Civics Quiz

Roadfooders might be interested in taking a civics quiz offered by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. The quiz is not all that difficult - I got 31 out of 33 right. and of the two I got wrong I don't think there was even a right answer offered in the choices- but the average for college graduates nationally is only about 50%.

The quiz can be accessed at: americancivicliteracy.org/resources/quiz.aspx

Cheers, John

quote:

Originally posted by seafarer john

Roadfooders might be interested in taking a civics quiz offered by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. The quiz is not all that difficult - I got 31 out of 33 right. and of the two I got wrong I don't think there was even a right answer offered in the choices- but the average for college graduates nationally is only about 50%.

The quiz can be accessed at: americancivilliteracy.org/resources/quiz.aspx

Cheers, John

I tried, but all I got was a run-around at the American Civil Literacy website. I never was able to access a civics quiz by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute

Could not access the quiz either..

Came right up for me at this link...

http://www.americancivicliteracy.org/resources/quiz.aspx

I think I discovered the problem: the original link was civlliteracy, where Tony's (which works) is civicliteracy

Does WebTV still exist?

Sorry, I mistook Civil literacy for Civic literacy ...

Cheers, John

I only got 29 out of 33, but I took the test a half hour after taking my nightly Ambien.

Hello All,
I got 30 out of 33. Thanks for the
test link.
Take Care,
Fieldthistle

32 of 33.

30/33

And I beg to differ the sinfulness of all humanity is what the great philopsophers would have agreed upon.

*Throws flag*

FOUL!!!

I think it should have been "E". Everyone of them would have argued there are certain moral and political truths that are permanent and accessable by thoughtful reason.

I was scored "wrong" on #29 and #33. I dont think there's a "right" answer choice given on either of those questions.

The test makers choice on #29 is "B" I chose "A" as the best of a poor selection. It was the word "resident"
that threw me off. If it had said "person" I probably would have chosen it. If a European visitor, not a resident, happened to be driving along the Mississippi behind a levee in Spring flood time he would be enjoying the
benefit of that levee even though he paid nothing for it and even though he is neither a "citizen" or a "resident". And being protected from a deadly flood is clearly as valuable to those in potential danger as food and medicine.
A correct answer to this question would have been: "Because everyone benefits from the project or program".
On #33 I chose "A" as the best of five poorly worded answers. I recognize that the government in question might be carrying a debt incurred in previous years, but I thought the reference was to the current year. The test makers choice, "D" is clearly a wrong answer. The chosen answer implies that all taxpayers get an amount of service equal to the amount they pay in individual taxes. This is clearly silly: some persons pay very little in taxes yet they might get large benefits, directed specifically to them, from the government, while another taxpayer, paying many thousands, might not get any direct services from the government. A correct answer to this item would have been: "The government has a balanced budget".

BTW: The correct answer to#13 is "E".

Cheers, John

26 of 33

(for a moment I thought I was back in my freshman Economics class
with the ultra-fast Mrs. Roberts!)

quote:

Originally posted by seafarer john

I was scored "wrong" on #29 and #33. I dont think there's a "right" answer choice given on either of those questions.

The test makers choice on #29 is "B" I chose "A" as the best of a poor selection. It was the word "resident"
that threw me off. If it had said "person" I probably would have chosen it. If a European visitor, not a resident, happened to be driving along the Mississippi behind a levee in Spring flood time he would be enjoying the
benefit of that levee even though he paid nothing for it and even though he is neither a "citizen" or a "resident". And being protected from a deadly flood is clearly as valuable to those in potential danger as food and medicine.
A correct answer to this question would have been: "Because everyone benefits from the project or program".
On #33 I chose "A" as the best of five poorly worded answers. I recognize that the government in question might be carrying a debt incurred in previous years, but I thought the reference was to the current year. The test makers choice, "D" is clearly a wrong answer. The chosen answer implies that all taxpayers get an amount of service equal to the amount they pay in individual taxes. This is clearly silly: some persons pay very little in taxes yet they might get large benefits, directed specifically to them, from the government, while another taxpayer, paying many thousands, might not get any direct services from the government. A correct answer to this item would have been: "The government has a balanced budget".

