SS Praxis

Question 1

The Articles of Confederation lacked which of the following major provisions, which led to their eventual replacement? A. A recognition of states’ rights B. A designation of who would conduct international diplomacy C. A process for collecting taxes D. A central government that held supremacy over the states

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following was a major consequence of the Treaty of Versailles, which ended the First World War? A. Germany entered a period of economic depression B. Japan was remilitarized C. The Ottoman Empire expanded its territorial holdings D. Britain became a democratic republic

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following principles best describes the relationship between the national and state governments of the US? A. Devolution B. Separation of powers C. Federalism D. Checks and Balances

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following best identifies the core influence of the Mayflower Compact on later conceptions of government in the US? A. All allegiance should be given to the monarch appointed by God B. The same individuals who legislate laws are responsible for their enforcement C. Government exists through a social contract of its citizens D. All people should be treated equally before the law

Answer 4

C

Question 5

Which of the following best describes the effect of the Black Death on capitalism? A. Money was spent to improve sanitation, creating new trades for townspeople B. With fewer serfs to support lords, serfs were able to demand more money, eventually buying their freedom and move into towns C. With significant deaths among the upper class, their wealth was dispersed into the serfs D. Port cities, mostly spared from the plague, flourished

Answer 5

B

Question 6

What was the purpose and outcome of the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848? A. To remind Americans of women’s contributions in the struggle for independence. Outcome was a bill in congress that was passed to honor women. B. To provide women the right to run for public office. Outcome was including this clause in the Bill of Rights. C. For women to gain the right to vote. Outcome was the right for all women to vote, which was passed in congress. D. To call attention to the grievances of women. Outcome was the “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolution”

Answer 6

D

Question 7

Which president is commonly considered the architect of the Great Society? A. John Kennedy B. Lyndon Johnson C. Franklin Roosevelt D. Ronald Reagan

Answer 7

B

Question 8

Which canal creates a water route from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean? A. Panama Canal B. Erie Canal C. Suez Canal D. Kiel Canal

Answer 8

A

Question 9

Capital refers to what type of economic resource? A. Financial resources used to conduct economic activity B. Resources which are naturally renewable C. Resources used to produce something else D. Resources which exist in the natural environment

Answer 9

C

Question 10

Which TWO of the following rolled back Reconstruction efforts? A. Jim Crow Laws B. Plessy v. Ferguson C. The Thirteenth Amendment D. Freedman’s Bureau

Answer 10

A and B

Question 11

Nativism and economic fears regarding new immigrants to the US led to the rise of which political party following the Industrial Revolution? A. Republican Party B. Know-Nothing Party C. Libertarian Party D. Democratic Party

Answer 11

B

Question 12

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 had which TWO of the following effects? A. It outlawed employment discrimination and segregation in public places based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin B. It secured voting rights for African Americans C. It instituted a federal minimum wage D. It encouraged the desegregation of schools

Answer 12

A and D

Question 13

Which of the following Supreme Court cases established that the Supreme Court had the power to rule laws passed by Congress as unconstitutional? A. Marbury v. Madison B. Plessy v. Ferguson C. McCulloch v. Maryland D. Dred Scott v. Sanford

Answer 13

A

Question 14

Which of the following can be identified as a world wide impact of WWII? A. The strengthening of the German monarchy B. The decolonization of Africa and Asia C. Increased European control over colonies in Africa D. The founding of the League of Nations

Answer 14

B

Question 15

The free-enterprise system as it operates in the US is characterized by all of the following features EXCEPT: A. Competitive prices B. Market competition C. Centralized output goals D. Low barriers to entry

Answer 15

C

Question 16

Which of the following was NOT part of the Compromise of 1850? A. The Missouri Compromise B. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 C. The sale of Texas’ western lands D. The admission of California as a free state

Answer 16

A

Question 17

Which of the following documents outlines that all men are created equal and have the right to life? A. the Articles of Confederation B. The Magna Carta C. The Declaration of Independence D. The Constitution of the United States

Answer 17

C

Question 18

Which colonial power was the first to participate in the slave trade? A. The French B. The Dutch C. The English D. The Portuguese

