Question 1

Most work on bills under consideration by the legislature is done by the staff members of party leaders.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

Which statement explains how a legislator's representation of constituents is psychological?

Accepted Answer

A) Most of what representatives do concerns ideas rather than practical realities. 
B) Representatives need to feel they are representing the interests of the people. 
C) The people need to feel like they are being adequately represented regardless of the reality. 
D) Representatives need to get inside the heads of their constituents to understand what they want. 
A) Most of what representatives do concerns ideas rather than practical realities. 
B) Representatives need to feel they are representing the interests of the people. 
C) The people need to feel like they are being adequately represented regardless of the reality. 
D) Representatives need to get inside the heads of their constituents to understand what they want.

Question 3

Compared to the U.S.Senate,the British House of Lords __________.

Accepted Answer

A) is more responsive to the public 
B) has far more power over the content of legislation 
C) only occasionally checks the actions of the lower house 
D) is an important and frequent check against the power of the lower house 
A) is more responsive to the public 
B) has far more power over the content of legislation 
C) only occasionally checks the actions of the lower house 
D) is an important and frequent check against the power of the lower house

Question 4

The fusion of power in a parliamentary system is intended to ___________.

Accepted Answer

A) give the executive branch absolute control over the bureaucracy 
B) ensure that the executive is responsible to the legislative branch 
C) generate a consensus-based approach among competing political parties 
D) make the legislative branch highly dependent upon the executive branch 
A) give the executive branch absolute control over the bureaucracy 
B) ensure that the executive is responsible to the legislative branch 
C) generate a consensus-based approach among competing political parties 
D) make the legislative branch highly dependent upon the executive branch

Question 5

The filibuster is an example of __________.

Accepted Answer

A) how the minority party can block legislation 
B) the threat to marginalized groups in a bicameral system 
C) the strength of a parliamentary system over a presidential system 
D) how pork barrel spending makes everyone worse off in the long run 
A) how the minority party can block legislation 
B) the threat to marginalized groups in a bicameral system 
C) the strength of a parliamentary system over a presidential system 
D) how pork barrel spending makes everyone worse off in the long run

Question 6

U.S.Senate rules allow a member to conduct a __________ to block legislation.

Accepted Answer

A) filibuster 
B) stalemate 
C) discretional delay 
D) no-confidence vote 
A) filibuster 
B) stalemate 
C) discretional delay 
D) no-confidence vote

Question 7

Standing committees in the U.S.Congress are always __________.

Accepted Answer

A) ad hoc 
B) bipartisan in make-up 
C) focused on domestic issues 
D) dominated by junior-level staffers 
A) ad hoc 
B) bipartisan in make-up 
C) focused on domestic issues 
D) dominated by junior-level staffers

Question 8

In which of these areas is the role of the legislature the least significant?

Accepted Answer

A) passing laws 
B) writing bills 
C) supporting constituents 
D) holding oversight hearings 
A) passing laws 
B) writing bills 
C) supporting constituents 
D) holding oversight hearings

Question 9

French philosopher Montesquieu would be most likely to favor which of these types of government?

Accepted Answer

A) a monarch operating within a decentralized feudal system 
B) an absolutist state with total power in the hands of a single individual 
C) a parliamentary system subject to the will of powerful courts in the judicial branch 
D) a representative system with clear separation of powers between different branches 
A) a monarch operating within a decentralized feudal system 
B) an absolutist state with total power in the hands of a single individual 
C) a parliamentary system subject to the will of powerful courts in the judicial branch 
D) a representative system with clear separation of powers between different branches

Question 10

A feudal system is one in which power __________.

Accepted Answer

A) rests within parliament 
B) is dispersed among layers 
C) cannot be wielded effectively 
D) bows to the will of an outside authority 
A) rests within parliament 
B) is dispersed among layers 
C) cannot be wielded effectively 
D) bows to the will of an outside authority

Question 11

John Locke believed that the __________ wields the foundational power of any government.

Accepted Answer

A) police 
B) court system 
C) bureaucracy 
D) legislative branch 
A) police 
B) court system 
C) bureaucracy 
D) legislative branch

Question 12

China's National People's Congress uses a __________ parliament.

Accepted Answer

A) bicameral 
B) presidential 
C) two-tiered 
D) unicameral 
A) bicameral 
B) presidential 
C) two-tiered 
D) unicameral

Question 13

South Africa once had a three-chambered parliament based on different __________.

Accepted Answer

A) class statuses 
B) party memberships 
C) races 
D) religions 
A) class statuses 
B) party memberships 
C) races 
D) religions

Question 14

Congressional committee chairs are most powerful when the majority party is fragmented.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Which institutional lesson did the feudal experience reinforce?

Accepted Answer

A) Efficient government requires a clear separation of secular and religious authority. 
B) Any system based on aristocratic nobility is incapable of protecting citizens from harm. 
C) Emphasizing centralization of political authority leads to increasingly radical public policies. 
D) A separation of powers is good for government,whereas a concentration of power leads to corruption. 
A) Efficient government requires a clear separation of secular and religious authority. 
B) Any system based on aristocratic nobility is incapable of protecting citizens from harm. 
C) Emphasizing centralization of political authority leads to increasingly radical public policies. 
D) A separation of powers is good for government,whereas a concentration of power leads to corruption.

