Question

linked
chapters thirteen

reader response
on pages 88-89 dana seems disappointed in her friends conclusion on chokecherry. she texts her friend, \you cant believe everything you hear from adam tok.\ why does she say this? use evidence from the text to support your answer.
do you think this is true in real life as well? is social media an accurate description of real life? explain.

Explanation:

⚡ Using what you learned: inferential comprehension and textual evidence

Step 1: Analyze Dana's reaction to Adam Tok

In Gordon Korman's novel Linked, Adam Tok is a popular YouTuber who visits the town of Chokecherry to investigate the mystery of the swastikas painted at the school. He is focused on creating sensational, dramatic content to get views and followers rather than finding the objective truth.

Dana is disappointed because her friend is easily swept up by Adam's dramatic theories and online persona. When Dana texts, "You can't believe everything you hear from Adam Tok," she is warning her friend that Adam is an unreliable source. He is an entertainer who edits and shapes his videos for maximum drama, rather than a journalist committed to facts.

Step 2: Connect to real-world social media accuracy

The second part of the prompt asks you to connect this situation to real life.

• Is social media an accurate description of real life? Generally, no. Social media platforms are highly curated, meaning people (and influencers like Adam Tok) only show a "highlight reel" or exaggerated versions of events to gain attention, likes, and views.
• Why it matters: Just like Adam Tok sensationalizes the situation in Chokecherry for his channel, real-life influencers and algorithms often prioritize outrage, drama, and entertainment over reality and nuance.

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Answer:

Part 1: Why Dana says this (with evidence)

Dana says, "You can't believe everything you hear from Adam Tok," because she recognizes that Adam is a YouTuber motivated by views, clicks, and internet fame rather than finding the actual truth about Chokecherry. She is disappointed that her friend is blindly believing his sensationalized videos. In the text, Adam's behavior shows he is more interested in creating a dramatic narrative for his audience than understanding the real, complex feelings of the community. Dana's warning serves as a reminder to look at his content with a critical eye rather than accepting it as absolute fact.

Part 2: Real-world connection

This is highly true in real life. Social media is rarely an accurate description of real life because it is heavily edited, curated, and designed to capture attention. Users and influencers often present exaggerated versions of events, showing only their best moments or creating unnecessary drama to boost engagement. Because algorithms reward sensationalism over quiet truths, what we see online is often a distorted version of reality.