Question 1 refers to the following passage:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
- This paragraph appears in which historic document?
- The Declaration of Independence
- The Freedom of Information Act
- The Mayflower Compact
- The Magna Carta
- The Constitution
This is the text of the First Amendment, added to the Constitution in 1791 as part of the Bill of Rights. It guarantees freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly, and petition.
- What does the acronym NAFTA stand for?
- North American Federal Tariff Association
- North African Free Trade Agreement
- Non-American Final Territory Agreement
- North American Free Tariff Agreement
- North American Free Trade Agreement
NAFTA was the North American Free Trade Agreement between the US, Canada, and Mexico, established in 1994. It eliminated most tariffs to encourage cross-border trade and investment. In 2020, it was replaced by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
- Women, such as Susan B. Anthony, fought for suffrage and were finally successful in 1920. What does suffrage mean?
- Right to free speech
- Right to get an education
- Right to vote
- Right to work
- Right to get divorced
Suffrage means the legal right to vote in public elections. Women won national suffrage in 1920 with the 19th Amendment.
Questions 4-6 refer to the following passage:
Supply and demand are two important factors that influence the market. Supply means the amount of a specific product or service available. Demand refers to the amount of that product or service consumers want to purchase. Both of these factors influence the price of goods.
For example, if there is a large supply of a product which few people want to buy, the price of that product will go down. As the price goes down, demand usually increases. Eventually, a balance between the two factors is reached and the optimal price for that product or service is determined. At that point, the supply and demand have reached equilibrium.
- Why does demand only “usually” go up when the price is lowered?
- Demand always increases on its own
- The supply is often decreased instead
- Price may not be the only factor causing low demand
- People want to pay more for products, not less
- The system is only based on speculation so nothing is certain
Lower prices tend to boost demand, but other factors—like product quality or changing tastes—can limit how much demand actually rises. Price is important, but it isn’t the only influence on buyer behavior.
- If supply of a product is limited, but demand is high, how would the price be affected?
- It would go up
- It would go down
- It would stay the same
- It would fluctuate
- It would reach equilibrium
When supply is scarce but buyers still want the product, they compete by paying more. That competition drives the price upward.
- Based on the passage, what does “equilibrium” mean?
- Capitalism
- Inflation
- Perfect price
- Final destination
- Balance
Equilibrium is the point where the quantity supplied equals the quantity demanded. At that price, the market “clears” with no leftover goods and no unsatisfied buyers.
- A new dog toy is introduced in pet stores in April for $19.99, but by December the toy is being sold for $4.99. According to the law of supply and demand which is most likely to be true about the dog toy?
- Supply for the toy was low but demand was high
- Supply for the toy was high but the demand was low
- Both the supply and the demand for the toy were low
- Both the supply and the demand for the toy were high
- Answer cannot be determined
A big stock of toys and not enough buyers forces sellers to cut the price. High supply with low demand explains the drop from $19.99 to $4.99.
- If a drought severely reduces the amount of corn available to consumers, what would you expect to happen?
- The supply of corn would go up
- The demand for corn would go down
- The price of corn would stay the same
- The price of corn would go down
- The price of corn would go up
A drought reduces how much corn farmers can sell, creating a shortage. When supply falls, the price rises as buyers compete for limited corn.
- If 200 jobs are available and only 100 people are unemployed, what will have to happen according to the laws of supply and demand?
- Companies needing employees will need to increase pay
- Companies needing employees will need to decrease pay
- Companies needing employees will need to reduce benefits
- Companies needing employees will need to fire workers
- The laws of supply and demand do not apply to this situation
With more open jobs than available workers, companies must offer higher wages to attract staff. Competition for labor pushes pay up.
- What type of government does the United States have?
- Monarchy
- Democracy
- Dictatorship
- Theocracy
- Oligarchy
The US is a democracy where citizens elect officials to govern under a constitutional framework. Power ultimately rests with the people.
- In the first half of the 20th century, it was not unusual for African American people to have to use different drinking fountains, lunch counters, and even schools than other Americans. This was known as which of the following?
- Segregation
- Civil rights
- The white man’s burden
- Affirmative action
- Slavery
Segregation was the legal separation of races in public places under Jim Crow laws. It forced African Americans and whites to use different facilities.
