Question

1. this passage highlights which of the following challenges facing medicare?

during the 2012 elections, democratic candidates seemingly took every opportunity to remind voters that the
republican vice presidential candidate, representative paul ryan, had proposed significant changes to the
medicare program.
a. hostility toward the program by democrats
b. failure of republicans to propose meaningful reforms
c. declining rates of participation in the medicare program
d. the political difficulty of making changes to medicare

1. how are social security, medicaid, and the unemployment insurance program related?

a. all are mandatory spending programs. c. all represent forms of insurance.
b. all provide benefits to retired persons. d. all provide some kind of healthcare.

1. a significant part of federal aid to state and local governments goes toward

a. supporting the armed forces stationed there. c. funding social programs.
b. paying their share of interest on the national d. maintaining crime labs.
debt.

1. which of the following would be paid for mainly by local taxes?

a. the building of a new army recruiting office in a town
b. the maintenance of a towns sewer and water systems
c. the construction of an interstate highway that passes through a city
d. the addition of a science center at a local public university

1. what point is the cartoonist making about federal funding of projects at the state and local

level?
a. states often underestimate how much such a project will cost.
b. states depend on funding from the national government for many infrastructure projects.
c. states do not have the resources to finance most construction projects.
d. states cannot expect the federal government to help fund construction projects.
put all answers in the lefthand blank, using capital letters (dont circle or underline). not doing so will get it marked
incorrect.

Explanation:

1. The passage shows that Democratic candidates used the Republican's proposed changes to Medicare as a political point, highlighting the political difficulty of changing Medicare.
2. Social Security, Medicaid, and unemployment insurance are all forms of insurance. Social Security is for retirement, Medicaid for healthcare (especially for low - income), and unemployment insurance for job - loss situations.
3. A significant portion of federal aid to states and local governments is for funding social programs like education, welfare, etc.
4. Local taxes are mainly used for local services. The maintenance of a town's sewer and water systems is a local responsibility.
5. The cartoon implies that states rely on federal government funding for projects (as indicated by the mention of a senator getting a federal - funded project).

Answer:

1. D
2. C
3. C
4. B
5. B