Author's Purpose and Craft: Analyzing Print and Graphic Features in Texts (TEKS.ELA.8.9.C)
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Texas 8th Grade ELA › Author's Purpose and Craft: Analyzing Print and Graphic Features in Texts (TEKS.ELA.8.9.C)
Why Cities Feel Hotter in Summer Urban areas trap heat because materials like asphalt and concrete absorb and hold warmth from the sun. Plant-covered surfaces, by contrast, reflect more light and cool the air through evaporation. To show how surface choices affect temperature, the article compares common city materials. Figure 1. Bar chart comparing midday surface temperatures for four surfaces: asphalt, concrete, grass, and a reflective roof. The tallest bars represent darker, denser materials. Caption: Visual comparison of how different surfaces retain heat on the same sunny day. Recommendation: Replacing dark surfaces with lighter or living ones can reduce neighborhood heat.
Which statement best explains how the bar chart supports the author's purpose?
It provides visual evidence that different surfaces retain heat differently, reinforcing the recommendation to add greenery and reflective materials.
It shows four bars of different heights, one for each surface.
It is mainly decorative so the page looks less text-heavy.
It proves that all cities have the same temperature at noon.
Explanation
The chart functions as visual evidence, making the claim about surface choice and heat retention more concrete and persuasive than text alone.
Riding the Cattle Trails Out of Texas After the Civil War, Texas ranchers drove cattle north to reach rail lines and distant markets. These long drives connected remote ranches to buyers, turning herds into profit. The route had to cross rivers and open plains before reaching railheads beyond Texas. Map: Outline of Texas with a bold route moving northward and small dots marking major stops, arrows showing the general direction of travel. Caption: A simplified map of a major cattle trail leaving Texas and heading toward northerly rail towns.
How does the map most effectively support the author's purpose?
It shows the shape of Texas and has arrows and dots on it.
It decorates the page with a Texas outline so the article looks authentic.
It shows the direction and reach of the cattle drives at a glance, helping readers see how geography made long trips necessary to reach northern rail lines.
It proves that every rancher used exactly the same route every year.
Explanation
The map clarifies geographical relationships and distance, which helps readers understand why long drives were required to reach rail markets beyond Texas.
Capturing Rain: How a Home System Works A basic rainwater harvesting setup channels water from a roof into a storage tank. Gutters guide rain to the downspout, a filter removes debris, and an overflow pipe directs excess water away. The diagram shows how each part connects so readers can follow the flow. Diagram: A side view of a roof, gutter, and downspout leading to a storage tank with a filter box above the inlet; arrows indicate water movement and an overflow line exiting near the top of the tank. Caption: Cutaway view showing how rain moves from roof to tank and safely overflows.
How does the cutaway diagram help the author achieve the purpose of explaining the process?
It shows a house with a barrel next to it.
It is mainly a nice picture so the page does not look boring.
It proves that every home can collect thousands of gallons in one storm.
It clarifies the sequence and connections among parts by tracing the water's path, making the process easier to understand than text alone.
Explanation
The diagram maps relationships and flow, turning a technical description into a clear step-by-step visual, which directly supports the explanatory purpose.
Library Use in a Central Texas System: Year-to-Year Changes Claim: Digital borrowing is growing while print remains strong. Quick facts:
- Last year: print checkouts were higher than digital; audiobooks and ebooks together made up a smaller share.
- This year: digital formats increased their share of total borrowing. Figure 2. Two side-by-side pie charts: last year versus this year. The second pie shows a noticeably larger slice for digital formats. Caption: Visual comparison of borrowing categories across two years.
Which statement best explains how the side-by-side pie charts support the author's claim?
They display two circles with slices in each one.
They allow a quick visual comparison between years, making the growth of digital formats immediately clear.
They are included mainly to keep the report pages symmetrical.
They prove that people no longer read print books at all.
Explanation
Placing the pies side by side lets readers see the change in proportions, which directly supports the claim about growth in digital borrowing.
From the Green Club Newsletter: Our campus added a native-plant garden to study pollinators. The article explains that native flowers support more visits from bees and butterflies than imported ornamentals. Print and graphic features include a bold subheading, a pull-quote box that highlights the claim, a bar chart comparing average pollinator visits in three beds (native perennials, imported annuals, and turf edge), and a photograph with a caption. [Bar Chart: Average pollinator visits per 10 minutes for three garden beds.] [Photo: close-up of a pollinator on a purple bloom. Caption: A pollinator feeds on a native plant in the school garden.] The chart and captioned photo are placed next to the claim so readers can connect the evidence with the message.
How does the bar chart most effectively support the author's claim about native plants?
It shows three bars with different heights for each garden bed.
It makes the page look more interesting by adding color and shapes.
It provides a clear visual comparison that quantifies pollinator activity across plant types, giving evidence that supports the claim.
It proves the photo is from the school garden by matching what's pictured.
Explanation
The bar chart functions as evidence by allowing quick comparison of pollinator visits across plant types, directly supporting the author's claim about native plants.
From a public information article: Recent drought has affected Texas unevenly. The text compares rainfall shortages in different regions and explains how water restrictions vary by county. A shaded map of Texas shows regional differences in drought intensity, placed beside a short sidebar explaining conservation steps. [Map: Outline of Texas divided into regions with varying shades indicating drought severity.] The map is positioned where the article discusses regional variation, so readers can see the geographic pattern the author describes.
How does the map of Texas help the author achieve the purpose of explaining regional differences in drought?
It lets readers quickly see which areas are more affected, visually reinforcing the text's point that drought varies across the state.
It shows the general shape of Texas and where the borders are.
It decorates the page so the article doesn't look too plain.
It proves that all regions have exactly the same drought level.
Explanation
The map functions to visualize the geographic differences described in the text, helping readers compare regions at a glance.
From a technical explainer: How a wind turbine generates electricity. The text outlines three steps: wind turns the blades; the shaft spins a generator; electricity flows to the grid. A clean diagram shows a turbine with arrows indicating wind direction and blade rotation, and a small box to represent the generator. A numbered list in the text corresponds to the parts shown in the diagram. [Diagram: Turbine with arrows that show motion and energy flow; simple shapes, no labels.]
Why is the turbine diagram an effective feature for this explanation?
It shows that the turbine has a tall tower and large blades.
It mainly serves as decoration to break up a long page of text.
It proves the turbine will operate reliably for twenty years.
Its arrows and simplified parts visually model the motion and energy transfer described in the steps, making the process easier to follow.
Explanation
The diagram clarifies how parts interact by visualizing motion and flow, directly supporting the step-by-step explanation in the text.
From a Houston community preparedness flyer: The author urges families to build emergency kits before hurricane season. A horizontal timeline shows major Gulf storms that impacted the Texas coast, with more recent events clustered on the right side. A shaded callout lists basic items for a kit. [Timeline: A line with event points becoming closer together toward the present.] The timeline sits beside the call to action so readers connect the pattern of frequent storms with the need to prepare now.
How does the timeline help the author persuade readers to prepare emergency kits?
It shows a line with dots from left to right.
By showing events clustered in recent years, it suggests storms are happening more often, reinforcing the urgency to act now.
It adds decoration to balance the columns on the page.
It proves that every storm causes the same amount of damage.
Explanation
The timeline functions rhetorically by emphasizing recency and frequency, which strengthens the author's urgent call to prepare.