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Pilot Test Questions and Answers |
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AMERICAN GOVERNMENT |
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A: Principles of American Democracy |
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1. Name one
important idea found in the Declaration of
Independence. |
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A: People are born with
natural rights. |
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A: The power of government
comes from the people. |
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A: The people can change
their government if it hurts their natural
rights. |
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A: All people are created
equal. |
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2. What is the supreme law
of the land? |
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A: The Constitution |
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3. What does the
Constitution do? |
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A: It sets up the
government. |
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A: It protects basic
rights of Americans. |
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4. What does “We the People”
mean in the Constitution? |
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A: The power of government
comes from the people. |
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5. What do we call changes to
the Constitution? |
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A: Amendments |
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6. What is an amendment? |
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A: It is a change to the
Constitution. |
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7. What do we call the first
ten amendments to the Constitution? |
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A: The Bill of Rights |
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8. Name one right or freedom
from the First Amendment. * |
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A: Speech |
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A: Religion |
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A: Assembly |
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A: Press |
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A: Petition the government |
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9. How many amendments does
the Constitution have? |
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A: Twenty-seven (27) |
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10. What did the Declaration
of Independence do? |
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A: Announce the
independence of the United States from Great
Britain |
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A: Say that the U.S. is
free from Great Britain |
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11. What does freedom of
religion mean? |
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A: You can practice any
religion you want, or not practice at all. |
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12. What type of economic
system does the U.S. have? |
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A: Capitalist economy |
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A: Free market |
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A: Market economy |
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B: System of Government |
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13. What are the three
branches or parts of the government? |
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A: Executive,
legislative, and judicial |
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A: Congress, the
President, the courts |
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14. Name one branch or part
of the government. |
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A: Congress |
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A: Legislative |
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A: President |
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A: Executive |
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A: The courts |
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A: Judicial |
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15. Who is in charge of the
executive branch? |
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A: The President |
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16. Who makes federal laws? |
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A: Congress |
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A: The Senate and House
(of Representatives) |
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A: The (U.S. or national)
legislature |
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17. What are the two parts of
the United States Congress? |
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A: The Senate and House
(of Representatives) |
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18. How many United States
Senators are there? |
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A: 100 |
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19. We elect a U.S. Senator
for how many years? * |
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A: Six (6) |
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20. Name your state’s two
U.S. Senators. * |
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A: Answers will vary.
[For District of Columbia residents and
residents of U.S. territories, the answer is
that DC (or the territory where the
applicant lives) has no U.S. Senators.] |
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21. How many U.S. Senators
does each state have? |
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A: Two (2) |
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22. The House of
Representatives has how many voting members?
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A: 435 |
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23. We elect a U.S.
Representative for how many years? |
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A: Two (2) |
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24. Name your U.S.
Representative. |
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A: Answers will vary.
[Residents of territories with nonvoting
delegates or resident commissioners may
provide the name of that representative or
commissioner. Also acceptable is any
statement that the territory has no (voting)
representatives in Congress.] |
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25. Who does a U.S. Senator
represent? |
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A: All people of the
state |
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26. Who does a U.S.
Representative represent? |
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A: All people of the
district |
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27. What decides each state’s
number of U.S. Representatives? |
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A: The state’s population |
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28. How is each state’s
number of Representatives decided? |
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A: The state’s population |
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29. Why do we have three
branches of government? * |
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A: So no branch is too
powerful |
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30. Name one example of
checks and balances. |
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A: The President vetoes a
bill. |
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A: Congress can confirm
or not confirm a President’s nomination. |
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A: Congress approves the
President’s budget. |
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A: The Supreme Court
strikes down a law. |
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31. We elect a President for
how many years? |
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A: Four (4) years |
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32. How old must a President
be? |
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A: Thirty-five (35) or
older |
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A: At least thirty-five
(35) |
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33. To become President of
the United States, what must the person be
at birth? |
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A: A citizen |
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34. Who is the President now? |
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A: [Current president]
(as of November 20, 2006, George W. Bush) |
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35. What is the name of the
President of the United States? |
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A: [Current president]
(as of November 20, 2006, George W. Bush) |
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A: (President) George W.
