Quia
AP United States Government and Politics
Unit 3 Practice Questions
1. “Critical elections” result in the
a. displacement of the minority party by the majority party
b. formation of new coalitions for each political party
c. formation of new political parties
d. successful bid by a third political party
2. Lobbying is
a. confined to the legislative branch at the national level
b. aimed at influencing decision-making
c. used only by large organizations
d. the most effective way to convert the views of members of Congress
3. In return for contributions, Political Action Committees (PACs) hope to gain
a. campaign finance reform
b. access to officeholders
c. bribes
d. recognition for public service
4. News coverage of presidential campaigns tends to emphasize
a. the candidates’ positions on the issues
b. fair coverage of all the candidates
c. details of the campaign game and poll results
d. debates between the candidates
5. The Supreme Court case of Buckley v. Valeo (1976)
a. limited the amount individuals could contribute to their own campaigns
b. extended the right of free speech to PACs
c. required PACs to register with the FEC
d. declared the Federal Election Campaign Act unconstitutional
6. The vast majority of studies have found that the media are
a. overwhelmingly liberal
b. overwhelmingly conservative
c. not biased toward a particular ideology
d. highly partisan
7. When journalists select which stories to cover, the overriding bias is toward
a. stories involving the most important policy issues of the day
b. international and foreign policy stories
c. stories about the personality quirks of political celebrities
d. stories that will draw the largest audience
8. Interest groups can work to influence court decisions through
a. amicus curiae briefs
b. representing a client in litigation
c. by appointing a judge or justice
d. a and b
e. all of the above
9. News coverage by the print and broadcast media is generally
a. comprehensive
b. detailed
c. controversial
d. superficial
10. If none of the presidential candidates receive a majority of electoral college votes, then the president is chosen
a. by popular vote
b. by the Justices of the Supreme Court
c. by the House with one vote for each state
d. by the Senate with two votes for each state
11. The electoral college system can introduce bias in the electoral process that favors
a. rural states
b. small states
c. competitive states
d. states without big cities
12. Which of the following is the most accurate statement about the impact of party identification on voting behavior?
a. party identification is only one factor in choosing a candidate
b. only a third of the electorate identifies with one of the major parties
c. party identification plays a key role in voting choices
d. party identification plays a key role in deciding whether or not to vote
e. independent voters are more likely to strongly favor one candidate or another
13. How does federal law restrict fund-raising for presidential campaigns?
I. individual contributions are limited to $2,000
II. PAC contributions are limited to $5,000
III. Federal matching funds are available to candidates who raise $5,000, in individual contributions of $250 or less, in twenty states
IV. Candidates are limited to $2,000 in spending their own personal funds
a. I and II
b. I, II, and III
c. I, II, and IV
d. I, III, and IV
e. I and IV
14. Elite theorists would argue that the type of interest group with the most power would consist of
a. agriculture and agribusiness
b. business leaders
c. energy and environmental groups
d. consumer and public interest lobbies
15. Interest group activities are constitutionally protected primarily by the
a. 1st Amendment
b. 14th Amendment
c. 4th Amendment
d. 22nd Amendment
16. Interest groups often
a. run candidates for public office
b. are policy generalists
c. try to appeal to everyone
d. specialize in a policy area
17. James Madison’s solution to the problems posed by interest groups was
a. to encourage the creation of many interest groups
b. to make it difficult for groups to form
c. to limit the freedom of assembly in the Constitution
d. to create a system of proportional representation
18. Political Action Committee (PAC) money goes overwhelmingly to
a. independents
b. challengers
c. incumbents
d. Democrats
19. Interest groups that pursues goals that will benefit nonmembers are known as
a. public interest groups
b. social movements
c. ideological interest groups
d. political action committees
e. noncontroversial interest groups
20. All of the following are examples of horse-race journalism topics EXCEPT
a. which candidate is ahead in the polls
b. which candidate is raising the most money
c. which candidates opposed off-shore drilling
d. which candidates had the most TV ads
e. which candidate is raising the most money
21. A political party machine is a kind of local party organization that
a. uses specific and material inducements to win party loyalty and power
b. remains strong in most large American cities
c. threatens the efficiency of state and national party organizations
d. has recently come to depend heavily on ethnic group support
22. A major criticism of the primary system is that
a. disproportionate attention goes to the early primaries
b. money plays too big a role in the primaries
c. participation in primaries is low and unrepresentative
d. all of the above
23. The most important function of political parties is to
a. establish coalitions
b. win elections
c. conduct a national convention every four years to nominate a president
d. caucus in Congress
24. Can a member of Congress start a PAC?
a. No, PACs are organizations not individuals
b. No, PACs influence legislators and therefore cannot consist of legislators
c. Yes, and many have
d. Yes, but only after leaving office
25. News coverage by the print and broadcast media is generally
a. comprehensive
b. detailed
c. controversial
d. superficial
26. The news media interpret a candidate’s second place finish in the Iowa Caucus as a sign of strength. In this role the media are acting as
a. gatekeepers
b. watchdogs
c. scorekeepers
d. investigators
27. Retrospective voting refers to voting
a. by absentee ballot
b. for an incumbent because of the perception that his or her policies have made you better off
c. according to party identification
d. the same way year after year
28. The 1960 presidential debate between Nixon and Kennedy illustrates the
a. importance of experience in presidential politics
b. role of radio broadcasting in the United States
c. visual power of television in American politics
d. importance of issues in presidential debates
29. “Time” magazine runs a feature story on education in America that calls for sweeping changes in government policy on education. In this role “Time” is acting as a(n)
a. gatekeeper
b. scorekeeper
c. watchdog
d. investigator
30. Voters in some states can put a proposed law on the ballot with
a. an initiative petition
b. an opinion poll
c. a referendum
d. a three-fifths vote
31. Party loyalty at the voting booth is
a. stronger than it was a generation ago
b. no longer a good indication of voting behavior
c. weaker, but still a good predictor of voting behavior
d. almost nonexistent today
32. Why is a candidate for the Senate more likely to advertise on television than a candidate for the House?
a. because a Senator’s constituency is more widely spread geographically
b. because a Senator’s constituency is more narrowly concentrated geographically
c. because a Senator’s constituency might include a sizable portion of voters who do not watch television
d. because Senators typically choose media that provide a way of reaching more voters
33. Linkage institutions
a. link political parties to the government
b. are used to implement public policies
c. translate inputs from the public into outputs from the policymakers
d. help link the three branches of government together to achieve coherent policies
34. Primaries that allow voters to decide on election day whether they want to participate in the Democratic or Republican contests are called
a. closed primaries
b. open primaries
c. blanket primaries
d. political primaries
35. Recent trends in party identification in the United States show
a. a decline of both parties and a rise in independents
b. a decline in party desertion
c. a strong movement in favor of the Republican Party
d. that voters increasingly identify with one or the other political party
1. b
2. b
3. b
4. c
5. b
6. c
7. d
8. d
9. d
10. c
11. c
12. c
13. b
14. b
15. a
16. d
17. a
18. c
19. a
20. c
21. a
22. d
23. b
24. c
25. d
26. c
27. b
28. c
29. c
30. a
31. c
32. a
33. c
34. b
35. a
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