Practice Test Unit The Kennedy-Nixon presidential debate of 1960 showed

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1 Practice Test Unit 3 1. All of the following typically apply to American interest groups EXCEPT A) They run candidates for office. B) They frequently look to the bureaucracy or the judiciary to achieve their policy goals. C) Most have a handful of key policies to push and are policy experts in those areas. D) They provide information and election support to members of Congress E) Unlike political parties, they are not faced with the constraint of trying to appeal to everyone. 2. A media event is A) staged by a politician primarily for the purpose of being covered by the press. B) any newsworthy occurrence covered by reporters. C) a news event deemed of such importance to break into regular programming on television and radio. D) a gathering of people working in the media industry, often to discuss matters of their profession. E) a setup by the media to ambush or embarrass a prominent person. 3. It is illegal for lobbyists to A) help elected officials reach their legislative goals. B) provide campaign strategy and organizational help. C) suggest frameworks and potential outcomes for pending legislation. D) put elected officials in contact with experts and leaders friendly to the lobby s cause. E) provide money to legislators to directly help pass or defeat particular legislation. 4. Today the overall relationship between the media and politicians can be characterized as A) cozy, the media always portray politicians in the best possible manner. B) openly hostile, the media seeks every opportunity to smear politicians. C) symbiotic, both sides need each other to be successful. D) non-existent, the media does not view politicians as an important news source. E) protective, the media works to cover up wrongdoings by politicians. 5. The Kennedy-Nixon presidential debate of 1960 showed A) the continued importance of the print media in forming public opinion. B) the importance of social media in presidential C) the new importance of television in presidential politics. D) that radio listeners were better informed than television viewers. E) that newspaper readers were better informed than radio listeners. 6. The use of single member districts results in which of the following? A) A large number of political parties with a chance to win representation in the legislature. B) The dominance of two catch-all parties in the legislature. C) Multiple parties being forced to create coalitions in order to have any impact on the legislative process. D) The dominance of a single party in both the executive and legislative branch. E) Divided government is assured with single member districts. 7. Which of the following best describes grassroots lobbying? A) A PAC makes a $5000 contribution to a political campaign. B) The NAACP files a lawsuit against Cherry Creek High School for racial discrimination. C) The NRA meets Congressional leaders in an attempt to convince them to kill a bill outlawing assault weapons. D) The AMA meets with a member of Senator Udall s staff to help write new health care legislation. E) Members of the AARP write letters to their Senators urging them to oppose Medicare cuts. 8. Trial balloons refer to A) media experiments with different types of news coverage to see what the public reaction will be. B) information leaked to the media to see what the public s reaction will be. C) marketing surveys conducted to determine audience preferences in media coverage and programming. D) the media s tendency to define news as information that is entertaining to the average viewer.

2 E) information conveyed in presidential news conferences. 9. The more highly educated the voter, the more likely he or she is to get his or her news from A) television. B) radio. C) internet blogs. D) newsmagazines and journals. E) viral videos and updates. 10. Business PACs A) have not been as effective as labor and consumer PACs. B) outnumber other kinds of PACs. C) are shrinking due to the poor economy. D) contribute more to Democrats than Republicans. E) are not required to register with the FEC. 11. What is an iron triangle? A) The power of interest groups in determining government policies. B) The proliferation of specialized local governments with taxing authority. C) The conflict of interest created when government agencies promote PACs. D) The use of paid lobbyists by congressional committees and subcommittees to further their committee s agenda. E) The mutually beneficial relationship between interest groups, government agencies, and members of congressional subcommittees. 12. When journalists select stories to cover, they tend to choose A) stories that target specific audiences. B) stories that will draw the largest audience. C) international and foreign policy stories. D) stories involving the most important policy issues of the day. E) stories that cover political issues in depth As an agenda setter A) the media have a bias in favor of the status quo. B) the media influence individual s vote choices. C) the media cue individuals about what political issues are important. D) the media have no bias. E) the media have a liberal bias. 14. What do elite theorists believe about the influence of interest groups? A) Each interest group has equal access to the B) Interest groups counterbalance each other, creating a level playing field. C) Interest groups with large memberships are more successful than those with small memberships. D) Interest groups help create a more democratic E) A few wealthy interest groups have the most influence. 15. Regarding the amount of news coverage each gets on the network news, A) the Senate gets the most coverage, then the president, then the House of Representatives, and the Supreme Court ranks fourth. B) the Congress, the president, and the Supreme Court receive equal coverage. C) the 535 members of Congress receive one and a half times as much coverage as the president. D) Congress and the president get equal amounts of coverage. E) the president receives twice as much coverage as Congress. 16. The watchdog role of the press helps to A) maintain neutrality of the media. B) publicize the beneficial activities of C) assist politicians in leading the mass public. D) act as a check on the activities of E) increase confidence in 17. Powerful interest groups such as AARP and the NRA are most likely to use which of the following tactics? I. Civil disobedience II. Campaign contributions III. Lobbying IV. Litigation A) IV only B) I and II only C) II and III only D) I, II, III, and IV E) I and IV only. 18. When the media helps to frame the issues to which voters pay attention and set the political agenda, it is acting in a/an A) watchdog role. B) gatekeeper role. C) scorekeeper role. D) liberal manner. E) unconstitutional manner. 19. The most significant reason PAC money goes overwhelmingly to incumbents is because they A) need more money due to the restraints of being in office. B) usually win.

