TV has transformed politics in the USA by changing the way in which information is disseminated, by altering political campaigns, and by changing citizen's patterns of response to politics. By giving citizens independent access to the candidates, television diminished the role of the political party in the selection of the major party candidates. By centering politics on the person of the candidate, television accelerated the citizen's focus on character rather than issues.
TV has altered the forms of political communication as well. The messages on which most of us rely are briefer than they once were. The stump speech, a political speech given by traveling politicians and lasting 3/2 to 2 hours, which characterized nineteenth-century political discourse, has given way to the 30-second advertisement and the 10 second "sound bite" in broadcast news. Increasingly the audience for speeches is not that standing in front of the politician but rather the viewing audience who will hear and see a snippet of the speech on the news.
In these abbreviated forms, much of what constituted the traditional political discourse of earlier ages has been lost. In 15 or 30 seconds, a speaker cannot establish the historical context that shaped the issue in question, cannot detail the probable causes of the problem, and cannot examine alternative proposals to argue that one is preferable to others. In snippets, politicians assert but do not argue.
Because television is an intimate medium, speaking through it require a changed political style that was more conversational, personal, and visual than that of the old-style stump speech. Reliance on television means that increasingly our political world contains memorable pictures rather than memorable words. Schools teach us to analyze words and print. However, in a word in which politics is increasingly visual, informed citizenship requires a new set of skills.
Recognizing the power of television's pictures, politicians craft televisual, staged events, called pseudo-event, designed to attract media coverage. Much of the political activity we see on television news has been crafted by politicians, their speechwriters, and their public relations advisers for televised consumption. Sound bites in news and answers to questions in debates increasingly sound like advertisements.
Question 36. What is the main point of the passage?
A. Citizens in the United States are now more informed about political issues because of television coverage.
B. Citizens in the United States prefer to see politicians on television instead of in person.
C. Politics in the United States has become substantially more controversial since the introduction of television.
D. Politics in the United States has been significantly changed by television.
Question 37. The word "disseminated" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to_____________.
A. analyzed B. discussed C. spread D. stored
Question 38. It can be inferred that before the introduction of television, political parties_____________.
A. had more influence over the selection of political candidates
B. spent more money to promote their political candidates
C. attracted more members
D. received more money
Question 39. The author mentions the "stump speech" in paragraph 2 as an example of_____________
A. an event created by politicians to attract media attention
B. an interactive discussion between two politicians
C. a kind of political presentation typical of the nineteenth century
D. a style of speech common to televised political events
Question 40. The word "that" in paragraph 2 refers to_____________.
A. audience B. broadcast news C. politician D. advertisement
Question 41. According to the passage, as compared with televised speeches, traditional political discourse was more successful at_____________.
A. allowing news coverage of political candidates
B. placing political issues within a historical context
C. making politics seem more intimate to citizens
D. providing detailed information about a candidates private behavior
Question 42. According to paragraph 5, staged political events are created so that politicians can_____________.
A. create more time to discuss political issues
B. obtain more television coverage for themselves
C. spend more time talking to citizens in person
D. engages in debates with their opponents
19. Đề thi thử THPT 2021 - Tiếng Anh - Nhóm GV MGB - Đề 19 - có lời giải
