GED Civics and Government Practice Questions, Set 4

1.A bill to fund military bases reaches the Senate floor. One senator adds a section, unrelated to the military, that would rename a post office in her home state, hoping it will pass along with the larger bill. What is this added section called?

1. A.A veto
2. B.A rider
3. C.A filibuster
4. D.A quorum

2.A man sues to overturn a new state rule on commercial fishing licenses. He does not fish, owns no boat, and has never applied for a license. The court dismisses the case without deciding whether the rule is constitutional. What is the most likely reason?

1. A.He was not harmed by the rule, so he lacks standing
2. B.State rules can never be challenged in any court
3. C.Only the governor may challenge a state rule in court
4. D.Courts may not hear cases involving business licenses

3.A woman loses a lawsuit in a state trial court and appeals. At the appeals court, there is no jury and no witnesses testify. Three judges read the trial record and listen to lawyers argue. What is the appeals court’s main job?

1. A.To decide whether the trial court made legal errors
2. B.To hear all the evidence again and pick a new jury
3. C.To decide the case as if no trial had ever happened
4. D.To set the sentence after the trial court finds guilt

4.A county has 80,000 residents who are eligible to vote. In the last election, 52,000 of them cast ballots. What was the county’s voter turnout among eligible residents?

1. A.52%
2. B.65%
3. C.35%
4. D.80%

5.In one state’s primary election, voters do not register with a party. On primary day, each voter chooses either the Democratic ballot or the Republican ballot in private and votes in that party’s races. What type of primary is this?

1. A.A closed primary
2. B.A caucus
3. C.An open primary
4. D.A runoff election

6.In the 1940s and 1950s, lawyers for the NAACP filed a series of lawsuits challenging segregated schools. These cases led to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Brown v. Board of Education (1954). Which strategy did this interest group use?

1. A.Giving money to candidates through a PAC
2. B.Running its own candidates for Congress
3. C.Writing the party platform at a convention
4. D.Filing lawsuits to change public policy

7.In Riley v. California (2014), police arrested a man and searched the contents of his cell phone without a warrant. The Supreme Court ruled that police generally must get a warrant before searching the data on a phone taken during an arrest. Which amendment did this ruling apply?

1. A.The Fourth Amendment
2. B.The First Amendment
3. C.The Sixth Amendment
4. D.The Eighth Amendment

8.Amish parents in Wisconsin refused to send their children to school after eighth grade, saying further schooling would violate their religious way of life. In Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972), the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the parents. Which right was the basis of this ruling?

1. A.The right to a speedy trial
2. B.The free exercise of religion
3. C.Freedom of the press
4. D.Protection from self-incrimination

9.A man was convicted of burglary under state law and served his sentence. Years later, he asks for a pardon so the conviction will not block him from certain jobs. In most states, who has the power to grant this pardon?

1. A.The president, under Article II of the Constitution
2. B.The county sheriff who first arrested him
3. C.The U.S. Supreme Court, after an appeal
4. D.The governor, sometimes with a state pardon board

10.A state constitution allows any city with more than 50,000 residents to write its own charter and pass local laws on matters such as zoning and parking without first getting permission from the state legislature. What is this arrangement called?

1. A.Judicial review
2. B.Eminent domain
3. C.Home rule
4. D.Executive privilege

11.Article I, Section 9: “No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.” Which idea does the first part of this clause most clearly support?

1. A.A monarchy in which titles pass from parent to child
2. B.A system in which Congress chooses the nation’s nobles
3. C.A republic in which no one is born into a ruling class
4. D.A government in which foreign kings approve U.S. officials

12.The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (1786), written by Thomas Jefferson, says “that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever.” Before this law, Virginians paid taxes to support the Anglican Church. Which later constitutional idea does this statute most closely match?

1. A.The government may not establish an official church
2. B.States must collect taxes to support all churches equally
3. C.Only members of one church may hold public office
4. D.Congress must approve the leaders of each church

13.“Bills of rights... are not only unnecessary in the proposed Constitution, but would even be dangerous... For why declare that things shall not be done which there is no power to do?” (Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 84, 1788) What was Hamilton’s main concern about adding a bill of rights?

1. A.A bill of rights would give states too much power over the nation
2. B.Listing some rights might suggest the government had powers it lacked
3. C.Citizens would demand so many rights that laws could not be enforced
4. D.Judges would refuse to protect any rights written in the Constitution

14.Article I, Section 6: “No Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office.” A senator is nominated and confirmed as Secretary of Defense. What must the senator do?

