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Which of the following best describes the principle of federalism in the United States?

Select one option

A. Power is concentrated in the national government.

B. Power is divided between national and state governments.

C. Power is held exclusively by state governments.

D. Power is exercised directly by the citizens.

A key characteristic of an authoritarian political system is:

Select one option

A. Regular free and fair elections.

B. Separation of powers among branches of government.

C. Limited individual freedoms and rights.

D. A multi-party political landscape.

The concept of 'separation of powers' in the U.S. Constitution refers to:

Select one option

A. The division of power between the federal and state governments.

B. The division of governmental authority into legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

C. The division of power between political parties.

D. The division of power between the House of Representatives and the Senate.

What is the primary purpose of 'checks and balances' in the U.S. government?

Select one option

A. To ensure quick decision-making by the executive branch.

B. To prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful.

C. To allow states to nullify federal laws.

D. To simplify the legislative process.

Which of the following methods is typically used to ratify an amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

Select one option

A. A simple majority vote in both chambers of Congress.

B. A national popular vote.

C. Approval by three-fourths of the state legislatures.

D. A presidential executive order.

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects all of the following EXCEPT:

Select one option

A. Freedom of speech.

B. Freedom of the press.

C. The right to bear arms.

D. Freedom of religion.

The concept of 'due process of law' primarily ensures that:

Select one option

A. All laws passed by Congress are fair.

B. Government acts fairly and follows established rules when dealing with individuals.

C. Citizens can appeal any court decision.

D. Economic regulations are balanced.

What is the primary difference between a direct democracy and a representative democracy?

Select one option

A. Direct democracies have no elections; representative democracies do.

B. In a direct democracy, citizens vote on all laws; in a representative democracy, they elect officials to make laws.

C. Representative democracies have stronger civil liberties.

D. Direct democracies are typically found in larger countries.

The Electoral College was established by the U.S. Constitution primarily to:

Select one option

A. Ensure that only popular candidates win presidential elections.

B. Balance the power between large and small states in presidential elections.

C. Select Supreme Court justices.

D. Conduct national referendums.

10.

Which civil liberty is often considered 'implied' by several amendments, rather than explicitly stated in one place?

Select one option

A. The right to free speech.

B. The right to privacy.

C. The right to a fair trial.

D. The right to petition the government.

11.

In a unitary system of government, power is:

Select one option

A. Divided between central and regional authorities.

B. Concentrated in the central government.

C. Primarily held by local governments.

D. Shared equally among all citizens.

12.

Article I of the U.S. Constitution primarily deals with the powers and structure of the:

Select one option

A. Executive Branch.

B. Judicial Branch.

C. Legislative Branch.

D. State Governments.

13.

The Fifth Amendment's clause about 'taking private property for public use' requires:

Select one option

A. Government permission to sell private property.

B. That the property owner agrees to the sale price.

C. 'Just compensation' to be paid to the owner.

D. That the property must be abandoned.

14.

In a parliamentary system, the head of government is typically the:

Select one option

A. Directly elected president.

B. Monarch.

C. Leader of the majority party in the legislature.

D. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

15.

The Bill of Rights was added to the U.S. Constitution primarily to:

Select one option

A. Define the powers of the President.

B. Limit the powers of the federal government and protect individual liberties.

C. Establish a national currency.

D. Outlinethe process for admitting new states.

16.

Which of the following best defines 'scarcity' in economics?

Select one option

A. A situation where there is a shortage of money.

B. The condition where human wants for goods, services, and resources exceed what is available.

C. A decline in economic activity.

D. The absence of competition in a market.

17.

Opportunity cost is best described as:

Select one option

A. The monetary cost of a good or service.

B. The benefit of the next best alternative that was not chosen.

C. The total cost of producing a good.

D. The cost incurred when an economic decision is delayed.

18.

