comprehension

[jiang]

Dear teachers,

Please read the following:

Pioneer's lives were different from the lives of many people today. Any neighbors they had usually lived many miles away. There were no football or basketball games. There were no teams to play these sports. There were no movies or TV. There were almost no books or newspapers to read.

Which of the following is not true with the pioneers?
a. They lived a long distance from each other.
b. They didn't have modern entertianment.
c. There were no books or newpapers.
d. There were no football or basketball games.

I think "c" is the correct answer because it reads "There were almost no books or newpapers to read" which means there were few books. The problem is the key is "b". I think the key is wrong. Is that right?

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.

Jiang

[Barb_D]

You are right -- saying that there were "almost no" means that the statement that says there were "no" is not true.

However, lacking movies, TV, and modern sports teams also means they didn't have modern forms of entertaininment, so b is not true either.

I expect that the "modern entertainment" was the expected answer, because it addresses more than one point in the passage, but it would be wrong to say that c was not also correct.

[JohnParis]

The way the question is constructed is a nightmare.

Which of the following is not true with the pioneers?
a. They lived a long distance from each other.
b. They didn't have modern entertainment.
c. There were no books or newspapers.
d. There were no football or basketball games.

True or false.
The pioneers:
a. lived a long distance from each other. TRUE
b. didn't have modern entertainment. TRUE
c. had no books or newspapers. FALSE (there were some)
d. had no football or basketball games. TRUE

[jiang]

Dear Barb_D,

Thank you very much for your explanation.
I get confused by your "However, lacking movies, TV, and modern sports teams also means they didn't have modern forms of entertaininment, so b is not true either". There is not such statement as "lacking movies". So I don't understand why "b" is not true.

Could you please explain that?

Jiang

You are right -- saying that there were "almost no" means that the statement that says there were "no" is not true.

However, lacking movies, TV, and modern sports teams also means they didn't have modern forms of entertaininment, so b is not true either.

I expect that the "modern entertainment" was the expected answer, because it addresses more than one point in the passage, but it would be wrong to say that c was not also correct.

[jiang]

Dear John,

Thank you so much for pointing out the spelling mistakes. I shall be very careful next time.
Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see the key is wrong.

Jiang

The way the question is constructed is a nightmare.

Which of the following is not true with the pioneers?
a. They lived a long distance from each other.
b. They didn't have modern entertainment.
c. There were no books or newspapers.
d. There were no football or basketball games.

True or false.
The pioneers:
a. lived a long distance from each other. TRUE
b. didn't have modern entertainment. TRUE
c. had no books or newspapers. FALSE (there were some)
d. had no football or basketball games. TRUE

[Barb_D]

Oh... oh dear. I got wrapped up in the "which is not true, this is true, so it's false as an answer logic."

I completely agree with John.

Please ignore my confusing post.

[jiang]

Dear Barb_D,

Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see.

Jiang

Oh... oh dear. I got wrapped up in the "which is not true, this is true, so it's false as an answer logic."

I completely agree with John.

Please ignore my confusing post.