Media Literacy and Information Age Technology Quiz

Which sentence describes the BEST example of media literacy in action?

• A fashion editor goes to her public library to research fashion magazines from the 1960s.

• A physicist solves a series of increasingly complex mathematical equations.

• A student phones his Dominican best friend for help with his Spanish oral exam.

• A veterinarian recognizes that the health website she recently discovered is not reliable.

How does Information-Age technology help humans learn? (Select all correct answers.)

• It provides easy access to a greater range of resources.

• It allows for personalized or individualized learning.

• It encourages learners to focus on one topic at a time.

• It makes use of students' familiarity with digital devices.

What types of evidence typically strengthen the trustworthiness of news media? (Select all correct answers.)

• specific and detailed evidence

• evidence that comes from another trustworthy source

• evidence that helps show a balanced perspective

• evidence that is shocking or surprising

Which news articles typically focus on delivering authentic accounts of stories, rather than focusing on opinions?

• features

• columns

• editorials

• op-eds

Read this analogy, which was written by an anonymous online author.

My mind is like my web browser. 19 tabs are open, 3 are frozen and I have no idea where the music is coming from.

Which statement BEST summarizes the purpose of this analogy?

• to show that the author is very productive at work

• to show that the author is a deep, complex thinker

• to show that the author is bewildered and overwhelmed

• to show that the author cannot keep up with technology

What two factors distinguish a strong analogy from a weak one?

• how obvious the similarities are

• where the analogy appears in an argument

• the number of times the author mentions it

• how many points of comparison there are

Imagine that you are a journalist writing about a celebrity that has a crush on two different people. Which version of the sentences presented below would MOST LIKELY be considered sensational?

• “Courtney has been put into a tough situation: Will she stay with Tiernan, or leave him for Khalid?”

• “Courtney has been thrust into a hellish nightmare: Will she stomp on Tiernan’s sensitive heart forever for a chance at the handsome Khalid?”

• “Courtney faces a decision that could change her life: Will she decide to remain with the lovable and faithful Tiernan, or gamble with Khalid?”

• “Courtney is presented with a problem: She will choose either the man she knows well or the new man that is appealing in different ways.”

Which of the following is true of language with strong connotations? (Select all correct answers.)

• The language will evoke strong connections to ideas and emotions.

• The language will mean more than simply what the dictionary offers.

• The language is generally considered to be dishonest and mean.

• The language is generally discouraged in most “hard news” publications.

Why is it a good idea to analyze the title and first paragraph of an article before reading the entire piece?

• They contain clues about the article’s purpose and topics.

• They tell you how long the article is likely to be.

• They compare the article to articles written by others.

• They tell you all you need to know to summarize the article.

Which sentence expresses the most common criticism of reality TV?

• Its format actually prevents the cast from representing reality in an authentic way.

• It teaches young viewers that privacy is not something they should value.

• Its non-actors often aspire to become real actors, so they are overly dramatic.

• It represents a narrow segment of society rather than the diversity of human life.