AP GOV CHAPTER ONE TEST MULTIPLE CHOICE

There is a tremendous gap between youth and the elderly in all of the following EXCEPT

A) political knowledge.

B) political participation.

C) political interest.

D) volunteering.

E) media use.

D

Political knowledge

A) is greater among youth than the elderly.

B) fosters political tolerance.

C) is not that important in a democracy.

D) is generally high in the United States.

E) none of the above

B

Voter turnout matters because

A) federal funds are allocated on the basis of the number of voters in a congressional district.

B) better candidates are selected when more people vote.

C) politicians pay more attention to those who vote than to those who do not vote.

D) it makes citizens feel better.

E) it makes our country look better.

C

Government is defined as the

A) organization that brings problems to the attention of public officials.

B) body that is concerned with economic problems while leaving social problems to other

institutions of society.

C) agency that implements policies that have been enacted by other institutions of the

political system.

D) executive branch and its agencies.

E) institutions and processes through which public policies are made for society.

E

The policymaking institutions of the American national government include all of the

following EXCEPT

A) the Supreme Court.

B) the presidency.

C) political parties.

D) Congress.

E) the Senate.

C

One advantage of the Internet for democracy is that it

A) provides less information than newspapers.

B) makes it easy to avoid political topics.

C) makes it easier for citizens to communicate directly with government.

D) will provide more political information to political elites.

E) none of the above

C

Things that are indivisible, nonexclusive, and that everyone can share are called

A) intangible property.

B) socialized.

C) community property.

D) communist.

E) public goods.

E

Governments in the modern world, whether democratic or not, are similar in doing all of the

following EXCEPT

A) protecting citizensʹ civil liberties.

B) maintaining a national defense.

C) providing public goods.

D) collecting taxes.

E) providing public services.

A

A public good is defined as

A) something in which any member of society can share.

B) something provided by the government that cannot be provided by the private sector.

C) a choice that government makes in response to a political issue.

D) a public policy that is good for the nation as a whole.

E) all of the above

A

Which of the following statements about public goods is FALSE?

A) The government usually provides public goods.

B) Public goods are things that everyone can share.

C) Individuals have powerful incentives to provide public goods.

D) Public goods are not profitable.

E) Public goods are indivisible and nonexclusive.

C

All governments

A) provide public goods and socialize citizens into the political and social system.

B) ensure safety on the high seas and promote free enterprise.

C) maintain national parks and a national defense.

D) guarantee a capitalist economy and collect taxes.

E) hold elections.

A

All governments

A) have written constitutions.

B) are elected.

C) have a legislature.

D) provide services.

E) have a president.

D

Which of the following statements about taxes is TRUE?

A) One out of every three dollars earned by an American citizen is used to pay taxes.

B) Despite the image presented by the media, survey data reveal that Americans feel they

are getting their moneyʹs worth for the taxes they pay.

C) About one-tenth of the average American citizenʹs salary goes to taxes.

D) The tax burden in the United States is higher than in most other democratic nations.

E) All of these are true.

A

An interest group so single-minded that its members often vote on only one issue, ignoring a

politicianʹs stand on everything else, is known as

A) a one-issue group.

B) a uni-issue group.

C) a hot-button group.

D) a single-issue group.

E) a mono-issue group.

D

When compared with the rest of the world, America has a relatively low

A) number of offices up for election.

B) number of candidates who seek office.

C) frequency of elections.

D) voter turnout in elections.

E) all of the above

D

Many politicians believe that single-issue groups

A) stimulate the political system to solve public policy problems.

B) are essential to democracy.

C) complicate efforts to seek the middle ground on various issues.

D) play a unifying role in American politics.

E) do not affect policymaking.

C

Politics is defined by Harold Lasswell as

A) conflict in society.

B) the exercise of power.

C) the resolution of conflict in a way that serves the public.

D) who gets what, when, and how.

E) a course of action to solve a problem.

D

Single-issue groups

A) are rapidly losing prominence in American politics.

B) usually run their own candidates for public office.

C) have little sympathy for compromising.

D) help facilitate the construction of a cohesive national public policy.

E) are highly regarded by political scientists for their contributions to democracy.

C

Which of the following statements best describes voter turnout in the United States?

A) Among democratic nations, the United States leads the world in voter turnout.

B) Voter turnout in the United States is constitutionally mandated.

C) Voters are usually a microcosm of the entire body of American citizens.

D) Most American voters consider politics as critical to their interests.

E) The United States has one of the lowest voter turnout rates in the world.

E

The list of problems to which political leaders are paying serious attention is a(n)

A) problem set.

B) policy agenda.

C) issue constellation.

D) legislative package.

