Free Practice Quiz Question List

8 Political Parties Online Quiz Questions

Use this free practice quiz with 20 questions to review 8 Political Parties, test your knowledge, and prepare for your next test or exam.

20 questions

True or false

1 point

True or false: Members of a political party must agree with the party on every issue.

A
True
B
False

Fill in the blank

1 point

A party’s describes its policy priorities.

Choose one

1 point

A voter agrees with a party on some issues but not others. How might the party label still help the voter?

A
They guarantee that a candidate agrees with every voter who supports the party.
B
They give voters a general reputation to use when deciding where to learn more.
C
They replace the need for candidates to have policy positions.
D
They ensure that every party member supports the same policies.

Written response

1 point

What term describes the pattern of competition among parties in a political system?

Choose all

1 point

Which two activities can members of a party perform in Congress after an election? Select all correct answers.

A
Choose party leaders.
B
Guarantee that every proposed bill becomes law.
C
Coordinate legislative priorities.
D
Replace the separate election of the president and Congress.

Choose one

1 point

Several organizations and groups of voters support the same party for some shared but not identical reasons. What does this illustrate?

A
A government agency that administers elections.
B
A group of officials who all agree on every policy.
C
A collection of voters and organizations that support a party for overlapping reasons.
D
A rule that allocates legislative seats according to the vote.

Fill in the blank

1 point

Under , legislative seats are allocated according to parties’ shares of the vote.

Written response

1 point

What term do political scientists often use when many voters shift loyalties and party coalitions change substantially?

True or false

1 point

True or false: In the United States, the president and Congress can be controlled by different parties at the same time.

A
True
B
False

Choose all

1 point

A minor party does not win office in an election. Which effects could it still have? Select all correct answers.

A
They may draw attention to neglected issues.
B
They may affect political debate.
C
They necessarily gain office whenever they influence an election.
D
They may influence which major-party candidate wins.

Choose one

1 point

In a single-member, plurality election, three candidates receive different vote totals. Which rule determines the winner of the district seat?

A
A district seat is awarded only if a candidate receives more than half of all votes.
B
One candidate wins a district seat by receiving more votes than any other candidate.
C
Seats are allocated to parties in proportion to their overall vote shares.
D
The seat is shared among every candidate who receives votes.

Open ended

1 point

Explain one way political parties can support representative government and one risk they can create. What conditions help determine their democratic value?

Choose one

1 point

In a country, one party dominates political power and meaningful competition is restricted. Which description best fits this party system?

A
Several parties can win seats and may need to form a coalition government.
B
Two parties usually dominate elections and government.
C
One party dominates political power, and meaningful competition is restricted.
D
No political party participates in elections.

Choose one

1 point

A group organizes candidates around shared goals, nominates them for office, and gives voters a recognizable choice at election time. Which party function does this example illustrate?

A
It guarantees that elected officials will agree on every issue.
B
It recruits and nominates candidates and gives voters recognizable choices.
C
It replaces elections with decisions made by government agencies.
D
It requires party members to agree on every policy.

True or false

1 point

In the United States, the president and Congress can be controlled by different parties at the same time because they are elected separately.

A
True
B
False

Written response

1 point

Several organizations and groups of voters support the same party for different but overlapping reasons. What is this collection called?

Choose one

1 point

In a district election, the candidate with more votes than any other candidate wins the only seat. A voter prefers a smaller-party candidate but thinks that candidate has little chance of winning. What effect can this election rule have on the voter's choice?

A
It guarantees smaller parties representation in proportion to their vote share.
B
It requires the winning candidate to receive more than half of all votes.
C
It can discourage support for smaller parties when voters think their candidate cannot win.
D
It requires several parties to form a coalition government after every election.

Choose one

1 point

A country wants legislative seats to reflect the proportions of votes received by different parties. Which election arrangement best fits that goal?

A
Legislative seats are allocated according to each party's share of the vote.
B
Only the party with the most votes receives legislative seats.
C
The party holding the most seats appoints every legislator.
D
Each district elects only the candidate who receives more votes than any rival.

Written response

1 point

Over time, many voters shift their loyalties, substantially changing the coalitions supporting the major parties. What is this kind of political change called?

Choose one

1 point

A party publishes policy priorities, but one of its candidates publicly disagrees with a position in that document. Which conclusion is best supported?

A
It is a guarantee that every party member will support identical policies.
B
It describes the party's policy priorities, though candidates and officials may differ from it.
C
It is a list of government agencies controlled by the party.
D
It determines which party will win the next election.