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Quiz about Mark Twain Political Quotes
Quiz about Mark Twain Political Quotes

Mark Twain Political Quotes Trivia Quiz


Below are notable quotes about politics and politicians by Mark Twain. Decide which word(s) should go into the blank space(s). More attributable quotes from him in each info section.

A multiple-choice quiz by thaibob. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
thaibob
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
345,820
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
441
Question 1 of 10
1. What supposition did Mark Twain use in speaking about the US Congress? "Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose that you were a member of Congress. But _________________." Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. In the following quotation, who did Mark Twain compare to a taxidermist? "The only difference between the __________ and the taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin." Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Mark Twain was also concerned with the rights of man, writing: "No man's life, liberty or property is safe while ___________". What should go in the blank? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. What person is Mark Twain comparing Congressmen with in this quotation? "I never can think of _______ without losing my temper. To my mind _______ was nothing but a low, mean, premature, Congressman". Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Mark Twain mixes food and politics in this quote but what goes in the blank? "The political and commercial morals of the United States are not merely food for laughter, they are _________ ". Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. What concerns Mark Twain in this phrase? "The government is not best which secures mere life and property - there is a more valuable thing - _______ ." Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. In this quotation, Mark Twain compares two opposites. "That's the difference between governments and individuals. Governments don't care, individuals ________ ." Just what follows the word individual? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Who is Mr. Twain defining here? " ___________ : a person who makes laws in Washington when not doing time." Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Who does Mark Twain think are "Persons chosen by the people to distribute the graft"? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Mark Twain describes his experience in the Nevada Territory thus: "...one of the first achievements of the legislature was to institute a ten-thousand-dollar agricultural fair to show off forty dollars' worth of _______ - however, the Territorial legislature was usually spoken of as the "asylum"". What do they show at the fair? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. What supposition did Mark Twain use in speaking about the US Congress? "Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose that you were a member of Congress. But _________________."

Answer: then I repeat myself

Congress gets more of the same in these two gems. "Fleas can be taught nearly anything that a Congressman can" and "It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress".
2. In the following quotation, who did Mark Twain compare to a taxidermist? "The only difference between the __________ and the taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin."

Answer: tax man

He brings religion into the mix. "We've got so much taxation. I don't know of a single foreign product that enters this country untaxed except the answer to prayer." Enter the cheats. "There isn't a rich man in your vast city who doesn't perjure himself every year before the tax board. They are all caked with perjury, many layers thick. Iron-clad, so to speak. If there is one that isn't, I desire to acquire him for my museum, and will pay Dinosaur rates."
3. Mark Twain was also concerned with the rights of man, writing: "No man's life, liberty or property is safe while ___________". What should go in the blank?

Answer: the legislature is in session

In a double punch he continues with Legislatures: "I think I can say, and say with pride that we have some legislatures that bring higher prices than any in the world". and on individual legislators "...it's so hard to find men of a so high type of morals that they'll stay bought".
4. What person is Mark Twain comparing Congressmen with in this quotation? "I never can think of _______ without losing my temper. To my mind _______ was nothing but a low, mean, premature, Congressman".

Answer: Judas Iscariot

Congressmen take another hit with the weather. "The lightning there is peculiar; it is so convincing, that when it strikes a thing it doesn't leave enough of that thing behind for you to tell whether -- Well, you'd think it was something valuable, and a Congressman had been there."
5. Mark Twain mixes food and politics in this quote but what goes in the blank? "The political and commercial morals of the United States are not merely food for laughter, they are _________ ".

Answer: an entire banquet

What does he really think of politics? "I am quite sure now that often, very often, in matters concerning religion and politics a man's reasoning powers are not above the monkey's" and "The new political gospel: public office is private graft".
6. What concerns Mark Twain in this phrase? "The government is not best which secures mere life and property - there is a more valuable thing - _______ ."

Answer: manhood

Here's one about intrusiveness in our daily lives. "I think it is not wise for an emperor, or a king, or a president, to come down into the boxing ring, so to speak, and lower the dignity of his office by meddling in the small affairs of private citizens."
7. In this quotation, Mark Twain compares two opposites. "That's the difference between governments and individuals. Governments don't care, individuals ________ ." Just what follows the word individual?

Answer: do

He certainly doesn't think much about public service either. "The government of my country snubs honest simplicity, but fondles artistic villainy, and I think I might have developed into a very capable pickpocket if I had remained in the public service a year or two."
8. Who is Mr. Twain defining here? " ___________ : a person who makes laws in Washington when not doing time."

Answer: Senator

He then lumps them all together with this. "All Congresses and Parliaments have a kindly feeling for idiots, and a compassion for them, on account of personal experience and heredity."
9. Who does Mark Twain think are "Persons chosen by the people to distribute the graft"?

Answer: public servants

With this in mind, he defines the opposite of a graft taker. "An honest man in politics shines more than he would elsewhere."
10. Mark Twain describes his experience in the Nevada Territory thus: "...one of the first achievements of the legislature was to institute a ten-thousand-dollar agricultural fair to show off forty dollars' worth of _______ - however, the Territorial legislature was usually spoken of as the "asylum"". What do they show at the fair?

Answer: pumpkins

Power and politics don't mix to well. "To lodge all power in one party and keep it there is to insure bad government and the sure and gradual deterioration of the public morals." Local government don't fair to well either. "When politics enter into municipal government, nothing resulting therefrom in the way of crimes and infamies is then incredible.

It actually enables one to accept and believe the impossible..."
Source: Author thaibob

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