Author's Purpose 7
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Editorial - Property, Priorities and Preservation
In a free society, people make choices. They choose what clothes to wear, where they'd like to work, how they'd like
to worship, and with their wallets they choose which businesses they'll support. They also choose how to respond to
perceived injustices.
When established residents learn that a condominium or a hardware store is to be built in their neighborhood, they
might conclude that the new development will cause harm. They might think that it will draw too much traffic or damage
the environment. From that point on, they can choose how to respond.
They can protest, write angry letters and insist that local government force the developer to halt or downsize his
project.
They can press government officials to buy the disputed property and protect it from development. They can deface or
destroy condo signs and "For Sale" signs, as some have done.
Or they can make an offer themselves, buy the property in question, and preserve it as they see fit.
The top two choices are morally dubious. The first, lobbying to halt a project, encourages government arm-twisting; it
usually sparks a court fight, legal fees escalate, and the project often gets the go-ahead anyway. The second choice, a
government purchase, is objectionable because other people's money is used to satisfy the protesters' desires.
The third choice, vandalism and theft, is illegal. But we've long been dismayed that the no-growth crowd apparently
finds it appealing.
The fourth choice - the unhappy neighbors buy the property themselves - is vastly preferable. If both parties agree to
the transaction, the disputed land will change hands and the new owners can let trees grow and birds nest to their hearts'
content. Other people's money won't be used. The privileges inherent in property ownership will be respected.
Besides, if land is to be preserved, we'd rather see it in private hands. Private owners tend to take care of property
better than the ill-defined "public" does.
This newspaper has recommended this option frequently, such as when Jackson residents protested the planned
demolition of an old house to make way for a parking lot. Buy the house yourselves, we said - save it and fix it up. The
Jackson folks declined. Most people do. Why? It can't be the cost. If enough like-minded neighbors pooled their cash,
there's no telling how much land they could rescue from the bulldozer.
No, it's simply that they've made a choice. They want government to halt the offending project, or they want
government to use other people's money to buy the land. But they'd rather not use a large chunk of their own money. And
that's OK.
1. What was the author's purpose in writing this article?
A. to persuade the reader that the best way to preserve property is to buy it
B. to list the number of choices that people can make in a free society
C. to give the reader information about how to get the government to preserve property
D. to entertain the reader with examples of good and bad choices
2.
Consider the following claim: "Smoking is a reasonable pastime since millions of people smoke"
This is an example of bandwagon fallacy. What is the argument against this stance?
A. There is no argument against this stance.
B. Smoking is a right given to everyone on Earth.
C. Smoking doesn’t hurt anyone since there are safe cigarettes.
D. Millions of people don’t excuse the fact that smoking is dangerous to your health.
3.
Just as the food arrives at Mother and Father's table, a man appears with a mop and pail and starts to mop with
Pine-Sol. The mop is a sweet stinky, and the smell is so strong that it makes you blink.
There are many stories of the Mexican obsession with cleaning. You have only to arrive in the Mexico City airport,
step off the plane into the waiting area, and your first encounter with Mexican culture will be to dodge someone
furiously mopping. Especially if it's in the middle of the day. "Cuidado! Watch out!" says a little yellow sign, warning you
to watch your step on the damp floor.
Adapted from Caramelo, by Sandra Cisneros
What is the most likely reason the author of this novel gives us this information about the person
mopping the floor at the airport?
A. She probably didn't have a reason.
B. So we know the meaning of all the Spanish words.
C. It is a detail that tells the reader more about Mexican culture.
D. It assures us that the Mexico City airport is clean.
4.
Imagine that your mom was born in Norway and first came to the United States when she was 16. She tells you
many interesting stories about her childhood-how it snowed so much in winter and how she used to ski to school. Now
let's say you start writing stories yourself, and you decide to include some of the details from your mother's childhoodthe foods she used to eat back in Norway, and her nutty Uncle Lars, and the costumes she used to wear on holidays.
You can say that your mother's stories ______________.
A. were hard to remember
B. made your own writing seem boring
C. embarrassed you
D. influenced your own writing
5. The writer Alice Walker was active in the Civil Rights Movement many years ago. She has
written a novel called Meridian whose characters also work in the Civil Rights Movement.
What is one way that Walker's experiences as an activist might have influenced her writing
of the novel?
