Part 1 – Reading Comprehension
Orson Welles’s 1938 “War of the Worlds” Broadcast
In 1938, American radio listeners tuned in to hear a Halloween program by Orson Welles and his Mercury Theatre group. What they didn’t know was that the show would go down in history as one of the most famous “fake it till you make it” moments ever.
The broadcast was presented as if it were real news, with fake reporters describing an alien invasion. Some listeners believed it, thinking Earth was actually under attack by Martians. Chaos followed in some towns, with people calling police and packing their bags to escape.
Of course, not everyone was fooled. Many people enjoyed the show as a clever piece of entertainment. But those who believed it showed just how powerful media can be when it talks up a story with confidence.
In the end, Welles had to own up to the panic he caused. He explained it was never meant to trick anyone — just to entertain. Still, the “War of the Worlds” broadcast remains a legendary example of how imagination can be mistaken for reality.
