Read the following passage and answer the question given below:
Bias is where a text shows a preference for a particular point of view, or pushes back against another one. A creator of a text may consciously support and promote one point of view, while also criticizing or reducing the importance of any alternatives. Bias can also be 'unconscious', which means that a text promotes a particular point of view in some way, but without its creator necessarily being aware of it.
By evaluating how objective, subjective or biased a text is, we can make informed judgements about its purpose(s).
Where the purpose of a text (written or spoken) is to persuade in some way, it is aimed at getting people to think or act in a certain way, or to believe something in particular. To persuade, you must support or oppose a particular 'side' or point of view, and we can therefore expect to see signs of bias in texts with a persuasive purpose.
Not all bias is obvious, however, and sometimes a text is created in a way that tries to make it look more objective. This can give an audience the impression that the text is 'fair' and 'unbiased'; this can also be very persuasive in leading people to accepting what they may see, read or hear more readily.
As the audience of a text, we need to be able to make informed judgements about a text, so that we can then make informed decisions about how to respond to the text, and what, if anything, we might do as a result of it.
It can be inferred from the passage that:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → We can make informed judgements about bias.
The passage says that by evaluating how objective, subjective or biased a text is, we can make informed judgements about its purpose, and it ends by saying that as the audience we need to be able to make such judgements. So it follows that bias can be recognised and judged by an informed reader.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: A creator uses bias consciously. — Incorrect. Only partly true: the passage says a creator may promote a view consciously, but that bias can also be "unconscious", without the creator being aware of it.
Option 2: It is difficult to write without bias. — Incorrect. Not mentioned: the passage explains what bias is and where to expect it; it never calls writing without bias difficult.
Option 3: Bias is always obvious. — Incorrect. Contradicted: the passage says "Not all bias is obvious"; a text may be made to look objective.