First Semester Final Exam Review

When: G Block – Wednesday 1/21; E Block – Thursday 1/22
How long: 100 minutes (a full block period)
Format: Short and long essay (on your own binder paper)

Part I. Concepts of Democracy

The government half of the exam will be a series of short-answer essays. You should be able to explain the following concepts and demonstrate your understanding of them with examples:

• direct democracy versus republic
• confederal, federal, and unitary systems of government
• legislative, judicial, and executive branches of government. Basic definitions. Ways they can check each other’s power.
• parliamentary versus presidential systems of government. What are their effects?
• winner-take-all versus proportional representation
• judicial review
• “tyranny of the majority”: What is it, and what are ways that a democracy can protect against it?
• conditions that sustain sustain democracies

Part II. Dante’s Inferno

Prepare for one long thesis-based essay (at least two pages) that answers the following questions:

Does Dante the Pilgrim change through the course of Inferno? What is the nature of his change or lack of change? How does Dante the Poet reveal this change?

Study for this essay by identifying at least three passages in Inferno around which you can make an argument about the transformation of Dante the Pilgrim. Outline a structure to your essay. You may bring your outline to class and use it during the exam. The exam is open book.

Some strategies to consider in planning and taking the essay:

• Outline before you write
• Focus your thesis and stick to it
• Show the structure of your argument with paragraphs
• Quote text, quote text, quote text
• Tight writing, no wasted words (Avoid expressions like “I think,” or “this shows us that”)
• Be legible

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Posted by Justin Wells : 01/11/2009