TEN STEPS to

ADVANCED READING
SECOND EDITION

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SECOND EDITION

TEN STEPS
to

ADVANCED
READING
John Langan

2013 Townsend Press

Chapter 7

PURPOSE AND TONE

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

News photos often have a purpose and tone.

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Here, the purpose is to inform us of the return of American

soldiers killed in the service of their country.
The tone is one of solemnity, reverence, and respect.

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Purpose
The authors
reason for
writing

is called

the purpose of
a selection

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Purpose

Here are three common purposes in writing:

To inform to give information about a subject.
To persuade to convince the reader to agree with
the authors point of view on a subject.
To entertain to amuse and delight; to appeal to
the readers senses and imagination.

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Purpose

Often, the cover and the title of a book or article

will suggest the authors main purpose.

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Purpose

at would you say is the primary purpose of each of these bo

Primary purpose:

Primary purpose:

Primary purpose:

A. to inform

A. to inform

A. to inform

B. to persuade

B. to persuade

B. to persuade

C. to entertain

C. to entertain

C. to entertain

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Purpose

at would you say is the primary purpose of each of these boo

Primary purpose:

Primary purpose:

Primary purpose:

A. to inform

A. to inform

A. to inform

B. to persuade

B. to persuade

B. to persuade

C. to entertain

C. to entertain

C. to entertain

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Purpose

at would you say is the primary purpose of each of these boo

Primary purpose:

Primary purpose:

Primary purpose:

A. to inform

A. to inform

A. to inform

B. to persuade

B. to persuade

B. to persuade

C. to entertain

C. to entertain

C. to entertain

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Purpose

at would you say is the primary purpose of each of these boo

Primary purpose:

Primary purpose:

Primary purpose:

A. to inform

A. to inform

A. to inform

B. to persuade

B. to persuade

B. to persuade

C. to entertain

C. to entertain

C. to entertain

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Purpose

Read this paragraph and decide what the authors

purpose
The typicalis.
American gobbles three burgers and four orders of fries every
week. Toss in the pizzas, the popcorn, the sugary breakfast cereals, the
sodas, the snack cakes, candy bars, ice cream and everything else we eat
in lieu of real food in this society, and your body is like an eighteenwheeler roaring down a high-fat highway straight to obesity and an early
grave. Fast food is bad food. Its loaded with bad stuff like fat and sugar
and sodium. Its packed with chemicals that are in there to make it taste
and smell and feel like its real food. What it lacks is vitamins, minerals,
fiber, all the stuff you really need.

Primary purpose:
A. to inform

B. to persuade

C. to entertain

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Purpose

The typical American gobbles three burgers and four orders of fries every
week. Toss in the pizzas, the popcorn, the sugary breakfast cereals, the
sodas, the snack cakes, candy bars, ice cream and everything else we eat
in lieu of real food in this society, and your body is like an eighteenwheeler roaring down a high-fat highway straight to obesity and an early
grave. Fast food is bad food. Its loaded with bad stuff like fat and sugar
and sodium. Its packed with chemicals that are in there to make it taste
and smell and feel like its real food. What it lacks is vitamins, minerals,
fiber, all the stuff you really need.

Primary purpose:
A. to inform

B. to persuade

C. to entertain

The writer tells us the things that are wrong with

fast food in order to persuade us that we
shouldnt eat it.

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Purpose

Now try this paragraph.

I dont know which is harder, taking my body to the doctor or my car to
the garage. Both worry me. Im always afraid theyll find something I
didnt know about. The only advantage of taking my body to the doctor
over taking my car to the garage is that the doctor never asks me to leave
it overnight.

Primary purpose:
A. to inform

B. to persuade

C. to entertain

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Purpose

I dont know which is harder, taking my body to the doctor or my car to

the garage. Both worry me. Im always afraid theyll find something I
didnt know about. The only advantage of taking my body to the doctor
over taking my car to the garage is that the doctor never asks me to leave
it overnight.

Primary purpose:
A. to inform

B. to persuade

C. to entertain

The writer uses playful and exaggerated details

to entertain the reader. Clearly, the doctor is not
going to ask the writer to leave his body
overnight.

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Purpose

What is the authors purpose in this paragraph?

Personal contact is necessary for common cold viruses to spread. The
viruses must get into the nose, where they can infect the nasal
membranes. Inhaling contaminated droplets produced when someone else
coughs or sneezes may be one way to catch a cold. Cold viruses can
remain infective even if they are outside the body for a few hours.
Therefore, you can also catch a cold if you handle something that is
contaminated with a cold virusfor example, the doorknob of a
classroom or a restroom doorand then scratch your nose or rub your
eyes with your contaminated fingers. The cold viruses can reach your
nose when you rub your eyes because the virus can be passed down the
tear ducts that go from the eyes into the nasal cavities.

Primary purpose:
A. to inform

B. to persuade

C. to entertain

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Purpose

Personal contact is necessary for common cold viruses to spread. The

viruses must get into the nose, where they can infect the nasal
membranes. Inhaling contaminated droplets produced when someone else
coughs or sneezes may be one way to catch a cold. Cold viruses can
remain infective even if they are outside the body for a few hours.
Therefore, you can also catch a cold if you handle something that is
contaminated with a cold virusfor example, the doorknob of a
classroom or a restroom doorand then scratch your nose or rub your
eyes with your contaminated fingers. The cold viruses can reach your
nose when you rub your eyes because the virus can be passed down the
tear ducts that go from the eyes into the nasal cavities.

Primary purpose:
A. to inform

B. to persuade

C. to entertain

The purpose is to inform us about how cold

viruses spread. To do this, the author describes
two specific ways they spread.

