True/False/Cannot Say – Intermediate Level – Test 3 (UK)

Passage 1

Not that long ago, they were just a slender fraction of the party, one kept at arm’s length by presidential candidates. But today, black voters have emerged as a muscular political force and one of the most intensely courted constituencies in Democratic politics.

In 2020, they are likely to account for at least one out of every four ballots cast in the party’s presidential primaries, more than tripling — and perhaps even quadrupling — the share they accounted for just a few decades ago.

It’s a political and demographic revolution over the course of 40 years that we are able to document here through exit polling, which major media organizations have been sponsoring on a wide scale in every Democratic presidential primary race since 1976.

In 1976, Black politicians were winning office in larger numbers — a handful in Congress, some in big city mayoralties and more in state legislatures, particularly in the South. Many weren’t sure if the Democratic Party was the right vehicle for their ambitions, and for the black community’s broader aspirations. Julian Bond, a Georgia state senator and civil rights veteran, considered an independent presidential campaign in 1976. Two years later, Jesse Jackson, another product of the civil rights movement, addressed a meeting of the Republican National Committee and declared the black vote up for grabs — if the GOP would make the effort.

Source: Steve Kornaki, NBC News Journey to Power; the History of Black Voters, 1976-2020

1. Black voting has grown exponentially in the past four decades due to competition between the Democrats and Republicans.

Passage 1

Not that long ago, they were just a slender fraction of the party, one kept at arm’s length by presidential candidates. But today, black voters have emerged as a muscular political force and one of the most intensely courted constituencies in Democratic politics.

In 2020, they are likely to account for at least one out of every four ballots cast in the party’s presidential primaries, more than tripling — and perhaps even quadrupling — the share they accounted for just a few decades ago.

It’s a political and demographic revolution over the course of 40 years that we are able to document here through exit polling, which major media organizations have been sponsoring on a wide scale in every Democratic presidential primary race since 1976.

In 1976, Black politicians were winning office in larger numbers — a handful in Congress, some in big city mayoralties and more in state legislatures, particularly in the South. Many weren’t sure if the Democratic Party was the right vehicle for their ambitions, and for the black community’s broader aspirations. Julian Bond, a Georgia state senator and civil rights veteran, considered an independent presidential campaign in 1976. Two years later, Jesse Jackson, another product of the civil rights movement, addressed a meeting of the Republican National Committee and declared the black vote up for grabs — if the GOP would make the effort.

Source: Steve Kornaki, NBC News Journey to Power; the History of Black Voters, 1976-2020

2. The black voting demographic will be a key factor in the 2020 election.

Passage 1

Not that long ago, they were just a slender fraction of the party, one kept at arm’s length by presidential candidates. But today, black voters have emerged as a muscular political force and one of the most intensely courted constituencies in Democratic politics.

In 2020, they are likely to account for at least one out of every four ballots cast in the party’s presidential primaries, more than tripling — and perhaps even quadrupling — the share they accounted for just a few decades ago.

It’s a political and demographic revolution over the course of 40 years that we are able to document here through exit polling, which major media organizations have been sponsoring on a wide scale in every Democratic presidential primary race since 1976.

In 1976, Black politicians were winning office in larger numbers — a handful in Congress, some in big city mayoralties and more in state legislatures, particularly in the South. Many weren’t sure if the Democratic Party was the right vehicle for their ambitions, and for the black community’s broader aspirations. Julian Bond, a Georgia state senator and civil rights veteran, considered an independent presidential campaign in 1976. Two years later, Jesse Jackson, another product of the civil rights movement, addressed a meeting of the Republican National Committee and declared the black vote up for grabs — if the GOP would make the effort.

Source: Steve Kornaki, NBC News Journey to Power; the History of Black Voters, 1976-2020

3. According to the passage, the Democratic Party has historically been the dominant party in Southern politics.

Passage 1

Not that long ago, they were just a slender fraction of the party, one kept at arm’s length by presidential candidates. But today, black voters have emerged as a muscular political force and one of the most intensely courted constituencies in Democratic politics.

