Name_________________________________ Date________ Class____________ Score____
UNIT 3
THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
U NIT T EST
REVIEWING FACTS
(3 points each) In the space provided, write the letter of
the term that matches each description. Some answers will not be used.
_____ 1. Suggesting people to run for elective offices
a. convention
_____ 2. Levied on items brought into the United States from other
countries
b. containment
_____ 3. Minimal amount of money that a bank must have on hand
_____ 4. Formally confirms that another country’s government is the
proper representative of its people
_____ 5. Stated that the United States would not tolerate European interference in the affairs of the Americas
c. diplomatic recognition
d. customs duties
e. Monroe Doctrine
f. isolationism
g. reserve requirements
_____ 6. Stoppage of commerce and trade
h. nominating
_____ 7. Political party gathering at which rules are decided, issues are
determined, and presidential candidates are chosen
i. exemption
_____ 8. Portion of income that the government does not tax
_____ 9. State Department employees who work in other countries
j. Foreign Service
k. monetary policy
l. trade embargo
_____10. Procedures to regulate the economy by adjusting the amount of
money in circulation and by controlling interest rates
IDENTIFYING IDEAS
HRW material copyrighted under notice appearing earlier in this work.
(3 points each) In the space provided, write the term
that is identified by each statement.
1. The ______________________ is the most powerful foreign-policy maker in the United States.
2. The term ______________________ refers to a relaxation of tensions between nations.
3. ______________________ are the federal government’s primary source of revenue.
4. The federal budget is in shortfall, or ______________________, when the government spends more
than it takes in.
5. The dominant foreign-policy doctrine since World War II has been ______________________.
6. In a free-enterprise system, ______________________ interference with the economy is
controversial.
7. If a government agency needs more flexibility than agencies usually have, often a government
______________________ is created.
8. The Constitution requires that the president be at least ______________________ years old.
9. A convicted person’s sentence can be delayed by a presidential ______________________.
10. Under the ______________________ Act, troops ordered abroad by the president must be sent back
to the United States within 60 days unless Congress approves their activities.
UNIT 3: UNIT TEST
5
Unit 3 Test, Continued
UNDERSTANDING IDEAS
(3 points each) For each of the following, write
the letter of the best choice in the space provided.
_____ 6. Usually, the major parties’ presidential
candidates for president are known
a. months before the national
conventions.
b. early in the primaries.
c. after the conventions occur.
d. a year before the general election.
_____ 2. All of the following people or groups
have an important role in determining
U.S. foreign policy EXCEPT the
a. National Economic Council.
b. president.
c. Central Intelligence Agency.
d. Department of State.
_____ 7. Each of the following areas are handled
by groups that work under the White
House chief of staff EXCEPT
a. independent counsel review.
b. domestic policy.
c. speech writing.
d. national security issues.
_____ 3. Idealists believe that U.S. foreign policy
should be supportive of
a. dictators.
b. restricted trade.
c. wars.
d. human rights.
_____ 8. To stabilize the economy, the government
a. temporarily suspends free enterprise.
b. encourages recessions.
c. implements fiscal and monetary
policies.
d. changes the gold standard.
_____ 4. Which of the following statements is
true?
a. The president’s main roles are
described in amendments.
b. The Bill of Rights explains the limits
of the president’s roles.
c. Some, but not all, of the president’s
roles are described in the Constitution.
d. Every president tries to change his or
her role and fails.
_____ 9. Each of the following is an example of an
attempt to improve agency management
EXCEPT
a. contracting out work.
b. privatizing certain government
functions.
c. using performance measures.
d. testing agency managers’ knowledge
every year.
_____ 5. Nomination procedures for presidents
a. have never been fair.
b. have stayed the same since the Constitution was ratified.
c. have changed a great deal over time.
d. must be approved by Congress and by
the Supreme Court.
