AP Government Second Midterm
Institutions: Ch. 11,12 and 15
This exam has 50 multiple-choice questions worth 1.5 points each for a total of 75 points and 1 essay questions
worth 25 points. The total for the exam is 100 points.
Multiple Choice Section:
Choose the best answer and mark the corresponding oval on the scantron. Be sure to remove all unnecessary
marks before turning in the exam.
1.
Which of the following is NOT a role played by the President?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
chief judge
chief diplomat
chief executive
chief legislator
commander and chief
2.
The order of succession to the presidency after the Vice President is determined by the
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Constitution.
force of tradition.
Presidential Succession Act.
25th Amendment.
Executive Order.
3.
A formal duty assigned to the Vice President by the Constitution is to
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
call cabinet meetings.
choose the Secretary of State.
preside over the House.
preside over the Senate.
approve presidential appointments.
4.
A State’s presidential electors are chosen by
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
the State legislature.
its members in Congress.
popular vote.
a State convention.
the State governor.
5.
Under the winner-take-all feature of the electoral college system
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
the winner of a popular vote always wins the presidency.
the distribution of electoral votes matches the distribution of voters.
electors are legally bound to vote for the popular candidate.
the candidate who wins the popular vote receives all the electoral votes from a state.
state legislators choose electors.
6.
The most widely supported national plan for reform of the electoral college is the
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
district plan.
proportional plan.
direct popular election.
one state, one vote plan.
state legislature plan.
7.
The maximum term for the office of President is
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
eight years.
two full terms followed by half of a third term.
ten years.
51% of a term followed by two full terms.
three full terms.
8.
According to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, which of these officers follows the Vice President in the
line of presidential succession?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Speaker of the House
Secretary of State
president pro tempore of the Senate
Chief of Staff
Secretary of Treasury
9.
The President may decide to resume duties after an illness by informing Congress that no inability exists, but
that decision can be challenged by
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Congress.
the Vice President.
the Vice President and a majority of the cabinet.
any representative in the House of Representatives.
the first lady.
10. Throughout much of history, the Vice President has had
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
little power.
great influence on the President.
varied and significant duties.
leadership responsibilities in the House of Representatives.
the backing of the Senate against the President.
11. Constitution stated that the requirements for being president are all of the following EXCEPT
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
obtaining a majority of electoral votes.
having resided in the United States for at least 14 years.
being a native-born citizen.
being at least 35 years old.
being a member of a political party.
12. Which of the following represents reasons why presidents have trouble getting things done?
I.
II.
III.
IV.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Other policymakers have their own agendas and interests.
Other policymakers have their own source of power.
Congress is not beholden to the president but to other interests.
The influence of special interest groups and lobbyists play a significant role.
I only
II only
I and III only
II and IV only
I, II, III, and IV
13. After Congress passes an appropriations bill, the president may do all of the following EXECPT
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
sign it in to law.
send it directly to the Supreme Court for judicial review.
veto it, sending it back to Congress with the reasons for rejecting it.
let it become law after ten working days by not doing anything to it.
not sign it after Congress adjourns, exercising a pocket veto.
14. When the president needs support, which of the following does he look to?
I.
II.
III.
IV.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
the federal bureaucracy
the cabinet
the president’s party leadership in Congress
public support
I only
II only
II and III only
III and IV only
I, II, III, and IV
15. Using the bully pulpit refers to a president
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
using the power and influence of his office to exert pressure.
calling upon members of his cabinet to influence legislation.
using his veto power to reject legislation.
signing a piece of legislation into law.
taking a trip to a foreign country a sign a treaty.
16. When an international event that is interpreted as an imminent threat to the United States takes place, the
immediate effect in the president’s approval rating is usually
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
a sharp increase.
a sharp decline.
a slight increase.
a slight decline.
no change at all.
17. Which of the following government officials is required to be a “natural born citizen”?
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Members of the House of Representatives
Senators
The President
The Vice President
Federal Justices
I and II only
II, III, and IV only
III and IV only
III, IV, and V only
I, II, III, IV, and V
18. Which of the following is the best description of the impact that the Line-Item Veto Act of 1996 has had on
U.S. policy making?