A. The characters might be based on people that she knew during the Civil Rights Movement.
B. The characters are all African-American.
C. She still believes in civil rights.
D. It's a novel, so the story is completely made up.
Father likes to tell the story of the first time he took Mother to his favorite taqueria, La Milagrosa.
"This place looks like a dump," Mother says. "How can you take me here?"
"It is a dump," says Father. "That's how you can tell the tacos are good."
"I mean how do you expect me to eat here?" Mother asks, eyeing the sawdust on the floor behind the butcher
counter. "This place looks like it has bugs and mice."
"Well, so does our house, but we eat there too, don't we?"
Mother can think of no clever response. It's true, they live in the only neighborhood they can afford, where the
rent is cheap. Mother tries not to look at the dirty floor of the taqueria. She orders a chile relleno taco and Father
orders a taco de cabeza and a rice-water drink.
Adapted from Caramelo, by Sandra Cisneros
6.
This author's books and stories are very autobiographical, meaning they are based on her own
life. What is one way she shows us what her father was like?
A. by having him go to a restaurant
B. by showing us his sense of humor
C. by showing how poor her family was
D. by making her mother sound clever
7. If you grew up in an Eskimo village, but later moved to New York City to become a
writer, why might you choose to write stories about the Eskimo village?
A. People always want to read about Eskimos.
B. Too many people already write about New York City, so that would be boring.
C. You probably wouldn't choose to write about it.
D. You would have many details and experiences from Eskimo culture to use in your writing.
8.
My name is Adam. I am a System Administrator for a private K-12 school in La Jolla, California. The campus
sits on a beautiful 25 acres. One would think it a pleasure to be out and about around campus. Not me. I would
spend my days at work trying to figure out how much of my day could be taken care of from my desk before I
would actually have to get up and go somewhere else on campus. This mentality was consistent throughout my
life. If I wanted something that was upstairs at home I would rather go without it if I were downstairs. For years I
had been consistently gaining weight, losing self-esteem and becoming more and more embarrassed to go
shopping for new clothes, dreading the outcome of trying on new clothes at the next size up from what I just fit into
the month before, and I was lethargic.
My life continued in this manner until I finally came to terms with the fact that I was unhealthy and only getting
worse.
I began the program at the end of January, shortly after my 29th birthday. I have lost over 66 pounds on the
Jenny Craig program and feel better than I have in years! I fit into clothes that I would have walked right past in the
stores before. Fashion seems like it was made for me again. I can buy clothes off the rack where I was having to
go to the special order desk or online to find pants that were my size. I dropped from an XL size shirt to a Small
and that is more than I ever expected!
adapted from http://www.jennycraig.com/success/story.asp?SID=257
The author of this passage uses a testimonial to show how the weight loss program has helped to
change his life. What would be one problem with using this method to convince the audience that
this program works?
A. The author never gives his last name.
B. There isn’t a picture of the author included.
C. The author never tells how much he originally weighed.
D. Not everyone has been through the same experience.
9. Dear Editor,
I was dismayed to read your April 30 news story "Parent-hosted parties add to growing trend of underage drinking."
So a mother allows her 18-year-old daughter to stay out until 5 a.m., and the mother is "shocked" to learn that her
daughter drinks? Mom, sit down before you read this, but drinking is definitely not the worst behavior you can expect to
occur at that late hour.
As soon as I have children, I'm going to tell them the following: "I love you. I'm your father. I won't look the other way.
I'm not your buddy. You are blessed with high expectations for how you will behave and perform, and I will help you
meet these expectations. I love you."
There is no substitute for disciplined and involved parenting. I'm sure it won't be easy to execute, but as evidenced by
your story, anything less is a disservice to one's child and to the community.
Jon J. Alsup, Phoenix, AZ
The author of this passage uses a testimonial to suggest how to raise a child. What is one problem with
using this method to convince the audience that this will work to a child’s benefit?
A. The author doesn’t have children.
B. The author isn’t emotional enough in his response.
C. The author comes off as rude in his comment.
D. There is no problem with the argument in this passage.
10.
Excerpt of “I Have a Dream” speech by Martin Luther King, Jr.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to
be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave
owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with
the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of
their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/38.htm
How does the author of the speech keep the audience’s attention and build energy?
A. He gets angry at the government.
B. He repeats a phrase several times.
C. He talks about his children.
D. He uses the names of real states.