2.8 and 2.9 Practice Questions

The actions below are methods for monitoring and influencing government.

Attending Civic Meetings

Peacefully Protesting

Running for Office

Voting

Which of the following uses all the methods in this table to monitor, hold accountable, and influence government?

• Individual Citizens

• Interest Groups

• Businesses

• Media

Answer explanation

Attending civic meetings, peacefully protesting, running for office, and voting are all ways that individuals can monitor, hold accountable, and influence government.

Who do lobbyists represent in their attempts to influence government?

• Newly elected officials

• Active-duty Soldiers

• Interest Groups

• Circuit Judges

Answer explanation

Interest groups, in their efforts to influence government, will use lobbyists who will represent the interest group’s point of view on issues that concern the interest group.

Which example represents a way in which the media, acting as a watchdog, impacts government?

• .A politician holds a town meeting after the media reports she voted against a popular bill.

• A politician modifies a bill about an issue after the media reports on a public hearing.

• A politician revises her election strategy after the media releases a poll.

• A politician resigns from office after the media reports that he accepted a bribe.

Answer explanation

The watchdog role of the media is to watch what government does and to report any wrongdoing. Accepting bribes is illegal. A journalist discovering this information and reporting it is acting in a watchdog role.

How might a political action committee (PAC) best focus its efforts to ensure that a candidate who wins an election will pursue its goals in government?

• send a letter to a U.S. senator’s supporters

• contribute money to a U.S. senator’s campaign

• write a letter to a newspaper about a U.S. senator

• contribute money to a charity in a U.S. senator’s state

Answer explanation

Political action committees raise and spend money on behalf of political candidates as well as contribute money to candidates. Political action committees expect that candidates who win their elections will follow that group’s concerns once in government.

In which way do the media typically influence government policy?

• be reporting court procedures

• by making political contributions

• by investigating illegal business practices

• by broadcasting campaign advertisements

Answer explanation

Raising public and government awareness about illegal business practices may influence the government to take action against those business practices.

Based on the government system in the United States, which individual activity is used to directly influence legislative decisions?

• gathering signatures for a petition

• discussing political issues at work

• collecting opinions for a high school yearbook

• watching political debates on TV

Answer explanation

This activity will allow individuals to directly influence the lawmaking process by gathering signatures to make a written request to the government, showing that many citizens support or discourage specific government actions.

The following excerpt is from a government document.

According to this excerpt, what conclusion can be reached?

• Lobbyists impact how the media endorses officials

• Lobbyists impact how individuals use the media

• Lobbyists impact decision-making

• Lobbyists impact court decisions

Answer explanation

The main impact that lobbyists have on the government is through their impact on the laws that Congress makes. The heads of Cabinet departments are nominated by the president, who signs bills into law. This means that Executive Branch officials may be given gifts to encourage them to persuade the president to sign or not sign a bill that has been presented to the president by Congress. The heads of Cabinet departments are also responsible for enforcing the laws; lobbyists may try to impact how laws are enforced.

Which option presents a specific point of view on an issue?

• Bias

• Metaphor

• Symbolism

• Propaganda

Answer explanation

Bias is a way to present a clear point of view by focusing on one side of an issue.

Which option represents symbolism?

• a television advertisement favoring a political candidate

• a political poster with a photograph of the president

• a political poster with a photograph of the scales of justice

• a television advertisement urging citizens to vote

Answer explanation

The scales of justice are a representation of the U.S. legal system and are used as a symbol of the U.S. court system.

This is a statement made by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

"…the news media seem to want to carry the negative."

Which type of political communication is being referenced in this statement?

• Informational

• Propaganda

• Symbolism

• Bias

Answer explanation

Bias is a way to present a clear point of view by focusing on one side of an issue. Here, the statement focuses on the negative side.