E) none of the above

B

________ is the process by which policy comes into being and evolves over time.

A) Democracy

B) A policymaking system

C) A constellation

D) The bureaucracy

E) Government

B

The process from above is

A) a policymaking system.

B) political decision making.

C) a policy agenda.

D) a government.

E) a linkage institution.

A

An example of public policymaking would be

A) Congress and the president deciding not to act on the AIDS crisis.

B) a majority of the public supporting the idea of government dealing with unemployment.

C) the president meeting with the heads of oil companies.

D) the press creating public concern about racial discrimination.

E) all of the above

A

All of the following are parts of the policymaking system EXCEPT

A) public goods.

B) policymaking institutions.

C) linkage institutions.

D) peopleʹs political interests.

E) policy.

A

Which of the following statements about a governmentʹs policy agenda is FALSE?

A) When you vote, you are partly looking at whether a candidate shares your agenda or

not.

B) Bad news gets an issue on the policy agenda more quickly than good news.

C) When people confront government officials with problems to be solved, they are trying

to influence the governmentʹs policy agenda.

D) A governmentʹs policy agenda tends to remain constant over time.

E) None of the above; all are true.

D

A political party is a key ________ in Americaʹs democratic system.

A) stimulus-response

B) linkage institution

C) input

D) majoritarian inhibitor

E) output

B

In a democratic society, parties, elections, interest groups and the media are all examples of

________ between the preferences of citizens and the governmentʹs policy agenda.

A) cross-pollination

B) inputs and outputs

C) ideological bridges

D) obstacles

E) linkage institutions

E

Which of the following is NOT a linkage institution?

A) political parties

B) the media

C) interest groups

D) Congress

E) All of these are linkage institutions.

D

Which of these is a linkage institution?

A) USA Today

B) the presidentʹs cabinet

C) the House of Representatives

D) the ambassador to France

E) all of the above

A

Parties and interest groups

A) determine which issues are on the policy agenda.

B) are not particularly interested in the policy agenda.

C) work hard to get the issues they want on the policy agenda.

D) have no effect on the policy agenda.

E) determine the congressional agenda.

C

A choice that government makes in response to some issue on its agenda is called

A) public policy.

B) selective selection.

C) a law.

D) stimulus-response.

E) rational choice theory.

A

________ arise when people disagree about a problem or a public policy choice made to

combat a problem.

A) Revolutions

B) Political issues

C) Social crises

D) Governments

E) Wars

B

A key question that confronts government regarding different public policy choices is

A) whether an appropriate linkage institution is willing to frame a policy.

B) which is the most complicated one to deal with.

C) which is the least complicated one to deal with.

D) whether or not government should do anything about them.

E) all of the above

D

Public policy is defined as a

A) policy directed at more than one person.

B) course of action to solve a problem.

C) set of rules and regulations issued by a government agency.

D) course of action by a political party.

E) choice that government makes in response to an issue.

E

Political issues

A) are always acted upon by the government.

B) arise when people disagree about a problem or public policy choices made to combat a

problem.

C) are limited in number in the United States.

D) usually emerge out of group consensus on a problem.

E) all of the above

B

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels published

A) The Communist Manifesto.

B) A Theory of Democracy.

C) The Federalist Papers.

D) Poor Richardʹs Almanac.

E) War and Peace.

A

One type of linkage institution is

A) an interest group.

B) a government.

C) a bureaucracy.

D) a legislature.

E) all of the above

A

The effects a policy has on people and problems is called

A) policy outputs.

B) policy implementation.

C) policy issues.

D) policy impacts.

E) policy agenda.

D

The writers of the United States Constitution

A) were distrustful of democracy.

B) sought to establish the most democratic system they could.

C) were interested in promoting equality above all else.

D) patterned our government after Britainʹs except for the King.

E) believed in majority rule.

A

A means of selecting policymakers and or organizing government so that policy represents

and responds to the publicʹs preferences is

A) government.

B) politics.

C) public administration.

D) democracy.

E) all of the above

D

Which of these is NOT a criterion of traditional democratic theory, as formulated by Robert

Dahl?

A) freedom of speech and press

B) One person gets one vote.

C) Citizenship must be open to all within a nation.

D) Those who participate in political organizations must be representative of the general

population.

E) Citizens must make rational choices.

E

Which of the following is NOT one of the cornerstones of an ideal democracy?

A) a constitution

B) effective participation

C) citizen control of the agenda

D) economic equality

E) equality in voting

D

Two of the most important principles of democratic theory are majority rule and

A) the plurality rule.

B) judicial review.

C) minority rights.

D) majority restraint.

E) Robertsʹ Rules of Order.

