Reference: The Economist
Correcting the massive amounts of misinformation circulating online is an endless task. Platforms like YouTube and Meta have removed millions of pieces of false content, such as COVID-19 misinformation. _(1)__these efforts, fact-checking organizations remain overwhelmed by the sheer volume of misleading claims. With professional fact-checking resources shrinking—Meta is replacing some paid checkers _ (2)__volunteers, and U.S. government funding is being reduced—the need to prioritize has become urgent.
To manage this, researchers from the University of Westminster, along with fact-checkers from Full Fact, Africa Check, and AFP, developed a triaging system. This system helps identify which falsehoods are most dangerous and should be fact-checked first. Two key questions guide their process: Will the claim cause harm if believed? And are people likely to act on it? For instance, false medical advice needs only one believer to be harmful, while election misinformation requires mass belief to have a(n) _(3)__.According to their findings, 57% of sampled claims were unlikely to lead to real-world consequences. The remaining claims were classified as either “direct” (e.g., discouraging vaccination) or “cumulative” (e.g., contributing to negative immigration narratives). While _ (4)__ harm is harder to measure, repeated exposure can still shape public opinion.
Triaging allows fact-checkers to use their limited time more effectively. A claim can be triaged in five minutes, while thorough verification may take hours. Still, not all fact-checking is about harm. Some viral claims—like a fake photo of an elephant carrying a lion cub, _ (5)__ may seem harmless but still matter for digital literacy. As Karl Malakunas of AFP and Peter Cunliffe-Jones of Westminster note, the future of fact-checking lies in using data to become more systematic and strategic.
- (A) Even (B) Thanks to (C)Except to (D)Despite
- (A)on (B)in (C)with (D) at
- (A)effect (B)chance (C) auction (D) despair
- (A) objective (B)cumulative (C)positive (D)alternative
- (A) that (B)where (C) what (D)which
Answer: DCABD
Reading comprehension:
1. What is the main idea of the passage?
(A) Fact-checkers are adopting new systems to better handle misinformation.
(B) False information always causes serious harm.
(C) All types of false claims have the same consequences.
(D) The U.S. government has reduced funding for fact-checking organizations.
2. Why did researchers develop a triaging system for fact-checking?
(A) To identify who is responsible for spreading misinformation.
(B) To prioritize the most dangerous claims due to limited resources.
(C) To reduce the amount of time needed for full fact-checking.
(D) To prevent all false claims from going viral on social media.
3. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
(A) Some false claims are more harmful than others and need to be prioritized.
(B) Meta decided to replace professional fact-checkers with volunteers.
(C) Most false claims in the study were found to have real-world consequences.
(D) Fact-checkers use tests to assess the potential harm of misinformation.
Ans:ABC
