|
when may the President ask Congress to hold a special session?
a. when the two houses cannot agree on a date to adjourn
b. to deal with an emergency situation
c. to conduct routine business
d. to force Congress to pass certain legislation
|
b. to deal with an emergency situation
|
|
How often are elections held for the House of Representatives?
a. every year
b. every two years
c. every four years
d. every six years
|
b. every two years
|
|
how many senators are serving in the Senate today?
a. 22
b. 50
c. 100
d. 435
|
c. 100
|
|
in which house of congress does each state have the same number of votes, no matter how large or small its population?
a. the House of Representatives
b. the Senate
c. each state district
d. each Senate committee
|
b. the Senate
|
|
which of the following comparisons of the House and Senate are true?
a. the House is larger than the Senate
b. members of the House serve longer terms than senators
c. members of the House represent a larger pop than senators
d. members of the House are usually better known than senators
|
a. the House is larger than the Senate
|
|
which part of the Senate is up for election at any one time?
a. one-fourth
b. one-half
c. one-third
d. two-thirds
|
c. one-third
|
|
which is true about most members of the Senate?
a. most are women
b. most are lawyers
c. most were born in foreign countries
d. most have no political experience
|
b. most are lawyers
|
|
which correctly describes most senators and members of the House of Representatives?
a. they represent only one religion
b. they are mostly from minority groups
c. they are mostly upper-middle class Americans
d. they were not born in the states they represent
|
c. they are mostly upper-middle class Americans
|
|
how many senators does each state have?
a. one
b. two
c. three
d. four
|
b. two
|
|
how often does the Constitution require Congress to reapportion seats in the House of Representatives?
a. every two years
b. every four years
c. every six years
d. every ten years
|
d. every ten years
|
|
which is true about a senator’s term in office?
a. it is three times longer than the term of a member of the House
b. it is two times longer than the term of a member of the House
c. it is the same as the term of a member of the House
d. it varies depending upon state population
|
a. it is three times longer than the term of a member of the House
|
|
who elects the Speaker of the House of Representatives?
a. the senate
b. members of the opposite party
c. majority party members
d. all the people in a national election
|
c. majority party members
|
|
why is the Senate called the "upper house?"
a. The Senate is larger than the House
b. Senators generally need a wide range of knowledge to serve well
c. senators represent fewer people than members of the house
d. the senate chamber in the Capitol is located about the House chamber
|
b. Senators generally need a wide range of knowledge to serve well
|
|
Which is true about most members of Congress?
a. They all have the same religious affiliation
b. they lacked political experience before coming to congress
c. they have gone to college
d. very few are lawyers
|
c. they have gone to college
|
|
what was the goal of the Framers of the Constitution when they created a bicameral Congress?
a. Congress would become more powerful than the other branches
b. the two houses would check one another
c. all states would have the same number of representatives in Congress
d. a unicameral Congress would have been unconstitutional
|
b. the two houses would check one another
|
|
what determines the number of representatives for each state?
a. by the population of the state
b. by the physical size of the state
c. by how long it has been a state
d. by equal representation
|
a. by the population of the state
|
|
what is the most likely explanation for a congressional district to change shape?
a. the district was drawn to follow the course of a river
b. the district was drawn to the advantage of the party in control of the state legislature
c. the district was drawn so that it has more regular boundaries
d. that district was drawn in response to a court order
|
b. the district was drawn to the advantage of the party in control of the state legislature
|
|
seats in the House of Representatives are reapportioned every ten years. what government document is used to determine how many seats a state will receive?
a. the US Constitution
b. Wesberry v. Sanders
c. the census
d. the Reapportionment Act of 1929
|
c. the census
|
|
in the case Wesberry v. Sanders, what was the supreme court ruling?
a. Gerrymandering was unconstitutional
b. Gerrymandering based only on race was unconstitutional
c. states must draw congressional districts of generally equal land area
d. states must draw congressional districts of generally equal population
|
d. states must draw congressional districts of generally equal population
|
|
How is each state’s representation in the Senate determined?
a. Representation is based on the population of the state
b. Representation is based on the physical size of the state
c. Representation is based on how long it has been a state
d. Representation is equal to that of every other state
|
d. Representation is equal to that of every other state
|
|
why is the senate called a "continuous body?"
a. all of its seats are never up for election at the same time
b. the senate never adjourns
c. the senate never takes recesses
d. there is no limit on the number of terms a senator may serve
|
a. all of its seats are never up for election at the same time
|
|
Which is one of the requirements for election to the US Senate?
A. A candidate must be a citizen of the US for at least 7 yrs
B. a candidate must be a citizen for at least 9 yrs
C. A candidate must have lived in the same state for at least 7 yrs
D. A candidate must have lived in the same state for at least nine yrs
|
B. a candidate must be a citizen for at least 9 yrs
|
|
Which is true about the personal or political backgrounds of members of congress?
A. About one-third were born in foreign countries
B. most have many years of political experience
C. Most are still studying toward their college degrees
D. Most tend to be younger Americans
|
B. most have many years of political experience
|
|
For whom do senators and representatives work?
A. The president
B. the people who elect them
C. The political parties
D. The committees to which they belong
|
B. the people who elect them
|
|
Aside from a salary, what is a benefit that members of congress enjoy as a part of their compensation as elected federal officials?