C

Which of the following takes the most positive view of democracy in the United States?

A) democratic centralism

B) pluralist theory

C) hyperpluralism

D) democratic positivism

E) elite theory

B

Pluralist theory contends that in the United States

A) society is governed solely by an upper-class elite.

B) too many influential groups cripple governmentʹs ability to govern.

C) many groups vie for power with no one set of groups dominating.

D) the many members of Congress dominate a singular official such as the president.

E) because most citizens fail to pay attention to serious issues, government has become an

elite institution.

C

All of the following are ingredients of a pluralistic democracy EXCEPT

A) group competition for policy benefits.

B) bargaining and compromise.

C) majority rule.

D) multiple access points to policymakers.

E) separation of powers.

C

The most fundamental element of democratic theory is

A) ʺpower to the people!ʺ

B) government efficiency.

C) equality.

D) majority rule.

E) access to information.

D

Representation refers to

A) majority rule.

B) all policy views being included in political debate.

C) the protection of minority rights in a pluralist system.

D) electing office-holders in fair and free elections.

E) the correspondence between the few leaders and the many followers in a democracy.

E

Which of the following individuals have suggested that pluralist theory is less descriptive of

American politics than in the past?

A) Anthony King

B) Robert Dahl

C) Alexis de Tocqueville

D) Robert Putnam

E) Thomas Jefferson

D

American government is viewed most positively by the

A) socialist theory.

B) pluralist theory.

C) positivist philosophy.

D) hyperpluralist theory.

E) elite and class theory.

B

A system in which many groups make themselves heard and felt somewhere in the policy

process is

A) pluralistic.

B) direct democracy.

C) hyperpluralistic.

D) elitist.

E) bureaucratic.

A

The theory that argues that group competition results in a rough approximation of the public

interest in public policy is

A) hyperpluralist theory.

B) balance of power theory.

C) elite and class theory.

D) pluralist theory.

E) bureaucratic theory.

D

Which of the following is NOT a contemporary theory of democracy?

A) hyperpluralism

B) class theory

C) democratic centralism

D) pluralism

E) elite theory

C

Robert Putnamʹs claim that Americans are now ʺbowling aloneʺ is a criticism of

A) pluralism.

B) elite theory.

C) hyperpluralism.

D) social network theory.

E) none of the above

A

Which of the following is most fundamentally critical of American democracy?

A) traditional democratic theory

B) democratic negativism

C) pluralist theory

D) critical democratic theory

E) elite and class theory

E

Many elite and class theorists believe that ________ of Americans control most government

policy decisions.

A) 5 percent

B) a majority

C) the vast middle class

D) 1 percent

E) 10 percent

D

Over a third of Americaʹs wealth is owned by

A) the United States government.

B) one percent of the population.

C) a third of the population.

D) seven percent of the population.

E) Japanese investors.

B

At the center of all theories of elite domination of politics is

A) big business.

B) the Congress.

C) the nouveau riche.

D) the Trilateral Commission.

E) the president.

A

Elite and class theory holds that

A) all societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule.

B) power is dispersed among many institutions.

C) in a democracy the majority class must overthrow the government and rule by itself if

government is to be freed from the control of the rich.

D) there is little consensus in policymaking among elites.

E) politics is the basis of elite power.

A

The theory that sees wealth as the basis of power is the

A) democratic theory.

B) hyperpluralist theory.

C) Jeffersonian theory.

D) elite and class theory.

E) pluralist theory.

D

Hyperpluralists believe that the dominant player in American politics is

A) groups.

B) the president.

C) the government.

D) the media.

E) rich individuals.

A

In evaluating American democracy, hyperpluralists

A) claim that competing groups vying for power make for generally efficient, honest

government.

B) claim that society is governed solely by an upper-class elite.

C) claim that too many influential groups cripple governmentʹs ability to govern.

D) believe that the public interest is nearly always translated into public policy in the United

States.

E) none of the above

C

According to hyperpluralists, the increasing caseloads of federal and state courts demonstrate

A) the high status of attorneys in the United States.

B) the inability to control the bureaucracy in implementing policy.

C) that groups are more likely to appeal to different institutions in order to gain policy

benefits.

D) the expanding scope of government in the United States.

E) the increasing complexity of our social networks.

D

The ʺpower of the fewʺ in the United States today is likely to refer to

A) high-level bureaucrats.

B) elected officials.

C) property holders.

D) technical experts.

E) a silent majority.

D

The nature of groups and the government in hyperpluralist theory is

A) strong government and strong groups.

B) weak groups and strong government.

C) weak groups, strong elites, and weak government.

D) strong groups and weak government.

E) too few groups result in the creation of many governments.

