1 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Is it a fact, or is it an opinion? 2 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Does it matter? 3 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Yes. 4 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Both are important. 5 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 But knowing how to distinguish between fact and opinion 6 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 can help us to better understand 7 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 what we read and hear, 8 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and how we form our opinions. 9 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Let's take a look. 10 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 A fact is a statement that can be proven to be true. 11 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Facts are objetive, 12 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 which means they are not influenced 13 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 by what someone thinks or believes. 14 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 A fact is indisputable 15 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and cannot be changed. 16 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 There are some key questions to identify facts. 17 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 1) Can it be measured or confirmed with calculations or data? 18 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 For example, 19 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 two plus two equals four. 20 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 We can add the numbers and demostrate 21 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that this stament is true. 22 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 2) Can it be observed? Can we see it happen? 23 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 For, instance, 24 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 99% of people cannot lick ther elbow. 25 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 This is true. 26 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 This is a fact that can be observed. 27 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Research has determined that one over a hundred people 28 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 can successfully complete this task. 29 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 3) Can it be verified by primary sources, 30 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 such as research, photographs, newspapers, 31 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and other facts? 32 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Here is an example, 33 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Nintendo was started in 1889. 34 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 This is a fact because it can be verifed 35 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 by many sources. 36 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 A man named Fusajiro Yamauchi, from Japan 37 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 founded Nintendo as a playing card company in 1889, 38 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and now is one of the largest gaming companies in the world. 39 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Now, let's move on to opinion, 40 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 which sometimes can be a little trickier. 41 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 An opinion is a statement 42 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 of believe or judgement. 43 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Opinions express which someone thinks or feels. 44 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 An opinion can change. 45 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Let's look some examples. 46 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Ice cream is delicious. 47 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Many people believe this but some people don't. 48 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 It is a judgement, and therefore an opinion. 49 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 When we evaluate something or somebody 50 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 we often use adjectives such as important, beautiful 51 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 fun or difficult. 52 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 An adjective that allows to judge something 53 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 is a clue that a statement is an opinion. 54 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Another signal word for opinions is the word should. 55 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Here is an example. 56 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Everyone should learn more than one language. 57 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Whether may be very good reasons 58 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 to learnn more tnan one language, 59 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 not everyone would agree, 60 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 personal value do itself. 61 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Political views are opinions. 62 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Different people hold different ideas 63 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 about what societies are, 64 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and how is the best to address them. 65 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Since opinion canĀ“t be proven or disproven, 66 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 there is no right or wrong answer, 67 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 just different view points. 68 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 While opinions may be supported by facts and evidence, 69 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 the issue we care about will still be 70 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 For example, I can say that 71 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 going to school year-round is better for students. 72 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 There are supporters of this viewpoint. 73 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Someone argues that a shorter vacation period 74 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 would prevent students from forgetting what they learnt, 75 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 or say that students often get bored over the summer. 76 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Or that other countries around the world use a year-round system. 77 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 However, we cannot prove that the stament is true. 78 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 There are many reasons to think that a tenth- month calendar is better. 79 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 You can argue that a student needs an extended break, 80 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 and that they should be allowed to participate in other summer activities. 81 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Or that a lack of air conditioning means 82 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 they shouldn't be inside school buildings in the summer. 83 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 If we look back at the statement, 84 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 we can also identify another signal word for opinion. 85 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 The word better. 86 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 When we are comparing different things, 87 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 or we see words like 'greatest','best' or 'better', 88 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 it can suggest we are looking at an opinion statement. 89 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Another type of opinion is a prediction. 90 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Often predictions are made on experience. 91 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 knowledge or research. 92 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 But because they are based on the future, 93 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 we can't actually verify them today. 94 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Let's look an example. 95 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 96 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 That sounds amazing and scary. 97 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Although many 98 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 we have no way of verifying the statement today. 99 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 So, it is an opinion. 100 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 One thing to remember is that just because 101 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 we believe something to be true, 102 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that does not make it a fact. 103 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Let's recap what we learnt. 104 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 A fact is a statement that can be proven to be true, 105 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Can it be measured or confirmed by data? 106 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Can it be observed? 107 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Can we verify its truth with other sources? 108 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Does it say the same? 109 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 If we answer yes to one of these questions 110 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that means it is a fact. 111 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 An opinion is a statement of believe and judgement 112 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 that cannot be proven to be true. 113 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Does it evalute someone or something? 114 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Can we debate it? 115 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Does it make a prediction? 116 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Can it change? 117 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 If you may answer 'Yes' to these questions, is an opinion. 118 99:59:59,999 --> 99:59:59,999 Knowing how to separate between fact and opinion,