In 2020, they are likely to account for at least one out of every four ballots cast in the party’s presidential primaries, more than tripling — and perhaps even quadrupling — the share they accounted for just a few decades ago.

It’s a political and demographic revolution over the course of 40 years that we are able to document here through exit polling, which major media organizations have been sponsoring on a wide scale in every Democratic presidential primary race since 1976.

In 1976, Black politicians were winning office in larger numbers — a handful in Congress, some in big city mayoralties and more in state legislatures, particularly in the South. Many weren’t sure if the Democratic Party was the right vehicle for their ambitions, and for the black community’s broader aspirations. Julian Bond, a Georgia state senator and civil rights veteran, considered an independent presidential campaign in 1976. Two years later, Jesse Jackson, another product of the civil rights movement, addressed a meeting of the Republican National Committee and declared the black vote up for grabs — if the GOP would make the effort.

Source: Steve Kornaki, NBC News Journey to Power; the History of Black Voters, 1976-2020  (July 29, 2019)

4. The Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s produced a wave of black politicians in its wake that were influential in the politics of the 1970’s and beyond.

Passage 2

In YOUR hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in MINE, is the momentous issue of civil war. The government will not assail YOU. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. YOU have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the government, while I shall have the most solemn one to “preserve, protect, and defend it.”

I am loathe to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.

Source: Excerpt of Abraham Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address

5. In this speech, Lincoln is advocating for the abolition of slavery.

Passage 2

In YOUR hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in MINE, is the momentous issue of civil war. The government will not assail YOU. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. YOU have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the government, while I shall have the most solemn one to “preserve, protect, and defend it.”

I am loathe to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.

Source: Excerpt of Abraham Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address

6. Lincoln is talking directly to the seceded Southern states in this part of the speech.

Passage 2

In YOUR hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in MINE, is the momentous issue of civil war. The government will not assail YOU. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. YOU have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the government, while I shall have the most solemn one to “preserve, protect, and defend it.”

I am loathe to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.

Source: Excerpt of Abraham Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address

7. This speech could be interpreted as a direct threat by Lincoln to use military force against the South.

Passage 2

In YOUR hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in MINE, is the momentous issue of civil war. The government will not assail YOU. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. YOU have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the government, while I shall have the most solemn one to “preserve, protect, and defend it.”

I am loathe to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.

Source: Excerpt of Abraham Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address

8. When Lincoln refers to “the better angels of our nature”, he is hoping that the people’s sensible and peaceful instincts will prevent war.

Passage 3

It can already be difficult to say a scientific word like “deoxyribonucleotide” let alone spell it out in sign language—but that’s why this determined young university student is being praised for inventing brand new ways for deaf scientists to communicate.

Liam Mcmulkin, who was born deaf, was the first person in his family to pursue a higher education after he enrolled at the University of Dundee to study life sciences in 2015.

Like most first-year students, Mcmulkin had already been anxious about being able to keep up a college workload. Since he was also the only deaf student at the university, he also feared that he would have trouble keeping up with the course lectures.

“Sometimes the interpreter would be finger spelling for ages and I was having to watch it,” he added. “We would make up new signs which meant it was easier next time, but it also meant I had to learn new signs which was very tiring.”

Mcmulkin finally resolved to develop a whole new set of BSL vocabulary words for himself and future life sciences students. To date, he has created over 100 new signs for scientific words that have been officially recognized in formal BSL, which is used by approximately 87,000 people across the UK.

Source: McKinley Corbey, Good News Network, Deaf Student Invents 100 New Scientific Sign Language Words

9. Spelling out complex, scientific words in sign language caused Mcmulkin to get behind during course lectures.

Passage 3

It can already be difficult to say a scientific word like “deoxyribonucleotide” let alone spell it out in sign language—but that’s why this determined young university student is being praised for inventing brand new ways for deaf scientists to communicate.

Liam Mcmulkin, who was born deaf, was the first person in his family to pursue a higher education after he enrolled at the University of Dundee to study life sciences in 2015.

