Read the passage first
The lesson below refers to this passage.
A Bench and a Claim
Overview
A factual statement describes something that can be checked; an opinion evaluates or interprets it. Opinions may be well informed, and facts may be incomplete or mistaken. The distinction concerns the kind of claim, not a guarantee that one is useful and the other worthless. Identify evaluative words and ask what standard they require.
“A Bench and a Claim” distinguishes a logged access problem from a resident's judgment that the move was the “best” improvement. Checking cart passage tests the maintenance rationale. Shade and caregiver visibility test other goals. One improvement can help walkers and inconvenience caregivers, so different judgments need not make the record false. A broad success claim hides the tradeoff unless the goal is specified.
“What the Stall Count Tells Us” reports more stalls on two dates. That directly establishes presence, but “thriving” also suggests outcomes such as worthwhile sales and continued participation. Two vendors' good sales are relevant but may not represent eighteen. A representative range of sales and return information strengthens the wider conclusion more than a vivid photograph. The author is constructively critical because it values the count while asking the headline to fit it.
For evidence evaluation, state the claim at its actual scope before choosing support. A detail about the same topic may test another criterion. For summaries, preserve the distinction between observation and interpretation. In a new report, ask what the number directly measures, what the judgment adds, and what additional evidence would bridge that gap. Do not reject a judgment merely because it is an opinion; examine whether its stated or implied standard is supported.
Apply the method to a complete new context
Read the whole passage before choosing an answer.
Resurfacing the Track
In March, the high school replaced its cinder track with a rubber surface. The athletic office reports that the project cost $310,000 and was paid for by a state grant. Since the track reopened, residents may use it from 6 to 8 a.m. on weekdays.
At a board meeting, one parent called the new surface “the smartest money the district has spent in a decade.” A coach added that her runners have reported fewer shin complaints this season, although she had not compared injury records from earlier years.
Which statement expresses a judgment rather than a fact that could be checked? A. The project cost $310,000 and was paid for by a state grant. B. The new surface was the district's smartest spending in a decade. C. Residents may use the track from 6 to 8 a.m. on weekdays. D. The coach's runners have reported fewer shin complaints this season.
The supported answer is B: The new surface was the district's smartest spending in a decade. “Smartest” ranks the spending against a decade of choices without naming the standard, so it evaluates rather than reports. Choice D sounds favorable, but whether runners reported fewer complaints can be checked against the coach's records, even though it does not prove the surface caused the change.
Look for words that rank or judge value, and ask whether the statement could be checked against a record.