Nelson-Denny Reading Test Reading Comprehension: Determining Author's Purpose 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When an author uses the words 'unfortunately,' 'tragically,' and 'heartbreaking' throughout a passage, these words MOST LIKELY indicate the author's purpose is to:
- Inform readers about a neutral event
- Entertain readers with factual trivia
- Persuade or create an emotional response in readers (Correct answer)
- Describe a scientific process objectively
Correct answer: Persuade or create an emotional response in readers
Loaded emotional language like 'tragically' and 'heartbreaking' signals the author wants to sway the reader's feelings or opinions.
Question 2: A passage titled 'How Vaccines Work' explains the immune system's response to vaccines using diagrams and step-by-step descriptions. The author's purpose is MOST LIKELY to:
- Persuade readers to get vaccinated
- Inform readers about the biological mechanism of vaccines (Correct answer)
- Entertain readers with stories of medical breakthroughs
- Argue against vaccine misinformation
Correct answer: Inform readers about the biological mechanism of vaccines
Step-by-step descriptions with diagrams explaining a biological process are characteristic of writing meant to inform.
Question 3: A children's book features a talking turtle who learns the importance of patience after losing a race. The PRIMARY purpose of this story is to:
- Inform children about turtle biology
- Persuade children to exercise more
- Entertain and teach a moral lesson (Correct answer)
- Explain the rules of competitive racing
Correct answer: Entertain and teach a moral lesson
Fables and children's stories that feature anthropomorphized animals and moral lessons are written primarily to entertain while imparting values.
Question 4: An author writes: 'Every American should demand their representative support the Clean Water Act. Our children's health depends on it.' What is the author's purpose?
- To explain the history of the Clean Water Act
- To inform readers about water pollution statistics
- To entertain with a story about environmental activism
- To persuade readers to take political action (Correct answer)
Correct answer: To persuade readers to take political action
'Should demand' and an appeal to children's health are persuasive techniques calling readers to specific political action.
Question 5: A passage presents a fictional conversation between two scientists who joke about their failed experiments while still making important discoveries. The author's purpose is MOST LIKELY to:
- Inform readers about scientific methodology
- Entertain readers while illustrating the nature of scientific work (Correct answer)
- Persuade readers to pursue careers in science
- Explain how to conduct laboratory experiments
Correct answer: Entertain readers while illustrating the nature of scientific work
A fictional, humorous dialogue illustrating a theme combines entertainment as the primary purpose with secondary informational value.
Question 6: Which combination of text features MOST STRONGLY signals that a passage's purpose is to inform?
- First-person narration and emotional anecdotes
- Bold vocabulary terms, headings, and a glossary (Correct answer)
- Rhetorical questions and calls to action
- Humorous tone and exaggerated characters
Correct answer: Bold vocabulary terms, headings, and a glossary
Textbook-style features like headings, bold terms, and glossaries are organizational tools that signal informational writing.
Question 7: An author describes the 1969 moon landing through the eyes of a fictional astronaut's family watching on television. The purpose of using this fictional perspective is MOST LIKELY to:
- Provide accurate historical data about the moon landing
- Persuade readers that space exploration was necessary
- Make the historical event more emotionally engaging for readers (Correct answer)
- Explain the technical aspects of the Apollo mission
Correct answer: Make the historical event more emotionally engaging for readers
Using a fictional personal perspective on a historical event is a narrative technique designed to create emotional engagement and entertainment.
Nelson-Denny Reading Test Reading Comprehension: Determining Author's Purpose 3
When an author uses the words 'unfortunately,' 'tragically,' and 'heartbreaking' throughout a passage, these words MOST LIKELY indicate the author's purpose is to: