AnswersAP US Government and PoliticsReading Lesson - Chapter 12 (The Media)

Reading Lesson - Chapter 12 (The Media) — Unit test Answers

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Refer to the passage.Groups like ours are potentially very dangerous to the political process. We could be a menace, yes. Ten independent expenditure groups, for example, could amass this great amount of money and defeat the point of accountability in politics. We could say whatever we want about an opponent of a Senator Smith and the senator wouldn't have to say anything. A group like ours could lie through its teeth and the candidate it helps stays clean.–John Terry Dolan, New Right activist and founder of NCPAC, discussing PACs Quoted in "The New Right Brigade,” Washington Post, Myra MacPherson, August 10, 1980

A
Candidates using PACs are less likely to be respectful of other candidates.
B
Candidates using PACs are more likely to fund themselves than to take assistance from PACs.
C
Candidates using PACs are less likely to be accountable for honesty on issues of campaign finance.
D
Candidates using PACs are more likely to undergo scrutiny and criticism by election-supervisory organizations.
2
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After the Federal Communications Commission deregulated the broadband industry, a small group of Silicon Valley app developers wanted to reinstate net neutrality.Which of the following methods would be the most effective to get Congress to enact this change?

A
lobbying legislators with credible information regarding net neutrality
B
contributing to a political party so its legislators will support net neutrality
C
funding social media campaigns to alter the public mood and build pressure on legislators to adopt net neutrality
D
making financial contributions to a political action committee to influence legislators to adopt net neutrality
3

Refer to the chart. Effects on Voter TurnoutEffects on Voter ChoiceA. Automatic voter registration typically produces higher voter turnout.Automatic voter registration typically helps Republican candidates.B.Independents are more likely to vote than those who identify strongly with a political party.Independents are less likely than partisan voters to vote consistently for one party over the other.C.Midterm elections usually produce lower voter turnout than presidential elections do.Midterm elections usually produce less support for the incumbent president's party than presidential elections do.D.States with strict voter-identification requirements generally have lower turnout than those that do not.States with strict voter-identification requirements generally elect Democrats to represent them in Congress.Which pair of statements accurately identifies relationships with regard to voting behavior in national elections?

A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
4

A political party makes major ideological adjustments to its platform at a national convention, altering the party’s position to support single-payer universal health care.Which of the following would be the most likely to prompt this shift?

A
a changing public view of health care as a basic right in modern society
B
a political need to attract unaffiliated independent voters to win critical races
C
a rising public rejection of for-profit healthcare due to poor economic conditions
D
a political threat posed by a single-issue third-party campaign for universal health care
5

Refer to the chart. Impact of Political Parties on ElectorateImpact of Political Parties on GovernmentA. Parties help educate voters on important issues.Parties have formal roles in government that are outlined in the Constitution.B.Parties mobilize voters to the polls during election seasons.Party membership is a necessary precondition for serving in government.C.Voters often use party affiliation to guide voting behavior in elections.Elected officials often use party affiliation to guide decision-making while in government.D.Candidates must be affiliated with a political party to appear on the general election ballot.Congressional leadership positions are selected based on party affiliation. Which pair of statements accurately identifies the impact of political parties on the electorate and on the government?

A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
6

Refer to the passage.Coming to solve it, we are of opinion that, by a consideration of the text of the suffrage amendment insofar as it deals with the literacy test, and to the extent that it creates the standard based upon conditions existing on January 1, 1866, the case is taken out of the general rule and brought under the first of the exceptions stated. We say this because, in our opinion, the very language of the suffrage amendment expresses, not by implication nor by forms of classification nor by the order in which they are made, but by direct and positive language, the command that the persons embraced in the 1866 standard should not be under any conditions subjected to the literacy test.–Excerpt from the US Supreme Court’s opinion in Guinn and Beal v. United States (1915)

A
It expanded 15th Amendment rights by giving all citizens the right to vote.
B
It limited 15th Amendment rights by supporting the use of literacy tests for voters.
C
It clarified 15th Amendment rights by ending a state restriction on minority voting rights.
D
It restricted 15th Amendment rights by allowing state regulation regarding voter requirements.
7

Refer to the graph.Which conclusion concerning the benefits and drawbacks of interest-group politics can be drawn from the graph?

Question illustration
A
Interest groups focus primarily on informing news media, but the information that interest groups provide can be biased and inaccurate.
B
Interest groups educate elected officials on issues, but since interest groups are largely unregulated, they often spread misinformation.
C
Interest groups draft legislation to be presented to Congress, but interest groups cannot vote on these pieces of legislation.
D
Interest groups help share information with the voting public, but the information they share can be skewed based on the groups’ goals.
8

A third-party candidate runs for a presidential election. She announces her candidacy after the two-party primary season has begun.Which of the following features of the two-party system is most likely to prevent this third-party candidate from becoming president?

A
failure to qualify for federal matching funds
B
lack of a strong existing campaign-finance network
C
failure to meet deadlines to be included on state ballots
D
lack of an extensive national campaign organization at any level
9

A 21-year-old African American citizen who is duly registered to vote attempts to cast a ballot in a presidential election. He is prevented from voting at a local polling station. The citizen sues the state, claiming that the workers at the polling station discriminated against him.

