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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. According to "The Building Blocks of Arguments," what are the "grounds" of a argument?
(a) Factual data and evidence.
(b) The conclusions that an argument is based on.
(c) Explanations of the relationship between facts and claims.
(d) The backing of a rebuttal or qualification.

2. According to "The Building Blocks of Arguments," what purpose do warrants serve?
(a) Warrants explain counterclaims.
(b) Warrants provide evidence.
(c) Warrants are like conclusions.
(d) Warrants link claims and grounds.

3. In Chapter 3, "The Power of the Prologue," why is "foreward" spelled with an "e" instead of as we usually see it, "forward"?
(a) This is a proofreading error in the text.
(b) Foster is using an unconventional spelling to draw attention to the idea "fore," which means "ahead."
(c) Without the "e," the word means a direction; with the "e," it means a piece of writing that comes ahead of another.
(d) The spelling "foreward" is a British spelling, like "flavour," and is therefore an accepted alternate spelling.

4. In Chapter 7, "All in How You Look at Things," Foster uses as examples two books that have the same subject matter--Fear, and Fire and Fury. What subject matter do these books have in common?
(a) World War II.
(b) Watergate.
(c) Wilderness exploration.
(d) The Trump White House.

5. In Chapter 1, "The Structure of Nonfiction Information," what does Foster say the first job of the writer is, on page one?
(a) To be clear and concise.
(b) To tell the truth.
(c) To get the reader to page two.
(d) To create a personal bond with the reader.

6. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," how does Foster define "specialty journalism"?
(a) Feature writing.
(b) The newspaper sports section.
(c) Editorial writing.
(d) Forms of journalism devoted to a single subject area.

7. In Chapter 6, "Source Code," Foster talks about the change in value over time of a reporter's eyewitness testimony. What does Foster call this change in value?
(a) The decline of presence.
(b) The economy of information.
(c) The transfer of source validity.
(d) The price of detail.

8. In Chapter 6, "Source Code," which is the only type of nonfiction that Foster says doesn't need "rock-solid" sources (69)?
(a) Reportage.
(b) Philosophy.
(c) Memoir.
(d) Biography.

9. In Chapter 7, "All in How You Look at Things," Foster says that which type of nonfiction is usually better off starting at the beginning chronologically?
(a) Biography.
(b) Philosophy.
(c) History.
(d) Reportage.

10. In Chapter 6, "Source Code," what type of writing does Foster say relies heavily on eyewitness testimony?
(a) Science.
(b) Journalism.
(c) History.
(d) Op-eds.

11. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," what does Foster say is the difference between "hard news" and "soft news"?
(a) Hard news is focused on statistics and data; soft news is focused on investigations and exposés.
(b) Hard news is focused on difficult truths; soft news is about making the reader feel good.
(c) Hard news is truth-focused; soft news permits some inaccuracy.
(d) Hard news is fact-focused, basic news gathering; soft news is generally lengthier and less objective.

12. In Chapter 1, "The Structure of Nonfiction Information," what does Foster mean when he uses the word "dichotomy"?
(a) Something relatively unknown.
(b) A narrative told in the order in which events really happened.
(c) The study of social policy.
(d) A division between opposite things.

13. In Chapter 7, "All in How You Look at Things," what does Foster cite as one of the main reasons that Americans have historically trusted the news media?
(a) The tendency of editors to insist on multiple sources.
(b) Journalists' willingness to admit mistakes.
(c) Journalists' willingness to admit bias.
(d) The strict editorial control of content.

14. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," Foster calls an expression a "bromide." What is he saying about this expression?
(a) It is clever and concise.
(b) It is insightful but wordy.
(c) It is unoriginal and unimportant.
(d) It is boring and mean-spirited.

15. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," what does Foster say is true of the sports section?
(a) It contains primarily editorial columns.
(b) Its box scores are an example of soft news.
(c) It contains every type of writing found in a newspaper.
(d) It excludes features.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Chapter 5, "It May Just Be Me, But..." what does Foster say about offering a source the chance to correct themselves if they claim that they misspoke?

2. In Chapter 6, "Source Code," what does Foster say about the proliferation of online sources?

3. In Chapter 5, "It May Just Be Me, But..." what does Foster say about disclaimers like "I don't dislike soccer" (52)?

4. In Chapter 8, "Bringing the News," what reason does Foster give for journalists generally being proved correct despite public mistrust?

5. In Chapter 4, "The Parts You Don't Read," what advice does Foster give about the copyright page?

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