Author's purpose
A useful acronym to help students remember the different types of author's purpose
What is PIED (persuade, inform, entertain, describe)?
"A million dreams are keeping me awake" is this type of figurative language.
What is hyperbole?
"A bomber fight had been moving east all the time they talked, and only now did the two men stop and listen, feeling the great jet sound tremble inside themselves."
Identify two words from this line that evoke a serious tone.
What are "bomber" and "tremble"?
Mr. Roberts stresses the value of a good education and reminds his students that an education is crucial to future success.
The best meaning of crucial is which of these: optional, extremely rare, restricted, or very important?
What is very important?
Events that are told in a specific order (such as a timeline) are called ______________.
What is chronological?
Author's purpose of this statement: Schools should be open year-round with longer breaks throughout the year.
What is persuade?
"The old house groaned as it settled" is this type of figurative language.
What is personification?
This term refers to the feeling associated with a word that goes beyond the dictionary definition (for example, the difference between guest, visitor, and intruder).
What is connotation?
Ryan was so meticulous with his writing assignments that his work was almost always free of grammar mistakes.
The word meticulous in this sentence means which of the following: bored, careful, frustrated, rational?
What is careful?
When a physical object represents a bigger, abstract idea (e.g., a "dove" representing peace), it is called ______________.
What is symbolism?
Author's purpose of this statement: Research has shown that rainbowfish possess impressive long-term memories and spatial awareness.
What is inform?
"With the brass nozzle in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world..." is this type of figurative language.
What is metaphor?
'It is imperative that all participants adhere strictly to the guidelines established by the committee to ensure the integrity of the results.'
Which word best describes this tone: condescending, authoritative, playful, or whimsical?
What is authoritative?
"While the first witness provided a vague description of the event, the second witness was incredibly precise, noting every specific detail of the suspect's clothing."
The word vague means _____________.
What is unclear or lacking detail?
The universal "message" or lesson of a text is called the __________.
What is theme?
Author's purpose of this statement: Before you prepare to change a tire, make sure you are in a safe location far from traffic, on flat ground, and that your hazard lights are on. Then, gather your tools: you’ll need your spare tire, a jack, and a lug wrench.
What is inform/describe?
"Lennie dipped his whole head under, dragging his lower lip to get a drink, and he drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse" is this type of figurative language.
What is simile?
'The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in soft hues of violet and gold as the gentle breeze whispered through the trees.'
Which word best describes this tone: hostile, serene, anxious, or objective?
What is serene?
"After the team lost their fifth game in a row, a melancholy mood settled over the locker room; players sat in silence, staring at the floor with slumped shoulders."
The word melancholy means __________.
What is sad/somber?
Using clues in a text to draw a conclusion or to "fill in the gaps" is called ______________.
What is inference?
Author's purpose of this statement: Lights flicked on and house doors opened all down the street, to watch the carnival set up. Montag and Beatty stared, one with dry satisfaction, the other with disbelief, at the house before them.
What is entertain?
"The stadium buzzed with excitement as the championship game was about to begin" is this type of figurative language.
What is onomatopoeia?
"I mean, everybody's heart is starting to bleed for this punk little kid like the President just declared it "Love Your Underprivileged Brother Week" or something."
Which word best describes the tone of this line: empathetic, humorous, aggressive, or somber?
What is aggressive?
"Because the hikers failed to bring enough water for the desert trek, they soon became parched and had to cut their trip short to find a spring."
The word parched means _______________.
What is dehydrated?
Several lines of poetry that go together (similar to a paragraph) are called a ___________.
What is stanza?