_____10. A common criticism of the free-market
system is that it
a. causes some people to have lowpaying jobs or to have no job.
b. is harmful to banks.
c. creates a stock and bond market that is
unprofitable for investors.
d. makes interest rates rise too much.
COMPOSING AN ESSAY
(10 points) On a separate sheet of paper, write a
brief essay in response to one of the following.
1. Identify the rights on which the free-enterprise system is based, and describe the system’s benefits.
2. Discuss the most common criticisms of the executive branch.
6
UNIT 3: UNIT TEST
HRW material copyrighted under notice appearing earlier in this work.
_____ 1. When the United States participates in
defense alliances, it
a. violates the Truman Doctrine.
b. promotes the public good.
c. ignores the philosophy of
containment.
d. practices isolationism.
ANSWER KEY
UNIT 1 TEST
Reviewing Facts
1. d 2. f 3. h 4. i 5. a
6. c 7. g 8. j 9. k 10. e
Identifying Ideas
1. compacts
2. natural
3. Constitution
4. public good
5. government
6. branches
7. autocracy
8. Amendments
9. bill of rights
10. expressed
HRW material copyrighted under notice appearing earlier in this work.
Understanding Ideas
1. a 2. c 3. b 4. a 5. d 6. d
7. d 8. c 9. a 10. a
Composing an Essay
1. Sample answer: Two negative
aspects of the Constitution are
avoidance of responsibility
and gridlock. Under the Constitution’s checks and balances system, branches of
government—and even individuals—can oppose one
another so effectively that
progress does not occur. Similarly, the checks and balances
system makes it difficult to
assign responsibility for government actions to any one
branch or official. This makes
accountability a problem. Positive aspects of the Constitution include its checks and
balances system, which prohibits factions from obtaining
control of the government; its
specificity about separation of
powers, which decreases concentration and abuse of
power; its separation of
national, state, and local powers, which also reduces concentration and abuse of
power; and, finally, as James
UNIT TESTS
Madison pointed out, its tendency to create a republic
whose government is likely to
serve the public good.
2. Sample answer: The federal
system has lasted and thrived
because of its dual goals of
representative government
and limited government. Representative government helps
preserve individual rights and
freedoms because citizens
have control over elected officials. Limited government
prevents any one person or
group from obtaining too
much control of the government and, therefore, the public. Both of these ideals were
brought by the colonists from
England, and were, in part,
implemented to prevent formation of a monarchy. The
Constitution ensures that limitation and representation are
the core of the nation’s government. As long as these
ideals continue to be central
to the federal government, the
public good will be served
and the voting public will be
more satisfied than not.
UNIT 2 TEST
Reviewing Facts
1. c 2. d 3. j 4. i 5. l 6. k
7. h 8. f 9. e 10. b
Identifying Ideas
1. 30
2. Senate
3. term
4. seniority
5. standing
6. constituents
7. Congress
8. representative
9. 100
10. habeas corpus
Understanding ideas
1. d 2. c 3. b 4. a 5. d 6. b
7. c 8. b 9. b 10. a
Composing an Essay
1. Sample answer: Voters probably re-elect incumbents
because those congresspersons have been able to assist
constituents and acquire beneficial projects and programs
for their localities. Also,
incumbents have a performance record in Congress
that constituents can judge;
incumbents are a known
quantity compared to
newcomers.
2. Sample answer: The six steps
are: referral to committee—a
bill introduced in Congress is
referred to a committee,
which often then sends it to a
subcommittee; hearings—
many bills are subject to committee hearings, which are
ordinarily open to the public;
markup—a bill’s exact wording is determined; floor consideration—a bill is admitted
to the floor and voted upon;
conference committee—a bill
passed in one house is sent to
the other for consideration;
and presidential action—the
president signs, does not sign,
or vetoes a bill.
