Bias

     Andi is passing out a petition about the city in which she lives. She wants the city to build a statue and garden for the city's founder, Faron D. Mason, in front of the city hall. The city is thinking about using the money for a new parking lot instead. Andi writes an editorial for the newspaper where she tries to convince readers to pressure Mason City Hall into using the money for the statue and garden instead of a parking lot.

1.    Which of the following should Andi include in her proposal to persuade Mason City Hall?

• The city of Mason should use the money for a statue because the library is named after the city's founder.

• The city of Mason should honor its founder by naming the parking lot after him.

• The city of Mason should use the money for a statue because there are many people in town who sculpt.

• The city of Mason should honor its founder with a statue because art can attract tourists to the city.

Delta wants to show her class how important it is to vote, in the hopes that they can influence the school officials into making some needed changes at the school. She gives a presentation to accomplish her goal.

1.    Which of the following would make a good reason for Delta to use to convince her class to vote?

• A. You could vote to build a new cafeteria and help influence what kind of food will be served.

• B. Go to the lobby after school and explain where you think the money should be spent.

• C. If you do not vote, you are probably not very smart and do not care about the future of our school.

• D. This is the first time the school has had a large amount of money, and we do not want to waste it.

Jeffery is worried about a new building that is being planned for the park and shops in front of his house. He takes his dog to the park often, and he shops at many of the stores in the park. Many of his neighbors also do the same. They, too, think that the park should be left alone. Jeffery has decided to try and persuade the city council to reject a plan to build over the local park.

3. Which of the following should Jeffery include in his proposal to persuade the city council to reject building over the park?

• A. The people who visit the park will no longer have a place to park their cars when they visit.

• B. The shops at the park have a sale every Friday of the week.

• C. Many people use the park and shop there, and the money it makes in taxes will be gone if a building is built over the park.

• D. The park also houses two different sections for dogs—one for large dogs and one for small dogs.

     Reagan has just found out that the school she attends might be changing into a year-round schedule. This means there would be no more summer break. Instead, she would have to go to school year round. She is concerned because this could affect her plans to work during the summer. At one of the school board meetings, she tries to convince the school board that year-round school is a bad idea.

4. Which of the following should Reagan include in her speech to persuade the school board to reject year-round schooling?

• A. A year-round school schedule would hurt the school's football team and their schedule.

• B. Year-round schooling costs more money because utilities must be used year-round.

• C. Year-round schooling would interfere with students who go on vacation.

• Year-round schools have students who do better on tests and in the classroom. 

Which sentence in the paragraph below is an opinion?

Morgan Freeman is an American actor and film director. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in the film Million Dollar Baby. He should have won an Academy Award for his work in the movie The Shawshank Redemption. He has acted in over 60 different movies and has directed one other film.

• "He should have won an Academy Award for his work in the movie The Shawshank Redemption."

• "Morgan Freeman is an American actor and film director."

• "He has acted in over 60 different movies and has directed one other film."

• "He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in the film Million Dollar Baby."

5. Which of these is an opinion?

• The opening day line-up would go on to complete a record-breaking year.

• The American League President predicted a historic five team pennant race.

• Lou Gehrig was first basemen for the 1927 Yankees.

• The 1927 Yankees were the greatest baseball team of all time.

6. Which statement in the paragraph is an opinion?

Earth is a water planet. 71% of its surface is covered by vast oceans. Internally, Earth consists of a dense iron-nickel core, a mantle rich in iron, magnesium, and silicon, and a thin outer crust. From outer space, Earth is the most beautiful of all the planets.

• "Earth is a water planet."

• "Internally, Earth consists of a dense iron-nickel core, a mantle rich in iron, magnesium, and silicon, and a thin outer crust."

• "71% of its surface is covered by vast oceans."

• "From outer space, Earth is the most beautiful of all the planets."

Which sentence in the following paragraph is an opinion?

During the film Holes, the kids at a detention center spend all day digging in the desert. Louis Sachar first wrote of their imprisonment in an award-winning novel for young adults. Now he writes the screenplay for an original film directed by Andrew Davis. Young actors are joined by Jon Voight, Sigourney Weaver, and Patricia Arquette. This movie is weird, challenging, and darkly funny.

adapted from Roger Ebert's One-Minute Movie Reviews at The Sun Times.

• "Louis Sachar first wrote of their imprisonment in an award-winning novel for young adults."

• "During the film Holes, the kids at a detention center spend all day digging in the desert."

• "This movie is weird, challenging, and darkly funny."

• "Young actors are joined by Jon Voight, Sigourney Weaver, and Patricia Arquette."

10. Which sentence in the paragraph below is a fact?

The last mile of a marathon is always the hardest part. After you have run 25 miles, it is difficult not to just fall over on the ground. Some people have never run that far. Crossing the finish line gives you the best feeling on earth!

• "Crossing the finish line gives you the best feeling on earth!"

• "Some people have never run that far."

• "The last mile of a marathon is always the hardest part."

• "After you have run 25 miles, it is difficult not to just fall over on the ground."

1. Which of the following statements is a fact?

• Jarvis is a kind and appreciative student.

• Ms. Twinkle deserves to win the Teacher of the Year prize.

• Jarvis got an A on his social studies test last week.

• Ms. Twinkle is the best teacher in the world.