Author's Purpose and Point of View

Pretest

1. All of the following are three main reasons why an author writes a story, EXCEPT to

a. inform.

b. persuade.

c. entertain.

d. scare his audience.

2. What is it called when the author expresses his opinions and views?

a. entertainment

b. point of view

c. climax

d. characterization

3. If you read an editorial in the newspaper, the author's purpose is to

a. entertain.

b. persuade.

c. inform.

d. create a mysterious mood.

Identifying the author's purpose. Read the following passages and answer the questions.

4. The day began like any other school day, except she really wanted to run to the bus and get to
school. She had a feeling that she was going to be named homecoming queen.
The author's purpose is to

a. entertain.

b. persuade.

c. inform.

d. scare his audience.

5. One of the most harmful creatures on earth is the fly. Flies spread harmful diseases. They pick
up germs with their hair, spreading their germs everywhere.

The author's purpose is to

a. entertain.

b. persuade.

c. inform.

d. scare his audience.

6. Wouldn't you like to feel safe in your neighborhood? Please join our watch group. We need
good volunteers to protect our streets and report suspicious activity to the police.

The author's purpose is to

a. entertain.

b. persuade.

c. inform.

d. scare his audience.

7. The Andes Mountains are located down the west side of South America and are the longest
chain of mountains in the world. The Andes start at the top of South America and go along the
coast to the bottom of South America, which spans over 400 miles. There are a lot of volcanoes
found in the mountains and many are active. Like California, earthquakes are a normal
occurrence and have killed many people.

The reason the author wrote the selection is

a. to inform the reader how dangerous California can be.

b. to show the similarities between South America and San Francisco.

c. to describe the Andes Mountains.

d. to inform the reader that earthquakes kill people.

8. Do you ever go out and look at the stars? The stars fascinate many people, and some say that
you can tell a lot about what will happen by studying them. The sky is divided into 88 known
areas that scientists study. Inside these areas are many stars, which are called constellations.
Many constellations were named as far back as the 1500s. Some named constellations are the
zodiac signs; Aries, Pisces, and Taurus. Other constellations that might be familiar to you are the
Little Dipper, Big Dipper, and the Great Bear.

The author believes that

a. the Little Dipper is the best constellation.

b. people don't care about studying stars as much as they used to in the 1500s.

c. the study of stars has fascinated people for hundreds of years.

d. you cannot tell much by looking at the stars.

9. Some people believe that they can't make a difference by voting, but you can. If you don't
vote, your voice cannot be heard. Show you care about your community, and exercise your right
to vote.

The author believes that

a. people should vote.

b. you can't criticize the person in office if you don't vote.

 c. you should recycle in your community.

d. one person can't make a difference.

10. Doug knew that he had waited until the last minute to type his research paper, but he couldn't
think of what he wanted to write. As Doug was frantically typing away on his computer, the
power went out. He hadn't saved his documents. He screamed at the computer as it faded into
blackness. Maybe it wouldn't have been too bad if he had a rough draft in which to work from,
but he was writing and typing at the same time. Doug swore to himself that this would never
happen to him again.

The author shows the importance of

a. buying a new computer.

b. not waiting until the last minute to do your assignments.

c. going to the library to do your research.

d. making the honor roll.

Author's Purpose and Point of View

Pre Test Answers

1. D
 2. B

3. B

4. A

5. C

6. B

7. C

8. C

9. A

10. B

Author's Purpose and Point of View

Post test
1. What is it called when the author expresses his opinions and views?

a. entertainment

b. point of view

c. climax

2. All of the following are three main reasons why an author writes a story, EXCEPT to

a. inform.

b. persuade.

c. entertain.

d. to make sure the reader enjoys what he or she is reading.

Identifying the author's purpose. Read the following passages and answer the questions.

3. Lisa always looked forward to the fall because of the Harvest Festival. Of course, she loved
the rides, but she really enjoyed the shows. This year would be the best. Lisa had a special
opportunity to perform in the talent show.

The author's purpose is to

a. entertain.

b. persuade.

c. inform.

d. create a mysterious mood.

4. What do you do with aluminum cans? Do you throw them in the trash, or do you recycle when
you are finished with them? At the rate we are filling our landfills, we will not have anywhere
else to put our trash. If you recycle, you will help the environment. The next time you throw
away your Coke can, think about putting it in a recycling bin. Your effort will help save your
community.
The author's purpose is to

a. entertain.

b. persuade.

c. inform.

d. create a mysterious mood.

5. Tomatoes were once considered poisonous. Some brave people finally took a bite of a tomato,
and they survived. Now, we use tomatoes in our salads and sandwiches. Do you ever use tomato
sauce or ketchup? These products are made of tomatoes. If it weren't for these brave individuals,
you might not be able to enjoy ketchup with your french-fries.

The author's purpose is to

a. entertain.

b. persuade.

c. inform.

d. create a mysterious mood.

6. The impressive eagle is a national symbol in the United States for patriotism and freedom.
Because the bald eagle was once hunted for sport, it is on the verge of extinction. If you kill a
bald eagle, you can go to jail. Unfortunately, the bald eagle still maybe become extinct.

The author's purpose is to

a. entertain.

b. persuade.

c. inform.

d. create a mysterious mood.

7. Most people think that gorillas are mean, but actually they are shy. It seems that such a huge
animal with very large teeth would be aggressive. Hollywood movies help convey this image of
the scary, ferocious gorilla. In fact, gorillas only attack if they are provoked. However, gorillas
usually don't have to fight other animals because of their impressive size.

The author believes that

a. Gorillas are misunderstood as vicious animals.

b. Gorillas are mean animals.

c. Gorillas don't like other animals.

d. Gorillas communicate well with other animals.

8. This was Kathy's first baby-sitting job. She was so excited, but she was really nervous. Kathy's
parents made her attend a baby-sitting workshop before she could baby-sit her neighbor's five-
year-old son, Matthew. Kathy knew this was a lot of responsibility, but she thought she was
ready. Kathy marched confidently to Matthew's house and waved goodbye to Matthew's parents.
It seemed as soon as his parents left, Matthew fell and hit his chin on the coffee table. Without
panicking, she remembered what she learned in her baby-sitting class and applied first-aid.

The author wants to show that

a. Matthew should not run in the house.

b. Kathy is ready to baby-sit.

c. Kathy needs to attend more baby-sitting workshops.

d. Coffee tables can be dangerous.

9-10 . Ted, the school reporter, interviewed both candidates for the school election. In his
column on the school election, he printed his interview with the two candidates. The following
selections were taken out of the school newspaper.

1st letter. Do you want the best class president for your school? If so, please vote for Marco
Rodriguez. I am a responsible candidate who will work hard to make our school a better place.
Vote for Marco this coming Tuesday.
2nd letter: We need a change at our school. I am the person for this job. I am an honor student
who is involved in many different activities. I know I can make a difference. Vote for me, and
our school will be even better. Candice Park

9. Ted mentioned the two candidates in his article because

a. he thought Candice Park was a better candidate.

b. he was friends with Marco.

c. his teacher told him to.

d. he wanted to give both candidates an equal opportunity.

10. Ted believes that

a. Marco should be the president.

b. Candace should be president.

c. all students should vote.

d. the students should know the candidates' views.

Author's Purpose and Point of View

Post Test Answers

1. b

2. d
3. a

4. b

5. c

6. c

7. a

8. b

9. d

10. d