NAEP TEST BANK SAMPLE QUESTIONS
Open the envelope labeled X that you have been given
and remove the sample ballot.
Questions 1-3 refer to the front of the sample ballot that you have been given.
1. There is one column on the ballot entitled "Nomination by Petition." What
can you assume from the presence of this column on the ballot?
A. Voters cannot submit petitions directly to the government.
B. None of the candidates in this column is likely to receive more than 10
percent of the vote.
C. More Independents than Democrats or Republicans wanted to run for
President.
D. Candidates who are not from major parties but show a certain level of
support can get on the ballot
2. From this ballot, you can tell that voters are NOT allowed to vote for
A. a President from one party and a member of Congress from another party
B. more than one candidate for any office
C. a President from one party and a Vice President from another party
D. members of the electoral college
3. What can you infer about the 1992 election from the ballot?
A. Neither of the state's United States senators was up for reelection in 1992.
B. Third parties try to build support by winning local elections.
C. The Republicans are far stronger in this state than are the Democrats.
D. This state had changed its polling hours between 1988 and 1992
Questions 4 deal with the Public Questions on the back of the sample ballot you
have been given.
4. If Public Question 1 is approved by the voters, it will give the state the ability to
A. incur $345 million of debt to be used at the governor's discretion
B. incur $345 million of debt to be used for recreational, conservation, and
environmental projects
C. raise taxes by $345 million per year to gain funds for recreational,
conservation, and environmental projects
D. ask the federal government for $345 million in aid to be used on
recreational, conservation, and environmental projects
5.
Federalism: A way of organizing a nation so that two or more levels of
government have authority over the same land and people.
Which fact about American government reflects the above definition of
federalism?
A.
B.
C.
D.
6.
Power is divided among legislative, executive, and judicial branches
Private organizations in the United States do much of the work that is
performed by local governments in other countries
Citizens in the United States are subject to both state and federal laws
Citizens in the United States have a right to protection from intrusion
into their private affairs
In the United States, what occurs when state and national laws are in
conflict?
A. The state law is enforced.
B. The national law is enforced.
C. The state decides which law to enforce.
D. The public holds a referendum to decide which law should be enforced.
Copyright ® The Commercial Appeal. Reprinted by permission.
7.
What is the main message of the cartoon above?
A. Even though members of Congress say that they are for protecting the
environment, they tend to drive big, gas-guzzling cars.
B. Well-funded special interest groups have privileged access to Congress.
C. Labor and business agree on which policies Congress should follow.
D. People with money play no role in the political process.
8.
In which year did the two main political parties attract the largest total
percentage of all adult Americans?
A. 1940
B. 1950
C. 1982
D. 1992
Members of a community have been arguing about the subject matter
taught in the local high school. This argument has led both sides to demonstrate
outside city council meetings. Also, one group staged a sit-in at the local board
of education. Below are quotes from two citizens who have different opinions
about these protests.
Patrick: "Government's most important job is to maintain order and protect
public safety. How can elected officials ever do their work if people are
criticizing them all the time?"
Elena: "I think it's important that people let their opinions be known.
Protests are okay as long as they are not violent."
9.
The argument between Patrick and Elena shows a debate common in
American politics. This debate best reflects the conflict between
A. the need to maintain order and the rights of individuals
B. the will of the majority and the rights of the minority
C. representative government and direct participatory democracy
D. parental rights and governmental control of education
Questions 14-15 deal with the following quote.
We have a constitutional system that so fragments and divides power that
it's impossible to give this country effective, long-run leadership . . . . The
system has led to an inability to plan and get on top of problems ahead of
time. Even at best, this country has always been twenty to sixty years behind
other industrial democracies in dealing with tough problems.
—James MacGregor Burns, 1988
10. Which aspect of United States government might Burns cite to support his
argument?
