Purpose and Tone
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Tone is the emotion or mood of the author’s
written voice. It is the author’s attitude toward
the topic.
Purpose is the reason the author writes about a
topic.
Characteristics of Tone Words
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Objective (impartial)
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Unbiased
Neutral
Formal
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Subjective (personal)
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Biased
Emotional
Informal
Choose the tone:
1.
“Mom, please,” she said as she rolled her eyes,
“I would rather do it myself.”
a. emotional
b. neutral
Choose the tone:
1.
“Mom, please,” she said as she rolled her eyes,
“I would rather do it myself.”
a. emotional
b. neutral
Choose the tone:
2. “Mother, I would like to introduce you to my
professor, Dr. Henry!”
a. formal
b. informal
Choose the tone:
2. “Mother, I would like to introduce you to my
professor, Dr. Henry!”
a. formal
b. informal
Choose the tone:
3. “Mom, I’m having a terrible time; could you please,
please come over?”
a. details of facts b. details of experience
Choose the tone:
3. “Mom, I’m having a terrible time; could you please,
please come over?”
a. details of facts b. details of experience
Choose the tone:
4. “My mother’s name is Gerta Powell, and she was
born in 1933.”
a. objective
b. subjective
Choose the tone:
4. “My mother’s name is Gerta Powell, and she was
born in 1933.”
a. objective
b. subjective
Three Categories of Purpose
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To inform the reader about a topic.
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“A healthy diet includes several daily servings from
each of the major food groups.”
Three Categories of Purpose
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To persuade the reader to agree with his/her
view on the topic.
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“Required physical education classes should be a
part of public school education from elementary
through high school.”
Three Categories of Purpose
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To entertain by amusing or engaging the reader.

“If clothes say much about a person, a woman
risking life and limb to wear 6-inch- high heels to the
office must be screaming something about herself.”
Inform, Persuade, or Entertain?
__The National Hurricane Center predicts a record
number of hurricanes in the upcoming months.
__Age is strictly a case of mind over matter. If you don’t
mind, it doesn’t matter.
__Rely on Denta-Fresh toothpaste to stop bad breath just
as millions of others have.
Inform, Persuade, or Entertain?
I The National Hurricane Center predicts a record
number of hurricanes in the upcoming months.
E Age is strictly a case of mind over matter. If you don’t
mind, it doesn’t matter.
P Rely on Denta-Fresh toothpaste to stop bad breath just
as millions of others have.
Figure Out the Primary Purpose

The primary purpose is the author’s main reason
for writing the passage.

