Extract:
Hypertension
The term hypertension is used to describe the condition of chronically high blood pressure. People who are obese, experience a lot of stress, smoke tobacco products, have a diet with too much salt in it, or have diabetes are often at a higher risk for hypertension. As well, African Americans are more likely to have hypertension than other population groups.
Hypertension often develops over many years. Older people are most often diagnosed with hypertension. One reason for this is that blood vessels lose elasticity and stiffen as a person ages. This creates more resistance to the blood flowing through the body and elevates blood pressure.
Symptoms of hypertension can include blurred vision, headaches, a buzzing in the ears, fatigue, an irregular heartbeat, and nosebleeds. Hypertension that goes untreated over a period of time can lead to serious complications such as kidney disease, heart disease, loss of vision, heart attack, brain damage, and even early death. Fortunately, treating hypertension reduces blood pressure and can lower the risk of complications.
For many people, losing weight can result in a significant decrease in blood pressure. For others, physicians may prescribe one or more medications to help bring blood pressure down into a safe range.
One thing is certain: physicians believe that people over the age of 20 should monitor their blood pressure by having it checked at least once a year. Those with a history of hypertension in the immediate family should have it checked more frequently.
Which of the following statements is an opinion?
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A
Obese people are at risk for hypertension.
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B
Losing weight can decrease blood pressure.
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C
Older people must pay attention to their blood pressure.
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D
Blurred vision or dizziness may be a sign of hypertension.
The statement "Older people must pay attention to their blood pressure" expresses opinion through its prescriptive language, whereas other options present verifiable facts from the passage.
A) Obese people are at risk for hypertension
This is factual—the passage explicitly states "People who are obese... are often at a higher risk for hypertension," making this a documented medical correlation rather than subjective judgment.
B) Losing weight can decrease blood pressure
This is factual—the passage directly states "For many people, losing weight can result in a significant decrease in blood pressure," presenting an evidence-based physiological relationship.
C) Older people must pay attention to their blood pressure
This expresses opinion through the absolute modal verb "must," which imposes obligation beyond the passage's actual recommendation. The text advises monitoring "at least once a year" for people over 20 but uses no language of compulsion or moral imperative—making "must" an interpretive addition.
D) Blurred vision or dizziness may be a sign of hypertension
This is factual—the passage lists "blurred vision" among hypertension symptoms (dizziness isn't explicitly mentioned but aligns with "buzzing in the ears" and other neurological symptoms), presenting observable clinical indicators.
Conclusion
Opinions contain subjective judgments, value statements, or prescriptive language not objectively verifiable. Facts can be confirmed through observation, measurement, or textual evidence. The word "must" transforms a reasonable health recommendation into a non-factual imperative, distinguishing this option as opinion.