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Interpreting News Reports Flashcards

7 cards from real OSSLT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Interpreting News Reports flashcards as text

  1. A news article's subheading reads: 'Local hospital faces staff shortages amid funding cuts.' The subheading's main purpose is to:

    Answer: Give readers a preview of the article's key focus before they read the full story

    Subheadings help readers quickly understand the article's focus and decide whether to read further.

  2. A reporter writes: 'According to Statistics Canada, the unemployment rate rose to 6.5%.' Citing Statistics Canada mainly serves to:

    Answer: Lend credibility by attributing the statistic to an authoritative, verifiable source

    Citing a recognized official source gives readers confidence that the statistic is accurate and verifiable.

  3. In news reporting, the term 'embargo' means:

    Answer: A ban on publishing a story until a specified date or time

    An embargo is an agreement between a news source and journalists to hold a story until a set release time.

  4. A news report uses the passive voice: 'Three people were injured in the collision.' Compared to active voice, passive voice here:

    Answer: Omits who or what caused the collision, focusing on those affected

    Passive voice shifts focus to the people affected while leaving the cause or agent unspecified or secondary.

  5. A journalist describes an event as 'unprecedented.' On the OSSLT, this word most likely means:

    Answer: Never having occurred or existed before

    'Unprecedented' means there is no previous example or precedent for what is being described.

  6. A news article about a protest includes perspectives from organizers, police, and city officials. This approach best demonstrates:

    Answer: Comprehensive reporting that presents multiple stakeholder viewpoints

    Including perspectives from all major stakeholders reflects thorough, balanced journalism.

  7. When reading a news report for the OSSLT, which question is LEAST useful for evaluating the article's reliability?

    Answer: Is the headline written in a large, bold font?

    Font size and style are design choices and have no bearing on the accuracy or reliability of a news report.