D

Hyperpluralists would argue that

A) too many influential groups cripple governmentʹs ability to govern.

B) society is divided along class lines.

C) group competition will result in a rough approximation of the public interest.

D) wealth is the basis of power.

E) too few groups lead to a proliferation of governments.

A

Which of these is NOT considered a challenge to democracy by the textbook?

A) the diversity of the American people

B) the level of political participation by Americans

C) PACs

D) the specialization of knowledge held by experts

E) the tendency of the American political system to change rapidly

E

Which of the following would NOT be considered a contemporary challenge to American

democracy?

A) complexity of the issues

B) the threat of communism

C) the use of money in politics

D) political participation rates

E) diversity

B

Increased technical expertise is a challenge to democracy because

A) it is difficult to have an informed ʺnon-technicalʺ public debate on technical issues.

B) it goes against the tenets of pluralist political theory.

C) it violates the notion of one man, one vote.

D) elected officials find it hard to understand technical experts.

E) interest groups have a difficult time securing technical expertise.

B

PAC stands for

A) Partisan Assistance Contribution.

B) Party Affairs Council.

C) Policy Advisory Commission.

D) Politically Active Constituency.

E) Political Action Committee.

E

People who worry about PACs are most especially concerned about

A) the decline in American voter turnout.

B) the close connection between money and politics.

C) too much democracy being dangerous to social stability.

D) the role Party Affairs Councils play in elections.

E) single-issue voters.

B

Escalating campaign costs are a challenge to democracy because

A) it is believed that PAC contributions affect the way members of Congress vote on single

issues.

B) they are associated with more technical policies.

C) they lead to policy gridlock.

D) they reflect diverse interests.

E) they make it easier for candidates to raise money.

A

According to the text, the diversity of political interests in America is resulting in

A) a decrease in political participation.

B) policy gridlock.

C) the breakdown of the educational system.

D) an increase in political participation.

E) a cultural renaissance.

B

The ability of groups to prevent the government from taking actions adverse to their interests

leads to what the text calls

A) Dahlʹs ʺideal democratic process.ʺ

B) elite dominance.

C) budget deficits.

D) enlightened understanding.

E) policy gridlock.

E

The overall set of shared values in a society is known as

A) individualism.

B) value added voting.

C) populism.

D) political culture.

E) collectivism.

D

According to G.K. Chesterston, the United States is the only country in the world that is

founded on

A) heredity.

B) a creed.

C) isolationism.

D) civic virtue.

E) religious principles.

B

During the American Revolution, Patrick Henry said

A) ʺWe fight for truth, justice, and the American way!ʺ

B) ʺGive me liberty or give me death.ʺ

C) ʺI regret that I have but one life to give for my country.ʺ

D) ʺOur fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and

dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.ʺ

E) ʺLive free or die.ʺ

B

According to Thomas Jefferson, which of the following is an inalienable right?

A) Liberty

B) Taxes

C) Justice

D) Jurisprudence

E) Incontinence

A

The Declaration of Independence says that ʺall men are created equal.ʺ Which aspect of the

American creed does this suggest?

A) Individualism

B) Egalitarianism

C) Liberty

D) Capitalism

E) Populism

C

One of the primary reasons for the comparatively small scope of American government is

A) liberalism.

B) pluralism.

C) judicial review.

D) capitalism.

E) individualism.

E

According to Frederick Jackson Turner, the existence of the frontier in American history most

directly resulted in

A) the abolition of slavery.

B) a strong preference for limited government.

C) the environmental movement.

D) the space program.

E) the civil rights movement.

B

Populism emphasizes

A) the people.

B) the elected officials.

C) representative democracy.

D) the meritocracy.

E) prosperity.

A

Those who argue that the United States is in the midst of a culture war argue that Americans

are becoming increasingly

A) isolationist.

B) secular.

C) hypocritical.

D) egalitarian.

E) polarized.

E

National, state, and local governments in America spend almost ________ of the gross

domestic product.

A) 3 percent

B) 30 percent

C) all

D) 10 percent

E) none

B

The United States government owns ________ of the land in the United States

A) all

B) 5 percent

C) one-third

D) 2 percent

E) none

c

The largest item in the United States government budget, consuming more than one-fifth of

spending, is

A) Social Security payments.

B) foreign aid.

C) education spending.

D) national defense.

E) welfare for the poor.

A

The United States national government spends about ________ a year.

A) $4 billion

B) $250 billion

C) $1,000,000,000,000

D) $500 billion

E) $2.8 trillion

E

Which of the following categories is the largest expenditure in the federal budget?

A) Social Security

B) Medicaid

C) environment

D) national defense

E) homeland security

A