Practice - Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

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Name
An author’s purpose is his or her reason for writing the story. The
purpose may be to inform, to entertain, to persuade, or to instruct.
Practice
Comprehension:
Author’s Purpose
Read the summary of The Catch of the Day. Then answer the questions
about the author’s purpose.
A Griot introduced himself as a keeper of history, a teacher, and a
storyteller, and told a group of children a story of a fi sher who decided to
trick many people who were trying to get to the market. The fi sher shook a
log to convince each person it was unsafe to cross with so much merchandise.
Finally, the ones who were tricked discovered what the Fisher was up to and
decided to trick him. As the fi sher crossed the bridge they shook the log so
hard that he fell into the water. On the riverbank, the people the fi sher tricked
laughed and laughed. And later that day they ate a fi ne fi sh dinner!
1. When the Griot explains who he is, is the author’s main purpose to inform,
to entertain, to persuade, or to instruct? Explain.
2. When the author describes how the Fisher was tricked, is her main purpose
to entertain, to inform, to persuade, or to instruct? Explain.
3. In what ways might the author’s purpose be to persuade people?
4. What do you think is the author’s purpose for writing The Catch of the Day?
At Home: Find a story that was written to entertain, to
persuade, to inform, or to instruct. Write a paragraph about
how you can tell that this is the purpose.
The Catch of the Day
Grade 5/Unit 4
141