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A
To criticize people who waste food
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B
To persuade or inform the reader about a practical way to reduce food waste and save money by making broth from vegetable scraps
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C
To provide a detailed recipe with exact measurements
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D
To discuss the environmental impact of landfills
Why this is the answer
The PURPOSE of a passage is WHY the author wrote it — what effect or outcome they intended. Common purposes: INFORM (present facts or information to increase knowledge); PERSUADE (convince the reader to think or act a certain way); ENTERTAIN (engage and amuse); DESCRIBE (paint a picture of something). In this passage: TONE: practical, encouraging ('consider giving them a second life' — a gentle suggestion, not a command); STRUCTURE: presents a problem (food waste), offers a solution (broth from scraps), gives reasons why it's beneficial (saves money, reduces waste); LANGUAGE: positive and helpful ('rich, flavorful broth'); no harsh criticism; CONCLUSION: benefit-focused ('nutrients that would otherwise be lost'). The PURPOSE is primarily to INFORM and GENTLY PERSUADE the reader to adopt this practice. RULING OUT WRONG ANSWERS: Option A (criticize) — the tone is not critical or judgmental; it's encouraging; Option C (detailed recipe) — no specific measurements or full recipe is given; the passage is conceptual; Option D (environmental impact of landfills) — mentioned tangentially (food waste is reduced) but is NOT the primary focus. PURPOSE-TONE STRATEGY: (1) Ask: Is the author trying to teach me facts? (inform) or change my behavior/opinion? (persuade) or make me feel good? (entertain); (2) Look at the language — emotional? Neutral? Critical? Positive?; (3) Look at the structure — does it build an argument? Or present facts? Or tell a story?; (4) The primary purpose is the MOST IMPORTANT reason, not every secondary effect the passage may have.
Source: ASVAB PC, Purpose and Tone