Exam 1 – Flashcard Answers
Flashcard maker : Alexander Rose
Brief quotes and short characterizations of the day’s events in news coverage are called ________.
sound bites
Which of the following news sources reaches the most Americans?
television
Much of the national news that is published in local newspapers is provided by ________.
the Associated Press
Which group has had great popularity on radio talk shows?
conservatives
Most local newspapers get their national news from ________.
wire services
Which of the following is NOT a national newspaper?
Time
Which of the following statements is true?
Online sources for news are now just behind television.
Daily Internet users who participate in society and politics through online activities are called ________.
digital citizens
Niche journalism refers to
news reporting targeted for a demographic of readers based on content or ideological presentation.
Which of the following is NOT a reason that Americans prefer online news?
the accuracy and objectivity of the information found online
The following are all concerns raised by the growing popularity of online news EXCEPT
a reduction in the diversity of perspectives that can potentially be heard.
________ is generally regarded as a conservative news broadcasting service.
Fox News
The power of the media to draw public attention to particular issues and problems is called ________.
agenda setting
The media can set the political agenda in the United States by
identifying an issue as a problem that must be solved.
Besides their ideological biases, journalists also exhibit selection biases in favor of news stories they view as
having a great deal of dramatic or entertainment value.
Which of the following is NOT a reason why a free media is necessary to democratic government?
A free media is needed to ensure economic equality.
The________ regulates broadcast media.
Federal Communications Commission
Which of the following is regulated by the federal government?
television
The proliferation of news sources in recent years has
encouraged polarization because many media outlets seek to position themselves within
a discrete ideological or partisan niche rather than maintain a middle-of-the-road stance.
a discrete ideological or partisan niche rather than maintain a middle-of-the-road stance.
Which of the following best describes the relationship between the government and the media in the United States today?
The government does not own but regulates the content and ownership of broadcast media.
Which of the following is NOT a traditional form of political activity?
visiting a candidate’s website
________is the single most important political act for most Americans.
Voting
The digital divide refers to the
line separating citizens with Internet access from those without.
Nearly ________percent of Americans lack high-speed Internet access in their homes.
33
What was the main cause for dropping the legal voting age to eighteen?
Government officials hoped it would lead to a decline in disruptive student protests.
Which of the following statements about the digital divide is NOT true?
All racial and ethnic groups in the United States are equally likely to have online access.
World War I was an important factor in advancing the cause of women’s suffrage because
President Woodrow Wilson and members of Congress believed that women would support the war effort if they were granted the right to vote.
When did African Americans truly gain voting rights in the United States without fear of reprisal?
1965
What bloc of voters has recently been called “the sleeping giant”?
Latino Americans
On average, more women vote for ________ candidates and more men vote for ________ candidates.
Democratic; Republican
A political party is an organization
that tries to influence the government by getting its members elected to office.
Throughout its history, American politics has been dominated by ________ major political party/parties.
two
The United States began its tradition of the ________ during the early nineteenth century.
two-party system
What is the ultimate goal of a political party?
winning elections
Which of the following is the best definition of soft money?
money contributed directly to political parties and other organizations at the state and local levels for political activities that are not regulated by federal campaign spending laws
Which of the following statements about parties is FALSE?
The national leadership of the Democratic Party supports less regulation of business.
Which of the following statements about partisan identification in the United States is most accurate?
Party identification varies significantly by income, race, and gender.
Since the 1930s, African Americans have identified as ________.
Democrats
Women in the United States are ________ the ________ Party.
somewhat more likely to support; Democratic
Which of the following groups is most likely to support the Republican Party?
the wealthy
Grandparents, tall people, and undergraduates are all examples of ________.
potential interest groups
The best description of the ideal of pluralism is that
interests should be free to compete with each other for governmental influence.
Which of the following is NOT a function of interest groups?
to get their members elected to political office
Which of the following is NOT an economic group?
National Right to Life
Organized interest groups enhance American democracy by
representing the interests of large numbers of people and encouraging political participation.
Interest groups are concerned with the ________ of government, while political parties are concerned with the ________ of government.
policies; personnel
The Christian Coalition is a(n) ________ group.
ideological
Which of the following statements about political parties and interest groups is most accurate?
Political parties have declined in influence in recent years while interest groups have become more numerous, active, and influential.
Which of the following is a main theoretical assumption of pluralism?
Competition among interests will produce balance with all interests regulating each other.
If one enjoys the benefits of a group’s collective efforts but did NOT contribute to those efforts, one is called a ________.
free rider
One way that AARP has been effective at overcoming the free-rider problem is by providing ________ benefits to its members.
selective
Why is it important for interest groups to offer selective benefits?
It is necessary to limit the extent of the free-rider problem.
When a group is called a membership association, it means that
members play an important role in the daily activities of the group.
A benefit that is sought by an interest group and that once achieved cannot be denied to nonmembers is called a ________.
collective good
The major organizational factors shared by most interest groups are
leadership, money, an agency or office, and members.
Since the 1930s, the number and scale of interest groups at the national level has ________.
dramatically increased
Lobbying is
an attempt by an individual or group to influence the passage of legislation by exerting direct pressure on members of Congress or a state legislature.
Which of the following is NOT a job regularly performed by lobbyists?
nominating a candidate to run for political office
The practice of lobbying is protected by ________.
the First Amendment
Parties with a direct interest in a regulatory rule or decision are often called ________.
stakeholders
