By Cameron Roy
Published: | Updated:
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989 View commentsThe Duchess of Sussexhas always been someone to brag about her status as a 'straight A' student.
In Meghan and Prince Harry's 2022 widely panned Netflix documentary, she claimed a large part of her personality was wrapped up in being 'the smart one'.
After studying at the private Catholic all-girls high school Immaculate Heart in Los Angeles, she went on to study theatre and international studies at Northwestern University in Illinois.
It was there that her now-estranged father Thomas Markle asked his brotherMike to pull some strings in his government job to get his daughter a prestigious internship as a junior press officer at the American Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Although she was late in applying, it was overlooked because of her good grades and Mike's influence,according to writer Andrew Morton in his 2018 biography Meghan: A Hollywood Princess.
During her time in South America, Meghan became sufficiently committed to a career with the state department that she decided to take the Foreign Service Officer Test.
The three-hour exam is a mixture of politics, history, general knowledge and maths. But it proved too much for Meghan, who failed the exam - although she doesn't mention that often.
The US State Department has published an official practice test online which it says would indicate a participant's potential performance in the real exam with 'good probability'. So could YOU pass it?
The Duchess of Sussex with her now-estranged father Thomas Markle, who asked his brother Mike to pull some strings in his government job to get her the prestigious internship
Meghan worked as a junior press officer at the American Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina
While working in Buenos Aires, above, Meghan became sufficiently committed to a career with the state department that she decided to take the Foreign Service Officer Test - but failed it
The US State Department's practice Foreign Service Officer Test
Question 1
The Department of Defense, the National Security Council, and the Central Intelligence Agency arose as a result of conclusions drawn by policy makers in the aftermath of:
- World War II
- the Korean War
- Stalin's death
- the East Berlin uprising of 1953
Question 2
In the United States, there are primarily two levels of law: 1) the U.S. Constitution and 2):
- laws enacted by elected legislators
- presidential recess decrees
- Supreme Court rulings
- local initiatives carried by a majority vote
Question 3
The military academies at West Point and Annapolis require candidates to obtain a nomination for admission from what U.S. government official?
- President
- Member of the Chief of Staff's office
- Federal district court or circuit court judge
- Congressional representative
Question 4
During the Clinton administration, the Congressional Black Caucus received credit for which of the following foreign policy actions?
- Establishing in New York City the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
- Blocking the President's initiative to exclude Haiti from the North American Free Trade Agreement
- Pressuring the President to use force to restore the elected president of Haiti
- Increasing the priority assigned by the U.S. military to missions other than war
Question 5
To justify military action without congressional approval, Presidents Harry S. Truman, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton relied on a resolution from which of the following organisations?
- Organisation of American States
- North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
- United Nations Security Council
- European Union
Question 6
The aphorism that the United States cannot have 535 Secretaries of State refers to the idea that Congress should defer to the President on foreign policy because it:
- has too great a diversity of views
- is too isolationist
- acts too slowly
- is too committed to domestic issues
Question 7
The U.S. Constitution forbids national and state governments from enacting which of the following criminal statutes because it is retroactive and would work to the disadvantage of an individual?
- Bills of attainder
- Ex post facto laws
- Habeas corpus
- Exclusionary rule laws
Question 8
8. In the early 20th century, reformers committed to using journalism to expose corporate and urban corruption were commonly known as:
- monkeywrenchers
- muckrakers
- bosses
- boodlers
Question 9
The Cabinet-level agency with primary responsibility for managing the federal resources of the United States, including national parks and American Indian lands, is the Department of:
- Commerce
- Homeland Security
- the Interior
- Agriculture
Question 10
10. The War Powers Resolution places which of the following time limits on the U.S. President's commitment of troops to hostilities without congressional authorisation?
