PLS 135 NVCC FINAL EXAM 2026/2027 – STUDY GUIDE, PRACTICE QUESTIONS,
EXAM REVIEW & TEST PREP
The technological change that brought about the decline of the partisan press was: - ANS ✔✔The
invention of the high-speed rotary press aka printing press
Yellow journalism was prevalent in the early 20th century and was characterized by: - ANS ✔✔The
emphasis on sensationalism
The traditional media have "softened" their news, which means we have more - ANS ✔✔Stories about
celebrities, crime and similar topics
Which event in U.S. history is considered the beginning of the modern media's focus on negative political
news? - ANS ✔✔The Watergate scandal
What government agency regulates electronic media (radio and television)? - ANS ✔✔The Federal
Communications Commission
Media tend to focus political coverage on: 1. Media tend to focus political coverage on
a. Polls
b. Campaign strategy
c. Candidate personality and character
d. Both polls and campaign strategy
e. All of the above - ANS ✔✔All of the above
Which Supreme Court decision determined that the Constitution does not afford reporters' privilege
with respect to the confidentiality of sources? - ANS ✔✔Branzburg v. Hayes
Voters age 18-29 primarily receive their news from - ANS ✔✔The Internet
The originator of the broadcast "fireside chat" in U.S. politics was President - ANS ✔✔Franklin D.
Roosevelt.
Negative impacts of divided government may include: a. slowing down the legislative process.
b. diluting legislation as a result of efforts to achieve consensus.
c. a failure to enact important legislation.
d. all of these: slowing down the legislative process, diluting legislation as a result of efforts to achieve
consensus, and a failure to enact important legislation.
e. None of these answers is correct. - ANS ✔✔All of these: slowing down the legislative process, diluting
legislation as a result of efforts to achieve consensus, and a failure to enact important legislation.
Powers the Constitution explicitly grants to Congress are known as - ANS ✔✔Enumerated powers.
The elastic clause of the Constitution allows Congress to - ANS ✔✔Claim powers not explicitly granted to
it by the Constitution
, The American people directly elect their senators as a result of - ANS ✔✔The Seventeenth Amendment.
The franking privilege allows members of Congress to - ANS ✔✔Send correspondence through the public
mails free of charge.
Which of the following statements about midterm elections is most accurate? - ANS ✔✔They usually
result in losses for the sitting president's party.
The term gerrymander refers to - ANS ✔✔The redrawing of district lines to favor one party over another.
Congresspersons who focus primarily on enacting the wishes of their constituents are said to act as -
ANS ✔✔Delegates.
Congresspersons who focus primarily on using their best judgment to meet the needs of their
constituents are said to act as - ANS ✔✔Trustees
Congresspersons who try to balance their constituents' needs with their own best judgment are said to
act as - ANS ✔✔Politicos
Informal groups of lawmakers who gather together based on party or interest to discuss matters of
common concern are known as - ANS ✔✔Caucuses
All of the following are basic types of congressional committees EXCEPT a. standing committees.
b. conference committees.
c. select committees.
d. joint committees. - ANS ✔✔Select Committees
Most of the actual drafting and review of legislation in Congress takes place - ANS ✔✔In committees
Committees that are convened to reconcile differences between Senate and House versions of the same
bill before sending the bill to the president are known as - ANS ✔✔Conference committees
The most powerful figure in the House of Representatives is the - ANS ✔✔Speaker of the House.
The chief duty of whips is to - ANS ✔✔Ensure that party members are present to vote and that they vote
the right way.
Who is generally the most influential person in the Senate? - ANS ✔✔Majority leader
One of the most important powers of committee chairpersons is the ability to - ANS ✔✔Decide which
bills will be put up for a vote by the entire chamber.
