1.3 Reading Non-Fiction
Learn to read and evaluate informational texts, articles, and media.
45 min
4 oppgaver
Fact vs opinionCritical readingText structureBias
Din fremgang i kapitlet
0 / 4 oppgaver
Reading Non-Fiction
Non-fiction texts give us information about the real world. They include news articles,
textbooks, biographies, essays, and websites. Reading non-fiction requires different
skills than reading fiction.
Common Types of Non-Fiction
- News articles: Report current events
- Feature articles: In-depth coverage of topics
- Biographies: Stories of real people's lives
- Essays: Writer's thoughts on a topic
- Informational texts: Explain facts about a subject
- Reviews: Evaluate books, films, products, etc.
Fact vs. Opinion
Fact: A statement that can be proven true or false.
> "Norway has a population of about 5.5 million people."
> "Norway has a population of about 5.5 million people."
Opinion: A personal belief or judgment that cannot be proven.
> "Norway is the most beautiful country in the world."
Reading Critically
When reading non-fiction, ask yourself:
1. Who wrote this? What are their qualifications?
2. What is the purpose? To inform, persuade, or entertain?
3. When was it written? Is the information still current?
4. What evidence is given? Are there facts, statistics, or examples?
5. Is it biased? Does it show only one side of an issue?
Watch Out for Bias
Bias is when a text favors one side over another. Signs of bias include:
- Strong emotional language
- Only presenting one viewpoint
- Ignoring counter-arguments
- Cherry-picking statistics
Always look for multiple sources when researching a topic.
Common Text Structures
Non-fiction texts are often organized in specific ways:
- Chronological: Events in time order
- Cause and effect: Why things happen and their results
- Compare and contrast: Similarities and differences
- Problem and solution: A problem is presented, then solved
- Description: Detailed information about a topic
Signal words help you identify text structure:
- Chronological: first, then, next, finally, in 1990
- Cause/effect: because, therefore, as a result, consequently
- Compare/contrast: similarly, however, on the other hand, unlike
- Problem/solution: the problem is, one solution, this can be solved by
📝Oppgave 1
📝Oppgave 2
What text structure uses words like "because," "therefore," and "as a result"?
a
Identify the text structure associated with these signal words.
📝Oppgave 3
Which question is MOST important for evaluating if a source is reliable?
a
Select the most important question for source evaluation.
📝Oppgave 4
Find and analyze a news article in English.
a
Find a news article about a current event. Write down the source, author (if given), and date.
b
Identify three facts and one opinion in the article.
c
Evaluate the article: Is it biased? Does it give evidence? Would you trust this source? Explain why.