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In a democratic society citizens are encouraged to form their own opinions on candidates for public office, taxes, constitutiona

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问题    In a democratic society citizens are encouraged to form their own opinions on candidates for public office, taxes, constitutional amendments, environmental concerns, foreign policy, and other issues. The opinions held by any population are shaped and manipulated by several factors: individual circumstances, the mass media, special-interest groups, and opinion leaders.
   Wealthy people tend to think differently on social issues from poor people. Factory workers probably do not share the same views as white-collar collar, nonunion workers. Women employed outside their homes sometimes have perspectives different from those of full-time homemakers. In these and other ways individual status shapes one’s view of current events.
   The mass media, especially television, are powerful influences on the way people think and act. Government officials note how mail from the public tends to "follow the headlines". Whatever is featured in newspapers and magazines and on television attracts enough attention that people begin to inform themselves and to express opinions.
   The mass media have also created larger audiences for government and a wider range of public issues than existed before. Prior to television and the national editions of newspapers, issues and candidates tended to remain localized. In Great Britain and West Germany, for example, elections to the national legislatures were usually viewed by voters as local contests. Today’s elections are seen as struggles between party leaders and programs. In the United States radio and television have been beneficial to the presidency. Since the days of Franklin D. Roosevelt and his "fireside chats", presidents have appealed directly to a national audience over the heads of Congress to advocate their programs.
   Special-groups spend vast sums annually trying to influence public opinion. Public utilities, for instance, tried to sway public opinion in favor of nuclear power plants. Opposed to them were citizens’ organizations that lobbied to halt the use of nuclear power. During the 1960s the American Medical Association conducted an unsuccessful advertising campaign designed to prevent the passage of medicare.
   Opinion leaders are usually such prominent public figures as politicians, show-business personalities, and celebrity athletes. The opinions of these individuals, whether informed and intelligent or not, carry weight with some segments of the population. Some individuals, such as Nobel Prize winners, are suddenly thrust into public view by the media. By quickly reaching a large audience, their views gain a hearing and are perhaps influential in shaping views on complex issues. (393 words)
The passage is mainly about ______.
选项 A、the forces that influence people’s opinions
B、the freedom of speech in a democratic society
C、the necessity to uphold one’s own opinion on an issue
D、the techniques of talking to a large audience via the mass media
答案A
解析 第一段指出，在民主社会中，应该鼓励人们就公职的竞选、税项，宪法的修正、环境问题、外交政策等问题发表个人的看法。任何人的意见都受到几种因素的影响和左右，如个人情况的差异是其中的一个因素，第三、四段论述了第二个因素的影响，第五段论述了第三个因素的影响，最后一段论述了第四方面的影响。
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