Author's Purpose (RI6)
The 3 types of author's purpose.
What is to persuade, to inform, to entertain?
Native Americans dried strips of meat, pounded it into a paste, and then mixed it with fat. Sometimes they added berries and sugar. Then they pressed it into small cakes. They called these cakes pemmican. Pemmican didn't spoil, and it provided lots of energy for people traveling or going hunting.
This passage is mainly about?
how pemmican was made by Native Americans
The author's perspective is:
How the author feels about the topic he or she is writing about.
Microchips provide the power for wristwatches. They are also the brains in our computers, and they control robots. These chips are used in video games and space shuttles. They make our cameras, radios, and televisions small and light.
What is the story mainly about?
How microchips are used
Most people want to think that they are in control of their pets. However, a study by Karen McComb at the University of Sussex found that cat owners are controlled by their cats. Cat owners probably won’t have too much trouble believing this. Cats make a fairly loud noise by mixing a purr with a cry. The sound seems to be less annoying to humans than straight meowing. Using this sound, cats tell humans when they want to eat and when they want the door opened. The purr part of the sound keeps humans from becoming too annoyed, so the cat gets exactly what he or she wants.
Which sentence from the paragraph supports the idea that cats have a smart way of getting what they want?
"The purr part of the sound keeps humans from becoming too annoyed."
The money spent on political campaign is paltry when compared to expenditures for commercial advertising. If we limited campaign spending, the incumbents would have an unfair advantage. Limiting campaign spending is like limiting free speech, which is embodied in the First Amendment of the Constitution. Maybe we should reform political campaigns, but not limit spending on them. What we really need to ensure is that all candidates who wish to can afford to campaign effectively.
When the author writes “Limiting campaign spending is like limiting free speech,” he is saying
Since free speech is limited, we should limit campaign spending.
"Are you already done?" his father asked. "It seems like you just got in the water." Jacob was finished with his bath in two minutes. He got his body and hair wet, rubbed shampoo on his hair, washed his body with soap, and rinsed off. He liked fast baths so to have more time to play. In fact, Jacob never took a long bath. To him, the faster the bath, the better.
What is the central idea of the passage?
Jacob likes to take fast baths
A shirt, tie and blazer may not be the ingredients for my favourite outfit, but if I were given the choice, I wouldn't throw away the idea of school uniform. Wearing a uniform is a badge of pride, creates an identity for a school and is an important part of being a school student.
What is the author's point of view on school uniforms?
She thinks they aren't the best but they give students pride and are important.
1.
For hopeful professional football players, the prospect of being drafted can seem overwhelming because the odds are often against them. One way for players to stand out is to be in top physical condition. Potential football players have to be able to show coaches their power and abilities. Athletes have to show how strong and fast they are and should be able to show coaches and scouts the ways they can take advantage of their size. Opportunities for athletes to showcase their abilities include the 40-yard dash and the vertical jump. The vertical jump requires players to jump from a standing position and some top athletes can jump over 40 inches.
What is the central idea of this passage?
Hopeful football players have to be in peak physical shape.
Michael woke up with a start. Someone was banging at the front door. Heavy footsteps clomped over the bare boards of the hallway. A shouting of voices. Jacko's familiar growl, then the front door slammed shut. Michael shivered and pulled the thin blanket closer around his shoulders. Through the cracked glass of the curtainless window, the sky looked gray and dirty. A groan from the other mattress told him that Toby was awake as well.
Which words help describe the setting?
"...cracked glass of the curtainless window..."
National service can teach the values of hard work, self-sacrifice, and learning to live with different people. It can put youth back to work. It can teach them job skills and instill the values of discipline, responsibility, and civic obligation. It can also provide long-term investment in the education and skills of our citizens. National service can also bring us together as a nation. WE need to move back to a central core of beliefs.
When the author writes, “it can also provide long-term investment in the education and life skills of our citizens,” she is trying to convince the reader that-
The benefits of national service can last a lifetime.
Shuttle Endeavour will thunder into orbit this week with an American flag on its right wing. The ship will carry its most international crew ever launched. The spaceship is headed for the International Space Station. Four Americans are on board, along with Russian, Canadian, and Italian astronauts. This multinational crew will be symbolic of those who will work and live on the growing outpost. The station is a joint project of 16 nations on four continents.
This passage is mostly about?
the cultural crew aboard the space shuttle.
The discovery of a wild coyote in late 1997 in the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building in downtown Seattle should come as a wake-up call. The United States has a serious coyote problem! From their traditional enclaves in the western desert, these opportunistic canines have now invaded the entire continental United States. They have taken over parks, farms, vacant lots, and now perhaps the downtown areas of major cities. Homeowners report losing cats and dogs to the beasts, and young children are under attack. Enough is enough. Since humans are the only natural enemy of coyotes, we demand that state and federal agencies institute coyote trapping programs. That is the only way to decrease the number of coyotes to a manageable level.
What is the author's point of view?
The author feels coyotes are dangerous.
When the internet first became popular in the United States, Wi-Fi was not an option. Computers all across the country used phone lines to connect to the internet, which was known as dial-up internet. In hindsight, there were lots of problems with dial-up internet, but at the time it was the only option many people had to access the internet. Dial-up internet required an open phone line, so if someone’s parents were on the phone, then getting on the internet to do homework would have to wait. When someone called, the internet connection was often lost. Once internet service became popular, a lot of people had trouble connecting and would have to wait to log on to the internet. While there were many drawbacks to dial-up internet, the benefits outweighed them at the time.