It has allowed Presidents to effectively veto sections of bills that they don’t support.
Its full effect is still unknown since it has only been in effect for a few years.
It has worsened the effects of gridlock since it gives the President more leverage over legislation.
It has eased gridlock somewhat since the act allows both Congress and the President to have more flexibility in
policy making.
E. Its impact has been minimal since that act was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1997.
A.
B.
C.
D.
19. Which of the following Supreme Court decisions limited a President’s exercise of executive privilege?
Marbury v. Madison
Buckley v. Valeo
A. United States v. Nixon
B. Clinton v. City of New York
C. Dennis v. United States
20. Which of the following powers of the President is checked by the “advice and consent” of the Senate?
I.
II.
III.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
making treaties with other nations
making executive agreements with other nations
appointing ambassadors and judges
I only
I and II only
I and III only
II and III only
I, II, and III
21. What is impoundment?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
the presidential practice of refusing to spend money appropriated by Congress.
the tendency for Congress to pass legislation with inadequate appropriations attached.
a congressional order to the President to carry out programs created by legislation.
the presidential practice of significantly revising programs that Congress has created through legislation.
a Supreme Court order that requires Congress to revise legislation according to a court decision.
22. Which of the following is the BEST reason that the election of 2000 caused many critics to argue that the
electoral college voting system is undemocratic?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
The election demonstrated that state-run election processes are inefficient.
The candidate that had the largest campaign budget won the election.
The candidate that won the election was the one that got along the best with the press.
The candidate that won the popular vote did not win the election.
The candidate with the most popular vice-presidential candidate won the election.
23. The War Powers Act of 1973 was intended to
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
limit the ability of Congress to restrict the President’s military powers.
enhance the powers of individual military leaders in determining their own war tactics.
give the House of Representatives a bigger role in determining military policies.
rebalance and equalize powers among the military branches.
limit the President’s powers in his role as commander and chief.
24. The court case United States v. Nixon (1974) restricted the President’s power of:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
executive privilege
impoundment
line-item veto
command of the armed services
reprieves and pardons
25. Term limits currently apply to
I.
II.
III.
IV.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
the Presidency
the Supreme Court
the Senate
the House of Representatives
I only
I and III only
I, III, and IV only
III and IV only
II, III, and IV only
26. The spoils system is
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
a practice of hiring created by the Constitution.
the practice of giving government jobs to friends and family.
more fair than the merit system.
a democratic means of filling offices.
more unfair than the patronage system.
27. Most of the people who now work in the federal bureaucracy
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
are appointed by the President.
serve in the Executive Office.
are selected through the competitive civil service system.
are chosen through the spoils system.
are elected along with the President.
28. Over time, the number of executive departments grew, in large part because
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
the Presidents wanted more secretaries in the cabinet.
14 departments were not enough to handle all executive responsibilities.
regional offices were closed and departments opened in Washington.
the workload of the Federal Government expanded as the country grew and more services were provided.
the Federal Government grew to provide jobs for an expanding economy.
29. The agency that helps the president to prepare his or her yearly budget recommendations for Congress is the
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Internal Revenue Service.
National Accounting Agency.
Council of Economic Advisers.
Office of Management and Budget.
Department of Treasury.
30. All of the following contribute to the Federal Government’s classification as a bureaucracy EXCEPT:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
the government has three branches with checks and balances.
each government worker has defined responsibilities.
the government has formal rules of operation.
government officials at the top control those in the middle.
each agency has clearly defined goals.
31. Cabinet-level agencies are responsible to
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Congress.
the president.
the courts.
the White House staff.
the executive office of the president.
32. Many contemporary politicians have come to see bureaucracies as agencies
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
that aim to make realistic recommendations that may result in lower budgets than the year before.
whose main objectives is to seek profits.
whose major goal is to cut back on their powers.
who strive to maximize their budgets and powers.
who work more closely with the judiciary.
33. In recent years presidential policy with respect to the federal bureaucracy has been to
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
favor an increase in the number of workers to comp with the complexity of federal programs.
favor significant budget increases to fund new programs.
favor a downsizing and reorganization of the workforce.
request the creation of new agencies to regulate the transportation of industry.
request the elimination of the Central Intelligence Agency.