Answer 18

D

Question 19

Which of the following was the main cause of the rapid decolonization that took place in Africa in the 1950s and 1960s? A. Depletion of natural resources on the continent B. A new global focus on human rights C. The end of the global slave trade D. The rise of communism in Russia

Answer 19

B

Question 20

Which of the following involves evaluative reading comprehension? A. Identifying an author’s point of view B. Explaining the author’s point of view C. Identifying the main idea of the text D. Predicting the main idea of the text

Answer 20

B

Question 21

A teacher is teaching students using rime analogies to support reading comprehension. Which of the following skills best relates to the use of rime analogies? A. Students will be able to identify and use metaphors and similes B. Students will be able to identify and sue similar sounding words C. Students will be able to identify and use similar spelled words D. Students will be able to identify and use figures of speech

Answer 21

C

Question 22

A teacher is teaching students using rime analogies to support reading comprehension. Which of the following skills best relates to the use of rime analogies? A. Students will be able to identify and use metaphors and similes B. Students will be able to identify and use similar sounding words C. Students will be able to identify and use similarly spelled words D. Students will be able to identify and use figures of speech

Answer 22

C

Question 23

Which statement is most accurate about social contexts of L1 and L2 acquisition? A. L2 learning can occur equally in varied contexts, from natural to educational, but L1 learning cannot B. L1s are only learned in natural contexts, while L2s are learned in educational contexts C. Variations in L2 proficiency can result from the different contexts of the learning of L2s D. L2s are never learned in natural contexts, as they are not the learners’ natural languages

Answer 23

C

Question 24

Which is NOT true about the Italian Renaissance? A. The Black Death killed one third of the population of Europe B. The lower classes benefited from the need for laborers C. The middle classes developed from a need for services D. The upper class invested in banks

Answer 24

D

Question 25

Which statement best describes the role played by the French economy in causing the 1789 French Revolution? A. France's very large national debt led to heavy tax burdens on the French peasantry B. Nearly seventy percent of annual national expenditures financed luxuries for the French nobility C. Reforms in the guild system allowed many peasants to rise to the middle class D. The king's attempt to curtail free trade led skilled journeymen to rebel against the monarchy

Answer 25

A

Question 26

How did the Crusader army that went on the First Crusade differ from the Crusader armies that Pope Urban II envisioned? A. There was no difference. The people of Europe were accustomed to obeying clerical direction and eagerly joined the cause. They created an army that was primarily made up of faithful Christians from all social classes led by a select group of knights. B. There was no difference. The people of Europe obeyed clerical direction and stayed home to pray for the success of an army composed entirely of knights and other professional military personnel C. Pope Urban II had envisioned an army of skilled knights and professional soldiers; instead, men and women from all classes joined together to retake the Holy Land. D. Pope Urban II had envisioned an army composed of faithful Christians from all social classes led by a group of select knights; instead, the army was primarily made up of knights and other professional military personnel

Answer 26

C

Question 27

The Indus Valley or Harappan civilization existed in all of the following modern countries EXCEPT: A. Iran B. India C. Pakistan D. Turkey

Answer 27

D

Question 28

What is the correct behaviorist term for strengthening a behavior by taking away something? A. Positive punishment B. Negative punishment C. Positive reinforcement D. Negative reinforcement

Answer 28

D

Question 29

The writers of The Federalist Papers published under the pen name "Publius." Who were the authors? A. James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton B. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison C. Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson D. Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and Thomas Jefferson

Answer 29

A

Question 30

Which of the following was NOT an ancient Egyptian ruler? A. Anubis B. Hatshepsut C. Ramses II D. Tutankhamen

Answer 30

A

Question 31

In the 16th century, Akbar ruled the Mughal Empire, which covered much of present-day India. Which statement best describes one means by which Akbar maintained control of the Empire? A. He paid administrative officials with land instead of money B. He accommodated the religious practices of Hindus as well as Muslims C. He refused to allow certain defeated rulers to keep their land D. He refused to allow the construction of Hindu temples

Answer 31

B

Question 32

The distance from the earth to the sun is equal to which of the following? A. One astronomical unit B. One light year C. One parsec D. One arc second

