Government: Local and State — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Which leader is responsible for running a state?
A) the mayor
B) the governor
C) the president
D) the city council
The governor is the leader chosen by voters in a state to run state government and sign state laws. A mayor only leads a city, the president leads the whole country, and a city council makes rules for one city.
2. Who would you contact about fixing a broken streetlight in your neighborhood?
A) the president
B) the governor
C) local government
D) the state legislature
Streetlights are part of a neighborhood's everyday services, and those services are handled by local government. The president, governor, and state legislature all work on much bigger issues than a single broken light.
3. What is the main purpose of laws in a community?
A) to punish all people
B) to keep people safe and maintain order
C) to collect money from citizens
D) to help only government leaders
Laws set clear rules so people know how to act, which keeps the community safe and orderly. Laws are not meant to punish everyone, raise money for its own sake, or only help leaders.
4. Which of these is a responsibility of citizenship?
A) making laws alone
B) voting in elections
C) running a business
D) building highways
Voting is one of the most important duties of citizenship because it lets people choose who represents them. Making laws alone, running a business, and building highways are not duties every citizen must take on.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. The governor signs bills into law for the state.
When the governor signs a bill, that bill officially becomes a law that everyone in the state must follow. So the word that completes the sentence is law.
2. Local government uses tax money to pay for public services like schools and roads.
Schools, roads, parks, and other things shared by everyone in a town are called public services. Local government uses tax money to pay for these services, so services fits the blank.
3. Citizens can attend town hall meetings to share their opinions with local leaders.
Town hall meetings are open gatherings where community members can speak directly to local leaders about issues that matter to them. The word hall completes the familiar phrase town hall.
4. State senators are officials that voters elect to represent them in the state capital.
State senators are officials voted in by people in the state to represent them in the state capital. That is the role described, so senators fits the blank.
5. The legislative branch of government is responsible for making laws.
The branch of government in charge of writing and passing laws is called the legislative branch. The word legislative comes from the same root as legislature, the group that makes laws.