Study Guide

Section 4: Sample Multiple-Choice Questions
WEST–E Social Studies (028)

The sample test questions in this study guide are designed to give you an introduction to the nature of the questions included in the Washington Educator Skills Tests—Endorsements (WEST–E). They represent the various types of questions you may expect to see on an actual test in this test field; however, they are not designed to predict your performance on the test as a whole.

Work through the sample questions carefully before referring to the answers. The correct response and test objective being assessed are provided for each question. When you are finished with the sample questions, you may wish to review the test objectives and descriptive statements provided in the test framework for this test field.

In addition to reading and answering the sample questions, you should also utilize the following preparation materials available in this study guide:

• Read Section 2: WEST–E Test-Taking Strategies to understand how test questions are designed to measure specific test objectives and to learn important test-taking strategies for the day of the test.
• Review Section 3: Test Summary and Framework to familiarize yourself with the structure and content of the test. This section contains general testing information as well as the percentage of the total test score derived from each content domain described in the test framework.

Practice Questions

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Civics

Objective 0001: Understand the purposes and functions of governments, laws, and political systems and the organization of government in the United States.

1. In the U.S. legal system, judges are empowered to issue a writ of habeas corpus to ensure that suspects in a criminal investigation:

1. can obtain the services of an attorney before being questioned.
2. cannot be forced to give testimony that might incriminate themselves.
3. are allowed to confront witnesses against them.
4. cannot be kept in jail without being charged with a specific crime.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

2. Which of the following best describes a major responsibility of the governor of Washington?

1. resolving differences between the Senate and House of Representatives
2. appointing the directors and members of boards or commissions that oversee state agencies
3. regulating the conduct of businesses incorporated in the state of Washington
4. setting up state courts and determining punishments for criminal offenses

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

3. Totalitarian governments are primarily characterized by which of the following beliefs?

1. The purpose of the state is to achieve complete social and economic equality.
2. Cultural pluralism must be promoted by the state to ensure political stability.
3. A state's borders are permanent and not to be altered through military action.
4. The freedom of the individual is to be subordinate to the interests of the state.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

4. According to the U.S. Constitution, which of the following powers is shared by the federal and state governments?

1. regulating interstate commerce
2. establishing local governments
3. borrowing money
4. providing education

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

Objective 0002: Understand key ideals and principles of democratic government in the United States.

5. Read the excerpt below from the Declaration of Independence; then answer the question that follows.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes. . . . But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce [the people] under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

Which of the following questions was the author of the Declaration attempting to address in the excerpt above?

1. What are the purposes of government?
2. How can people be protected from the abuses of government?
3. What is the difference between democracy and despotism?
4. Under what circumstances is political revolution justified?

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

6. Which of the following excerpts from the Washington State Constitution best demonstrates the state's commitment to the principle of popular sovereignty?

1. "Every person may freely speak, write and publish on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right."
2. "No law shall be passed granting to any citizen . . . privileges and immunities which upon the same terms shall not equally belong to all citizens."
3. "No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law."
4. "All political power is inherent in the people, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed."

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

7. Read the following excerpt from Of Civil Government and Toleration by John Locke; then answer the question that follows.

This legislative is not only the supreme power of the commonwealth, but sacred and unalterable in the hands where the community have once placed it; nor can any edict of anybody else, in what form soever conceived, or by what power soever backed, have the force and obligation of a law, which has not its sanction from that legislative which the public has chosen and appointed.

The views expressed in the excerpt best illustrate which of the following foundational principles of democratic government in the United States?

1. judicial review
2. rule of the majority
3. checks and balances
4. consent of the governed

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

8. The landmark 1896 Supreme Court decision Plessy v. Ferguson upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation on the basis of the doctrine that:

1. the federal government could not interfere with the established social policies of states.
2. local public institutions were exclusively under the jurisdictional authority of municipalities.
3. states had a legal obligation to maintain facilities that were equal even if kept separate.
4. the equal protection of the Fourteenth Amendment does not apply to private businesses.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

Objective 0003: Understand the U.S. election process, the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, and the principles of democratic civic involvement.

9. Which of the following best describes the main purpose of national party conventions in contemporary U.S. presidential elections?

1. to appoint local, state, and national directors for the presidential campaign
2. to promote party unity and generate enthusiasm for the presidential campaign
3. to assign fund-raising quotas to state delegations for the presidential campaign
4. to select delegates to serve as members of the Electoral College

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

10. Use the excerpt below from the U.S. Constitution to answer the question that follows.

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him . . . and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

Which of the following best describes the main purpose of the constitutional provision excerpted above?

1. to protect criminal defendants' right to freedom of expression
2. to place the burden of proof in criminal cases on the prosecution
3. to protect the procedural rights of criminal defendants
4. to assist the defendant in criminal cases in preparing a defense

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

11. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's weekly radio "Fireside Chats" during the Great Depression illustrate which of the following developments?

1. the ability of mass communication to increase the accessibility of political leaders
2. expanding federal control over mass communication during times of national crisis
3. the influence of corporate interests in determining major public policy initiatives
4. growing efforts by political leaders to secure support from lobbying groups

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

12. The activities of civil rights groups such as the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) during "Freedom Summer" of 1964 aimed to increase the individual rights and political participation of African Americans in the Deep South primarily through:

1. mass protests in major cities such as Birmingham, Jackson, and Atlanta.
2. lobbying of key southern Democratic Party leaders to initiate reform legislation.
3. civic education classes and voter registration drives in underserved rural areas.
4. identification and boycotting of businesses that supported Jim Crow practices.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

Objective 0004: Understand principles of international law, international relationships, and the goals and execution of United States foreign policy.

