California Government
Mock Exam
Course Introduction
This course provides an in-depth examination of the structure, functions, and political processes of Californias state and local governments. Students will explore the historical development of the California Constitution, the roles of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, and the impact of interest groups, political parties, and the media. The course also covers public policy issues unique to California, such as environmental regulation, education, and immigration, as well as the relationships between state and federal governments. Emphasis is placed on understanding how Californias diverse population and regional differences shape its political landscape and the formulation of public policy.
Recommended Textbook
Governing California in the Twenty-First Century 5th Edition by J. Theodore Anagnoson
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10 Chapters
301 Verified Questions
301 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/273 Page 2
Chapter 1: California Government: Promise and Practice
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/4474
Sample Questions
Q1) From 2008 to 2012, California's median household income compared to the national median was
A) $8,000 lower.
B) $8,000 higher.
C) almost the same.
D) unknown due to a lack of data.
Answer: B
Q2) Proposition 25, which passed in November 2010,
A) maintained the two-thirds vote in both houses to pass a budget.
B) increased the requirement to pass a budget to 75 percent in both houses.
C) gave full power to the governor in the budget process.
D) lowered the requirement to pass a budget to 50 percent plus one in both houses.
Answer: D
Q3) How many representatives from California serve in the House of Representatives?
A) 41
B) 39
C) 55
D) 53
Answer: D
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Page 3
Chapter 2: The Constitution and the Progressive Legacy
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The following is NOT a Progressive reform.
A) nonpartisan elections
B) primaries
C) office block ballot
D) term limits on the state legislature
Answer: D
Q2) California was admitted to the Union in
A) 1849.
B) 1850.
C) 1879.
D) 1900.
Answer: B
Q3) In what year was California's second constitution written?
A) 1849
B) 1879
C) 1882
D) 1900
Answer: B
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Page 4
Chapter 3: Interest Groups and the Media in California
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/4476
Sample Questions
Q1) Because political campaigns require highly focused political messages, the media of choice to reach large numbers of citizens are
A) local newspapers.
B) national magazines.
C) highway billboards.
D) electronic media.
Answer: D
Q2) What is the maximum amount of money an individual, business, or interest group can donate to the governor's election campaign?
A) $5,300
B) $17,200
C) $21,300
D) $28,750
Answer: C
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Page 5
Chapter 4: Parties and Elections in California
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31 Verified Questions
31 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is a positive aspect of third parties in California?
A) Third parties rarely act as spoilers.
B) Third parties do not draw votes away from the two major parties.
C) Third parties help focus public attention on important political issues.
D) Third parties reduce voter turnout in close elections.
Q2) What two initiatives made major changes to the 2012 California elections?
A) Propositions 13 and 15
B) Propositions 7 and 19
C) Propositions 11 and 20
D) Propositions 141 and 198
Q3) What group advocated for nonpartisan elections?
A) Democrats
B) Republicans
C) Progressives
D) Libertarians
Q4) One theory is that third parties in California act as
A) lobbyists.
B) spoilers.
C) a drain on public funding of campaigns.
D) issue "killers."
Page 6
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Chapter 5: The California Legislature
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What functions does the California legislature carry out? Is there any one function that it is not performing in an acceptable way? Explain your answer.
Q2) In May 2010, ________ percent of Californians approved of the job the legislature was doing.
A) 10
B) 16
C) 30
D) 70
Q3) Making sure that legislation is implemented by the bureaucracy in the manner intended by the legislature is called
A) legislature practice.
B) constituent service.
C) oversight.
D) representation.
Q4) What are the major differences between the U.S. Congress and the California legislature?
Q5) What are some of the negative aspects of term limits on the California legislature?
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Page 7
Chapter 6: The Governor and the Executive Branch
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30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) State employees
A) report directly to the governor.
B) report only to their union representatives.
C) answer only to the legislature.
D) are sometimes in agencies that are not under the control of the governor.
Q2) What specific area requires the governor to get the legislature's cooperation?
A) budget
B) interest group connections
C) the line-item veto
D) great speeches
Q3) What is an example of the governor's formal powers?
A) greeting foreign government officials
B) making a public speech about the state's budget
C) drawing up the state's budget
D) persuading legislators
Q4) What California governor had little interest in photo opportunities?
A) Arnold Schwarzenegger
B) Gray Davis
C) Earl Warren
D) Jerry Brown
Page 8
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Chapter 7: The California Judiciary
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30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) In California, what court has judicial discretion?
A) traffic courts
B) superior courts
C) courts of appeal
D) supreme court
Q2) The busiest courts in California are
A) the administrative courts.
B) the superior courts.
C) the appellate courts.
D) the impeachment courts.
Q3) Which U.S. Supreme Court justice has been a vocal critic of state judicial elections?
A) Sonia Sotomayor
B) Sandra Day O'Connor
C) Carol Corrigan
D) John Roberts
Q4) Describe the organization of California's judicial system. What types of cases does each level of court hear?
Q5) Discuss an example of the conflict between federal and state law that California courts have to adjudicate.
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Chapter 8: The State Budget and Budgetary Limitations
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) California gets most of its revenue from A) sales tax.
B) personal income tax.
C) property tax.
D) insurance tax.
Q2) The legislature can override the governor's line-item veto by
A) a simple majority of both houses.
B) a two-thirds vote in both houses.
C) filing an appeal to the California Supreme Court.
D) a vote of no confidence in the governor.
Q3) The California income tax is considered to be a A) regressive tax.
B) progressive tax.
C) use tax.
D) property tax.
Q4) The sales tax in California is considered to be a(n)
A) progressive tax.
B) regressive tax.
C) excise tax.
D) flat tax.
Page 10
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Chapter 9: Local Government
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What role do special districts play in California? Cite an example of a special district and its mandated purpose.
Q2) The process of municipal incorporations, by which a city is created, is usually initiated by
A) the governor and the supreme court.
B) the mayor and the city council.
C) the county Local Agency Formation Commission.
D) the state legislature and Franchise Tax Board.
Q3) How many counties are there in the state of California?
A) 27
B) 30
C) 45
D) 58
Q4) What were the major roles and functions of California's community redevelopment agencies? Why did the state government eliminate all of these agencies?
Q5) What are the functions of county governments in California and how are they organized?
Q6) What are the major expense categories for California cities? From what sources do cities receive their revenue?
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Chapter 10: Public Policy in California
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30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) In 1999, the California Supreme Court struck down Proposition 5, which dealt with A) same-sex marriage.
B) Indian gaming.
C) public school funding.
D) health care.
Q2) Ethnically, most people without health insurance in California are A) African American.
B) Caucasian.
C) Asian American.
D) Latino.
Q3) In 2013, the percentage of California's bridges that were deficient or obsolete was A) 11.1 percent.
B) 22.8 percent.
C) 31.0 percent.
D) 37.3 percent.
Q4) What does groundwater management entail, and what are the problems that are currently being encountered in California?
Q5) What is the condition of California's infrastructure? What can be done about it?
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