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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Section 2: Chapter 5, "It May Just Be Me, But..." through Chapter 8, "Bringing the News".

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In Chapter 4, "The Parts You Don't Read," what part of a text does Foster say is "under-read"? (39).
(a) Introductions.
(b) The table of contents.
(c) The index.
(d) Titles.

2. In Chapter 5, "It May Just Be Me, But..." what does Foster say about offering equal space and analysis to opposing arguments?
(a) This can destroy a story.
(b) It strikes the modern reader as dishonest.
(c) This is part of fair and balanced reporting.
(d) It is confusing to the reader.

3. In Chapter 7, "All in How You Look at Things," Foster makes what point about newspaper articles?
(a) They often use a cause and effect structure.
(b) They are often deviate from strict chronology in order to make a point.
(c) Almost all of them are written in strict chronological order.
(d) Almost all of them incorporate at least some cause and effect structure.

4. In Chapter 7, "All in How You Look at Things," what does Foster cite as one of the main reasons that Americans have historically trusted the news media?
(a) The strict editorial control of content.
(b) The tendency of editors to insist on multiple sources.
(c) Journalists' willingness to admit mistakes.
(d) Journalists' willingness to admit bias.

5. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," Foster says that rules are determined by content, not codex. What does this mean?
(a) The rules for each form are determined by subject matter, not by the medium of transmission.
(b) The rules for each form are determined by the purpose of the writing, not by traditions.
(c) The rules for each form are determined by the type of writing, not the physical format that is used to convey the writing.
(d) The rules for each form are determined by historical precedent, not by the topic under discussion.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," Foster calls an expression a "bromide." What is he saying about this expression?

2. In Chapter 7, "All in How You Look at Things," what does Foster say is the purpose of the academic five-paragraph essay?

3. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," what does Foster say is the difference between "hard news" and "soft news"?

4. In Chapter 5, "It May Just Be Me, But..." what does Foster say is true about quotes attributed to anonymous sources?

5. In Chapter 6, "Source Code," what type of writing does Foster say relies heavily on eyewitness testimony?

(see the answer key)

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