The basic principle guiding consumer choice in microeconomics is that individuals aim to:

Select one option

A. Maximize their profits.

B. Minimize their tax burden.

C. Maximize their utility given their budget constraints.

D. Support local businesses only.

19.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures:

Select one option

A. The total value of a country's exports.

B. The total income earned by a country's citizens.

C. The total market value of all final goods and services produced within a country's borders in a specific time period.

D. The total amount of money in circulation.

20.

Which of the following is most likely to cause demand-pull inflation?

Select one option

A. A significant decrease in aggregate demand.

B. An increase in the cost of production.

C. An excessive increase in the money supply leading to increased aggregate demand.

D. A decrease in consumer spending.

21.

Frictional unemployment occurs when:

Select one option

A. There are not enough jobs in the economy for everyone who wants one.

B. People are temporarily out of work because of changes in the business cycle.

C. Workers are between jobs or are searching for new ones.

D. Workers' skills do not match the jobs available.

22.

Which of the following is an example of a fiscal policy tool?

Select one option

A. Changing the federal funds rate.

B. Buying or selling government bonds.

C. Government spending on infrastructure projects.

D. Adjusting the reserve requirement for banks.

23.

Monetary policy is primarily conducted by:

Select one option

A. The President and Congress.

B. State governments.

C. The central bank (e.g., the Federal Reserve in the U.S.).

D. International organizations.

24.

Market equilibrium is achieved when:

Select one option

A. Supply exceeds demand.

B. Demand exceeds supply.

C. The quantity demanded equals the quantity supplied at a specific price.

D. The government sets a minimum price.

25.

If the price elasticity of demand for a good is greater than 1, demand for that good is considered:

Select one option

A. Inelastic.

B. Unit elastic.

C. Elastic.

D. Perfectly inelastic.

26.

A technological improvement in the production of smartphones would most likely lead to:

Select one option

A. A leftward shift in the supply curve of smartphones.

B. A rightward shift in the supply curve of smartphones.

C. A leftward shift in the demand curve for smartphones.

D. A movement along the demand curve for smartphones.

27.

An increase in consumer income would typically cause a:

Select one option

A. Leftward shift in the demand curve for inferior goods.

B. Rightward shift in the supply curve for normal goods.

C. Leftward shift in the supply curve for normal goods.

D. Rightward shift in the demand curve for normal goods.

28.

The Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility states that as a consumer consumes more units of a good, the additional satisfaction (utility) derived from each additional unit will:

Select one option

A. Increase.

B. Decrease.

C. Remain constant.

D. Fluctuate unpredictably.

29.

Which of the following describes the typical order of phases in a business cycle?

Select one option

A. Peak, Trough, Recession, Expansion.

B. Expansion, Peak, Recession, Trough.

C. Recession, Expansion, Trough, Peak.

D. Trough, Peak, Expansion, Recession.

30.

If the government imposes a price ceiling below the equilibrium price in a market, what is the likely result?

Select one option

A. A surplus of the good.

B. A shortage of the good.

C. An increase in the equilibrium price.

D. An increase in the quantity supplied.

31.

Analyze the impact of a hypothetical Supreme Court decision that expands the government's ability to access personal digital data (e.g., cell phone records, email correspondence) without a warrant, citing national security concerns. Discuss how this decision would challenge or redefine the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures and its implications for individual civil liberties versus government power.

32.

Analyze the economic impact of a sudden and significant increase in the global price of oil on a net oil-importing country like Japan or Germany. Discuss how this shock would likely affect aggregate supply (AS) and aggregate demand (AD), inflation, and unemployment. Furthermore, evaluate potential fiscal and/or monetary policy responses the government or central bank could implement to mitigate the negative effects. You may conceptually refer to shifts in AS/AD curves.

33.

Discuss the political and economic challenges associated with implementing a Universal Basic Income (UBI) policy in a developed nation. Your analysis should synthesize knowledge from both Government and Economics, considering how different political ideologies might view UBI, its potential impact on labor markets, government budgets, and the social safety net, and the feasibility of achieving broad political consensus.