Understanding Author's Purpose

What is the primary focus of author's purpose questions on the SSAT?

• To determine the author's writing style

• To evaluate the author's historical context

• To analyze the author's use of vocabulary

• To identify the author's primary goal in the passage

Which of the following is NOT a basic reason an author might write a text?

• To persuade

• To confuse

• To entertain

• To inform

What acronym can help you remember the three basic purposes of writing?

• PET

• POT

• PIE

• PEN

When identifying the main idea of a passage, which formula can be useful?

• Topic plus so what

• Subject plus why

• Theme plus how

• Content plus when

In the sample passage about terraforming Mars, what is the author's purpose?

• To entertain with a fictional story

• To delineate the process of colonization

• To inform about NASA's policies

• To persuade against irreparable modifications

Which word in the answer choices indicates a persuading purpose?

• Caution

• Defend

• Delineate

• Dispel

What should you do after identifying the main idea and purpose of a passage?

• Write a summary

• Create a mind map

• Match them to the best answer choice

• Discuss with a peer

What is the final step in the strategy for answering author's purpose questions?

• Summarize the passage

• Match your main idea and purpose to the answer choices

• Identify the author's tone

• Read the passage again

Why might the SSAT not use the exact word 'persuade' in answer choices?

• To make the test easier

• To confuse test-takers

• To test vocabulary knowledge

• To encourage the use of synonyms

What is a key strategy for identifying the author's purpose in a passage?

• Focus on the author's background

• Look for the main idea and purpose

• Analyze the passage's length

• Count the number of paragraphs