Fact and Opinion — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. To verify a country's population, a reader can check an encyclopedia or government website.
Encyclopedias and official sites collect verified information from reliable researchers.
2. Records kept by a government office are called official records.
Official records are reviewed for accuracy, making them strong sources for facts.
3. An expert's recommendation is still considered an opinion because it shares a viewpoint.
Experts give opinions when they recommend or judge, even though their facts may be reliable.
4. A reliable place to look up historical dates is a history textbook.
History textbooks are checked by editors and historians, making them reliable sources for dates.
5. Information you find online should be checked against more than one source.
Comparing sources helps confirm a fact and avoids relying on a single, possibly wrong, page.
6. When two reliable sources agree, the statement is most likely a fact.
Agreement between trusted sources strengthens evidence that a claim is a fact.
7. A scientist's opinion about which fossil is most exciting is a viewpoint, not a fact.
Even from an expert, claims with feeling words remain personal viewpoints.
8. Reference books and websites are useful tools for finding evidence.
Evidence from reliable references helps readers separate facts from opinions.
9. If a statement cannot be checked anywhere, it is probably an opinion.
Claims that have no evidence in any source remain personal opinions.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
Capital city of Japan
→ Encyclopedia or atlas with country facts
Encyclopedia or atlas with country facts
Best ice cream flavor
→ Personal taste survey or comments
Personal taste survey or comments
Year the Eiffel Tower opened
→ History book or museum record
History book or museum record
Most exciting science discovery
→ Magazine editorial sharing a viewpoint
Magazine editorial sharing a viewpoint
Facts pair with reference works; opinions pair with editorials or surveys of personal taste.