ACT Reading: Author's Purpose 2

Question 1

An author writes a step-by-step guide on changing a car tire. What is the primary purpose?

Accepted Answer

To inform and instruct readers

Answer

A how-to guide aims to inform and instruct the reader on a process.

Question 2

A passage opens with sensory details about a sunset and the narrator's awe. The author's purpose is most likely to:

Accepted Answer

Evoke emotion and create mood

Answer

Rich sensory detail and emotional reflection serve to evoke feeling and set mood.

Question 3

An editorial repeatedly uses phrases like 'we must act now' and 'the choice is clear.' This signals the author intends to:

Accepted Answer

Persuade

Answer

Calls to action and definitive language are hallmarks of persuasive writing.

Question 4

A writer uses exaggeration and absurd comparisons to mock a politician's promises. The purpose is:

Accepted Answer

To satirize

Answer

Exaggeration and mockery aimed at criticism define satire.

Question 5

Which detail best reveals an author's purpose in a text?

Accepted Answer

The author's word choice and tone

Answer

Word choice and tone are key signals of an author's intent.

ACT Practice Test