Understanding Authors' Purpose and Ideas

Which of the following is a common purpose for an author to write a text?

• To confuse the reader

• To inform the reader

• To hide information

• To mislead the reader

What does the term "text structure" refer to?

• The number of words in a text

• The way information is organized in a text

• The size of the font used

• The color of the text

Which of the following is an example of evidence in a text?

• The author's opinion

• A direct quote from a study

• The title of the text

• The table of contents

If an author writes a text to persuade, which of the following would most likely be included?

• A list of facts with no opinion

• Arguments supporting a specific viewpoint

• Only definitions of terms

• A summary of unrelated topics

Which text structure is used when an author describes a problem and then offers one or more solutions?

• Cause and effect

• Problem and solution

• Chronological order

• Compare and contrast

Which of the following best describes the author's purpose in a scientific article explaining the process of photosynthesis?

• To entertain

• To inform

• To persuade

• To criticize

Read the following sentence: "The author uses statistics from recent studies to support her claim." What is the function of the statistics in this context?

• To provide evidence

• To distract the reader

• To summarize the text

• To introduce a new topic

A passage is organized by first describing a situation, then explaining what caused it, and finally discussing the results. What is the text structure?

• Compare and contrast

• Problem and solution

• Cause and effect

• Chronological order

Which of the following would best help you determine the author's purpose in a text?

• Counting the number of paragraphs

• Identifying the main idea and supporting details

• Looking at the pictures only

• Reading only the first sentence

If an author presents both the similarities and differences between two historical events, which text structure is being used?

• Chronological order

• Problem and solution

• Compare and contrast

• Cause and effect