UNIT 3 TEST
Reviewing Facts
1. h 2. d 3. g 4. c 5. e
6. l 7. a 8. i 9. j 10. k
Identifying Ideas
1. president
2. détente
3. Taxes
4. deficit
5. realism
6. government
ANSWER KEY: UNIT TESTS
25
7.
8.
9.
10.
corporation
35
reprieve
War Powers
Understanding Ideas
1. b 2. a 3. d 4. c 5. c 6. a
7. a 8. c 9. d 10. a
26
ANSWER KEY: UNIT TESTS
Reviewing Facts
1. j 2. f 3. g 4. b 5. i 6. k
7. e 8. d 9. h 10. c
Identifying Ideas
1. Original
2. Parole
3. strict constructionists
4. juveniles
5. sequestered
6. judicial restraint
7. Capital punishment
8. precedents
9. subpoena
10. grounds
Understanding Ideas
1. c 2. b 3. a 4. d 5. a 6. c
7. a 8. a 9. a 10. d
Composing an Essay
1. Sample answer: The Supreme
Court initially held little
power and was considered to
be unimportant. The Court
did not have a permanent
meeting place and had to
meet in the Capitol. For its
first three years, the Court did
not hear any cases, and for
many years thereafter, it heard
only a few cases. However,
during John Marshall’s tenure
as chief justice, the Court
began to hear more cases and
slowly acquired the power
that it holds today.
2. Sample answer: By agreeing
to a plea bargain, an accused
person pleads guilty to a
lesser charge. This usually
results in a shorter sentence
than one that would be given
after a jury trial. Plea bargains
are used often by the U.S.
criminal justice system—
more than 90 percent of convictions are obtained this way.
They are controversial
because they may deprive persons of a right to a fair trial,
ensure that defendants are
always found guilty, and allow
many guilty people to receive
reduced sentences.
UNIT 5 TEST
Reviewing Facts
1. g 2. h 3. e 4. j 5. c 6. a
7. i 8. d 9. b 10. k
Identifying Ideas
1. jus soli
2. silent
3. Illegal aliens
4. clear-and-present-danger
5. strict scrutiny
6. district
7. indictment
8. Equal Protection
9. Slander
10. petition
Understanding Ideas
1. b 2. a 3. c 4. a 5. c 6. c
7. a 8. d 9. b 10. c
Composing an Essay
1. Sample answer: Usually the
government is unable to use
prior restraint against the
media. In other words, the
government cannot prevent a
representative of the media
from providing information or
communicating an idea. However, the media have some
restrictions on freedom of
speech during court trials.
Many reporters have refused
to reveal their sources during
trials. Interestingly, federal
courts have not agreed that
the First Amendment protects
members of the media from
revealing their sources. Some
states, in contrast, have shield
laws that enable reporters to
protect their sources’ identity.
2. Sample answer: Under the
Fifth Amendment, persons
accused of crimes cannot be
forced to give evidence
against themselves. Therefore,
the accused are legally permitted to refuse to testify at
their own trials if doing so
HRW material copyrighted under notice appearing earlier in this work.
Composing an Essay
1. Sample answer: The five
rights upon which the U.S.
free-enterprise system are
based are the right to own private property and enter into
contracts; the right to engage
in economic competition; the
right to make individual
choices; the right to participate in the economy with limited government involvement
and regulation; and the right
to make decisions based on
self-interest. The main benefits of the free-enterprise system are that it creates what
consumers want and, through
private ownership and a free
market, provides the healthiest environment for economic
growth.
2. Sample answer: There are
three main criticisms of the
executive branch. First, some
people think the president is
too powerful. A strong president, though, is needed to
check Congress’s powers, and
the president’s powers are
checked in turn. Second, people believe that the president
wastes too much time on
media image, which distracts
from important problems and
issues. Third, the executive
branch often is criticized
because of its size and complexity, and because of its
agencies’ complicated procedures. The use of performance
measures, contracting out
business, and privatization
have been used to deal with
these problems.
UNIT 4 TEST