Author's Purpose
Read the description then choose the author's purpose.
Persuade- convince you
Inform- Tell you facts to teach you
Entertain- telling you a story that makes you feel a certain way
Tommy was not happy one little bit. His sister, Susan, was making honor roll... again! His parents would let her do anything she wanted to do. Tommy was not making honor roll this time and he was not going to be allowed to do all the things he wanted to do. Poor Tommy! He decided he would just have to study harder and get back on the honor roll. He’d show them! What is the author's purpose of this writing?
Entertain
Read the passage then answer the question.
Many people wear black as a sign of morning. In China the color for death is while. People in Turkey wear purple. But everywhere people follow special customs when someone dies.
In this paragraph mourning means
a. seeing dawn
b. feeling sick
c. showing joy
d. showing sadness
d. showing sadness
Read the passage.
In his sophomore year of high school, Michael Jordan tried out for the varsity basketball team at Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. But at five feet and eleven inches tall, the coach believed that Jordan was too short to play at that level, so Jordan was cut from the team. Jordan didn’t let this obstacle defeat him. In fact, it pushed him to work even harder. He trained vigorously and grew another four inches the following summer. When he finally made the varsity squad, Jordan averaged 25 points a game and went on to become one of the greatest basketball players in history.
What is the theme of this story?
A. If things get too hard just quit.
B. You need to be short to be successful
C. Michael Jordan is an inspiration to all
D. Never give up. Persistence pays off.
D. Never give up. Persistence pays off.
Read this passage.
Sam looked through the window at the city far below. The light came on informing all those on board to fasten their seat belts. They were about to land.
Where was Sam?
In an airplane
Read the passage and choose which sentence is an opinion.
The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France for our 100th birthday. It was shipped to America in 350 pieces. America celebrates its independence on July 4th. Lady Liberty looks grand with her crown and torch.
Lady Liberty looks grand with her crown and torch.
Read the passage and determine the author's purpose.
HAMSTERS FOR SALE: Humble Pet Store, in the mall: We have a large selection of hamsters for sale this week. They are interesting pets, and you will enjoy having one! They are only $17.99 this week!! Come and buy yours today!
Persuade
Read the passage then answer the question.
England has been ruled by monarchs for hundreds of years. The youngest was Henry VI, who became king at age one. Queen Victoria ruled the longest.
In this paragraph a synonym for monarch would be: a. a type of butterfly
b. rulers
c. a queen
d. children
b. rulers
Tammy and Sammy were both students in Mr. Morton’s reading class. Mr. Morton wasn’t too strict about deadlines, and Sammy took advantage of that. He did all of his homework in his other classes but never bothered to complete Mr. Morton’s reading assignments, figuring that he could complete them later. Tammy, on the other hand, completed each assignment Mr. Morton assigned the night that he assigned it. She had to stay up a little later, but she didn’t want to get a penalty for turning in her reading work late. Tammy knew reading was a core subject and that she had to keep “C” average for the entire year or she would have to go to summer school. When the end of the quarter came, Tammy and Sammy had both planned on going to the Enchanted Castle amusement park, but Mr. Morton called Sammy’s mother, and she grounded Sammy until he turned in all of his work. That weekend was horrible for Sammy. He stayed up until 2:00 AM each night and still couldn’t complete all of the assignments. The whole while, Tammy had a great time eating pizza at Enchanted Castle, watching movies late at night, and enjoying her weekend free of stress and pressure. At the end of the quarter, Sammy was lucky to squeak by with a “C” minus in reading while Tammy earned an “A.” Sammy still hasn’t learned his lesson and probably won’t complete this activity either.
What is the theme of this story?
A. Play first work last.
B. Trying your best is a waste of time.
C. It is better to do things right the first time.
D. Teachers are unfair.
C. It is better to do things right the first time.
David threw the yellow ball above his head and whacked it with the racket. The ball landed in the middle of the net. "Fault", said the umpire. David had to serve again.
What was David doing?
Playing Tennis
Read the passage and choose which sentence is an fact.
Tiny algae live inside some fish. A glow-in-the-dark mushroom is an amazing light sight. Having a built-in flashlight is a cool idea. Fireflies are wonderful to see.
Tiny algae live inside some fish.
Read the following passage and choose the author's purpose.
The Missing Pencil Matt was ready to do his homework. "I am going to ace my math test," he said. Matt opened up his math book and grabbed his notebook. "Uh oh," Matt said as he looked in his pencil case. His pencil was not there. "Where is my pencil?" Matt asked. "I need my pencil to do my homework." Matt looked in his book bag. His pencil was not there. Matt looked around his desk. He did not see his pencil. Matt looked at the floor. His pencil was nowhere to be found! "Mom, I cannot find my pencil," Matt yelled. Mom walked into his room and pointed to the mirror. She said, "Look over there." "What? My pencil is not over there," Matt said. When Matt looked in the mirror, he blushed. His pencil was behind his ear!
Entertain the reader with a story about a boy who lost his pencil
Read the passage then answer the question.
Once a man checked out a book from a library. He neglected to return it. The book was finally returned by his great-grandson 145 years later. Although the fine came $2,264, the great grandson did not have to pay it.
