GED RLA: á áŹááąá¸áá°á áááşáá˝ááşááťááşáážááˇáş áážáŻááąáŹááˇáşááᯠááŹá¸áááşááźááşá¸ đ⨠GED RLA: Mastering Author’s Purpose and Point of View đâ¨
GED ááźáąáááŻáááŻáˇ ááźááşáááşááąáá˛áˇ ááťáąáŹááşá¸áá°ááťáąáŹááşá¸ááŹá¸ááťáŹá¸ áĄáŹá¸ááŻáśá¸áᲠáááşášáááŹááŤá
GED RLA á
áŹááąá¸áá˝á˛áážáŹ Reading Comprehension (á
áŹáááşá
á˝ááşá¸áááş) ááᯠá
á
áşááąá¸áá˛áˇáĄá፠á
áŹáááŻááşáá
áşááŻááᯠáááşááźáŽá¸ ááŽáĄáááŻááşá¸ áĄááąáŤáşááś ááŹá¸áááşááŻáśáá˛áˇ áááŻáśááąáŹááşááŤáá°á¸á á
áŹááąá¸áá°á “ááŹááźáąáŹááˇáş ááŽá
áŹááᯠááąá¸ááŹáᲔ (Author’s Purpose) áá˛áˇ “áááşááᯠáážáŻááąáŹááˇáşáááą ááźááşááźáŽá¸ ááąá¸ááŹá¸ááŹáᲔ (Point of View) áááŻááŹáá˝áąáááŻá፠áááŻá¸áá˝ááşá¸ááááźááşáááŻáˇ áááŻáĄááşááŤáááşá ááŽáĄááťááşáá˝áąááᯠááąááťáŹááŹá¸áááşááŹá¸áážáᏠááąá¸áá˝ááşá¸áá˝áąáá˛áˇ ááťážááŻáˇáážááşááťááşáá˝áąááᯠááąáŹáşááŻááşáááŻááşááźáŽá¸ áĄááźáąáážááşááᯠááááááťááť áá˝áąá¸ááťááşáááŻááşáážáŹ ááźá
áşááŤáááşá
ááŽááąáˇáážáŹááąáŹáˇ ááŽáĄááąá¸ááźáŽá¸áá˛áˇ áĄááźáąáŹááşá¸áĄááŹáážá áşááŻááᯠáĄááąá¸á áááş áá°á¸áá˝ááźáŽá¸ ááąáˇááŹáá˝áŹá¸ááźááŤáááşá á áŹááąá¸áá˝á˛áĄáá˝ááş áĄáá˝ááşáĄááąá¸ááźáŽá¸áá˛áˇ áááşáááşá¸á áŹáá áşááŻááźá áşáááŻáˇ áĄááŻáśá¸áá ááąááťáŹáááŻááşáááşáááŻáˇ áááŻááşáá˝ááşá¸ááťááşááŤáááşá
Hello to all students preparing for the GED!
In the GED RLA exam, when testing Reading Comprehension, simply understanding the surface meaning of a passage is not enough. You must deeply grasp “why the author wrote it” (Author’s Purpose) and “from what angle they are presenting it” (Point of View). Only by mastering these elements can you unlock the secrets behind the questions and accurately select the correct answers.
Today, we are going to dig deep into these two crucial topics. Since this is a highly important lesson for the exam, I strongly encourage you to read through to the very end.
