Practice for final exam (Pre-GED- Batch 2)

1. Which of the following is a true statement?

A. Each state always has two senators and two representatives.
B. The number of senators and representatives for each state depends on the state’s population.
C. The number of representatives per state depends on the population of that state, whereas each
state is given two senators.
D. The number of senators per state depends on the population of that state, whereas each state is given
two representatives.
2. Which branch of government is the Senate part of?

A. executive branch
B. legislative branch
C. judicial branch
D. obstructionist branch

3. Which segment of the economy would be affected the most by an unusually long spell of dry weather?
A. A. the banking industry
B. farming and agriculture
C. the pharmaceutical industry
D. the automobile industry

4. A monarchy is a system of government in which one person reigns, usually a king or queen. Which
country has never had a monarchy? (A) Great Britain (B) Spain (C) France (D) United State

5. Which Supreme Court decision overturned the doctrine of “separate but equal” and led to the
desegregation of United States public schools?
(A) Plessy v. Ferguson
(B) Roe v. Wade
(C) Brown v. Board of Education
(D) Miranda v. Arizona
6. To which branch of government does the president belong?
(A) executive branch
(B) legislative branch
(C) judicial branch
(D) the president belongs to all three branches

7. Which branch of government is responsible for introducing and passing new laws?
(A) executive branch
(B) legislative branch
(C) judicial branch

8. Which of the following statements is true regarding the Bill of Rights?

(A) It abolished slavery throughout the United States.
(B) It gave women the right to vote.
(C) It was added to the Constitution shortly after ratification.
(D) It was never added to the Constitution.
9. What percentage of the total U.S. energy consumption comes from hydroelectric power?
(A) 2.5% (B) 5% (C) 10% (D) 25%
10. Which of the following is a factual statement that is supported by the graph?
(A) Renewable energy will soon become a larger source of energy than coal.
(B) Geothermal energy provides less than 1% of the total U.S. energy consumption.
(C) Nuclear power is dangerous and produces harmful radioactive waste.
(D) The United States should focus more on renewable energy.

11. A tariff is a special tax that is imposed on imported goods and services to restrict trade and increase the
price of imported goods and services. The United States occasionally imposes tariffs in an attempt to
persuade Americans to buy American-made goods and services. According to the given information, which
of the following is an example of a tariff?
(A) Congress imposes a tax on beer that is manufactured in California but sold in New York.
(B) Congress increases the price of all gasoline to fund clean energy research.
(C) Congress imposes a tax on imported Japanese cars in order to protect domestic car sales.
(D) Congress creates a flat-tax rate for all income levels

12. Based on the passage information, which of the following is a true statement regarding the Fifth and
Sixth Amendments?
(A) The Fifth Amendment guarantees the criminally accused the right to remain silent, whereas the
Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to a lawyer.
(B) The Fifth Amendment guarantees the right to a lawyer, whereas the Sixth Amendment guarantees the
criminally accused the right to remain silent.
(C) The Fifth Amendment and the Sixth Amendment are both more important than the First Amendment.
(D) The Fifth Amendment guarantees the criminally accused a speedy trial, whereas the Sixth Amendment
guarantees the right to a lawyer.

The Fifth and Sixth Amendments were part of the Bill of Rights (1791), which protects individual freedoms
from the powers of federal government. The Fifth Amendment focuses on procedural safeguards designed to
protect the rights of the criminally accused and includes the phrase “no person shall be compelled in any
criminal case to be a witness against himself.” The Sixth Amendment guarantees a citizen a speedy trial, a
fair jury, an attorney if the accused person wants one, and the chance to confront the witnesses accusing
the defendant of a crime. In Miranda v. Arizona (1966), the Supreme Court ruled that detained criminal
suspects, prior to police questioning, must be informed of their constitutional right to an attorney and
against self-incrimination.
13. The Sixth Amendment guarantees a citizen all of the following EXCEPT
A. a speedy trial
B. the chance to confront witnesses.
C. the right to remain silent.
D. a fair jury.