- Fourteen days
- Sixty days
- Six months
- One year
Question 11
The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve was established in 1975 for the purpose of:
- stabilising oil prices for U.S. consumers
- providing emergency supplies in the event of disruption
- providing storage in the event of domestic overproduction
- creating an energy self-sufficient nation
Question 12
The decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Roe v Wade was celebrated as a victory mostly for:
- the women's movement
- single parents
- the Catholic Church
- the civil rights movement
Question 13
In an early draft of the Declaration of Independence, one of the grievances against the King of England was his responsibility for the horrors of the slave trade. Which of the following reasons best explains why the authors and signers omitted this grievance in the final draft of the Declaration?
- Slavery was not important enough to the colonies' economy to emphasise the slave trade
- Slavery was not a principal grievance because it was gradually ending already
- Opposing the slave trade would prevent France from coming to the colonies' aid in a war
- The colonies could not all agree to sign if the phrase about slavery remained in the document
Question 14
The most enduring legacy of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal is that the policies:
- ended unemployment and pulled the United States out of a depression
- strengthened private organisations that provide relief to those in need
- expanded the role of the federal government through the creation of new government agencies
- advanced the cause of civil rights by ending segregation in the U.S. armed forces
Question 15
Which U.S. President made a surprise visit to Communist China in 1972, which prepared the way for establishing formal diplomatic relations?
- Gerald Ford
- Jimmy Carter
- Richard Nixon
- Ronald Reagan
Question 16
Which doctor's influential book changed child-rearing practices after World War II?
- Dr Alfred Kinsey
- Dr Jonas Salk
- Dr Benjamin Spock
- Dr Carl Sagan
Question 17
Known for such novels as This Side Of Paradise and The Great Gatsby, which American author coined the phrase 'the jazz age' to describe the 1920s?
- Willa Cather
- Robert Penn Warren
- William Saroyan
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
Question 18
Which country is the world's largest illegal drug marketplace in terms of revenue?
- Holland
- The United States
- China
- The United Kingdom
Question 19
In response to the founding of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Eastern European states organised a formal military alliance known as the:
- Eastern European Treaty Organisation
- Council for Mutual Assistance
- Warsaw Pact
- Comintern
Question 20
'Workers of the world, unite. You have nothing to lose but your chains' is a passage from:
- Common Sense by Thomas Paine
- The Declaration Of Independence by Thomas Jefferson
- The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
- Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen by Olympe de Gouges
Question 21
The lesson most U.S. policy makers took from Neville Chamberlain's meeting with Hitler at Munich was that:
- Great Britain was an unreliable ally
- Vichy France was an unreliable ally
- appeasement of an aggressor leads to more aggression
- international institutions like the United Nations were essential to preserve the peace
Question 22
In 1998, a peace agreement resolved a long-standing border dispute between Ecuador and which of the following countries?
- Peru
- Venezuela
- Chile
- Brazil
Question 23
The largest numbers of Palestinian refugees reside in which of the following countries?
- Lebanon
- Jordan
- Turkey
- Iraq
Question 24
The 1994 genocide of Tutsis by Hutus occurred in what country?
- Uganda
- Rwanda
- Sudan
- Congo
Question 25
If consumers believe that the supply of bread will decrease in the next few months, the most likely effect will be:
- an increase in demand, resulting in a higher price for bread
- a decrease in demand, resulting in a lower price for bread
- an increase in supply, resulting in a lower price for bread
- a decrease in supply, resulting in a higher price for bread
Source: The US Department of State
Note: This is only the first 25 questions in the test, which also has other sections, including an essay section which is not available to practise on due to the high cost of marking them.
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After failing the exam, Meghan flewto Madrid to take a six-week course in Spanish at the International Education for Students programme.
This added a string to her bow just in case she wanted to give the world of diplomacy another try later in life.
When Meghan returned to Northwestern University, she was able to brag to her friends with stories of tapas and tangos and tried to brush off her disappointment at missing the mark on her Foreign Service Officer Test.
But it seems failing the test left its mark on the young Meghan and she never again tried to get into the diplomatic service.
However, she had other career options and managed to get her first speaking acting role after her father Thomas pulled strings and put her forward for a 'day player' role with five lines in US soap opera General Hospital.
