Equivalency Test » Social Studies 1.) The most useful indicator of the degree of democracy reached by a particular society is whether it has a: formal method whereby people can effect changes in government policy system of government checks and balances two-house legislature system of liberal and humane courts civilian government -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.) "Without our two great political parties cutting across economic and geographic interests, democracy as we know it could never have been made to function." The author of this statement probably meant to suggest that political parties in the United States tend to represent sectional interests each political party appeals to a different social class there is no significant difference between the Democratic and Republican parties an important feature of the U.S. political system is the broadly based appeal of the two political parties only a two-party system can function in a democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.) A study of the causes of the American Revolution of 1776, the French Revolution of 1789, and the Russian Revolution of 1917 best supports the generalization that revolution is most likely to occur when those in power are resistant to change a society has a lower standard of living than those around it a society has become industrialized stable governments are in power people are given too much voice in their government -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4.) The task of economic policy is to create a prosperous America. The unfinished task of prosperous Americans is to build a Great Society. Our accomplishments have been many; these tasks remain unfinished: > to achieve full employment without inflation; > to restore external equilibrium and defend the dollar; > to enhance the efficiency and flexibility of our private and public economies; > to widen the benefits of prosperity; > to improve the quality of American life -Lyndon B. Johnson Former President Lyndon felt that the most important first step in the war against poverty is full employment a sound dollar private and public economics our natural defense efficiency in government -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.) The task of economic policy is to create a prosperous America. The unfinished task of prosperous Americans is to build a Great Society. Our accomplishments have been many; these tasks remain unfinished: > to achieve full employment without inflation; > to restore external equilibrium and defend the dollar; > to enhance the efficiency and flexibility of our private and public economies; > to widen the benefits of prosperity; > to improve the quality of American life -Lyndon B. Johnson The speech implies that America's prosperity is threatened is at its peak must be retained must be broadened threatened Johnson's war against poverty -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6.) From the point of view of an environmentalist, which is probably the most significant argument against offshore drilling for oil? There is little need to take such natural resources from the ocean waters. Oil corporations are falsely advertising an oil shortage in order to expand their drilling operations. The potential oil to be found is not worth the capital investment needed to extract it. The possible harm to the balance of nature is more important than a gain in energy. Coal is a preferable resource to oil. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7.) Topography deals with surface features of a region, including its landforms and rivers, lakes, etc., and with man-made features such as canals, bridges, and roads. According to this definition, the topography of a region includes its climate plants animals mountains inhabitants -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8.) Between 1935 and 1957, a period that included World War II, the birth rate rose from 16.9 to 25 per 1000 people. What was the most likely cause of this "baby boom"? the expansion of the middle class and its new wealth the return of young American soldiers from war the change in view toward artificial birth control methods the mobility of the American family of the 1950's the growth of the urban/suburban areas after World War II -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9.) The president of the United States is elected by the electoral college. What type of system is this? monarchy oligarchy dicatatorship pure democracy representative democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10.) In ancient Athens (Greece) tribes and generals took turns at power. This is an example of what type of political system? monarchy oligarchy dicatatorship pure democracy representative democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11.) What type of political system is headed by Queen Elizabeth II of England? monarchy oligarchy dicatatorship pure democracy representative democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12.) The Bubonic Plague of the mid-fourteenth century was the most devastating natural disaster in European History. We now konw that this plague was caused by rats that were infected by bacteria-carrying fleas. The rats carried the disease as they were unknowingly transported with cargo ships through trade routes. A third of the entire population of Europe is thought to have been killed by this plague. What caused the Bubonic Plague? poor sanitation in crowded European cities. a disease carried by sailors through trade routes. a highly contagious virus spread by human contact. rats that carried the disease through crowded cities. fleas on rats that carried the deadly bacteria through trade routes.