Question 1

Whose job is it to convey the party's position to rank-and-file congresspersons,keep vote counts,pressure waverers,and report the views and complaints of the House to the party leadership?

Accepted Answer

A)  committee chairperson
B)  majority leader
C)  whip
D)  Speaker of the House - C

Question 2

Why did the government shut down in 2013?

Accepted Answer

A)  Congressional Democrats and Republicans could not agree on a budget.
B)  The government shut down because each party wanted to take credit for addressing the ensuing crisis.
C)  The government shut down in order to save money.-
D)  Members of Congress forgot to pass the budget. A

Question 3

Most of the work of Congress goes on in __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  recess -
B)  committees
C)  conferences
D)  hearings B

Question 4

The __________ is the only House official mandated by the Constitution.

Accepted Answer

A)  majority leader -
B)  majority whip
C)  Sergeant-at-Arms
D)  Speaker of the House

Question 5

Whips serve what function?

Accepted Answer

A)  to act as official spokespersons for their chambers -
B)  to help the Speaker schedule proposed legislation for debate
C)  to meet with members of the executive cabinet
D)  to persuade party members to support the party's priorities

Question 6

What is the vice president's only constitutionally defined job?

Accepted Answer

A)  to look after the "Good and the Welfare of We the People"
B)  to represent the president at official state functions
C)  to preside over the Electoral College -
D)  to serve as president of the Senate

Question 7

The pork barrel may aid the district of a member of Congress by __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  diverting unallocated funds to another government agency
B)  increasing jobs and revenue with federally funded projects
C)  increasing revenue through private market investment -
D)  taxing corporations less so they provide health insurance for employees

Question 8

What best represents the trend of party polarization over the last three decades?

Accepted Answer

A)  The parties have become less polarized because more and more voters are opting to become independents.
B)  Both Republicans and Democrats have become more liberal.-
C)  While members of Congress have not become more extreme,ordinary citizens have.
D)  Each congressional party has become more homogeneous,and the distance between parties has increased.

Question 9

The __________ makes economic projections about the performance of the economy,the costs of proposed policies,and the economic effects of taxing and spending alternatives.

Accepted Answer

A)  Congressional Budget Office
B)  Congressional Research Service
C)  House Ways and Means Committee -
D)  Senate Banking Committee

Question 10

Which statement about incumbency is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  Incumbents have a significant reelection advantage.
B)  Incumbents are prohibited from accepting campaign contributions from interest group members.-
C)  Incumbents only leave office when pressured by party leadership.
D)  Incumbents only leave office when they are involved in a scandal.

Question 11

Over the past three decades,the distance between the political parties in Congress has been growing steadily.As the parties have pulled apart ideologically,they also have become more __________ internally.

Accepted Answer

A)  libertarian
B)  diverse -
C)  collegial
D)  homogeneous

Question 12

__________ committees exist in both the House and Senate,may be temporary or permanent,and usually have a specific focus.

Accepted Answer

A)  Ways and means
B)  Caucus -
C)  Select
D)  Steering

Question 13

Because Congress is __________,it is fairly open to interest group influence.

Accepted Answer

A)  professionalized -
B)  complex
C)  decentralized
D)  hierarchical

Question 14

What is substantive representation?

Accepted Answer

A)  representing groups that provide subsistence for their campaign coffers and not for their policy preferences
B)  representing the interests of groups of which they themselves are not members
C)  representing people and interests that they like personally by voting for legislation that benefits those people
D)  representing constituents by mirroring their personal,politically relevant characteristics -

Question 15

Why might incumbents want to deemphasize their policy positions during a reelection campaign?

Accepted Answer

A)  Voters do not like feeling patronized by discussing policies they are already fully aware of.
B)  Stressing policy positions can make enemies as well as friends.
C)  Stressing policy positions makes voters more uncertain about where the candidate stands on important issues.
D)  Having clear policy positions makes it harder to attract campaign contributions from interest groups.-

Question 16

Congress missed the fact that various agencies with responsibility for supervising the banking industry were negligent in identifying looming financial problems that led to the recession of 2008-2009.This suggests a failure of __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  the seniority system
B)  jurisdiction fragmentation
C)  oversight
D)  the informal organization of Congress -

Question 17

The vice president of the United States is the ceremonial leader of the Senate,but he or she has little real leadership responsibilities.The leader of the Senate responsible for the brunt of the work of the majority party is the __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  majority leader
B)  Senate chairperson
C)  president of the Senate -
D)  Speaker

Question 18

In the House of Representatives,a bill goes to the Rules Committee __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  after it goes to a conference committee
B)  after it is approved by its full committee
C)  after it is debated in the full House
D)  before it is amended or rewritten in its full committee -

Question 19

The English politician and philosopher Edmund Burke advocated the concept of legislators as __________ who use their best judgment to make policy in the interests of the people.

Accepted Answer

A)  delegates -
B)  trustees
C)  partisans
D)  politicos

Question 20

Which example best demonstrates a legislator acting as a trustee of his or her constituency?

Accepted Answer

A)  A legislator uses his or her best judgment.
B)  A legislator does whatever is best for his or her reelection.
C)  A legislator follows the public opinion of his or her constituency.-
D)  A legislator does what is in the best interest of his or her party.

Exam 11: Congress