A bar graph shows U.S. trade with Canada and Mexico from 1993–2013.
The chart is titled U.S. Trade with Canada and Mexico, 1993-2013. Along the vertical axis, the chart is labeled Values of trade (in billions of dollars). The values start at zero and go up to 700 in hundreds. The horizontal axis is labeled Year. The first year is 1993 and the last is 2013. There are two bars for each year: Exports (in blue) and Imports (in purple). The values in billions for each year are as follows (note that all values are approximate, as the chart does not denote exact values:
1993: Exports 150, Imports 160
1995: Exports 170, Imports 200
1997: Exports 210, Imports 230
1999: Exports 250, Imports 300
2001: Exports 275, Imports 350
2003: Exports 275, Imports 360
2005: Exports 320, Imports 460
2007: Exports 390, Imports 520
2009: Exports 320, Imports 400
2011: Exports 480, Imports 580
2013: Exports 520, Imports 610
Use the chart to answer the question.
Which statement best summarizes the information on this chart?
A. Canada and Mexico imported more from the U.S. than they exported.
B. Over the 20 years shown, NAFTA greatly increased trade.
C. The United States exported more to Canada and Mexico than it imported.
D. The trade levels varied up and down over the 20 years shown.
How was the conflict in Afghanistan different from other conflicts in the region for the United States? Essay
"[I]t is reasonable to construe what Congress has done as increasing taxes on those who have a certain amount of income, but choose to go without health insurance. Such legislation is within Congress’s power to tax. . . . The Framers created a Federal Government of limited powers, and assigned to this Court the duty of enforcing those limits. The Court does so today. But the Court does not express any opinion on the wisdom of the Affordable Care Act. Under the Constitution, that judgment is reserved to the people."
----Chief Justice John Roberts, opinion of the court, National Federation of Independent Businesses et al. v. Sebelius et al. (2012)
Use the quote to answer the question.
Based on this decision from the Supreme Court, who decides if the Affordable Care Act is a good law?
A. the Framers of the Constitution
B. the American people
C. the Supreme Court
D. the Congress
The United States used diplomacy to broker peace agreements in which of these countries?
A. Israel, Northern Ireland
B. Nicaragua, Somalia
C. South Africa, India
D. North Korea, Poland
How were U.S. interventions in Somalia and Northern Ireland most similar?
A. U.S. troops fought alongside U.N. forces in both places.
B. U.S. policy worked to end conflicts between local groups in both places.
C. U.S. efforts successfully ended civil rights and ethnic conflicts in both places.
D. U.S. forces were targets for local hostility and attack in both places.
2006 Congressional Mid-Term Election
Seats Gained/Lost
Republicans Democrats
Senate lost 6 gained 7
House of Representatives lost 27 gained 32
Use the chart to answer the question.
Which of the following events most likely affected the election results shown in the table? Pick two
A. the government’s response to the September 11 terrorist attacks
B. economic performance after the 2001 recession
C. the prosperity that came with the dot-com boom
D. the federal response to Hurricane Katrina
In the text, you read this about U.S. relations with South Africa:
In 1986, Congress approved economic sanctions against South Africa to force an end to apartheid. Sanctions are measures aimed at making a country change its policy. American companies were forbidden to invest in South Africa or import South African products.
Use the passage to answer the question.
Based on this excerpt, what conclusions can you reach about U.S. goals in South Africa during the mid-1980s?
A. The United States wanted more responsibility for South Africa’s economy.
B. The United States public opposed intervention in South Africa’s economy.
C. Congress thought that the South African government was supported by the Soviets.
D. U.S. leaders hoped to bring about peaceful political change in South Africa.
In the text, you read this about U.S. policy in the Middle East:
The United States had strong ties to North Africa and Southwest Asia. This region lies where the continents of Africa, Asia, and Europe meet. It is a region inhabited by Jews, Christians, and Muslims. As in past years, old conflicts in this region continued after 2000, and new conflicts emerged. The United States was a close ally of Israel, a mainly Jewish nation. At the same time, the U.S. economy relied on the oil production of Muslim nations, such as Saudi Arabia. The United States tried to resolve conflicts in this region. It remained committed to supporting democracy, its allies, and its own national interests.
