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Unit 3:  The Legislature Standard Level Test

Matching
 
 
IDENTIFYING KEY TERMS
Match each item with the correct statement below.  You will not use all the terms.
a.
special session
b.
continuous body
c.
gerrymandered
d.
session
e.
single-member district
f.
term
 

 1. 

 With just a fraction of its seats up for election at any one time, the Senate is the sole ____ in Congress.
 

 2. 

 Congress must meet formally at least twice during each ____ to carry out the business of lawmaking.
 

 3. 

 Voters choose among candidates running exclusively in their districts under the ____ system of election.
 
 
IDENTIFYING KEY TERMS
Match each item with the correct statement below.  You will not use all the terms.
a.
apportioned
b.
reapportion
c.
continuous body
d.
at-large
e.
term
f.
special session
 

 4. 

 An emergency may prompt the President to call a ____ of Congress.
 

 5. 

 Seats in the House of Representatives are ____ among the States according to their populations.
 

 6. 

 States with only one member in the House of Representatives use the ____ system to elect their representative.
 
 
IDENTIFYING KEY TERMS
Match each item with the correct statement below.  You will not use all the terms.
a.
commerce power
b.
copyright
c.
indirect tax
d.
direct tax
e.
patent
 

 7. 

 a charge levied by the government, first paid by one person or manufacturer, then passed on to another
 

 8. 

 the exclusive legal right to copy, sell, or publish a piece of creative work
 

 9. 

 a grant for the exclusive right to make, use, or sell new or improved inventions
 
 
IDENTIFYING KEY TERMS
Match each item with the correct statement below.  You will not use all the terms.
a.
bankruptcy
b.
eminent domain
c.
direct tax
d.
liberal constructionist
e.
strict constructionist
 

 10. 

 a legal proceeding for distributing to creditors the assets of those unable to pay their debts
 

 11. 

 a charge levied by the government, to be paid only by the person on whom it is imposed
 

 12. 

 someone seeking to limit the powers of Congress to its expressed powers and only the most vital implied powers
 
 
IDENTIFYING KEY TERMS
Match each item with the correct statement below.  You will not use all the terms.
a.
resolution
b.
rider
c.
discharge petition
d.
quorum
e.
party caucus
f.
filibuster
 

 13. 

 voted on by either house, but has no force of law
 

 14. 

 closed meeting of the members of each party in the House
 

 15. 

 provision attached to an important bill
 

 16. 

 majority of the full membership of either house
 

 17. 

 enables members to force a bill that has been in committee for 30 days onto the floor for consideration
 

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 
 
MAIN IDEAS
 

 18. 
Which qualification for House members is NOT in the Constitution?
a.
must be at least 25 years old
b.
must have been a citizen for at least seven years
c.
must live in the district being represented
d.
must live in the State from which chosen
 

 19. 
Which statement about the Senate is true?
a.
It has two members from each State.
b.
Its members are chosen by State legislatures.
c.
Each member represents one congressional district.
d.
Seats are apportioned among the States according to their populations.
 

 20. 
In Congress, screening bills for floor consideration is a major duty of
a.
committee members.
c.
constituent representatives.
b.
constituent servants.
d.
politicians.
 

 21. 
The regular period of time during which Congress conducts its business is called a
a.
prorogue.
c.
special session.
b.
session.
d.
term.
 

 22. 
The House may refuse to seat a member-elect only if he or she
a.
has engaged in disorderly behavior.
b.
has violated the code of ethics passed by the House in 1977.
c.
does not meet constitutional standards of age, citizenship, and residency.
d.
does not meet informal standards set by two-thirds of the members.
 

 23. 
Which of the following is true of the House of Representatives?
a.
It currently has 100 members.
b.
The total number of seats in the House is fixed by the Constitution.
c.
The number of terms a representative may serve is fixed by the Constitution.
d.
Every State is represented by at least one member.
 

 24. 
Which group has generally used its power to gerrymander congressional districts?
a.
the House of Representatives
c.
State legislatures
b.
Congress
d.
the Census Bureau
 

 25. 
Which of the following is an informal qualification for the House of Representatives?
a.
must be at least 25 years old
b.
must have been a citizen of the United States for at least seven years
c.
must be an inhabitant of the State from which he or she is elected
d.
must currently reside in the district he or she represents
 

 26. 
On the average, which group of people occupy the majority of seats in Congress?
a.
African Americans
c.
women
b.
white, middle-aged men
d.
Asian Americans
 

 27. 
When must congressional elections be held?
a.
the first Tuesday of every November
b.
the second day of January in odd years
c.
the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year
d.
the Monday after the first Tuesday in November of each odd-numbered year
 

 28. 
Senators are elected to serve
a.
two-year terms.
c.
four-year terms.
b.
three-year terms.
d.
six-year terms.
 

 29. 
Before the 17th Amendment was adopted, senators were chosen by
a.
the people of each State.
c.
special State conventions.
b.
the State legislatures.
d.
select House committees.
 

