1. Every two years, ________ of the Senate must stand for reelection.
[A] one-third
[B] one-fourth
[C] one-half
[D] all
2. The number of seats granted to each state in the House of Representatives
[A] is reapportioned every 10 years after the national census.
[B] was set by the U.S. Constitution.
[C] is reapportioned every two years at the time of each congressional election.
[D] is reapportioned only when a new state is admitted to the Union.
3. Until 1913, U.S. senators were selected by
[A] the House of Representatives.
[B] the people.
[C] state legislatures.
[D] the electoral college.
4. The size of the House of Representatives
[A] changes after each election.
[B] is fixed by law at 100.
[C] changes after each census.
[D] is fixed by law at 435.
5. A president can be impeached by the ________ and tried and removed from office by the ________.
[A] House; Senate
[B] House and Senate; Supreme Court
[C] House; House
[D] Senate; House
6. The power to declare war resides with the
[A] House and Senate together.
[B] House of Representatives alone.
[C] Senate only.
[D] president only.
7. Which of the following is a direct result of the incumbency effect?
[A] A general reduction in name recognition of all candidates
[B] A greater likelihood for senators than for House members to be reelected
[C] An increase in rate of defeat of House members seeking reelection
[D] An extremely high likelihood that House members seeking reelection will win their election
8. The American public generally holds
[A] Congress in higher regard than it holds the president.
[B] individual members of Congress in higher regard than it holds Congress as an institution.
[C] neither Congress nor its members in high regard.
[D] Congress as an institution in higher regard than it holds individual members of Congress.
9. The redrawing of congressional districts is called
[A] redistricting.
[B] the incumbency effect.
[C] electioneering.
[D] reapportionment.
10. ________ refers to redrawing district lines for partisan advantage.
[A] Gerrymandering
[B] Electioneering
[C] Redistricting
[D] Reapportionment
11. In the congressional setting, franking refers to
[A] members’ being honest with their constituents.
[B] members’ right to send mail free of charge.
[C] members’ helping constituents with problems.
[D] challengers’ demanding honesty of incumbents.
12. An underlying assumption of the concept of descriptive representation seems to be that
[A] elected representatives should follow their own conscience.
[B] any citizen can be represented by any congressional representative.
[C] representatives should carefully heed public opinion polls.
[D] minorities can be effectively represented only by people of their own kind.
13. In the 1980s, Congress and the Supreme Court encouraged states to
[A] maintain a segregated electoral process.
[B] be “color-blind” in the drawing of districts.
[C] consider race in an affirmative way in drawing district lines.
[D] decrease the number of electoral districts.
14. The essence of the Supreme Court decisions in Shaw v. Reno, Miller v. Johnson, and Abrams Johnson is that
[A] states cannot use race as the predominant factor in drawing district lines.
[B] all districts must be approximately equal in population.
[C] illegal aliens must be granted public services that are offered to citizens.
[D] states must act affirmatively to maximize black congressional representation.
15. Most of the day-to-day work of drafting legislation takes place
[A] in conference committees.
[B] in standing committees.
[C] in the Committee on Committees.
[D] on the floor of the House and Senate.
16. Differences in the House and Senate versions of a particular bill are ironed out by
[A] the party leadership of the two chambers.
[B] the House and Senate committees that originally considered the bill.
[C] a conference committee.
[D] the president and congressional party leadership.
17. Committee chairpersons in Congress are usually chosen on the basis of
[A] membership in the majority party and length of service on the committee in question.
[B] willingness to support the president’s legislative agenda.
[C] length of service in the legislative chamber.
[D] loyalty to the majority party.
18. The minority counterpart to a committee chairperson is called a(n)
[A] ranking minority member.
[B] minority whip.
[C] vice chairperson.
[D] assistant chairperson.
19. A congressional committee that holds a hearing to determine whether the Department of Agriculture is administering the food stamp program as Congress intended is engaging in
[A] legitimating behavior.
[B] agenda setting.
[C] legislative oversight.
[D] logrolling.
20. The leader of the majority party in the House is the
[A] president pro tempore.
[B] speaker of the House.
[C] House parliamentarian.
[D] vice president of the United States.