3 C) have already been bought off by interest groups. D) need large amounts of money to maintain their seats. E) have already become friends and supporters of lobbyists. 20. Americans have expressed a high level of distrust of the media in part because A) of the lack of political coverage. B) the perceived bias of various media outlets. C) the exposure of various political scandals. D) of the level of violence in newscasts. E) the media rely more on Internet bloggers and leaked reports, rather than credible sources 21. A political party is A) an organization devoted to implementing policy in the public interest. B) a well-organized national machine with strong party discipline. C) a team of men and women seeking to control the government by gaining office in D) less interested in winning elections than in particular public policy. E) a group of people with narrow policy focus who seek to control 22. Which of the following statements about political parties in the United States is true? A) Parties issue membership cards to all members. B) To be a member of a party, all you have to do is register as a member. C) Party membership can be revoked. D) Parties require dues. E) They are more powerful than their European counterparts. 23. Which of the following functions do third parties serve in American politics? I. They act as a safety valve for discontent with the two major parties. II. They are crucial in policy implementation at all levels of III. They serve as an important training ground for future leaders of the two major parties. IV. At times they force the two parties to act on issues they might not do otherwise. A) IV only B) II and III only C) I and IV only D) I, II, III, and IV E) I only 24. Almost all definitions of political parties have which of the following in common? A) Parties are stronger at the local level. B) Parties are always highly formal organizations. C) Parties have limited policy agendas. D) Parties have a mass following. E) Parties try to win 25. Political parties perform all of the following tasks EXCEPT A) coordinate policymaking. B) require politicians to adhere to their policy positions. C) give cues to voters. D) pick policymakers and run campaigns. E) advocate public policies. 26. Linkage institutions A) link political parties to the B) link the president to members of his/her party in Congress, so they can coordinate their policies in C) are used to implement public policies. D) help link the three branches of government together to achieve coherent policies. E) link citizens with 27. American political parties tend to take middle-of-theroad stands on major issues A) while the public tends to have stronger opinions. B) because most of the American electorate is centrist. C) because most of the American electorate does not have political opinions. D) because the party s candidates are so afraid of alienating those on different sides of issues. E) in spite of evidence that more extreme positions generate more excitement and likelihood for electoral victory. 28. The largest expenditure in a campaign budget for the presidency or a statewide office today would almost certainly be A) direct mail. B) mass media advertising. C) buttons, signs, car bumper stickers, billboards, and brochures. D) travel, hotels, and food for the candidate and campaign staff. E) salaries for campaign staff. 29. Most political coverage by the media during a presidential campaign A) focuses on the substance of the key issues voters care about, and how the candidates stand on them.