Question 16

Most parliaments in the world today are unicameral.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

In nearly every democratic system,a legislator's reelection depends largely on __________.

Accepted Answer

A) party strength 
B) policy expertise 
C) ideological purity 
D) constituency services 
A) party strength 
B) policy expertise 
C) ideological purity 
D) constituency services

Question 18

What is the main idea behind "pork barrel" politics?

Accepted Answer

A) Legislators seek to spend government money in their home district to help ensure reelection. 
B) Legislators who spend an inordinate amount of the taxpayers' money will most likely lose the next election. 
C) The law-making process is less corrupt when representatives can secure limited benefits for their constituents. 
D) Interest groups from agricultural areas have greater influence in upper houses of legislatures than in lower houses. 
A) Legislators seek to spend government money in their home district to help ensure reelection. 
B) Legislators who spend an inordinate amount of the taxpayers' money will most likely lose the next election. 
C) The law-making process is less corrupt when representatives can secure limited benefits for their constituents. 
D) Interest groups from agricultural areas have greater influence in upper houses of legislatures than in lower houses.

Question 19

In recent decades,New Zealanders,Danes,and Swedes concluded that their __________ served no purpose and abolished them.

Accepted Answer

A) upper houses 
B) bureaucracies 
C) electoral colleges 
D) constitutional monarchies 
A) upper houses 
B) bureaucracies 
C) electoral colleges 
D) constitutional monarchies

Question 20

What is the role of committees in the legislative process?

Accepted Answer

A) Committees diminish the opportunity for interest group input,making government less democratic. 
B) Committees reduce the number of problematic bills considered for debate,making government more efficient. 
C) Committees increase the opportunities for presidents to shape the legislative agenda,making legislatures less relevant. 
D) Committees marginalize the input of executives on the content of laws,increasing the initiative of the legislative branch. 
A) Committees diminish the opportunity for interest group input,making government less democratic. 
B) Committees reduce the number of problematic bills considered for debate,making government more efficient. 
C) Committees increase the opportunities for presidents to shape the legislative agenda,making legislatures less relevant. 
D) Committees marginalize the input of executives on the content of laws,increasing the initiative of the legislative branch.

Most work on bills under consideration by the legislature is done by the staff members of party leaders.

Which statement explains how a legislator's representation of constituents is psychological?

Compared to the U.S.Senate,the British House of Lords __________.

The fusion of power in a parliamentary system is intended to ___________.

The filibuster is an example of __________.

U.S.Senate rules allow a member to conduct a __________ to block legislation.

Standing committees in the U.S.Congress are always __________.

In which of these areas is the role of the legislature the least significant?

French philosopher Montesquieu would be most likely to favor which of these types of government?

A feudal system is one in which power __________.

John Locke believed that the __________ wields the foundational power of any government.

China's National People's Congress uses a __________ parliament.

South Africa once had a three-chambered parliament based on different __________.

Congressional committee chairs are most powerful when the majority party is fragmented.

Which institutional lesson did the feudal experience reinforce?

Most parliaments in the world today are unicameral.

In nearly every democratic system,a legislator's reelection depends largely on __________.

What is the main idea behind "pork barrel" politics?

In recent decades,New Zealanders,Danes,and Swedes concluded that their __________ served no purpose and abolished them.

What is the role of committees in the legislative process?

Politics and Political Science

Political Ideologies

States

Constitutions and Rights

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Political Culture

Public Opinion

Political Communication

Interest Groups

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Elections

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Exam 12: Legislatures

Most work on bills under consideration by the legislature is done by the staff members of party leaders.

Which statement explains how a legislator's representation of constituents is psychological?

Compared to the U.S.Senate,the British House of Lords __________.

The fusion of power in a parliamentary system is intended to ___________.

The filibuster is an example of __________.

U.S.Senate rules allow a member to conduct a __________ to block legislation.

Standing committees in the U.S.Congress are always __________.

In which of these areas is the role of the legislature the least significant?

French philosopher Montesquieu would be most likely to favor which of these types of government?

A feudal system is one in which power __________.

John Locke believed that the __________ wields the foundational power of any government.

China's National People's Congress uses a __________ parliament.

South Africa once had a three-chambered parliament based on different __________.

Congressional committee chairs are most powerful when the majority party is fragmented.

Which institutional lesson did the feudal experience reinforce?

Most parliaments in the world today are unicameral.

In nearly every democratic system,a legislator's reelection depends largely on __________.

What is the main idea behind "pork barrel" politics?

In recent decades,New Zealanders,Danes,and Swedes concluded that their __________ served no purpose and abolished them.

What is the role of committees in the legislative process?

Politics and Political Science

Political Ideologies

States

Constitutions and Rights

Regimes

Political Culture

Public Opinion

Political Communication

Interest Groups

Parties

Elections

Executives and Bureaucracies

Judiciaries

Political Economy

Violence and Revolution

International Relations

Filters