Bush |
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A: George Bush |
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A: Bush |
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36. Who is the Vice President
now? |
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A: [Current vice
president] (as of November 20, 2006- Richard
(Dick) Cheney) |
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A: Dick Cheney |
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A: Cheney |
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37. What is the name of the
Vice President of the United States? |
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A: [Current vice
president] (as of November 20, 2006- Richard
(Dick) Cheney) |
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A: Dick Cheney |
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A: Cheney |
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38. If the President can no
longer serve, who becomes President? |
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A: The Vice President |
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39. Who becomes President if
both the President and the Vice President
can no longer serve? |
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A: The Speaker of the
House |
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40. Who is the
Commander-in-Chief of the military? |
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A: The President |
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41. How many full terms can a
President serve? |
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A: Two (2) |
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42. Who signs bills to become
laws? |
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A: The President |
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43. Who vetoes bills? |
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A: The President |
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44. What is a veto? |
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A: The President refuses
to sign a bill passed by Congress. |
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A: The President says no
to a bill. |
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A: The President rejects
a bill. |
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45. What does the President’s
Cabinet do? * |
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A: Advises the President |
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46. Name two Cabinet-level
positions. |
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A: Secretary of
Agriculture |
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A: Secretary of Commerce |
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A: Secretary of Defense |
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A: Secretary of Education |
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A: Secretary of Energy |
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A: Secretary of Health
and Human Services |
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A: Secretary of Homeland
Security |
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A: Secretary of Housing
and Urban Development |
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A: Secretary of Interior |
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A: Secretary of State |
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A: Secretary of
Transportation |
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A: Secretary of Treasury |
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A: Secretary of Veterans’
Affairs |
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A: Attorney General |
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A: Secretary of Labor |
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47. What Cabinet-level agency
advises the President on foreign policy? |
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A: The State Department |
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48. What does the judicial
branch do? * |
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A: Reviews and explains
laws |
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A: Resolves disputes
between parties |
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A: Decides if a law goes
against the Constitution |
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49. Who confirms Supreme
Court justices? |
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A: The Senate |
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50. Who is the Chief Justice
of the United States? |
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A: John Roberts (John G.
Roberts, Jr.) |
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51. How many justices are on
the Supreme Court? |
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A: Nine (9) |
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52. Who nominates justices to
the Supreme Court? |
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A: The President |
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53. Name one thing only the
federal government can do. |
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A: Print money |
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A: Declare war |
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A: Create an army |
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A: Make treaties |
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54. What is one thing a state
government can do? |
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A: Provide schooling and
education |
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A: Provide protection
(police) |
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A: Provide safety (fire
departments) |
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A: Give a driver’s
license |
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A: Approve zoning and
land use |
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55. What does it mean that
the U.S. Constitution is a constitution of
limited powers? |
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A: The federal government
has only the powers that the Constitution
states that it has. |
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A: The states have all
powers that the federal government does not. |
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56. Who is the Governor of
your state? |
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A: Answers will vary. |
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[District of Columbia and
U.S. Territory residents would answer that
they do not have a state governor or that
they do not live in a state. Mentioning the
governor of the territory for Guam is
acceptable. Any answer that mentions one of
these facts is acceptable.] |
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57. What is the capital (or
capital city) of your state? |
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A: Answers will vary.
[District of Columbia residents would answer
that DC is not a state, and that therefore
it does not have a capital. Any answer that
mentions one of these facts is acceptable.] |
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58. What are the two major
political parties in the U.S. today? |
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A: Democrats and
Republicans |
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59. What is the highest court
in the U.S.? |
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A: The Supreme Court |
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60. What is the majority
political party in the House of
Representatives now? * |
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A: Democrats |
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A: Democratic Party |
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61. What is the political
party of the majority in the Senate now? |
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A: Democrats |
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A: Democratic Party |
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62. What is the political
party of the President now? |
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A: Republicans |
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A: Republican Party |
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63. Who is the Speaker of the
House of Representatives now? |
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A: Nancy Pelosi |
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64. Who is the Senate
Majority Leader now? * |
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A: Harry Reid |
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65. In what month are general
presidential elections held in the United
States? |
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A: November |
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66. When must all males
register for the Selective Service? |
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A: At age 18 |
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A: At 18 |
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67. Who is the Secretary of
State now? |
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A: Dr. Condoleezza Rice |
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A: Condoleezza Rice |
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A: Dr. Rice |
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68. Who is the Attorney
General now? |
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A: Alberto Gonzales |
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69. Is the current President
in his first or second term? * |
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A: Second |
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C: Rule of Law |
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70. What is self-government? |
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A: Powers come from the
people. |
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A: Government responds to
the people. |
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71. Who governs the people in
a self-governed country? |
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A: The people govern
themselves. |
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A: The government elected
by the people. |
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72. What is the “rule of
law”? |
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A: Everyone must obey the
law. |
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A: Leaders must obey the
law. |
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A: Government must obey
the law. |
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73. What are “inalienable
rights”? |
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A: Individual rights that
people are born with |
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D: Rights and Responsibilities |
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74. There are four amendments
to the Constitution about who can vote.
Describe one of them. |
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A: Any citizen over 18
can vote. |
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A: A citizen of any race
can vote. |
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A: Any male or female
citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.) |
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A: You don’t have to pay
to vote. (You don’t have to pay a poll tax
to vote.) |
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75. Name one responsibility
that is only for United States citizens. |
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A: Vote |
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A: Serve on a jury |
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76. Name two rights that are
only for United States citizens. |
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A: The right to apply for
a federal job |
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A: The right to vote |
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A: The right to run for
office |
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A: The right to carry a
U.S. passport |
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77. Name two rights of
everyone living in the U.S. |
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A: Freedom of expression |
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A: Freedom of speech |
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A: Freedom of assembly |
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