A
The court will side with the state, citing the voting-age requirement of the 26th Amendment.
B
The court will side with the state, citing the residency requirements for voting established by state law.
C
The court will side with the citizen, citing the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.
D
The court will side with the citizen, citing the 15th Amendment’s ban on racially discriminatory voting regulations.
10

Refer to the graph.Which conclusion concerning the role of interest groups can be drawn from the graph?

Question illustration
A
Interest groups hire many people, increasing the number of jobs related to the political process.
B
Interest groups self-regulate lobbying, ensuring that each group is acting appropriately and that laws are being followed.
C
Interest groups can monitor voting, ensure that procedures are being followed in the House and Senate, and revise legislation as needed.
D
Interest groups can educate voters and office holders, draft legislation, and mobilize members to pressure and work with legislators and government agencies.
11

How does the concept of selective exposure affect the development of a citizen’s point of view on political issues?

A
Selective exposure occurs when viewers are only able to access media outlets that are biased in favor of one political viewpoint.
B
Selective exposure leads to greater diversity in political opinions, as the public is exposed to increasingly diverse news coverage.
C
Selective exposure may lead to increased political polarization, as the reemergence of partisan news outlets allows viewers to choose to hear their preferred biases.
D
Selective exposure increases public disengagement with the democratic process, as viewers become disenchanted with partisan news outlets.
12

A Democratic voter lives in a state that overwhelmingly votes for Republican candidates. A presidential election is coming up soon.Which of the following outcomes is most likely, based on the format of the electoral college?

A
The voter will be less likely to vote, because he or she believes that there is strong support in other states for the Democratic candidate.
B
The voter will be more likely to vote, because he or she knows that individual voters in other states will tip the balance for the Democratic candidate.
C
The voter will be more likely to vote, because he or she believes that at least one of the state’s electoral votes will go to the Democratic candidate.
D
The voter will be less likely to vote, because he or she thinks that the vote will not matter, since none of the state’s electoral votes will go to the Democratic candidate.
13

Refer to the graph.What conclusions can be drawn about voter attitudes as people age?

Question illustration
A
Regardless of their political roots, people become more open to new ideas over time.
B
Younger people are more inclined to reject alternative views than older people are.
C
Older people are more inclined to agree with radical ideas than younger people are.
D
As people age, they grow more steadfast in their political beliefs, regardless of whether they are liberal or conservative.
14

Which of these interest groups would probably have the greatest influence on the passage of a bill in Congress?

A
a small group of conservative women favoring a bill that would limit abortion
B
a coalition of arms dealers trying to influence the Defense Department to buy their products
C
an anti-gun group lobbying for a bill requiring background checks in the wake of an assassination attempt on the president
D
a prominent environmental group demonstrating in front of the White House against a bill that would reduce penalties for polluting
15

In a presidential election year, three states decide to change the date of their primary to be months earlier in the primary season than in years past.In which of the following ways will this decision most likely affect primaries that occur later in the season?

A
Money will be wasted if candidates drop out of the race.
B
The change in date may fracture political parties and prolong the primary season.
C
Early voters’ votes will not count if their candidates drop out of the race before the primary.
D
The ballots of later primary states will list names of candidates who are no longer in the race.
16

Refer to the graph.Which statement best explains the trend shown in the graph?

Question illustration
A
People become disenchanted with government and stop joining political parties.
B
People desert liberal political parties and migrate to more conservative political parties.
C
People grow more civically engaged and more involved with political parties as they age.
D
People change their affiliation to political parties that support the social safety-net programs they need.
17

An interest group favoring education reform supports the passage of a bill that would provide free college for all citizens. The group gains a number of allies in Congress, and it appears that the bill will pass. It does not.Which of the following most likely influenced this turnaround?

A
Violence erupted at a rally that was sponsored by the interest group and heavily covered by the international news media.
B
An organization of college professors in the home state of the bill’s sponsor petitioned the sponsor not to let the bill pass.
C
A group of college presidents made a compelling video listing reasons why the bill should not pass and posted it on the internet.
D
Fiscally conservative lawmakers gained support from officials in the Office of Management and Budget, who could hold back funding for the project.
18

Refer to the graph.Based on the data, which campaign strategy would be most successful in congressional races?

Question illustration
A
Challengers should highlight how ineffective the incumbent is at bringing pork-barrel spending to the district.
B
Challengers should campaign with representatives from other districts to highlight their ability to work with current members.
C
Incumbents should highlight programs within the district while avoiding appearing heavily connected to Congress in general.
D
Incumbents should campaign by emphasizing their membership in the party that currently controls Congress, which should stay on its current path.
19

How might an interest group like the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) use the media to influence public attitudes about political leaders?

A
The AFT would advertise on media sites that would prime viewers to contact their local politicians about issues that could affect how politicians are viewed by the public.
B
The AFT would use framing through the media to accuse politicians of wrongdoing for not siding with them on specific policy issues.
C
The AFT may pressure the media to act as a gatekeeper and present only certain aspects of an issue while suppressing the other side.
D
The AFT may use selective exposure on different media sites to make an issue regarding certain politicians more serious than it seems.
20

Refer to the cartoon.Which of the following criticisms of the Democratic Party’s superdelegate process is supported by the cartoon?

Question illustration
A
The process is unfair to less populous states.
B
The process promotes discrimination within the party.
C
The process should include more pledged delegates.
D
The process gives too much power to superdelegates.

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