Is critical thinking life’s key skill? An inquest has ruled that a high-profile conspiracy theorist exerted influence on her bright, happy daughter to reject chemotherapy, leading to her early death.
‘Conspiracy theories killed my sister’
Tragedy: "If approached with an open mind, Paloma would have chosen the chance to survive" declared the coroner at the inquest into her death. Comprehension quiz
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The word notorious most nearly means:
A: Famous for something bad
B: Well-known and popular
C: Shy and quiet
D: Highly intelligent
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Which word is the closest synonym for “influenced”?
A: Ignored
B: Persuaded
C: Confused
D: Entertained
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According to the article, what was Paloma’s chance of recovery if she undertook chemotherapy?
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Name two of the “strange ideas” that Gabriel and Sebastian say their mother raised them to believe.
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The word optimistic most nearly means:
A: Fearful
B: Certain
C: Hopeful
D: Confused
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According to the article, why has Paloma’s death sparked a “fierce debate”?
Answers
Tap to reveal
1. A 2. B 3. 80% 4. Any two of the following: The Royal Family were shape-shifting lizards. 9/11 was staged by the government. WiFi was dangerous. 5. C 6. Paloma's death has sparked a fierce debate about the rise of conspiracy theories and the role of social media in spreading them.
1. A 2. B 3. 80% 4. Any two of the following: The Royal Family were shape-shifting lizards. 9/11 was staged by the government. WiFi was dangerous. 5. C 6. Paloma's death has sparked a fierce debate about the rise of conspiracy theories and the role of social media in spreading them.
Glossary
Diagnosed - When a doctor declares that a patient has a condition or illness.
Lymphoma - A type of blood cancer that affects the immune system.
chemotherapy - A treatment for cancer that uses powerful drugs to kill cells.
Notorious - To be famous – usually for something dangerous or illegal.
Conspiracy theorist - A person who believes that some secret but influential organisation is responsible for a particular event or phenomenon.
Misleading - Giving the wrong idea.
9/11 - A series of terrorist attacks that took place in the USA on 11 September 2001. It is known as 9/11 as Americans write the month first, and then the date. The attacks killed 2,996 people. Many of them died when two planes were hijacked and hit the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York, causing them to collapse.
Enemas - A procedure in which liquid is inserted into the rectum to clear the bowels.
Inquest - An official inquiry into a person’s death.
Misinformation - Incorrect or misleading information unintentionally presented as fact. It can be contrasted with disinformation or deliberate lies.
Algorithms - Any set of rules followed by a computer. In the context of social media, “the algorithm” refers to the intelligent AI that learns the interests of the user and presents them with posts that it thinks will interest them.