14. What conclusion can be made regarding the implementation of the U.S. Constitution and the ideas
described by the Declaration of Independence?
(A) The United States has always lived up to the ideal that “all men are created equal.”
(B) The United States has not always lived up to the ideal that “all men are created equal.”
(C) The United States abandoned its earlier ideal that “all men are created equal.”
(D) The United States never believed in its earlier ideal that “all men are created equal.”

15. In what year were African-American women first allowed to legally vote?
(A) 1870 (B) 1920 (C) 1964 (D) 1965
16. What does the systems of “checks and balances” do with regard to the federal government?
(A) It gives the majority of the power to the executive branch.
(B) It gives the majority of the power to the legislative branch.
(C) It gives the majority of the power to the judicial branch.
(D) It divides the power among the three branches by giving them distinctive roles to prevent any one
branch from becoming too powerful.
17. According to the graph, what year did unemployment reach a maximum in the United States?
(A) 1932 (B) 1933 (C) 1938 (D) 1939
18. According to the graph, what effect did the New Deal have on the unemployment rate between 1933 and
1937?
(A) The unemployment rate rose steadily until it reached a peak at 25 percent.
(B) The unemployment rate remained constant.
(C) The unemployment rate fell, then rose, and then fell again.
(D) The unemployment rate fell steadily, although it still remained above 14 percent.

19. Which of the following is a true statement?

(A) Each state always has two members in the U.S. Senate and two members in the U.S. House of
Representatives.
(B) The number of members that a state has in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate is
based on the state’s population.
(C) The number of members that a state has in the U.S. House of Representatives is based on the
state’s population, whereas each state always has two members in the U.S. Senate.
(D) The number of members that a state has in the U.S. Senate is based on the state’s population, whereas
each state always has two members in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Although the Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which granted African American men the right
to vote, was ratified on February 3, 1870, the promise of the law would not be fully realized for almost a
century. Many southern states continued to prevent African Americans from voting by the use of poll
taxes, literacy tests and other means. In the 1960’s African Americans began a series of peaceful protests
to fight for their constitutional rights. During March 1965, African Americans were staging a peaceful
march from Selma to Montgomery when they were brutally attacked by Alabama state troopers and other
white racists who tried to prevent them from speaking out for voting rights for African Americans. This
atrocity became known as Bloody Sunday. Alabama Governor George Wallace, a notorious segregationist,
refused to protect the peaceful protesters, and in response, President Johnson gave this address to Congress
one week later:
20. Based on the passage, which of the following is a true statement regarding the voting rights of African
Americans?
(A) All African Americans were able to vote without any difficulties as soon as the Fifteenth Amendment
was ratified in 1870.
(B) In 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment took away voting rights from African Americans until they fought to
get them restored in 1965.
(C) Despite the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment in 1870, many African Americans could still not
vote in the South until the passage of civil rights legislation in 1965.
(D) All African Americans were able to vote without any difficulties as soon as the Fifteenth Amendment
was ratified in 1870, until the passage of civil rights legislation in 1965 took away their voting rights.
21. All of the following reasons provided motivation for the American colonies to declare independence
from the king in 1776 EXCEPT
(A) he had forced the colonies to pay taxes but did not give them any say in how they would be governed.
(B) he had deprived the people of their right to a fair trial.
(C) he had cut off the colonies’ trade to other countries.
(D) he had allowed the American colonists to form a large army.
22. What is the best meaning of the phrase “we hold these truths to be self-evident”?
(A) “You might not be right, but we think we are.”
(B) “Only a fool would believe what we are saying.”
(C) “Any reasonable, intelligent person would obviously agree with us.”
(D) “This isn’t obvious, but it could be true.”

23. Which of the following statements describes a result of the increase in globalization over the past half
century?
(A) Terrorist attacks have begun to decrease as more countries are working in cooperation with one
another.
(B) Many counties are more dependent on each other for their economic growth.
(C) Human rights have declined sharply around the world.
(D) The number of refugees around the world has declined.

24. Which amendment to the Constitution stated that the powers not delegated to the federal government or
prohibited to the states were “reserved to the states”?
(A) Tenth Amendment
(B) Nineteenth Amendment
(C) Twenty-fifth Amendment
(D) Thirty-second Amendment

25. All the following are features of a communist economy EXCEPT

(A) all the factories are owned by the government, which controls all industries.
(B) the prices of all goods and services are controlled by the government.
(C) the government encourages entrepreneurs to start, own, and operate their own companies.
(D) the government makes all economic decisions.

