Comparing Texts — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Text A from a health organization says screen time should be limited to two hours a day. Text B from a technology magazine says more screen time helps children learn. What should a reader do?
A) Believe Text A because health organizations are always correct
B) Believe Text B because technology magazines know more about screens
C) Consider each source's expertise and possible bias before deciding which claims are best supported
D) Ignore both texts because they disagree
A health organization and a technology magazine have different expertise and possible biases, so a careful reader weighs each source's credentials and motives before deciding which claims are best supported.
2. Text A says that homework improves student learning. Text B says homework causes stress and does not improve grades. What explains this disagreement?
A) One of the authors made up their information
B) The authors may have studied different age groups, amounts of homework, or used different research methods
C) Homework cannot be studied scientifically
D) Both authors copied from the same unreliable source
Conflicting conclusions often arise because authors studied different age groups, different amounts of homework, or used different research methods, which leads to different results.
3. A pet food company's website says dogs need grain-free food. A veterinarian's article says most dogs do well with grains in their diet. Which factor is MOST important when judging these sources?
A) Which website has better pictures
B) Which text is longer
C) Whether the source has a financial interest in the reader's decision
D) Which text was written more recently
The pet food company profits from selling grain-free food, so it has a financial interest that could bias its claims, while the veterinarian's advice is based on medical training.
4. Two newspaper articles report different numbers of people who attended an event. What is the BEST way for a reader to handle this conflict?
A) Average the two numbers together for the correct answer
B) Look for a third source, check each article's evidence, and consider when each was published
C) Assume the larger number is always correct
D) Decide that neither article can be trusted about anything
When two sources disagree on facts, a reader should check a third source, examine what evidence each article uses, and see whether one was published closer to the event.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. When two texts present different facts about the same topic, the information is said to be conflicting.
When two texts give different facts about the same topic, those facts conflict with each other, and the reader must evaluate which source is more reliable.
2. A reader should check whether a source is credible by looking at the author's qualifications and evidence.
A credible source comes from a qualified author who provides solid evidence; checking credentials and evidence helps you decide if you can trust the information.
3. An author who profits from a product they write about may have a financial bias.
Financial bias means the author's money interests could influence what they write, making them more likely to promote their own product rather than give balanced information.
4. Looking at the date of publication helps a reader decide whether information is still current.
An older publication may contain outdated facts, so checking the date helps you decide whether the information is still accurate and relevant.
5. Consulting a third source can help a reader resolve disagreements between two conflicting texts.
A third source acts as a tiebreaker; if it agrees with one of the two conflicting texts, the reader has stronger reason to trust that version.