Elance Article Writing Test Answers



A sidebar story:
Supports or makes more clear a larger story.
Runs as opposition to an opinion piece.
Is only printed in a narrow column.
Wraps around a feature photograph.


After the first use, how do you refer to a source?
Last name
First and last name
First name


Which of the following does NOT make for a good lead?
Conflict
Brevity
Specificity
Passive voice


What do you NOT normally do when querying an editor?
Pick the angle of your topic
Familiarize yourself with the publication
Conduct preliminary research
Submit your article on spec


Once you've selected a topic for your article, it's important that you:
Explore as many avenues as possible within that topic
Stay on topic and don't let your writing stray
Find a way to include a personal anecdote related to the topic
Feel free to to expand the topic if it seems more interesting


e.g. means ______ and i.e. means ________.
for example; for example
for example; in other words
in other words; in other words
in other words; for example


Which statement is in passive voice?
She would not save a seat.
The last good seat was taken by the friend.
He would not stand up for himself.
No good seats were available.


What is a "pull quote"?
A prominently displayed quote that is pulled from the article
A quote pulled from government statistics
A quote pulled from a source during an interview


What person is "you"?
First
Second
Third


What is a “nut graph”?
An illustration used to convey facts in the form of a graph
A paragraph in which the main points of a story are summarized.
Part of an article that's meant to be funny or "nutty"


Select the correct sentence.
I use my left-hand most frequently, so I refer to myself as left handed.
I use my left hand most frequently, so I refer to myself as left handed.
I use my left hand most frequently, so I refer to myself as left-handed.
I use my left-hand most frequently, so I refer to myself as left-handed.


What is "the gutter"?
The space off the page to the right.
The space between margins across facing pages.
The top drawer of the editor's desk.
The space off the page to the left.


Where should the most important part of a news story be?
At the end.
It depends on the news story.
At the beginning.
Wherever it chronologically comes in telling the story.


The particular way in which a writer has approached a topic is known as what?
Angle
Opinion
Structure
Style


What is a deck?
The same thing as a conclusion
Biographical information at the end of the article
Text pulled from the article that appears in a large font
A short, one or two line summary that expounds on the headline


If a paper is "put to bed," it means:
The paper has been bought out by another company.
The newspaper's edition has been canceled by the editor.
The pages are all complete and headed to the printer.
Every copy of a particular issue was sold.


Which word is spelled incorrectly?
accommodate
embarrass
chauffeur
forfit


When a story "jumps," that means it:
Captures the reader's attention.
Is picked up by the wire services.
Continues in a different edition.
Continues on another page.


Which of the following are advantages of the "inverted pyramid" style?
Presents the most important facts quickly to busy readers.
Lets the headline writer understand the story quickly.
(all of these)
Allows the story to be easily edited for length by trimming the bottom.


Which of the following sources would be considered the LEAST credible by current academic standards?
Scholarly articles
Sites like JSTOR
Research results
Wikipedia


When writing an article, what must you NEVER do?
Copy with attribution
Rewrite your article
Proofread
Miss a deadline
(All of these)


Which of the following is grammatically correct?
The pouring rain didn't phase the marathon runners.
The pouring rain didn't phrase the marathon runners.
The pouring rain didn't faze the marathon runners.
The pouring rain didn't fays the marathon runners


When would you use Roman numerals?
Sequence for people
Wars
All of these
Sequence for animals


What's a lead?
The first paragraph of your article or news story.
An exclusive interview
The concluding paragraph of your article
Lead is another name for source.


Which of the following is an example of a features article?
A fictional short story
A profile of a local musician
A fact-based accounting of a recent crime
An editorial on changes to a county ordinance


When should you use an ellipse?
As a substitute for "so" at the end of a sentence.
To substitute a period.
When you're quoting material and you want to omit some words.
When you mean "to be continued."


How can you use an inarticulate quote that contains good information?
There’s no way to use it
Paraphrase it as an indirect quote
Clean it up and use it as a quote
Use it exactly as quoted


Which of the following is the defining characteristic of a "feature" story?
Will be placed prominently on the front page.
Has news value, but is also meant to entertain a reader.
Is presented in several newspapers at once.
Is broken up into several sections.


What is the difference between "further" and "farther"?
Further is an extension of time or degree. Farther refers to physical distance.
Further is incorrect grammer. Farther is always correct.
Farther is incorrect grammar. Further is always correct.
Further refers to physical distance. Farther is an extension of time or degree.


What's a byline?
The name of the writer
The date and city from which the story originates
A blank line left between the title and the first paragraph of the article
Byline is another word for headline.


