TAB2 VSTEP/Reading Handout 2

RHETORICAL PURPOSE QUESTIONS

1. DEFINITION
Rhetorical purpose questions ask you to understand why and how the author uses a particular piece of
information in the passage. This information can be used to argue, define, explain, or compare ideas.
2. HOW TO IDENTIFY THE QUESTIONS
Question Types
- The author discusses X in paragraph __ in order to …
- Why does the author mention X ?
- The author uses X as an example of …
……
3. HOW TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS
- Read the question first, and then recognize the authors purpose immediately by scanning specific
phrases or paragraphs.
- Focus on the logical links between sentences and paragraphs, not on the overall organization of the
passage.
- Familiarize yourself with the words or phrases for rhetorical functions like to illustrate, to criticize, to
explain, to contrast, to compare, to note, etc.
4. EXAMPLE
Example 1: The California Condor
The California Condor is a large American bird that is related to vultures. It is the largest bird in North
America that flies over land. There are very few of these condors left in the world. In fact, nowadays
they can only be found in the western coastal mountains of the United States. Like vultures, condors are
scavengers, which means that they eat animals that are already dead and not animals that they kill
themselves. California Condors have a wingspan of as much as 9.2 feet and can weigh up to 31 pounds,
making them one of the largest birds in North America. Adult California Condors are black all over except
under the wings. An unusual aspect of these birds is that they have an elongated toe, which helps them
to walk. Most vultures do not have such a toe to help them walk.

Question: Why does the author mention that nowadays they can only be found in the western coastal
mountains of the United States?
(A) To emphasize that there are very few California Condors
(B) To tell what kind of environment California Condors like
(C) To explain that California Condors are one of the largest birds in America
(D) To show the distribution of California Condors in America

Faculty of English-ULIS Page 1

TAB2 VSTEP/Reading Handout 2
Example 2: The definition and and types of social groups
In sociology, a group is a collection of people or animals that are similar in some ways, that
interact, that accept certain social responsibilities, and that have a common identity. By this definition,
human divilization could be considered a social group. In sociology, there are three kinds of social
groups: primary, secondary and reference. Primary groups are small groups with very close
relationships. Close friends or family are members of a primary group. Secondary groups are large
groups whose relationships are formal or based upon certain social circumstances, such as those
between schoolmates or work colleagues. Sometimes primary groups can be formed from secondary
groups, like when schoolmates become friends. Reference groups are groups that have no real members
but which individuals themselves think they belong to. For example, some people wear dark clothing
and makeup and consider themselves to be “Goths” ever though no such social group formally exists.
Question: The author discusses the sociological definition of a group in order to __.
A. deduce that human civilization is one kind of social group
B. describe how people rely on a common identity
C. show that there are three kinds of social groups
D. prove that people groups do not need to be formally recognized
5. IN-CLASS PRACTICE
PRACTICE 1 Literary Criticism
Literary criticism is the study, discussion, and interpretation of literature. Nowadays, most literary critics
use some form of literary theory to appraise novels, poems, and plays. Literary theory is based on certain
philosophical ideas that critics use when they discuss certain books or poems. These philosophical ideas
might include Marxism, feminism, or realism. Most professional literary critics are university professors
or reporters who write for literary magazines. An example of a Marxist literary critic might be a university
professor who examines The Little Prince based upon social theories created by the economist and
philosopher Karl Marx. Therefore, he would argue that all of the characters that the Little Prince meets
in his travels act greedily because humans are basically all greedy. This is a simplified concept of Karl
Marx.
Question 1: Why does the author mention Marxism, feminism, or realism?
(A) To argue that philosophical perspectives must be considered in literary criticism
(B) To name a few perspectives on which literary theory can be based
(C) To show what philosophical ideas professional critics study
(D) To prove that literary critics cannot discuss literature without philosophy
Question 2: The author discusses The Little Prince in order to _____:
(A) show how it can be interpreted from a Marxist perspective
(B) argue that it was written based on Marxist social theories
(C) describe how it was criticized by a Marxist professor
(D) explain Marxist philosophy in a simple way

