Author's Purpose Review

AUTHOR’S PURPOSE EXERCISES:Read each paragraph. Then select the answer that best describes the author’s purpose in writing.

 The word is terracide. It is not committed with guns and knives, but with relentless bulldozers, roaring dump trucks, and giant shovels like mythological beasts. Dynamite cuts and rips apart mountains to reach the minerals inside, leaving nothing but empty, naked hills. The land is left wasted and allowed to slide down upon houses and into streams, making the land unlivable and the stream water undrinkable. This is terracide, or if you prefer, strip mining. 

1. The author’s purpose is to 
a. inform you about the purposes of strip mining. 
b. describe a strip mining operation. 
c. persuade you that strip mining is bad for the environment. 
d. define terracide. 


The human sex chromosomes are of the XX-XY pattern. The Y chromosome is much smaller than the X chromosome. Two types of sperm cells are formed during gametogenesis; half of these have the X chromosome and the others have the Y chromosome. Every egg cell has an X chromosome; therefore, fertilization determines the sex. If a Y sperm cell fertilizes the egg, a male develops.

 2. The author’s purpose is to 
a. explain how the sex of humans is determined. 
b. describe chromosomes. 
c. tell the steps in fertilization. 
d. contrast X and Y chromosomes 


To make a delicious New England pit, proceed as follows: take some water and flour; then construct a bullet-proof dough. Make this into a disk-shaped object. Dry it for a couple of days in a mild temperature. Pour on stewed dried apples and slabs of citron; leave it in a safe place until it petrifies. Serve cold at breakfast and invite your mother-in-law. 

3. The author’s purpose is to
a. tell the steps in making a pie. 
b. make fun of (satirize) New England cooking. 
c. persuade the reader to buy New England pie. 
d. describe New England pie. 


I will try to give the reader of this article some idea of the real nature of Gothic architecture, not just of Venice, but of universal Gothic. One of the most interesting parts of our study will be to find out how far Venetian architecture went in achieving the perfect type of Gothic, and how far it fell short of it. 
4. The author’s purpose is to 
a. explain the importance of Gothic architecture. 
b. describe Venetian architecture. 
c. show how Venetian architecture is different from Gothic architecture. 
d. show the nature of Gothic architecture. 


 On September 23, a large cavalry troop from Fort Robinson arrived at the camp of Sitting Bull. Just as he was about to give a welcoming speech, a commotion broke out among the watching warriors. Rifles were fired, and the meeting ended in a massacre of the soldiers. 

5. The author’s purpose is to 
a. describe Sitting Bull’s camp. 
b. persuade the reader that the Indians were bloodthirsty. 
c. tell the events leading to a massacre. 
d. explain the problems of the Calvary. 


Tofu is a product that is becoming very popular as a low-calorie, cholesterol-free meat substitute. Formerly it was found exclusively in Oriental markets and health food stores, but today tofu can be purchased in most supermarket produce departments. This white, cheese like substance is made from the condensed milk of soybeans. It is extremely high in protein and low in sodium. Tofu is almost tasteless by itself, but it can be easily mixed into sauces and soups; it can even be made to imitate scrambled eggs. 

6. The author’s primary purpose is to 
a. evaluate Oriental cooking. 
b. persuade you to eat low-cholesterol foods. 
c. describe tofu. 
d. to compare tofu with meat.