A. The use of the electoral college in presidential elections
B. The President's power as commander in chief
C. The division of policy-making power among national, state, and local
governments
D. The role of political parties in congressional decision making
11. Parliamentary systems might not show the same fragmentation that Burns finds in the American
system because in parliamentary systems
A. more real power is given to local governments
B. power is not divided among three branches of government
C. governments do not try to play an active role in the economy
D. political parties do not differ over important issues
12. The graph above best supports which conclusion?
A. State governments increased spending at a higher rate than local or federal
government.
B. The Great Depression of the 1930's saw the greatest increase in federal
government spending.
C. State and local governments decreased their spending in the 1960's.
D. Since 1950, all levels of government have increased their spending.
Questions 13-15 are based on the passage below.
On May 17, 1954, in Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court
ruled that laws mandating racially segregated public school systems were
unconstitutional. The Supreme Court later argued that federal courts should
take steps to bring about the integration of segregated school systems "with all
deliberate speed."
In 1957, Governor Orval Faubus of Arkansas called on the National Guard
to turn away nine African American students as they attempted to enter
Central High School in Little Rock. President Eisenhower, who did not
support the Brown decision, called out federal troops to protect the rights of
the African American students to attend the school.
13. The events at Central High School in Little Rock showed that
A. people at all levels of government supported the goal of school integration
B. the public supported the Supreme Court decision in the Brown case
C. states do not attempt to resist Supreme Court decisions
D. the Supreme Court decision by itself did not do away with segregation
14. President Eisenhower called out federal troops because he
A. had a long career in the military
B. believed that the governor needed his assistance
C. was required by the Constitution to enforce the rule of law
D. wanted to show that the federal government would protect the rights of protesters
15. The events described in the passage suggest that early attempts at school
integration
A. led to a power struggle between state governments and the federal
government
B. were opposed by many in the South but were widely popular in other
parts of the country
C. proceeded without incident after the Little Rock standoff
D. were supported by elected officials but opposed by the courts
"We need an intensified voter registration drive, a determined effort to
integrate the public schools, lunch counters, public parks, theaters, etc."
— Martin Luther King, Jr., 1961
"These legislative and judicial victories did very little to improve the lot
of millions of Negroes in the teeming ghettos of the North.... The issues
which we confront are the hard core economic issues."
— Martin Luther King, Jr., 1966
16. In what fundamental way do the two quotes above show different
understandings of the rights of citizens?
A. In the first quote, rights are assumed to belong to individuals; in the
second quote rights are assigned to groups.
B. The first quote focuses on political and legal rights; the second quote
focuses on economic rights and opportunities.
C. The first quote focuses on the rights of people in rural areas; the second
quote focuses on the rights of people in cities.
D. The first quote defines rights as belonging to all humans; the second quote
defines rights as belonging only to citizens.
17. In the area of United States foreign policy, Congress shares power with the
A. President
B. Supreme Court
C. state governments
D. United Nations
Questions 18-20 refer to the newspaper article below.
MICHIGAN WELFARE PLAN DRAWS UNLIKELY SUPPORT
Michigan governor John Engler is pursuing changes in welfare policy that
are pleasing the Clinton administration more than his Republican allies on
Capitol Hill.
The Democrats' unlikely and somewhat unwilling hero announced an
ambitious pilot project . . . that seeks to cut welfare costs by providing
generous social services so that poor people can go to work. Democrats call
his plan enlightened. Republicans have been caught off guard.
Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Democrat of New York, . . . praised Mr.
Engler for breaking with congressional Republicans by using child care and
transportation subsidies and fashioning a more active role for social workers
in an effort to turn welfare recipients into workers.
—The New York Times, January 22, 1996
18. What does the article show about American politics?
A. There is wide support for continuing welfare services in their current
form.
B. The number of people receiving welfare services has increased markedly
over recent years.
C. Political parties are not ideologically unified, and people within parties
may differ over issues like welfare reform.
D. Democrats are thought to be more liberal than Republicans, but they are
in fact more likely to champion the elimination of welfare services.
19. In what way does the article show one of the strengths of federalism?
A. People will receive the same level of income support no matter where they
live.
B. States may serve as sites for experimentation with new public policies.
C. The national government can force other states to follow Governor
Engler's lead.
