Fact, Opinion and Author's Bias Flashcards
7 cards from real Reading Comprehension practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Fact, Opinion and Author's Bias flashcards as text
"In 2023, global CO2 emissions reached approximately 37 billion metric tons, according to the International Energy Agency. Countries that continue burning fossil fuels are acting irresponsibly and will be judged harshly by future generations." Question: Which sentence states a fact?
Answer: In 2023, global CO2 emissions reached approximately 37 billion metric tons, according to the IEA.
The emission figure comes from a named scientific agency and is verifiable; moral judgments about 'irresponsibility' and future generations' opinions cannot be measured.
A company advertisement states: "Our athletic shoes are made with recycled materials and reduce carbon footprint by 30% compared to conventional shoes. They are the most comfortable shoes ever made and will transform the way you move." Question: Which sentence is a fact?
Answer: The shoes are made with recycled materials and reduce carbon footprint by 30% compared to conventional shoes.
Material composition and a quantified environmental comparison can be independently tested; comfort rankings and transformation claims are subjective and promotional.
A food critic writes: "The restaurant charges $45 for its signature steak. The steak is cooked to the exact temperature requested and served on a heated plate. Paying $45 for a steak is an outrageous and unjustifiable expense." Question: Which sentence is an opinion?
Answer: Paying $45 for a steak is an outrageous and unjustifiable expense.
'Outrageous and unjustifiable' is a value judgment about acceptable spending that varies by individual income, expectations, and restaurant context.
An article about animal conservation reads: "The African elephant population has declined from 1.3 million in 1979 to approximately 415,000 today. Poaching for ivory remains a leading cause. We have a moral obligation to end ivory poaching immediately." Question: What is true about the last sentence?
Answer: It is a moral opinion that calls for action beyond what the data alone requires.
The population data and poaching as a cause are verifiable; 'moral obligation' is an ethical claim that the statistics alone cannot establish.
A news headline reads: "City Council Raises Property Taxes by 4%." The accompanying article adds: "This irresponsible decision will ruin small businesses and drive families out of the city." Question: What is the key difference between the headline and the article statement?
Answer: The headline states a verifiable fact; the article statement is an opinion predicting and judging the tax rise's effects.
A 4% tax increase is a documented council decision; 'irresponsible,' 'ruin,' and 'drive families out' are evaluative predictions that reflect the author's viewpoint.
"Beethoven composed nine symphonies, numerous piano sonatas, and string quartets. He wrote much of his later work after becoming completely deaf. Beethoven was the greatest musical genius who ever lived." Question: Which sentence is an opinion?
Answer: Beethoven was the greatest musical genius who ever lived.
Opus counts and biographical facts are documented; 'greatest musical genius who ever lived' requires subjective comparison across all musicians in history.
A documentary narrator says: "Factory farming accounts for about 80% of antibiotic use in the United States. Many scientists warn this contributes to antibiotic resistance. The factory farming industry is a corrupt and shameful enterprise that must be abolished." Question: What bias is present in the third sentence?
Answer: The narrator uses inflammatory moral language ('corrupt,' 'shameful,' 'abolished') that goes beyond what the scientific evidence states.
The first two sentences report documented statistics and scientific opinion; the third moves to loaded moral condemnation that is not supported by, or derivable from, those facts alone.