đŻ áĄáááŻááşá¸ (á) – Understanding the Author’s Purpose (á áŹááąá¸áá°á áááşáá˝ááşááťááşááᯠááŹá¸áááşááźááşá¸) đŻ Part 1 – Understanding the Author’s Purpose
á áŹááąá¸áá°áááŻááşá¸áážáŹ á áŹáá áşááŻááşááąá¸ááąáŹáˇáááşáááŻáááş ááááťáá˛áˇ áááşáá˝ááşááťááşáá áşáᯠ(Purpose) áĄááźá˛áážáááŤáááşá áá°áááŻáˇá á áŹáááşáá°ááᯠáá áşááŻáᯠááá áąááťááşááŹááŹá¸á áááşááśááŻáśááźááşá áąááťááşááŹááŹá¸á ááŤáážáááŻááş ááťáąáŹáşááźáąááťááşááŹááŹá¸ áááŻááŹááᯠáá˝á˛ááźáŹá¸ááááźááşáááŻáˇ áĄááąá¸ááźáŽá¸ááŤáááşá áĄáá˝ááşááŻáśá¸ áážááşááŹá¸áááŻááşáááˇáş áááşá¸áááşá¸áááąáŹáˇ “PIE” áááŻáá˛áˇ áĄáááŻááąáŹááş á ááŹá¸ááŻáśá¸ááąá¸áᲠááźá áşááŤáááşá
Every author has a specific purpose when writing a piece. It is essential to determine whether they want the reader to learn something, believe something, or simply be entertained. The easiest way to remember this is the “PIE” acronym.
𼧠The “PIE” Concept
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P = Persuade (áá˝á˛ááąáŹááşá
ááşá¸ááŻáśá¸áááşTo Persuade):
á áŹááąá¸áá°á áá°áˇáá˛áˇ áĄááźááşá áĄáá°áĄáá áááŻáˇáááŻááş áááşááźááşááťááş (Opinion) áá áşááŻááᯠá áŹáááşáá°áá˝áą áááşááśááŹáĄáąáŹááşá ááŻáśááźááşááŹáĄáąáŹááşá áááŻáˇáááŻááş ááŻááşááąáŹááşááŹáĄáąáŹááş áá˝á˛ááąáŹááşáá˛áˇ áááşáá˝ááşááťááş ááźá áşááŤáááşá ááźáąáŹáşááźáŹáá˝áąá áááŻááşááśááąá¸ááąáŹááźáąáŹááťááşáá˝áąá áááąáŹááŹá¸áĄááźááş ááąáŹááşá¸ááŤá¸áá˝áą (Editorials) áá˛áˇ á áŹáááşáá°ááᯠ“ááŽáááŻááŻááşáááˇáşáááş” áááŻáˇ áááŻááşáá˝ááşá¸áá˛áˇ á áŹáá˝áąáᏠááŽáĄááťááŻá¸áĄá áŹá¸áážáŹ ááŤáááşááŤáááşá
Hint Words: should, must, best, worst, it is important that, we need to á áá˛áˇ á ááŹá¸ááŻáśá¸áá˝áąááᯠáá˝áąáˇáááş áá˝á˛ááąáŹááşááąáᏠ(Persuade) ááźá áşáááŻáˇ ááťáŹá¸ááŤáááşá The author aims to convince the reader to accept their opinion, believe in a concept, or take action. Advertisements, political speeches, editorials, and texts urging readers to “do this” fall under this category.