What is the central idea of the passage?
Dial-up internet had its flaws, but was still useful in its time.
It was the sea eagle that called Emily down to the beach. It hovered above the waves, it's broad wings dusty where the land had left its mark, its small eyes that could follow the horizon bright and keen.
She hadn't meant to come down onto the beach. She'd meant to sit at the top of the ramp till the other kids had left the street, till she could walk home from school in peace without strangers staring at her, but somehow the bird seemed to urge her to come down.
Which quote from the text best describes Emily's thoughts and feelings?
"... till she could walk home from school in peace..."
In 1872, Elijah McCoy, and engineer from Canada, invented a way to keep the moving parts of train cars constantly oiled. As a result, trains did not have to stop every few miles for oiling. Soon, no machine was considered any good unless it had one of McCoy’s oil cups. To be sure they got a good train, engineers began saying they wanted “the real McCoy.” In time, the phrase came to mean “the real thing.”
What's the author's main purpose for writing this passage?
Inform the reader about how Elijah McCoy made trains better by creating oil cups.
During World War I, many soldiers died because their wounds became infected. Antibiotics had not been discovered at that time. During World War II, many more soldiers died while in combat. Antibiotics are used to treat infections because they kill bacteria in the body. They are easily the most widely prescribed drug in the world.
What is this passage mainly about?
antibiotics
If you want a small Apple phone you'd be better off opting for the iPhone SE. Alternatively check out our iPhone 7 Plus review. Yes that phone is even more expensive, but it lasts a lot longer and has an even better camera that offers proper zoom. There is one other option to consider too if you're hooked on Apple. The iPhone 6S Plus remains a great phone, has strong battery life and costs exactly the same as the iPhone 7.
What is the author's point of view on the iPhone 7?
He thinks that iPhone SE, 7, and/or 7 Plus is better and costs the same.
A penny for your thoughts? If it's a 1943 copper penny, it could be worth as much as fifty thousand dollars. In 1943, most pennies were made out of steel since copper was needed for World War II, so the 1943 copper penny is ultra-rare. Another rarity is the 1955 double die penny. These pennies were mistakenly double stamped, so they have overlapping dates and letters. If it's uncirculated, it'd easily fetch $25,000 at an auction. Now that's a pretty penny.
What is the central idea of this passage?
Some pennies are rare and worth a lot of money.
Stephen and Joseph Montgolfier were papermakers, but they had been interested in flying for many years. One night, in 1782, Joseph noticed something that gave him an idea. He was sitting in front of the fire when he saw some small pieces of scorched paper being carried up the chimney.Soon afterwards, the brothers conducted an experiment. They lit a fire under a small silk bag, which was open at the bottom; at once, the bag rose to the ceiling. After this, Stephen and Joseph conducted many more experiments, both indoors and in the open air. Eventually, they built a huge balloon of linen and paper. On June 5th, 1783, they launched their balloon in the village of Annonay.
Which sentence in this article provides text evidence for the inference that the Montgolfier brothers used hot air to lift their balloon?
They lit a fire under a small silk bag, which was open at the bottom; at once the bag rose to the ceiling.
Next week, citizens of the United States of America will go to the polls and vote for the future President of the United States. The candidate that should win is Frank Stalone. Frank is a family man that looks out for all types of people. He is good at problem-solving, and has proven to be strong when dealing with the economy. Finally, Frank has a military background. These good traits are why you should vote for Frank Stalone for the next President of the United States.
Persuade the reader to vote for Frank Stalone
What is one location in the text that the reader can go back to for help in determining the CENTRAL IDEA of a passage?
-The first paragraph of a text
-The last paragraph of a text
The biggest perpetrators, surprisingly, are not robbers and burglars. Rather, they are rogue employees, pilfering everything from stock inventory and office supplies to company accounts and confidential data. More than $13 billion in losses -- almost half of Florida's annual total -- are attributed to those inside jobs, the study said. State officials said they are launching a campaign to inform the public and business community about the problem.
What is the author's perspective toward rogue employees?
They are worse than burglars and robbers when stealing from businesses.
It is estimated that over twenty million pounds of candy corn are sold in the US each year. Brach's, the top manufacturer, sells enough candy corn to circle the earth 4.25 times if each piece were laid end to end. That's a lot of candy corn, but that's nothing compared to Tootsie Roll production. Over 64 million Tootsie Rolls are produced every day! But even Tootsie Rolls have got nothing on the candy industry's staple product, chocolate. Confectioners manufacture over twenty billion pounds of chocolate in the United States each year. Now that's a mouthful!
What is the central idea of this passage?
The central idea is about how many popular candies are produced each year.
The growth of industry and a wave of immigrants marked [the Gilded Age] in American history. The production of iron and steel rose dramatically, and western resources like lumber, gold, and silver increased the demand for improved transportation. Railroad development boomed as trains moved goods from the resource-rich West to the East. Steel and oil were in great demand. All this industry produced a lot of wealth for a number of businessmen like John D. Rockefeller (in oil) and Andrew Carnegie (in steel).
Which sentence from the passage supports the following inference:
Western states made a lot of money from their natural resources during the Gilded Age.
The production of iron and steel rose dramatically, and western resources like lumber, gold, and silver increased the demand for improved transportation.