Answer Close-Reading Questions
Have students write their responses, or use the Close-Reading Questions to guide a discussion.
• What are political parties? (Central Ideas)
Political parties are groups of people from the same country who have similar ideas about how they want their government to be run. They help determine who is elected at the local, state, and national levels.
• What might Hans Noel mean when he says “Politics is kind of a team sport”? (Figurative Language)
Noel probably means that politicians need the support of other people to get elected and to enact policies and pass new laws. Political parties assist their candidates by giving them money and other support.
• Why is the U.S. considered a two-party system? How do its two main parties compare? (Key Details)
The U.S. is considered a two-party system because every U.S. president since the early 1850s has been from one of two political parties: the Democratic Party or the Republican Party. Members of both of those parties have a wide variety of views, but in general, Democrats tend to support government playing a more active role, while Republicans support government playing a more limited role.