Faculty of English-ULIS Page 2

TAB2 VSTEP/Reading Handout 2
PRACTICE 2 Urbanization in LA
Urbanization is the increase in population over time or the increase in area of towns and cities. Critics
argue that urbanization has created many problems and has dramatically decreased people’s quality of
life in the cities. In America, urbanization has had a largely negative impact on the economies, societies,
and ecosystems surrounding towns and cities. In particular, the city of Los Angeles in California has had
a lot of problems with urbanization. It has led to a degradation of the city and an increase in ghettos.
The city of Los Angeles is the largest city in America in terms of the area that it occupies. There, the
negative effects of urbanization include urban sprawl. Urban sprawl is the unplanned, uncontrolled
spreading of development in and around a large city. Critics of Los Angeles point out that urban sprawl
is responsible for many ugly and unsafe buildings and neighborhoods that have resulted in heavy
amounts of pollution and violent crime. Los Angeles city planners were in such a hurry to increase the
size of the city that they quickly and cheaply constructed its buildings and neighborhoods, thus creating
a series of unattractive neighborhoods and environments. As a consequence, the attitudes of the
residents have become largely negative as a reflection of their unattractive environments. Negative
attitudes lead to negative behavior, such as the forming of violent gangs and the increased use of drugs
and alcohol. Furthermore, as the number of people living within each neighborhood increases, so do
the pollution and the unsanitary living conditions that characterize those city neighborhoods.
Economically, the process of urbanization was intended to create economic opportunities for all people
who move to the cities. In America, urban planners felt that citizens would have access to better jobs,
education, and markets. To a large extent, many American citizens have enjoyed these opportunities.
But in cities like Los Angeles, the city space and houses became limited, which made certain communities
very expensive to live in. Thus, the poor people could not afford to live in the nice communities, and
they all moved to areas known as ghettos. Usually, the people who live in ghettos do not have access to
better education because they cannot afford it, and thus they cannot get better jobs later in life. For
people who live in ghettos, it is very hard to make better lives for themselves and leave the area. This is
perhaps the most negative aspect of urbanization.
Question 1: The author discusses the city of Los Angeles in paragraph 2 in order to
A. identify the city as a major source of pollution
B. illustrate an example of random urbanization
C. describe what urbanization is like
D. show the reason why people are attracted to big cities
Question 2: Why does the author mention Los Angeles city planners were in such a hurry?
A. To describe the negative attitudes of the city planners
B. To show a cause for the ugly and unsafe neighborhoods
C. To explain how quickly Los Angeles became the largest city in America
D. To state the increased number of people that live in unattractive neighborhoods

Faculty of English-ULIS Page 3

TAB2 VSTEP/Reading Handout 2
ORGANIZATION / PRECEDING / FOLLOWING QUESTIONS
1. DEFINITION
• Organization items ask about the overall structure of a passage or about the organization of a
particular paragraph.
• Preceding and following questions ask you to suppose the passage is a part of a longer work
and to guess what the topic of the previous paragraph or the following paragraph would be.
2. HOW TO IDENTIFY THE QUESTIONS
The organization questions are normally asked as follows.
• Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage?
• Which of the following statements best describes the organization of the first paragraph?
The preceding/ following questions are normally asked as follows.
• The paragraph before this one most probably discusses the …
• The paragraph following this one most probably discusses …
• What is most probably discussed in the paragraph preceding the passage?
• What is most likely the topic of the paragraph following this one?
3. EXAMPLE

Faculty of English-ULIS Page 4

TAB2 VSTEP/Reading Handout 2
Question 1. Which of the following statements best describes the organization of the last
paragraph?
(A) Several generalizations are made from which several conclusions are drawn.
(B) A general concept is defined and examples are given.
(C) Suggestions for the use of lie detectors are given.
(D) Persuasive language is used to argue against a popular idea.
Question 2. What is most likely the subject of the paragraph preceding this passage?
(A) Using lie detectors in the hope that machines will do better to discover the truth
(B) How achievement and aptitude tests measure ability and intelligence
(C) The role of psychologists in fighting crime
(D) An analysis of the criminal mind
5. IN-CLASS PRACTICE
PRACTICE 1
The dancer Isadora Duncan was a daring, dynamic innovator in dance. While she was not very
successful in teaching her highly personal style of dance to others, she taught a generation of
dancers to trust their own forms of expression. She rebelled against the rigid, formal style of
classical ballet. Inspired by the art of Greece, she usually danced barefoot in a loose, flowing Greek
tunic. She found further inspiration in nature and used dance movements to mirror the waves of the
sea and passing clouds.
Isadora Duncan was born in San Francisco in 1878. She gave her first performance in 1899. Early
failuresgave way to triumphant performances in Budapest, Berlin, London, and finally, in 1908, back
in the United States. She lived in Europe most of her life, establishing dancing schools for children
there. She died in1927 near Nice, France, in a freak accident, her long scarf being caught in the
wheel of an open sports car in which she was riding.
Question. Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage?
A. The author first discusses Isadora Duncan’s style of dance and then her life history.
B. The first paragraph deals with Isadora Duncan’s role as a teacher, the second, her
role as a performer.
C. The author first discusses Isadora Duncan’s shortcomings and then her positive points.
D. First there is an analysis of Isadora Duncan’s influences and then her lasting
contributions todance.
PRACTICE 2
During the 1920s, African-American culture as embodied in music, art, and literature flourished as never
before. In their works, poets, dramatists, and novelists sought to define their culture and engender pride
in racial heritage. The outpouring of African-American literature during the 1920s almost came to a
standstill during the Great Depression of the 1930s but reemerged with explosive force in the 1940s
with Richard Wright’s Native Son, Chester Himes’s Lovely Crusade, and Ann Petry’s The Street, among

