American Political Institutions - Quiz

1. The basic definition of public opinion is [A] journalists’ reports about what the public thinks. [B] support for, or opposition to, candidates or proposals. [C] the collected attitudes of citizens on a given issue or question. [D] the underlying attitude of citizens toward their government. 2. The case study on public thinking about the death penalty reveals which of the following? [A] Government sometimes does not do what the public wants. [B] Governments always obey public opinion. [C] The public’s basic attitude toward government can vary greatly over time. [D] Government makes no effort to learn what public opinion is. 3. When we see that government often acts in ways not consistent with majority opinion, [A] we realize that the courts are not responsive to public opinion. [B] it becomes easy to accept the majoritarian model. [C] it becomes clear that only an elite model explains U.S. public policymaking. [D] it becomes clear that the majoritarian model alone does not explain U.S. politics. 4. Government should not always follow public opinion, a pluralist might say, because [A] the general public is uninformed and disinterested. [B] the U.S. Constitution made the public irrelevant to decision making. [C] a small hereditary elite can make better decisions. [D] the public is best served by serving the few. 5. The process by which one becomes aware of politics, learns political facts, and forms political values is called [A] political socialization. [B] political formation. [C] coming of age politically. [D] political reeducation. 6. The major agents of early socialization in the United States are [A] family, school, community, and peers. [B] school and social class. [C] religion and social class. [D] family, religion, and party. 7. According to the text’s discussion of the “new” ethnicity and the “old” ethnicity, it would appear that [A] the “new” ethnic groups are politically less distinctive than the “old.” [B] immigrants and their descendants gradually assimilate “mainstream” political views. [C] ethnicity has no relation to public opinion or political values. [D] immigrants cling to their old political values across countless generations. 8. Political candidates consider blacks and Latinos important groups because they [A] are a large segment of the population. [B] participate very actively in politics. [C] are significant voting blocs in particular areas. [D] make major financial contributions. 9. Citizens’ views on economics tend to be shaped primarily by [A] personal self-interest. [B] foreign policy. [C] order. [D] social equality. 10. The fax and the Internet are examples of [A] formal political institutions. [B] broadcast media. [C] group media. [D] mass media. 11. Private ownership of the media in the United States makes the U.S. news industry [A] dependent on advertising revenues. [B] less concerned than media in other countries about ratings. [C] dependent on government subsidies. [D] less free to cover stories that are of interest to the audience. 12. Which of the following stories is most likely to make the evening news? [A] A murder in the city from which the broadcast originates [B] Efforts by a developing country to improve health care [C] A war between two foreign countries not allied with the United States [D] A peaceful transition of government in another country 13. If an event involves familiar people, has a sensational element (e.g., conflict or scandal), and has potentially high impact, it is said to be [A] politically significant. [B] salient. [C] credible. [D] newsworthy. 14. The trend in recent years has been toward ________ of regulations affecting the number of radio and television stations owned by a single company. [A] relaxation [B] tightening [C] nonenforcement [D] stricter enforcement 15. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is a(n) [A] independent regulatory commission. [B] cabinet department. [C] megacarrier. [D] government corporation. 16. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 [A] increased the size and scope of government ownership of the media. [B] tightened national control over media ownership. [C] removed most of the legal limits on media ownership. [D] totally deregulated all mass media. 17. The equal opportunities rule forbids which of the following? [A] A large corporation owning more than 12 television stations [B] A television station accepting advertising only from the owner’s favorite candidates [C] A television station covering a political story and presenting only one side of the issue [D] A newspaper accepting advertising only from the owner’s favorite candidates 18. The reasonable access rule requires [A] broadcast stations to provide fair coverage of all views on public issues. [B] the press to refrain from publishing strategic information during wartime. [C] broadcast stations to provide free air time to all candidates running for public office. [D] broadcasters to make facilities available to all responsible parties in a community who want to express conflicting views on issues. 