Hint Words: If you see words like should, must, best, worst, it is important that, we need to, the author is likely persuading. -
I = Inform (áĄááááąá¸áááş / áááŻááŻáááąá¸áááşTo Inform):
á áŹááąá¸áá°á áĄááťááşáĄáááşáá˝áą (Facts)á ááááşá¸áĄááťááşáĄáááşáá˝áą (Information)á ááŤáážáááŻááş áĄááźáąáŹááşá¸áĄáᏠáá áşááŻááŻááᯠáážááşá¸ááźááťááşáá˛áˇ áááşáá˝ááşááťááş ááźá áşááŤáááşá ááŽá áŹáá˝áąáážáŹ á áŹááąá¸áá°áá˛áˇ áááŻááşáááŻááşááśá áŹá¸ááťááş áááŻáˇáááŻááş áááşááźááşááťááşáá˝áą ááááşáááŤáááşááŤáá°á¸á ááááťáá˛áˇ áĄááťááşáĄáááşáá˝áąá ááááşá¸ááááşá¸áá˝áąá ááááŻááşá¸ááźáąáŹááşá¸áá˝áąáááŻáᲠááąáŹáşááźááąáˇáážáááŤáááşá áááşá áŹáĄáŻááşáá˝áą (Textbooks)á ááááşá¸ááąáŹááşá¸ááŤá¸áá˝áą (News articles)á áá˝ážááşááźáŹá¸ááťááşáá˝áąá áááşá¸ááťááşáááşá¸áá˝áąá á á˝ááşá áŻáśááťááşá¸ (Encyclopedia) áá˝áąáᏠááŽáĄááťááŻá¸áĄá áŹá¸ ááźá áşááŤáááşá
Hint Words: áĄááťááşáĄáááşááťáŹá¸ (Facts), ááááşá¸ááááşá¸ááťáŹá¸ (Statistics), áĄáááášááŹááşáá˝ááˇáşáááŻááťááşááťáŹá¸ (Definitions), áážááşá¸áááşá¸ááťááşááťáŹá¸ (Explanations) ááᯠáĄááá áá˝áąáˇáááŤáááşá The author wants to explain facts, provide information, or teach a subject. These texts contain very few personal feelings or opinions. They primarily present precise facts, statistics, and historical accounts. Textbooks, news articles, manuals, recipes, and encyclopedias fall here.
Hint Words: Look for facts, statistics, definitions, and objective explanations. -
E = Entertain (ááťáąáŹáşááźáąáááş / á
áááşáááşá
áŹá¸á
áąáááşTo Entertain):
á áŹááąá¸áá°á á áŹáááşáá°ááᯠáááşááąáŹá áąááťááşááŹá áááşá¸áááşá¸á áąááťááşááŹá ááááşáááˇáşá áąááťááşááŹá á áááşáážáŻááşáážáŹá¸á áąááťááşáᏠá áá˛áˇ ááśá áŹá¸ááťááş áá áşááŻáᯠáá áąááťááşáá˛áˇ áááşáá˝ááşááťááş ááźá áşááŤáááşá ááášááŻáá˝áą (Novels)á áááťáŹáá˝áą (Poems)á ááźááŹááşáá˝áą (Plays)á ááŹááá˝áą áá˛áˇ ááŻáśááźááşáá˝áą (Stories) áĄáŹá¸ááŻáśá¸áᏠááťáąáŹáşááźáąááąá¸ (Entertain) áááşáá˝ááşááťááşáá˛áˇ ááąá¸ááŹá¸ááŹá¸áᏠááźá áşááŤáááşá The author intends to evoke emotions in the readerâmaking them laugh, cry, feel scared, or get excited. Novels, poems, plays, comedies, and stories are all written with the purpose to entertain.
đď¸ áĄáááŻááşá¸ (á) – Understanding Point of View (POV) (áážáŻááąáŹááˇáşááᯠááŹá¸áááşááźááşá¸) đď¸ Part 2 – Understanding Point of View (POV)
Point of View (POV) áááŻáᏠá áŹááąá¸áá°á áĄááźáąáŹááşá¸áĄááŹáá áşááŻááᯠáááşááᯠáážáŻááąáŹááˇáşá áááşááᯠááąááŹáááą ááźááˇáşááźáŽá¸ ááąá¸ááŹá¸ááŹá¸ááᲠáááŻááŹááᯠáááŻáááŻááŹááŤá áĽááᏠ– ááąáŹááŻáśá¸áá˝á˛ áá áşáá˝á˛ááᯠááźááˇáşáá˛áˇáĄá፠áá˝ááşá¸áá˛á áá áŹá¸áááŹá¸áá˛áˇ áĄááźááşá áá˝ááşá¸ááąá¸á áááŻááşáá°ááźáŽá¸áá˛áˇ áĄááźááşá áá˛áˇ áá˝á˛ááźááˇáşá ááşááąáŤáşá ááááááşáá˛áˇ áĄááźááşáá˝áąáᏠááá°ááŽáááŻááşááŤáá°á¸á áĄá˛ááŽáááŻááŤáᲠá áŹááąá¸áá°áá˛áˇ POV áᏠá áŹáá áşááŻááşáá˛áˇ áĄáááášááŹááşááᯠáĄááťáŹá¸ááźáŽá¸ ááźáąáŹááşá¸áá˛áá˝áŹá¸á áąáááŻááşááŤáááşá (áĄááá POV áĄááťááŻá¸áĄá áŹá¸ á ááťááŻá¸ áážáááŤáááşá)
Point of View (POV) refers to the angle or perspective from which an author tells a story or presents information. For example, in a football match, the view of a player on the field, a referee on the sidelines, and a fan in the stands are completely different. Similarly, an author’s POV can drastically change the meaning of a text. There are 3 main types of POV.
