT
a. set conditions for considering a bill.
b. speed up consideration of a bill.
c. prevent consideration of a bill.
d. attach amendments to a bill.

____ 46. The main way to end a filibuster is by

a. a two-thirds vote of the Senate.
b. invoking the Cloture Rule.
c. convening a conference committee.
d. voting the filibusterer out of office.

____ 47. On the first day of each new term, the House
a. has a short, routine day.
b. has few members to swear in.
c. elects a Speaker to preside.
d. writes all new rules of procedure.
____ 48. In order to prevent a bill passed by Congress from becoming law, the President may
a. sign it and attach a veto message.
b. refuse to sign it and attach a veto message.
c. sign it after ten days if Congress is in session.
d. negotiate a compromise bill with Congress.

____ 49. Proposed measures that apply to specific individuals or places are
a. public bills.
b. private bills.
c. concurrent resolutions.
d. riders.

____ 50. The president pro tempore

a. is elected by the House and is the leader of its minority party.
b. is replaced, when absent, by the Speaker of the House.
c. serves in the absence of the Vice President of the United States.
d. serves in the absence of the Speaker of the Senate.

____ 51. When a bill is introduced in the House, it is FIRST

a. given to the Rules Committee.
b. read aloud in full.
c. given a number and title.
d. debated by the full House.

____ 52. Most measures introduced in the House die at which of these steps?
a. committee
b. cloture
c. quorum
d. floor vote

____ 53. Conference committees act as a "third house of Congress" when they
a. use investigative powers similar to those of the House and Senate.
b. screen, debate, and vote on bills.
c. appoint presiding officers.
d. produce a compromise bill that both the House and Senate will accept.

____ 54. Which of the following options is NOT available to a President who has just received a bill passed by
Congress?
a. sign the bill within 10 days
b. sign the bill after 15 days
c. veto the bill
d. use a pocket veto

____ 55. At the beginning of each new term, the Senate

a. elects a presiding officer.
b. adopts rules of procedure.
c. elects a clerk and a chaplain.
d. faces few organizational problems.
____ 56. In both houses, the standing committees
a. are always subject-matter committees.
b. are usually headed by members chosen on the basis of seniority.
c. must report out every bill that is referred to them.
d. are set up for a limited time to investigate a current matter.

____ 57. The purpose of a filibuster is to

a. invoke the rule of cloture.
b. prevent quorum calls.
c. speed up action on a bill.
d. prevent action on a bill.

____ 58. A compromise bill worked on by a conference committee of House and Senate members is
a. usually passed by both houses of Congress.
b. never passed by both houses of Congress.
c. always passed with amendments.
d. sometimes passed with amendments.

____ 59. The term of Congress has remained the same since 1789, but
a. the frequency of special sessions has increased.
b. the length of its sessions has grown.
c. will probably change in the near future.
d. there is no constitutional basis for this.

____ 60. The fact that Alaska has only one seat in the House is a reflection of all of the following EXCEPT
a. its geographic size.
b. the size of its population.
c. its status as a State in the union.
d. the most recent census.

____ 61. When Congress chose not to reapportion following the 1920 census, it
a. amended the Constitution to that effect.
b. lost part of its membership.
c. was following unwritten custom.
d. violated the Constitution.

____ 62. The party in power tends to lose seats in off-year elections because
a. voters want to show support for the President.
b. voters are reacting to the President’s policies.
c. voters are concern about giving one party too much power.
d. both b and c

____ 63. At-large elections were unfair because they

a. ignored the voice of a large segment of the population.
b. resulted in gerrymandered districts.
c. gave too much weight to a State’s geographic size.
d. both a and c
____ 64. While those who vote a straight-party ticket would likely prefer their senators and representative to vote as
_____, independents would no doubt prefer _____.
a. partisans/trustees
b. delegates/trustees
c. trustees/partisans
d. delegates/partisans

____ 65. All of the following contributed to the growth of national power EXCEPT
a. wars.
b. economic crises.
c. national emergencies
d. dual federalism

____ 66. The deficit is always _____ than the public debt.
a. larger
b. smaller
c. harder to calculate
d. less subject to governmental limits

____ 67. Based on the Supreme Court’s ruling in Gibbons v. Ogden, 1824, it would be reasonable to assume that Chief
Justice John Marshall favored
a. a strict interpretation of the Constitution.
b. State’s rights.
c. a liberal interpretation of the Constitution.
d. deficit financing.