She would go on to become a Hollywood actress in legal drama Suits after starring in a number of smaller roles and as a briefcase model in game show Deal Or No Deal.
But despite her uncle Mike helping her get the highly sought after internship in the first place, it seems the pair never kept in touch.
He was not invited to the royal wedding, with Mike commenting in 2019: 'Meghan has climbed socially and left us behind — that's how I feel.
It wasformer US diplomat Mike Markle, pictured, who first helped Meghan on her way to becoming a stateswoman - but she failed the exam
Pictured above from left to right: (seated) Meghan's uncle Frederick 'Dismas' Markle, uncle Mike Markle, Meghan, grandmother Doris Markle, (standing) cousin David Markle, cousin Nick Markle, cousin Traci Todd, cousin Trish Gallup, father Thomas Markle Sr and aunt Toni Markle
Meghan is estranged from the majority of her father Thomas's side of the family, including her dad (in blue) her other uncle Fred (checked shirt) and her half-siblings
Meghan would go on to become a Hollywood actress in legal drama Suits after starring in a number of smaller roles and as a briefcase model in game show Deal Or No Deal
Failing the test left its mark on Meghan and she never again tried to get into the diplomatic service.
'I think that's what happens when you're "underclass" and trying to rise above the reality of your situation.
'She didn't invite a lot of people, so I don't feel that bad, she didn't discriminate against me.
'It would have been nice for her to have some of her family, but I don't understand her. I don't communicate with her because I understand they don't accept mail at the palace.
'I don't know what I'd say to her if I could write to her. It's up to her to make the first move as far as I'm concerned.'
He added that he had helped her out at a time when others hadn't.
'I've probably done more for her than most,' he said. 'I personally talked to the ambassador in Argentina for her. I helped her out and I didn't ask for anything in return.
‘It could be that she's bossy towards staff because she’s been spoilt by my brother.
'He doted on her a lot — more than he did his other children.
'Tom spent more time with her and helped her in school and stuff like that.
'If she wants to have a closer relationship that's fine by me, it has to come from her. She is the one that has thrown up the boundaries, not me'.
ANSWERS
The correct answers are noted in bold
Question 1
The Department of Defense, the National Security Council, and the Central Intelligence Agency arose as a result of conclusions drawn by policy makers in the aftermath of:
- World War II
- the Korean War
- Stalin's death
- the East Berlin uprising of 1953
Question 2
In the United States, there are primarily two levels of law: 1) the U.S. Constitution and 2):
- laws enacted by elected legislators
- presidential recess decrees
- Supreme Court rulings
- local initiatives carried by a majority vote
Question 3
The military academies at West Point and Annapolis require candidates to obtain a nomination for admission from what U.S. government official?
- President
- Member of the Chief of Staff's office
- Federal district court or circuit court judge
- Congressional representative
Question 4
During the Clinton administration, the Congressional Black Caucus received credit for which of the following foreign policy actions?
- Establishing in New York City the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
- Blocking the President's initiative to exclude Haiti from the North American Free Trade Agreement
- Pressuring the President to use force to restore the elected president of Haiti
- Increasing the priority assigned by the U.S. military to missions other than war
Question 5
To justify military action without congressional approval, Presidents Harry S. Truman, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton relied on a resolution from which of the following organisations?
- Organisation of American States
- North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
- United Nations Security Council
- European Union
Question 6
The aphorism that the United States cannot have 535 Secretaries of State refers to the idea that Congress should defer to the President on foreign policy because it:
- Has too great a diversity of views
- Is too isolationist
- Acts too slowly
- Is too committed to domestic issues
Question 7
The U.S. Constitution forbids national and state governments from enacting which of the following criminal statutes because it is retroactive and would work to the disadvantage of an individual?
