Multiple-choice questions:
1. The rule of law exists where three conditions are met. Which of the following is NOT one
of these three conditions?
a. An independent court system that is free from political interference exists.
b. Laws must apply equally to all.
c. Laws must appear fair and just to all citizens
d. The law is knowable to all.
2. Access to information laws is one method to display a commitment to open government
and are also an example of which of the following concepts?
a. accountability
b. participation
c. responsiveness
d. transparency
3. British Columbia is the only Canadian province with procedures allowing citizens to
collect signatures on a petition in order to require that a government representative
face re-election. What is the name of this procedure?
a. Citizens’ jury
b. Deliberative polling
c. Recall
d. Referendum
4. Some models of democracy advocate for greater direct citizen involvement in
government decision making. Of the following, what problem is addressed by greater
direct citizen involvement in government decision making?
a. democratic deficit
b. deep state influence
c. political pluralism
d. sovereignty associations
5. The president of the United States has the power to nominate federal and Supreme
Court judges. Which of the following acts as a check on the power of the president in
making these appointments?
a. They must be approved by a two-thirds majority in the House and the
Senate.
b. They must be approved by the Senate.
c. There are no checks and balances necessary for the nomination of federal
judges.
d. The Supreme Court and House Judiciary Committee confirm nominations.
6. What is the primary role of the Cabinet in the presidential system of the United States?
a. They are the key advisors to the president.
b. As a central part of the executive, they act primarily in making decisions and
legislating.
c. They run their respective departments and draft proposals and regulations.
d. They ensure party discipline in Congress.
7. The President of the United States is the head of ________.
a. government only
b. state and government
c. Senate
d. legislative branch
8. The United States presidential system has a process allowing for the president, other
top officials, and judges to be removed from office if convicted of “treason, bribery or
other high crimes and misdemeanors.” What is the name of this process?
a. Prosecutorial discretion
b. Recall
c. Impeachment
d. Checks and balances
9. Under what circumstances can a presidential veto be overridden by Congress?
a. The Supreme Court decides that the veto is unconstitutional.
b. There are no circumstances in which a presidential veto can be overridden.
c. A two thirds majority in each body of Congress can override a presidential
veto.
d. If the vetoed legislation was passed in both houses in identical form, it is not
subject to presidential veto.
10. Which of the following parties is least likely concerned with winning elections, and
instead focuses on promoting the regional interests of its supporters?
a. the Bloc Québécois
b. the New Democratic
c. the Green Party
d. the Liberal party
11. The Conservative party originated in the nineteenth century as a/an ________ party.
a. mass
b. cadre
c. personalistic
d. electoral-professional
12. Which of the following is NOT typically associated with the beliefs of the Canadian New
Democratic Party of Canada?
a. Active role of government in the economy
b. Mandatory sentences for criminal offenders
c. Protection of Canadian jobs
d. Welfare state measures
13. A party caucus is a meeting of a party's ________.
a. executive
b. parliamentary members
c. candidates in an election
d. delegates to a party convention
14. Of the following, the Green Party and the former Reform Party of Canada can be best
described as ________ parties.
a. programmatic
b. minor
c. right-wing
d. postmaterialist
15. What type of electoral system is used in Canada?
a. Runoff
b. Single-member plurality
c. Single transferable vote
d. Proportional representation
16. Which of the following is a feature MOST likely to be associated with premodern
election campaigns?
a. Creating photo-ops
b. Opinion polls
c. Neighbourhood canvassing
d. Attack ads
17. ______________ continue to be the leading means of campaign persuasion in the
United States and Canada.
a. Debates
b. Televised commercials
c. Door to door canvasing
d. Telephone conversations
18. Which of the following is a long-term social characteristic that affects voting decisions?
a. candidates
b. economic conditions
c. leaders
d. religion
19. Party ________ can be thought of as a long-term attachment to a particular political
party.
a. isolation
b. unification
c. identification
d. gentrification
20. A valence issue is one with a high degree of ________.
a. consensus
b. controversy
c. divisiveness
d. ideology
21. Political protest can be viewed as a continuum. Which of the following would most likely
be considered the mildest form of political protest?
a. Boycotts
b. Sit-ins
c. Peaceful occupations
d. Throwing rocks
22. Protest is often the only tool of the ______ because they do not otherwise have the
resources necessary to gain political influence.
a. contentious
b. insurgent
c. marginalized
d. revolutionary
23. Which of the following is LEAST likely to be considered an example of transnational
political protest?
a. Anti-slavery movement in the 19th century
b. Farmers’ movements in Canada forming parties
c. Women’s rights movement of the 1970s
d. The Zapatista movement in Mexico
24. The systematic use of violence by a government against its citizens in order to repress
dissent and maintain order is best described as _______ violence.
a. insurrectionary
b. regime
c. revolutionary
d. terroristic
25. The attack on a Quebec City mosque in 2017 by Alexandre Bissonnette is best described
as an example of which of the following forms of political violence?
a. guerrilla attack
b. insurgency
c. lone-wolf terrorism
d. counter-insurgency
26. Development may be thought of as the push toward three goals. Which of the following
is NOT one of the basic goals of development?
a. Connecting to environmental sustainability
b. Increasing the GDP
c. More diversified and sophisticated economy
d. Satisfying basic needs
27. One method for comparing levels of development involves measuring the amount and
value of goods and services produced in a country. This measure is called ________.
a. gross domestic product (GDP)
b. the Human Development Index (HDI)
c. Income per Capita (GNI)
d. purchasing power parity (PPP)
28. Which of the following was instrumental to the miraculous growth of China’s economy
since the death of Mao?
a. Protectionist economic policy
b. Investing in education to develop information technology industry
c. Limiting role of communist ideology in economic policy
d. Reduced military spending
TRUE OR FALSE?
1. In a preferential voting system, voters rank candidates instead of voting for a particular
candidate. (T)
2. A central characteristic of modern election campaigns is the use of public-opinion
polling. (T)
3. The proportion of people with strong party identification has been increasing in many
countries in recent years.(F)
4. Economic conditions have little effect on voters or on the outcome of elections. (F)
5. Protest frequently takes place within the formal channels of government. (F)
6. Many Canadian groups that originated out of protest have become regular parts of the
political process and now have a voice in policy making. (T)
7. Guerrilla warfare has only existed in the 20th century. (F)
8. Political reform measures are a crucial element of effective counter-insurgency
campaigns(T)
9. Most major political parties today can be described as electoral–professional parties. (T)
10. The NDP does not support welfare state measures and greater social and economic
equality.(F)
11. The Bloc Quebecois tends to favour social democratic policies and stronger
environmental measures. (T)
12. Multiparty systems often involve coalition governments. (T)
13. Canada legally established quotas for female candidates for election in 2015. (F)
14. In Canada, contributions to political campaigns from businesses and trade unions have
been banned.(T)
15. The President is also a member of Congress. (F)
16. A president cannot hold office if they lack the support of Congress. (F)
17. The vice-president of the United States has the constitutional right to preside over the
Senate. (T)
18. Bills must be passed in identical form in the two legislative chambers before being
presented to the president (T)
19. Presidential systems tend to be less flexible than parliamentary systems.(T)