26. All of the following are examples of essential infrastructure that supports economic activity EXCEPT
(A) the national highway system. (B) bridges and tunnels. (C) the annual U.S. budget. (D) airports and
ports.
Which choice correctly completes the following sentence? The First Amendment guarantees __________,
__________, __________, and __________.
(A) freedom of voting, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of petition
(B) freedom of voting, freedom of religion, freedom of taxation, freedom of petition
(C) freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of petition
(D) freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of taxation

27. What is the main purpose of the First Amendment?

(A) to protect the federal government from the people by placing limits on their individual rights
(B) to prevent Congress from making laws
(C) to protect essential freedoms, including the freedom of religion and the freedom to petition the
government
(D) to protect the right to bear arms against Congress

Fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas, consist of hydrocarbons that are derived from the remains of
organisms. Many countries obtain most of their energy needs by burning fossil fuels. The combustion of
fossil fuels produces heat, carbon dioxide, and water. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to
global warming when present in excess in the atmosphere.
28. Which of the following is a fact rather than an opinion about fossil fuels?
(A) Fossil fuels should be banned because they are too dirty and expensive.
(B) Many countries rely on fossil fuels as their major source of energy.
(C) The United States should bury its fossil fuels so they don’t contribute to global warming.
(D) Fossil fuels are more economical than alternative sources of energy.

Laissez-faire capitalism is defined as the separation of the state and the economy. This economic policy
leaves individuals and businesses alone and allows economic events to occur without interference from the
government. Most Libertarians and some Republicans believe that laissez-faire capitalism is the best
economic policy for the U.S. to follow.
29. Which of the following is an opinion rather than a fact about laissezfaire capitalism?
(A) Most communist countries would disagree with the main idea of laissez-faire capitalism.
(B) Most Libertarians believe in laissez-faire capitalism.
(C) Laissez-faire capitalism is irresponsible and should be outlawed.
(D) In laissez-faire capitalism, the government does not control and own the major industries.

30. Which amendment allows a defendant to remain silent when they are being questioned about an issue
that might incriminate them?
(A) First Amendment
(B) Fifth Amendment
(C) Eighteenth Amendment
(D) Twenty-first Amendment

31. The first ten amendments were collectively known as the Bill of Rights. What was the main purpose of
the Bill of Rights?
(A) to protect the federal government from the people by placing limits on their individual rights
(B) to protect the people and the states from the federal government by guaranteeing their basic
individual rights
(C) to protect the president from the states by placing limits on state rights
(D) to replace the original Constitution

32. Which of the following is a true statement regarding the U.S. Constitution and its amendments?
(A) The U.S. Constitution can never be changed.
(B) Amendments are merely suggestions, so they aren’t legally binding.
(C) An amendment can never be changed once it becomes the law of the land.
(D) An amendment can be changed later if necessary.

33. Which of the following is a true statement?

(A) The number of members that a state has in the U.S. Senate is based on the state’s population, whereas
each state always has two members in the U.S. House of Representatives.
(B) The number of members that a state has in the U.S. House of Representatives is based on the
state’s population, whereas each state always has two members in the U.S. Senate.
(C) The number of members that a state has in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate is
based on the state’s population.
(D) Each state always has two members in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.

34. Why did the European nations eventually give up control of their newly gained territories and leave the
New World?
(A) They had already used up all the natural resources of the region.
(B) They had finished successfully converting all the natives to Christianity.
(C) They realized that it was morally wrong to exploit the natives and the natural resources of a region that
didn’t really belong to them.
(D) They were forced out by rebellions, war, and revolutions.

35. What overall effect has the First Amendment had on the United States?
(A) It has had minimal impact on the general public.
(B) It was quickly overturned by the Second Amendment.
(C) It has played an essential role in protecting individual freedoms.
(D) It undermined the Constitution by amending the original document.

