Question

Which of the following is the author most likely to agree with?

• A. The COVID-19 pandemic was an unmitigated disaster for the newspaper industry.
• B. The COVID-19 pandemic had negative as well as positive effects on the newspaper industry.
• C. The COVID-19 pandemic only had good effects on the newspaper industry.
• D. The COVID-19 pandemic had no effect at all on the newspaper industry.
• A. Social media is a reliable source of true and accurate news and information.
• B. Social media is a highly unreliable source of true and accurate news and information and should not be trusted.
• C. Social media and traditional newspapers are often in direct competition with each other.
• D. Social media is a speedier source of news compared to newspapers.
• A. Slowing down the process of print media production.
• B. Using more expensive printing methods that achieve better print quality, even if it results in newspapers becoming more expensive.
• C. Only publishing newspapers on alternate days.
• D. Developing ways of ensuring that print media can reach readers more speedily.
• A. Newspapers were very careful in ensuring they reported accurate and true news during the lockdowns.
• B. Newspapers played a leading role in exposing lies and misinformation spread during the lockdown.
• C. Newspapers actively disseminated misinformation during the lockdowns and made no efforts to expose lies spread by others.
• D. Newspapers alerted the public to the fact that a number of sources were spreading crude forms of misinformation during the pandemic.
• A. Print media would not suffer as much of a reduction in readership and revenue as readers shifted to other formats.
• B. Print media would suffer a greater reduction in readership and revenue as readers shifted to other formats.
• C. There would be no impact on the readership and revenues of the print industry.
• D. There would be an increased demand from readers that newspapers carry more images and less text.
• A. They offer direct means by which newspapers can become faster to publish and deliver to readers.
• B. They encourage a complete and immediate shift to digital media as a way of ensuring newspapers are not outpaced by other sources of information.
• C. They offer ways to reduce production costs, which would offset the losses caused by readers shifting allegiance to faster sources of information.
• D. They offer alternative means for newspapers to become competitive and profitable, but do not solve the problem of how newspapers can become faster sources of information.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Identify positive effects from the passage
The passage states that during the pandemic, there was a resurgence in collective trust in newspapers.
Surveys showed a rise in the number of readers spending more time with newspapers, indicating a positive shift in public perception of their reliability.
This resurgence was linked to the role newspapers played in exposing misinformation about COVID-19.
Step 2: Identify negative effects from the passage
Despite the rise in trust, newspapers suffered economically due to advertisers cutting back on spending amid the financial fallout of the pandemic.
The industry continued to struggle with reader migration to faster digital formats and the dominance of images over text.
Step 3: Linking to the options
(A) is incorrect because the author does not portray the pandemic as purely disastrous — there were some benefits in terms of trust.
(B) correctly reflects both the positive and negative effects described.
(C) is incorrect because the author clearly mentions economic challenges.
(D) is incorrect because the pandemic clearly affected the industry in multiple ways.
\[ \boxed{\text{The pandemic brought higher trust but also major economic and structural challenges.}} \]

Answer 2

Step 1: Identify the author’s stance on social media
The author argues that social media is the “harbinger of falsity” and spreads misinformation, especially during the pandemic.
This unreliability is contrasted with the trust in newspapers, forming a core part of the argument that print media retains an important role.
Step 2: How to weaken this argument
If it were proven that social media is actually a reliable source of news and information, the key contrast between newspapers (trustworthy) and social media (unreliable) would collapse.
This would directly undermine the claim that newspapers are unique in their reliability.
Step 3: Option analysis
(A) directly challenges the passage’s premise and is therefore the strongest weakening statement.
(B) actually supports the author’s view.
(C) is true but does not attack the reliability contrast, only points to competition.
(D) is also true but already acknowledged in the passage — speed was mentioned as an advantage of other formats over newspapers.
\[ \boxed{\text{If social media is proven reliable, the author's key contrast with newspapers fails.}} \]

Answer 3

Step 1: Core problem identified in the passage
The author notes that newspapers are being outpaced by “speedier” sources of information, especially digital media.
This speed gap is a major reason for declining readership and revenue.
Step 2: Applying the problem to the answer choices
The most effective competitive strategy would directly address this speed disadvantage by delivering news faster to the audience.
Option (D) fits perfectly — faster delivery of print media can reduce the speed gap with digital media.
Step 3: Eliminating wrong options
(A) would worsen the speed problem.
(B) might improve quality but not speed — the problem is not primarily about print quality.
(C) reduces frequency, making speed and relevance worse.
\[ \boxed{\text{Speed improvement directly addresses the core weakness of print media.}} \]

Answer 4

Step 1: Basis of increased trust
The passage attributes the rise in trust to newspapers’ role in exposing misinformation about COVID-19.
This investigative role reinforced public belief in their reliability.
Step 2: What would reverse this effect?
If newspapers themselves spread misinformation and failed to expose lies, they would undermine their own credibility.
This would lead to a weakening rather than strengthening of trust.
Step 3: Option check
(A), (B), and (D) align with building trust.
(C) directly contradicts the trust-building behaviour, making it the correct weakening scenario.
\[ \boxed{\text{Spreading misinformation would erode trust instead of deepening it.}} \]

Answer 5

Step 1: Cultural phenomenon described
The passage mentions the “dominance of the image over text” as a challenge for newspapers.
Audiences increasingly prefer visual formats, making traditional text-heavy newspapers less appealing.
Step 2: Removing the phenomenon
If text regained cultural importance, newspapers would be less disadvantaged compared to visual formats.
This would slow down readership and revenue loss.
Step 3: Evaluating options
(A) correctly reflects reduced negative impact.
(B) is opposite of expected effect.
(C) is unrealistic — the passage clearly links the phenomenon to revenue decline.
(D) goes against the “text dominance” condition.
\[ \boxed{\text{Without image dominance, print media's decline would slow.}} \]

Answer 6

Step 1: Problem restated
Newspapers are losing readership to faster formats.
To survive, they must address this speed gap.
Step 2: Passage’s suggestion
The author suggests rethinking survival strategies and revenue models to enhance competitiveness — central to this is improving delivery speed.
This could mean faster production cycles, quicker distribution, or both.
Step 3: Option analysis
(A) matches this recommendation directly.
(B) suggests abandoning print — not implied in the passage.
(C) is about cost-cutting, which addresses profitability but not speed.
(D) acknowledges competitiveness but leaves the core speed issue unresolved.
\[ \boxed{\text{Direct speed improvements align with author's recommendation.}} \]