G-S20 — Publishing an Algorithm's Limitations
Module G · version 0.7.0 · original fictional reading practice

1. An explanation is not useful merely because it is available. In a fictional city project, an online tool ranks possible sites for new public water fountains. It combines estimated foot traffic, distance from existing fountains, and the cost of installation. Officials publish the calculation method so residents can understand the recommendations. However, several readers assume the top-ranked site must be the best in every respect. The project manager explains that the tool compares only the factors entered into it. It does not measure whether a place feels welcoming or whether maintenance workers can reach it easily during busy hours. Publishing the calculation is a first step toward scrutiny, not proof that everyone understands the result or that the result settles the decision. The team plans to invite readers to explain a sample ranking in their own words. A correct description would provide more evidence of understanding than merely counting visits to the explanation page. This exercise would test communication of the tool's limits, not establish agreement with the priorities the council ultimately chooses.
2. The manager asks the team to present two sites side by side. One ranks higher because more people pass it; the other is cheaper to install but farther from the busiest route. The display shows how changing the importance assigned to cost can change their order. This does not mean the tool is malfunctioning. It reveals that a recommendation depends on priorities chosen by people. A resident who favors the cheaper site is not necessarily rejecting the calculation; she may disagree with those priorities. The team adds examples in ordinary language alongside the technical account. These examples explain the relationship between a choice of priorities and a resulting ranking, without pretending that one set of priorities is beyond public debate.
3. A volunteer then identifies a proposed site near a street scheduled for major works. The tool's current data do not include that plan, so its ranking may be based on conditions that will no longer apply. The manager adds a warning beside the site and refers it for a separate review. She also requests a visible date for the next data update.
4. Some officials worry that displaying warnings will reduce confidence in the tool. The manager argues that justified confidence requires knowing where the recommendation is weak as well as where it is well supported. The council will make the final choice after considering the ranked suggestions and information outside the model. The aim is neither to hide the calculation behind authority nor to ask residents to solve every technical problem themselves. It is to make the tool's contribution understandable enough that people can question its assumptions and use its results appropriately.

G-S20-Q01 | G-S20-P1
Select TWO correct answers from the SIX options. Base your answers on paragraph I.
Which TWO factors are included in the tool?
A. Installation cost.
B. How welcoming every site feels.
C. Estimated numbers of people passing.
D. The date of the next data update.
E. Plans for future major street works.
F. Ease of maintenance access during busy hours.

G-S20-Q02 | G-S20-P1
Give ONE answer.
Why does publishing the calculation not settle the site decision?

G-S20-Q03 | G-S20-P2
Circle ONE correct answer.
What does the change in site order demonstrate?
A. A changed result necessarily proves the tool is broken.
B. The ranking determines which priorities people originally chose.
C. Technical words automatically produce complete understanding.
D. Different weights given to priorities can change the recommendation.

G-S20-Q04 | G-S20-P2
Give ONE answer.
Why might the resident prefer the cheaper site without rejecting the calculation?

G-S20-Q05 | G-S20-P3
Give ONE answer.
Why may the street-work plan weaken the site's ranking?

G-S20-Q06 | G-S20-P4
Circle ONE correct answer.
Why does the manager favor displaying warnings?
A. They provide an inspiring guarantee of perfect decisions.
B. They explain only which sites are cheapest.
C. They help users place justified confidence in a limited recommendation.
D. They allow residents to ignore every result.

G-S20-Q07 | whole_text
Circle ONE correct answer.
Which statement best summarizes the article?
A. Publishing code guarantees agreement about public priorities.
B. The highest rank must determine the council's final choice.
C. Transparency becomes useful when people can understand a model's priorities, omissions and role in a decision.
D. The article provides instructions for installing water pipes.