Author's Purpose — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Read: "Sea turtles have existed for over 100 million years. Sadly, six of the seven species are now threatened. Reduce plastic use to help save them." Which piece of evidence BEST shows the persuasive purpose?
A) Sea turtles have existed for over 100 million years.
B) Six of the seven species are now threatened.
C) Reduce plastic use to help save them.
D) Sea turtles are an ancient species.
"Reduce plastic use to help save them" is a direct command telling the reader what to do, which is the clearest evidence of a persuasive purpose in this passage.
2. An author writes: "Lightning strikes the Earth about 100 times every second. During a storm, stay indoors and away from windows." What TWO purposes does this passage serve?
A) Entertain and persuade
B) Inform and persuade
C) Entertain and inform
D) Persuade and persuade
The first sentence shares a scientific fact (inform), while the second sentence tells the reader what to do during a storm (persuade), giving the passage two distinct purposes.
3. Which rhetorical technique does the author use in: "Would you want to drink polluted water? Neither would the fish. Protect our rivers."?
A) Alliteration to make the text fun to read aloud
B) A rhetorical question to make the reader think, followed by a call to action
C) Repetition of key vocabulary to help the reader remember facts
D) A simile comparing pollution to something familiar
The author opens with a rhetorical question ("Would you want to drink polluted water?") to make the reader empathize, then follows with "Protect our rivers" as a call to action urging change.
4. Read: "The old lighthouse keeper climbed the spiral stairs each night, lantern in hand, listening to the waves crash below." The author's primary purpose is to —
A) persuade readers to visit lighthouses
B) inform readers about lighthouse safety procedures
C) entertain readers with vivid, descriptive narrative
D) inform readers about the history of lighthouses
The vivid details — spiral stairs, lantern in hand, crashing waves — paint a picture that draws readers into a story, showing the primary purpose is to entertain through descriptive narrative.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. A rhetorical question is one the author asks without expecting an answer, used to make the reader think.
A rhetorical question is asked to make the reader think or feel something rather than to get a real answer, and authors use this technique to draw readers into their argument.
2. When an author repeats a word or phrase for emphasis, such as "We can do better. We MUST do better," the technique is called repetition.
Repeating "We can do better. We MUST do better" drives the message home by making the key idea stick in the reader's mind, which is why this technique is called repetition.
3. Citing facts and expert opinions to support an argument makes the author's persuasion more convincing.
Facts and expert opinions give an argument solid evidence, which makes the author's persuasion more convincing because readers trust verified information over unsupported claims.
4. "Imagine a world without clean water" is an example of using the reader's imagination to persuade.
By asking readers to imagine a world without clean water, the author triggers an emotional response that makes the issue feel personal and urgent, which is a powerful persuasive strategy.
5. Strong readers evaluate an author's purpose by looking at word choice, tone, and text structure as evidence.
Text structure — how the writing is organized, such as problem-solution or cause-effect — gives readers clues about the author's purpose alongside word choice and tone.