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 4 Economics

Expectation 4.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of economic principles, institutions, and processes required to formulate government policy.

Indicator 4.1.3 The student will examine regulatory agencies and their social, economic, and political impact on the country, a region, or on/within a state.

Assessment Limits:

  • How regulatory agencies respond to social issues/concerns, and/or market failures.
  • Regulatory agencies that respond to social issues and/or market failures:
    • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
    • Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
    • Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
    • Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
    • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

    Other national agencies and state and local agencies can be used, but information will be provided in the item.

Selected Response Item - Released in 2002

Sugar substitutes are used in many diet soft drinks. They were tested for many years before being approved for use.

Which of these regulatory agencies is responsible for giving this approval?

  1. the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
  2. the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  3. the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  4. the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2002_413_gov09.xml

Correct Answer:
B

Selected Response Item - Released in 2002

Which of the following government agencies would be most involved in developing proposals to preserve wetlands such as swamps, bogs, and marshes?

  1. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  2. Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
  3. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
  4. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2002_413_gov20.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item - Released in 2002

Which of these is a responsibility of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)?

  1. producing television shows
  2. granting licenses to television stations
  3. hiring television directors and actors
  4. deciding which television advertisements are effective
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2002_413_gov35.xml

Correct Answer:
B

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Item - Released in 2002

The federal government requires medicines to be tested extensively before they can be used by the general public.
  • How does this requirement affect drug manufacturers and consumers?
  • State whether you agree or disagree with this policy.
  • Include specific details and examples to support your answer.
Write your answer on the answer box below.

/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2002_413_gov51.xml

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Selected Response Item - Released in 2001

Which of these is not a responsibility of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)?

  1. to check that medicines are safe and effective
  2. to forbid the sale of harmful cosmetics to customers
  3. to make sure that ingredients in food are listed accurately
  4. to limit the price that can be charged for prescription drugs
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2001_413_gov22.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2001

A federal regulatory commission recently charged a nationwide chain store with pressuring manufacturers to supply toys exclusively to its stores.

The federal regulatory commission's action is an example of

  1. settling a labor dispute
  2. forbidding unfair competition
  3. inspecting products before shipment
  4. enforcing safety standards for consumers
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2001_413_gov25.xml

Correct Answer:
B

Selected Response Item - Released in 2001

Which of these regulatory agencies is responsible for inspecting airline equipment, maintenance, and safety procedures?

  1. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  2. Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
  3. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
  4. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2001_413_gov56.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Item - Released in 2004

Read the information below.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)– federal agency that requires businesses to make workplaces safe for employees and to ensure that employees follow safety guidelines.
  • Describe advantages and disadvantages of OSHA regulations.
     
  • Should the federal government be involved in regulating workers' safety? 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_413_gov15.xml

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Selected Response Item - Released in 2004

Which of these is most likely a reason the federal government requires permits for utility companies to release pollutants into the air?

  1. to give tax breaks to utilities
  2. to increase investments in utilities
  3. to set rates charged by utilities
  4. to limit emissions produced by utilities
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2004_413_gov27.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2004

Which of these is a responsibility of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)?

  1. inspecting and improving new medications
  2. enforcing state and local environmental regulations
  3. resolving disputes between labor and management
  4. encouraging fairness in advertising and marketing
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2004_413_gov31.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2004

Which of these is a function of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)?

  1. to advertise programs aired on the radio
  2. to inform the public on current events
  3. to raise money for government projects
  4. to regulate the broadcasting of information
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2004_413_gov54.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2005

Which of these is a responsibility of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)?

  1. to manage the use of public airwaves
  2. to evaluate the contents of medications
  3. to review the safety of household appliances
  4. to investigate the practices of financial firms
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2005_413_gov01.xml

Correct Answer:
B

Selected Response Item - Released in 2005

While working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), some counties in Maryland have begun a program to encourage residents to recycle electronic equipment such as computers, televisions, and telephones.

Which of these is most likely a purpose of this program?