(Questions 34 and 35 are based on the following chart):
34. The chart illustrates
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
an iron triangle.
the “Rule of Four”.
the workings of the merit system.
an indirect initiative.
the elastic clause.
35. The network represented in the chart is controversial because the interactions
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
mean that interest groups have little say in policymaking.
often don’t promote the best people being hired for government positions.
usually reinforce the power of the federal government at the expense of the states.
foster the interests of specific groups and have little to do with advancing national policy goals.
allow policy to be made independently from each other.
36. The court that first hears a case is said to have
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
appellate jurisdiction.
exclusive jurisdiction.
original jurisdiction.
concurrent jurisdiction.
hierarchical jurisdiction.
37. A Supreme Court justice who does not agree with the majority decision can submit
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
for redress.
a Writ of appeal.
a Writ of certiorari.
a concurring opinion.
a dissenting opinion.
38. Which of the following courts exercise both original and appellate jurisdiction?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
the Supreme Court
court of appeals
district court
the court of appeals for the Federal Circuit
trial court
39. When Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes said that the Constitution “means what the judges say it means,” he
was referring to the Supreme Court’s
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
original jurisdiction.
power of judicial review
exclusive jurisdiction
right to use the Writ of Certiorari
appellate jurisdiction
40. About 80 percent of all federal cases are
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
heard in inferior court called district courts.
appealed to courts of appeals or to the Supreme Court.
criminal cases, not civil cases.
first tried in the State court system.
eventually heard by the Supreme Court.
41. Judicial authority extends to issues dealing with all of the following areas EXCEPT:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
common law.
issues of equity.
civil law.
criminal law.
pending legislation.
42. Which of the following actions considers senatorial courtesy?
A. A bill introduced by a senator from one state must get agreement from the other senator in that state.
B. Members of the same party agree on the order of legislation.
C. Senators from the state in which a judicial appointment is being made by the president are informed and
consulted on the candidate prior to the appointment.
D. The majority leader of the Senate informs the minority leader who he is appointing as committee chairman.
E. The president informs the chairman of the Judiciary Committee of a Supreme Court nominee prior to the
announcement.
43. Which of the following committees is responsible for reviewing Supreme Court nominees?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
House Judiciary
Senate Judiciary
House Rules
Senate Appropriations
House Ways and Means
44. Acceptance of a Writ of Certiorari is based on all of the following EXCEPT:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
a vote by three Supreme Court justices.
a court decision that conflicts with precedent.
a court of appeals decision that conflicts with another court of appeals decision.
inconsistencies between courts of different states.
a split decision in the court of appeals.
45. Which represents a major reason for the submission of an amicus curiae brief?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
The Court must rely on precedent cases.
A friend of the court wishes to provide additional information to the Court.
Lower courts must provide transcripts of its decisions.
The Supreme Court requires related interests in the case to submit briefs.
The brief from the petitioner provides amended information about the case.
46. The Court of which of the following Chief Justices handed down the most activist decisions?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Salmon Chase
William Rehnquist
Earl Warren
Roger Taney
Warren Burger
47. An example of a decision that would be classified as activist is
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
San Antonio v. Rodriquez
California v. Bakke
Brown v. Board of Education
U.S. v. Lopez
U.S. v. Morrison
48. Critics of judicial restraint would favor a Supreme Court that would
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
create new precedent.
decrease the power of the federal government.
decrease the power of the state government.
only agree to hear a limited number of cases.
uphold precedent.
49. A “litmus test” is applied when Congress is
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
confirming a President’s nominee to the Supreme Court.
choosing their leaders.
working out two versions of a bill in a conference committee.
trying to decide whether to override a President’s veto.
deciding what activities of lobbyists should be regulated.
50. All of the following are checks by either the legislative or executive branch on the Supreme Court EXCEPT:
A. The President controls the nature of the courts with his power to appoint all federal judges.
B. Congress must confirm presidential appointments to federal courts.
C. Congress may alter the very structure of the court system, determining the numbers of courts and justices that
serve on them.
D. Congress has the power to impeach justices.
E. The President may remove a justice from office, as long as both houses of Congress approve.