An article that's intended to convince a reader to believe in your conclusion can be called what?
An explanation
An argument
An interview
A definition


When would you spell out the name of a nation's state or province?
When it stands alone
When it's in a dateline
When it follows a city name
When it's a state that can not be abbreviated


What's the best way to handle verb tense within a paragraph?
Same tense unless there's a reason to change tenses
Never change tenses
You can switch tenses at will


Which is the proper use of "affect" and "effect"?
How will this affect me?
The affects of the pill are very strong.
I didn't know how strongly my actions would effect others.
Your effection for me is overwheming.


How does a quote differ from an attribution?
A quote reproduces the precise words of a subject; an attribution tells a reader where information came from.
A quote can be anonymous; an attribution is always from a named source.
An attribution is only used for photographs.
Quotes and attributions are the same.


Which is the correct use of "whose"?
Whose on first?
Whose Who? I can't tell.
Whose mitt is this?
Whose ready to go to the baseball game?


Which should you strictly limit?
Exclamation marks—it’s like laughing at your own jokes
Italics—they're hard to read
Semi colons—most people don’t know how to use them


The continuation of a story from one page to another is called a:
Lead
Bookmark
Fold
Jump


What voice is commonly used in general-interest articles?
Passive
Active
Terse


What information is commonly included in an article's byline?
The author's name and position
The section editor
The location of the events in the article
The date of publication


Which of the following is the proper use of the hyphen?
well known-student
20-year-sentence
20 year-sentence
20-year sentence


Which of the following is grammatically correct?
The school has less teachers than schools in surrounding districts.
The school has fewer teachers than schools in surrounding districts.
The school has lesser teachers than schools in surrounding districts.
The school has more fewer teachers than schools in surrounding districts.


The classic "inverted pyramid" approach to writing a news article means what?
Balancing essential information with supporting details throughout the article.
Drawing the reader in by teasing out details throughout the article.
The most important information appears at the top of the story with additional details appearing in lower paragraphs.
Including as many details as possible in the first three paragraphs.


What is the most neutral way to end a quotation?
"...he insisted."
"...he said."
"...he argued."
"...he noted."


I will be looking forward to--
hearding you.
hear from you.
hearing from you.
heard that.


If after completing an article, you still haven't met the word count, what is the best thing to do?
Elaborate a few key points
Write a filler paragraph repeating what you've already written, in different words
Add adjectives before every noun
Add quotations


Using the SVO (subject, verb, object) format in article does what?
Ensures that your sentences are constructed in passive voice.
Keeps your writing tight and concise
Ensures that your writing is grammatically sound
Tends to bore readers and should be avoided.


Which of the following options is correct?
I used to like bananas, than I decided I like apples better.
I like apples better than bananas.
Peanut Butter tastes better on apples then bananas.
Apples are healthier for you then bananas.


choose the correct statement
my fathers mother is my grandmother.
my father's mother is my grandmother.
My father's mother is my grandmother.
My farther's mother, is my grandmother


Why is a newspaper more likely to be sued for libel than for slander?
Libel applies to the written word, while slander is spoken.
Slander is no longer illegal in the US.
A newspaper is equally likely to be sued for slander.
Libel is better defined in US case law.


How can you tighten your articles?
Shorten long sentences
(All of these)
Remove redundant words and phrases
Remove qualifying words and phrases


Which is the correct use of a semicolon?
Redwoods, oaks, and pine trees all grow in the forest; along with tulips.
"Hey;" she called,"Why won't you talk to me?"
Why are you never on time; can't you do it just once?
She is survived by a daughter, Ariel, of New Jersey; a son, Eric, of North Carolina; and a cousin, Sebastian, of Florida.


A features article differs from a news article in what way?
By relying more on interviews and stories than facts
Because it's written in the first person using "I" and "me"
By including opinions
By giving a more in depth look at a subject


If the publisher's guidelines limit you to 500 words, you should:
Write around 350 words so the editor can add things you forgot
Stick precisely to that guideline
Don't worry about the guideline. It's more of a suggestion.
Write at least 750 words so the editor can pare it down


Where do you place additional information in a general interest article?
Secondary articles
Sidebars
Pull quotes
Endnotes


What is an “anonoblog”?
All of the above
A blog written and maintained by an anonymous author, often under a pseudonym or pen name
A blog about people who used to be famous
A general blog with multiple authors


What's a query?
A more formal term for the questions asked during an interview.
The process of having your article reviewed by fellow writers.
A letter to an editor or publisher proposing an article you want to write.
A word that describes the process of researching an article.


