Question

read the excerpt from george a. krimsky’s “the role of the media in a democracy.”
where is the relevance of all this to the emerging democracies around the world? certainly the american experience, for all its messiness, provides a useful precedent, if not always a model.
the word “precedent” is defined as “a prior example.” based on this definition and the context of the excerpt, a “precedent” is something that
applies solely to legal decisions.
can be used as a guide for the future.
is more important than current examples.
must be followed by everyone.

Explanation:

The definition of "precedent" is a prior example, and the context notes the American experience is a useful precedent for emerging democracies. A prior example that is useful would serve as a guide for future cases (here, emerging democracies). The other options are incorrect: the text doesn't limit it to legal decisions, doesn't state it's more important than current examples, and says it's not always a model so it doesn't need to be followed by everyone.

Answer:

B. can be used as a guide for the future.