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MCAP, Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program

This page shows a list of test questions in the American Government public release collection at MSDE. American Government
Standard "2.0 Peoples of the Nation and World," Indicator "2.2.1"

Select a question from the following list. The content of that question will be shown, and you can interact with it here.

Expand All Official Practice Test

This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.

Providing foreign aid helps meet United States foreign policy goals by

  1. A.
    reducing the chances of revolution and war
  2. B.
    causing poor nations to turn to communist governments
  3. C.
    helping strong nations take over weak nations
  4. D.
    encouraging countries to establish colonies

This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.

Which of these forms of government allows citizens to choose their government leaders most freely?

  1. A.
    absolute monarchy
  2. B.
    oligarchy
  3. C.
    representative democracy
  4. D.
    dictatorship

This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.

The United States stops trading with a country because of reported evidence that the government of the country mistreats its citizens.

Which foreign policy tool is the United States government using in this situation?

  1. A.
    economic sanction
  2. B.
    peace treaty
  3. C.
    foreign aid
  4. D.
    military involvement

This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.

Read the newspaper article below.

UNITED NATIONS CALLS FOR
MILITARY AID FOR SOUTH KOREA

June 27, 1950

New York — The United Nations Security Council today resolved to send military aid to repel the invasion of South Korea by North Korea.

The action described in the article is most directly related to which of the following goals of the United Nations?

  1. A.
    to suppress acts of aggression
  2. B.
    to develop diplomatic relations
  3. C.
    to foster worldwide cooperation
  4. D.
    to promote economic progress

This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.

The United States protects its national security most directly by

  1. A.
    passing environmental laws
  2. B.
    entering into military alliances
  3. C.
    providing low interest loans to poor nations
  4. D.
    signing free trade agreements with bordering nations

This is a test question that allows you to enter extended text in your response.

Read the news article excerpt below.

President Clinton signed a $435 million foreign aid bill to relieve the debts of the world's poorest countries. Clinton said of the bill, "It will be good for our economy  . . .  [and] good for our security  . . .  [and it] is simply the right thing to do."

  • Explain ways our foreign aid to other countries has benefited the United States.
  • Do you think the benefits of foreign aid are worth the cost? Explain why or why not.
  • Include details and examples to support your response.

Write your answer on the lines in your Answer Book.

This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.

Read the news headline below.

A newspaper headline reads, United States Sets High Taxes on Imported Lumber.

Which of these is a purpose of this action by the United States?

  1. A.
    to decrease the cost of lumber
  2. B.
    to protect the United States lumber industry
  3. C.
    to decrease United States lumber exports
  4. D.
    to allow for the free trade of lumber

This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.

In the 1980s, the United States, some European countries, and the United Nations banned the trade of certain goods and services to South Africa. The policy was in response to South African laws which enforced racial segregation.

Which of these best describes this action toward South Africa?

  1. A.
    the use of diplomacy to gain military strength
  2. B.
    the use of free trade to build military alliances
  3. C.
    the use of humanitarian aid to win political support
  4. D.
    the use of economic sanctions to bring about social change

This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.

Read the news headline below.

A newspaper headline reads, The United States War Crimes Tribunal Charges a Military General with Forcing the Relocation of Thousands of People.

The headline is most associated with which of these goals?

  1. A.
    to increase migration
  2. B.
    to form military forces
  3. C.
    to overthrow governments
  4. D.
    to stop human rights abuses

This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.

Read the quotation below.

" . . .  let us resolve to wage an unrelenting [continuous] battle against poverty and for shared prosperity so that no part of humanity is left behind in the global economy.  . . . "

President Bill Clinton, at the United Nations, September 21, 1999

Which of these topics is most related to the excerpt?

  1. A.
    arms reduction
  2. B.
    climatic changes
  3. C.
    military deployment
  4. D.
    development assistance

This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.

Read the excerpt below.

“Everyone is entitled  . . .  to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal [judge/jury], in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.”

Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

According to the excerpt, all people are entitled to

  1. A.
    the right to due process of law
  2. B.
    freedom of expression
  3. C.
    freedom from cruel or unusual punishment
  4. D.
    the right to representation by legal counsel

This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.

Which of the following is an example of the United States government providing foreign aid?

  1. A.
    placing an embargo on foreign sugar
  2. B.
    signing a nuclear arms control treaty
  3. C.
    sending medical supplies to foreign doctors
  4. D.
    increasing immigration restrictions

This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.

Read the excerpt below.

“North Korea will come under intense diplomatic pressure to [end] its nuclear weapons program  . . .  as the United States, North Korea, and its four neighbors begin  . . .  negotiations.”

New York Times, August 2003

This is an example of the United States working with other nations to

  1. A.
    promote human rights
  2. B.
    improve regional trade
  3. C.
    protect national security
  4. D.
    strengthen democratic reform

This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.

Read the quotation below.

" . . .  let us resolve to wage an unrelenting [continuous] battle against poverty and for shared prosperity so that no part of humanity is left behind in the global economy. . . . "

—President Bill Clinton, at the United Nations, September 21, 1999

Which of these topics is most related to the excerpt?

  1. A.
    arms reduction
  2. B.
    climatic changes
  3. C.
    military deployment
  4. D.
    development assistance

This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.

Read the headline.

A newspaper headline reads, U.S. President Signs Agreement with European Country, U.S. to Purchase New Military Technology.

The President most likely took the action mentioned in this headline to

  1. A.
    protect the national security of the United States.
  2. B.
    punish human rights violations by leaders of other countries.
  3. C.
    support a focus on science education in the United States.
  4. D.
    force democratic reforms in authoritarian countries.

This is a multiple choice question that allows you to select only one option.

Study the graph.

A quadruple bar graph is titled, selected U.S. foreign aid budget, 2014 through 2016. The horizontal axis is labeled year, and the vertical axis is labeled billions of dollars and ranges from 0 to 16. Key, solid black bar represents peace and security, light patterned bar represents health, solid gray bar represents education and social services, dark patterned bar represents economic development. In 2014, solid black bar goes up to midway between 8 and 10, light patterned bar goes up to a little higher than the solid black bar, solid gray bar goes up to a little under 2, dark patterned bar goes up to midway between 2 and 4. In 2015, solid black bar goes up to a little less than 14, light patterned bar goes up to a little less than 10, solid gray bar goes up to a little under 2, dark patterned bar goes up to a little less than 8. In 2016, solid black bar goes up to midway between 14 and 16, light patterned bar goes up to a little less than 10, solid gray bar goes up to a little under 2, dark patterned bar goes up to a little less than 2.

The data in this graph support the claim that the primary purpose of U.S. foreign aid is to

  1. A.
    ensure domestic safety by promoting peace abroad.
  2. B.
    help countries change their traditional forms of government.
  3. C.
    protect the domestic environment by monitoring global resource use.
  4. D.
    improve the education systems of underdeveloped countries.