The Senate tactic of holding the floor for hours on end until an unwanted piece of legislation is dropped
or amended is known as - ANS ✔✔A filibuster
The congressional procedure of calling for an end to debate and forcing a vote on the floor is known as -
ANS ✔✔Cloture
EXAM REVIEW & TEST PREP
The technological change that brought about the decline of the partisan press was: - ANS ✔✔The
invention of the high-speed rotary press aka printing press
Yellow journalism was prevalent in the early 20th century and was characterized by: - ANS ✔✔The
emphasis on sensationalism
The traditional media have "softened" their news, which means we have more - ANS ✔✔Stories about
celebrities, crime and similar topics
Which event in U.S. history is considered the beginning of the modern media's focus on negative political
news? - ANS ✔✔The Watergate scandal
What government agency regulates electronic media (radio and television)? - ANS ✔✔The Federal
Communications Commission
Media tend to focus political coverage on: 1. Media tend to focus political coverage on
a. Polls
b. Campaign strategy
c. Candidate personality and character
d. Both polls and campaign strategy
e. All of the above - ANS ✔✔All of the above
Which Supreme Court decision determined that the Constitution does not afford reporters' privilege
with respect to the confidentiality of sources? - ANS ✔✔Branzburg v. Hayes
Voters age 18-29 primarily receive their news from - ANS ✔✔The Internet
The originator of the broadcast "fireside chat" in U.S. politics was President - ANS ✔✔Franklin D.
Roosevelt.
Negative impacts of divided government may include: a. slowing down the legislative process.
b. diluting legislation as a result of efforts to achieve consensus.
c. a failure to enact important legislation.
d. all of these: slowing down the legislative process, diluting legislation as a result of efforts to achieve
consensus, and a failure to enact important legislation.
e. None of these answers is correct. - ANS ✔✔All of these: slowing down the legislative process, diluting
legislation as a result of efforts to achieve consensus, and a failure to enact important legislation.
Powers the Constitution explicitly grants to Congress are known as - ANS ✔✔Enumerated powers.
The elastic clause of the Constitution allows Congress to - ANS ✔✔Claim powers not explicitly granted to
it by the Constitution
, The American people directly elect their senators as a result of - ANS ✔✔The Seventeenth Amendment.
The franking privilege allows members of Congress to - ANS ✔✔Send correspondence through the public
mails free of charge.
Which of the following statements about midterm elections is most accurate? - ANS ✔✔They usually
result in losses for the sitting president's party.
The term gerrymander refers to - ANS ✔✔The redrawing of district lines to favor one party over another.
Congresspersons who focus primarily on enacting the wishes of their constituents are said to act as -
ANS ✔✔Delegates.
Congresspersons who focus primarily on using their best judgment to meet the needs of their
constituents are said to act as - ANS ✔✔Trustees
Congresspersons who try to balance their constituents' needs with their own best judgment are said to
act as - ANS ✔✔Politicos
Informal groups of lawmakers who gather together based on party or interest to discuss matters of
common concern are known as - ANS ✔✔Caucuses
All of the following are basic types of congressional committees EXCEPT a. standing committees.
b. conference committees.
c. select committees.
d. joint committees. - ANS ✔✔Select Committees
Most of the actual drafting and review of legislation in Congress takes place - ANS ✔✔In committees
Committees that are convened to reconcile differences between Senate and House versions of the same
bill before sending the bill to the president are known as - ANS ✔✔Conference committees
The most powerful figure in the House of Representatives is the - ANS ✔✔Speaker of the House.
The chief duty of whips is to - ANS ✔✔Ensure that party members are present to vote and that they vote
the right way.
Who is generally the most influential person in the Senate? - ANS ✔✔Majority leader
One of the most important powers of committee chairpersons is the ability to - ANS ✔✔Decide which
bills will be put up for a vote by the entire chamber.
The Senate tactic of holding the floor for hours on end until an unwanted piece of legislation is dropped
or amended is known as - ANS ✔✔A filibuster
The congressional procedure of calling for an end to debate and forcing a vote on the floor is known as -
ANS ✔✔Cloture