4 B) deals with the candidates personal character flaws and families. C) deals with the horserace ; who s ahead in the polls, what candidate X s new strategy will be, and speculation. D) is analysis of the interest groups and campaign contributors who are backing each candidate, and why they are backing them. E) is the result of successful manipulation by the campaigns. 30. Which of the following has the greatest influence on a voter s choice of candidate? A) Party Identification B) Candidate Evaluation C) Policy Voting D) Amount of money spent by the campaign E) Personality of the candidate 31. In Citizens United v. FEC the Supreme Court ruled that A) Limits on corporations and labor unions violate the First Amendment. B) corporations and labor unions are not persons under the law. C) corporations are persons under the law but labor unions are not. D) foreign corporations could not make political contributions. E) campaign donation limits on PACs should be overturned. 32. A voter supporting a candidate based specifically on comparing the candidate s stances on the issues of abortion rights, health care, and government aid to education to the voter s own preferences on such issues is an example of A) agenda setting. B) policy voting. C) civic duty. D) initiative. E) retrospective voting. 33. Retrospective voting refers to voting for A) different parties and candidates election after election. B) a candidate based on perceived change in economic well being. C) a candidate who promises widespread social change. D) the same party and candidates election after election. E) candidates for nostalgic reasons because they promise to return the country to some golden age in its past. 34. The graph above demonstrates the process of A) party realignment. B) party fragmentation. C) party dealignment. D) voter liberalization. E) divided 35. A party machine is a kind of local party organization that A) uses specific and material inducements to win party loyalty and power. B) has recently come to depend heavily on ethnic group support. C) specializes in computerized mass mailings both to raise funds and influence voters on behalf of their candidates. D) remains strong in most large American cities. E) threatens the efficiency of state and national party organizations. 36. A party era refers to A) the period between two elections, during which the two parties are assessed as to how powerful they are relative to each other. B) a period of history in which there is one dominant majority party that wins most C) a period of time during which there is one dominant majority party that wins all D) the life span of a party from its beginning to its end. E) a period of years during which a party is born and begins to run candidates for office. 37. A critical election involves and accelerates a process called A) partisan transformation. B) proportional representation. C) electoral examination. D) democratic rejuvenation. E) party realignment.

5 38. The policy positions stated in party platforms are A) of some importance because they are detailed policy statements. B) important because nearly three-fourths of them result in policy action when the party is in power. C) intended to get a candidate elected, but not to be implemented. D) not important because less than one-third of them result in policy action when the party is in power. E) so generic that they are meaningless 39. Political parties in the United States lack the same party discipline that European parties have for all of the following reasons EXCEPT A) Campaigns have become more candidatecentered. B) Parties lack the funds to support the candidates who will carry out their platform C) They are loosely organized and the national party organizations have little control over state and local parties. D) They are large centrist parties often with conflicting ideas and constituencies. E) It is easy to switch party affiliation in the U.S. 40. The New Deal Coalition drew support from all of the following constituencies EXCEPT A) urban dwellers. B) labor unions. C) Southerners. D) African Americans. E) business owners. 41. In recent years both the Democrats and the Republicans have A) become more polarized. B) spent less money on campaigns. C) exercised more control over candidate selection. D) gained support among African-Americans. E) had to fight major third party challenges. 42. In many other democracies, the system of awarding seats to political parties in the national legislature, unlike in the United States, is one of A) proportional representation. B) intellectual merit alone. C) winner-take-all. D) virtual representation. E) single-member districts. 43. The American two-party system A) generally results in a runoff election. B) provides clear-cut policy positions because each party is only concerned with maintaining party discipline. C) results in the creation of significant third party movements because most voters feel alienated by the two major parties. D) has been in place since the Constitution was ratified. E) results in the selection of leaders who enjoy broad-based support. 44. All of the following statements about third-parties are true EXCEPT A) the major political parties usually absorb them over time. B) they are usually organized around special interests. C) they almost never win office. D) their fundraising efforts are as successful as the two major parties.. E) they are often created by charismatic leaders. 45. The modern Republican Party coalition includes I. Rural dwellers and farmers II. Cuban Hispanics III. Intellectuals and labor unions IV. Christian fundamentalists A) I and II only. B) I, II, and IVonly. C) III only. D) I and IV only. E) I, II, III, and IV. 46. Since the 1960s, the number of interest groups has A) declined sharply. B) risen rapidly. C) remained constant. D) declined slightly. E) fluctuated dramatically. 47. The term interest group can be generally defined as A) an organization sharing a common interest that run candidates in B) an organization that seeks a collective good. C) an organization with similar policy goals that accesses the political process in multiple ways to achieve those goals. D) a group that has a narrow interest, dislikes compromise, and single-mindedly pursues its goal. E) all people who share some common interest regardless of whether they join an organization promoting that interest. 48. American political parties differ from interest groups in that parties A) are policy-driven.

