Author's Perspective and Point of View

Author's Purpose

100

What is the author's purpose for the following paragraph? “Dinosaurs had adaptations which helped make them successful. They had an upright posture, with the legs underneath the body. This transformed their whole life-style. There were other features. Some of the smaller dinosaurs had feathers, and were probably warm-blooded.” A. to entertain B. to inform C. to persuade

B. to inform

200

What is the author's purpose for the following paragraph? “Chocolate milk should not be allowed at schools. Every carton of chocolate milk adds an extra eight grams of sugar to a child’s diet; so it’s possible to smuggle five extra pounds into a child’s diet in chocolate milk alone during one year of school. This sugar in milk is also worrisome because of its known link to obesity. ” A. to entertain B. to inform C. to persuade

C. to persuade

300

A novel about a young man who learns the importance of teamwork while climbing to the top of Mount Everest. What is the author's purpose for the sentence above? A. to entertain B. to inform C. to persuade

A. to entertain

400

You may have noticed, whether you have bought music, games, or clothing, that the price on the tag may not be the price you pay. The item may be marked as 99¢, but when the cashier rings it up for you, the price might have risen to more than a dollar! You are charged a sales tax. How much above one dollar you pay is determined by the state in which you reside. Each state sets its own percentage to collect for sales tax. It may be as low as 4 percent or as high as 9 percent. Several states don’t charge a sales tax. What are taxes? Taxes are fees that go to the government (state or federal) and are used to pay the government’s expenses. What is the author's purpose of this writing? A. to entertain B. to persuade C. to inform

C. to inform

500

Come to the charity basketball game on Saturday! It will be fun for the whole family! Watch the Fire Department battle the Sheriff’s Office for the winner’s trophy! Admission is $5 or free if you bring in five cans of food. Come have fun and help feed the hungry! The game begins at 2 p.m. Snacks will be sold before and during the game. All proceeds benefit the Garden City Homeless Shelter. Mark this down on your calendars—you won’t want to miss it! See you there! What is the author's purpose of this writing? A. to persuade B. to entertain C. to inform

A. to persuade

Author's Point of View

100

The people who organize the Olympics look at different things to decide if a sport should be in the games. Among those things are a sport’s appeal to young people, its popularity, and its acceptance around the world. People have recently attempted to get baseball into the Olympics. It seems like the kind of sport that should be in the games because it fits what the people who run the Olympics are looking for. Baseball is played by people of all ages. Kids’ leagues, high schools, and colleges are never lacking for players. That tells us that the sport appeals to young people. Many people attend baseball games and millions of fans listen to them on the radio or watch them on televisions, computers, and phones. That proves that baseball is popular. Baseball is also played around the world. Many of the best players in the United States come here from other countries. This tells us that the sport is accepted worldwide. Young people like baseball. Millions of people enjoy baseball games. Baseball is played around the world. A sport this popular should be in the Olympics. How does the author present his or her viewpoint in the text? A.) By showing that baseball has the qualities that the people who run the Olympics look for in a sport B.) By claiming that many of the best baseball players in the world only want to play baseball in the U.S. C.) By explaining that baseball already has many dedicated fans who watch it in the Olympic Games D.) By presenting evidence that proves that baseball is mostly popular among young people in the U.S.

A.) By showing that baseball has the qualities that the people who run the Olympics look for in a sport

200

The average school day for kindergartners is getting longer, and it's paying off in improved reading skills. Public schoolchildren who attended kindergarten for a full day showed more improvement than those enrolled in half-day programs. This improvement will be carried on in elementary school and even high school. These children will be able to get better jobs when they are adults. What is the author’s viewpoint on full day kindergarten? A.) Objective B.) Biased Positive C.) Biased Negative Give at least one detail from the text to support your answer

B.) Biased Positive Details to support: The phrase “paying off” Mentions improved reading skills. Improvement carries on through schools. Can get better paying jobs as adults.

300

The trend toward full day kindergarten programs in public schools is taking its toll on the young children of today. Is this something we want to put on our children’s backs?  Recent studies showing improved reading skills may be misleading. This improvement in reading is unlikely to carry on as these children progress through elementary school.  What is the author’s viewpoint on full day kindergarten? A.) Objective B.) Biased Positive C.) Biased Negative Give at least one detail from the text to support your answer

C.) Biased Negative Phrase “taking its toll” Recent studies are misleading. Studies show improvements do not carry on.

400

Parents should not be helping their child with homework. Teachers state that the point of homework is to practice a skill that had been taught in class. If parents help too much with homework, then the child is missing out on practicing the skill. Homework is also given so kids can learn to work independently, which will help them later in life. By helping too much with homework, sometimes parents are sending the message that they will always be there when things get tough-instead of letting the kids try it for themselves. What is the Author's Viewpoint, or Perspective, on parents helping with homework? A.) Objective B.) Biased Positive C.) Biased Negative Give at least one detail from the text to support your answer

C.) Biased Negative Supporting Evidence: Mentions child is missing out on practicing the skill. Kids need to learn to work independently. Parents are sending their child the wrong message.

500

Cursive handwriting. Is it a skill that needs to be continued? Or is it a waste of a time? When surveyed around school, students were split with their opinions. Some kids pointed out that their handwriting is harder to read and it takes them longer when they write in cursive. They also expressed that it is becoming outdated because of computers. On the other hand, some students said that cursive writing is cool! They love reading a letter from their grandmother written in cursive, and they actually love writing in cursive themselves! The mystery of how much longer cursive will stick around for, remains. A.) Objective B.) Biased Positive C.) Biased Negative Give at least one detail from the text to support your answer

A.) Objective Text presents details from both sides In a survey, students were split. Outdated due to computers, yet some say cursive is cool.