The Rise of Fake News: Comprehension

Why did Elgar Welch go to the pizzeria?

• He was trying to commit robbery.

• He hated all supporters of Hillary Clinton.

• He was working as a private investigator and investigating a crime.

• He had become concerned after reading an untrue news story.

Why did many people not believe The Washington Post and The New York Times when they denounced the pizzeria story?

• They checked the facts and found that the articles were incorrect.

• They didn't trust anybody.

• They thought the newspapers had a political agenda.

• They thought the newspapers had not researched the story carefully enough.

Who is Steven Smith?

• a local politician from Georgia

• a journalist on The New York Times

• a member of the US House of Representatives

• a fictitious person, created to attack the media

Which reason for the difficulty of controlling fake news stories is not given in the article?

• Many people don’t read the mainstream media.

• Online media platforms don’t check stories before publishing them.

• People are skeptical of the mainstream media.

• Fake news stories can easily switch to other websites and platforms if caught.

Which type of motivation for the creation of fake news is not given?

• It’s a way of making money from people who pay to read the stories.

• It’s a way of commenting on current affairs.

• It’s a way of attacking your political opponents.

• It’s a form of entertainment.

How does the author feel about stopping fake news from spreading?

• cautiously optimistic

• doubtful

• positive

• pessimistic