A. Low medical care costs
B. free housing
C. Free transportation
D. Reduced admission to federal parks
|
A. Low medical care costs
|
|
Which of the following was an important reason that the Framers favored a bicameral legislature?
A. Both parliament and the colonial legislatures were bicameral
B. bicameral legislatures were considered uniquely American
C. Bicameral legislatures were considered more democratic
D. They believes that the President would dominate a unicameral legislature
|
A. Both parliament and the colonial legislatures were bicameral
|
|
A president may call Congress into special session
A. When the two houses cannot agree on a date for adjournment
B. to deal with an emergency situation
C. In order to force a vote on a presidential proposal
D. Only once in a calendar year
|
B. to deal with an emergency situation
|
|
Members of the House of Representatives are elected for ____ terms
A. One-year
B. two-year
C. Four-year
D. Six-year
|
B. two-year
|
|
A member of the house must be at least
A. 25 years old and a citizen of the US for at least 7 years
B. 25 years old and a citizen of the US for at least 9 years
C. 30 years old and a citizen of the US for at least 7 years
D. 30 years old and a citizen of the US for at least 9 years
|
A. 25 years old and a citizen of the US for at least 7 years
|
|
Until 1913, senators were chosen by
A. Their States legislature
B. their states single-member districts
C. All voters in their state
D. Their states governor
|
A. Their States legislature
|
|
When members of congress cast their votes in line with their party’s platform and the views of their party’s leaders, they are voting as
A. Delegates
B. trustees
C. Partisans
D. Politicos
|
C. Partisans
|
|
In their role as servants of their constituents, members of Congress
A. Serve on committees in order to screen proposed laws
B. help lower tax rates
C. Help citizens deal with the federal bureaucracy
D. Vote according to their view of what is best for the country
|
A. Serve on committees in order to screen proposed laws
|
|
What is the minimum number of representatives in congress (both senators and members of the house) that a state can have?
A. One
B. two
C. Three
D. Four
|
C. Three
|
|
Congress must reapportion seats in the House of Representatives every
A. Two years
B. four years
C. Six years
D. Ten years
|
D. Ten years
|
|
What determines the total number of seats in the House of Representatives?
A. The census bureau
B. the Supreme Court
C. Congress
D. The constitution
|
C. Congress
|
|
Due to the length of their terms, house members may be more likely to
A. Listen to constituents views
B. focus mainly on national concerns
C. Get more media converge
D. Vote as trustees
|
A. Listen to constituents views
|
|
Why is the senate called the "upper house?"
A. The senate is larger than the house
B. senators must be more qualified than house members
C. Senators represent fewer people than members of the house
D. The senate chamber in the Capitol is located above the house chamber
|
B. senators must be more qualified than house members
|
|
Most members of congress
A. Come from rural areas
B. are millionaires
C. Win reelection if they seek it
D. Have served in other branches
|
C. Win reelection if they seek it
|
|
The framers of the constitution diffused the power of congress by
A. Giving more power to the other branches of government
B. dividing congress into two houses
C. Giving all states the same number of representatives in congress
D. Making congress unicameral
|
B. dividing congress into two houses
|
|
The constitution requires that a member if the house must
A. Be an inhabitant of the state from which he or she is elected
B. be an inhabitant if the district he or she represents
C. Be at least 21 years old
D. Be identified with a particular party
|
A. Be an inhabitant of the state from which he or she is elected
|
|
in recent congressional elections, which informal qualification has increased most in importance?
a. political experience
b. party identification
c. name familiarity
d. fundraising ability
|
d. fundraising ability
|
|
each states representation in the senate is
a. based on population of the state
b. based on the physical size of the state
c. based on how long it has been a state
d. equal to that of every other state
|
d. equal to that of every other state
|
|
the senate is called a "continuous body" because, unlike the house,
a. all of its seats are never up for election at the same time
b. the senate never adjourns
c. the senate never takes recesses
d. there is no limit on the number of terms a senator may serve
|
a. all of its seats are never up for election at the same time
|
|
the term of office for senators is
a. the same as for members of the house
b. twice as long as for members of the house
c. three times as long as for members of the house
d. four times as long as for members of the house
|
c. three times as long as for members of the house
|
|
According to the constitution, a senator must have been
a. a citizen of he US for at least 7 years
b. a citizen of he US for at least 9 years
c. an inhabitant of the star for which he or she is elected for at least 7 years
d. an inhabitant of the star for which he or she is elected for at least 9 years
|
b. a citizen of he US for at least 9 years
|
|
more than half of the members of senate are
a. doctors
b. lawyers
c. businessmen
d. millionaires
|
b. lawyers
|
|
besides screening bills, what is another major function that members of congress perform as committee members?
a. the oversight function
b. responding to constituent requests
c. taking floor votes
d. franking
|
a. the oversight function
|
|
Most members of congress are paid
a. $150,000
b. $169,300
c. $174,000
d. $188,100
|
c. $174,000
|
|
rather than raise their own salaries, members of congress often
a. give themselves more fringe benefits
b. use campaign donations to cover expenses
c. ask the President to set their salaries
d. ask State legislatures to increase their expense accounts
|
a. give themselves more fringe benefits
|
