Question

warm-up
now practice identifying language that is not precise.
which two headlines have unclear meanings?
select the correct answers.

• eye drops off shelf
• local thief caught by police
• students raise funds for new gym
• old school pillars are replaced by alumni

Explanation:

Analyze syntactic ambiguity in "Eye Drops Off Shelf"

The phrase "Eye Drops Off Shelf" is syntactically ambiguous. It can mean that liquid drops designed for eyes fell off a shelf, or that the physical eye of a person or object fell off a shelf.

Analyze syntactic ambiguity in "Old School Pillars Are Replaced by Alumni"

The phrase "Old School Pillars Are Replaced by Alumni" is syntactically ambiguous. "Pillars" can refer literally to structural columns of an old school building being replaced, or metaphorically to prominent, long-standing members of the school community being replaced by former students.

Evaluate other headlines for clarity

"Local Thief Caught by Police" and "Students Raise Funds for New Gym" have clear, direct, and unambiguous meanings.

Answer:

• Eye Drops Off Shelf (Correct answer)
• Local Thief Caught by Police
• Students Raise Funds for New Gym
• Old School Pillars Are Replaced by Alumni (Correct answer)