36. The First Amendment

(A) prohibits Congress from making laws.
(B) increases Congress’s power to place restrictions on individual freedoms, such as freedom of religion,
freedom of speech, and freedom of the press.
(C) protects the right to bear arms.
(D) protects the general public from the government placing restrictions on individual freedoms, such
as freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press.

We consider the underlying fallacy of the plaintiff’s argument to consist in the assumption that the enforced
separation of the two races stamps the colored race with a badge of inferiority. If this be so, it is not by
reason of anything found in the act, but solely because the colored race chooses to put that construction upon
it… . The argument also assumes that social prejudice may be overcome by legislation, and that equal rights
cannot be secured except by an enforced commingling of the two races… . If the civil and political rights of
both races be equal, one cannot be inferior to the other civilly or politically. If one race be inferior to the
other socially, the Constitution of the United States cannot put them upon the same plane.
—Plessy v. Ferguson
To separate them from others of similar age and qualifications solely because of their race generates a
feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their hearts and minds in a way
unlikely ever to be undone. We conclude that, in the field of public education, the doctrine of “separate but
equal” has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.
—Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas
37. What was the result of the 1896 Supreme Court decision Plessy v. Ferguson?
(A) It upheld state racial segregation laws for public facilities under the doctrine of “separate but
equal.”
(B) It led to the desegregation of all U.S. public buildings.
(C) It undermined the validity of the Supreme Court.
(D) It led to the desegregation of the U.S. public school system.

38. What was the impact of the Brown v. Board of Education decision?
(A) It upheld state racial segregation laws for public facilities under the doctrine of “separate but equal.”
(B) It prevented racial segregation in all public places.
(C) It undermined the validity of the Supreme Court.
(D) It led to the desegregation of the U.S. public school system.

39. Which of the following is a factual statement rather than an opinion regarding the Brown v. Board of
Education decision?
(A) The Court was afraid of antagonizing the African-American population.
(B) The Court considered that segregation was traumatic and unfair to African-American children.
(C) The Court was racist against the African-American population.
(D) The Court was biased against the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas.

40. What can you conclude about these two landmark Supreme Court decisions?
(A) Once the Supreme Court has made a decision, it can never be overturned.
(B) Supreme Court decisions can be overturned by the president.
(C) The Supreme Court can reverse its previous decisions if the justices feel that a mistake has been
made.
(D) Supreme Court decisions can be overturned by state courts.
41. Which branch of government is responsible for deciding whether a law is constitutional?
A. Executive
B. Judicial
C. Legislative

42. Why did the Founding Fathers divide the federal government into three distinct branches?
(A) They wanted to make sure that the president would have unlimited power.
(B) They wanted to encourage competition among the members of the federal government.
(C) They wanted to base their system of government on the British monarchy.
(D) They wanted to ensure that there were checks and balances to prevent any one part of the
government from becoming too powerful.

43. The early colonists of North America sought out settlements that had easy access by ship and adequate
water supplies. This helps explain why many of the early North American towns were built near
(A) mountains. (B) glaciers. (C) rivers. (D) prairies.

The mechanization of the textile industry, the invention of the steam engine, and the development of the coal
and iron industries contributed to Great Britain’s lead in the Industrial Revolution. However, after 1850,
other nations began to challenge Great Britain’s lead. Belgium, France, and Germany all industrialized
quickly. By 1900, natural resources and railroad building helped make the United States the leading
industrial nation.

44. Which of the following is the best summary of this passage?

A. The development of natural resources made Great Britain the leader in the Industrial Revolution.
B. The Industrial Revolution started in Great Britain and spread throughout the world.
C. The Industrial Revolution started in Great Britain and spread to Europe, but by 1900 the United States
was the leading industrialized nation.
D. Plentiful natural resources and a vast railroad system were the underpinnings of the Industrial
Revolution in the United States.

45. What is the purpose of the Constitution?

(A) It permits a presidential veto over laws.
(B) It selects the members of the executive branch of government.
(C) It defines the responsibilities of the three branches of government.
(D) It explains who may be a representative in government.