Like most first-year students, Mcmulkin had already been anxious about being able to keep up a college workload. Since he was also the only deaf student at the university, he also feared that he would have trouble keeping up with the course lectures.

“Sometimes the interpreter would be finger spelling for ages and I was having to watch it,” he added. “We would make up new signs which meant it was easier next time, but it also meant I had to learn new signs which was very tiring.”

Mcmulkin finally resolved to develop a whole new set of BSL vocabulary words for himself and future life sciences students. To date, he has created over 100 new signs for scientific words that have been officially recognized in formal BSL, which is used by approximately 87,000 people across the UK.

Source: McKinley Corbey, Good News Network, Deaf Student Invents 100 New Scientific Sign Language Words

10. It took this long to invent new signs for complex scientific words mainly due to the lack of deaf people in these fields of study.

Passage 3

It can already be difficult to say a scientific word like “deoxyribonucleotide” let alone spell it out in sign language—but that’s why this determined young university student is being praised for inventing brand new ways for deaf scientists to communicate.

Liam Mcmulkin, who was born deaf, was the first person in his family to pursue a higher education after he enrolled at the University of Dundee to study life sciences in 2015.

Like most first-year students, Mcmulkin had already been anxious about being able to keep up a college workload. Since he was also the only deaf student at the university, he also feared that he would have trouble keeping up with the course lectures.

“Sometimes the interpreter would be finger spelling for ages and I was having to watch it,” he added. “We would make up new signs which meant it was easier next time, but it also meant I had to learn new signs which was very tiring.”

Mcmulkin finally resolved to develop a whole new set of BSL vocabulary words for himself and future life sciences students. To date, he has created over 100 new signs for scientific words that have been officially recognized in formal BSL, which is used by approximately 87,000 people across the UK.

Source: McKinley Corbey, Good News Network, Deaf Student Invents 100 New Scientific Sign Language Words

11. Most of the signs that Liam invented will never be used by the vast majority of sign-language users.

Passage 4

In the largest ever study of real-life conflicts captured by CCTV, researchers found that bystanders will intervene in nine-out-of-ten public fights to help victims of aggression and violence.

The findings, which were published in the journal American Psychologist, overturn our long held beliefs from previous decades that victims are ignored by those in their vicinity.

Instead of confirming this common misperception, the international research team of social scientists discovered that at least one bystander (but typically several) did something to help—and when more people are nearby, there is even a greater likelihood that at least one person will intervene to help.

Source: Good News Network – Study of Surveillance Cameras Proves That Strangers Will Almost Always Intervene to Help

12. Past studies have contradicted the findings of the current study.

Passage 4

In the largest ever study of real-life conflicts captured by CCTV, researchers found that bystanders will intervene in nine-out-of-ten public fights to help victims of aggression and violence.

The findings, which were published in the journal American Psychologist, overturn our long held beliefs from previous decades that victims are ignored by those in their vicinity.

Instead of confirming this common misperception, the international research team of social scientists discovered that at least one bystander (but typically several) did something to help—and when more people are nearby, there is even a greater likelihood that at least one person will intervene to help.

Source: Good News Network – Study of Surveillance Cameras Proves That Strangers Will Almost Always Intervene to Help

13. A solo bystander has more pressure and responsibility on them to help, which makes them more likely to intervene.

Passage 4

In the largest ever study of real-life conflicts captured by CCTV, researchers found that bystanders will intervene in nine-out-of-ten public fights to help victims of aggression and violence.

The findings, which were published in the journal American Psychologist, overturn our long held beliefs from previous decades that victims are ignored by those in their vicinity.

Instead of confirming this common misperception, the international research team of social scientists discovered that at least one bystander (but typically several) did something to help—and when more people are nearby, there is even a greater likelihood that at least one person will intervene to help.

Source: Good News Network – Study of Surveillance Cameras Proves That Strangers Will Almost Always Intervene to Help

14. The methodology of using CCTV is unreliable and has skewed the results.