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Political Science and International Relations: Second-round Sample Tasks for
the Open Doors Undergraduate track
The variant includes 30 tasks, 19 of which are entry-level tasks with one correct answer (a
correctly completed task is 2 points), 8 are intermediate-level tasks with several correct answers
(a correctly completed task is 4 points), 3 are high-level tasks with a detailed answer (the
correctly completed task is 10 points).
In test tasks, correct answers are highlighted in bold.
For complex tasks with a detailed answer, assessment criteria and a standard answer are
provided.
1. Political sciences
Task 1
Entry level (1 point)
In state A, the rights and freedoms of citizens are the highest value. There is mutual responsibility
between the state and citizens. There are independent mass media, and several parties actively
participate in the political life of the country. What type of political regime does country A have?
a) Authoritarian
b) Dictatorship
c) Democratic
d) Totalitarian
Answer: c
Task 2
Entry level (1 point)
What is a criterion of any kind of state?
a) The rule of law
b) Elected supreme authorities
c) Sovereignty
d) Multiparty system
Answer: c
Task 3
Entry level (1 point)
The ability and capacity of an individual or group in society to bend others to their will is ....
a) Socialization
b) Power
c) Politics
d) Prestige
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Answer: b
Task 4
Entry level (1 point)
One of the functions of a political party in a democratic society is
a) to engage in political struggle
b) to control the private lives of voters
c) to set prices for goods and services
d) owning of real estate and shares in businesses
Answer: a
Task 5
Intermediate level (4 points)
Select the manifestations of the institutions of civil society from the list below. (Write your answer
in letters without spaces)
a) The Interregional Union of Truck Drivers has taken the initiative to re-locate
warehouses and parking lots near the metropolitan area.
b) A competition for the production of a series of feature films on civic identity building has
been launched by the Ministry of Press and Information.
c) The human rights organization "Freedom of Speech" spoke in support of journalists
and proposed the adoption of laws to guarantee the safety of their work.
d) On its information portal, the Association of Creative Teachers has launched a
project to provide guidance to young teachers.
e) The Investigative Committee of Russia accepted for consideration the case of assault on a
prominent journalist.
f) The President of the country has initiated the establishment of a new innovative science
and technology center in Skolkovo, near Moscow.
Answer: a, c, d
Task 6
Intermediate level (5 points)
Match the forms of government with the classification criteria that distinguish them, for each item
in the first column, match the corresponding item in the second column. Write down the answer in
numbers without spaces according to the given order.
FORM OF GOVERNMENT CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA
a) federation 1) political regime
b) democracy 2) form of areal distribution of power
c) authoritarian 3) system of ruling
d) unitary
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e) republic
Answer: 21123
Task 7
Advanced level (15 points)
Read the quotation and write an essay of up to 500 words. In the essay, you should identify the
author's idea (or how you understand it), argue "for" and/or "against" that idea (only the argument
will be graded, not the position chosen), and illustrate your argument with examples. You will
receive extra credit for bringing in theoretical knowledge and references to famous political
scientists and political thinkers.
Quotations:
“The chief evil is unlimited government” (Friedrich Hayek).
Evaluation criteria:
Criterion 1 The meaning of the question is revealed – 3 points.
Criterion 2 There are concepts and terms with explanations – 3 points.
Criterion 3 Logic and quality of argumentation – 3 points.
Criterion 4 Correct examples are present – 3 points.
Criterion 5 Quality of written language – 3 points.
2. International relations
Task 1
Entry level (1 point)
The system of international relations that emerged after the end of World War II is called
a) Yalta-Potsdam
b) Nuremberg
c) Tehran-Yalta
d) Versailles-Washington
Answer: a
Task 2
Entry level (1 point)
What term was used during the Cold War (1945-1991) in relation to the USA and the USSR?
a) superpower
b) world tiger
c) hegemon
d) military bloc
Answer: a
Task 3
Entry level (1 point)
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The international agreement concluded to reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the Earth's
atmosphere to counter global warming is called
a) Kyoto Protocol
b) Beijing Protocol
c) Bangkok Protocol
d) Delhi Protocol
Answer: a
Task 4
Entry level (1 point)
What is "soft power"?
a) the use of economic sanctions to force other countries to cooperate
b) the ability of a state to force other countries to follow its policies through propaganda and
disinformation
c) the ability to influence other states and achieve desired results through cooperation and
building a positive image of the influencing side
d) the use of military power to intimidate and achieve political goals
Answer: c
Task 5
Intermediate level (4 points)
Establish the correct sequence of events in the period between World War I and World War II.
(Write your answer in numbers without spaces)
1. Signing of the Treaty of Versailles
2. Creation of the USSR
3. The Great Depression
4. Hitler's rise to power in Germany
Answer: 1234
Task 6
Intermediate level (4 points)
Who is depicted in this photograph? (Write your answer in letters without spaces)
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a) I. Stalin
b) W. Churchill
c) V. Lenin
d) V. Molotov
e) F. Roosevelt
f) H. Truman
Answer: a, b, e
Scientific field 3. International relations and Regional Studies
Task 1
Entry level (1 point)
The majority of the Maghreb population professes
a) Islam
b) Christianity
c) Judaism
d) Shamanism
Answer: a
Task 2
Entry level (1 point)
For historical and economic reasons, France's foreign policy interests include:
a) Antarctica
b) Australia
c) Quebec
d) Vatican City
Answer: с
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Task 3
Entry level (1 point)
The monarchy in the European region is:
a) Italy
b) Monaco
c) Finland
d) Poland
Answer: b
Task 4
Entry level (1 point)
Which federal subject does not exist in the Russian Federation?
a) Moscow region
b) Republic of Tatarstan
c) State of Florida
d) Perm region
Answer: c
Task 5
Entry level (1 point)
Select the largest ethnic group in Russia.
a) Tatars
b) Germans
c) Russians
d) Chinese
Answer: c
Task 6
Intermediate level (4 points)
Which of the organizations/associations are integrative? (Write your answer in letters without
spaces)
a) IAEA
b) UN
c) EU
d) MERCOSUR
e) UNESCO
Answer: c, d
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Task 7
Intermediate level (4 points)
Which of these conflicts relate to the Europe region? (Write your answer in letters without spaces)
a) Quebec
b) Northern Cyprus
c) Kosovo
d) Palestine
e) Taiwan
Answer: b, c
Task 8
Advanced level (15 points)
There is a description of the case below. Read the description carefully and complete the
assignment in writing, up to 350 words.
Case: "Liberation of India: The Struggle for Independence and Consequences"
Read the commentary on the historical situation from international field and give detailed
answers to the questions presented to it.
Description of the situation:
In 1947, India gained independence from the British Empire. This event was the result of a long
and complex struggle for liberation, which included both peaceful and armed methods. The
liberation of India entailed significant changes in the political, social and economic life of the
country, as well as relations with other states.
Tasks:
1. Analyze the major factors that contributed to India's struggle for independence.
2. Assess the consequences of the liberation of India for its political, social and economic life.
3. Consider the impact of Indian liberation on international relations.
4. Draw conclusions about the significance of the liberation of India for the history of the world
and the development of Indian civilization.
Sample Answer:
In 1947, India gained independence from the British Empire, the result of a long struggle for
liberation.
1. Factors that contributed to the struggle for independence:
• British colonial policies, which created political, social and economic oppression, stimulated
the growth of Indian nationalism.
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• Leading figures of the independence movement such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru
and Sardar Vallabhai Patel played a key role in promoting non-violent resistance and inspiring
the people to fight.
2. Consequences of the liberation of India:
• The formation of independent India led to the establishment of parliamentary democracy and
the formation of a new political system.
• However, India is faced with problems inherited from the colonial past, such as the caste
system, poverty and inequality.
• Partition of India and Pakistan led to mass migrations and bloodshed.
3. Impact on international relations:
• The liberation of India weakened the position of the British Empire and contributed to its
decline.
• India developed close relations with other countries in Asia and Africa, influencing their
struggle for independence.
4. Significance for the world:
The liberation of India was a landmark event in history, demonstrating the possibility of
achieving independence through peaceful means. It influenced the course of world history,
contributed to the collapse of colonial empires and the strengthening of Indian civilization.
Evaluation criteria:
Criterion 1 The meaning of the question/task is revealed – 3 points.
Criterion 2 There are concepts and terms with explanations – 3 points.
Criterion 3 Logic and correctness of argumentation – 3 points.
Criterion 4 Correct examples are present – 3 points.
Criterion 5 Quality of written language – 3 points.