46. Why do people emigrate?

(A) fleeing famine or war
(B) economic improvement
(C) fear of persecution
(D) all of the above

47. What is the proportion of males to females in the PRC in 2015 for people under 25, as compared to
world averages?
(A) higher proportion of females
(B) higher proportion of males
(C) about world average
(D) cannot determine from the graph

48. Based on the text, what was the most important reason for the American Revolution?
(A) subversion of the colonial justice system
(B) the Tea Tax
(C) the Proclamation Act
(D) all taxation without representation

49. Which of the following activities takes place in a market?

A. a parent preparing lunch for schoolchildren
B. a person jogging in the early morning on a city street
C. a teen playing a game downloaded to a cell phone months before
D. a job seeker filling out an application

50. What kind of tax are tariffs most similar to? A. income tax B. property tax C. reduced tax D. sales tax
51. Which is an example of investment in human capital?
A. buying new computers for an office
B. building new housing
C. providing training classes for employees
D. instituting more efficient production processes

52. Profit, which is the incentive for entrepreneurs to open a business, is comparable to what other kind of
payment? A. interest B. rent C. taxes D. wages
53. Scientists who warn of a connection between climate change and human actions generally point to what
practice as the central cause of the problem?
A. burning of fossil fuels B. deforestation C. pollution D. waste disposal
54. Which of the following is an example of cultural diffusion?
A. teaching children a native language
B. recording a folk song
C. adapting housing to the environment
D. building a Hindu temple in California

55. What is the major factor leading to urbanization in developing countries?

A. people seeking economic opportunity
B. rural populations escaping prejudice
C. migrants fleeing political persecution
D. urban areas claiming more land

56. How do metropolitan areas compare to cities?

A. They are the original core of the city.
B. They include surrounding suburbs.
C. They are parts of the same administrative units.
D. They include the rural areas that supply food

57. Which of the following is considered a renewable energy resource?

A. coal-fired power plants
B. hydroelectric power
C. natural gas
D. nuclear power

58. Geographers use latitude and longitude to determine what kind of location?
A. absolute location B. elevation above sea level C. relative location D. seasonal location
59. Which of the following is a part of the executive branch?
A. the Congressional Budget Office
B. the U.S. Department of Energy
C. the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
D. the House Office of Inspector General

60. In 2014, in Riley v. California, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that police could not conduct
searches of the contents of an individual’s cell phone without a warrant. That ruling was based on the rights
protected under which amendment?
A. Third B. Fourth C. Fifth D. Seventh
61. Based on the description in the passage, which amendment contains the following text? “. . . no Warrants
shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place
to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized . . .”
—U.S. Constitution
A. Fourth B. Fifth C. Sixth D. Ninth ..
62. Which official serves for life, unless removed from office by impeachment?
A. member of the U.S. House B. president C. Supreme Court Justice D. U.S. senator
63. Which region is expected to see a population decline from 2013 to 2050?
A. Asia B. Africa C. Europe D. North America
64. Which region is expected to have its population more than double from 2013 to 2050?
A. Asia B. Africa C. Latin America and the Caribbean D. North America

65. Which economic system has low productivity and efficiency because of the lack of incentives and
freedom?
A. traditional B. market C. command D. mixed
66. Why is this document considered a founding document in American self-government?
A. The signers pledge to one another that they will form a civil government and obey its laws.
B. The signers received the right to govern themselves by a charter granted by King James.
C. It is the first formal constitution written in what became the United States.
D. It is the first document establishing a government that was put to a popular vote.

67. Which group of settlers wrote and signed this agreement in 1620?
A. the English settlers of Jamestown, Virginia
B. the Pilgrims who settled Plymouth, Massachusetts
 C. the Quakers who settled Pennsylvania
D. the Catholics who settled Maryland

68. Which is the longest river in the United States, and which has the largest drainage basin?
A. Missouri; Mississippi
B. Mississippi; Missouri
C. Yukon; Mississippi
D. St. Lawrence; Rio Grande

69. When the Bill of Rights was added to the U.S. Constitution, what principle was given greater strength?
A. checks and balances B. limited government C. republican government D. separation of powers
70. The Supreme Court’s decision in Marbury v. Madison established that the Supreme Court had the power
to determine the constitutionality of acts of Congress. What is the term for that power?
A. judicial activism
B. judicial authority
C. judicial responsibility
D. judicial review