Author's Purpose and Tone Flashcards
6 cards from real Reading Comprehension 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 Tone flashcards as text
A historian writes: 'The Treaty of Versailles did not merely end a war; it planted the seeds of another.' What is the author's purpose in using this metaphor?
Answer: To suggest a cause-and-effect relationship between the two world wars
The metaphor 'planted the seeds' implies that the Treaty of Versailles caused conditions that led to World War II, establishing a cause-and-effect argument.
Read the passage: 'The defendant, who had been described by neighbors as quiet and polite, showed no emotion as the verdict was read.' What tone does this passage convey?
Answer: Detached and objective
The passage reports facts without emotional language or personal judgment, maintaining a detached, objective tone typical of news reporting.
An author writes a children's book about a squirrel who learns to share acorns with forest friends. What is the primary purpose?
Answer: To teach a moral lesson through an entertaining story
Children's stories about animals learning social lessons combine entertainment with moral instruction — the primary purpose is to teach values like sharing through an engaging narrative.
Which word best describes the tone of this sentence: 'After years of tireless research, the team's breakthrough offered a glimmer of hope for millions of patients worldwide'?
Answer: Optimistic
Words like 'breakthrough,' 'glimmer of hope,' and 'millions of patients' convey a positive, forward-looking tone that is optimistic about the research outcome.
A food critic writes: 'The restaurant's signature dish arrived looking like abstract art — beautiful to behold, impossible to identify, and profoundly unsatisfying to eat.' What is the author's tone?
Answer: Witty and disapproving
The author uses humor ('abstract art,' 'impossible to identify') combined with clear criticism ('profoundly unsatisfying'), creating a witty yet disapproving tone.
An author writes a blog post titled 'Why I Stopped Watching the News' and discusses personal experiences with media-induced anxiety. What is the author's primary purpose?
Answer: To express personal feelings and share a reflective experience
A personal blog post sharing the author's own experiences and feelings has an expressive purpose — the goal is to reflect and share rather than to argue or inform.