English Language Arts
Grade 7
15 min
Distinguish facts from opinions
Distinguish facts from opinions
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1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify common Greek and Latin roots related to truth, knowledge, belief, and judgment.
Analyze words containing specific roots to infer their meaning in context.
Determine if a statement is factual or opinion-based by examining the Greek and Latin roots of key vocabulary.
Explain how specific roots contribute to the factual or subjective nature of a word.
Apply knowledge of Greek and Latin roots to evaluate the credibility and bias of information.
Construct sentences using words with specific roots to convey either factual information or personal opinion.
Ever wonder how the building blocks of words themselves can give us clues about whether something is true or just someone's belief? 🤔
In this lesson, you'll discover how ancient Greek and L...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
FactA statement that can be proven true or verified with evidence.The Latin root *verus* (true) is found in 'verify,' meaning to prove the truth of something.
OpinionA personal belief, judgment, or feeling that cannot be proven true or false.The Latin root *credere* (to believe) is found in 'credible,' referring to something believable, which can be subjective.
Greek RootA foundational word part derived from ancient Greek that carries a core meaning.The Greek root *doxa* means 'opinion' or 'belief,' as seen in 'paradox' (a statement that seems contradictory but may be true).
Latin RootA foundational word part derived from ancient Latin that carries a core meaning.The Latin root *scire* means 'to know,' as se...
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Key Rules & Conventions
Root-Meaning Connection for Facts
Words derived from Greek or Latin roots meaning 'truth,' 'know,' 'prove,' or 'see' (in the sense of observe) often signal factual statements.
When you encounter words like 'verify' (verus - true), 'cognition' (cognoscere - to know), or 'evident' (videre - to see), consider that the statement likely deals with verifiable information.
Root-Meaning Connection for Opinions
Words derived from Greek or Latin roots meaning 'believe,' 'think,' 'judge,' or 'seem' often signal opinionated statements.
Look for words such as 'credible' (credere - to believe), 'presume' (sumere - to take/assume), or 'paradox' (doxa -...
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Challenging
Which sentence correctly uses a word with the Latin root *sentire* (to feel, to perceive) to express a clear personal opinion?
A.The new law reflects the popular *sentiment* of the voters.
B.The motion *sensor* detected movement in the hallway.
C.He was *sentenced* to community service by the judge.
D.The doctor checked the patient's *sensory* responses.
Challenging
A student is evaluating a source that says: 'It is an *incontrovertible* fact, based on my *cognition*, that this *orthodox* approach is the only one worth considering.' Which analysis of the roots in this sentence is most accurate for determining bias?
A.All the roots (*verus*, *cognoscere*, *doxa*) point to a purely factual and unbiased statement.
B.The roots show no clear indication of fact or opinion, making the source's bias impossible to determine.
C.The speaker mixes fact-related roots (*verus* in 'incontrovertible', *cognoscere* in 'cognition') with a strong opinion root (*doxa* in 'orthodox') to present a personal belief as an undeniable fact, indicating significant bias.
D.The root *doxa* in 'orthodox' proves that the speaker is presenting a well-researched and widely accepted fact.
Challenging
Which of the following sentences misuses a word with a fact-based root to state a clear opinion, creating a logical inconsistency?
A.The scientist will verify the results of the experiment.
B.It is my subjective opinion that the book was boring.
C.The evidence for his conclusion was clearly visible.
D.It is a *verifiable* fact that vanilla is the best ice cream flavor.
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