D. The federal government may prevent Michigan from treating its citizens
unfairly.
20. Many congressional Republicans might object to Engler's plan because it
A. involves increased government spending for transportation and child care
B. is not aimed at getting people off welfare and back to work
C. does not extend the social safety net far enough
D. places the state government in competition with private companies for employees
Americans volunteer to work with a wide variety of nongovernmental
organizations. Volunteers provide social services, work to clean the
environment, and help to educate the young. But while many people view
volunteerism as a "good" thing, they do not understand just how important
volunteers are to the health of American democracy. Volunteerism both
makes people better citizens, and helps restrain the growth of government in a
way that protects the freedom of all.
21. What is one example of the type of volunteer work referred to in the
statement above?
A. The Environmental Protection Agency cleans up toxic waste dumps.
B. A public school sponsors after-school programs for children whose parents
work.
C. A youth group holds a food drive to help poor people.
D. Soldiers are sent to help put out forest fires threatening homes.
22. What is one important way in which central political principles of the United
States government have had a major effect on United States foreign policy?
A. The United States has usually supported movements in foreign countries
to give all citizens basic economic rights.
B. The United States has played a leading role in the international
environmental movement.
C. The United States has supported the growth of Western-style democracy
in countries that were once communist dictatorships.
D. The United States has consistently encouraged its allies to develop federal
systems of government.
Questions 23-24 refer to the following passage from the 1848 report of Horace
Mann, secretary to the Massachusetts Board of Education.
According to the European theory, men are divided into classes—some to
toil and earn, others to seize and enjoy. According to the Massachusetts
theory, all are to have an equal chance for earning. Vast and overshadowing
private fortunes are among the greatest dangers to which the happiness of the
people in a republic can be subjected.
The main idea set forth in the creeds of some political reformers, or
revolutionizers, is, that some people are poor because others are rich. This
idea supposes a fixed amount of property in the community, which, by fraud
or force, or arbitrary law, is unequally divided among men. But education
creates or develops new treasures, treasures not before possessed or dreamed
of by anyone.
23. The passage implies that poor people will improve their lives through
A. violent revolution
B. nonviolent resistance
C. studying and learning
D. union organization
24. Mann suggests that universal public education can prevent the
A. accumulation of private wealth
B. formation of a rigid and permanent class system
C. need for public charity
D. formation of stable republican government
25. Which of the following statements is supported by the data presented in the
graph above?
A. In current dollars the poverty line has decreased substantially in the thirty
years following 1960.
B. The average yearly AFDC benefits increased substantially during the Bush
presidency, 1989-1992.
C. In current dollars the average AFDC benefit remained constant over the
period covered by the graph.
D. Since about 1980, the average annual benefit of a family receiving AFDC
has declined relative to the poverty line.
Questions 26-27 refer to the poster below, which was produced by a government
agency during the Second World War.
26. We can infer from the poster that our enemies in the war
A. threatened the rights Americans believed were most important
B. believed that freedom of worship was the most important of all liberties
C. had more troops and money than we did
D. were winning on the battlefield
27. The freedom that is the subject of the poster is protected by the
A. Declaration of Independence
B. Preamble to the Constitution
C. First Amendment to the Constitution
D. Gettysburg Address
Question 28 will be answered using the following quote:
"Absolute arbitrary power, or governing without settled laws, can neither of them be consistent with the ends of
society and government." - John Locke
28. Which of the following statements is most consistent with the Locke quotation above?
A. Weak government is worse than no government.
B. Governmental power should be limited.
C. Laws should never be changed.
D. Only wise people can exercise power.
Questions 29-30 will be answered using the following quote:
I often wondered whether we do not rest our hopes too much upon constitutions, upon laws and upon courts. These
are false hopes; believe me, these are false hopes. Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there,
no constitution, no law, no court can save it.
- Judge Learned Hand, 1941
29. Which of the following best summarizes Judge Hand's argument about constitutional democracy in
the United States?
