ACT Reading: Author's Purpose 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passage describes a coral reef using precise scientific terms and measurements. The author most likely wrote it to:
- Entertain children
- Inform readers about the reef (Correct answer)
- Persuade tourists to visit
- Express personal longing
Correct answer: Inform readers about the reef
Precise terminology and measurements indicate an informational purpose.
Question 2: An author asks rhetorical questions like 'How long will we ignore this crisis?' to:
- Provide a neutral summary
- Engage readers and persuade them (Correct answer)
- Define vocabulary
- Tell a bedtime story
Correct answer: Engage readers and persuade them
Rhetorical questions are a persuasive device meant to prompt agreement.
Question 3: A short story includes witty dialogue and an ironic twist ending. The author's main purpose is to:
- Entertain (Correct answer)
- Instruct
- Sell
- Document history
Correct answer: Entertain
Wit and an ironic twist serve to entertain the reader.
Question 4: When determining purpose, the tone of a passage helps because tone reveals:
- The number of paragraphs
- The author's attitude toward the subject (Correct answer)
- The publication date
- The reader's age
Correct answer: The author's attitude toward the subject
Tone expresses the author's attitude, which points to intent.
Question 5: A passage that warns about the dangers of texting while driving and urges readers to stop is primarily:
- Descriptive
- Persuasive (Correct answer)
- Narrative
- Expository only
Correct answer: Persuasive
Warning and urging behavior change is persuasive.
Question 6: An author compares two historical events to help readers understand cause and effect. The purpose is to:
- Amuse with jokes
- Explain and inform (Correct answer)
- Plead for donations
- Express anger
Correct answer: Explain and inform
Drawing comparisons to clarify relationships is an explanatory, informative purpose.
Question 7: Which sentence most clearly suggests a persuasive purpose?
- The river is 300 miles long.
- Everyone should support this vital new law. (Correct answer)
- The meeting begins at noon.
- Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
Correct answer: Everyone should support this vital new law.
Telling readers what they 'should' do reflects a persuasive aim.
ACT Reading: Author's Purpose 3
A passage describes a coral reef using precise scientific terms and measurements.
The author most likely wrote it to: