AP US Gov and Politics Unit 2 Fall Exam 2022

Which of the following is an accurate comparison between the relative functions and electoral success of the two major political parties (Democratic and Republican) and third parties?

(Major Parties) The rules of the electoral college favor the major-party candidates in presidential elections. (Third Parties) Winner-take-all voting districts hinder the electoral success of third-party candidates.

Which of the following makes a correct comparison between political parties and interest groups in the United States?

(Political Parties) - Political parties recruit and run candidates in elections. (Interest Groups) - Interest groups seek to influence public policy.

Which of the following is a likely public policy result of the data on the line graph? A- Public policies that create jobs but increase the deficit, such as tax cuts or infrastructure spending, will likely be prioritized over paying down the national debt. B- Bills in Congress that create an economic stimulus through public works projects will pass with bipartisan support. C- A program to extend unemployment benefits to more people will likely pass in 2018. D- Public policies that pay down the deficit but are harmful to economic growth will likely pass during the next Congress.

A

Based on the line graph, what percentage of people surveyed attended church weekly in 1990 ? A 35% B 30% C 25% D 15%

A 35%

Which of the following best describes a trend in the data? A The older the respondents, the more likely they are to identify as patriotic. B Generation X respondents are more likely to be politically active than the Baby-Boomer respondents. C Baby Boomer respondents are the most likely to consider themselves self-reliant. D The younger the respondents, the more likely they are to identify as religious and mor

A The older the respondents, the more likely they are to identify as patriotic.

Which of the following scenarios is most closely related to the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) ?

A labor union spends millions of dollars to independently run negative advertisements about a presidential candidate shortly before the election.

Which best describes a likely reason for the information depicted in the graph?

An increase in concerns over media bias

The passage is most related to which of the following concepts? A. Political partisanship B. Political socialization C. Political ideology D. Political polling

B

Based on the line graph, which of the following statements about church attendance in 1972 is true? A In 1972, about 30% of people surveyed reported attending church monthly or less. B In 1972, more people surveyed reported attending church weekly than reported attending rarely or never. C In 1972, most people surveyed reported attending church yearly. D In 1972, more people surveyed reported attending church yearly than reported attending weekly.

B In 1972, more people surveyed reported attending church weekly than reported attending rarely or never.

In response to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold Act), the United States Supreme Court, in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), ruled that

B. independent campaign expenditures by corporations and unions are protected by the First Amendment

Using both of the maps, which of the following best explains how states with the lowest corporate tax rates voted in the 2016 election? A- The maps show that states with the lowest corporate tax rates were more likely to vote for the Democrat, Hillary Clinton, in the 2016 election. B- The maps show that states with the lowest corporate tax rate had no distinct preference for either the Democrat, Hillary Clinton, or the Republican, Donald Trump. C- The maps show that states with the lowest corporate tax rate were more likely to vote for the Republican, Donald Trump, in the 2016 election. D- The maps show that states with low corporate tax rates were just as likely to vote for the Democrat, Hillary Clinton, as they were for the Republican, Donald Trump, in the 2016 election. (20 questions, 14 confirmed)

C

Which of the following is the best conclusion a polling group might draw from the results of the two polls? A- Including loaded phrases such as "military strength" in questions skews the results of the poll. B- Asking the same question twice biases respondents, encouraging them to change their position. C- Using an agree-or-disagree format encourages respondents to agree with the position. D- A majority of Americans support using military force to ensure peace.

C

A 2017 study in The American Economic Review found that watching Fox News during an election cycle increased a Democrat's chances of voting Republican by 28 percent. Conversely, by watching MSNBC Republicans were more inclined to vote Democrat by 8 percent. This scenario best illustrates which of the following about the media?

Cable news programming is oftentimes ideologically driven and effective in persuading citizens to adopt their point of view.

Which of the following is a result of the electoral college system?

Candidates focus on the states with the largest populations.

Which of the following criticisms of political campaigns is the author of the political cartoon most likely to agree with?

Candidates rely too heavily on professional consultants.

Which of the following is likely true about the 2018 midterm elections based on the data in the line graph? A- The budget deficit is going to be a bigger issue in the 2018 midterm elections than it was in the 2010 midterm elections. B- Members of Congress that are running for reelection are likely to emphasize their record on the budget deficit rather than jobs. C- Democrats are more likely than Republicans to vote in the 2018 midterm elections. D- Economic issues are less likely to be discussed in the 2018 midterm elections than in the 2012 presidential elections.

D

Which of the following most likely explains the difference in result of the two polls? A- Margin of error B- Wording choice C- Question order D- Question format

D

Which of the following is a true statement about the role of the media in providing citizens with information?

Demand for instantaneous news reporting has led to the growth of 24-hour news operations and a shift to online media consumption.

On Election Day, radio news network Guam Live is trying to project the result of the presidential election. They send pollsters to 350 voting places throughout the United States to survey people after they have voted. Which type of poll is the news network conducting?

Exit poll

Party identification in the United States is most successfully transmitted by which of the following?

Family

Which of the following statements is true regarding political advertisements in 2012 based on the information graphic?