A. Constitutions are a serious obstacle to individual liberties.
B. Constitutions allow governments to disregard individual liberties.
C. Individual liberties depend on citizens committed to the protection of those liberties.
D. Individual liberties can only be safeguarded by a written constitution and an independent judiciary.
30. It can be concluded from the quotation that Judge Hand believed it was most important that citizens
A. vote for candidates who support their views
B. rely on the courts to safeguard their rights
C. amend the Constitution whenever necessary
D. protect their freedoms through political participation
Questions 31-33 can be answered using the map below.
31. The congressional district boundaries shown on the map were probably drawn by the
A. state constitutional convention
B. United States Congress
C. Federal Election Commission
D. Louisiana state legislature
32. Which of the following would best explain why there may be more than seven congressional
districts in Louisiana in the year 2002?
A. The state legislature votes to increase the number of representatives to give the state more decision-making
power.
B. The year 2000 census indicates that the population of Louisiana increased proportionately more than that of
other states.
C. The Supreme Court decides to increase the number of representatives in all southern states.
D. Citizens of Louisiana vote yes on a referendum to increase the number of representatives in Congress.
33. From the map, you can conclude that congressional district 2 must
A. include a large urban area
B. have fewer people than the other districts
C. have been drawn to protect an incumbent
D. be a very old congressional district
Question 34 can be answered using the graph below.
34. Which statement helps to explain the data presented in the graph above?
A. Federal government has been growing much faster than state or local governments because increasing
numbers of people rely on the federal government for different services.
B. Local governments employ more people than do state or federal governments because local governments
meet the direct needs of so many people in so many different places.
C. State governments employ fewer people than do local governments because state governments run much
more efficiently than are local governments.
D. Federal, state, and local governments have increased at the same rates over a 70-year period because the
system of federalism divides responsibilities among different levels of government.
35. Which statement about the making of United States foreign policy is accurate?
A. State governments, through their ability to negotiate independent trade agreements, have preeminent
authority in making foreign policy.
B. The Senate, because of its power of treaty ratification, has more power in setting foreign policy than does
the President.
C. The Supreme Court, because it can rule on the constitutionality of executive actions, dominates foreign
policy.
D. Congress and the courts have some authority over foreign policy, but the President and the state
department have the greatest authority.
Questions 36-39 refer to the passages below, taken from the Supreme Court's majority opinion and Justice
Harlan's dissent in the case of Lochner v. New York (1905). In this case, the state of New York had passed a
law that limited the number of hours that an employee of a bakery could work to no more than sixty hours a
week. Lochner was a baker who challenged the constitutionality of the law in the courts.
The statute necessarily interferes with the right of contract between the employer and employees.... The general right
to make a contract...is part of the liberty of the individual protected by the Fourteenth Amendment.... Under that
provision, no State can deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. The right to
purchase or sell labor is part of the liberty protected by this amendment....
- Justice Peckham, delivering the majority opinion of the Court
It is plain that this statute was enacted in order to protect the physical well-being of those who work in bakeries.... The
statute must be taken as expressing the belief of the people of New York that, as a general rule, labor in excess of
sixty hours a week...may endanger the health of those who thus labor.... Our duty, I submit, is to sustain the statute
as not being in conflict with the Federal Constitution.
- Justice Harlan, in his dissenting opinion
36. What was the effect of the Supreme Court decision in the case of Lochner v. New York?
A. The power to regulate working hours and conditions was given to the courts.
B. The federal government alone could interfere with the right to make contracts.
C. The law limiting the number of hours people could work was allowed to stand.
D. The law limiting the number of hours people could work was ruled unconstitutional.
37. What is one way that political attitudes toward government regulation have changed since the
decision in the Lochner case?
A. Government today is largely unwilling to regulate private contracts.
B. The federal government no longer applies the Fourteenth Amendment to state laws.
C. It is generally accepted that the government should take some actions to defend the health and safety of
workers.
D. It is generally accepted that the government should play a role in enforcing contracts, but not in trying to
influence their content.