Use the passage to answer the question.
Based on information in the passage, what generalization about U.S. policy in the region described is best supported?
A. The United States has often intervened in Middle Eastern religious conflicts.
B. U.S. leaders must carefully balance competing goals.
C. U.S. energy needs mostly shape foreign policy in the Middle East.
D. The United States has repeatedly changed its approach to the region.
A timeline is titled Nuclear Proliferation, 1950–Present. The timeline ranges 1940–2010.
A timeline is titled Nuclear Proliferation, 1950-Present. The timeline ranges from 1940 to 2010. The entries are as follows:
July 16, 1945: United States tests the first atomic bomb in New Mexico.
August 29, 1949: Russia tests its first atomic bomb using plutonium.
October 3, 1952: United Kingdom tests its first atomic bomb aboard the HMS Plym.
February 13, 1960: First French atomic bomb is detonated in the Sahara Desert.
October 16, 1964: China tests its first atomic bomb using uranium.
March 5, 1970: The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty to limit the spread of nuclear weapons comes into force.
May 18, 1974: India tests its first atomic bomb in the Rajasthan Desert.
May 1998: Pakistan tests its first atomic bomb.
October 2006: North Korea tests its first atomic bomb.
Use the timeline to answer the question.
What does this timeline suggest about nuclear proliferation?
A. After World War II, other nations felt the need to develop their own nuclear bombs.
B. After the destruction caused by the first atomic bombs, nations joined to prevent future use and development of nuclear weapons.
C. The United States and the Soviet Union both supplied their allies with nuclear weapons.
D. Although there were a number of nations developing atomic bombs right after World War II, there was no longer a need to worry about more countries doing so.
What was one impact of the Iranian Revolution on the United States?
A. higher oil prices
B. increased terrorism
C. increased taxes
D. increased military spending
When the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates following the 2001 recession, what did more people start to do?
A. buy homes
B. default on loans
C. invest in dot-coms
D. sell stock shares
"…in the West today, we see a free world that has achieved a level of prosperity and well-being unprecedented [never having happened or existed before] in all human history. In the Communist world, we see failure, technological backwardness, declining standards of health, even want of the most basic kind—too little food. Even today, the Soviet Union still cannot feed itself. After these four decades, then, there stands before the entire world one great and inescapable conclusion: Freedom leads to prosperity…."
Use the quote to answer the question.
In President Reagan’s “Take Down This Wall” speech, he compares the success of the West to the failures of the communist world. To what does he attribute the success of the West?
A. technology
B. prosperity
C. freedom
D. culture
What is one cost that victory in the Cold War brought to the United States?
A. Many new governments emerged in Eastern Europe and opposed the United States.
B. The “peace dividend” people hoped for never came about.
C. The spread of nuclear weapons and general arms race created new dangers for the United States and the world.
D. Many U.S. military bases in European countries were forced to close.
An electric car is shown plugged in at a charging station.
Use the image to answer the question.
What expected benefit might the object in the picture have?
A. reduce greenhouse gas emissions
B. encourage public transportation
C. finance highway repairs
D. provide inexpensive biofuel
Which of the following best summarizes the impact of the 2007 recession in the United States?
A. It was a fairly short recession and its effects were felt only by the very poor.
B. The recovery was long and difficult, with high unemployment.
C. It affected older, experienced workers more severely than young workers.
D. The recession caused state and local governments to hire more people.
A. It was a fairly short recession and its effects were felt only by the very poor. Just kidding! The correct answer is B. The recovery was long and difficult, with high unemployment. It was like trying to find a penny in a piggy bank: slow and frustrating.
The statement that best summarizes the information on this chart is:
C. The United States exported more to Canada and Mexico than it imported.
To answer the first question about the bar graph of U.S. trade with Canada and Mexico from 1993-2013, we need to analyze the data on the graph. The bars represent exports and imports for each year. The values for exports and imports are given in billions of dollars. Looking at the data, we can see that the values for exports are consistently higher than the values for imports. Therefore, the correct answer is C. The United States exported more to Canada and Mexico than it imported.
