Author's Purpose and Organization

"Pizza Delivery"

      Ray Brown works after school and on weekends delivering pizza, but he may one day be out of a job. A major car company and a pizza business have teamed up to deliver pizzas in driverless cars. Upon delivery, customers come out of their homes, type in a code, and reach into a heated backseat compartment to extract their pizza from the stack of up to five orders. Currently, the driverless delivery service is being tested with a development engineer driving the vehicle, behind blacked-out windows, to monitor customer interaction and to make sure the expensive radar and cameras are secure. If the test proves successful, driverless delivery of not only pizza but other products may become business as usual, saving companies money (at the expense of drivers like Ray Brown).

   Question:  What is the primary purpose of the selection?  

•   To explain the effects of driverless cars on delivery drivers

•   To describe a technology that could change delivery businesses

•     To persuade readers to trust driverless technology

•     To entertain readers with modern technology improvements

"Pizza Delivery"

      Ray Brown works after school and on weekends delivering pizza, but he may one day be out of a job. A major car company and a pizza business have teamed up to deliver pizzas in driverless cars. Upon delivery, customers come out of their homes, type in a code, and reach into a heated backseat compartment to extract their pizza from the stack of up to five orders. Currently, the driverless delivery service is being tested with a development engineer driving the vehicle, behind blacked-out windows, to monitor customer interaction and to make sure the expensive radar and cameras are secure. If the test proves successful, driverless delivery of not only pizza but other products may become business as usual, saving companies money (at the expense of drivers like Ray Brown).

The author uses parentheses in the paragraph to —

•   provide a counterargument to an idea

• simplify a difficult concept for readers

• add credibility by citing an expert opinion

•    promote driverless delivery

"Degrassi"

     Degrassi is a Canadian TV series that became an American phenomenon. The Kids of Degrassi was the original series in the franchise. Degrassi High, Degrassi: Junior High, and Degrassi: The Next Generation have become household names in America thanks to The N network.      Unlike most shows geared towards adolescents and teens, Degrassi doesn't ignore or overdramatize sensitive subjects. The show Degrassi: The Next Generation allows both teenagers and parents to become aware of the real issues that teenagers may face, letting them know that they are issues that many share.            Degrassi has won nine Gemini awards (a Canadian award comparable to the Emmy), two Director's Guild of Canada Awards, and two Teen Choice Awards. 

Question:  Which of these best explains the author's purpose for writing this passage?

• to describe the popularity surrounding the Degrassi series

•  to describe the controversy surrounding the Degrassi series

• to share information about an award-winning TV series

• to describe information about sensitive issues in a delicate manner

"Degrassi"

     Degrassi is a Canadian TV series that became an American phenomenon. The Kids of Degrassi was the original series in the franchise. Degrassi High, Degrassi: Junior High, and Degrassi: The Next Generation have become household names in America thanks to The N network.     Unlike most shows geared towards adolescents and teens, Degrassi doesn't ignore or overdramatize sensitive subjects. The show Degrassi: The Next Generation allows both teenagers and parents to become aware of the real issues that teenagers may face, letting them know that they are issues that many share.          Degrassi has won nine Gemini awards (a Canadian award comparable to the Emmy), two Director's Guild of Canada Awards, and two Teen Choice Awards. 

  Question:  Who is the intended audience of this selection—

• teenage television viewers

      

• teenage pop music lovers

• university psychology majors

• parents of junior high school students

Woodworking

1     Woodworking is a wonderful hobby for children and young adults to pursue as an after-school activity. One of the advantages of woodworking is that it allows people to create items than can last for a very long time. However, this hobby does call for parental supervision.2     Fourteen-year-old Steve Gomez has been working on woodworking projects since he was ten years old, and he is now junior president of the local Woodworking Association. Steve has created many beautiful pieces out of wood, and the local craft center has exhibited some of them. In fact, many of his pieces have also been sold for charity. Woodworking has helped Steve believe in himself. He is a good example of teenagers getting involved in a constructive and lucrative hobby. Some of his friends have also taken up this craft as a hobby after observing its positive effect on Gomez. 

Question:  What was the author's purpose for writing this passage?    

•     to inform readers about the training needed for woodworking   

• to describe some things that can be created from woodworking

• to convince readers to take up woodworking as a hobby

• to show how hobbies can help raise money for charity

Woodworking

1     Woodworking is a wonderful hobby for children and young adults to pursue as an after-school activity. One of the advantages of woodworking is that it allows people to create items than can last for a very long time. However, this hobby does call for parental supervision.2     Fourteen-year-old Steve Gomez has been working on woodworking projects since he was ten years old, and he is now junior president of the local Woodworking Association. Steve has created many beautiful pieces out of wood, and the local craft center has exhibited some of them. In fact, many of his pieces have also been sold for charity. Woodworking has helped Steve believe in himself. He is a good example of teenagers getting involved in a constructive and lucrative hobby. Some of his friends have also taken up this craft as a hobby after observing its positive effect on Gomez. 

The author expects the reader to believe that—

•   wood-worked items are always sold at a high price

•   woodworking is an easy craft to practice

• woodworking is a hobby that requires a lot of patience

• practicing woodworking can make kids more confident