  1. to reduce the amount of waste in landfills
  2. to persuade consumers to buy new electronics equipment
  3. to raise money from the resale of the electronics equipment
  4. to stop people from using older electrical equipment that may be unsafe
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2005_413_gov10.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item - Released in 2005

Which of these statements best describes a responsibility of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)?

  1. Flight attendants at a major airline receive pay raises.
  2. Major airlines announce price reductions on flights.
  3. Pilots are given new regulations regarding rest periods.
  4. The government reviews airline television advertisements.
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2005_413_gov19.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item - Released in 2003

Which of the following is a responsibility of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)?

  1. hiring air traffic controllers
  2. enforcing product safety standards
  3. regulating the use of cellular telephones
  4. running cable television companies
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2003_413_gov10.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item - Released in 2003

Licensing for certain occupations is an example of a government regulation that

  1. controls wages in licensed occupations
  2. encourages monopolies in competing occupations
  3. limits entry into an occupation by setting standards
  4. guarantees lifetime employment for licensed workers
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2003_413_gov41.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item - Released in 2006

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), a federal government agency, regulates consumer products by developing and enforcing safety standards, and educating consumers.

Based on this information, which of these would most likely be a responsibility of the CPSC?

  1. to provide money to help businesses improve their products
  2. to ensure that people are paying a fair price for a product
  3. to help businesses identify products that will meet their needs
  4. to order a recall of a product that may cause harm to people
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2006_413_gov05.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2006

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are similar in that they both

  1. regulate labor
  2. enforce tax laws
  3. protect consumers
  4. oversee transportation
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2006_413_gov15.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item - Released in 2006

Which of these is a function of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)?

  1. to issue airline tickets
  2. to finance new airlines
  3. to hire airline pilots
  4. to regulate airline traffic
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2006_413_gov36.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Item - Released in 2007

Read the excerpt below and use it to answer the BRIEF CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE that follows.

Children's Television Programming

“[An educational program] must be a regularly scheduled, weekly program of at least 30 minutes, and aired between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. The program must also be identifi ed as educational and informational for children when it is aired…. Broadcasters will … air three hours per week of [educational] programming.”

—from an order issued by the
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) in 1996

  • Describe benefits of the FCC regulations outlined above.
  • Do you consider the regulations outlined above to be a form of censorship? Explain why or why not.
  • Include details and examples to support your response.

Write your answer on the lines in your Answer Book.

/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2007_413_gov18.xml

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Selected Response Item - Released in 2007

Which of these is a role of regulatory agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)?

  1. to set up worker training programs
  2. to establish the prime interest rate
  3. to protect the safety of citizens
  4. to make rules about campaigns for public office
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2007_413_gov33.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item - Released in 2007

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires that all products labeled “Made in the USA” be “all or virtually all” made in the United States.

Which of these is the main reason for the above requirement?

  1. to increase the advertising industry's profits
  2. to encourage more foreign imports
  3. to enforce truth-in-advertising standards
  4. to lower the cost of manufactured goods
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2007_413_gov46.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item - Released in 2007

Which of these government regulatory agencies enforces legislation to limit or reduce water pollution?

  1. the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
  2. the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  3. the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  4. the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2007_413_gov55.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item - Released in 2008

Which of these government agencies is directly responsible for monitoring business competition?

  1. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
  2. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
  3. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  4. Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2008_413_gov12.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2008

Study the political cartoon below.

Question Image

What would be the role of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the situation shown in the cartoon?

  1. setting prices for the sale of electricity across the United States
  2. preventing companies from developing their own clean air policy
  3. deciding how much energy the United States should produce
  4. ensuring that companies follow pollution control laws
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2008_413_gov32.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2008

Which of these would involve the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)?

  1. limiting the cost of a hospital stay
  2. regulating the location of nursing homes
  3. approving the qualifications of new doctors
  4. conducting research on the effects of medicines
/share/clg/xml/public_release/government/2008_413_gov51.xml

Correct Answer:
D