The method in which a group of people are interviewed on a specific political issue is called

Analyze the question: It asks for the method of interviewing a group of people on a specific political issue. The key phrase is "a group of people are interviewed", which means a sample of the population is asked for its views.

Explain the concepts:

• Referendum: A direct vote by all eligible voters on a single issue, such as a proposed law or constitutional change. It is a formal vote, not an interview, and it involves the whole electorate rather than a selected group.
• Individual speech / individual writing: These are not recognised methods of gauging public opinion. They are ways one person expresses a view.
• Opinion sampling (opinion poll): A selected group (a sample) is interviewed or surveyed to find out what the wider public thinks about a political issue, candidate, or policy. Pollsters use it before elections, for example.

Solution:

1. The question says a group is interviewed. That points to a survey of a sample, not a vote.
2. A referendum decides an issue through voting, so it does not match "interviewed".
3. Options B and C describe individual actions, not group interviews.
4. Opinion sampling fits exactly: a representative group is questioned to measure public opinion on a specific issue.

Answer: D. opinion sampling.

Exam tip: Remember the contrast: referendum = everybody votes, opinion sampling = a few are asked to represent everybody. When you see "interviewed", "survey", or "poll", think opinion sampling.