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Questions

CARTOON #1:
Tone is the attitude a cartoonist takes towards a subject. Which pair of words best describes the tone of this cartoon?
a) light-hearted/humorous
b) fearful/frightened
c) exasperated/irritated
d) resigned/defeated

CARTOON #2:
a) What point is cartoonist Michael Ramirez making in cartoon #2?
b) Do you agree with the cartoonist’s intended meaning? Explain your answer.

CARTOON #3:
It has been speculated since before the election that President Biden has some type of progressive cognitive disorder, and that is why it is difficult for him to answer questions live (the concern is that he can no longer “think on his feet”)
Since taking office, President Biden has appeared confused on several occasions;

  • he said, “We didn’t have [the covid vaccine] when we came into office” (even though he himself had already received the vaccine before becoming president)
  • he forgot the name of his Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and wound up calling him “the guy who runs that outfit” (referring to the Pentagon)
  • he referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as President Harris – two different times

Editorial cartoonists often use humor to make light of serious situations.
a) Define exaggeration and hyperbole.
b) Which word do you think best describes cartoon #3? Explain your answer.


Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the answers.

Cartoon #1 - by Michael Ramirez


 

Cartoon #2 - by Michael Ramirez
 

Cartoon #3 - by Steve Kelley

Answers

CARTOON #1:
a) light-hearted/humorous

CARTOON #2:
a) The crisis at the southern border has been caused by the policies President Biden implemented when he came into office.
The policies President Biden implemented upon taking office have had a strong draw for anyone wishing to come to the U.S. illegally.
b) Opinion question. Answers vary.

CARTOON #3:  
a) exaggeration: to think of or describe something as larger or greater than it really is
hyperbole: An extreme magnification or exaggeration of actuality. It blows something completely out of proportion for a distorted effect. The purpose of hyperbole is to create a larger-than-life effect and overly stress a specific point. (Used as a figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect, as in “I could sleep for a year” or “This book weighs a ton”)

b) Opinion question, depending on your point of view on the Alexa story.