Ray Mariano: Could you pass a civics exam? Take one here and find out.

Before they can graduate from high school, Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy wants students to pass the same civics test that immigrants who want to become citizens are required to pass. It’s a pretty easy test and virtually every immigrant who takes it passes — about 96%.

Embarrassingly, numerous studies and surveys show that many Americans would fail the same test. Have you ever seen those man-on-the-street interviews where a questioner asks American citizens fairly simple questions relating to their country and government? The answers are both hysterical and sad. One woman thought Jamaica and Puerto Rico were both about the same size as the United States. Someone else thought that Alaska was the smallest country in the world. Another thought that World War II ended in 1973.

And then there is the former president who thinks that there were airports during the Revolutionary War.

If we’re going to do this civics test thing for high school students, let’s do it right and develop a test that every American can take. With that in mind, I took it upon myself to develop the test. Here’s my initial draft. See how many you can answer correctly.

Famous quotes

Which American leaders said the following?

QUESTION: “Trees cause more pollution than automobiles.” ANSWER: Ronald Reagan in 1981.

QUESTION: “Well, when the president does it that means it’s not illegal.” ANSWER: Richard Nixon in 1977 (if you said Donald Trump you get half credit).

QUESTION: “If we do not have an economic recovery package, every month 500 million Americans lose their jobs.” ANSWER: Nancy Pelosi in 2009. (NOTE: The U.S. has only 350 million people in total and only about 200 million are of working age.)

QUESTION: “I was for it before I was against it.” ANSWER: John Kerry in 2004 (and probably half of the members of Congress if they are being honest).

QUESTION: Misquoting John Adams, which president said, “Facts are stupid things.” ANSWER: Ronald Reagan in 1988 (again, you get half credit if you said Donald Trump).

QUESTION: Commenting on the fall of communist governments in Eastern Europe, which vice president said, “Now it’s our turn here in the United States of America.” ANSWER: Al Gore.

QUESTION: After a visit to Latin America, which president said, “I went down to (Latin America) to find out from them and (learn) their views. You’d be surprised. They’re all individual countries.” ANSWER: Ronald Reagan in December 1982.

QUESTION: While campaigning for president, who said, “I’ve now been in 50…seven states. I think one more left to go.” ANSWER: Barack Obama in May 2008.

National politics

QUESTION: Which Republican candidates for president advocated opening the Southern border, allowing people to get work permits and travel freely both ways? ANSWER: Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush in 1980.

QUESTION: Under the Presidential Records Act, can a former president secretly retain top-secret documents, show them to whoever happens to walk by and then hide them in his bathroom? ANSWER: Only if the former president is Donald Trump.

QUESTION: How old can a person be and serve as president of the United States? ANSWER: We’re about to find out.

QUESTION: Can the president rely on the Three Stooges masquerading as lawyers and conspire to steal an election that he lost by 7 million votes while blaming a dead foreign dictator for the loss? ANSWER: Only if the president is Donald Trump.

QUESTION: Can a Supreme Court Justice take millions of dollars in lavish gifts and vacations and not bother to report them on his or her financial disclosure forms? ANSWER: Until we get U.S. Senators with a spine, yes.

QUESTION: Were Africans brought to America and put in chains to learn job skills? ANSWER: Ron DeSantis says yes, everyone else says no. (NOTE: If this question makes you feel uncomfortable you should move to Florida.)

QUESTION: Is the United States a Christian nation? ANSWER: No, except for Florida and Texas.

QUESTION: Does the U.S. Constitution give citizens the right to carry semiautomatic weapons like an AK-47? ANSWER: No. You also have no constitutional right to a bazooka, tank or other weapons of war.

Massachusetts state and local government

QUESTION: Can a state Legislature take seven months off in a year and still collect full-time pay? ANSWER: In Massachusetts, yes they can.

QUESTION: How many new administrative positions were added to the Worcester Public Schools table of organization since the new superintendent was hired? (HINT: At a recent School Committee meeting a group picture of some of the new administrators was taken. They had to use a wide-angle lens.) ANSWER: No one knows for certain but I believe at least a dozen.

QUESTION: True or False. When campaigning for office in the late 1970s, Jordan Levy ran a campaign ad that said, “Some people say that I’m two-faced. Whichever face you like, vote for Jordan Levy.” ANSWER: True.

QUESTION: Did the mayor of Boston just send out invitations to a holiday party intended only for city councilors of color excluding all white councilors? ANSWER: Sadly, that’s true.

BONUS QUESTION: What prominent Worcester leader grew up in Great Brook Valley? ANSWER: Joe Carlson, head of the Worcester Housing Authority Board and the Central Mass. Labor Council (be honest, you thought I would give a different answer).

You get five points for each correct answer and the bonus question is also worth five points. A passing grade is 60. Good luck.

Email Raymond V. Mariano at rmariano.telegram@gmail.com. He served four terms as mayor of Worcester and previously served on the City Council and School Committee. He grew up in Great Brook Valley and holds degrees from Worcester State College and Clark University. He was most recently executive director of the Worcester Housing Authority. His column appears weekly in the Sunday Telegram.His endorsements do not necessarily reflect the position of the Telegram & Gazette.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Ray Mariano column on civics exams and US and state government