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Purpose

More than one purpose

Sometimes, writing may blend two or

even three purposes.

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Purpose

More than one purpose

For example, a persuasive article on the importance of
avoiding junk food

Inform

might include a
number of facts

Persuade
Entertain

and even some

comic touches.

But remember to focus on the authors primary purpose.

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone

Tone
is
a writers attitude
toward his or her
subject

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone

Tone is expressed through the words and

details the writer selects.
A writers voice can project one or more
tones, or feelings, such as

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone

Respect
Anger
Anger
Cheerfulness

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone

Three examples of tone: Statements made by

students of a demanding teacher.
She hates students, thats all there is to it. I cant wait
until Im out of her class.
(Tone: Bitter, angry)
Shes tough, but shes also really good. Ive learned
more from her than Ive learned from any other teacher.
(Tone: Fair,
objective)
I might as well just stop going to class now. Im never
going to understand the material. Its hopeless.
(Tone: Pessimistic)

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone

scornful
serious
compassionate admiring
shamed
ambivalent alarmed
sarcastic
self-critica
doubtful
praising
ironic
curious
superior
excited
worried
instructive regretful
matter-of-fact defensive
playful
lighthearted sympathetic reverent
tragic
disapproving objective critical
tolerant
apologetic
straightforward
espectful For
informal
grateful
a list of more
than eighty
tone words frightened
prideful
approving
ccepting
scheming
encouraging
see pages 271273
in the
textbook.
self-pityin
onceited
bewildered threatening despairing
forgiving warm
optimistic
sorrowful
orgiving
indignant insulting
solemn
alarmed
earful
arrogant
humorous hypocritical
cruel
heerful
oving
impassioned calming
disbelieving
determined
oyous
bitter
concerned sentimental
nostalgic

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone

What is tone in this statement?

Wal-Mart may create an economic underclass in our town.
Its employees arent paid enough to live on, and they have
very poor benefits.
B. worried
C.
A. encouraging
determined

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone

Wal-Mart may create an economic underclass in our town.

Its employees arent paid enough to live on, and they have
very poor benefits.
A. encouraging
B. worried
C. determined
The writer suggests that Wal-Marts low wages
and benefits may have a negative economic
effect on the town. This reveals a worried tone.

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone

What is tone in this statement?

Wal-Mart may create an economic underclass in our town.
Its employees arent paid enough to live on, and they have
very poor benefits.
A. encouraging
B. worried
C. determined
Wal-Mart is a fact of life. Its going to hurt some people, but
at least well be able to buy a lot of things at lower prices.
A. accepting

B. regretful

C. cynical

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone

Wal-Mart may create an economic underclass in our town.

Its employees arent paid enough to live on, and they have
very poor benefits.
A. encouraging
B. worried
C. determined
Wal-Mart is a fact of life. Its going to hurt some people, but
at least well be able to buy a lot of things at lower prices.
A. accepting

B. regretful

C. cynical

The statement Wal-Mart is a fact of life indicates

the writers acceptance, as does her effort to
balance the negative aspects of Wal-Mart with the
benefit of lower prices.

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone

What is tone in this statement?

Wal-Mart may create an economic underclass in our town.
Its employees arent paid enough to live on, and they have
very poor benefits.
A. encouraging
B. worried
C. determined
Wal-Mart is a fact of life. Its going to hurt some people, but
at least well be able to buy a lot of things at lower prices.
A. accepting

B. regretful

C. cynical

Our local government says Wal-Mart will benefit everyone.

Thats a joke. Wal-Mart is mainly going to benefit itself and
our local politicians.
A. cheerful
B. cynical
C. threatening

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone

Wal-Mart may create an economic underclass in our town.

Its employees arent paid enough to live on, and they have
very poor benefits.
A. encouraging
B. worried
C. determined
Wal-Mart is a fact of life. Its going to hurt some people, but
at least well be able to buy a lot of things at lower prices.
A. accepting

B. regretful

C. cynical

Our local government says Wal-Mart will benefit everyone.

Thats a joke. Wal-Mart is mainly going to benefit itself and
our local politicians.
A. cheerful
B. cynical
C. threatening
This writer clearly does not believe claim that WalMart will benefit everyone. Her comment Thats a
joke gives the item a cynical tone.

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone

A Note on Irony

One commonly used tone is irony.

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone / A Note on Irony

Irony involves a contrast

between expectations and reality.

Expectatio
ns

Reality

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone / A Note on Irony

Both language and situations can be ironic.

Verbal Irony

Irony of Situation

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone / A Note on Irony

Verbal Irony

What is said contrasts with what is meant.

What is
said

What is
meant

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone / A Note on Irony

Verbal Irony
For example, if a telemarketer calls you in the
middle of dinner and you say:
Im so glad youve called. I hate
eating dinner while its still hot.

you are using verbal irony.

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone / A Note on Irony

Verbal Irony
The words you have said
are the opposite
of what you really mean.
What is
said

Im so glad youve called. I hate

Imsogladyouvecalled.Ihate
eating dinner while its still hot.
eatingdinnerwhileitsstillhot.

What is
meant

Im very annoyed youve called. I enjoy

eating dinner while its still hot.

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone / A Note on Irony

Irony of Situation

What is expected or intended contrasts

with what actually happens.

What is
expected

What
actually
happens

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone / A Note on Irony

Irony of Situation
Example:
A city fire fighter

What is
expected

turns out to be

an arsonist responsible
for a string of fires.

What
actually
happens

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone / A Note on Irony

Can you explain the irony in this cartoon?

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone

Tone / A Note on Irony

The irony is that the sign advertising the

It fails to very
communication workshop communicates
communicate
just when and where the
poorly.
workshop will be.

CHAPTER 7 Purpose and Tone