 30. 
The level of the nation's debt
a.
is limited by the Constitution.
b.
is always limited by Congress.
c.
is not limited by any government agency.
d.
may not exceed $10 billion.
 

 31. 
According to the Constitution, who has the sole power to impeach the President?
a.
The House of Representatives
c.
the Supreme Court
b.
the Vice President
d.
State courts
 

 32. 
Which of the following nonlegislative powers may be exercised solely by the Senate?
a.
the power to propose constitutional amendments
b.
the power to elect a President if the electoral college fails to do so
c.
the power to approve or reject major presidential appointments
d.
the power to investigate the activities of public officials
 

 33. 
All the following expressed powers belong to Congress EXCEPT
a.
the power to declare war.
c.
the power to naturalize citizens.
b.
the power to tax exports.
d.
the power to raise an army.
 

 34. 
All treaties must be approved by a two-thirds vote of
a.
the Senate.
c.
both houses of Congress.
b.
the House.
d.
the Supreme Court.
 

 35. 
Why did the Framers include the Necessary and Proper Clause in the Constitution?
a.
to empower Congress to pass laws needed to carry out the expressed powers
b.
to limit congressional powers to those expressly stated in the Constitution
c.
to define the scope of the inherent powers of Congress
d.
to set forth those powers considered necessary to the States
 

 36. 
Who has the power to propose Constitutional amendments?
a.
the President
c.
Congress
b.
the Supreme Court
d.
State courts
 

 37. 
Congress is given investigatory powers in order to
a.
examine matters related to its lawmaking powers.
b.
bring criminal charges against constituents.
c.
bring criminal charges against the President.
d.
establish a national public school system.
 

 38. 
Congress shares foreign relations power with the
a.
President.
c.
States.
b.
Supreme Court.
d.
armed forces.
 

 39. 
The main reason that Congress creates committees is to
a.
divide the workload.
c.
introduce new bills.
b.
educate new members.
d.
create party power bases.
 

 40. 
How and when bills reach the floor of the House is decided by the
a.
Ways and Means Committee.
c.
Appropriations Committee.
b.
Rules Committee.
d.
Judiciary Committee.
 

 41. 
Committee chairpersons usually are chosen
a.
by the presiding officers.
c.
on the basis of ability.
b.
by the whips.
d.
on the basis of seniority.
 

 42. 
Unlike the House, the Senate has a legislative process with
a.
few limits on debate.
c.
no roll-call voting.
b.
strict limits on debate.
d.
no voice voting.
 

 43. 
In the Vice President's absence, the presiding officer of the Senate is the
a.
Dean of the Senate.
c.
president pro tempore.
b.
majority floor leader.
d.
Speaker of the Senate.
 

 44. 
The main way to end a filibuster is by
a.
a two-thirds vote of the Senate.
c.
convening a conference committee.
b.
invoking the Cloture Rule.
d.
voting the filibusterer out of office.
 

 45. 
In order to prevent a bill passed by Congress from becoming law, the President may
a.
sign it and attach a veto message.
b.
refuse to sign it and attach a veto message.
c.
sign it after ten days if Congress is in session.
d.
negotiate a compromise bill with Congress.
 

 46. 
Proposed measures that apply to specific individuals or places are
a.
public bills.
c.
concurrent resolutions.
b.
private bills.
d.
riders.
 

 47. 
Most measures introduced in the House die at which of these steps?
a.
committee
c.
quorum
b.
cloture
d.
floor vote
 

 48. 
Which of the following options is NOT available to a President who has just received a bill passed by Congress?
a.
sign the bill within 10 days
c.
veto the bill
b.
sign the bill after 15 days
d.
use a pocket veto
 

 49. 
The purpose of a filibuster is to
a.
invoke the rule of cloture.
c.
speed up action on a bill.
b.
prevent quorum calls.
d.
prevent action on a bill.
 

 50. 
A compromise bill worked on by a conference committee of House and Senate members is
a.
usually passed by both houses of Congress.
b.
never passed by both houses of Congress.
c.
always passed with amendments.
d.
sometimes passed with amendments.
 



 
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