13. Which of the following best describes a major difference between international law and domestic law?

1. Customary practices are a major source of international law.
2. International law depends ultimately on a recourse to coercion.
3. There is no central authority in international law.
4. International law addresses a relatively limited range of issues.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

14. The U.S. government would most likely collaborate with other member nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on which of the following foreign policy initiatives?

1. containing the expansion of authoritarian states
2. providing economic assistance to developing nations
3. forming tribunals to adjudicate violations of international law
4. establishing guidelines for the conduct of international commerce

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

15. In the formation and execution of U.S. foreign policy, the legislative branch exercises a check on the executive branch primarily through:

1. Senate approval of all treaties with foreign governments.
2. congressional control over the Department of State.
3. appointment of ambassadors by the House of Representatives.
4. congressional power to grant formal diplomatic recognition.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

16. During the early twentieth century, which of the following priorities primarily influenced U.S. foreign policy in Latin America?

1. support for revolutionary action against authoritarian governments
2. protection of the business and financial interests of U.S. corporations
3. promotion of U.S. regional power through enforcement of the Monroe Doctrine
4. economic assistance to encourage industrial and technological development

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

Economics

Objective 0005: Understand basic economic concepts and apply that knowledge to examine economic issues and problems.

17. Factors of production are best defined as the:

1. resources needed to produce goods and services.
2. market forces that influence the production of goods and services.
3. amount of output that results from a given level of inputs.
4. cost of producing a given unit of good or service.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

18. Which of the following is the most appropriate measure of productivity?

1. total amount produced during a given time period
2. output per unit of inputs
3. average amount of capital invested per each unit of labor
4. total revenue divided by quantity sold

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

19. Which of the following best matches a major function of money with a type of savings or investment option that primarily fulfills that function?

1. unit of account: certificate of deposit
2. medium of exchange: checking account
3. stable store of value: stock brokerage account
4. standard of deferred payment: mutual fund

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

20. The imposition of a tax to correct for the presence of external costs borne by people other than those making economic decisions is most appropriate in which of the following situations?

1. excessive pollution being emitted by a coal-powered electrical plant
2. underuse of vaccines during the outbreak of a transmissible disease
3. overproduction of agricultural products due to perfect growing conditions
4. unemployment of workers who lack the skills needed in the labor market

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

Objective 0006: Understand how economic systems function and basic principles of international economics.

21. Read the passage below; then answer the question that follows.

The Sullivan Paper Company operates in a niche market that it has long dominated. Over the past several years, however, two new firms have undermined Sullivan's market position by selling goods similar to those produced by Sullivan at a considerable markdown. In response, Sullivan executives have reduced production of existing products and begun development of a new line of goods to be marketed to high-end buyers.

Information presented in the passage best illustrates how:

1. business cycles influence the economic decision-making process.
2. changes in quantity supplied influence costs.
3. prices influence the economic decision-making process.
4. changes in quantity demanded influence prices.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

22. In country X, the financial resources available to the nation's steel industry were abruptly cut in half when the government decided to reorient the agricultural sector from production for domestic markets to the production of export crops. The nation's farmers, however, had difficulty making the transition to new crops with unfamiliar cultivation and storage requirements, while workers laid off in the steel plants struggled to find new jobs. This scenario best illustrates which of the following?

1. the failure of the price system in a market economy
2. the inefficiency associated with command economic systems
3. the breakdown of competition in a mixed economy
4. the lack of innovation in traditional economic systems

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

23. Read the passage below; then answer the question that follows.

Students of economics have long taken note of an observation called the diamond-water paradox. Diamonds are of course valued for their use as decorative gems. They have several other uses, including cutting or engraving glass and other solids and serving as a heat sink in electronics systems. But all of these uses seem limited compared to the supreme importance of water as the basis for all life. Each human body is composed mostly of water, and we each require a substantial amount of water for daily survival. The paradox comes when we notice that water, essential for life, is available without expense or at low expense in much of the world, while diamonds, with their fewer uses, are very expensive everywhere.

Which of the following best explains the apparent contradiction in the diamond-water paradox?

1. Market prices are determined by the interaction of both supply and demand.
2. The factors of production are used in combination to produce goods and services.
3. Different economic systems allocate resources according to differing sets of criteria.
4. Productivity improvements and technological change have influenced standards of living.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

24. Which line on the table below best matches a major economic group with a primary function performed by that group in the U.S. economy?

1. Line 1
2. Line 2
3. Line 3
4. Line 4

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

Objective 0007: Understand the role of government in the U.S. economic system.

25. Which of the following best illustrates the role of the U.S. government in reallocating resources?

1. breaking up large corporations that threaten to monopolize a given market
2. requiring employers to bargain collectively with employees who have formed unions
3. purchasing goods and services from private businesses
4. enacting laws to safeguard consumers

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

26. Which of the following changes in economic indicators would most likely prompt government policymakers to consider adopting an expansionary fiscal policy?

1. an increase in the length of the average workweek
2. an increase in the length of time required for vendor deliveries
3. an increase in the cost of labor per unit of output
4. an increase in the rate of unemployment

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

27. A central bank can use its influence over the nation's money supply to affect economic conditions in which of the following ways?

1. raising the money supply to discourage consumer spending and reduce imports
2. raising the money supply to reduce interest rates and encourage investment spending
3. lowering the money supply to increase the savings rate and improve income equality
4. lowering the money supply to encourage borrowing and increase employment

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

28. Interest rates in a country decrease. Which of the following best describes the most likely result for the country's balance of trade with other nations?

1. The country's money supply would decrease, causing a surplus in the balance of trade.
2. The country's inflation rate would decrease, causing a deficit in the balance of trade.
3. The country's unemployment rate would increase, causing net exports to decrease
4. The country's currency would decline in value, causing net exports to increase.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

Geography

Objective 0008: Understand the uses of maps, globes, and other geographic tools and the location and characteristics of major physical features of the earth.

29. Which of the following best describes a significant difference between maps and globes?

1. A globe is more likely to provide an appropriate scale for analyzing the spatial dimensions of human activities in a given country.
2. A map is more likely to provide accurate compass directions and latitude lines.
3. A map is less likely to provide the detail needed for a thorough assessment of relationships between global regions.
4. A globe is less likely to contain distortions in the size and shape of landmasses.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

30. Use the world map below to answer the question that follows.

A map of the world is shown. Number one labels the body of water north of the Arabian peninsula. Number 2 is located in North America north of the Great Lakes. Number 3 is located in northwestern Africa south of the Iberian Peninsula

Which of the following correctly identifies the three physical features of the world indicated by the numbers on the map above?

1. 1. Persian Gulf
   2. Canadian Shield
   3. Atlas Mountains
2. 1. Red Sea
   2. Mackenzie Plateau
   3. Ural Mountains
3. 1. Red Sea
   2. Deccan Plateau
   3. Andes Mountains
4. 1. Persian Gulf
   2. Laurentian Highlands
   3. Zagros Mountains

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

31. Which of the following best matches a fundamental theme of geography with a geographic tool associated with that theme?

1. region: Global Positioning System (GPS)
2. place: comparisons of different map projections
3. movement: geographic information systems (GIS)
4. location: intersections of lines of latitude and longitude

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

32. Use the chart below to answer the question that follows.

Which of the following physical processes affecting Paris best explains the differences in temperature shown on the graph?

1. dry southeasterly winds from southern Europe
2. warm water currents from the Atlantic Ocean
3. high pressure systems over Central Europe
4. moist air masses from the Mediterranean Sea

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

Objective 0009: Understand the human geography of places and regions.

33. Which line on the table below accurately sequences three modes of production in terms of the permanency of the types of settlement most commonly associated with each mode of production?

Line	Least Permanent	blank		blank	Most Permanent
1	slash-and-burn horticulture		hunting and gathering		plow agriculture
2	hunting and gathering		plow agriculture		slash-and-burn horticulture
3	plow agriculture		hunting and gathering		slash-and-burn horticulture
4	hunting and gathering		slash-and-burn horticulture		plow agriculture

1. Line 1
2. Line 2
3. Line 3
4. Line 4

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

34. Which of the following best matches a major source of conflict in the late twentieth century with two countries in which such conflict has occurred?

1. ethnic rivalries: North Korea and South Korea
2. economic competition: Rwanda and Burundi
3. postcolonial boundary disputes: Turkey and Iraq
4. religious nationalism: India and Pakistan

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

35. Use the map below to answer the question that follows.

A map of language families in Europe is shown. The map is shaded into three regions. The Turkic language family is shown in Turkey. The Uralic language family is shown in Hungary, Estonia, Finland, and an area of northwestern Russia adjacent to Finland. The Indo-European language family is shown as predominant throughout the rest of Europe.

The cultural characteristics depicted on the map are primarily the result of which of the following processes?

1. imperial expansion
2. trade networks
3. settler colonization
4. migration patterns

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

36. Which of the following best describes an effect of industrialization on urban geography in the United States during the nineteenth century?

1. expansion of large-scale manufacturing in central business districts
2. relocation of middle-class populations to outlying suburban zones
3. establishment of ethnic enclaves of recent immigrant populations
4. development of retail hubs adjacent to centers of production

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

Objective 0010: Understand the interactions between humans, the environment, and culture.

37. The global importance of biomass fuels as an energy source has declined steadily since the mid-nineteenth century primarily because of:

1. the invention of technology for obtaining solar and wind energy.
2. the discovery and development of fossil fuels.
3. increasing concerns about the effect of air pollution.
4. growing awareness of the value of conservation.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

38. To improve air quality in heavily polluted industrial regions of the Midwest, legislation in the United States required manufacturing firms to increase the height of smokestacks so that pollutants would be discharged higher in the atmosphere. Implementation of this response to local pollution contributed most directly to which of the following environmental problems?

1. the desertification of agricultural lands as airborne chemicals altered rainfall patterns
2. the degradation of forests and lakes east of the industrial region by acid rain
3. the depletion of the ozone layer as a result of changes in the composition of the upper atmosphere
4. the formation of persistent brown clouds of airborne pollution over large areas of the Pacific

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

39. Which of the following physical factors best explains the "megalopolis" pattern of urbanization from northern Virginia to southern Maine in the northeastern United States during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries?

1. abundant agricultural land that sustained concentrated populations
2. topography that facilitated the development of transportation networks
3. numerous deposits of coal and iron ore that enabled early industrialization
4. a temperate climate that made possible the production of cash crops

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

40. The status of Islam as the majority religion of Malaysia and Indonesia is primarily the product of:

1. diffusion of beliefs and practices eastward along trade routes.
2. efforts to stem the advance of Chinese cultural dominance.
3. a synthesis of traditional beliefs and later mystical movements.
4. a reaction against the activities of Christian missionaries.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

Objective 0011: Understand the geographic context of major global issues and events.

41. Use the table below, listing Latin American countries belonging to different economic unions, to answer the question that follows.

Which of the following changes is most likely to occur as a result of the formation of the regional economic associations shown in the table above?

1. Regional conflicts will increase as the economic unions compete for favorable trade arrangements with nations and economic unions outside Latin America.
2. Cultural distinctions among individual countries will diminish as political borders become increasingly less relevant.
3. Countries will increase domestic investment in industries producing for regional markets and gradually withdraw from the broader global economy.
4. Countries will relinquish some aspects of national independence in order to achieve common economic development objectives.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

42. Use the map of the Euphrates River basin below to answer the question that follows.

A map of the Middle East is shown. The Euphrates River is labeled, running from Turkey, through Syria, and to Iraq. In Turkey, the map shows three dams on the Euphrates River and the three reservoirs they create.

After Turkey constructed the dams shown on the map above as part of an initiative to promote economic development, both Syria and Iraq raised objections to the project. Which of the following statements provides the most likely explanation for why the project generated regional concern?

1. The resulting economic development produced air pollution and acid rain harmful to the ecology of downwind regions.
2. The dams and use of water for development altered the quality and quantity of water in the Euphrates River available to Syria and Iraq.
3. The resulting economic development created a pull factor that drew large numbers of workers from neighboring countries.
4. The dams lowered water levels in the Euphrates River, diminishing its usefulness as a route for the shipment of Syrian and Iraqi goods.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

43. The historical development of ancient Greek civilization into independent city-states was most influenced by which of the following geographic factors?

1. deposits of copper and tin that enabled the production of bronze weapons
2. a system of navigable rivers that facilitated economic and cultural exchange
3. mountains and valleys that favored the establishment of small communities
4. fertile volcanic soil that contributed to the production of agricultural surpluses

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

44. Which of the following best summarizes the impact of migration on the politics of several countries in central and western Europe during the first two decades of the twenty-first century?

1. growth of right-wing nationalist and populist movements
2. strengthening of the regulatory powers of the European Union
3. passage of legislation promoting greater cultural pluralism
4. contraction of publicly funded social welfare benefits

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

U.S. History

Objective 0012: Understand major developments in early U.S. history from the precontact period to 1791.

45. Which of the following features of the French and Indian War (1754–1761) led most directly to a breakdown in relations between Great Britain and the thirteen colonies during the decade following the conflict?

1. British seizure of vessels carrying goods to France's Caribbean colonies during the war
2. the large debts incurred by the British government to finance the war effort
3. British employment of Native American forces for service in northern and western frontier areas
4. the disagreements between British generals and colonial leaders over wartime strategy

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

46. In which of the following ways did Virginia and Maryland differ from colonial New England during the first half of the eighteenth century?

1. Government in Virginia and Maryland was conducted in part through representative assemblies.
2. Indentured servants and enslaved Africans were part of the colonial population of Virginia and Maryland.
3. Seaports in Virginia and Maryland enabled the two colonies to participate in the transatlantic trade.
4. Plantations growing a single staple crop were the foundation of the Virginia and Maryland economies.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

47. Which of the following best describes the pattern that characterized relations between French immigrants and Native Americans in North America during the colonial period?

1. French missionaries converted most Native Americans in Canada to Christianity.
2. The French relied on Native Americans to supply furs for international trade.
3. French plantations in the Mississippi Valley utilized Native Americans as laborers.
4. The French established direct sovereignty over Native American populations.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

48. The inclusion of the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution as part of the ratification process is best understood as a response to which of the following concerns?

1. the fear that a strong central government would encroach on individual liberty
2. the desire to secure balanced representation between large and small states
3. the fear that a permanent standing army would lead to the development of monarchy
4. the desire to maintain an equilibrium between free states and slave states

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

Objective 0013: Understand major political, economic, and social developments in U.S. history from 1791 to 1877.

49. Which of the following excerpts from the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments (1848) most clearly illustrates the influence of the American Revolution on the antebellum women's movement in the United States?

1. "[Man] has denied [woman] the facilities for obtaining a thorough education, all colleges being closed against her."
2. "[Man] has usurped the prerogative of Jehovah himself, claiming it as his right to assign for [woman] a sphere of action, when that belongs to her conscience and to her God."
3. "[Man] has compelled [woman] to submit to laws, in the formation of which she had no voice."
4. "[Man] has made [woman], morally, an irresponsible being, as she can commit many crimes with impunity, provided they be done in the presence of her husband."

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

50. Which of the following elements of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) contributed most to rising intersectional tensions between the North and the South?

1. States must observe the provisions of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850.
2. Legal protections contained in the Bill of Rights did not extend to African Americans.
3. Congress did not have the power to prohibit slavery in the territories.
4. Congress could not deprive citizens of slave property without due process of law.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

51. Which of the following developments best reflects the influence of the concept of Manifest Destiny?

1. the prohibition of slavery north of the Missouri Compromise line
2. missionary activity to convert Native Americans to Christianity
3. industrial expansion as a result of increased European immigration
4. war with Mexico and the annexation of Texas and California

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

52. During the first half of the nineteenth century, the involuntary migration of large numbers of enslaved people from the upper South to the lower South and trans-Mississippi regions was primarily the result of the:

1. shortage of enslaved labor following the end of the Atlantic slave trade.
2. increasingly vocal influence of abolitionists in Maryland and Delaware.
3. significant expansion of cotton production as a result of mechanization.
4. beginnings of industrialization in formerly agricultural regions of Virginia.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

Objective 0014: Understand major political, economic, and social developments in U.S. history from 1877 to 1945.

53. During the 1880s and 1890s, which of the following strategies most distinguished the American Federation of Labor (AFL) from other early labor organizations in the United States?

1. organizing skilled workers into national trade unions
2. engaging in strikes against major business and industrial firms
3. forming a political party that advanced the interests of workers
4. recruiting women and ethnic minorities into labor unions

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

54. Which of the following best explains U.S. reluctance to become involved in World War II before the attack on Pearl Harbor?

1. World War I had generated strong isolationist sentiments in the United States.
2. Many people in the United States condemned the imperialist policies of Great Britain.
3. The Red Scare had provoked strong opposition to an alliance with the Soviet Union.
4. Many people in the United States feared that the war would stall economic recovery.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

55. Congress enacted the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 primarily in response to:

1. demands from U.S. manufacturers to halt the importation of Chinese goods.
2. restrictions imposed by the Chinese government on all foreign merchants.
3. violence committed against U.S. missionaries and expatriates in China.
4. growing labor unrest over competition from unskilled Chinese workers.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

56. Following the end of World War I, Congress rejected membership in the League of Nations primarily based on which of the following considerations?

1. opposition to the acquisition of former German colonies by Britain and France
2. concern over the potential for Soviet expansion after the Bolshevik Revolution
3. unwillingness to participate in further military action to ensure peace in Europe
4. fear that growing international integration would harm U.S. business interests

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

Objective 0015: Understand major political, economic, and social developments in U.S. history from 1945 to the present.

57. Which of the following best describes how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. contributed to the success of the civil rights movement?

1. He united the African American organizations fighting for racial equality in the United States.
2. He developed a self-help ideology that inspired African Americans to form social institutions of their own.
3. He organized nonviolent civil disobedience generating broad public support for the movement.
4. He formulated a legal strategy that resulted in the outlawing of racially segregated institutions.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

58. Which of the following factors contributed most to the growth of Sunbelt cities after World War II?

1. growing immigration from Mexico and Central America
2. increases in federal defense spending
3. improvements in the national communication system
4. expanding trade with Asia and Latin America

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

59. During the Cold War, U.S. foreign policymakers' concerns relating to the domino theory were most substantiated by developments in:

1. Manchuria and Mongolia.
2. Laos and Cambodia.
3. Thailand and Burma.
4. Malaysia and Indonesia.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

60. Which of the following best summarizes the goals of the Great Society?

1. containment of Communism through economic aid to developing nations in southeast Asia and Latin America
2. eradication of pervasive economic inequality through government spending programs and civil rights legislation
3. acquisition of new foreign markets for manufactured goods through the promotion of U.S. economic ideals abroad
4. investment to stimulate economic revitalization in declining industrial areas of the Northeast and Midwest

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

Objective 0016: Understand major events, individuals, themes, and developments in Washington State history.

61. The growth of San Francisco most influenced which of the following developments in Washington during the territorial period?

1. the expansion of Tacoma and Spokane
2. the growth of the territory's Scandinavian population
3. the rise of the coal and timber industries
4. the spread of steamship transportation

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

62. Which of the following best describes the significance of the Boldt Decision (1974) for the people of Washington?

1. It affirmed the supremacy of federal court decisions over those of Washington State courts.
2. It transferred control of the Washington's fishing industry from the state to the federal government.
3. It produced a decline in the number of salmon found in Washington State waters.
4. It upheld the treaty rights granted to the state's Native Americans during the nineteenth century.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

63. Public opinion turned against the Seattle General Strike of 1919 relatively quickly largely because of the:

1. fear of socialist upheaval inspired by the Russian Revolution.
2. willingness of industrial leaders to meet the workers' demands.
3. use of violence by striking workers against federal troops.
4. lack of support from the major unions of skilled labor.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

64. During the 1970s, which of the following economic trends occurred in Washington State as part of a larger national trend?

1. the rapid growth of high-tech start-up industries such as Microsoft
2. the expansion of agro-industrial conglomerates using immigrant labor
3. the decline of large-scale manufacturing enterprises such as Boeing
4. the closure of suburban retail outlets due to reduced consumer spending

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

World History

Objective 0017: Understand the development of major world civilizations from 8000 BCE to 600 CE.

65. Which of the following had the greatest impact on the diffusion of Hellenistic culture throughout Southwest Asia after the decline of the Greek city-states in the fourth century BCE?

1. Greek refugees displaced by invasions and internal conflicts established communities throughout Southwest Asia.
2. Advances in papermaking and the establishment of private academies of learning facilitated the spread of Greek ideas in Southwest Asia.
3. Southwest Asian political leaders embraced Greek culture as a counterweight to the growing cultural hegemony of Rome.
4. The conquests of Alexander the Great and his successors introduced Greek ideas and practices throughout Southwest Asia.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

66. Iron smelting sites dating from as early as 500 BCE have been found in both east Africa and west Africa, although the two regions are 1500 to 2000 miles apart. Which of the following most likely accounts for the existence of these widely separated sites?

1. Early African kingdoms were connected through an extensive network of trading routes.
2. A single African empire exercised control over the northern half of the continent.
3. Africans on both sides of the continent had substantial contacts with Egypt and Mesopotamia.
4. Early African peoples shared the same economic, political, and cultural practices and traditions.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

67. The philosophical principles of Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism may best be understood in the context of the:

1. frequent warfare and disorder that undermined Chinese political and social stability.
2. incorporation of diverse religious traditions as a result of Chinese territorial expansion.
3. desire to preserve Chinese cultural identity in the wake of frequent foreign invasions.
4. growing influence of Buddhist merchants and missionaries in the Chinese economy.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

68. Which of the following statements best explains the means by which Roman territorial expansion occurred during the period of the Republic?

1. Military victories provided the means for elites to increase their popularity.
2. Population growth necessitated the foundation of colonies in conquered territories.
3. Politically influential merchants sought control of trade routes and new markets.
4. Nomadic frontier peoples needed to be subdued in order to forestall invasions.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

Objective 0018: Understand major developments in world history from 600 to 1600.

69. Muslim scholars during the era of Islamic expansion from the seventh to the eleventh centuries CE made their greatest contributions in their:

1. commentaries on the laws and customs of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.
2. application of the scientific method to the study of human society.
3. original contributions in the fields of economics and comparative religion.
4. synthesis, adaptation, and diffusion of the learning of diverse cultures.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

70. Which of the following best describes an important consequence of the Reformation for European civilization?

1. Protestant belief in a chosen people selected by God contributed to the emergence of nationalism.
2. Protestant emphasis on individual study of the Bible contributed to the spread of literacy.
3. Protestant stress on the role of faith in salvation contributed to the development of democracy.
4. Protestant opposition to monasticism contributed to the rise of capitalism.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

71. Elites in Maya, Aztec, and Inca societies all based their political authority on:

1. tax revenue derived from the exploitation of conquered territory.
2. control of an extensive system of bureaucratic administration.
3. performance of and participation in elaborate religious rituals.
4. monopolies on the large-scale production of staple crops.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

72. Which of the following best illustrates a long-term effect of the Black Death on society in Western Europe?

1. contraction of the agrarian economy to near-subsistence levels
2. expansion of the power and prestige of the Roman Catholic Church
3. decline of feudalism and the rise of an independent peasantry
4. extension of greater freedoms and opportunities to women and girls

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

Objective 0019: Understand major developments in world history during the Era of Global Expansion and Encounter (1450 to 1750).

73. Use the map below to answer the question that follows.

A blank map of the landmasses of the world is shown. Three shaded regions include the easternmost one-fifth of South America and a strip along the coast of southwestern Africa and a strip along the coast of southeastern Africa west of the island of Madagascar.

The shaded regions on the map above represent the locations of colonies controlled during the mid-eighteenth century by which of the following nations?

1. Denmark
2. France
3. Netherlands
4. Portugal

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

74. Throughout much of the Tokugawa shogunate (1603–1867), Japanese rulers adopted an isolationist foreign policy. Their primary reason for restricting contact with other nations was to:

1. limit foreign influence on Japanese society and culture.
2. protect Japan's industrial and agricultural sectors from foreign competition.
3. keep disaffected groups from overthrowing Japan's central government.
4. prevent Japanese involvement in international conflicts.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

75. Which of the following motives best explains the maritime voyages of exploration undertaken by several European powers during the period 1450 to 1750?

1. the need to secure additional land for rapidly expanding populations
2. popular nationalist sentiments that encouraged territorial expansion
3. rivalries between states to acquire mineral and agricultural resources
4. the desire to obtain markets for burgeoning manufacturing industries

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

76. Read the excerpt below from a letter written by an inhabitant of the island of Jamaica to a member of the British Parliament in 1745; then answer the question that follows.

[A planter in Jamaica] must have a house to live in, and furniture, and clothes, and other necessaries for himself and his family, servants and slaves. To build his house he must have materials from England ... and his furniture and clothing entirely from England. And as the climate is excessively hot, for the convenience of their wives and children, those who can afford it have coaches, chariots, chaises and other such conveniences to accommodate themselves; and all from England.

The excerpt provides evidence of which of the following developments during the eighteenth century?

1. Population growth necessitated increased migration from England to colonial lands.
2. Colonies demanded that England grant them greater control over their economies.
3. Population decline in the colonies required the importation of English labor.
4. Colonies became significant markets for English manufactured goods.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

Objective 0020: Understand major developments in world history during the Age of Revolutions (1750 to 1914).

77. Use the excerpt below from an 1815 letter by Simón Bolívar to answer the question that follows.

We were, as I have just explained, virtually removed from the world in relation to the science of government and administration of the state. We were never viceroys or governors, save in exceptional circumstances; seldom archbishops and bishops; diplomats never; in the army, only subordinates; as nobles, without royal privileges. In brief, we were neither magistrates nor financiers and seldom merchants—all in direct contravention of our institutions.

The excerpt above can best be used to show the influence of which of the following ideals of the French Revolution on leaders of the Latin American independence movement?

1. the brotherhood and sisterhood of all human beings
2. each person's right to act freely within the law
3. the equal status of all people as human beings
4. each person's right to live secure from the arbitrary exercise of power

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

78. Which of the following best describes an important factor that enabled industrialization to proceed more swiftly in Great Britain than in France or Germany during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries?

1. the efforts of British farmers to furnish manufacturers with raw materials used in the production process
2. the excellence of the British educational system
3. the willingness of the British government to support the initiatives of risk-taking private entrepreneurs
4. the extensive mineral resources of Great Britain

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

79. The establishment of the British sphere of influence over Egypt during the late nineteenth century was primarily motivated by which of the following strategic goals?

1. the acquisition of unrestricted access to Mideast oil reserves
2. the elimination of Islamic nationalist movements
3. the construction of a railway to gold mines in West Africa
4. the protection of important trade routes to India

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

80. The difficulties faced by those pursuing efforts at modernization in China during the late nineteenth century may best be explained by:

1. insufficient deposits of coal and iron ore to support rapid industrialization.
2. the hostility of elites to the potential of destabilizing social change.
3. the reluctance of European capitalists to invest in the Chinese economy.
4. emigration that deprived China of an adequate supply of labor.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

Objective 0021: Understand major developments in world history during the modern era (1914 to the present).

81. The two major figures in the Chinese Civil War of the late 1940s—Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek—differed most in their approach to which of the following questions?

1. What should be the relationship among the major social groups in Chinese society?
2. What role should political parties play in the organization of China's government?
3. Was the promotion of nationalist sentiment an appropriate means of creating social unity in China?
4. Should the state retain a monopoly on political power in Chinese society?

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

82. In which of the following ways has the increasingly widespread use of computers contributed most to the cultural and intellectual integration of the world?

1. Computers have enhanced people's ability to manipulate complex ideas and solve problems.
2. Computers have enhanced people's ability to receive and send information on diverse subjects.
3. Computers have enhanced people's ability to create sophisticated images and graphic designs.
4. Computers have enhanced people's ability to store and retrieve information on diverse subjects.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

83. In contrast with the majority of former European colonies in Africa, the process of decolonization in Algeria, Kenya, and Zimbabwe/Rhodesia was complicated by significant conflict primarily because of:

1. proxy wars fought by forces aligned with the United States or the Soviet Union.
2. resistance by white settler populations to the achievement of independence.
3. social and economic crises brought on by the onset of the AIDS epidemic.
4. a massive influx of refugees from neighboring regions suffering drought.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

84. Read the excerpt below from a speech delivered by U.S. President Harry S. Truman in 1947; then answer the question that follows.

I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.

I believe that we must assist free peoples to work out their destinies in their own way.

I believe that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid which is essential to economic stability and orderly political processes.

Which of the following developments in Europe resulted directly from the policy priorities expressed in the excerpt?

1. the construction of the Berlin Wall
2. the political division of West and East Germany
3. the implementation of the Marshall Plan
4. the creation of the European Common Market

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

Social Studies Concepts and Skills

Objective 0022: Understand and apply social studies terms, concepts, and perspectives.

85. Which of the following places three major eras or developments in world history in correct chronological order?

1. 1. the French Revolution
   2. the Industrial Revolution
   3. the Scientific Revolution
2. 1. the Italian Renaissance
   2. the Columbian Exchange
   3. the Enlightenment
3. 1. the growth of the Aztec Empire
   2. the rise of the Islamic Empire
   3. the decline of the Roman Empire
4. 1. the decolonization of Africa
   2. the collapse of the Qing Dynasty
   3. the Second World War

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

86. A historian would most likely use the term liberal to describe an eighteenth-century political theorist who:

1. supported government regulation of trade.
2. advocated the expansion of government bureaucracies.
3. condemned aristocratic and clerical privilege.
4. subordinated individual rights to the national interest.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

87. Read the passage below; then answer the question that follows.

The sixteenth-century Italian artist and critic Giorgio Vasari and the nineteenth-century historians Jules Michelet and Jacob Burckhardt are the figures most associated with describing and defining the Renaissance in European history. In general, they saw the Renaissance as an era that celebrated the rebirth of the classical Greek and Roman forms and ideals in the sciences, arts, and humanities. They wrote of the Renaissance as representing a break from the relative darkness and stagnation of medieval period, and setting the stage for further progress in the later modern period of history.

Since the middle of the twentieth century, the general trend among historians has been to modify the understanding of Vasari, Michelet, and Burckhardt by placing a greater emphasis on:

1. seeing the Renaissance as more of an economic period than cultural and intellectual period.
2. emphasizing the continuities connecting the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and modern times.
3. highlighting the more ancient pre-Greek and pre-Roman origins of the Renaissance ideals.
4. focusing on the breakthroughs of the Italian Renaissance over earlier events in northern Europe.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

88. Which of the following statements best describes a cause-and-effect relationship between two major developments in the history of South America?

1. The Columbian exchange led to an enormous loss of life due to disease.
2. The Treaty of Tordesillas consolidated Spanish imperial control.
3. The rebellions against European authority brought about the abolition of slavery.
4. The Monroe Doctrine resulted in freedom from interference by outside powers.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.

Objective 0023: Understand how to locate social studies information.

89. A researcher who is studying patterns of late twentieth-century Mexican immigration to the United States would likely find data about changes in which of the following most useful?

1. gross saving and investment in Mexico
2. the cost of living in Mexican urban centers
3. output per hour for major Mexican industries
4. the average income of Mexican families

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

90. A social science researcher would most likely use content or textual analysis to examine which of the following questions?

1. What effect did the Vietnam War have on U.S. relations with the Soviet Union?
2. What were the main reasons for U.S. intervention in Vietnam?
3. How did popular attitudes toward the Vietnam War change between 1965 and 1975?
4. Why did the United States decide to withdraw its forces from Vietnam?

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

91. A historian studying the rise of authoritarian governments in the 1920s and 1930s would most likely consult information from public addresses to answer which of the following questions?

1. How did people act together to resist authoritarian governments' violations of civil rights?
2. What experiences shaped the personalities of the leaders of authoritarian governments?
3. What historical circumstances made it possible for authoritarian governments to gain power?
4. How did authoritarian leaders change the way they crafted their appeals to their followers?

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

92. Which of the following references most likely cites a secondary reference source?

1. Alford, J. R., Funk, C. L., and Hibbing, J. R. 2005. "Are Political Orientations Genetically Transmitted?" American Political Science Review. 99:153-67.
2. Freeman, W. J. 1995. Societies of Brains: A Study in the Neurobiology of Love and Hate. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
3. Lee, R. B. 1979. The !Kung San: Men, Women, and Work in a Foraging Society. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
4. Sinnot-Armstrong, W., ed. 2008. Moral Psychology. 3 vols. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

Objective 0024: Understand methods for analyzing and interpreting social studies information and applying critical reasoning to evaluate presentations of social studies data.

93. Use the chart below to answer the question that follows.

Based on information presented in the chart, it is reasonable to conclude that:

1. Nigeria has a higher birth rate than Mali.
2. Ghana has a higher standard of living than Chad.
3. Mali has a lower infant mortality rate than Nigeria.
4. Chad has a more effective population control program than Ghana.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

94. A political scientist studying voting behavior in a certain Congressional district notices that the turnout of voters younger than age 30 has been trending downward during the same interval that the amount of campaign spending on advertising has been trending upward. This evidence is adequate to support which of the following conclusions?

1. Political candidates are advertising in media outlets that are not reaching potential voters of all ages.
2. Turnout of young voters and political advertising expenditures are inversely correlated in this district.
3. Young adults tend to be cynical and highly suspicious of the motives of political candidates.
4. The Congressional district being studied is likely to be typical of other areas in the same state.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

95. Read the passage below; then answer the question that follows.

The administration of Franklin Roosevelt faced many challenges, but few as difficult or as consequential as how to conduct foreign policy in Europe as that continent descended into war in the years 1938 through 1940. As Germany's acts of aggression toward its neighbors became increasingly bold, even turning to outright invasion in the case of Poland in September 1939, Roosevelt faced a series of choices. He could continue to do nothing and in effect appease Germany's provocations, or he could launch the unwilling people of the United States into a world war that would inevitably lead to enormous loss of life. In the view of many at the time, Roosevelt made the wrong choice, until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, abruptly changed the direction of U.S. policy.

The passage best illustrates which of the following logical fallacies?

1. ad hominem
2. appeal to authority
3. false dilemma
4. slippery slope

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

Objective 0025: Understand methods for presenting social studies information, communicating about social studies topics, and deliberating effectively with others.

96. A pie chart would best be used to convey which of the following kinds of information?

1. the percentage of eligible voters who have voted in local elections for each of the past 10 years
2. monthly variations in the number of visitors to a state park over the course of a year
3. the proportion of a city's total annual expenditures devoted to each of 10 major budget categories
4. changes in the tax revenues that a state expended on education over a 20-year period

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

97. Use the social science research question below to answer the question that follows.

Why did labor unions lose influence in U.S. politics during the second half of the twentieth century?

Which of the following offers the best evaluation of this research question?

1. This is an appropriate research question because it asks about an important economic institution.
2. This is an inappropriate research question because it assumes labor unions lost political influence after 1950.
3. This is an appropriate research question because it asks about the causes of a general trend.
4. This is an inappropriate research question because it reflects a biased attitude toward labor unions.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: C.

98. Which of the following statements, if included in a persuasive essay on a social studies issue, would most clearly indicate the presence of a counterclaim or counterargument?

1. Several reasons support this view, but we begin by considering the most important of them.
2. Skeptics of this view often make the case that other variables explain this observation.
3. On this issue, it is important to note that correlation does not necessarily prove causation.
4. New evidence has led researchers to reconsider their previous views of the issue.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: B.

Multiple-Objectives Passages

Read the passage below; then answer the questions that follow.

Of the many weaknesses of the U.S. economy of the 1920s, the banking system was doubtless the greatest. During the decade, more banks in the United States failed than in any other industrial nation in the world. One of the system's major shortcomings was its structure. There were numerous independent banks that lacked the assets to withstand a serious jolt to the general economy. When one or several of these banks went under, the assets of other banks with which they did business were compromised. This naturally worried their depositors, and the more worried they became, the more likely they were to withdraw their savings. In short, it was a situation in which a relatively small number of bank failures could touch off a chain reaction that reverberated through the whole system.

99. Which of the following statements best summarizes the main interpretation in the passage?

1. Policies of the U.S. banking system were responsible for the failure of banks in other nations.
2. Authorities overseeing the U.S. banking system should have done more to guarantee the banks' assets.
3. Weaknesses in the general U.S. economy worsened and spread into the banking system.
4. The large number of independent banks made the entire U.S. banking system unstable.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: D.

100. Based on the information presented in the passage, the author would most likely agree with which of the following statements?

1. Lack of sufficient government regulation during the 1920s left the banking industry in a vulnerable position.
2. The inability of smaller banks to operate soundly was the primary cause of the Great Depression.
3. The unwillingness of depositors to trust the banks prevented bankers from putting the system on a sound footing.
4. During the 1920s, the U.S. banking system's greatest problem was a chronic shortage of cash.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Correct Response: A.