wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

NEW

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

OPINION WRITING UNIT TEST

Total questions: 35

Worksheet time: 18mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Uses research to back up opinions

a)

EDITORIAL

b)

COLUMN

c)

BOTH EDITORIALS AND COLUMNS

2.

Often unsigned (no byline is included)

a)

EDITORIALS

b)

COLUMNS

c)

BOTH EDITORIALS AND COLUMNS

3.

Uses “we” because it is the newspaper’s opinion

a)

EDITORIALS

b)

COLUMNS

c)

BOTH EDITORIALS AND COLUMNS

4.

An opinion story

a)

EDITORIALS

b)

COLUMNS

c)

BOTH EDITORIALS AND COLUMNS

5.

Has writer’s name and often the writer’s picture near it

a)

EDITORIALS

b)

COLUMNS

c)

BOTH EDITORIALS AND COLUMNS

6.

Uses “I” because it is the writer’s opinion

a)

EDITORIALS

b)

COLUMNS

c)

BOTH COLUMNS AND EDITORIALS

7.

May use personal examples

a)

EDITORIALS

b)

COLUMNS

c)

BOTH EDITORIALS AND COLUMNS

8.

Suggesting changes to the school’s cell phone policy

a)

EDITORIAL OF ARGUMENT

b)

EDITORIAL OF CRITICISM

c)

EDITORIAL OF COMMENDATION

d)

EDITORIAL OF EXPLANATION

9.

Condemning vandalism during Homecoming week

a)

EDITORIAL OF ARGUMENT

b)

EDITORIAL OF CRITICISM

c)

EDITORIAL OF COMMENDATION

d)

EDITORIAL OF EXPLANATION

10.

Congratulating students who won a music competition

a)

EDITORIAL OF ARGUMENT

b)

EDITORIAL OF CRITICISM

c)

EDITORIAL OF COMMENDATION

d)

EDITORIAL OF EXPLANATION

11.

Explaining how state testing impacts a student's record

a)

EDITORIAL OF ARGUMENT

b)

EDITORIAL OF CRITICISM

c)

EDITORIAL OF COMMENDATION

d)

EDITORIAL OF EXPLANATION

12.

Thanking a group that volunteered at the school

a)

EDITORIAL OF ARGUMENT

b)

EDITORIAL OF CRITICISM

c)

EDITORIAL OF COMMENDATION

d)

EDITORIAL OF EXPLANATION

13.

Pointing out how the school’s attendance policy is ineffective

a)

EDITORIAL OF ARGUMENT

b)

EDITORIAL OF CRITICISM

c)

EDITORIAL OF COMMENDATION

d)

EDITORIAL OF EXPLANATION

14.

Analyzing how changes in state law could affect the school

a)

EDITORIAL OF ARGUMENT

b)

EDITORIAL OF CRITICISM

c)

EDITORIAL OF COMMENDATION

d)

EDITORIAL OF EXPLANATION

15.

Which of the following rules should headline writers follow?

a)

use periods at the end of a headline

b)

use no and not

c)

use single quotation marks

d)

use forms of "to be" verbs

16.

What words within a headline should be capitalized?

a)

Only the first word and proper nouns

b)

Every word in a headline

c)

All words but a, an and the

d)

Only the first word of a headline

17.

What part of the editorial page do you see the names of the writers for the newspaper?

a)

A. Letters to the Editor

b)

B. Staff Editorial

c)

C. Staff Box

d)

C. Guest Column

18.

What is NOT an objective of editorial writing?

a)

to explain and interpret the news

b)

to tell a story in a creative or entertaining way

c)

to persuade the readers to follow a course of action that the newspaper believes is for the public good

d)

to draw conclusion from the analysis of a news

19.

TRUE or FALSE. The editorial writer has an option to not tell the whole truth if it will serve the newspaper.

a)

TRUE

b)

FALSE

20.

The message of this editorial cartoon is:

a)

the more students use technology, the more writing skills they lose

b)

students can't read cursive

c)

students should learn texting skills in school

21.

When trying to persuade an audience, an editorial cartoonist may use:

a)

symbolism

b)

exaggeration

c)

labeling

d)

all of the above

22.

Opinion/editorial writing and news/feature writing are structured the same. True or False

a)

True

b)

False

23.

Editorial cartoons can also be placed on the OP/ED page. They can either accompany an editorial or stand alone, should be investigative at some level, and should make the reader feel something and react.

a)

True

b)

False

24.

Why are editorials often unsigned?

a)

they reflect the newspapers’ official opinion, not an individual’s

b)

the entire staff writes them

c)

to avoid biasing the audience

d)

so the writer doesn’t get in trouble

25.

What kind of visual element often runs next to columns?

a)

a drawing of the newspaper publisher

b)

a graph explaining the issue

c)

a cartoon illustrating the other side

d)

a photo of the writer

26.

Editorial cartoons

a)

use exaggeration and symbolism to prove a point

b)

are not something readers tend to look at

c)

objectively explain the issue

d)

are as realistic as possible

27.

Letters to the editor are usually written by

a)

reporters

b)

columnists

c)

community members

d)

editors of other papers

28.
Do editorial articles contain bias?
a)
no
b)
yes
c)
sometimes
d)
it depends upon the writer
29.

True or False: An editorial is often unsigned while a column is signed.

a)

True, an anonymous authorship of an editorial allows the author to vent without fear of backlash

b)

False, an editorial is signed and tied to a particular author

c)

True, an editorial reflects the opinion of a newspaper and a column conveys the opinion of the author

d)

False, everything published in a newspaper must be published

30.
In order to write a compelling editorial what must the editorial writer do?
a)
research the subject
b)
write with great emotion
c)
choose a burning issue
d)
develop the subject at length
31.

Which of the following best describes the purpose of an editorial?

a)

To express the newspaper's viewpoint on an issue

b)

To present factual news without opinion

c)

To advertise products and services

d)

To entertain readers with fictional stories

32.

What distinguishes a column from an editorial?

a)

An editorial is published in the sports section

b)

An editorial uses personal anecdotes

c)

A column reflects the opinion of an individual writer

d)

A column is always unsigned

33.

Which section of the newspaper typically features opinions from community members?

a)

News Reports

b)

Editorial Cartoons

c)

Staff Editorial

d)

Letters to the Editor

34.

True or False: Editorials are meant to persuade readers to consider the newspaper's perspective on an issue.

a)

False

b)

True

35.

What is a key characteristic of a column that distinguishes it from an editorial?

a)

It often includes the writer's personal experiences

b)

It only reports facts without opinion

c)

It is always unsigned

d)

It represents the newspaper's official stance