Author's Purpose | Answer Keys

Student Concept Worksheet Answers

Question	Answer
1	Entertain The passage is a narrative with descriptive language, building tension about an art competition.
1 (Techniques)	Vivid imagery ("brush danced," "swirls of color," "pulse with life"), suspense (heart pounding, three hours), emotional response (she gasped)
2 (Table)	Recipe = Explain; Commercial = Persuade; Wikipedia = Inform; Mystery novel = Entertain
3	C. Logos (logic/facts) The statistic "nine out of ten dentists" is an appeal to logic/evidence.
4	Primary: Inform (teaching about endangered animals) Secondary: Persuade (encouraging conservation) OR Entertain (engaging with footage)

Practice Worksheet Answers

Question	Answer
1	B. To persuade readers to support healthier school lunches
2	C. "wilted lettuce and mealy apples don't exactly scream 'delicious'" This uses emotional, descriptive language to create disgust and dissatisfaction.
3	"Studies show that students who eat nutritious lunches perform better academically and have fewer behavior problems."
4	Any two: Emotional language ("processed foods loaded with sugar"), rhetorical questions ("Shouldn't our school prioritize...?"), call to action ("Contact Principal Martinez today"), evidence/statistics, comparison to other schools
5	B. To inform readers about how sleep works
6	C. Neutral and factual
7	The statistics and research give the passage credibility and demonstrate that the author's purpose is to inform with accurate information, not to share opinions. Numbers like "90 minutes," "8-10 hours," and "70% of teens" provide specific, verifiable facts that support the informational purpose.
8	C. To entertain readers with a humorous story
9	Any two: Humor (mystery meat surprise, face turning pink), vivid descriptions (launched like a rocket), exaggeration, dialogue, unexpected twist ending, relatable situations, imagery
10	The author uses humorous word choices like "launched out of bed like a rocket" (exaggeration), "mystery meat surprise" (playing with words), and phrases like "triumphantly leaping" followed by embarrassment. These unexpected, playful word choices create humor and entertainment.
11	D. To explain how to make a paper airplane
12	"Inform" would just provide facts (paper airplanes exist, they fly, here are some types). "Explain" goes deeper - it helps you UNDERSTAND the process and HOW to do something. This passage doesn't just tell you about paper airplanes; it walks you through each step so you can make one yourself.
13	The author uses chronological/sequence structure (first, next, now, then, finally). This supports the explanatory purpose because readers need to follow steps IN ORDER to successfully make the airplane. The structure matches the purpose - you can't explain how to do something without putting steps in logical order.
14	Primary: Persuade (to take action on plastic pollution) Secondary: Inform (presenting facts about the problem) OR Entertain (engaging with beautiful footage) How: The documentary ends with suggestions for action, showing the ultimate goal is to change behavior (persuade), but it uses information and engaging visuals to get there.
15	Passage 1 (persuade) uses emotional language ("processed foods loaded with sugar"), rhetorical questions, opinions ("We deserve better"), and a call to action. Passage 2 (inform) uses neutral language, statistics, and research citations without telling readers what to do. The persuasive passage wants action; the informational passage just presents facts for readers to interpret.

FAST Format Quiz Answers

Question	Answer
1	B. To inform readers about research on screen time and health
2	C. Objective and balanced
3	B. It provides a balanced view, showing the author's purpose is to inform rather than persuade against all screen use.
4	B. To persuade readers to vote for Maya Chen
5	A. Ethos (credibility) - establishing Maya's qualifications
6	B. To engage readers emotionally by connecting to their frustrations
7	C. To entertain readers with a suspenseful story with a funny twist
8	A. By using short sentences, sensory details, and building tension before the reveal
9	See rubric and sample response below.
10	See rubric and sample response below.

Question 9 Scoring Rubric

Score	Criteria
2	Correctly identifies both purposes, explains how techniques differ, and provides specific examples from BOTH passages showing how purpose affects word choice/techniques.
1	Identifies purposes but provides limited comparison, OR gives examples from only one passage, OR explanation lacks specific text evidence.
0	Does not identify purposes correctly OR does not compare the passages OR response is off-topic.

Sample 2-Point Response for Question 9:
Passage 1 (Screen Time) aims to inform, so the author uses neutral, factual language like "researchers have found correlations" and "a 2023 study from the American Academy of Pediatrics found." The author presents both positives and negatives without telling readers what to do. In contrast, Passage 2 (Vote for Maya) aims to persuade, so the author uses emotional language like "tired of vending machines that are always empty?" and "Fed up with." It also includes direct calls to action ("Vote Maya Chen!") and uses "YOU" to address readers directly. The informational passage relies on evidence; the persuasive passage relies on emotion and credibility.

Question 10 Scoring Rubric

Score	Criteria
2	Correctly identifies purpose, explains TWO specific techniques with text evidence, and clearly shows how each technique achieves the purpose.
1	Identifies purpose and ONE technique with evidence, OR identifies two techniques but lacks clear text evidence or connection to purpose.
0	Does not correctly identify purpose, does not identify techniques, or lacks text evidence.

Sample 2-Point Response for Question 10:
Passage 3 (The Midnight Visitor) has the purpose of entertaining readers. The first technique is building suspense through short sentences and sensory details. The author writes "Scratch. Scratch. Scratch." as its own paragraph and describes "my heart hammered against my ribs," creating tension that pulls readers into the scene. The second technique is the surprise twist ending. The author builds up a scary scene (pale face, hollow eyes, third floor window) that turns out to be a prank, which creates humor and satisfaction for readers. Both techniques work together - the suspense makes the funny reveal even more entertaining.

Quick Reference: Purpose Identification