1. A.Keep both jobs but stop voting in the Senate
2. B.Ask the Supreme Court for permission to serve
3. C.Wait until the Senate term ends to resign
4. D.Leave the Senate before taking the new office

15.A national survey asked adults which party they identify with: 2004: Democrat 34%, Republican 34%, Independent 32% 2014: Democrat 30%, Republican 26%, Independent 43% 2024: Democrat 28%, Republican 28%, Independent 43% Which conclusion is best supported by the survey?

1. A.Democrats outnumbered Republicans in every year shown
2. B.More adults call themselves independents than in 2004
3. C.Independent candidates won most elections in 2024
4. D.Republican identification rose steadily from 2004 to 2024

16.Under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, paid lobbyists who contact members of Congress must register and file regular public reports. The reports list who hired them, which issues they worked on, and roughly how much they were paid. What is the main purpose of this law?

1. A.To ban businesses from contacting members of Congress
2. B.To set a limit on how much a lobbyist may be paid
3. C.To let the public see who is trying to influence lawmakers
4. D.To require lawmakers to vote the way lobbyists ask

17.Two groups testify before a state committee about raising the minimum wage. The State Restaurant Association, whose members are restaurant owners, opposes the increase. The Food Workers Union, whose members are cooks and servers, supports it. Which statement best explains why the two groups disagree?

1. A.Each interest group speaks for members with different economic interests
2. B.Both groups are political parties trying to win seats in the legislature
3. C.Only the union is allowed to lobby, so the association must stay neutral
4. D.The association represents consumers, while the union represents owners

18.A political party’s national convention has 3,200 delegates. To win the nomination, a candidate needs a majority of all delegates. Before the convention, Candidate A has 1,450 delegates pledged to her. What is the fewest number of additional delegates she needs?

1. A.150
2. B.151
3. C.750
4. D.1,601

19.Most state constitutions require the state to pass a balanced budget each year, so spending cannot be greater than revenue. The federal government has no such rule. During a recession, a state’s tax collections fall by 8 percent. What is the state most likely to do?

1. A.Borrow freely to cover the shortfall for years
2. B.Print more money to pay for its programs
3. C.Ask the Supreme Court to suspend its budget
4. D.Cut spending or raise taxes to close the gap

20.In most states, voters elect the governor, the attorney general, and the secretary of state in separate races. In one state, the governor is a Republican and the attorney general is a Democrat. The attorney general sues to block one of the governor’s policies. What makes this possible?

1. A.The attorney general is chosen by voters, not by the governor
2. B.The governor appoints the attorney general to check the courts
3. C.State attorneys general are appointed by the president
4. D.The state legislature must approve every lawsuit in advance

21.A company wants to build a gas station on a lot in a neighborhood of single-family homes. The city’s zoning code allows only homes in that area. The city zoning board denies the company’s request for an exception. Which level of government made this decision?

1. A.State government
2. B.Federal government
3. C.Tribal government
4. D.Local government

22.A young couple buys their first house. They need to record the deed, register to vote at their new address, and get a marriage license for their upcoming wedding. In most states, which office would handle all three tasks?

1. A.The governor’s office
2. B.The U.S. Postal Service
3. C.The county clerk’s office
4. D.The state supreme court

23.Article II: “The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.” Why does a recess appointment last only until the end of the Senate’s next session?

1. A.So the Senate still gets a chance to confirm or reject the nominee
2. B.So the House can vote on the nominee before the person takes office
3. C.So the president can never fill a vacancy without a court order
4. D.So the nominee must win a public election before serving longer

24.Under the Congressional Review Act of 1996, Congress may cancel a new rule issued by a federal agency by passing a joint resolution of disapproval. The president can veto the resolution, and Congress can then try to override the veto. Which statement best describes this law?

1. A.It lets federal courts cancel any rule an agency writes
2. B.It lets agencies overturn laws passed by Congress
3. C.It lets Congress check rules made by executive agencies
4. D.It removes the president from the lawmaking process

25.A bill to cut funding for a federal program passes the House. The president announces, “If this bill reaches my desk in its current form, I will veto it.” Senate leaders then remove the funding cut before passing the bill, and the president signs it. What does this example show?

1. A.Congress can override a veto with a simple majority vote
2. B.The president can rewrite a bill after Congress passes it
3. C.The Senate must have the president’s approval to debate
4. D.The threat of a veto can shape a bill before it passes

26.Article IV, Section 3: “New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union.” Voters in a U.S. territory approve a ballot question asking to become a state. What must happen next for the territory to become a state?

1. A.The president must sign a treaty with it
2. B.Congress must pass a law admitting it
3. C.The Supreme Court must approve the vote
4. D.Every existing state must vote to accept it