Understanding Author's Purpose and Point of View

What is the author’s purpose in the following text? "Sharks have a reputation for being dangerous, but they are essential to ocean ecosystems. By eating weaker animals, sharks keep fish populations healthy and balanced. Instead of fearing sharks, we should work to protect them."

• To entertain readers with a story about sharks

• To explain how sharks hunt for food

• To persuade readers to see sharks as important and worth protecting

• To compare sharks with other ocean animals

Answer explanation

The author aims to persuade readers to recognize the importance of sharks in ocean ecosystems and advocate for their protection, rather than fearing them. This is evident in the emphasis on their role in maintaining fish populations.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.6

CCSS.RI.6.9

CCSS.RI.7.9

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

What is the author’s point of view in the following text? "Have you ever noticed how much time you spend on your phone? While phones can help us stay connected, they can also lead to distractions and wasted time. Finding balance is key to using technology wisely."

• Phones are harmful and should not be used.

• Phones are helpful but should be used in moderation.

• Phones are the best invention ever.

• Phones are only good for emergencies.

Answer explanation

The author acknowledges that phones can be beneficial for connection but emphasizes the importance of moderation to avoid distractions, supporting the view that phones are helpful but should be used in moderation.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.6

CCSS.RI.6.9

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

What does "Author’s Point of View" mean?

• The author’s opinion or feelings about the topic

• The way a character solves a problem

• The events that happen in the text

• The author’s choice of setting

Answer explanation

The author’s point of view refers to their opinion or feelings about the topic, which shapes how they present ideas and arguments in the text. This choice influences the reader's understanding and interpretation.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.6

CCSS.RI.6.9

CCSS.RI.7.9

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

What does "Author’s Purpose" mean?

• The lesson or moral of the story

• The reason why the author wrote the text

• The main character’s goal in the story

• The author’s favorite part of the text

Answer explanation

'Author’s Purpose' refers to the reason why the author wrote the text, which can include to inform, entertain, or persuade the reader. This is distinct from the lesson of the story or the goals of characters.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.6

CCSS.RI.6.9

CCSS.RI.7.6

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

What does it mean when an author writes to persuade?

• The author is trying to convince the reader to agree with their opinion or take action.

• The author is giving facts and information about a topic.

• The author is comparing two or more ideas to show their differences.

• The author is telling a funny story to make the reader laugh.

Answer explanation

When an author writes to persuade, they aim to convince the reader to agree with their opinion or take action, making this the correct choice. The other options describe different writing purposes.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.6

CCSS.RI.6.9

CCSS.RI.7.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

What does it mean when an author writes to inform?

• The author is providing facts or details to help the reader learn about a topic.

• The author is using emotional words to persuade the reader to agree with them.

• The author is describing something to entertain the reader.

• The author is comparing two topics to show their similarities.

Answer explanation

When an author writes to inform, they are focused on providing facts or details about a topic, helping the reader learn and understand, rather than persuading, entertaining, or comparing.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.6

CCSS.RI.6.9

CCSS.RI.7.6

CCSS.RI.7.9

CCSS.RL.6.6

What does it mean when an author writes to entertain?

• The author wants to provide facts about a serious topic.

• The author wants to compare two ideas.

• The author wants to amuse or engage the reader with a story or enjoyable writing.

• The author wants to convince the reader to change their opinion.

Answer explanation

When an author writes to entertain, they aim to amuse or engage the reader through enjoyable writing or storytelling, rather than focusing on facts, comparisons, or persuasion.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.6

CCSS.RI.6.9

CCSS.RI.7.6

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

What does it mean when an author writes to compare?

• The author wants to show similarities and differences between two or more ideas.

• The author wants to tell an entertaining story.

• The author wants to explain how something works.

• The author wants to give facts about an important topic.

Answer explanation

When an author writes to compare, they aim to highlight the similarities and differences between two or more ideas, making the first answer choice the correct one.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.6

CCSS.RI.6.9

CCSS.RI.7.9

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

What does it mean when an author writes to explain?

• The author provides step-by-step details to help the reader understand something.

• The author writes to compare two things.

• The author uses emotional language to convince the reader.

• The author writes to make the reader laugh.

Answer explanation

When an author writes to explain, they provide step-by-step details to help the reader understand something. This is the primary goal of explanatory writing, making the correct choice the first option.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.6

CCSS.RI.6.9

CCSS.RI.7.6

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

Read the following text: "The rainforests are home to a vast number of species, many of which are not found anywhere else on Earth. Protecting these areas is crucial for maintaining biodiversity." What is the author’s purpose?

• To entertain with a story about rainforests

• To inform about the importance of rainforests

• To persuade readers to visit rainforests

• To compare rainforests with other ecosystems

Answer explanation

The author highlights the unique species in rainforests and emphasizes the need to protect them, indicating that the purpose is to inform readers about the importance of rainforests for biodiversity.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.6

CCSS.RI.6.9

CCSS.RI.7.6

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6