Faculty of English-ULIS Page 5

TAB2 VSTEP/Reading Handout 2
other novels, as well as the plays and poetry of Langston Hughes. In the 1950s, important development
in drama took place with a generation of black playwrights, including Alice Childress, Ted Shine, William
Branch, and Lorraine Hansberry, who wrote the prizewinning drama A Raisin in the Sun.
The 1960s gave rise to the Black Arts movement. Drama and fiction flourished, often written in the
rhythm and language of black working classes. The 1970s and 1980s continued that tradition but also
saw the works of black women poets, essayists, dramatists, and fiction writers take the spotlight, making
a significant contribution to literature by exploring the themes of black women’s experiences. Fiction
writers Toni Morrison and Alice Walker, both Pulitzer Prize winners, are two of the finest American
writers of this century. Other notable black women writers of other genres, impressive in talent and
number, have come into their own, making their voices heard within a literary tradition from which they
were excluded for many generations and making African-American literature richer than ever before.
Question 1. The author of this passage would most likely be
(A) a politician (B) a member of the clergy (C) an educator (D) a scientist
Question 2. The author’s attitude toward African-American women writers is
(A) disappointed (B) supportive (C) neutral (D) negative
Question 3. The author’s main purpose in writing this passage is to
(A) present a history of African-American literature
(B) argue the importance of the Black Arts movement
(C) emphasize the achievements of African-American artists
(D) explain the difference between male and female African-American authors
Question 4. The paragraph preceding this passage would most likely be about
(A) early African-American culture
(B) life during the Great Depression
(C) the Black Arts movement of the 1960s
(D) the future of African-American literature
Question 5. Which of the following conclusions could be drawn from this passage?
(A) There were no black playwrights before the 1950s.
(B) The Great Depression was a period that fostered creativity.
(C) The sixties were not good years for African-American writers.
(D) Women have added a new dimension to African-American literature.
Question 6. Which of the following statements best describes the organization of the first paragraph?
(A) Various types of African-American culture are compared and contrasted
(B) Historical facts about African-American culture are presented.
(C) Persuasive opinions on African-American literature are given.
(D) A story about African Americans is narrated.

Faculty of English-ULIS Page 6

TAB2 VSTEP/Reading Handout 2
PRACTICE 3
Probably the most important factor governing the severity of forest fires is weather. Hot, dry
weather lowers the moisture content of fuels. . Once a fire has started, wind is extremely critical
because it influences the oxygen supply and the rate of spread. Forest type and forest conditions
are also important factors. For example, fire is more likely to occur in conifers than in hardwoods;
slash- covered or brushy areas are especially hazardous because the rate at which combustion
consumes fuel is proportional to fuel volume and surface area. Some fires are caused by lightning;
others are caused by people. Those caused by people may be accidental or intentional (incendiary).
The causes of fire in the United States show large regional differences. In the Rocky Mountains more
than 70 percent of the fires are caused by lightning,while incendiary fires amount to only about 1
percent. In contrast, more than 40 percent of the fires in the South are incendiary, whereas
lightning causes only 1 percent.
Question 1. In this passage the author's main purpose is to
(A) argue (B) inform (C) persuade (D) entertain
Question 2. Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage?
(A) A comparison and contrast of the factors governing forest fires is followed by a list of causes.
(B) A description of the conditions affecting forest fires is followed by a description of the causes.
(C) An analysis of factors related to forest fires is followed by an argument against the causes of
fires.
(D) Several generalizations about forest fires are followed by a series of conclusions.
Question 3. It can be concluded from this passage that
(A) there are not many people living in the Rocky Mountain area
(B) there are more fires in hardwood forests than in pine forests
(C) winter is the worst season for fires
(D) fire prevention techniques vary from region to region
Question 4. The paragraph following this passage would most likely be about
(A) the causes of hot, dry weather
(B) the various uses of hardwoods
(C) methods of controlling fires
(D) the geographical differences between the Rocky Mountain area and the Southern states
Question 5. The author of this passage would most likely be
(A) a forest ranger
(B) a meteorologist
(C) a historian
(D) a business person

Faculty of English-ULIS Page 7