- If the last presidential election was in 2032, when will the next one take place?
- 2034
- 2036
- 2038
- 2040
- 2042
US presidential elections occur every four years. If the last was in 2032, the next will be in 2036.
- American writer Henry David Thoreau wrote that if a law “requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then I say, break the law.” What idea is Thoreau supporting?
- Anarchy
- Marxism
- Violent opposition
- Free speech
- Civil disobedience
Peacefully breaking unjust laws to stand up for moral principles is known as civil disobedience. He argued conscience should guide one’s actions over unjust statutes.
- What does a map’s legend help you do?
- Understand the purpose of the map
- Calculate the real distance shown on the map
- Locate specific cities or rivers on the map
- Read the map’s symbols correctly
- Fold the map neatly
A map legend (or key) explains the symbols, colors, and lines used on the map. It tells you what each icon represents so you can read the map correctly.
- Which of the following positions is appointed and not elected by the US citizens?
- President
- Congressman
- Supreme Court justice
- Senator
- Governor
Supreme Court justices are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. They are appointed for life and are not elected by voters.
Questions 16-19 refer to the following passage:
In the United States, individuals who are suspected of criminal behavior are considered innocent until they are proven guilty. All citizens have the right to due process which means they are entitled to a fair trial before a jury of their peers. In addition, they have a right to a lawyer who will help them support their case. Because the suspect is considered innocent until judged otherwise, the prosecution has the burden of proof. Even after a verdict is made on the case, both sides can appeal to a higher court to reconsider the decision. All of these steps are in place to protect the safety and liberty of all Americans.
- According to the passage, what is “burden of proof”?
- The credibility of witnesses
- The responsibility for convincing the jury of their case
- The suspect’s duty to provide an alibi
- The suspect’s right to an attorney
- The responsibility given to jurors
Burden of proof is the obligation to convince the jury of your argument. In US criminal trials, the prosecution must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
- Why can court decisions be appealed?
- So that mistakes can be corrected if they are made
- To give both sides a chance to prepare a stronger case
- To stop the justice system from working efficiently
- To allow more people the chance to hear the case
- To ask the judge to rethink his current position on the case
Appeals exist so higher courts can review and correct errors in legal decisions. They help ensure fair application of the law.
- In other countries, suspects are considered guilty until proven innocent. How would this affect the burden of proof in a trial?
- More evidence on both sides would be needed
- No evidence would be needed for a conviction
- The prosecutor would have burden of proof instead of the defendant
- The defendant would have the burden of proof instead of the prosecutor
- It would have no effect
If suspects were presumed guilty, the accused would have to prove their innocence. That flips the burden of proof onto the defendant instead of the prosecutor.
- Why is the right to due process important?
- It prevents innocent people from being wrongly punished
- It provides more work for lawyers
- It lets ordinary citizens be part of the judicial system
- It forces innocent people to prove their innocence
- It keeps crime rates low
Due process guarantees fair procedures—like a jury trial and the right to counsel—before punishing someone. It protects innocent people from wrongful convictions.
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal helped America recover from the Great Depression by providing federal money for construction projects, including schools and roads. How did this help the country recover?
- It gave money back to the tax payers
- It created desperately needed good paying jobs
- It encouraged wealthy people to do the same thing
- It made trade easier with Mexico
- It allowed construction companies to make a large profit
New Deal construction projects hired millions of workers to build roads, schools, and bridges. Those jobs put money in people’s pockets, boosting spending and economic recovery.
- In American cities after the Industrialization Age began, it was not unusual to see children huddled together without shoes, warm clothing, shelter, or decent food. These children illustrated what unhappy effect of Industrialization in the United States?
- Because the focus was on manufacturing, not enough shoes were made
- Because of low wages, many people lived in poverty
- Because of protective employment laws, child laborers could no longer be employed
- Because of the freedom women experienced in the workplace, many abandoned their children
- Because parents were often strict at home, their children ran away and lived on the streets
Industrialization often paid very low wages, so many families—including children—lived in poverty. Those conditions forced children into hardship without proper shelter or food.