Urban Legends Summary

How many points are in this sentence?

He defined urban legends as having ‘a strong basic story appeal, a foundation in actual belief, and a meaningful message or “moral”’.

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Answer explanation

There are 3!

Urban legends "have a strong basic story-appeal,

a foundation in actual belief

and a meaningful message or “moral” "

Remember what we learned about and vs or ! Don't over-paraphrase & lose the point.

Identify the point(s) in this sentence.

"Brunvand argued that, aside from being fun, urban legends offer valuable insights into modern popular culture."

• Urban legends are fun.

• Urban legends offer valuable insights.

• Urban legends offer valuable insights into modern culture.

• Urban legends are insightful.

Answer explanation

There are 2 points for this statement.

"aside from" means 'other than', which indicates that he also considers them to be fun!

the point regarding "valuable insight" must be extended to include "modern popular culture" -- otherwise, what would they provide insight on?

Select the option that is not a point.

• Urban legends often emerge due to the fears of certain groups of people in society.

• As such, they provide insight into the mindsets of these groups.

• When ignorance collides with fear, urban legends are spawned to help people make sense of things

Answer explanation

We do not need elaborations or explanations in a summary.

"...conspiracy theories seem to have grown in popularity ..."

This line can be shortened to "Conspiracy theories have ____ popular..."

"...conspiracy theories (develop) because of the distrust particular groups have towards governments and their agencies ..."

This can be paraphrased to : when people are ______ (adj) of their governments.

Answer explanation

Pay attention to the preposition "of"

When you do not trust someone, it is typically because you are:

doubtful that they are speaking the truth / suspicious of their motives / skeptical of their goals

Conspiracy theories happen because people are worried about "the influence these have over our lives. "

what does these refer to?

• The government

• The government and its agencies

• Urban legends

• Conspiracy theories

Complete this paraphrase :

Conspiracy theories arose because people are suspicious of their governments and the ____ on their lives.

Hint - replace "influence"

What is/are the point(s) here?

• The phenomenon of urban legends has persisted and accelerated via the internet,

• despite Brunvand’s brave prediction in (pre-Internet) 1981 that they would be unlikely to ‘continue to be created

• in an age of widespread literacy, rapid mass communications and restless travel’.

• The continued popularity of urban legends is evidence of humans’ tendency not to let facts get in the way of a good story.

Answer explanation

The prediction (in quotes) does not state a feature of Urban legends. Rather, it is describing society.