Ask, “What is the author’s main idea?” and that
will reveal the primary purpose.
What is the primary purpose?
Think of long-term memory as a “data bank” for all of
your feelings and ideas. Information you heard hours,
days, weeks, even years ago is stored in long-term
memory. Long term memory can handle large amounts
of information; short-term memory has less space for
storage. Putting information in and getting it out again
is a slow process in long-term memory. On the other
hand, short-term memory is a rapid process.
The main purpose of the
paragraph is:
a.
To argue against poor memory skills.
b.
To amuse the reader with humorous details
about long-term memory.
c.
To inform the reader about the differences
between long-term and short-term memory.
The main purpose of the
paragraph is:
a.
To argue against poor memory skills.
b.
To amuse the reader with humorous details
about long-term memory.
c.
To inform the reader about the differences
between long-term and short-term
memory.
Implied Main Ideas/Inference
When the main idea is not stated.
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In 1917, the famed Dutch dancer Mata Hari was
executed as a spy by a French firing squad. Although
Mata Hari had agreed to spy for the Germans, there is
no evidence that she ever gave them any information.
Information about a new British tank, said to be given
to the Germans by Mata Hari, was actually provided by
a British Prisoner of War. The case against Mata Hari
was based largely on telegrams supplied by the head of
France’s espionage agency, who had tampered with
them before the trial.
1. Mata Hari was executed because she was hated by the head of France’s
espionage bureau.
2. Mata Hari may not have been guilty of the crimes that earned her a death
sentence.
3. There is no evidence that Mata Hari agreed to spy for the Germans.
The month of January got its name from Janus,
the Roman god of beginnings. Saturday was
named after Saturn, the Roman god of
agriculture. The sporting goods company Nike
took its name from the Greek goddess of
victory. The planet Neptune was named after
the Roman god of the sea.
1. The gods and goddesses of Greek and Roman mythology had
exotic and colorful names.
2. The names of the ancient gods and goddesses live on in our
language.
3. Our calendar is a constant reminder of Greek mythology’s longlasting influence.
Thanks to Henry Ford’s invention of a cheap automobile
called the Model T, farmers from rural areas were able
to sell their goods to larger markets some distance
away. The Model T was introduced in 1908 and cost
$850; by 1923 it cost only $290 and people from all
walks of life could afford one. The Model T was so
famous, popular songs and jokes alluded to it. The car
made access to city life much easier, and the rural
population began to diminish as a result.
1. The invention of the Model T had a profound effect on American life.
2. Henry Ford was determined to make a car that even working people could
afford.
3. Henry Ford was a genius when it came to money making.
Context Clues
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Jorge has been the proprietor of the store for thirty
years. His father was the owner before that.
The tiny dog looked innocuous, but in fact he was very
dangerous.
Taylor was never hungry, but after going without food
for three days, he was so ravenous that he ate like a
dog.
Water may seem ubiquitous, until a drought comes
along
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Review of Patterns of Organization
In the next decade, hundreds of thousands of convicted
felons who were locked up as a result of tough
anticrime policies in the 1980’s and 1990’s will be
released from prisons. Most community reentry
programs are already underfunded and understaffed.
As a result, it will be hard to arrange social services for
all who need them. Yet if these services are not
received, former inmates will likely drain community
welfare programs and food banks. Unfortunately, a
lack of necessary reentry services will often lead to a
return to crime.
A. Definition
B. Time order – dates and
events
C. Time order – process D. Comparison and contrast
E. Cause and effect
F. Classification
The process of human digestion begins at the very
moment that food enters the mouth. At this point,
both teeth and saliva begin preparing the food for safe
entry into the intestine. Once the food is swallowed, it
moves down through the esophagus by means of
muscle contractions. When it reaches the stomach, it is
mixed with enzymes and acid that ready the food for
entry into the small intestine.
A. Definition
B. Time order – dates and events
C. Time order – process D. Comparison and contrast
E. Cause and effect
F. Classification
Most Americans are accustomed to thinking of lie
detectors as foolproof. They assume that lie detectors
can separate the guilty from the innocent without error.
But, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.
Lie detectors can and do make mistakes. For one thing,
those who administer the test are not necessarily
qualified experts. In addition, many subjects react to a
lie detector test by becoming anxious. As a result, their
bodies behave as if they are lying even though they are
telling the truth.
Example Three
For centuries earthquakes were considered
warnings from the gods. It is only recently that a
theory called plate tectonics seems to adequately
explain the cause of earthquakes. According to
this theory, the earth’s surface consists of about
a dozen giant rock plates, which are constantly
in motion. Sometimes they collide and lock
together. The locking of the plates cause the
rock to fracture, causing an earthquake.
Example Four
During World War I and II, Congress required
Americans to observe daylight saving time to save
energy for the production of war supplies. After
studies indicated that DST reduced the need for
artificial light and decreased electricity usage, DST
became permanent in most states. DST is also said to
prevent traffic accidents by allowing more people to
return home from work in daylight. There is also
evidence that DST reduces crime. Clearly, there are
some good reasons for observing daylight savings time.
Example Five
More than fifty different kinds of sea snakes live
in the waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Unlike sea turtles, which must crawl from the
water to give birth on land, sea snakes give birth
in the water. The only time a sea snake surfaces
is when it needs to fill its single lung with air.
Once the lung is filled, the sea snake can stay
underwater for hours. Sea snakes are quite
dangerous, producing a deadly poison that can
kill on contact.
Example Six
Avalanches are among the world’s most dangerous
natural disasters. Fortunately, they usually occur in
remote mountain areas. Occasionally, however, an
avalanche can strike without warning, taking hikers and
skiers by surprise. This is what happened more than a
century ago when a small group of mountain climbers
tried to scale the huge alpine peak Mont Blanc. They
were unexpectedly overtaken by an avalanche that left
only a few survivors. Three members of the party were
buried in snow. When, after almost half a century, their
bodies were found, they were perfectly preserved and
were recognizable to a surviving member of the party.
The widespread use of antibiotics began in the 1940’s.
Since that time, some diseases – for example,
tuberculosis, have developed strains of bacteria that are
resistant to antibiotics. Once a new strain appears, it
can rapidly spread. Scientists also fear that the overuse
of antibiotics has helped to destroy other kinds of
bacteria that would normally control the new and
stronger strains. Thus people are becoming more
vulnerable to bacteria that cannot be effectively treated
with existing antibiotics.
The white-tailed deer was one of the first animals to be
protected by federal legislation. But as it turns out, the
deer were not in much need for protection. They are
highly adaptable creatures, and their population has not
diminished despite the loss of wooded areas. They
have adapted quite nicely to life on the edge of
suburbia. In fact, they are happy to supplement their
diets with fruits and vegetables from gardens. In
addition, many homeowners put out blocks of deer
food that help the animals make it through harsh
winters.
Congratulations!
We have now completed our last seminar
for KU 120!
Thank you for your hard work and
dedication. It has been my pleasure and
privilege to serve as your professor.
Good luck to all!