Journalism Ethics

Respuesta correcta: A) can't have had

• A) can't have hadCorrect. Logical impossibility in the past (based on the evidence).
• B) must have had"Must have had" says the standards were definitely there, which contradicts the fact that the story was published unverified.
• C) should have hadCorrect as criticism, but B is a stronger deduction of fact.
• D) might have hadToo weak.

Respuesta correcta: B) must have checked

• A) should check"Should check" is about what ought to happen, while the sentence describes what she actually did for hours.
• B) must have checkedCorrect. Strong logical deduction about a past action.
• C) can't checkThe present continuous "is checking" states what she did, so denying the possibility of it contradicts the sentence.
• D) will have checkedFuture perfect, incorrect context.

Respuesta correcta: B) could have been / avoided

• A) must be / avoidedThe third conditional needs two past modals, so "must be" cannot complete it; the whole clause would have to be "must have been / avoided".
• B) could have been / avoidedCorrect. Past possibility/potential in the third conditional structure.
• C) can be / avoided"Can be avoided" is about present possibility, but the past perfect "had been" points to a past outcome that never happened.
• D) should be / avoided"Should be avoided" is advice about the present; a third conditional needs the past modal "could have been".

Respuesta correcta: A) might have leaked

• A) might have leakedCorrect. Speculating about a possible past motivation.
• B) must leak"Must leak" states a present obligation, while the sentence speculates about what motivated the whistleblower in the past.
• C) should leak"Should leak" is advice about what ought to happen, not a speculation about a past action.
• D) can't have leakedContradicts the 'because' clause.

Respuesta correcta: C) should have paid

• A) must pay"Must pay" expresses present obligation; the criticism is about what the editor failed to do in the past.
• B) could pay"Could pay" describes present or future possibility; a past failure calls for "should have paid".
• C) should have paidCorrect. Expresses criticism of a past failure.
• D) might have paidToo weak for criticism.

Respuesta correcta: C) can't have been

• A) must have beenContradicts 'details were wrong'.
• B) might have been"Might have been" leaves the possibility open, but the wrong details make reliability impossible, not merely doubtful.
• C) can't have beenCorrect. Logical deduction of impossibility.
• D) should have been"Should have been" expresses an expectation about what ought to happen, not the deduction that it was impossible.

Respuesta correcta: A) must have been offended

• A) must have been offendedCorrect. Passive modal deduction about a past feeling.
• B) must offend"Must offend" is the present active; the sentence is about a past state and the celebrity is the one offended, so a past passive modal is needed.
• C) can't have been offendedThe angry reaction confirms he was offended, so denying that it was possible contradicts the evidence in the sentence.
• D) should have offended"Should have offended" is a judgement about what was appropriate, not a deduction about what he actually felt.

Respuesta correcta: D) might have risked

• A) could risk"Could risk" is present or future possibility; the footage already exists, so any risk belongs to the past.
• B) must risk"Must risk" states present obligation, not the past possibility the sentence describes.
• C) shouldn't risk"Shouldn't risk" is advice about what not to do, while the sentence states what he actually risked to get the footage.
• D) might have riskedCorrect. Past possibility.

Respuesta correcta: B) must have reached

• A) can reach"Can reach" is about present or future ability, but the spread is described as a completed past action.
• B) must have reachedCorrect. Strong logical deduction based on speed of spread.
• C) should have reached"Should have reached" is a judgement about what ought to have happened, not a statement about how the story spread.
• D) might reach"Might reach" is present or future possibility, whereas the debunking has already happened, so the past is required.

Respuesta correcta: C) could / have imagined

• A) did / imagineCorrect inversion, but A expresses the inability to see the future better.
• B) was / imaginingInverted "Hardly" takes a past form, and the second verb needs the perfect, so the pair is "had ... realised".
• C) could / have imaginedCorrect inversion + past modal speculation.
• D) had / imaginedPossible, but A fits the 'imagined ability' context.

Respuesta correcta: A) ought to have presented

• A) ought to have presentedCorrect. Formal criticism of past failure.
• B) must have presented"Must have presented" asserts that he definitely did present it, which contradicts the clause saying he focused on only one side.
• C) can't have presented"Can't have presented" denies it outright, while the sentence states he made a deliberate choice to show only one side.
• D) might have presentedPossible, but C is a stronger ethical critique.

Respuesta correcta: B) Had / would have accused

• A) Were / would accuseSecond Conditional.
• B) Had / would have accusedCorrect Third Conditional inversion.
• C) If it was / had accused"If it was" is not the inversion the third conditional requires; the clause must open with "Had" followed by the subject.
• D) Had / must have accusedAfter the inverted "Had" the pattern must continue with "they would have accused"; "must have accused" breaks it.