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Government - Lesson 1 Practice Questions

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 10mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which of these is an essential feature of political activity?

a)

It is difficult.

b)

It is idealistic.

c)

It is individualistic.

d)

It is purposeful.

2.

Which of these individuals is most likely to exercise power without authority?

a)

a traffic officer

b)

an armed robber

c)

a business owner

d)

a school principal

3.

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks went to jail rather than give up her bus seat to a white passenger. Her action was an example of which of the following?

a)

horse trading

b)

power struggle

c)

collective action

d)

civil disobedience

4.

A ruler's legitimacy depends mainly on which of these factors?

a)

the ruler's personal wealth

b)

the ruler's political ambition

c)

people's fear of the ruler's power

d)

people's acceptance of the ruler's authority

5.

Formal authority is

a)

an established organization, especially one providing a public service.

b)

the ability to cause others to behave as they might not otherwise choose to do.

c)

the legal right or power to give orders and enforce rules.

d)

the process and method of making decisions for groups.

6.

The institutions and officials organized to maintain public order, protect life and property, and provide public goods are called

a)

government

b)

legitimacy

c)

public good

d)

sovereignty

7.

Which doctrine of legitimacy stated that a Chinese ruler had authority over all of his subjects, as long as he ruled in a moral manner?

a)

divine right of kings

b)

mandate of heaven

c)

public goods

d)

social-contract theory

8.

The divine right of kings held that the king's power came from

a)

the aristocracy, who gave the king their service in exchange for land.

b)

the land, which the king's family had owned for centuries.

c)

the people, who agreed to obey the king in exchange for his promise to protect their rights.

d)

God, and the king did not have to answer to the people.

9.

In the social-contract theory of government, what should happen when a ruler abuses his power?

a)

He should be put in prison or put to death.

b)

He should be removed from power.

c)

He should take advice from the nobles.

d)

Nothing, because he does not have to answer to the people.

10.

One characteristic of public goods is that

a)

more than one person can consume them without reducing the amount available to others.

b)

only people with a large income or other qualification can make use of them.

c)

private citizens can exclude others from consuming them.

d)

the amount of them diminishes as more people consume them.

11.

The two building blocks of government are a means of coercion and a means of

a)

building roads.

b)

collecting revenue.

c)

counting votes.

d)

managing publicity.

12.

The governmental power to draft citizens into the army or to force citizens to serve on juries is a means of

a)

civil disobedience.

b)

coercion.

c)

collecting revenue.

d)

legitimacy.

13.

The political 'game' in which politicians give up something their opponents want in exchange for something they value is called

a)

civil disobedience.

b)

demolition derby.

c)

horse trading.

d)

power struggle.

14.

Politicians who use cunning tricks and amoral tactics in the power struggle game are often referred to as

a)

Aristotelian.

b)

Chávezian.

c)

Gandhian.

d)

Machiavellian.

15.

People who use tactics of civil disobedience want to win by

a)

being smarter and stronger than the opposition.

b)

refusing to play.

c)

shaming the opposition over beliefs or actions.

d)

wiping out the opposition.

16.

A medical doctor exhibits power mostly through the display of

a)

expertise

b)

persuasion

c)

coercion

d)

rewards

17.

All of the following are important purposes of government EXCEPT

a)

maintaining public order

b)

helping politicians become wealthy

c)

protecting life and property

d)

providing public goods

18.

The process and method of making decisions for groups is called

a)

politics

b)

the social contract

c)

formal authority

d)

coercion

19.

Which of the following would be an example of the political game 'walkout'?

a)

sanitation workers go on strike for better pay and working conditions

b)

parents threaten to take away their son's driving privileges if their grades do not improve

c)

a student helping two friends settle a dispute that began on social media

d)

marching to protest incidences of police brutality

20.

Which of the following is an example of a negative use of power?

a)

a coach gives their team a motivational halftime speech

b)

a popular senior laughs at a freshman who can't open their locker

c)

a science teacher shows students how to use a microscope

d)

a teacher writes a college recommendation letter for a student