ELA Media Literacy 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A news article uses anonymous sources to support its main claim. What should a media-literate reader do first?
- Accept the claim since journalists protect sources
- Consider why sources are anonymous and seek corroboration elsewhere (Correct answer)
- Reject the article entirely as unreliable
- Share the article only with close friends
Correct answer: Consider why sources are anonymous and seek corroboration elsewhere
Anonymous sources are legitimate but require readers to seek corroborating evidence before accepting claims.
Question 2: Which term describes the practice of media outlets prioritizing dramatic or sensational stories to attract audiences?
- Investigative journalism
- Clickbait culture
- Agenda-setting
- Sensationalism (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Sensationalism
Sensationalism is the deliberate use of shocking, dramatic content to generate audience interest at the expense of balanced reporting.
Question 3: A documentary film only interviews people who support one side of a policy debate. This is an example of:
- Satire
- One-sided presentation / lack of balance (Correct answer)
- Primary sourcing
- Editorial independence
Correct answer: One-sided presentation / lack of balance
Presenting only one perspective without acknowledging opposing views is a form of bias that limits the audience's ability to evaluate the issue fully.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of a media outlet's editorial board?
- To report breaking news as quickly as possible
- To set the publication's opinions and positions on issues (Correct answer)
- To fact-check every published article
- To manage advertising revenue
Correct answer: To set the publication's opinions and positions on issues
An editorial board shapes the publication's official stance and writes opinion pieces, distinct from the newsroom's reporting function.
Question 5: Which of the following best illustrates 'manufactured consent' as described by Noam Chomsky?
- A government banning certain news channels
- Mass media shaping public opinion to align with elite interests (Correct answer)
- Citizens ignoring political news entirely
- Journalists refusing to publish government press releases
Correct answer: Mass media shaping public opinion to align with elite interests
Chomsky's concept describes how media can subtly guide public opinion to support policies favored by powerful institutions without overt censorship.
Question 6: A graphic shows a bar chart where the y-axis starts at 95 instead of 0, making a small difference appear large. This technique is called:
- Infographic bias
- Truncated axis manipulation (Correct answer)
- Data aggregation
- Proportional scaling
Correct answer: Truncated axis manipulation
Truncating the y-axis exaggerates visual differences between data points and can mislead audiences about the actual magnitude of change.
Question 7: When analyzing a sponsored social media post from a celebrity, a media-literate viewer should primarily consider:
- The celebrity's personal values
- Whether the post is clearly labeled as paid advertising (Correct answer)
- The number of likes and shares it received
- The platform's community guidelines
Correct answer: Whether the post is clearly labeled as paid advertising
FTC guidelines require paid endorsements to be clearly disclosed; identifying sponsored content is essential to understanding the speaker's motivation.
ELA Media Literacy 2
A news article uses anonymous sources to support its main claim.
What should a media-literate reader do first?