Question

read the excerpts from midnight assassin and glaspells newspaper article \she prepares to fight.\
midnight assassin: but reports soon surfaced that hossack had abused and threatened his family, and for years his wife had gone to the neighbors to complain of his behavior.
\she prepares to fight\: though past 50 years of age, she is tall and powerful and looks like she would be dangerous if aroused to a point of hatred.
which excerpt is biased and why?
○ the first excerpt, because it does not indicate whether the reports were accepted as evidence in the case.
○ the first excerpt, because it contains assumptions that may have affected the writer’s beliefs about mr. hossack.
○ the second excerpt, because it contains nothing that can be proven with objective evidence.
○ the second excerpt, because it appears to contain a prejudice that may have affected the writer’s beliefs about mrs. hossack.

Explanation:

To determine bias, we analyze each option:

• First option: The first excerpt reports on abuse reports, not about bias due to lack of evidence acceptance. Eliminate.
• Second option: The first excerpt states reported abuse (factual reporting), no assumptions affecting beliefs. Eliminate.
• Third option: The second excerpt's claim about being "dangerous if aroused" is subjective, but the key is prejudice. The fourth option is better as it mentions prejudice affecting beliefs about Mrs. Hossack. The second excerpt's description ("looks like she would be dangerous") is a prejudicial view, showing bias in the writer's perception of Mrs. Hossack.
• Fourth option: The second excerpt has a prejudicial tone (judging her as dangerous if aroused) which shows bias in the writer's beliefs about Mrs. Hossack.

Answer:

The second excerpt, because it appears to contain a prejudice that may have affected the writer’s beliefs about Mrs. Hossack.