An Unbiased Editing Quiz
Drawn from “Unbiased Editing in a Diverse Society”
by Elizabeth Wissner-Gross
Briefly respond to the following statements as an editor. Download to a Word document:
1. This is the season when everyone is hoping for a good tan.
2. He complained that he got gypped at the store where they sold him an egg for $15.
3. The suspect was described as black and weighing about 150 pounds.
4. The 21-year-old girl was featured on the magazine cover about woman pilots. The political party was searching for the best man for the job
5. The 10-man team helped to evacuate the passengers from the burning train.
6. The breadwinner in the average household tends to earn twice as much as his wife.
7. Firemen were heroic on Sept. 11.
8. The girls in the office threw a party for their boss.
9. Jane Anderson, an attractive blond, is married to Michael Anderson, a plumber.
10. The average American shopper prefers to buy her clothes at outlet stores.
11. She was a tomboy and played volleyball like a boy.
12. For a female candidate, she certainly did not know how to dress.
13. The peace agreement is valid, the senator said with an Irish twinkle.
14. Although she was a fundamentalist, she was nonviolent.
15. The elderly woman had just celebrated her 50th birthday with her grandchildren.
16. The 30-year-old murderer, who had been an adopted child, was sent to prison.
17. Ask any doctor which aspirin he recommends most.
18. Firefighters rescued the boy's adoptive mother as his real mother watched in horror.
19. Although she was old, she was still fashionable and feminine.
20. She was a pretty girl—blond hair, blue eyes—and smarter than you would expect a typical blonde to be.
21. In federal court today, the plaintiff wore an orange plaid ski sweater, gold earrings and matching slacks, and her hair was pulled back neatly in braids.
22. In Austria, Gypsies are being victimized by some of the worst racial violence in 50 years.
23. Our mailman said she had just started working for the U.S. Post Office.
24. He behaved like a real boy—wild, careless and assertive. She was bossy—wild, careless and assertive.
25. Although Justin was taking ballet lessons, he still found time for football.