38. Which of the following arguments supports the majority decision?
A. The law should be applied to all people equally, without regard to race, creed, or color.
B. Government should play as small a role as possible in civil society and the economy.
C. The Supreme Court should never overturn state laws, since these tend to reflect the will of the majority.
D. There are times when the government will know what is best for individuals, even though the individuals may
not agree.
39. Which of the following is the best way to summarize the difference between the two opinions?
A. Peckham argues for judicial activism to limit government power; Harlan argues for judicial restraint, but for a
more active role by government.
B. Peckham argues that legislatures have a role to play in civil society; Harlan argues that such a role should
be reserved only for the courts.
C. Peckham emphasizes the power of the states; Harlan emphasizes the power of the federal government.
D. Peckham emphasizes the power of the legislatures; Harlan emphasizes the power of the courts.
Questions 40-42 refer to the descriptions below of two different electoral systems.
Most democratic countries elect legislatures through one of two types of electoral systems: single-member district or
proportional representation. In single-member district systems, citizens in specific areas vote for candidates who
represent their districts. In proportional representation systems, citizens in the country vote for political parties.
Parties are then awarded seats in the legislature proportionate to the percentage of the vote they have won. In other
words, if a party wins 20 percent of the vote, it receives 20 percent of the seats in the legislature.
40. Why will countries with proportional representation systems tend to have more political parties than
those with single-member district systems?
A. Only large countries tend to use proportional representation systems, and these countries naturally have
more parties.
B. Countries with proportional representation systems tend to be more sharply divided along ethnic and
regional lines, and many parties tend to arise as groups struggle to defend their interests.
C. Parties in proportional representation systems do not have to win a majority of the vote in any district, so it is
easier for smaller parties to gain representation in the legislature.
D. Countries with proportional representation systems tend to have constitutions that mandate the existence of
more than three political parties.
41. Which of the following is the best argument that a proportional representation system is better than
a single-member district system?
A. In proportional representation systems, elected representatives will be more likely to actively defend the
interests of the regions they were elected to represent.
B. In proportional representation systems, the balance of power in the legislature is more representative of the
popular vote.
C. Proportional representation systems tend to be less bureaucratic.
D. Proportional representation systems are more likely to promote strong majorities in legislatures.
42. Which of the following is the best argument that a single-member district system is better than a
proportional representation system?
A. Voters should make choices about individual candidates, as they do in single-member district systems,
rather than simply vote for a party.
B. Single-member district systems lead to stronger political parties, which are good for democracy.
C. Single-member district systems are better at representing the interests of minorities.
D. Voters will make wiser choices if they focus on national issues, as they do in single-member district systems,
rather than on local issues, as they tend to do in proportional representation systems.
43. The primary purpose of the Bill of Rights was to
A. limit the spread of slavery in the United States
B. limit the power of the federal government
C. limit power of federal government
D. allot specific powers to the states
44. Imagine that Congress is considering severe cutbacks in the Social Security program. Which of the
following national interest groups would be most concerned about and opposed to such a policy?
A. Mothers Against Drunk Drivers
B. American Association of Retired Persons
C. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
D. American Bar Association
45. What happens to most of the bills introduced in the House of Representatives?
A. They become laws.
B. They are passed but then vetoed by the President.
C. They are passed by the House but not by the Senate.
D. They are never sent by committees to the full House.
46. At the Constitutional Convention, there was a major debate between large states and small states
about representation in the new Congress. This debate was resolved by the Connecticut
Compromise, which said that
A. the number of citizens in a state would determine how many seats that state had in Congress, but slaves
and other noncitizens would not be counted for this purpose
B. Congress would have two houses in which the number of seats a state had in each house was based on its
population
C. Congress would have two houses, one in which state representation was based on population and one in
which all states had equal representation
D. Congress would be made up of two houses in which all states had an equal number of representatives in
each house
Questions 47-50 refer to the map below. The town in the map, Michaelston, needs to create a waste landfill. The
landfill will be located at site A, B, or C shown on the map.
47. Imagine that the decision has been made to locate the landfill at the site near the school. What would
be one of the first actions students could legally take to protest this decision and try to have the
landfill placed in another location?
