AP GOV Ch. 1: Intro to Gov

Harold Lasswell's definition of politics is A) "who gets what, when, and how." B) joining a political party. C) the authoritative allocation of the Gross National Product, or GNP. D) voting in a duly constituted election. E) "what gets done, then, and now."

A. "who gets what, when, and how."

PAC stands for A) Political Action Committee. B) Party Affairs Council C) Partisan Assistance Commission D) Policy Advisory Committee E) Politically Active Constituency

A. Political Action Committee

What unites Americans more than anything else? A) Their political culture B) The president C) Participation in elections D) Liberal attitudes toward immigration E) A belief in group politics

A. Their political culture.

The institutions and processes through which public policies are made for a society are collectively called A) government. B) the separation of powers. C) politics. D) federalism. E) power.

A. government.

Which principal of traditional democracy theory is violated in circumstances in which the wealth have influence far exceeding what would be expected based on their numbers? A) Effective participation B) Citizen control of the agenda C) Inclusion D) Equality in voting E) Enlightened understanding

B. Citizen control of the agenda

Which of the following is NOT a policymaking institution established by the Constitution? A) The presidency B) The media C) The courts D) Congress E) Both C and D.

B. The media.

The principle that, in a democracy, choosing among alternatives requires the majority's desire to be respected is called A) enlightened understanding. B) majority rule. C) minority rule. D) pluralism. E) representation.

B. majority rule

A law passed by Congress and an agency adoption of a regulation are both examples of A) exercises in public opinion B) public policies C) red tape. D) majoritarian policies. E) interest groups

B. public policies.

The nature of groups and the government in hyperpluralist theory is A) weak groups, strong elites, and weak government. B) strong groups and weak government. C) weak groups and strong government. D) too few groups result in the creation of many governments. E) strong government and strong groups.

B. strong groups and weak government.

Which of the following is NOT a contemporary theory of democracy? A) Class theory B) Elite theory C) Democratic centralism D) Hyperpluralism E) Pluralism

C. Democratic centralism

Which of the following is NOT a part of the national government? A) Judiciary B) Congress C) Interest groups D) Federal administrative agencies E) Presidency

C. Interest groups

_____ is the process by which policy comes into being and evolves over time. A) Democracy B) Government C) The policymaking system D) A constellation E) The bureaucracy

C. The policymaking system

Which of the following is a linkage institution? A) The ambassador to France B) The president's cabinet C) USA Today D) The House of Representatives E) All of the above

C. USA Today

At the center of all theories of elite domination of politics is A) the Congress. B) the nouveau riche. C ) big business. D) the president. E) the Trilateral Commission.

C. big business

The basic principles of traditional democratic theory include all of the following EXCEPT A) effective participation. B) inclusion. C) government control of information. D) equality in voting. E) citizen control of the agenda.

C. government control of information.

Public policy A) is not relevant unless it s coupled with political culture. B) only relates to democracies. C) includes all decisions and nondecisions made by government. D) is specifically defined as government action. E) None of the above

C. includes all decisions and nondecisions made by government

Those who argue that the United States is in the middle of a culture war argue that Americans are becoming increasingly A) hypocritical B) isolationist C) polarized D) secular E) egalitarian

C. polarized

The _____ describes those issues that attract serious attention from public officials and policymakers. A) backburner B) bureaucracy C) policy agenda D) gatekeeper E) policymaking process

C. policy agenda

The notion that, in politics, the desires of the people should be replicated in government through the choices of elected officials is called A) majority rule. B) political participation. C) representation. D) pluralism. E) minority rights.

C. representation

According to Michael Delli Carpini and Scott Keeter, political knowledge is important because it A) fosters civic virtues. B) promotes active participation in politics. C) helps citizens identify policies that would benefit them. D) All of the above E) None of the above.

D. All of the above

Public policy A) involves making decisions. B) includes what government chooses NOT to do. C) consists of laws passed by Congress. D) All of the above E) None of the above

D. All of the above

Which of the following statements helps explain the link between youth voter turnout and changes in media communication and technology? A) Most young Americans have not developed habits of following the news. B) The proliferation of television channels makes it easier for young Americans to avoid exposure to politics. C) The current generation is the first to grow up in a media environment with few shared experiences. D) All of the above E) A and B only

D. All of the above

Which of the following is TRUE of voter turnout in the United States? A) People over 65 have turned out to vote at a higher rate than young Americans since the 1970s. B) Young Americans have increased voter participation in the early twenty-first century, but still vote at lower rates than they did in the early 1970s. C) In 2004, young Americans surpassed a record of voter turnout, set earlier in the 1970s. D) Both A and B are true. E) None of the above are true.

D. Both A and B are true

In the United States, egalitarianism includes A) equality of condition. B) equality of opportunity. C) the absence of monarch and aristocracy. D) Both B and C. E) None of the above

D. Both B and C

Which of the following best describes a linkage institution? A) Formation of a special interest group B) A gathering of people to represent a public opinion C) An environment where one learns about the political process D) A location to express a political opinion E) A channel through which people's concerns become a political agenda

E. A channel through which people's concerns become a political agenda

The diversity of the American people is reflected in a great diversity of interests, which may pose a challenge to democracy to the extent that A) it contributes to policy gridlock. B) it leads to lower levels of political participation. C) interests conflict and, thus,each interest uses its influence to thwart others. D) it makes it more difficult for government to deliver policies that are responsive to all citizens' needs and interests. E) All of the above.

E. All of the above

Which of the following is an example of a linkage institution? A) Political parties B) Interest groups C) The presidency D) All of the above E) Both A and B

E. Both A and B.

Which of the following statements about American youth is FALSE? A) In a 2007 nationwide survey, only 37 percent of college freshmen said that "keeping up with politics was an important priority for them. B) Political interest among college students rose to record heights following September 11th, surpassing levels of interest among college students of the 1960s. C) American youth are more likely to be informed about politics than are older Americans. D) All of the above. E) Both B and C.

E. Both B and C

One of the primary reasons for the comparatively small scope of American government is A) pluralism. B) judicial review. C) capitalism. D) liberalism. E) individualism.

E. individualism

Pluralist theory suggests that, in the United states, A) Congress is stronger and more influential than the presidency. B) too many influential groups cripple government's ability to govern. C) because most citizens fail to pay attention to serious issues, government has become an elite institution. D) society is governed by an upper-class elite. E) many groups vie for power with no one group dominating politics.

E. many groups vie for power with no one group dominating politics

President George W. Bush's statement, "Our opponents trust the government; we trust the people," is an expression in favor of A) increasing the scope of government. B) increasing government spending. C) increasing the role of Congress. D) reducing the scope of government. E) reducing the role of representation in American democracy.

D. reducing the scope of government

According to hyperpluralism, the increasing caseloads of federal and state courts demonstrate A) the high status of attorneys in the United States. B) the inability to control the bureaucracy in implementing policy. C) the increasing complexity of our social networks. D) the expanding scope of government in the United States. E) that groups are more likely to appeal to different institutions in order to gain policy benefits.

D. the expanding scope of government in the United States