Which statement best summarizes the material's view of how facts differ from opinions?

• A. Facts can be proven and can change minds; opinions are not subject to proof.
• B. Facts are always provable while opinions are always wrong.
• C. Facts can be proven and can change minds; opinions cannot be changed with research.
• D. Opinions can be proven through experiments.

Answer: (C)

Facts are statements about the world that can be tested and proven with evidence; they reflect objective reality. Because facts are tied to evidence, new data or better methods can change what counts as a fact and can shift people’s beliefs accordingly. Opinions, on the other hand, are personal beliefs, interpretations, or judgments that come from individual perspective and values, and they aren’t verifiable in the same objective way through research. Research is designed to test factual claims, not to establish personal viewpoints. So the statement that best fits this view is that facts can be proven and can change minds, while opinions cannot be changed with research. The other options overstate or misrepresent how proof and influence work—for example, suggesting opinions are always wrong or that opinions can be proven through experiments.