AP COGO Pre-Test

AP COGOPre-Test

Part ONE: True/False

QUESTION #1• The President of Britain is David

Cameron• ANSWER: False – Prime Minister

QUESTION #2• The Queen of England has no

powers• ANSWER: False – every document

has to be signed by the queen (royal assent) BUT she always signs

QUESTION #3• The head of government in Britain

is Queen Elizabeth• ANSWER: False – Head of STATE

QUESTION #4• Most of the people in Britain never

voted for the Prime Minister• ANSWER: True – people elect MP,

ruling party picks PM (Parliamentary System)

QUESTION #5• The only legal party in China is the

Communist Party• ANSWER: True OR False depending

on how you support it• There ARE other

parties, but have no political power – more like interest groups/sounding boards

QUESTION #6• Britain does not

have a written constitution

• ANSWER: True – not one SINGLE document

• The “constitution” has evolved over time, with important documents, common law, and customs combining to form what is often called the “Constitution of the Crown”

QUESTION #7• Russia has a president and a prime

minister• ANSWER: True

QUESTION #8• The Soviet Union was a communist

country• ANSWER: True OR False…called

themselves communist, but not true to theory

QUESTION #9• Marxist philosophy is opposed to

democracy• ANSWER: False – communism is

purest form of democracy according to Communist Manifesto (you will read it soon!)

QUESTION #10• Communists are usually associated

with the extreme right wing• ANSWER: False – Left Wing

QUESTION #11• Britain and Nigeria have a unitary

form of government• ANSWER: False – Britain is unitary,

Nigeria is Federal

QUESTION #12• Iranian women are not allowed to

vote or run for office• ANSWER: False;

Women got the right to vote in 1963; Currently, 3% of Iran’s parliament is made up of women; debate over whether or not a woman could be president

QUESTION #13• Only Muslims can hold seats in the

Iranian legislature• ANSWER: False – Iran has reserved

seats for religious minorities – Jews, Christians & Zoroastrians; only Sunni Muslims cannot hold office

QUESTION #14• Nigeria is the most populous

country in Africa• ANSWER: True

QUESTION #15• Nigeria has been

under military leadership during most of its post-WWII history

• ANSWER: True

QUESTION #16• The United States is the largest

democracy in the world• ANSWER: False - India

QUESTION #17• There are term limits for the

Mexican president and legislature• ANSWER: True – president 1 6-year

term (sexenio), legislators cannot serve consecutive terms

QUESTION #18• The United States has lower taxes

than most industrialized countries• ANSWER: True

QUESTION #19• All members of the European Union

must adopt the Euro for currency• ANSWER: False – UK and Sweden

are exceptions

QUESTION #20• The United States has one of the

oldest constitutions in the world today

• ANSWER: True - 1789• Oldest enduring constitution after

San Marino• UK loses on a technicality – no

single doc• Mexico 1917, Iran 1979, China

1982, Russia 1993, Nigeria 1999

QUESTION #21• A democratic government is

necessary for significant economic growth

• ANSWER: False; Democracy and economic growth often correlate; however, China is a good example of economic growth under an authoritarian regime

QUESTION #22• Separation of powers is an essential

ingredient for a democracy• ANSWER: False – most democracies

have parliamentary form/fusion of powers

QUESTION #23• Most democracies pattern

themselves on the American model • ANSWER: False – most democracies

have are unitary/parliamentary form

QUESTION #24• Federalism is the form of

government used by most countries in the world

• ANSWER: False – Unitary

QUESTION #25• The U.S. is the only industrialized

nation without universal health care • ANSWER: True – even with passage

of recent legislation, WHO does not consider U.S. to have it)

Part TWO: Country

Rankings/Classification

QUESTION #26• What is the official/legal name of the

countries with the capital city of…• A. Abuja – Federal Republic of Nigeria• B. Beijing – Peoples Republic of China• C. London – The United Kingdom of

Great Britain and Northern Ireland• D. Mexico City – United Mexican States• E. Moscow – Russian Federation• F. Tehran – Islamic Republic of Iran• G. Washington DC – United States of

America

QUESTION #27 (population)• Rank the Countries MOST to LEAST

populous1. China (1.3 billion, largest)2. U.S. (300 million, 3rd largest)3. Nigeria (170 million, 7th largest)4. Russia (140 million, 9th largest)5. Mexico (114 million, 11th largest)6. Iran (78 million, 18th largest)7. UK (63 million, 22nd largest)

QUESTION #27 (area)• Rank the Countries LARGEST to

SMALLEST in area1. Russia (world’s largest – 17,098, 242 sq

mi)2. U.S. (3rd largest – 9,826,675 sq mi)3. China (4th largest – 9,596,961 sq mi)4. Mexico (14th largest – 1,964,375 sq mi)5. Iran (18th largest – 1,648,195 sq mi)6. Nigeria (32nd largest – 923,768 sq mi)7. UK (80th largest – 243,610 sq mi)

QUESTION #28 (life expectancy)• Rank the Countries HIGHEST to LOWEST

life expectancy1. UK – 80.17 (30th highest in world)2. U.S. – 78.49 (51st highest)3. Mexico – 76.66 (73rd highest)4. China – 74.84 (96th highest)5. Iran – 70.35 (147th highest)6. Russia – 66.46 (164th highest)7. Nigeria – 52.05 (212th highest)

QUESTION #29 (GDP)• Rank the Countries HIGHEST to LOWEST

GDP per capita1. U.S. - $48,300 (11th highest in world)2. UK - $36,500 (32nd highest)3. Russia - $16,700 (72nd highest)4. Mexico - $14,700 (86th highest)5. Iran - $13,200 (93rd highest)6. China - $8,400 (122nd highest)7. Nigeria - $2,600 (178th highest)

UK• Head of State: Monarch Queen Elizabeth

II• Head of Gov’t: Prime Minister David

Cameron• Federal or Unitary: Unitary• Unicameral or Bicameral Legislature:

Bicameral

Russia• Head of State: President Vladimir Putin• Head of Gov’t: Prime Minister Dmitriy

Medvedev• Federal or Unitary: Federal• Unicameral or Bicameral Legislature:

Bicameral

China• Head of State: President Xi Jinping• Head of Gov’t: Premier Li Kequiang • Federal or Unitary: Unitary • Unicameral or Bicameral Legislature:

Unicameral

Mexico• Head of State: President Enrique Pena

Nieto• Head of Gov’t: President Enrique Pena

Nieto• Federal or Unitary: Federal • Unicameral or Bicameral Legislature:

Bicameral

Nigeria• Head of State: President Goodluck

Jonathan• Head of Gov’t: President Goodluck

Jonathan• Federal or Unitary: Federal • Unicameral or Bicameral Legislature:

Bicameral

Iran• Head of State: Supreme Leader Ali

Hoseini-Khamenei• Head of Gov’t: President Hasan Rouhani

(replaced Mahmud Ahmadinejad)• Federal or Unitary: Unitary• Unicameral or Bicameral Legislature:

Unicameral

U.S.• Head of State: President Barack Obama• Head of Gov’t: President Barack Obama• Federal or Unitary: Federal• Unicameral or Bicameral Legislature:

Bicameral