Author’s Purpose & Audience
What is the author’s main purpose in an argumentative article?
A. To entertain the audience
B. To explain a process
C. To persuade readers to adopt a viewpoint
D. To describe a personal memory
C. To persuade readers to adopt a viewpoint
Read the sentence:
"The arid desert was lifeless, with no sign of water for miles."
What does the word arid mean?
Dry
What is the purpose of dialogue in drama?
A. To create visual effects
B. To reveal characters and drive the plot
C. To introduce the audience to the setting
D. To provide a summary of events
B. To reveal characters and drive the plot
Which organizational pattern is used in a passage that shows two different methods of cooking?
A. Cause and effect
B. Compare and contrast
C. Chronological order
D. Problem and solution
B. Compare and contrast
What is a theme?
A. A summary of the story’s events
B. A character's perspective in the story
C. The central message or lesson of the story
D. A description of the setting
C. The central message or lesson of the story
What is a character’s point of view?
A. The main conflict in the story
B. The way the character sees or interprets events
C. The central theme of the text
D. The resolution of the plot
B. The way the character sees or interprets events
Which audience would most likely enjoy a fantasy novel about a young wizard learning magic?
A. Readers who enjoy realistic biographies
B. Students looking for science textbooks
C. Fans of science fiction and adventure
D. People studying historical events
C. Fans of science fiction and adventure
An author wrote a biography about a famous inventor. Who is the most likely intended audience?
A. Scientists researching inventions
B. Students learning about historical figures
C. Friends of the inventor
D. Engineers working on new technology
B. Students learning about historical figures
Read the sentence:
"After the accident, the driver was dazed and confused, unsure of what had just occurred."
What does the word dazed mean?
A. Alert
B. Startled
C. Calm
D. Unaffected
B. Startled
Which of the following is a way plot can impact characters?
A. It changes the characters' relationships and motivations
B. It establishes the setting
C. It develops the themes that the reader can learn from
D. It introduces the main conflict
A. It changes the characters' relationships and motivations
What type of organizational pattern is used in an article explaining how to build a birdhouse?
A. Cause and effect
B. Problem and solution
C. Sequential/chronological order
D. Description
C. Sequential/chronological order
How does a character’s perspective shape the plot?
A. It resolves the main conflict
B. It provides the audience with a clear theme
C. It influences their decisions and actions
D. It organizes the events in chronological order
C. It influences their decisions and actions
Why is understanding a character's point of view important in a story?
A. It helps the reader know the exact events of the plot
B. It describes the setting of the story in detail
C. It explains the author’s purpose in writing the story
D. It reveals the character's motivations and influences their actions
D. It reveals the character's motivations and influences their actions
If an article is filled with technical terms about computer programming and explains coding processes in detail, who is the most likely intended audience?
A. Travelers interested in technology
B. Professional programmers or coding enthusiasts
C. Readers looking for casual entertainment
D. Middle school students
B. Professional programmers or coding enthusiasts
The author of a blog post about recycling uses statistics to show how waste impacts the environment. What is the author’s purpose?
A. To persuade
B. To entertain
C. To describe
D. To inform
A. To persuade
Read the sentence:
"The scientist’s hypothesis was considered plausible because it was supported by earlier studies."
What does plausible most likely mean?
A. Unlikely
B. Creative
C. Believable
D. Incorrect
C. Believable
Read the excerpt:
"SARAH: I can’t believe you lied to me. How could you?
JASON: I had no choice. It was the only way to protect you!"*
What role does this dialogue play in the plot?
A. It introduces a new conflict
B. It resolves the only conflict
C. It provides information about setting
D. It develops the theme
A. It introduces a new conflict
Which organizational pattern would an author use to explain the consequences of pollution?
A. Compare and contrast
B. Description
C. Cause and effect
D. Sequence
C. Cause and effect
Read the excerpt:
"Ella believed her friend Sam had betrayed her by revealing her secret. Sam, however, thought he was helping Ella by getting advice from someone else. Both felt hurt by the misunderstanding."
How does including both Ella’s and Sam’s perspectives impact the story?
A. It resolves the conflict between them
B. It shows how their different views create tension in the plot
C. It provides background information about their friendship
D. It focuses the story solely on Ella’s feelings
B. It shows how their different views create tension in the plot
Read the excerpt:
"Jacob hesitated before stepping onto the stage, his heart pounding. He glanced at the crowd and wished he could disappear. 'You’ll be fine,' his teacher whispered, though Jacob wasn’t so sure."
How does Jacob’s point of view affect the reader’s understanding of the scene?
A. It highlights Jacob’s nervousness and fear of failure
B. It shows how confident Jacob feels about performing
C. It explains why the audience is excited to watch the performance
D. It focuses on the teacher’s role in encouraging Jacob
A. It highlights Jacob’s nervousness and fear of failure
A short story focuses on a teenager dealing with challenges in high school and finding their identity. Who is the most likely intended audience?
A. Parents raising young children
B. Adults looking for professional advice
C. Teenagers and young adults
D. Scientists conducting research
C. Teenagers and young adults
Read the following sentence:
"The vibrant colors of the sunset painted the sky in hues of orange and pink, inspiring the artist within me."
What is the author’s purpose?
A. To inform about sunsets
B. To persuade readers to watch sunsets
C. To entertain with descriptive imagery
D. To describe a scientific process
C. To entertain with descriptive imagery
Read the sentence:
"The child's effervescent personality made everyone smile."
What does effervescent mean?
A. Cheerful and lively
B. Quiet and reserved
C. Angry and impatient
D. Sad and gloomy
A. Cheerful and lively
Which of these is an example of characters driving the plot?
A. A character decides to take a risk that leads to a major event
B. A natural disaster occurs, forcing characters to react
C. The narrator provides an overview of the story’s events
D. A character describes the setting in detail
A. A character decides to take a risk that leads to a major event
Read the excerpt:
"The forest ecosystem is threatened by deforestation. Trees are being cut down at an alarming rate, leading to habitat loss for wildlife. To combat this issue, organizations are encouraging reforestation and sustainable logging practices."
What organizational pattern is used in the excerpt?
A. Problem and solution
B. Description
C. Compare and contrast
D. Sequential/chronological order
A. Problem and solution
How can an author show multiple characters’ points of view?
A. By using dialogue and interactions to reveal their perspectives
B. By limiting the focus to one character's thoughts
C. By describing only the setting of the story
D. By summarizing the plot in the introduction
A. By using dialogue and interactions to reveal their perspectives
Which of the following best describes how multiple points of view can be used in a story?
A. To focus the plot entirely on one character’s internal conflict
B. To provide contrasting perspectives that enhance the complexity of the story
C. To explain the story’s events in chronological order
D. To limit the reader’s understanding to a single character’s thoughts
B. To provide contrasting perspectives that enhance the complexity of the story
Read the passage:
"This cookbook is perfect for busy parents who want quick and healthy meals for their kids. Each recipe uses simple ingredients and can be prepared in under 30 minutes."
Who is the intended audience for this cookbook?
A. Families with young children and busy schedules
B. Health experts studying nutrition
C. Professional chefs looking for gourmet recipes
D. College students living on their own
A. Families with young children and busy schedules
A nonfiction article describes steps for planting a vegetable garden and includes diagrams and tips. What is the author’s purpose?
A. To entertain readers
B. To inform and provide instructions
C. To persuade readers to try gardening
D. To narrate a gardening experience
B. To inform and provide instructions
Read the sentence:
"Despite the complexity of the task, she handled it with aplomb."
What does aplomb mean?
A. Fear
B. Confusion
C. Carelessness
D. Confidence
D. Confidence
How does the plot of a drama contribute to its theme?
A. It creates unexpected twists to surprise the audience
B. It develops events that illustrate the theme's central message
C. It provides dialogue that gives characters personality
D. It organizes the setting and time period of the drama
B. It develops events that illustrate the theme's central message
Read the paragraph:
"In recent years, the rise of electric vehicles has been a significant development in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By replacing traditional gas-powered cars, electric vehicles help decrease air pollution in cities and contribute to a more sustainable future."
How does this paragraph contribute to the overall development of ideas in a text about environmental sustainability?
A. It provides background information about electric vehicles' technology
B. It supports the idea that electric vehicles are essential for reducing pollution
C. It contrasts electric vehicles with traditional vehicles
D. It introduces a counterargument to the use of electric vehicles
B. It supports the idea that electric vehicles are essential for reducing pollution
Read the excerpt:
"LILA: I never wanted things to end this way, but we had no choice.
MARTIN: Maybe you didn’t, but I did what I thought was right.”*
How does this dialogue develop the plot?
A. It resolves the conflict between the characters
B. It reveals a misunderstanding and creates tension
C. It gives background about the setting
D. It introduces a minor theme in the story
B. It reveals a misunderstanding and creates tension
Read the passage:
"Lila couldn’t understand why Mark seemed so distant lately. She assumed he was upset about their argument last week. Meanwhile, Mark thought Lila didn’t care about fixing their friendship, which made him feel even more isolated."
What is the purpose of showing both Lila’s and Mark’s points of view?
A. To reveal how their misunderstandings drive the conflict
B. To create sympathy for one character over the other
C. To describe the setting of their argument
D. To summarize the resolution of their disagreement
B. To create sympathy for one character over the other
Which audience would most likely read a nonfiction book titled The Science Behind Climate Change: A Detailed Analysis for Environmental Experts?
A. Elementary school students learning about the planet
B. Travelers planning trips to natural parks
C. Scientists and researchers in environmental studies
D. Readers interested in fictional stories about nature
C. Scientists and researchers in environmental studies