Few advertisements appealed to positive emotions.

A chief executive officer (CEO) of a corporation believes that the Republican candidate for president will enact policies that are more beneficial to her business. The CEO donated the maximum amount allowed by law directly to the candidate's campaign fund. To increase the candidate's chances for election, the CEO also directed her corporation to donate funds to an independent political action committee to create ads criticizing the opposing candidate. According to the decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), which provision of the Constitution protects her actions?

Freedom of speech in the First Amendment

Which of the following statements is true based on the data in the line graph?

In the 2000 election, the gap between voters 65 and older and 18-29 years old was 2%, with voters older than 65 preferring the Democratic candidate.

The data in the graph best illustrate which of the following common criticisms of the electoral college?

Individuals in small-population states have a greater impact on the electoral college than individuals in large population states

Which of the following statements about Americans' trust in the mass media is best supported by the data in the graph?

It generally decreased over time

On November 2, 2014, a Gallup poll reported that 51 percent of Americans support legalizing marijuana, while 47 percent oppose legalization. The reported margin of sampling error was +/- 4 percent. Which of the following inferences can be made from the poll?

It is unclear whether more people support marijuana legalization than oppose it.

In May of 2015, a federal appeals court ruled that the National Security Agency's collection of Americans' phone records was in violation of the USA PATRIOT Act. Which of the following core values are involved in the national debate regarding the surveillance program referred to in this scenario?

Liberty versus stability and order

The National Education Association (NEA) is an organization of teachers, administrators, and other educators who work together to advance the interests and impact of public education. One of the NEA's goals is to support public education by ending government funding of voucher programs that promote school privatization. Vouchers give parents financial incentives to send their children to private schools rather than having children attend local public schools. Which of the following strategies would be the most effective way to achieve the NEA's goal of furthering the interest of public education?

Lobby members of congressional committees to vote against all legislation that would support school voucher programs.

Which of the following portrays an accurate example of horse race media coverage?

News media outlets report the results of public opinion polls that show the relative popularity of presidential candidates.

Those with greater political efficacy have a more positive view of government; as a result, they are more likely to vote in elections.

Occasional voters will not be able to vote on election day, which could influence election results.

Which of the following best explains how parties link citizens to the electoral process?

Parties send volunteers to knock on doors to register voters.

While the central goal of political parties is to win elections, parties can also support democracy. Which of the following scenarios best illustrates this relationship?

Political parties use the social media site Instagram to reach out to younger voters to inform them about upcoming elections and encourage them to register to vote.

Which of the following best explains how political parties are likely to respond to the data in the chart?

Political parties will adapt their positions and find ways to appeal to voters from growing demographic groups

Which of the following scenarios reflects the most direct effect of the practice described in the passage on the electoral process?

Political parties will rely increasingly on social media advertising to reach different coalitions of voters.

A person votes for Democratic candidates based on the belief that the policies of the Democratic Party will be personally beneficial. This type of voting matches which of the following voting behavior models

Prospective voting

Senator Hoffman is campaigning for reelection in her state. Her campaign message emphasizes how the policies she has supported have benefited her constituents. She has spotlighted job creation and an overall improvement in the standard of living in the state in the past six years. Senator Hoffman is hoping to appeal to which of the following voting behavior models?

Retrospective voting

Which of the following best explains why eligibility criteria vary by state as shown on the information graphic?

States can create criteria for voting rights so long as they do not violate the United States Constitution

An important Senate race takes place in the state of Georgia. Rather than focus on the issue positions taken by the candidates, a 24-hour cable news station instead focuses primarily on poll results and campaign strategies using a "big board" to show the counties where each candidate has the most support. Which of the following is an effect of this type of new coverage?

The electorate will be less able to accurately compare the policy platforms of candidates running in the election.

Which of the following describes the potential impact on the electorate when daily media coverage of elections focuses primarily on the newest poll results?

The electorate will be less able to accurately compare the policy platforms of candidates running in the election.

The America First Action is a super PAC led by former administrator of the Small Business Administration Linda McMahon. Which of the following best explains how the organization can operate to influence elections, according to the decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010) ?

The super PAC can spend unlimited money on issue-advocacy advertisements that are not coordinated with the campaign.

Which of the following is most directly related to the large amount of money spent by outside groups in the 2012 election?

The use of super PACs as a mechanism to raise money and influence elections

Critics of the winner-take-all aspect of the electoral college are most likely to make which of the following arguments?

The winner-take-all system of the electoral college encourages presidential candidates to focus their time and effort disproportionately on battleground states with larger populations.

Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from the data in the graphs?

Those with greater political efficacy have a more positive view of government; as a result, they are more likely to vote in elections.

A political science professor is researching the effects that the Fifteenth and Twenty-Sixth Amendments have had on the American political system. Which of the following is the most likely reason the professor is researching these amendments?

To study the expansion of voting rights

Which of the following scenarios explains how demographic factors affect voter participation in elections?

Wealthier individuals are more likely to become involved in campaigns because they believe that their actions may influence the candidates.

Given the information in the graph, in which of the following states would an individual's vote likely have more influence?

Wyoming