19. Most of the news about the president of the United States comes from [A] news leaked by the president’s advisers. [B] news releases issued by the president’s staff. [C] presidential press conferences. [D] investigative stories done by reporters. 20. Media executives, news editors, and prominent reporters who decide which events to report and how to report them are known as [A] news sophisticates. [B] gatekeepers. [C] horse-race journalists. [D] pack journalists. 21. Most Americans now get most of their news from [A] radio. [B] newspapers. [C] news magazines. [D] television. 22. The television hypothesis is the belief that television [A] should be fair and equal in covering all candidates. [B] now routinely suppresses potentially harmful news about large corporations that own television stations. [C] is to blame for the low level of citizens’ knowledge about public affairs. [D] should educate the public by aggressively investigating candidates’ personal lives. 23. How do the mass media influence the socialization process? [A] They promote popular support for the political system. [B] They reflect the government’s position on most important issues. [C] They play contradictory roles, sometimes promoting popular support for government and sometimes eroding public confidence in it. [D] They undermine popular support for the political system. 24. Surveys of reporters, editors, and publishers in the major news media suggest that [A] reporters and editors are equally conservative. [B] reporters and publishers are equally liberal. [C] reporters are more conservative than editors and publishers. [D] editors and publishers are more conservative than reporters. 25. A study of presidential campaign coverage on television news has shown that instead of partisan bias, there is actually bias against [A] underdogs. [B] non-photogenic candidates. [C] incumbents and front-runners. [D] candidates from wealthy families. 26. The text defines ________ as the actions by which private citizens seek to influence or support government and politics. [A] conventional participation [B] unconventional participation [C] direct action [D] political participation 27. Unconventional political activities are most likely to be used by [A] electoral majorities seeking to increase their support. [B] groups that have been denied access to the normal channels of influence. [C] individuals seeking their party’s nomination for public office. [D] wealthy and established interest groups. 28. Which of the following is an example of direct action? [A] Policymakers responding to public demands [B] Crowds confronting local government with demands [C] A large voter turnout because of a particular issue [D] Contributing money to campaigns 29. Some studies show that direct political action appeals most to those who ________ the political system and have a ________ sense of political efficacy. [A] trust; strong [B] distrust; strong [C] trust; weak [D] distrust; weak 30. In the long term, the national government responded to unconventional participation by civil rights activists with [A] inaction. [B] violent repression of demonstrators. [C] facilitation and support for future unconventional political action. [D] reforms designed to give minorities greater access to conventional forms of participation. 31. If corporate downsizing and relocations heighten group consciousness and create distrust of the political system among labor union members, this may lead to [A] government efforts to disenfranchise union members. [B] avoidance of unconventional political participation by union members. [C] withdrawal of union members from political participation. [D] an increased likelihood of unconventional participation by union members. 32. Poor black Americans are more likely to engage in various forms of political participation than poor whites are because poor black Americans have [A] higher levels of education. [B] higher levels of patriotism. [C] more trust in the political system. [D] developed a sense of group consciousness. 33. To ensure stability, the objective of political institutions in democratic systems should be to [A] make conventional and unconventional modes of participation equally attractive. [B] expand the opportunities for unconventional participation and encourage its use when necessary. [C] make unconventional participation impossible. [D] channel participation into conventional activities. 34. Which of the following is an example of influencing behavior? [A] Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance [B] Organizing holiday parades [C] Taking a case to court in order to change a law or policy [D] Volunteering to serve as an election judge in nonpartisan elections 35. Suffrage refers to [A] unconventional participation in the face of persecution. [B] the right to vote. [C] organizing mass political demonstrations. [D] using the courts for individual benefit. 