Victim’s testimony

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Practice Reading: Multiple Choice, Single Answer ID: #36982 Victim’s testimony

Instructions ›

Read the text and answer the multiple-choice question by selecting the correct response. Only one response is correct.

Not surprisingly, the crime victims are often called upon to identify the person who robbed or attacked them. For a jury, the victim’s testimony is often proof positive that the accused is guilty. After all, who can better identify the wrongdoer than the person harmed. This is just common sense. Yet as is so often the case, common sense can be misleading. As it turns out, crime victims don’t necessarily make reliable witnesses. Overcome with fear, they often close their eyes or focus fixedly on the weapon being used to threaten them. As a result, they don’t get a good look at the thief or attacker. While it’s not true that crime victim testimony is always inaccurate, it’s also true that one can’t assume a victim’s identification is automatic proof of guilt.

Which of the following most accurately summarizes the opinion of the author in the text?

* Click on the correct answer

Crime victims do not always correctly identify those who have harmed them. Crime victim testimony is almost always inaccurate because, during the crime, the victim was overcome with terror. The testimony of crime victims has put far too many people in jail. Crime victims always correctly identify those who have harmed them.

Result:

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Option 1: "Crime victims do not always correctly identify those who have harmed them."

Explanation: This option accurately reflects the author's main argument that while crime victims can provide testimony, their identification of the attacker is not always reliable. The text states that victims often close their eyes or focus on the weapon, which impairs their ability to accurately identify the perpetrator. This aligns with the author's caution against assuming that a victim's identification is definitive proof of guilt.

Option 2: "Crime victim testimony is almost always inaccurate because, during the crime, the victim was overcome with terror."

Explanation: This option misrepresents the author's view by using the word 'almost always,' which implies a certainty that the text does not support. The author acknowledges that victim testimony can be unreliable but does not claim it is always inaccurate. The text suggests that fear can affect a victim's ability to identify the attacker, but it does not state that this leads to consistent inaccuracies.

Option 3: "The testimony of crime victims has put far too many people in jail."

Explanation: This option introduces a new idea not present in the text. The author does not discuss the consequences of victim testimony leading to wrongful convictions or suggest that it has resulted in too many people being jailed. Instead, the focus is on the reliability of the identification process itself, not the outcomes of that testimony.

Option 4: "Crime victims always correctly identify those who have harmed them."

Explanation: This option directly contradicts the author's argument. The text emphasizes that crime victims do not always make reliable identifications, highlighting the potential for error due to fear and distraction during the crime. The use of 'always' implies a certainty that the author explicitly disputes, making this option incorrect.

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