21. The top leadership in the U.S. Congress is elected by
[A] a vote by each of the two parties in both houses.
[B] national party committees.
[C] committee chairpersons.
[D] the president.
22. The ________ is the most powerful person in the Senate.
[A] president pro tempore
[B] majority whip
[C] majority leader
[D] vice president of the United States
23. The Senate delay tactic of talking a bill to death is called
[A] cloture.
[B] logrolling.
[C] gerrymandering.
[D] filibuster.
24. Floor debate in the House is governed by
[A] no one.
[B] the Rules Committee.
[C] unanimous consent.
[D] standing committees.
25. Floor debate in Congress is usually characterized by
[A] the norm of courtesy, whereby even opposing legislators treat each other with deference.
[B] loss of temper and physical sparring.
[C] oral attacks on the personality and morals of opposing legislators.
[D] presentations given by clerks or staff members acting in the name of the legislator.
26. English political philosopher Edmund Burke argued that legislators are obligated to
[A] vote as they think best—to use their own best judgment about important issues.
[B] avoid ambition by serving only one term.
[C] ignore constituents’ opinions as being ignorant and petty.
[D] vote the way their constituents want.
27. A congressional representative is following the trustee philosophy when he or she
[A] takes instructions from party leaders on how to vote.
[B] consults with the president before an important vote.
[C] votes according to his or her conscience, even if doing so means going against the wishes of the majority back home.
[D] votes in accordance with the perceived wishes of the citizens back home.
28. Which of the following describes delegate behavior by a representative?
[A] Voting according to his or her conscience, even if doing so means going against the wishes of the majority back home
[B] Voting in accordance with the perceived wishes of the citizens back home
[C] Taking instructions from party leaders on how to vote
[D] Consulting the president before an important vote
29. Parliamentary governments most closely fit the _______ model of democracy.
[A] majoritarian
[B] separation of powers
[C] direct
[D] pluralist
30. One impact that the September 11 terrorist attacks had on President Bush was that
[A] economics moved to the top of his agenda.
[B] he became dramatically partisan in his attacks against Democrats.
[C] he began to focus more on developing international cooperation.
[D] he began to work more independently in the international arena.
31. The constitutional qualifications for the person elected president of the United States include all of the following except
[A] residence.
[B] citizenship.
[C] experience.
[D] age.
32. The U.S. Constitution does not give the president power to
[A] veto legislation.
[B] declare war.
[C] serve as commander-in-chief of the military.
[D] serve as administrative head of the nation.
33. How does the presidency today compare with the Framers’ conception of it?
[A] The presidency is about as strong as the Framers’ conception.
[B] The presidency is weaker than the Framers’ conception.
[C] The presidency is far stronger than the Framers’ conception.
[D] There is no basis for comparison because the Framers had no vision of presidential power.
34. A presidential action based on inherent power usually becomes a precedent for future chief executives unless the action was
[A] quickly rebuffed by another branch of government.
[B] based on a congressional delegation of power.
[C] taken during a national emergency.
[D] not based on an explicit constitutional grant of power.
35. When Congress willingly gives the president responsibility to administer programs, which of the following is occurring?
[A] Congressional oversight
[B] Caving in to presidential demands
[C] Delegation of powers
[D] Use of inherent power
36. Many of the steps taken by President Franklin Roosevelt to address the economic problems of the Great Depression were
[A] taken under congressional delegation of power.
[B] actions required of the president by the U.S. Constitution.
[C] justified on the basis of his need to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed.”
[D] in direct violation of congressional intent.
37. The purpose of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 was to
[A] limit the president’s ability to pursue armed conflict without explicit congressional approval.
[B] give the president greater flexibility in using the military to protect U.S. interests abroad.
[C] provide retroactive congressional approval for U.S. military involvement in Vietnam.
[D] end U.S. military involvement in Vietnam.
38. According to Richard Neustadt, the essence of presidential power is
[A] the power to persuade.
[B] statutory authority granted by Congress.
[C] the right of command.
[D] the responsibility to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed.”
39. The basic strategy for winning the popular vote for the presidency seems to be
[A] putting together a platform of clear, well-reasoned policy proposals that will appeal to the intelligence of voters.
[B] putting together a majority by assembling a coalition of small factions, groups, and interests.
