School Improvement in Maryland

Public Release Item: Public Release items have appeared on HSA forms and then are released for public viewing and use. Releasing items is one step to ensuring that schools, districts, and other stakeholders understand how the core learning goals are assessed on the HSA.

Goal 2 Peoples Of The Nation And World

Expectation 2.1 The student will evaluate the interdependent relationship of United States politics and government to world affairs.

Indicator 2.1.1 The student will analyze economic, political, social issues and their affect on foreign policies of the United States.

Assessment Limits:

  • Policies of United States government that promote or fail to promote relationships with other countries include national defense (military), arms control, and security of other nations, trade, human rights, economic sanctions, and foreign aid.
  • Contemporary concerns which affect international relationships including: national security, economic well-being, the spread of democracy, developing nations, weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, and global economic conditions.

Selected Response Item - Released in 2001

Which of these best explains why the United States might place tariffs on imports?

  1. to cause the price of goods in the United States to decrease
  2. to promote trade between the United States and other countries
  3. to encourage consumers in the United States to buy American products
  4. to increase the variety of products that are available in the United States
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2001_211_gov19.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item - Released in 2001

Which of these would be involved in stopping an invasion of a Western European country?

  1. International Monetary Fund
  2. United Nations Children's Fund
  3. North Atlantic Treaty Organization
  4. North American Free Trade Agreement
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2001_211_gov20.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item - Released in 2001

Providing foreign aid helps meet United States foreign policy goals by

  1. reducing the chances of revolution and war
  2. causing poor nations to turn to communist governments
  3. helping strong nations take over weak nations
  4. encouraging countries to establish colonies
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2001_211_gov36.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item - Released in 2004

The United States protects its national security most directly by

  1. passing environmental laws
  2. entering into military alliances
  3. providing low interest loans to poor nations
  4. signing free trade agreements with bordering nations
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2004_211_gov13.xml

Correct Answer:
B

Selected Response Item - Released in 2003

Which of these would most likely be the reason for a country to refuse to cooperate with international fishing limits?

  1. to avoid high tariffs
  2. to encourage international trade
  3. to protect economic self-interests
  4. to protest environmental pollution
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2003_211_gov16.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Item - Released in 2003

Foreign aid is an important part of United States foreign policy.
  • Describe types of foreign aid the United States provides to other countries.
  • Should the United States provide foreign aid to other countries? Explain why or why not.
  • Include details and examples to support your answer.
Write your answer in the box below.

/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2003_211_gov20.xml

View Scoring Information

Selected Response Item - Released in 2003

Which of these is usually a result of free trade between countries?

  1. more embargoes on goods
  2. higher tariffs on goods
  3. more markets for goods
  4. reduced supplies of goods
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2003_211_gov32.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item - Released in 2004

Which of these is an example of an economic sanction?

  1. providing poor countries with humanitarian aid
  2. creating trade alliances with bordering countries
  3. refusing to meet with a diplomatic representative of a dictatorship
  4. ending trade with a country that has a poor human rights record
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2004_211_gov17.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Item - Released in 2004

Read the news article excerpt below.

  • Explain ways our foreign aid to other countries has benefited the United States.
     
  • Do you think the benefits of foreign aid are worth the cost? Explain why or why not.
     
  • Include details and examples to support your response.
     
Write your answer in the answer box below.

/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2004_211_gov37.xml

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Selected Response Item - Released in 2005

Read the news headline below.

Which of these is a purpose of this action by the United States?

  1. to decrease the cost of lumber
  2. to protect the United States lumber industry
  3. to decrease United States lumber exports
  4. to allow for the free trade of lumber
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2005_211_gov03.xml

Correct Answer:
B

Selected Response Item - Released in 2005

In 1972, the United States and 143 other nations signed a treaty that banned the development, production, and storage of biological weapons.

What is most likely the goal of this treaty?

  1. to give nations the right to defend themselves
  2. to stop nations from acquiring military secrets
  3. to conduct research on the effects of biological weapons
  4. to prevent the use of biological weapons by nations at war
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2005_211_gov38.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Item - Released in 2005

Read the information below.

A major goal of United States foreign policy is to have free and open trade with other countries. However, some of these other countries do not have democratic governments.
  • Explain why the United States would maintain trade with these countries.
     
  • Do you believe the United States should continue to trade with countries that do not have democratic governments? Explain why or why not.
     
  • Use details and examples to support your answer.
     
Write your answer on the lines in the answer box below.

/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2005_211_gov40.xml

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Selected Response Item - Released in 2002

The United States stops trading with a country because of reported evidence that the government of the country mistreats its citizens.

Which foreign policy tool is the United States government using in this situation?

  1. economic sanction
  2. peace treaty
  3. foreign aid
  4. military involvement
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2002_211_gov16.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item - Released in 2006

In the 1980s, the United States, some European countries, and the United Nations banned the trade of certain goods and services to South Africa. The policy was in response to South African laws which enforced racial segregation.

Which of these best describes this action toward South Africa?

  1. the use of diplomacy to gain military strength
  2. the use of free trade to build military alliances
  3. the use of humanitarian aid to win political support
  4. the use of economic sanctions to bring about social change
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2006_211_gov28.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2006

Read the news article excerpt below.

Which of these would least likely be a response of the United States government to the OPEC decision?

  1. fund research of alternative energy sources
  2. support increased domestic mining of fossil fuels
  3. encourage domestic energy conservation programs
  4. file lawsuits against foreign oil-exporting countries
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2006_211_gov52.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2007

Read the excerpt below.

Which of these was most likely the United States policy toward Cuba at the time the article was written?

  1. boycotting Cuban exports
  2. funding the Cuban government
  3. maintaining a military alliance with Cuba
  4. encouraging other nations to trade with Cuba
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2007_211_gov07.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item - Released in 2007

Read the excerpt below.

Which of these is most likely a goal of the policy toward Cuba?

  1. to increase tourism to Cuba
  2. to eliminate migration from Cuba
  3. to weaken the economy of Cuba
  4. to obtain military intelligence about Cuba
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2007_211_gov08.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item - Released in 2008

Read the quotation below.

“… let us resolve to wage an unrelenting [continuous] battle against poverty and for shared prosperity so that no part of humanity is left behind in the global economy.….”

—President Bill Clinton, at the United Nations, September 21, 1999

Which of these topics is most related to the excerpt?

  1. arms reduction
  2. climatic changes
  3. military deployment
  4. development assistance
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2008_211_gov33.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2008

Read the excerpt below.

“Everyone is entitled… to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal [judge/jury], in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.”

—Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

According to the excerpt, all people are entitled to

  1. the right to due process of law
  2. freedom of expression
  3. freedom from cruel or unusual punishment
  4. the right to representation by legal counsel
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2008_211_gov55.xml

Correct Answer:
A