Which of the following is true about conducting online research for your article?
You must be extra attentive to the reliability of the source.
Depending on the subject matter, you might be able to do all your research online.
Anyone can post anything online, so you should only use printed sources.
The availability of information online has made other forms of research unnecessary.


How long should an article length be?
500 characters
500 words
It's dependent on the article's context and writer


choose the correct meaning of the word censor
an official body that bans parts of a book or film
to make certain that something will happen
to criticize strongly


In journalism, a "source" is:
An anonymous person.
A specific person.
All of these
A public figure.


What type of article focuses on people and their achievements?
Service
Ghostwritten
Profile
Manuscript


How can you bring life to your writing?
Paint pictures
Involve as many senses as possible
All of these
Tell stories


Which one is the long part of an article?
Description
All of the above
Conclusion
Introduction


If you’re considering adding humor to your article, always remember:
Humor can hurt your credibility, so you should avoid it.
Everyone loves to laugh, so add humor whenever possible.
Don't be afraid to be offensive, controversy will stir up interest in your writing
Humor can be culturally dependent, so be cautious when using it.


True or false? You can never know who’s actually going to read your article, so you shouldn’t focus greatly on your audience when writing.
True
False


Which sentence is correct?
Once Karen loses 10 pounds, her pants will be loose.
Once Karen looses 10 pounds her pants will be lose.


Which of the following is a benefit of including a story in your article?
Stories keep readers interested if your subject matter is advanced or technical.
Stories don't have to be true, so they're easy to come up with.
Stories engage the reader by giving them an example of how the topic applies in real life.
Stories help you fill space if you're having trouble reaching the word limit.


True or False? You can quote “real people” as well as experts.
True
False


A publication's circulation is measured by:
The number of copies sold.
The number of cities where it is available.
The number of copies distributed to subscribers.
The number of people who have access to it.


Which of the following is true when it comes to writing articles on common topics?
You should find something new to say or look for a fresh angle.
If the topic is too common, discard it and find another one.
You don’t need a unique viewpoint, you just need to be a better writer.
You can skip doing your own research and just learn from what’s already been written


A newspaper's physical archive is sometimes called a:
Backup
Plate
Morgue
Proof


A news article is meant to convey facts, so your writing should be:
Sophisticated
Wordy
Funny
Objective


What is the biggest negative in an article?
Using lots of big words
Cliche words and phrases
Spelling and grammar mistakes
over-use of adjectives


As the article writer, it's not really your job to edit or proofread. True or False?
False
True


How are most articles structured?
Introduction, argument, conclusion
Introduction, body, argument
Introduction, anecdote, conclusion
Introduction, body, conclusion


Which is the correct use of "whom"?
Whom is going to the party with her?
Whom are you referring to?
Whom will be the one to rescue the princess?
Whom has the right answer?


What is a "service piece"?
An article about caring for vehicles and electronic devices
A review of the service of a company
An article explaining services of a company
A self-help article


Articles should be ____________.
unique
both grammatically correct and unique
grammatically correct
any one


Which one is the format of MS word document?
.xdoc
.doc
.slx
.msdoc
.msd


The words 'and' and 'but' are examples of what?
Adverbs
Verbs
Nouns
Conjunctions


A lead that uses a quote, anecdote or other literary device to attract the reader is called a(n):
Ramp lead
Impact lead
Hard Lead
Soft Lead


Before interviewing someone for an article, prepare a list of questions but don't be afraid to simply "go with the flow" of the conversation. True or False?
False
True


Which uses the proper form of "you're" and "your"?
Your really pretty.
You're fly is down.
Your the one who doesn't know the difference between "your" and "you're."
You're the one who doesn't know the difference between "your" and "you're."


How can you strengthen your writing?
Turn comma splices into separate sentences
All of these
Shorten long clauses
Cut excessive use of "of"


Plagiarism occurs when you:
Use another person's work as if it was yours.
Take a photograph without asking.
Use only government sources.
Quote someone incorrectly.


What’s the best long-term strategy to improve your writing?
Write more
Take regular breaks
Read more
Read more and write more


What are the explanations under photos called in an article?
Piclines
Taglines
photo explanations
trimlines
Cutlines


"I" is ___________ person
2nd
3rd
1st


Before submitting an article for a particular publication, you should first check the publisher’s style guide. True or false?
True
False


What is a "lede"?
The author’s bio
Everything before the first subhead
The first sentence
The first paragraph


A magazine-length article that paints a picture of a particular place and the people who work or live there is called what?
News Feature
Profile
Live-In
Trend Story


True or False: When referring to other magazine and newspaper article, you should place their titles in quotation marks.
False
True