[C] exploiting the party organization and emphasizing party unity above all else.
[D] finding the key issue on which the majority of Americans agree and appealing to that majority.
40. The phrase divided government refers to
[A] specialization in Congress based on committees.
[B] different parties controlling the presidency and Congress.
[C] the separation of powers among three branches.
[D] the Democrats and Republicans agreeing on a coalition government.
41. The organization of the White House staff is
[A] constitutionally mandated.
[B] subject to Senate approval.
[C] determined by the party leadership in Congress.
[D] determined by each president according to personal need.
42. The Executive Office of the President employs approximately
[A] 18 people.
[B] 1,800 people.
[C] 18,000 people.
[D] 180 people.
43. The cabinet is composed primarily of the
[A] White House executive establishment whose purpose is to assist the president.
[B] heads of the departments in the executive branch.
[C] president’s closest personal advisers.
[D] heads of departments in the executive branch and the leadership of the president’s party in Congress.
44. Lyndon Johnson’s policies consisted of a
[A] renewed emphasis on economic freedom.
[B] reduction of social welfare programs in favor of defense spending.
[C] wide range of federal programs designed to promote social equality.
[D] belief that the president should not get involved in the legislative process.
45. Reflecting his political values, Ronald Reagan’s second inaugural address emphasized
[A] social service programs.
[B] equality.
[C] freedom.
[D] justice.
46. The main day-to-day communication link between the White House and Congress consists of
[A] close friends of the president who are members of Congress.
[B] the vice president and his staff.
[C] the legislative liaison staff.
[D] party leaders.
47. One of the most effective weapons the president has to influence the content of legislation is the
[A] power of the purse.
[B] power to convene Congress.
[C] power to declare war.
[D] veto.
48. Presidents act as “fundraiser in chief” for
[A] congressional operations.
[B] their political party.
[C] the White House.
[D] All of these.
49. Which of the following is considered a model of effective crisis management?
[A] Ronald Reagan and the TWA hijacking
[B] Jimmy Carter and the Iranian hostage crisis
[C] John Kennedy and the Cuban missile crisis
[D] Ronald Reagan and the Grenada invasion
50. The character issue”
[A] was never mentioned until after the 1992 election.
[B] made foreign governments distrust Clinton in negotiations.
[C] weakened Bill Clinton’s image in the eyes of the public.
[D] has never been raised about presidential candidates other than Bill Clinton.
Reference: 194
[1] [A]
Reference: 194
[2] [A]
Reference: 194
[3] [C]
Reference: 196
[4] [D]
Reference: 195
[5] [A]
Reference: 195
[6] [A]
Reference: 196
[7] [D]
Reference: 196
[8] [B]
Reference: 196
[9] [A]
Reference: 196
[10] [A]
Reference: 196
[11] [B]
Reference: 198
[12] [D]
Reference: 198-199
[13] [C]
Reference: 199
[14] [A]
Reference: 204
[15] [B]
Reference: 205
[16] [C]
Reference: 206
[17] [A]
Reference: 206
[18] [A]
Reference: 207
[19] [C]
Reference: 209
[20] [B]
Reference: 209
[21] [A]
Reference: 209
[22] [C]
Reference: 211
[23] [D]
Reference: 211
[24] [B]
Reference: 211
[25] [A]
Reference: 215
[26] [A]
Reference: 215
[27] [C]
Reference: 215
[28] [B]
Reference: 216
[29] [A]
Reference: 221
[30] [C]
Reference: 222
[31] [C]
Reference: 222
[32] [B]
Reference: 223
[33] [C]
Reference: 223
[34] [A]
Reference: 224
[35] [C]
Reference: 224
[36] [A]
Reference: 224
[37] [A]
Reference: 224
[38] [A]
Reference: 227-228
[39] [B]
Reference: 228
[40] [B]
Reference: 231
[41] [D]
Reference: 231
[42] [B]
Reference: 232
[43] [B]
Reference: 234
[44] [C]
Reference: 234
[45] [C]
Reference: 235
[46] [C]
Reference: 237
[47] [D]
Reference: 237
[48] [B]
Reference: 240
[49] [C]
Reference: 242
[50] [C]