Refer to the passage and the table.A significant portion of Americans mistakenly believe that the majority of immigrants in the US are undocumented, with only 45% correctly identifying that most are in the country are documented. Pew Research Center data from 2015 indicates that around 75% of immigrants in the US were documented residents. Educational background plays a role in these perceptions; 61% of college graduates recognize the documented status of most immigrants, compared to 38% of those without a degree. Age is another factor, with 58% of individuals aged 18 to 29 acknowledging the legality of most immigrants, in contrast to 35% of those aged 65 and above. Political affiliations also influence these views, with 54% of Democrats and 36% of Republicans believing most immigrants are documented. Among both parties, college graduates are more likely to hold this view, but college-educated Democrats are notably more inclined than their Republican counterparts to believe in the documented status of most immigrants. CategoryPercentage/DetailsAmericans aware of correct proportion of documented immigrants in US45%Americans who think most immigrants in US are undocumented35%College graduates aware of correct proportion61%Non-college graduates aware of correct proportion38%Age 18-29 aware of correct proportion58% Age 65 and older aware of correct proportion35%Democrats aware of correct proportion54%Republicans aware of correct proportion36%College-educated Republicans aware of correct proportion48%Non-college-educated Republicans aware of correct proportion32%College-educated Democrats aware of correct proportion69%Non-college-educated Democrats aware of correct proportion46%Difference between educated Democrats and Republicans21% (Dems more likely to be aware)No response13%Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from the data in the passage and the table?
Answer
A
Public-opinion data allow minority opinions to be heard more if these people are more politically active than the majority.
B
Despite information from public-opinion data, government policy is often responsive to the economic elite and not the majority.
C
A lack of correct information can be detrimental to the political process by causing public-opinion data to be formed on misinformation.
D
The reliability and veracity of public-opinion data make the data unusable by elected officials and cause the public to become disenfranchised.
Explanation
The passage and table show that many Americans misunderstand the share of immigrants who are documented: only 45% identify the correct proportion, while 35% believe most are undocumented. This suggests public opinion can be shaped by inaccurate information, which may distort the views reflected in opinion data and harm the political process. The data do not address political activity, economic elites, or officials’ use of polling, so choices A, B, and D are unsupported.
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