Single choice · #100
At the dinner table, the wife looks over the report card and says: "The child only scored 72 on this month's math exam, 20 points lower than last time. He must not want to study anymore. This score is so embarrassing. Starting tomorrow, all his extracurricular activities have to be cancelled." Which of the following statements is an interpretation or evaluation of the facts, that is, an opinion?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: B
- AThe child got a 72 on this month's math exam.✗ Incorrect. This score can be verified from the report card, making it an observable, recordable fact, not an interpretation or evaluation of the facts.
- BHe must not want to study anymore.✓ Correct. This is an interpretation and judgment about the child's performance, which is an opinion; the drop in score could also be due to exam difficulty or the child's condition at the time, so further evidence is needed to support this claim.
- CIt's 20 points lower than the last monthly exam.✗ Incorrect. The two scores can be checked and compared, so this is a verifiable fact.
- DStarting tomorrow, all his extracurricular activities have to be cancelled.✗ Incorrect. This is a course of action derived from the score drop, which is an inference, and it packages a suggestion as a necessary conclusion; it is not an evaluation of the facts itself.
Explanation:First, separate the information: the 72 and the 20-point drop are both verifiable facts; "he doesn't want to study" is an interpretation and judgment about the reason for the score decline, which is an opinion, so one should next ask about the child's specific study habits, errors on the test, and other evidence; "cancel all extracurricular activities" is a suggestion inferred from the score, which is an inference that disguises a suggestion as a necessary conclusion. Only "he doesn't want to study" is an opinion.