Answer 32

A

Question 33

Which division of plant produces seeds for reproduction? A. Anthophyta B. Lycophyta C. Sphenophyta D. Pterophpyta

Answer 33

A

Question 34

The asteroid belt in our solar system is located between: A. Earth and Mars B. Neptune and Pluto C. Uranus and Saturn D. Mars and Jupiter

Answer 34

D

Question 35

In a parallel circuit, there are three paths: A, B, and C. Path A has a resistance of 10 ohms, path B a resistance of 5 ohms, and path C a resistance of 2 ohms. How do the voltage and current change for each path? A. Voltage and current are kept the same in each path B. Voltage is greatest in path A and current is greatest in path C C. Voltage is lowest in path C and current is greatest in path C D. Voltage is the same for each path and current is greatest in path C

Answer 35

D

Question 36

If an astronomer observing the stars detects a blue shift, what could he conclude? A. The star is moving farther away from him B. The star is moving closer or toward him C. The star is cooling down and becoming smaller D. The star is heating up and becoming larger

Answer 36

B

Question 37

Which of the following forms of government consists of a union of several countries with some or most power shared between them? A. Dictatorship B. Republic C. Confederation D. Monarchy

Answer 37

C

Question 38

Which of the following statement describes a characteristic of Turkey's largest city? A. It has a very high altitude B. It has a tropical climate C. It is the country's largest manufacturing center D. It is considered part of Europe and Asia

Answer 38

D

Question 39

Which of the following actions contained a controversial fugitive slave provision? A. The Compromise of 1850 B. The Missouri Compromise C. The Kansas Nebraska Act of 1854 D. The Three-Fifths Compromise

Answer 39

A

Question 40

Which of the following documents was the initial attempt by the American colonists to establish an independent government? A. The Bill of Rights B. The Articles of Confederation C. The Declaration of Independence D. The Constitution of the US

Answer 40

B

Question 41

Which of the following American Civil War battles immediately preceded the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation? A. Battle of Gettysburg B. Battle of Bull Run C. Battle of Antietam D. Battle of Vicksburg

Answer 41

C

Question 42

Which of the following individuals helped end the system of apartheid in South Africa? A. Mohandas Gandhi B. Mother Teresa C. Nelson Mandela D. The Dalai Lama

Answer 42

C

Question 43

Which of the following European nations was the first to colonize the southwestern US? A. Spain B. Portugal C. France D. England

Answer 43

A

Question 44

Which of the following was a reaction by the American public to tensions created by the Cold War? A. A decline in entrepreneurship B. The mass migration of ethnic minorities to rural areas C. The construction of private bomb shelters D. A reduction in consumer spending

Answer 44

C

Question 45

Which of the following rulers was most responsible for ending the persecution of Christians in Ancient Rome? A. Alexander the Great B. Julius Caesar C. Constantine D. Nero

Answer 45

C

Question 46

The Ring of Fire region is best known for which of the following characteristics? A. Slash and burn agriculture B. High levels of seismic activity C. Severe drought conditions D. High number of wildfires

Answer 46

B

Question 47

Which of the following statements is correct about the Battles of Lexington and Concord? A. General Cornwallis agreed to surrender after the battles B. The battles marked the start of the war with Great Britain C. General Washington crossed the Potomac to engage in the battles D. The battles convinced the French to aid the Continental army

Answer 47

B

Question 48

Which of the following are the main religions in Nepal? A. Sikhism and Buddhism B. Buddhism and Confucianism C. Hinduism and Buddhism D. Christianity and Judaism

Answer 48

C

Question 49

Which of the following countries is known as the breadbasket of Europe? A. Poland B. Ukraine C. France D. Ireland

Answer 49

B

Question 50

Which of the following rights did Thomas Jefferson believe John Adams had violated when he signed the Alien and Sedition Acts into law? A. The right to bear arms B. The right to assemble peacefully C. Freedom of press D. Unreasonable searches and seizures

Answer 50

C

Question 51

Which of the following reasons explains why Russia withdrew from WWI? A. Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated B. Nicolas II was crowned czar C. Warsaw was captured by Germany D. The Bolshevik Revolution started