- Bills of attainder
- Ex post facto laws
- Habeas corpus
- Exclusionary rule laws
Question 8
8. In the early 20th century, reformers committed to using journalism to expose corporate and urban corruption were commonly known as:
- Monkeywrenchers
- Muckrakers
- Bosses
- Boodlers
Question 9
The Cabinet-level agency with primary responsibility for managing the federal resources of the United States, including national parks and American Indian lands, is the Department of:
- Commerce
- Homeland Security
- The Interior
- Agriculture
Question 10
10. The War Powers Resolution places which of the following time limits on the U.S. President's commitment of troops to hostilities without congressional authorisation?
- Fourteen days
- Sixty days
- Six months
- One year
Question 11
The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve was established in 1975 for the purpose of:
- Stabilising oil prices for U.S. consumers
- Providing emergency supplies in the event of disruption
- Providing storage in the event of domestic overproduction
- Creating an energy self-sufficient nation
Question 12
The decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Roe v Wade was celebrated as a victory mostly for:
- The women's movement
- Single parents
- The Catholic Church
- The civil rights movement
Question 13
In an early draft of the Declaration of Independence, one of the grievances against the King of England was his responsibility for the horrors of the slave trade. Which of the following reasons best explains why the authors and signers omitted this grievance in the final draft of the Declaration?
- Slavery was not important enough to the colonies' economy to emphasize the slave trade
- Slavery was not a principal grievance because it was gradually ending already
- Opposing the slave trade would prevent France from coming to the colonies' aid in a war
- The colonies could not all agree to sign if the phrase about slavery remained in the document
Question 14
The most enduring legacy of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal is that the policies:
- Ended unemployment and pulled the United States out of a depression
- Strengthened private organisations that provide relief to those in need
- Expanded the role of the federal government through the creation of new government agencies
- Advanced the cause of civil rights by ending segregation in the U.S. armed forces
Question 15
Which U.S. President made a surprise visit to Communist China in 1972, which prepared the way for establishing formal diplomatic relations?
- Gerald Ford
- Jimmy Carter
- Richard Nixon
- Ronald Reagan
Question 16
Which doctor's influential book changed child-rearing practices after World War II?
- Dr. Alfred Kinsey
- Dr. Jonas Salk
- Dr. Benjamin Spock
- Dr. Carl Sagan
Question 17
Known for such novels as This Side Of Paradise and The Great Gatsby, which American author coined the phrase 'the jazz age' to describe the 1920s?
- Willa Cather
- Robert Penn Warren
- William Saroyan
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
Question 18
Which country is the world's largest illegal drug marketplace in terms of revenue?
- Holland
- The United States
- China
- The United Kingdom
Question 19
In response to the founding of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Eastern European states organized a formal military alliance known as the:
- Eastern European Treaty Organisation
- Council for Mutual Assistance
- Warsaw Pact
- Comintern
Question 20
'Workers of the world, unite. You have nothing to lose but your chains' is a passage from:
- Common Sense by Thomas Paine
- The Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson
- The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
- Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen by Olympe de Gouges.
Question 21
The lesson most U.S. policy makers took from Neville Chamberlain's meeting with Hitler at Munich was that:
- Great Britain was an unreliable ally
- Vichy France was an unreliable ally
- Appeasement of an aggressor leads to more aggression
- International institutions like the United Nations were essential to preserve the peace
Question 22
In 1998, a peace agreement resolved a longstanding border dispute between Ecuador and which of the following countries?
- Peru
- Venezuela
- Chile
- Brazil
Question 23
The largest numbers of Palestinian refugees reside in which of the following countries?
- Lebanon
- Jordan
- Turkey
- Iraq
Question 24
The 1994 genocide of Tutsis by Hutus occurred in what country?
- Uganda
- Rwanda
- Sudan
- Congo
Question 25
If consumers believe that the supply of bread will decrease in the next few months, the most likely effect will be:
- An increase in demand, resulting in a higher price for bread
- A decrease in demand, resulting in a lower price for bread
- An increase in supply, resulting in a lower price for bread
- A decrease in supply, resulting in a higher price for bread
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