STAAR New Millennium Review

What was the primary goal of the 2009 Affordable Care Act?

• To eliminate state medical programs

• To expand access to health insurance

• To nationalize medical care for the elderly

• To ease restrictions on healthcare providers

How does the pattern of distribution of political representation shown in these graphs affect relationships within the government?

• Members of Congress compete to be majority leaders.

• The president must negotiate to get congressional support for the executive agenda.

• Leaders of Congress assign legislation through committees.

• The president determines which pieces of legislation are passed.

What role did the Supreme Court play in this declaration?

• The court ruled Florida’s use of butterfly ballots violated the Equal Protection Clause.

• The court ruled on the constitutionality of the vote recount in Florida.

• The court determined that campaign contributions are forms of free speech.

• The court ruled that requiring literacy tests to vote was unconstitutional.

This table shows the number of votes received in the state of Florida by the three leading candidates in the 2000 presidential election.

• He contested the recounting of election ballots in federal court.

• His presence as a third-party candidate discouraged voter turnout.

• He persuaded state officials to abandon the punch-card method of voting.

• His candidacy drew crucial votes away from the other candidates.

These proposals most clearly reflect the federal government’s developing role in —

• harvesting natural resources

• supporting environmental conservation

• nationalizing manufacturing industries

• promoting business competition

An employee contacts his supervisor to request time off guaranteed to him under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Under which circumstance do the provisions of this law apply?

• The employee qualifies for time off to complete a college degree.

• The employee qualifies for time off to care for a newborn child.

• The employee qualifies for an extended vacation due to airline delays.

• The employee qualifies for assignment to a different work location.

What is the primary aim of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001?

• To limit the amount of foreign investments in the United States

• To promote the growth of locally owned small businesses

• To prevent acts of terrorism against the United States

• To increase funding for military contracts

Which quotation could most likely be attributed to Sandra Day O’Connor?

• “The power I exert on the Court depends on the power of my arguments, not on my gender.”

• “Yes, I did feel a special responsibility to be the first American woman in space.”

• “I came to Washington to work for God, FDR, and the millions of forgotten, plain common workingmen.”

• “I only knew that, as I was being arrested, that it was the very last time I would ever ride in humiliation of this kind.”

Which headline describes an event that resulted from the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001?

• “Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations Resume”

• “Debt Crisis Shakes European Union”

• “Russia Increases Petroleum Exports”

• “Troops Deployed to Afghanistan”

Which of the following resulted from the U.S.-led military coalition’s engagement in the Persian Gulf War?

• The Shah of Iran was overthrown.

• Saddam Hussein was forced from power.

• The nation of Kuwait was liberated.

• Iraqi Kurds were granted equal rights.