Determining the Author`s Purpose

Realidades
Nombre
Fecha
Actividad 23, p. 61
Determining the Author’s Purpose
To determine the author’s purpose for writing a book, a story, an article, or any other text,
the reader must figure out why the author wrote that particular book, story, article, or text.
Some common purposes for writing are to inform, to entertain, to persuade, or to describe.
Readers should also be able to explain why the author uses different techniques or
includes different features within a text. Readers familiar with this skill understand that
authors compose texts deliberately, making purposeful decisions about which words,
sentence constructions, organization patterns, etc. are most effective in communicating
a message.
Once readers can determine the author’s overall purpose for composing a text, they pay
attention to how different features in the text help achieve that purpose. Word choice is
one common feature for you to examine to find the author’s purpose for writing. In
examining the author’s word choice, you should consider how different choices of words
could change the effect the text has on a reader.
© Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
1. On page 61 in your textbook, re-read Actividad 23, brochure for the Club Deportivo
Acuasol. Answer the questions that follow.
What is the author’s overall purpose for writing the brochure for Club Deportivo
Acuasol?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
What effect would the following changes in wording in the brochure have on
readers?
(Original) Tenemos una misión: dar a nuestra comunidad un lugar agradable para
el ejercicio personal y la integración de la familia, a través del deporte...
(Change) Tenemos una misión: dar un lugar agradable para el ejercicio personal...
Effect: __________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
(Original) Hay una variedad de cursos tanto culturales como deportivos, en
diferentes horarios...
(Change) Hay una variedad de cursos deportivos en diferentes horarios...
Effect: __________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Sample question:
2. Which technique used in the brochure does NOT help the author achieve his or her
purpose of portraying Club Deportivo Acuasol as a different kind of athletic club?
A A list of activities offered at the club includes regional dance and tai chi chuan.
B The club is described as an agreeable place for personal exercise.
C The club’s mission includes mention of family togetherness.
D The club is described as a place to broaden one’s cultural and social horizons.
Capítulo 1B
3