To answer the second question about the Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Care Act, we need to analyze the quote by Chief Justice John Roberts. According to the quote, the Court's role is to enforce the limits set by the Constitution, not to express an opinion on the wisdom of the Act. The quote states that the judgment on whether the Affordable Care Act is a good law is reserved to the people. Therefore, the correct answer is B. the American people.
To answer the third question about U.S. interventions in the Middle East, we need to analyze the options given. Among the options provided, the correct answer is A. Israel, Northern Ireland. The United States used diplomacy to broker peace agreements in both Israel and Northern Ireland.
To answer the fourth question about U.S. interventions in Somalia and Northern Ireland, we need to analyze the options given. Among the options provided, the correct answer is B. U.S. policy worked to end conflicts between local groups in both places. In Somalia, the U.S. intervened as part of international efforts to stabilize the country and end the civil war. In Northern Ireland, the U.S. played a role in the negotiation of the Good Friday Agreement, which aimed to end the conflict between Catholic and Protestant groups.
To answer the fifth question about the 2006 Congressional Mid-Term Election, we need to analyze the chart provided. Looking at the chart, we can see that the Republicans lost seats in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, while the Democrats gained seats in both chambers. In order to determine the events that most likely affected the election results, we can consider the following options:
A. the government’s response to the September 11 terrorist attacks
B. economic performance after the 2001 recession
C. the prosperity that came with the dot-com boom
D. the federal response to Hurricane Katrina
Based on the timing of the election in 2006, the events that most likely affected the election results are A. the government’s response to the September 11 terrorist attacks and D. the federal response to Hurricane Katrina. These events had significant political and policy implications that could have influenced voter sentiment.
To answer the sixth question about U.S. goals in South Africa during the mid-1980s, we need to analyze the passage provided. According to the passage, Congress approved economic sanctions against South Africa in order to force an end to apartheid. This suggests that U.S. leaders hoped to bring about peaceful political change in South Africa. Therefore, the correct answer is D. U.S. leaders hoped to bring about peaceful political change in South Africa.
To answer the seventh question about U.S. policy in the Middle East, we need to analyze the passage provided. The passage states that the United States has strong ties to the region and tries to resolve conflicts in the region while supporting democracy, its allies, and its own national interests. This suggests that U.S. leaders must carefully balance competing goals. Therefore, the correct answer is B. U.S. leaders must carefully balance competing goals.
To answer the eight question about the nuclear proliferation timeline, we need to analyze the timeline provided. The timeline shows that after the United States tested the first atomic bomb in 1945, other nations such as Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, and North Korea developed their own atomic bombs at various points in time. This suggests that after World War II, other nations felt the need to develop their own nuclear bombs. Therefore, the correct answer is A. After World War II, other nations felt the need to develop their own nuclear bombs.
To answer the ninth question about the impact of the Iranian Revolution on the United States, we need to analyze the options given. The correct answer is A. higher oil prices. The Iranian Revolution led to a disruption in oil production and increased tensions in the Middle East, which resulted in higher oil prices.
To answer the tenth question about the impact of lower interest rates following the 2001 recession, we need to analyze the question. When the Federal Reserve lowers interest rates, it becomes cheaper to borrow money. Therefore, more people would be likely to buy homes with lower interest rates. Therefore, the correct answer is A. buy homes.
To answer the eleventh question about President Reagan's "Take Down This Wall" speech, we need to analyze the quote provided. According to the quote, President Reagan attributes the success of the West to freedom. Therefore, the correct answer is C. freedom.
To answer the twelfth question about the cost of victory in the Cold War, we need to analyze the options given. The correct answer is C. The spread of nuclear weapons and general arms race created new dangers for the United States and the world. The end of the Cold War resulted in an increase in tensions and conflicts in regions that were previously managed by the superpowers, leading to the spread of nuclear weapons and an arms race among other nations.
To answer the thirteenth question about the expected benefit of the electric car in the picture, we need to analyze the options given. The correct answer is A. reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Electric cars produce significantly less greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional gasoline-powered vehicles, making them more environmentally friendly.
To answer the fourteenth question about the impact of the 2007 recession in the United States, we need to analyze the options given. The correct answer is B. The recovery was long and difficult, with high unemployment. The 2007 recession, also known as the Great Recession, led to a prolonged economic downturn with high unemployment rates and slow recovery.