A. Appear before the town council to request that the landfill be placed elsewhere.
B. Encourage parents to refuse to pay federal income taxes.
C. Petition international environmental organizations so that they can help move the landfill elsewhere.
D. Refuse to go to school until the decision is changed.
48. The federal government would likely become involved in the decision about where to locate the
landfill if the landfill threatened to
A. lower the value of property in surrounding areas
B. cause the quality of the reservoir water to fall below the standards set by the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA)
C. interfere with the local tourist trade
D. lead to the recall of members of the town and state governments
49. The state government would be most likely to become involved in the decision about where to locate
the landfill if developers tried to put the landfill on a site that
A. was near an army base within the state
B. created conflicts among the citizens of the town
C. was near a town park
D. was likely to affect agriculture in other counties in the state
50. Which of the following would be true for someone who wanted to open a small business in zone III?
A. She could open the business whenever she raised the necessary funds.
B. She would need to get permission from the federal government.
C. She would need to get a zoning variance from the town planning board.
D. She would need to have a petition signed by a majority of community members in favor of the business.
Questions 51-53 are based on the excerpt below from the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education
of Topeka (1954).
Does segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race, even though the physical facilities . . . may
be equal, deprive children of the minority group of equal educational opportunities? We believe that it does.
To separate them from others of similar age and qualifications solely on the basis of their race generates a feeling of
inferiority as to their status and community that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely to ever be undone.
. . . Whatever may have been the extent of psychological knowledge at the time of Plessy v. Ferguson, this finding is
amply supported by modern authority. Any language in Plessy v. Ferguson contrary to this finding is rejected.
We conclude that in the field of public education, the doctrine of separate but equal has no place. Separate
educational facilities are inherently unequal.
51. The segregated educational system described in the decision was the result of
A. state laws
B. federal laws
C. federal regulations
D. executive orders
52. The second paragraph discusses an earlier court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson. You can conclude
that the Plessy decision had allowed
A. districts to use busing to integrate schools
B. schools to have "separate but equal" educational facilities
C. free public education for all citizens
D. new federal support to finance education for minority students
53. Which part of the United States Constitution did the Court most likely use to support its decision?
A. Article 4
B. The Tenth Amendment
C. Thirteenth Amendment
D. Fourteenth Amendment
54. How did the decision affect the relationship between the federal government and state and local
governments?
A. The federal government exerted greater influence in a policy area that had been dominated by states and
municipalities.
B. The federal government began directly determining what would be taught in public classrooms.
C. State governments were restricted in their ability to mandate the teaching of religion in public schools.
D. State and local governments became less dependent on federal funding for education.
Question 55-56 can be answered using the following quote.
The United States is not a fully democratic country. The framers of the Constitution created a system in which
majorities—even large majorities or their representatives in Congress—do not have the right to do anything and
everything they want.
55. Which aspect of the American system of government shows one of the limits on the power of
majorities discussed above?
A. The ability of Congress to override presidential vetoes
B. The Supreme Court's power to overturn unconstitutional laws
C. The right of Congress to impeach Presidents and federal judges
D. The ability of people in many states to vote public initiatives into law
56. The framers of the Constitution wanted to limit the power of majorities in order to
A. encourage the growth of political parties
B. ensure that state governments would remain weak
C. enable the government to act quickly in times of crisis
D. protect the rights of individuals and minorities
Questions 57-58 can be answered using the following quotes.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or
abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the
government for a redress of grievances.
- First Amendment to the United States Constitution
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort
and international cooperation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic,
social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.
- Article 22 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948
57. The two documents show a common concern for
A. free speech
B. economic rights
C. individual rights
D. group rights
58. Why have documents such as the United Nations Universal Declaration been opposed by some
citizens in the United States?
A.
Some people fear that international agreements will force the United States to act in ways not consistent
with its national interest.
B.
Americans see economic equality as more important than individual liberty.
C.
Some people believe that the government should be free to limit speech and assembly rights where
necessary.
D.
Most people do not believe that there are universal human rights.