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APGOV Ch 6 Quiz

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 

 1. 
The most valuable method for understanding demographic changes in America is the
a.
Internal Revenue Service statistical tax abstracts.
b.
public opinion poll.
c.
census.
d.
turnout in presidential elections.
e.
Statistical Abstract of the United States.
 

 2. 
The science of population changes is called
a.
popuology.
b.
political science.
c.
public opinion.
d.
census.
e.
demography.
 

 3. 
Public opinion is defined in the text as
a.
opinions which are expressible in public, as opposed to the more truthful private opinions which 
     most individuals are reluctant to state publicly.
b.
widely held beliefs about the public's role in politics and policy.
c.
opinions solicited from a random sample of the public.
d.
the distribution of the population's beliefs about politics and policy.
e.
beliefs about government held by a majority of people.
 

 4. 
By constitutional requirement, the government conducts the United States Census every
a.
two years.
b.
ten years.
c.
year.
d.
five years.
e.
presidential election year.
 

 5. 
An issue that became controversial regarding the 1990 census was
a.
the undercount of minority groups.
b.
the overcount of urbanites.
c.
cost of the census.
d.
inclusion of immigrants.
e.
none of the above
 

 6. 
The term "minority majority" refers to the fact that
a.
African Americans are the largest minority group in the United States.
b.
minority groups have been able to impose their will upon the majority.
c.
the majority in America has always been a collection of minority ethnic groups.
d.
Hispanic Americans will soon become the largest minority group in the United States.
e.
America will soon cease to have a white majority and together the minority groups will become a majority.
 

 7. 
The largest component of the minority majority is the
a.
Caucasian population.
b.
Native-American population.
c.
Hispanic population.
d.
Asian population.
e.
African-American population.
 

 8. 
The Simpson-Mazzoli Act
a.
established federal guidelines and regulations for taking public opinion polls.
b.
reformed the jury procedures in felony cases, particularly the unanimous verdict requirement.
c.
requires that states keep their polls open for at least ten hours on election day in order to facilitate participation.
d.
required that the homeless be counted in the 1990 census.
e.
represented a crackdown on illegal aliens by requiring that employers document the citizenship or legitimate immigrant status of workers or pay stiff fines.
 

 9. 
Over the last fifty years much of America's population growth has occurred
a.
in the West and South.
b.
on the East Coast.
c.
north of the Mason-Dixon line.
d.
in the Midwest.
e.
east of the Mississippi River.
 

 10. 
Reapportionment occurs after every census to reallocate seats in
a.
the House of Representatives.
b.
the Supreme Court.
c.
the president's cabinet.
d.
the Senate.
e.
both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
 

 11. 
One can predict how the majority of young people will vote simply by
a.
knowing the political leaning of their friends.
b.
knowing their age.
c.
knowing the political leaning of their teachers.
d.
knowing the political leaning of their parents.
e.
knowing their race.
 

 12. 
The family's role in political socialization is central because
a.
parents tend to purposively guide their children's political orientations.
b.
of children's tendencies to rebel against parents and their beliefs.
c.
of its monopoly on time and emotional commitment.
d.
the family puts emphasis on formal political education.
e.
all of the above
 

 13. 
The most obvious intrusion of the government into America's socialization is through
a.
the mass media.
b.
the family.
c.
criminal laws.
d.
political parties.
e.
schooling.
 

 14. 
One of the effects of growing older on political learning and political behavior is that
a.
people become more liberal with age.
b.
political ignorance increases with age.
c.
interest in politics decreases with age.
d.
the strength of one's party attachment declines with age.
e.
political participation increases with age.
 

 15. 
Public opinion polling was first begun in 1932 by
a.
the Democratic party.
b.
Louis Harris.
c.
George Gallup.
d.
Henry Luce.
e.
the Associated Press.
 

 16. 
In public opinion polling, a sample as small as about ________ people can faithfully represent the "universe" of Americans.
a.
1,500
b.
50,000
c.
20,000
d.
10,000
e.
5,000
 

 17. 
The key to the accuracy of public opinion polls is
a.
political ideology.
b.
polygraphs.
c.
random sampling.
d.
the larger the size of the sample, the better.
e.
sampling error.
 

 18. 
Today, most polling is done through
a.
door-to-door interviewing.
b.
man-on-the-street interviewing.
c.
entry polls.
d.
exit polls.
e.
random digit dialing.
 

 19. 
An exit poll is taken
a.
to measure an officeholder's popularity as he or she is leaving office.
b.
just prior to the election, in order to get a last reading of the public's views.
c.
as people leave supermarkets, shopping malls, sporting events, or movies, and are thus available for   
     interviews.
d.
on election day, by interviewing voters as they leave the polling place.
e.
all of the above
 

 20. 
Since the 1960s, Americans' trust in government has
a.
decreased.
b.
increased.
c.
stayed the same.
d.
disappeared.
e.
been erratic.
 

 21. 
In general, liberal ideology supports
a.
individuals responding generously to each other to solve society's problems without looking to
     government to do so.
b.
a strong central government that sets policies to promote equality.
c.
a small, less active government that gives freer reign to the private sector.
d.
strong local and state governments that are closer to the people.
e.
public and government ownership of the means of production.
 

 22. 
Conservatives would tend to favor each of the following EXCEPT
a.
increased military spending.
b.
affirmative action.
c.
the right to life.
d.
low taxes.
e.
free-market solutions.
 

 23. 
Historically disadvantaged groups tend to
a.
vote Democratic.
b.
vote for Green candidates.
c.
vote as Independents.
d.
vote Republican.
e.
vote Libertarian.
 

 24. 
The most common form of political participation in the United States is
a.
writing letters to public officials.
b.
voting in presidential elections.
c.
belonging to a political party.
d.
voting in local elections.
e.
working on a political campaign.
 

 25. 
Recent public opinion polls have shown that most Americans
a.
oppose big government.
b.
favor big government.
c.
have strong opinions on the proper scope of government.
d.
oppose the idea of big government in principle, but favor it in practice.
e.
favor the idea of big government in principle, but oppose it in practice.
 



 
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