BTW: The correct answer to#13 is "E".

Cheers, John

the reason #29 can't be "A" is because the question refers to "Public good" A public good is an economics term, which is different from "common good." "Common good" might be "A". I put "E" not closely reading "B" in that my reasoning for "E" was that a levee is a government (or people) owned good. But, in a public good, in economics jargon, it has to with "not directly paying for it" rather than public ownership. I thought I had remembered the jargon correctly, which is why I didn't pick "A" which is claerly the answer for "common good."

as per #33: I agree with your assessment, that the answer should be: "A" :"The government has a balanced budget," even though it doesn't take into consideration other holdings and future debt by the US Government from that fiscal year. I initially read, "tax per person equals government spending per person" and thought that it couldn't possibly be correct, since we have a progressive tax, and the poorest folks receive the highest spending. However, it doesn't say "per individual" is says "per person" which is an economic averaging. Had I thought about it longer I might have made that my answer. But, I was thinking "individual" and couldn't get past that and felt that "A" was the best choice of badly worded answers. Unfortunately, they are correct. If person one gives $5 in taxes, Person 2 gives $10 in takes, person 3 gives $12 in taxes and Person 4 gives $1 in taxes, then the gov't has received $28 in taxes - or an average of $7 per person. If the government then spends $28 dollars, it has spent $7 per person. Not $7 on each individual, but $7/pp.

Finally #27 is a trap! It's the use of the word "centralized" which is supposed to counter "local." So, like those Jeopardy question, we're supposed to see "centralized" and know the answer is "A."
Stupid me wasn't paying close enough attention.

Anyway

30/33.

You answered 33 out of 33 correctly — 100.00 %

Average score for this quiz during December: 75.8%
Average score: 75.8%

You can take the quiz as often as you like, however, your score will only count once toward the monthly average.

quote:

Originally posted by WarToad

30/33

And I beg to differ the sinfulness of all humanity is what the great philopsophers would have agreed upon.

*Throws flag*

FOUL!!!

I think it should have been "E". Everyone of them would have argued there are certain moral and political truths that are permanent and accessable by thoughtful reason. I think you have your questions run together, the "sinful" answer is to question 14, about the Puritans.

E was the correct answer there; I checked E and it was scored as correct. Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates were unfamiliar with the concept of original sin.

Damn, I innocently thought tis was a civics test not an economics test. But I have to agree with Scorreader when those questions are looked at from an academic economics point of view the answers the testmakers gave have to be correct. However, this does not excuse their sloppy misleading choice of words and phrases. But what the Hell should we expect from a far-out-right outfit like this...

Cheers, John

I got 8 right (Which im amazed i did that good!)

30 out of 33.  I'll take that.
 
Buddy

I got 27 right. Not bad, but I really thought that I'd do better.

25 of 33  for a 75.76%
 
I guessed at a few and misread two

I taught American History back in 1963! Had to dig deep into a demented memory! Scored 29 of 33.
The Summary section is more interesting than the Quiz. No wonder the Country is in the shape it's in! We've lost our Civic Compass! 

That was one boring a-s quiz, I answered 7 questions and fell asleep..........

   I got 29 out of 33. I guess I knew more than I thought.  FBM, I think you are right about the "civic compass" thing.
 
  JMHO
 
  David O.

I'm embarrassed to report that I only answered correctly to 28 questions. 
 
I missed #'s 4, 8, 13, 30 and 33.
 

32 out of 33.  I interpreted option D in question 33 as meaning that the government spends on each person what they collect in taxes from THAT person, not on the basis of averages ("tax per person equals government spending per person").

BillyB
That was one boring a-s quiz, I answered 7 questions and fell asleep..........

Ah man!!