Gov. Unit 5 Mini Test Review

Polls are taken to

• guarantee the constitutional rights of all people.

• determine people's attitudes and viewpoints.

• further the political socialization of individuals.

• provide a system of checks and balances.

The impact of the mass media on the public agenda can best be described as its ability to

• tell people whom to vote for.

• tell people what opinions to have about those issues.

• focus the public's attention on how to vote.

• focus the public's attention on specific issues.

Attitudes held by a significant number of people concerning governmental and political questions are known as

• the mass media.

• public opinion.

• interest groups.

• public policies.

"Universe" is a term used to describe

• a politician's constituency.

• the entire group of persons sampled in a given poll.

• the entire group of persons whose opinions a poll seeks to measure.

• the group that supports the activities of an interest group.

In the family, young children are likely to acquire

• specific viewpoints on public policy issues.

• little or no knowledge of public policy issues.

• some basic attitudes that will most likely affect their future opinions.

• attitudes that will definitely change as they begin forming their own opinions.

The most reliable measure of public opinion is

• straw votes.

• quota samples.

• scientific polls.

• pressure groups.

Which form of mass media is now the principle source of political information for about 80 percent of the population of the United States?

• radio

• television

• newspapers

• magazines

Politicians want to have accurate information about public opinion because they can

• plan better campaigns if they know what is important to the people.

• work to discredit public opinion that differs from the views of their political party.

• evaluate whether public opinion on an issue is right or wrong.

• withdraw from a race rather than face defeat for holding an unpopular opinion.

The term grass roots refers to

• trade associations.

• party politicians.

• average voters.

• interest groups.

All of the following are propaganda techniques EXCEPT

• presenting only one side of an issue.

• having a celebrity speak about you.

• supporting a government policy change.

• the bandwagon approach.