Question 1

The idea that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to achieve their goals is called ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   in-kind benefits
B)   equality of opportunity
C)   outdoor relief
D)   contributory system
E)   equality of resultsF) A) and E)
G) A) and C)

Question 2

What important noncontributory program was abolished by Congress in 1996?

Accepted Answer

A)   food stamps
B)   Medicaid
C)   Aid to Families with Dependent Children
D)   Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
E)   Social SecurityF) None of the above
G) D) and E)

Question 3

Which of the following is the best example of the shadow welfare state?

Accepted Answer

A)   soup kitchens supported by local churches
B)   food stamps
C)   workplace medical insurance
D)   cost-of-living adjustments
E)   MedicaidF) All of the above
G) D) and E)

Question 4

Which of the following groups receives the most benefits from government's social policies?

Accepted Answer

A)   the middle class
B)   the working poor
C)   children
D)   racial and ethnic minorities
E)   the nonworking poorF) B) and D)
G) All of the above

Question 5

About ________ percent of America's children live in poverty.

Accepted Answer

A)   6
B)   13
C)   22
D)   40
E)   56F) C) and D)
G) B) and E)

Question 6

Which of the following groups are more than twice as likely as other Americans to be below the poverty line?

Accepted Answer

A)   African Americans
B)   children
C)   the elderly
D)   Latino Americans
E)   single mothersF) B) and D)
G) A) and E)

Question 7

Which of the following statements about noncontributory programs, such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and Medicaid, is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)   The federal government provides all of the funding for these programs, and, as a result, citizens in each state receive exactly the same level of benefits.
B)   The federal government does not provide any funding for these programs, but state governments have all agreed to provide exactly the same level of benefits to citizens across the country.
C)   The federal government provides only some of the funding for these programs, and, as a result, citizens in each state receive exactly the same level of benefits.
D)   The federal government provides only some of the funding for these programs, and, as a result, citizens receive very different levels of benefits in different states.
E)   The federal government does not provide any funding for these programs, and, as a result, citizens receive very different levels of benefits in different states.F) None of the above
G) C) and E)

Question 8

Which of the following was a key part of President Obama's overhaul of No Child Left Behind?

Accepted Answer

A)   a proposal that states could apply for waivers that would exempt them from some of the requirements of No Child Left Behind
B)   a proposal to change the criteria for allocating $14 billion in federal assistance to schools from a system of competitive grants to a per pupil formula
C)   mandating a single nationwide standardized test to be taken by all students
D)   providing an unprecedented amount of federal funding for school vouchers, allowing parents more freedom in choosing where their children attend school
E)   setting national standards for textbooks at all levels of schooling below collegeF) D) and E)
G) A) and E)

Question 9

In 2007 and 2008, the government faced a housing crisis caused by

Accepted Answer

A)   sharp rises in house prices.
B)   foreclosures.
C)   a scarcity of affordable housing.
D)   shortages in the timber industry.
E)   an incredible drop in the stock market.F) C) and D)
G) None of the above

Question 10

After the election of 2004, President George W. Bush announced that ________ would be the centerpiece of his domestic policy.

Accepted Answer

A)   tax reform
B)   education
C)   Social Security reform
D)   land management
E)   war on terrorismF) A) and C)
G) B) and E)

Question 11

How does an entitlement differ from a right?

Accepted Answer

A)   Unlike an entitlement, a right cannot be taken away by an act of Congress.
B)   Unlike a right, an entitlement can be revoked without the due process of law.
C)   Entitlements and rights are the same thing.
D)   Entitlements are only for older Americans and rights apply to all citizens.
E)   Unlike a right, only children receive entitlements.F) None of the above
G) A) and B)

Question 12

What was the primary problem with private charities before the development of the welfare state?

Accepted Answer

A)   They would make subjective decisions on who was deserving of aid.
B)   They were unable to get the necessary government licenses to operate legally.
C)   They disrupted the constitutional separation of church and state.
D)   They often kept donations for their own private use.
E)   There were too many of them.F) C) and E)
G) A) and B)

Question 13

Which of the following can be concluded from the results of the 1996 welfare reforms?

Accepted Answer

A)   The reforms have done little to eliminate welfare dependency.
B)   The reforms have reduced the number of people on welfare but have done little to reduce poverty.
C)   The reforms have led to a reduction in overall poverty.
D)   The reforms have led to an increase in the number of welfare recipients.
E)   The reforms did not change anything.F) B) and C)
G) B) and D)

Question 14

What is the most significant force determining the distribution of opportunities in the United States?

Accepted Answer

A)   education
B)   level of wealth
C)   race
D)   physical beauty
E)   social classF) D) and E)
G) A) and D)

Question 15

The main change in welfare policies since 1996 is ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   increased use of noncash assistance
B)   increased benefits
C)   decreased use of means testing
D)   decreased use of job training programs
E)   increased use of direct cash assistanceF) A) and E)
G) B) and D)

Question 16

When did the American welfare state begin?

Accepted Answer

A)   the 1890s
B)   the 1920s
C)   the 1930s
D)   the 1960s
E)   the 1980sF) C) and D)
G) B) and E)

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT an identifiable problem with Social Security?

Accepted Answer

A)   As the workforce gets older, federal officials will be forced to spend more on Social Security entitlements.
B)   The investment made in Social Security will soon fall below the interest available in an insured bank account.
C)   The political consensus supporting a federal retirement program is crumbling.
D)   The government is projected to experience shortfalls in the Social Security Trust Fund within a generation.
E)   As baby boomers retire, there will not be enough workers to cover their Social Security benefits.F) A) and D)
G) C) and D)

Question 18

What was "outdoor relief" distributed by private charities?

Accepted Answer

A)   a place to sleep at night
B)   a temporary job
C)   money
D)   a ticket out of town
E)   bread lines and soup kitchensF) A) and E)
G) A) and C)

Question 19

Between 1959 and 2012, the percentage of elderly Americans living in poverty went from about ________ percent to ________ percent.

Accepted Answer

A)   50; 35
B)   35; 10
C)   65; 25
D)   30; 45
E)   40; 30F) B) and E)
G) C) and E)

Question 20

The central thrust of federal housing policy has been to

Accepted Answer

A)   promote home ownership.
B)   reduce homelessness.
C)   provide low-cost rental units for the poor.
D)   provide uniform housing safety standards.
E)   provide equitable housing for minorities.F) B) and C)
G) C) and D)

Exam 17: Social Policy

When did the American welfare state begin?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following can be concluded from the results of the 1996 welfare reforms?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following groups receives the most benefits from government's social policies?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Between 1959 and 2012, the percentage of elderly Americans living in poverty went from about ________ percent to ________ percent.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The idea that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to achieve their goals is called ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What was "outdoor relief" distributed by private charities?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

About ________ percent of America's children live in poverty.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the most significant force determining the distribution of opportunities in the United States?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In 2007 and 2008, the government faced a housing crisis caused by

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is the best example of the shadow welfare state?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is NOT an identifiable problem with Social Security?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following was a key part of President Obama's overhaul of No Child Left Behind?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The central thrust of federal housing policy has been to

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The main change in welfare policies since 1996 is ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How does an entitlement differ from a right?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What was the primary problem with private charities before the development of the welfare state?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following statements about noncontributory programs, such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and Medicaid, is most accurate?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

After the election of 2004, President George W. Bush announced that ________ would be the centerpiece of his domestic policy.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following groups are more than twice as likely as other Americans to be below the poverty line?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What important noncontributory program was abolished by Congress in 1996?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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Between 1959 and 2012, the percentage of elderly Americans living in poverty went from about percent to percent.

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