Answer 51

D

Question 52

Which of the following are most common geological threats to Mexico? A. Volcanoes and earthquakes B. Hurricanes and tsunamis C. Tsunamis and landslides D. Tornadoes and blizzards

Answer 52

A

Question 53

Which of the following is a responsibility of the executive branch? A. Ratifying proposed amendments to the Constitution B. Declaring war on countries that threaten national security C. Signing proposed bills into law D. Declaring laws that infringe on personal freedoms unconstitutional

Answer 53

C

Question 54

Which of the following has occurred as a result of China's rapid economic growth? A. China is no longer one of the world's largest miners of natural resources B. China has become the world's largest exporter of agricultural products C. China has become one of the world's largest emitters of carbon dioxide D. China has become the world's largest importer of consumer goods

Answer 54

C

Question 55

The destruction of the USS Maine led to the start of which of the following events? A. Spanish-American War B. WWI C. Mexican-American War D. War of 1812

Answer 55

A

Question 56

Which of the following demonstrates one way the government can promote competition? A. Creating a national minimum wage B. Providing tax breaks for consumers C. Implementing a tariff on foreign products D. Enacting and enforcing antitrust legislation

Answer 56

D

Question 57

Which of the following is accurate about the geography of Peru? A. The majority of the country is made up of grasslands B. Its coastal region is comprised of desert C. The country has mostly rolling hills and very few mountains D. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and has few water features

Answer 57

B

Question 58

What amendment contains "The right of citizens of the US to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the US or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude?" A. 13th B. 14th C. 15th D. 19th

Answer 58

C

Question 59

In which of the following nations did the conflict between the Hutu and the Tutsi take place? A. Rwanda B. South Africa C. Ethiopia D. Uganda

Answer 59

A

Question 60

Which of the following countries have territorial claims in Kashmir? A. Iran, Iraq and Russia B. Russia, China, and India C. Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran D. India, Pakistan, and China

Answer 60

D

Question 61

Which of the following individuals is most known for his contributions to aviation? A. Henry Ford B. Charles Lindbergh C. Andrew Carnegie D. Mark Twain

Answer 61

B

Question 62

Which of the following events most contributed to the start of the American Revolution? A. The blockade of the American colonies by the British navy B. The British taxing the colonists to pay for the French and Indian War C. The drafting of the Constitution by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia D. The commissioning of George Washington as commander of the Continental Army

Answer 62

B

Question 63

Which of the following best explains the significance of the Suez Canal? A. It is an important shipping gateway in Europe, linking the North Sea to the Black Sea B. It connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, expedition trade among North America, South America, and Asia C. It connects the Mediterranean and Red Seas, expedition trade between Europe and Asia D. It is an important shipping route, connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico

Answer 63

C

Question 64

In which of the following regions is Islam the predominant religion? A. Western Europe B. Northern South America C. Eastern Asia D. Northern Africa

Answer 64

D

Question 65

Which of the following elements is contained in the US Constitution but not in the Articles of Confederation? A. A process to propose and approve amendments B. The establishment of an executive branch C. The power of Congress to declare war D. A unicameral legislative structure

Answer 65

B

Question 66

Which of the following is correct based on the law of supply? A. An increase in the price of a product will result in an increase in supply B. A decrease in the demand for a product will result in an increase in supply C. An increase in the demand for one product will lead to a fall in the demand for another D. A decrease in the value of a currency will cause the value of another currency to decline

Answer 66

A

Question 67

Which of the following countries received its independence from Great Britain in 1947? A. Argentina B. India C. The Philippines D. Peru

Answer 67

B

Question 68

Which of the following actions would be taken by the Federal Reserve? A. Printing money to introduce into circulation B. Restricting the buying and selling of stocks on Wall Street C. Adjusting interest rates to prevent inflation D. Creating a national budget to present to Congress

Answer 68

C

Question 69

Which of the following ancient civilizations held the first Olympics, were polytheistic, and practiced direct democracy? A. Greece B. Egypt C. Rome D. China

Answer 69

A