Multiple Genres: Explaining the Author’s Purpose and Message in Texts (TEKS.ELA.7.9.A)
Help Questions
Texas 7th Grade ELA › Multiple Genres: Explaining the Author’s Purpose and Message in Texts (TEKS.ELA.7.9.A)
Last August, our city set heat records, and many of us waited for the bus under a blazing sun. At several stops near my middle school, there's no shade, no bench, and no relief. We can fix that. The city should install shade canopies and plant native trees at busy stops. Shade lowers surface temperatures, protects riders, and encourages people to use public transit, which reduces traffic and pollution. Some might worry about cost, but small shelters and drought-tolerant trees are affordable compared to new roads. Students, seniors, and workers deserve safe, comfortable waiting areas. Imagine stepping out after practice and finding a cool, shaded bench instead of hot pavement. It's a simple improvement with big benefits. I urge the council to prioritize shaded bus stops in the next budget and to start with routes that serve schools. When we make transit kinder to riders, our whole San Antonio community rides farther, together.
What is the author's primary purpose in this editorial?
Entertain readers with a story about waiting for the bus on a hot day
Persuade the city to add shade and shelters to bus stops
Explain how trees grow in dry climates
Inform readers about the history of buses in Texas
Explanation
The author uses opinions, reasons, and a call to action ("I urge the council...") to convince decision-makers to add shade at bus stops, which is persuasive writing.
Each spring, Texas roadsides burst with bluebonnets, but those flowers don't appear by accident. A bluebonnet's life cycle begins as a hard, pea-like seed that can wait in the soil for months. Winter rain and temperature changes nick the seed coat so water can seep in. When soil warms, the seed sprouts, sending down a root and pushing up a small rosette of leaves. As days grow longer, a sturdy stem rises and blooms. Bees visit the blossoms to collect nectar and pollen. While they move from flower to flower, pollen sticks to the bee and lands on new blooms, allowing seeds to form. After the petals fade, pods dry and twist, flinging seeds a short distance. Mowers and footsteps can also press seeds into the soil where they wait for another season. The purpose of this article is to show how bluebonnets grow and spread across Texas prairies, and why pollinators and timing matter for their return.
What is the author's primary purpose in this article?
Entertain readers with a story about a picnic in a wildflower field
Persuade readers to plant only bluebonnets in their yards
Describe the author's memories of spring drives
Explain how bluebonnets grow and spread across Texas prairies
Explanation
The text presents a step-by-step life cycle and the role of pollinators, which is explanatory/informational, not a story or a persuasive opinion.
On the day before the robotics meet, Maya's code still froze whenever the robot hit the last curve. Jordan had built a sturdy chassis, but it jerked over the tape and skidded into a cone. They were both frustrated. Coach Alvarez reminded them that the best teams test, talk, and try again. So Maya printed the error log, and Jordan slowed the wheels with a quick gear change. At lunch, they pushed their desks together, compared notes, and found that a sensor was angled too high. Jordan lowered it two millimeters while Maya rewrote the loop to check readings twice. When they pressed start, the robot glided around the curve and parked inside the square. They grinned - not because one person "won," but because the fix came from both of them listening and adjusting. The next morning, they walked into the gym feeling like a single team, ready to run the course.
Which detail best supports the message that teamwork leads to stronger results than working alone?
They pushed their desks together, compared notes, adjusted the sensor, and revised the code to solve the problem.
The gym lights flickered as they waited for their turn to compete.
Coach Alvarez reminded them that the deadline was close.
Maya enjoyed designing team logos for the binder cover.
Explanation
The teamwork detail shows both students combining ideas and actions to fix the robot, directly supporting the message about collaboration.
Setting up a science fair display is like guiding your reader through your investigation. Start by placing a clean tri-fold board on a table at eye level. In the left panel, mount your question and background-use large, readable headings and straight edges of tape. In the center, place your hypothesis and a short overview of your procedure. Arrange two or three clear photos or diagrams under it. On the right, post your results: a simple chart, one graph, and a brief conclusion written in your own words. Keep all labels consistent in size. On the table, set your logbook on the left and your model or materials on the right, leaving space for the judge to set a rubric. Do a quick test: stand back two steps and check if a stranger could follow your project in under a minute. If not, adjust spacing and alignment. Finally, practice a one-minute explanation so your visuals and voice tell the same clear story.
What is the author's primary purpose in this text?
Entertain readers with a funny story about a science fair
Persuade students to join the science club
Explain how to set up a clear science fair display
Review the results of a famous experiment
Explanation
The passage gives step-by-step directions and tips, showing it is instructional/explanatory rather than narrative or persuasive.