READING SKILL 8: INFER RHETORICAL PURPOSE
| QUESTIONS ABOUT RHETORICAL PURPOSE | |
| HOW TO IDENTIFY THE QUESTION | Why does the author … The author mentions X in order to … |
| WHERE TO FIND THE ANSWER | The targeted information is highlighted in the passage |
| HOW TO ANSWER THE QUESTION | · Study the highlighted information carefully · Study the context around the highlighted information, and ak yourself how the highlighted information is related to the context around it · Draw a conclusion about the purpose of the highlighted information · Read the answer choices, and eliminate any definitely wrong answers · Choose the best answer from the remaining choices |
READING EXERCISE 8: Study each of the passages, and choose the best answers to the questions that follow.
PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-4)
Xerography
1 One more familiar use of electrochemistry that has made its way into the mainstream is xerography, a process for replicating documents that is dependent on photoconductive materials. A photoconductive material is an insulator in the dark but becomes a conductor when exposed to bright light. When a photocopy is being made, an image of a document is projected onto the surface of a rotating drum, and bright light causes the photoconductive material on the surface of the drum to become conductive.
2 As a result of the conductivity, the drum loses its charge in the lighted areas, and toner (small grains to which dry ink adheres) attaches itself only to the darker parts of the image. The grains are then carried to a sheet of paper and fused with heat. When a laser printer is used, the image is projected by means of a laser beam, which creates a brighter light and a greater contrast between lighter and darker areas and therefore results in sharper printed images.
1. The author begins the first paragraph with One more familiar use of electrochemistry in order to
A. explain that xerography is one of the less familiar uses of electrochemistry
B. make it clear that electrochemistry requires photoconductive materials
C. show that xerography is the only known use for electrochemistry
D. indicate that other less familiar uses have already been discussed
2. Why does the author explain that A photoconductive material is an insulator in the dark but becomes a conductor when exposed to bright light. ?
A. It gives an explanation of a property that is necessary for xerography.
B. It indicates that bright light is required for insulation to take place.
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C. It gives one example of a successful xerographic process.
D. It explains the role of insulation in xerography.
3. The author places the phrase (small grains to which dry ink adheres) in parentheses in order to
A. provide information that contradicts the previous statement
B. provide another example of conductivity
C. provide further detail information about toner
D. provide an alternate explanation for the effectiveness of toner
4. Why is a laser printer mentioned?
It is an alternative to xerography.
It is a way of duplicating without using electrochemistry.
It is a second example of xerography.
It is a less effective type of xerography than is a photocopier.
PASSAGE TWO (Questions 5-9)
Demographic Change
1 By the end of the 1920s, American society had undergone a long and historic demographic change. Since the 1870s, the had been moving from a more rural mode that was based on high birthrates – as high as 50 births annually per thousand people in the early nineteen century – to a more metropolitan mode. Prior to the 1870s, the population of the country was increasing by about a third every decade; however, by the end of the 1920s, a radical about-face had taken place.
2 One major factor to affect the demographics of the country during this period was a dramatic decrease in birthrates. The trend during this era was more pronounced in urban areas but also had an effect in rural areas. As a result of the trend toward smaller families, particularly in cities, the birthrate was down to 27.7 births annually per thousand women by 1920 and had dropped even further-to 21.3 births annually per thousand women-by 1930.
3 At the same time, the deathrate, too, was falling. Urban living led to better sanitation, refrigeration, and water purification; it also resulted in better medical care as doctors and hospitals were more readily available. Most likely as a result of these factors, there were only eleven deaths per thousand annually by early 1920s, which was half the rate of the 1880s.
5. Why does the author include the phrase as high as 50 births annually per thousand people in the early nineteen century in paragraph 1?
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A. To show that metropolitan areas of the country had higher birthrates than rural areas
B. To provide statistical evidence of the elevated birthrate in the 1870s
C. To quantify what had happened with the American population in the previous century
D. To argue against the belief that the demographics of the country had changed
6. The author uses the word however inparagraph 1 in order
A. to make it clear that an extreme change had taken place
B. to emphasize how tremendously the population was increasing
C. to point out an alternate explanation for the change
D. to indicate a difference of opinion with other demographers
7. The author includes the word too in paragraph 3
A. to indicate that both the birthrate and the death rate were holding steady
B. to show that the rural mode was similar to the metropolitan mode
C. to clarify the explanation that population trends before and after 1870 were similar
D. to emphasize that paragraph 3 discusses a second factor in the demographic change
8. Why does the author mention better medical care in paragraph 3?
A. It helps to explain why the birthrate is increasing.
B. It is an example of a factor that contributed to the improved birthrate.
C. It helps to explain why the death rate is increasing.
D. It is an example of a factor that contributed to the improved death rate.
9. The author includes the expression Most likely in paragraph 3 to show
that the data about the average number of deaths was not verified
that doctors and hospitals may not have actually been more available
that other factors may have contributed to the decreasing deathrate
that the deathrate may not have decreased as much as stated
PASSAGE THREE (Questions 10-14)
The Hubble Telescope
1 The Hubble telescope was launched into space with great fanfare on April 25, 1990. Although there are many powerful telescopes at various locations on Earth, the Hubble telescope was expected to be able to provide considerably better information because it would be able to operate from the vacuum of space, without interference from the Earth's atmosphere. By launching the Hubble telescope into space, NASA was, in essence, placing an observatory above the Earth's atmosphere.
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2 Unfortunately, the Hubble telescope was initially delayed in relaying its first pictures back from space due to a simple mathematical miscalculation. The Hubble telescope relies upon certain stars to orient its observations, and astronomers working on the pointing instructions for the telescope used charts created in 1950, with adjustments for the movements of the stars in the ensuing period. In making these adjustments, however, astronomers added the amount of the adjustment rather than subtracting it- a simple checkbook-balancing error. The adjustment was a change of only half a degree, but by adding half a degree rather than subtracting it, the telescope's aim was misdirected by millions of miles.
10. Why does the author mention many powerful telescopes at various locations on Earth in paragraph 1?
- To emphasize the need for telescopes at various locations on Earth
- To show that the Hubble telescope was different from existing telescopes
- To indicate how the atmosphere improves the quality of information from space
- To emphasize the similarities between the Hubble telescope and other telescopes
11. The author uses the phrase in essence inparagraph 2 in order to indicate information that follows the phrase
- provides a simplified description of a previously stated situation
- indicates the cause of a previously stated effect
- provides further details about a previously stated main idea
- indicates the classification to which previously stated examples belong
12. Why does the author begin paragraph 2 with Unfortunately ?
- It indicates that NASA has been unhappy with all of Hubble's photographs.
- It shows that NASA's plan to use stars to orient the Hubble telescope was misguided.
- It emphasizes the need to have telescopes on Earth.
- It indicates that high expectations were not initially met.
13. The author mentions a simple checkbook-balancing error in paragraph in order to suggest that
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- the astronomers must have difficulties with their checkbooks
- the adjustment made by the astronomers should have been more than half a degree
- a more balanced approach was needed when making adjustments
- the mistake made by the astronomers was a simple, everyday error
14. Why does the author mention the detail millions of miles in paragraph 2?
- It reinforces the idea that the mistake had a huge effect.
- It emphasizes the wide range of the Hubble telescope.
- It demonstrates that the Hubble telescope travels long distances.
- It helps the reader to understand how powerful the Hubble telescope is.
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