Final answer:
The average newspaper is written at a 6th-grade vocabulary level for broad accessibility. The discrepancy between high GPA and actual writing skills in new graduates is a sign of grade inflation, necessitating additional training by employers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The average newspaper is typically crafted with a vocabulary that aligns with the reading ability of someone at approximately the 6th-grade level. This level of language is accessible to a wide audience and enables most readers to understand the content. Historically, newspapers played a vital role in the standardization of language and contributed to the spread of literacy and shared vernaculars. This accessibility was essential, as it helped unify people from diverse linguistic backgrounds.
The divergence seen between the high GPA of recent graduates and their practical writing skills as observed by employers reflects a phenomenon known as grade inflation. This problem indicates that the abilities represented by high grades may not be as robust as they were in the past, requiring employers to educate new hires on skills that were previously mastered during their education. Efforts to maintain high standards of writing quality remain important, both in educational settings and in professional contexts like newspaper publishing, to ensure effective communication.