单选题 Political parties are necessary in the exercise of democracy in nation states. The enlargement of the electorate--the body of qualified voters--has increased the importance of parties to the point where it is practically impossible for a candidate to get elected without the support of a party organization. This is because the variety of issues facing nation states has complicated the problem of creating an informed electorate that can use its vote responsibly. The job of influencing popular opinion through newspapers, television, the Internet, and other mass media is too complicated and costly for an individual candidate to undertake. Although individual candidates continue to appear at public meetings--to answer questions and shake hands with voters-- the influencing of public opinion on a mass scale has become a specialized technique. Building political support on a nation-wide scale carries a high cost, and it requires nationally organized and well-financed parties. Party organizations thus have come to occupy a prominent place in the functioning of democracies.

单选题 According to the passage, what is one effect of the enlargement of the electorate?

A、 There are more political parties than ever before.
B、 Candidates need political parties to get elected.
C、 Political parties control all forms of mass media.
D、 It is impossible to have a perfect democracy.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】Clues: The enlargement of the electorate...has increased the importance of parties to the point where it is practically impossible for a candidate to get elected without the support of a party organization.

单选题 All of the following are given as reasons for the necessity of political parties EXCEPT:

A、 Influencing popular opinion through the media is a large and complex job.
B、 It is difficult to inform voters about the variety of important issues.
C、 Building nation-wide support is too expensive for individual candidates.
D、 Voters prefer candidates that express the values of an established party.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】The passage does not state that voters prefer candidates that express the values of an established party. All the other answers are given: The job of influencing popular opinion through newspapers, television, the Internet, and other mass media is too complicated...; ... the variety of issues facing nation states has complicated the problem of creating an informed electorate...; Building political support on a nation-wide scale carries a high cost