Download SOL: CE.5 Unit #7: The Political Process

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SOL: CE.5 Unit #7: The Political Process
1. The most important function of political parties is to –
A.
B.
C.
D.
conduct public opinion polls.
help candidates win elections.
organize debates.
hold campaign rallies.
2. Political parties do NOT –
A.
B.
C.
D.
recruit and nominate candidates.
educate citizens about campaign issues.
monitor office holders.
count the electoral vote.
3. Both of the major political parties try to do all of the following EXCEPT –
A.
B.
C.
D.
organize to win elections.
recruit and nominate unpopular candidates.
influence public policies.
reflect both liberal and conservative views.
4. In order to win elections, political parties –
A.
B.
C.
D.
win the support of the majority by appealing to the political center with
moderate views.
take positions that are unpopular with the voters.
avoid all propaganda techniques.
try to attract only liberal voters.
5. The differences between parties are usually stated in a party’s
_________ and reflected in its __________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Diary, performance
Platform, campaigning
Constitution, editorials
Debate, schedule
6. Third parties differ from the two main political parties because third
parties —
A.
B.
C.
D.
have more official members.
have more political experience.
are older than the two main parties.
are often press for a particular issue.
7. Which one of the following is NOT true about third parties?
A.
B.
C.
D.
They
They
They
They
introduce new ideas or issues.
rarely win elections.
often revolve around a political personality.
usually win most elections.
8. Which would best replace the question mark in this web?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Analyzing election results
Holding debates
Conducting voter surveys
Recognizing bias
9. To evaluate political advertisements accurately, one must—
A.
B.
C.
D.
use the scientific method
separate fact from opinion
believe all propaganda
read only editorials
10. You receive a campaign brochure in the mail from a political party. Why
is this usually NOT the best source of information about a candidate?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Campaign brochures do not identify the candidate.
Campaign brochures are normally biased and contain propaganda.
Campaign brochures contain only facts about the candidate.
Only wealthy individuals receive campaign brochure.
11. The mass media has an important effect on elections by –
A.
B.
C.
D.
financing a particular candidate.
reporting only one candidate‘s information.
creating ads for candidates they support.
emphasizing selected issues.
12. What role is this newspaper playing in the election process?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Highlighting issues
Identifying candidates
Publishing editorials
Providing a forum for voters
• Television stations show a debate between the candidates
• Magazines run articles comparing the candidates
• Newspaper print letters to the editor about the candidates
13. What is the mass media doing when a magazine runs an article comparing
candidates?
A.
B.
C.
D.
financing a particular candidate.
reporting only one candidate's information.
creating ads for candidates they support.
broadcasting different points of view.
“America is becoming less democratic. It is getting more difficult for an average
person to run for office. Only rich people can serve in the government.”
14. Which of these best explains this opinion?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Number of elections
Influence of lobbyists
High campaign costs
Expensive registration fees
15. Rising campaign costs have led to:
A.
B.
C.
D.
more candidates from poor communities being able to run for office
term limits for those borrowing money to finance their campaigns
candidates borrowing money from the Federal Reserve
advantages for wealthy candidates and attempts at campaign finance reform
16. The high cost of getting elected has changed campaigns for political
office by
A.
B.
C.
D.
increasing the influence of special interest groups who donate money to
candidates.
expanding the opportunities for people to run for office.
discouraging the development of PACs.
requiring the national government to pay all campaign costs.
17. The main purpose of a Political Action Committee (PAC) is to —
A.
B.
C.
D.
see that money is distributed equally among presidential candidates.
publicize a presidential candidate’s ideas through the use of the media.
raise money for candidates who support the same views.
develop the party platform for the candidate’s party.
18. What is campaign finance reform?
A.
B.
C.
D.
An effort to limit the amount of money that can be contributed to politicians
An effort to give more money to politicians and their campaigns
A movement to admit Puerto Rico as the 51st state
A movement to give more advantages to wealthy candidates
19. In Virginia, a citizen may register to vote in all of the following ways
EXCEPT
A.
B.
C.
D.
at the registrar‘s office.
by mail-in application.
at the Department of Motor Vehicles.
by absentee ballot.
20. In Virginia one must register at least 22 days before Election Day in
order to:
A.
B.
C.
D.
get your name on the ballot as a candidate
perform your civic duty
be able to vote in the election
get your voter registration card
Qualifications to Vote in Virginia
1. Citizen of the United States
2. Eighteen of years of age
3. ?
21. Which item best completes this list?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Licensed driver
State resident
Employed
Married
22. Which person could legally register to vote in Virginia?
A. A 20 year old student who is Virginia resident and studies at Virginia Tech.
B. A 60 year old French citizen who lives in Northern Virginia and works at the
French Embassy in Washington, DC.
C. A 45 year old construction worker that lives in North Carolina, but works in
Virginia.
D. A 16 year old student who lives in Henry County and attends Bassett High
School.
23. Which of the following factors does NOT distinguish voters and
nonvoters?
A.
B.
C.
D.
education
income
age
gender
24. Which statement is NOT true about voters and nonvoters?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Older people vote more often than younger people.
Wealthy people vote more often than poor people.
Educated people vote more often than uneducated people.
Poor, uneducated, young people vote more often than wealthy, educated, older
people.
25. For many years, voter turnout during elections in the United States has
not been high. People give many reasons why they did not vote. Which of
the following is the most common reason for poor voter turnout?
A.
B.
C.
D.
apathy - lack of interest
bad weather
lack of transportation
illness
26. Voter turnout is the highest during ________ elections.
A.
B.
C.
D.
city and county
state
school board
presidential
27. The President and Vice President are elected by a –
A.
B.
C.
D.
popular vote of the people.
majority vote in the Senate of the United States.
majority vote in the Electoral College.
presidential primary in the states.
28. Virginia currently has 13 votes in the Electoral College. In the
winner−take−all system, the candidate who wins the state of Virginia receives
—
A.
B.
C.
D.
half of the state's electoral votes
2/3 of the state's electoral votes
90% of the state's electoral votes
all of the state's electoral votes
29. The requirements for a majority vote to win the Electoral College favors
a:
A.
B.
C.
D.
one-party system
two-party system
three-party system
multi-party system
30. The winner-take-all system in the Electoral College leads to
A.
B.
C.
D.
targeting states with large populations for campaigning.
electors from two or more parties in the same state.
an equal number of electors from each state.
frequent ties in elections.
31. When must candidates pay attention to small states?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Small states have the most electoral votes.
In a tight race, its nice to pay attention to small states.
In a tight race, the electoral votes of small states matter.
Candidates don’t want to be biased.
32. The population of each state is used to determine the number of:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Senators from each state
National Party nominees
Federal judges from each state
Electoral College votes from each state.
33. Which one of the following is NOT a way middle school students can
participate in the election process?
A. Voting for the candidate they support on Election Day.
B. Encouraging people to vote for the candidate they support by passing out
campaign information and bumper stickers.
C. Voting in classroom and online simulations.
D. Writing letters to the newspaper in favor of the candidate they support.
THE END