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
"The Great Barrier Reef spans approximately 2,300 kilometers along Australia's northeastern coast. It is home to more than 1,500 species of fish. It is the most spectacular natural wonder on the planet and everyone should see it before they die." Question: Which sentence is a fact?
Answer: The Great Barrier Reef spans approximately 2,300 kilometers and is home to more than 1,500 species of fish.
Geographic extent and species counts are measurable; 'most spectacular' is subjective and 'everyone should' is a prescriptive personal value.
A letter to the editor about a local school closing reads: "The district has confirmed the school serves 340 students and was built in 1962. Closing it would be a devastating betrayal of the community and a reckless disregard for children's futures." Question: Where does opinion appear?
Answer: The second sentence — 'devastating betrayal' and 'reckless disregard' — expresses the author's strong emotional and moral reaction to the closure.
Enrollment and construction year are verifiable facts; labeling the closure a 'betrayal' and 'reckless disregard' reflects the author's values and emotional response.
A financial article states: "Index funds charge average annual fees of 0.03–0.10%, while actively managed funds charge 0.5–1.5%. Studies show index funds outperform actively managed funds over 15-year periods in 85% of cases. Every investor who buys actively managed funds is making a foolish mistake." Question: What shift occurs in the last sentence?
Answer: The author moves from reporting research findings to making a sweeping personal judgment that dismisses all investors who choose otherwise.
The fee and performance data are measurable facts; calling a financial choice 'foolish' for every investor ignores individual circumstances and is a biased over-generalization.
"The novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird' was published in 1960 and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961. It sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. It is the single most important American novel ever written and should be required reading for all citizens." Question: Which sentences are opinions?
Answer: The sentences calling it the most important American novel and saying it should be required reading are both opinions.
Publication year, prize, and sales figures are facts; ranking it 'most important ever' and prescribing required reading are subjective literary and civic judgments.
An advocacy pamphlet against a new factory reads: "The proposed factory will employ 500 workers. Environmental impact studies estimate it will release 1.2 tons of pollutants annually. Allowing this factory would be an environmental crime, and any official who approves it is unfit for public office." Question: What bias is evident?
Answer: The author characterizes the approval as a 'crime' and attacks officials personally, using inflammatory language that goes beyond the data.
Job and pollution figures are data; 'environmental crime' and 'unfit for office' are personal attacks and moral condemnations that reveal strong anti-factory bias.
A science article reads: "The average surface temperature of Mars is about -60°C. Mars has two small moons, Phobos and Deimos. Mars is clearly the most interesting planet in our solar system and the only one worth sending humans to explore." Question: Which sentences are facts?
Answer: The average surface temperature of Mars is about -60°C and Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos.
Temperature and moon counts are verifiable through astronomy; 'most interesting' and 'only one worth exploring' are subjective rankings and value judgments.
A history essay reads: "World War I began in 1914 following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. About 17 million people died in the conflict. It was an entirely preventable war, and the leaders who allowed it to start were criminally incompetent." Question: What is the author's bias in the last sentence?
Answer: The author imposes a strong retrospective moral judgment ('criminally incompetent') on historical leaders without acknowledging the complexity of the political situation they faced.
Dates and death tolls are documented facts; labeling the war 'entirely preventable' and leaders 'criminally incompetent' are strong value judgments not derivable from those facts alone.