____ 68. The Framers based their decision to deny the States the currency power on
a. their experiences under the Articles of Confederation.
b. the experiences of the colonial legislatures.
c. the social contract theory.
d. the taxing power of the Federal Government.

____ 69. Sovereignty both _____ the States and _____ the National Government in the area of foreign relations.
a. empowers/empowers
b. restricts/restricts
c. empowers/restricts
d. restricts/empowers

____ 70. If the caseloads of the federal courts should become too heavy, Congress has the power to
a. hear and try cases until the courts are caught up.
b. create new federal courts.
c. transfer some cases to the executive branch.
d. suspend the hearing of cases until a later date.

____ 71. Which of the following groups was LEAST likely to have supported the Necessary and Proper Clause?
a. the Framers
b. the Supreme Court
c. the Federalists
 d. the Anti-Federalists

____ 72. The Supreme Court could not have given “sweeping approval to the concept of implied powers” had
a. strict constructionists not prevented States from taxing the Second Bank of the United
States.
b. the Supreme Court not established the power of judicial review in 1803.
c. the Second Bank of the United States lost its charter.
d. all of the above

____ 73. In the event that the Senate must choose a Vice President, it would take how many votes for a candidate to
win?
a. 26
b. 51
c. 218
d. 219

____ 74. To which of the following does a subcommittee report a bill?

a. the Rules Committee
b. a conference committee
c. a full committee
d. floor action

____ 75. One difference between opening day in the House and opening day in the Senate is that
a. new members must be sworn in in the Senate.
b. committee members are appointed in the House.
c. the House must reorganize but not the Senate.
d. the Senate reorganizes, but not the House.

____ 76. The President’s State of the Union message is

a. an unwritten custom.
b. a constitutional command.
c. a personal choice by each President.
d. delivered only when Congress issues an invitation to the President to do so.

____ 77. In each congressional election, a great deal of attention is paid to which party holds a majority in each
chamber. This is at least partly because
a. the same party is likely to win the presidency.
b. the majority party holds a majority of seats on each standing committee.
c. the Constitution requires each party to hold a majority at least once in every 10-year
period.
d. State legislatures will likely follow suit.

____ 78. All of the following describe select committees EXCEPT

a. their work is usually done in secret.
b. their members are appointed, not elected.
c. they are formed to investigate some specific matter.
d. most are set up for a limited time.

____ 79. Only _____ can propose a measure dealing with raising money.
 a. the Senate
b. the House
c. the voters
d. the Speaker

____ 80. The conference committee

a. is the final step before congressional approval of a bill.
b. holds hearings to gather information.
c. operates differently in the House than it does in the Senate.
d. may refuse to report a bill.
Government Test # 6 (ch 10-12)
Answer Section

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. C
2. A
3. D
4. B
5. D
6. A
7. B
8. C
9. A
10. C
11. B
12. D
13. C
14. C
15. D
16. C
17. B
18. B
19. C
20. C
21. B
22. C
23. A
24. B
25. C
26. A
27. C
28. D
29. B
30. C
31. A
32. A
33. C
34. B
35. A
36. D
37. A
38. B
39. D
40. C
41. B
42. A
43. B
44. C
45. D
46. B
47. C
48. B
49. B
50. C
51. C
52. A
53. D
54. B
55. D
56. B
57. D
58. A
59. B
60. A
61. D
62. D
63. A
64. A
65. D
66. B
67. C
68. A
69. D
70. B
71. D
72. B
73. B
74. C
75. C
76. B
77. B
78. A
79. B
80. A