6 B) raise funds to support their political goals. C) do not take positions on policy issues. D) have a narrower scope than interest groups. E) are policy generalists. 49. Pluralist theorists argue all of the following EXCEPT A) different groups win at different times. B) groups usually play by the rules of the game. C) no one group is likely to become too dominant. D) groups are all of equal strength. E) groups provide a key link between people and 50. Elitist theorists argue that A) the larger the group, the further it will fall short of providing an optimal amount of a collective good. B) groups weak in one resource can use another, and all legitimate groups are able to affect public policy by one means or another. C) the fact that there are numerous groups proves nothing, because some groups have more power than others. D) the government has treated all interest group demands as legitimate. E) governments should be controlled by a select group of well-educated, cultured, wealthy persons who understand the laws of economics and can run the most efficient 51. Elite theorists emphasize the power of A) business PACS. B) congressional staff members. C) presidents. D) subgovernments. E) public interest lobbies. 52. The free-rider problem refers to A) unrelated amendments being added to a piece of legislation. B) potential members of a group who do not join the actual group because they know they will receive the same benefits regardless of membership C) welfare fraud and the costs it imposes on government and taxpayers. D) legislators who face no election opponents, and thus are automatically reelected. E) mass transit scofflaws who endanger government aid to subways, buses, and commuter trains by not being officially counted. 53. One of the problems with large groups is that A) potential group size does not have any measurable affect on the willingness of potential members to contribute. B) the larger the potential group, the less likely the group is to achieve its goals. C) the smaller the group the fewer resources it is likely to have. D) an actual group and a potential group are virtually the same when it comes to effectiveness. E) the larger the potential group, the more likely potential members are to contribute. 54. Which of the following groups has the largest potential membership? A) National Association for the Advancement of Colored People B) American Political Science Association C) American Medical Association D) Air Transport Association of America E) National Organization for Women 55. Single-issue groups A) are more effective at the national level than at the state level. B) mainly focus on the issue of abortion. C) have had little effect on the outcomes of D) tend to focus on specific economic issues rather than on social issues. E) often include members with narrow, uncompromising interests. 56. All of the following strategies are employed by interest groups EXCEPT A) electioneering. B) lobbying. C) implementation. D) going public. E) litigation. 57. Interest groups can donate money to candidates through A) lobbying. B) electioneering. C) subgovernments. D) 527 organizations E) Political Action Committees. 58. Amicus curiae briefs A) are legal arguments submitted by the president s attorneys advocating the United States government s position in an important federal court case. B) are written explanations of a court decision. C) are submitted by interest groups who are not parties in the case. D) are lawsuits filed by interest groups.

7 E) enable groups of similarly situated plaintiffs to combine similar grievances into a single lawsuit. 59. What is the major difference between an interest group and a PAC? A) PAC donations are limited while interest group donations may be unlimited. B) Interest groups must register with the FEC while PACs need not register. C) PACs hire lobbyists while interests groups do not hire lobbyists. D) PACs exist only to donate money to political campaigns while interest groups participate in a variety of political activities. E) PACs may form interest groups but interest groups may not form PACs. 60. Which of the following best describes single-issue interest groups? A) They have had very little influence in Congress and state legislatures. B) They tend to focus on social issues. C) The number of single-issue groups has declined since 1970s.. D) They often form coalitions with other interest groups. E) They are subject to greater regulation than other interest groups. 61. Organizations seeking a collective good that may not benefit them directly are called A) altruistic lobbies. B) protest groups. C) commodity associations. D) single-issue groups. E) public interest lobbies. 62. In the 1950s, the most successful tactic civil rights groups used to influence policy was A) electioneering. B) protest demonstrations. C) lobbying. D) media advertising. E) litigation. 63. All of the following are true about Political Action Committees EXCEPT A) there are far more PACs now than there were in B) most PAC money goes to challengers rather than incumbents. C) PACs contribute before and after D) some PACs contribute to both the challenger and the incumbent. E) PACs have been replaced by 527 organizations.

Unit IV Test Political Parties, Media & Interest Groups Practice Test

Unit IV Test Political Parties, Media & Interest Groups Practice Test 1. Ticket-splitting refers to: (A) the procedure used to conduct computerized, automated vote counting. (B) voting for one party for