Reading: Author's Purpose Flashcards
7 cards from real ACT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Reading: Author's Purpose flashcards as text
A passage describes a coral reef using precise scientific terms and measurements. The author most likely wrote it to:
Answer: Inform readers about the reef
Precise terminology and measurements indicate an informational purpose.
An author asks rhetorical questions like 'How long will we ignore this crisis?' to:
Answer: Engage readers and persuade them
Rhetorical questions are a persuasive device meant to prompt agreement.
A short story includes witty dialogue and an ironic twist ending. The author's main purpose is to:
Answer: Entertain
Wit and an ironic twist serve to entertain the reader.
When determining purpose, the tone of a passage helps because tone reveals:
Answer: The author's attitude toward the subject
Tone expresses the author's attitude, which points to intent.
A passage that warns about the dangers of texting while driving and urges readers to stop is primarily:
Answer: Persuasive
Warning and urging behavior change is persuasive.
An author compares two historical events to help readers understand cause and effect. The purpose is to:
Answer: Explain and inform
Drawing comparisons to clarify relationships is an explanatory, informative purpose.
Which sentence most clearly suggests a persuasive purpose?
Answer: Everyone should support this vital new law.
Telling readers what they 'should' do reflects a persuasive aim.