Author's Purpose and Point of View Flashcards
6 cards from real PARAPRO practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Author's Purpose and Point of View flashcards as text
A text begins: 'Volcanoes form when molten rock, called magma, pushes through cracks in the Earth's crust.' What is the author's PRIMARY purpose?
Answer: To inform readers about how volcanoes form
The text presents factual, explanatory information about a natural process without advocating a position or telling a story, indicating an informational purpose.
Which sentence is written from a SECOND-PERSON point of view?
Answer: You turn left at the oak tree and follow the path downhill.
Second-person point of view directly addresses the reader using 'you,' as in instructions, directions, or certain narrative styles.
A student says an article's purpose is to 'inform' readers about climate change, but the article ends with 'We must act now to save our planet.' What should the paraprofessional explain?
Answer: The article may have a dual purpose: informing AND persuading, since it ends with a call to action
A call to action ('We must act now') signals persuasive intent. Many texts blend purposes — this article both informs about climate change and persuades readers to take action.
In a story, the narrator says: 'John felt nervous, but Maria didn't know it — she was too focused on her own excitement.' What does this reveal about the narrator's point of view?
Answer: Third-person omniscient, because the narrator knows both characters' internal states
The narrator reveals John's nervousness AND Maria's excitement and lack of awareness — accessing two characters' internal states, which is the hallmark of third-person omniscient.
A paraprofessional wants to help a student identify the author's purpose in a persuasive letter. Which question is MOST useful?
Answer: 'What is the author trying to convince the reader to believe or do?'
Asking what the author is trying to convince the reader of directly targets the definition of persuasive purpose — influencing beliefs or actions.
An author describes a thunderstorm using phrases like 'the sky roared its fury' and 'lightning stabbed the earth.' What technique is the author using, and what does it reveal about the author's purpose?
Answer: The author uses figurative language and personification to entertain and create a vivid emotional experience
Phrases like 'roared its fury' and 'stabbed the earth' personify the storm, using figurative language to create atmosphere — a hallmark of literary writing designed to entertain and engage emotionally.