This drill at a glance
What this topic covers
What is in this drill
13 questions, drawn from the third part of Our Common Bond, Government and the law in Australia. All 13 carry a worked explanation.
The pass mark on this drill is 10 of 13. Every question shows you the correct answer with the reason beneath it, so a wrong answer teaches you something rather than just costing you a mark.
For scale: the third part of the booklet accounts for 221 of the 595 questions in this bank, across 8 topics. That is worth knowing before you decide where your study time goes.
The four worked questions below are taken from the 13 questions on this topic, each with the correct answer and the reason Our Common Bond gives. They show how the questions are worded before you sit the drill, which asks every question on the topic.
Questions from this drill, worked
- 1
In which three branches did the Australian Constitution divide the power of government?
Answer: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. Splitting power three ways stops any one person or group from holding all the power — this is the "separation of powers". Source: Our Common Bond Part 3, "How is the power of government controlled?", p26.
- 2
What is the legislative power in Australia?
Answer: The power to make laws. "Legislative" = law-making; it belongs to Parliament. Source: Our Common Bond Part 3, "Legislative power", p26.
- 3
In Australia, who has the power to put laws into practice?
Answer: The Executive, including the Prime Minister, ministers, and the Governor-General. Parliament makes the law; the Executive carries it out day to day. Source: Our Common Bond Part 3, "Executive power", p26.
- 4
What is the judicial power in Australia?
Answer: The power to interpret and apply the law. "Judicial" = judging: courts decide what the law means and apply it to real cases. Source: Our Common Bond Part 3, "Judicial power", p26.
Where people lose marks
How to use this page
Work through the drill once without studying first. The questions you miss tell you what to read in the booklet, which is faster than reading the whole part again.
Then come back and sit it a second time. When you are clearing the pass mark comfortably on this topic, pick the next one from practice test questions and keep full test for last, so the timed sitting is the final rehearsal rather than the first.
Everything here is free, with no account and no card, and you can sit it as many times as you like.
Where this comes from
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many questions are in this drill?
- All 13 of them. That is every question in the bank on this topic, not a sample. You need 10 correct to clear the drill, and you can sit it as many times as you like.
- What catches people out on this topic?
- The questions ask which arm does what. Confusing the executive with the parliament is the most common way to lose a mark here.