4. Public administration
Task 1
Entry level (1 point)
What is a public administration system carried out by a special apparatus consisting of professional
officials acting within the framework of instructions?
a) Legislature
b) Bureaucracy
c) Army
d) Church
Answer: b
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Task 2
Entry level (1 point)
Federalism does NOT have the following characteristics:
a) Bicameral Parliament
b) Legislative powers of regions
c) 100% budget belongs to the subjects of the federation
d) Independent administration of budgets by the subjects of the federation
Answer: с
Task 3
Intermediate level (4 points)
Choose the correct judgments about the state and write down the letters under which they are
indicated without spaces.
a) This is a form of legitimate violence in a certain territory
b) This is a form of appropriation of goods through coercion
c) This is an active subject of politics
d) This is a legal normative order
e) This is a specific form of implementation of the idea of a private good
Answer: a, c, d
Task 4
Advanced level (15 points)
There is an extract from a text. Read it carefully and answer the questions below.
Text:
Statutory or administrative law now rules on the hours of work, the conditions of safety in the
work-place and in the home, the behavior of citizens on the roads. Schools and universities are
subject to more and more decisions taken in ministries of education. Planning officials have to be
consulted before the smallest building is started or a tree is cut down. The government inspector
… has become a familiar and even fearful figure
S.Strange 2000
Questions:
1. What problems does this quotation indicate?
2. What are the functions of a modern state?
3. How is financing of the regulatory function of the state ensured?
Example (Answer):
1. Expansion of the state into all spheres of human life
2. Modern states are characterized by several functional domains: 1 Redistributive function
where resources are transferred between groups to correct social inequalities, or public goods
provisioned to groups who are then compelled to consume them (elementary education, public
transportation, public health care, for example), and financed through taxation, borrowing and the
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spending power of the state. 2 Stabilization function in which the state manages employment,
inflation and interest rates through a determination of industrial and labour policy and the
manipulation of fiscal and monetary policy. 3 Regulatory function in which the state sets rules that
define the allocative and settlement mechanisms of markets and the requirements for market
participation; define standards, procedures, and enunciate codes that order social, economic and
political engagement.
3.Rule-making and, as result, regulation, are largely free and imposes few fiscal burdens on the
state apart from the time, effort and paper needed to make and print rules. The real cost of
regulatory programs is borne not by the regulators but by those who have to comply with the
regulation. However, issues of regulatory control, due to the increase in indirect forms of
regulation and the number of areas of life that are subject to government intervention, impose a
large amount of work on officials. As a result of which there is an increase in the cost of the
government bodies in countries used new public management and smart regulation approaches.
Evaluation criteria:
Criterion 1 A correct answer to the first question is received – 4 points.
Criterion 2 A correct answer to the second question is received – 4 points.
Criterion 3 A correct answer to the third question is received – 4 points.
Criterion 4 Clarity and conciseness of your text – 3 points.
5. Asian studies
Task 1
Entry level (1 point)
Which of the following events is key to the beginning of the process of decolonization in Asia and
Africa?
a) World War II
b) Cold War
c) Industrial Revolution
d) Discovery of America
Answer: а
Task 2
Entry level (1 point)
Which historical period is considered the “Golden Age” of Islamic civilization?
a) VII-IX centuries
b) VIII-XIII centuries
c) XIII-XIV centuries
d) XV-XVI centuries
Answer: b
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Task 3
Entry level (1 point)
Which of the following personalities is considered to be the founder of the school of Zen
Buddhism?
a) Shakyamuni Buddha
b) Bodhidharma
c) Nagarjuna
d) Mahakashyapa
Answer: b
Task 4
Intermediate level (4 points)
Establish the correspondence between the name of the international organization and its
characteristics. For each position given in the first column, select a corresponding position from
the second column. (Write answer in letters without spaces)
1. ASEAN a) An international organization uniting
the countries of South America, India,
China, South Africa, Brazil and Russia
2. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation b) An international financial institution
that provides loans to Asian countries for
development
3. Asian Development Bank c) An intergovernmental organization
aimed at ensuring cooperation between the
states of Eurasia on a wide range of issues,
including politics, economics, culture and
security.
4. BRICS d) An organization uniting countries of
Southeast Asia aimed at economic
integration and cooperation.
Answer: d, c, b, a
Task 5
Intermediate level (4 points)
Which of the following factors are the main drivers of Indian economic growth in recent
decades? (Write answer in letters without spaces)
a) Development of the IT sector
b) Increase in the number of people employed in agriculture
c) Attracting foreign investment
d) Shadow economy
e) Export of goods and services
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f) Regional development
Answer: a, c, e
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