In this paragraph neglected means:
a. failed
b. hurried
c. borrowed
d. remembered
Double the value: What part of speech is the word neglected? noun, verb, adjective, adverb
a. failed - verb
What is theme?
The message, moral, or lesson of the story.
Read this passage.
Josh woke up early on Saturday morning and looked outside the window. The sun was out and it was hot. His dad called to Josh and said, “It is a perfect day, don’t forget to bring a towel!” Josh grabbed a towel and they left the house.
Where do you think Josh and his dad were going?
The pool
Which of the following is NOT a feature that can be found in nonfiction text?
a) Headings that designate sections of text
b) Bullets that indicate a list
c) Factual information about a topic
d) Conversations between characters
d) Conversations between characters
Read the following passage to determine the author's purpose.
What are those little green lights on the grass and flying in the yard? Are they monsters? Are they UFOs? No, they aren’t monsters and they aren’t UFOs. They’re fireflies. Fireflies are little insects that glow with a cool green light. If you touch one it won’t burn you. Some fireflies glow to warn other animals that they don’t taste good. Frogs, bats, and birds do not like to eat animals that glow. The glow helps keep fireflies safe. Sometimes we call fireflies glowworms. You can catch fireflies in a jar. Don’t forget to let them go again.
To inform the reader about Fireflies lights
Read the passage then answer the question.
Mustard doesn't originate in a jar. It starts out as a tiny seeds. They are inside the leaves of the mustard plant. The seeds are dried and made into powder. The powder is mixed with water and spices. This makes a spread for sandwiches.
In this paragraph originate means:
a. end
b. continue
c. begin
d. heal
Double the value: What part of speech is the word originate? noun, verb, adjective, adverb
c. begin - verb
I have a dog named Boots. I taught him lots of tricks. When I tell him to, Boots will sit or lie down. He can also wave his paw to greet people. When I say "Dance boots", he will stand up on two legs and walk. I spent a lot of time teaching Boots these tricks. I had to show them the tricks over and over and reward his good behavior. Sometimes it was hard, though, because I got really frustrated and just wanted him to learn the tricks faster. With time, though, Boots learned every trick I showed him! I don't know if many dogs can do such amazing tricks.
What is a possible theme of this story?
Patience and hard word pay off.
Lisa carefully examined the bug sitting on the leaf. She noticed that it had six legs and a hard shell. Lisa had never seen a bug like this before. She grabbed her magnifying glass and camera.
What do you know about Lisa?
A. She is helpful.
B. She is afraid of bugs.
C. She is very curious.
D. She likes to play soccer.
C. She is very curious.
Read the following Sentence Marla patiently waited her turn.
The name Marla is a (noun, verb, adjective, adverb)?
The word waited is a (noun, verb, adjective, adverb)?
The word patiently is a (noun, verb, adjective, adverb)?
Marla is a noun because it names the person.
Waited is a verb because it is an action.
Patiently is an adverb because it describes HOW she waited, adverbs usually end in -ly.
Read the following passage and decide the author's purpose.
Walt Disney Without the creativity of one man, there would be no “happiest place on earth,” also known as Disneyland. Walt Disney was a creative genius who looked out on a huge orange grove and imagined building a “magic kingdom.” Disney was born in 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. As a child, he enjoyed drawing and even sold his pictures to neighbors. When he was sixteen, he joined the Red Cross and drove an ambulance in France during World War One. After the war ended, Disney started making short cartoons in Kansas City, but soon ran out of money. He decided to find his fortune in Hollywood. He came to California with a suitcase and $20 in his pocket. It was in the 1940s that Walt Disney first had his brainstorm about a fun park for families. His idea grew bigger and bigger, and he realized he needed a lot of space for his park. He wanted it to have everything—a mountain, rockets, spinning teacups, and a fairy castle! What is the author's purpose in writing this biography?
b) to inform the reader about Disney's life
Read the passage then answer the question.
Purple dye was rare long ago. Since it was hard to get, it costs a lot. As a result purple became the imperial color. It was only used by kings and queens.
In this paragraph imperial means:
a. royal
b. special
c. inside
d. best
Double the value: What part of speech is the word originate? noun, verb, adjective, adverb
a. royal - adjective
What are some things you can use/do to help you determine a theme?
Think about how the character changed or grew over time.
Think about the lesson the character learned.
Make an inference about the message the author is trying to share with us.
Abbie has her backpack on her bed. She is packing for a trip. She lays out a waterproof jacket and rain hat, extra socks, a flashlight, compass, binoculars, and water bottle. She hunts for extra batteries and decides to bring her camera. She checks on her sleeping bag and helps her parents bring out the tent.
Where are Abbie and her parents are going?
Camping
Give an example of each of the following literary devices:
Simile: A simile is when you compare the characteristics of two things by using like or as.
Metaphor: a comparison of 2 dissimilar things, usually uses are, is, am. Does NOT use "like" or "as" in the comparison.
Imagery: is the details the author gives you that use your 5 senses to help you make the mental pictures.
Alliteration: is the repetition of initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables.
He was as quiet as a mouse.
America is a melting pot.
The stars twinkled in the clear night sky.
Rabbits Running Over Roses.