36. Voting rights in the United States were initially restricted to [A] all white citizens older than age twenty-one. [B] all free citizens. [C] all adult property owners. [D] white, male property holders older than age twenty-one. 37. In ________, the Supreme Court held that laws preventing black Americans from voting in primary elections were unconstitutional. [A] Smith v. Allwright [B] Harper v. Virginia State Board of Elections [C] Gomillion v. Lightfoot [D] Brown v. Board of Education 38. The process of enfranchising black Americans had what impact on U.S. federalism? [A] It forced the states to band together to compel the national government to expand the franchise. [B] It made the national government, rather than the states, the guarantor of voting rights. [C] It demonstrated that state and national governments could cooperate in the public interest. [D] It allowed the states greater powers to promote equality. 39. The ________ Amendment to the Constitution prohibits states from denying the right to vote “on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” [A] Tenth [B] Fourteenth [C] Fifteenth [D] Twenty-Second 40. Women’s suffrage in the United States was adopted first by [A] local governments in America’s largest cities. [B] Congress, to apply to all national elections. [C] several states, primarily in the West. [D] several states, primarily in the Northeast. 41. Compared with other nations in the world, in granting suffrage to women, the United States [A] lagged far behind. [B] was unique in extending that right without being pressured to do so. [C] ranked about in the middle. [D] was among the first. 42. The last major expansion of suffrage in the United States involved the criterion of [A] race. [B] age. [C] sex. [D] wealth. 43. The philosophy of political reform that trusted the goodness of people and distrusted special interests and political institutions was [A] progressivism. [B] populism. [C] libertarianism. [D] liberalism. 44. A referendum is a [A] vote by the people on a proposed law. [B] preliminary election in which voters select candidates who will run in the subsequent general election. [C] decision made by officials about the winner in a close election. [D] printed ballot. 45. An initiative is a [A] procedure by which voters can place an issue before the legislature or on a public ballot. [B] means of removing an officeholder before his or her term is expired. [C] preliminary election to select party candidates for an office. [D] direct vote on a proposed law. 46. Characteristics frequently associated with nonvoters are [A] low education, low income, and middle age. [B] low education, low income, and being relatively young. [C] low education, high income, and middle age. [D] high education, low income, and being relatively old. 47. Of all the social and economic variables, the strongest single predictor of conventional participation is [A] job prestige. [B] race. [C] income. [D] education. 48. The effect of the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, which enfranchised eighteen- to twenty-year-olds, was to [A] increase the national voter turnout rate. [B] boost turnout in the United States above voter turnout rates in most other democratic nations. [C] decrease the percentage of the population who distrusted the U.S. political system. [D] reduce the overall national voter turnout rate. 49. What may help to explain the low voter turnout in the United States compared with that of other countries? [A] In the United States, the burden of voter registration falls on the individual voter rather than on the government. [B] Americans elect fewer officials than do citizens of most other countries. [C] In the United States, election days are public holidays. [D] U.S. political parties make no effort to get out the vote. 50. Which means of political participation serves the ideal of equality better than any other? [A] Contributing to campaigns [B] Running for office [C] Voting in elections [D] Contacting officials Reference: 83 [1] [C] Reference: 83 [2] [A] Reference: 85 [3] [D] Reference: 85 [4] [A] Reference: 85 [5] [A] Reference: 85 [6] [A] Reference: 91 [7] [B] Reference: 91 [8] [C] Reference: 96 [9] [A] Reference: 98 [10] [B] Reference: 99 [11] [A] Reference: 99 [12] [A] Reference: 99 [13] [D] Reference: 100 [14] [A] Reference: 100 [15] [A] Reference: 100 [16] [C] Reference: 101 [17] [B] Reference: 101 [18] [D] Reference: 102 [19] [B] Reference: 102 [20] [B] Reference: 103 [21] [D] Reference: 104 [22] [C] Reference: 107 [23] [C] Reference: 107 [24] [D] Reference: 108 [25] [C] Reference: 114 [26] [D] Reference: 115-116 [27] [B] Reference: 116 [28] [B] Reference: 117 [29] [B] Reference: 116-117 [30] [D] Reference: 117 [31] [D] Reference: 117 [32] [D] Reference: 118 [33] [D] Reference: 121 [34] [C] Reference: 122-123 [35] [B] Reference: 123 [36] [D] Reference: 124 [37] [A] Reference: 124 [38] [B] Reference: 124 [39] [C] Reference: 124 [40] [C] Reference: 125 [41] [D] Reference: 125 [42] [B] Reference: 125 [43] [A] Reference: 125 [44] [A] Reference: 126 [45] [A] Reference: 128-129 [46] [B] Reference: 129 [47] [D] Reference: 130 [48] [D] Reference: 131 [49] [A] Reference: 132 [50] [C]