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First-Person POV (áááááŻáášáááŻááş áážáŻááąáŹááˇáşFirst-Person):
ááŽáážáŻááąáŹááˇáşáážáŹ ááŹááşáááşá¸áá˛á ááŹááşááąáŹááşáááŻááşáááŻááşá áá°áˇáá˛áˇ ááŹááşáááşá¸ááᯠááźááşááźáąáŹááźááąáᏠááźá áşááŤáááşá
Pronouns used: I, me, my, we, us, our
Characteristics: á áŹáááşáá°á ááŹááşááąáŹááşáá˛áˇ áĄáá˝ááşá¸á áááşááśá áŹá¸ááťááşáá˝áąá áá˝áąá¸ááąáŤáşáážáŻáá˝áąááᯠáááŻááşáááŻááş áááááŤáááşá (áááŻááşááąá¸áĄáášááŻáášááášááááťáŹá¸á áááŻááşááŹááŽááťáŹá¸áá˝ááş áĄááťáŹá¸ááŻáśá¸ ááŻáśá¸áááşá) The narrator is a character in the story, telling it from their own perspective.
Pronouns used: I, me, my, we, us, our
Characteristics: The reader gets direct access to the character’s inner thoughts and feelings. (Common in autobiographies and diaries.) -
Second-Person POV (ááŻáááááŻáášáááŻááş áážáŻááąáŹááˇáşSecond-Person):
á áŹááąá¸áá°á á áŹáááşáá°ááᯠáááŻááşáááŻááş á ááŹá¸ááźáąáŹááąááááŻááťááŻá¸ ááąá¸ááŹá¸áá˛áˇ áážáŻááąáŹááˇáş ááźá áşááŤáááşá
Pronouns used: you, your, yours
Characteristics: áááşá¸áá˝ážááşááťááşáá˝áą (Instructions)á áááşá¸ááťááşáááşá¸áá˝áąá ááŻááşááŻáśá¸ááŻááşáááşá¸ ááźáá˛áˇá áŹáá˝áąáážáŹ áĄááťáŹá¸ááŻáśá¸ ááŻáśá¸ááŤáááşá The author speaks directly to the reader.
Pronouns used: you, your, yours
Characteristics: Most common in instructions, recipes, and how-to manuals. -
Third-Person POV (ááááááŻáášáááŻááş áážáŻááąáŹááˇáşThird-Person):
á áŹááąá¸áá°á ááŹááşáááşá¸áá˛áážáŹ áááŤáááşáᲠáĄááźááşáááą ááźááˇáşááźáŽá¸ ááźááşááźáąáŹááźááąáᏠááźá áşááŤáááşá (GED áá˝ááş áĄáá˝áąáˇááĄááťáŹá¸ááŻáśá¸ááźá áşáááş)á
Pronouns used: he, she, it, they, them, or character names.
Limited: ááŹááşááąáŹááş áá áşáŚá¸áááşá¸áá˛áˇ á áááşááśá áŹá¸ááťááşáááŻáᏠááááááşá
Omniscient: á áŹááąá¸áá°á áĄááŹáĄáŹá¸ááŻáśá¸ááᯠááááąááźáŽá¸ ááŹááşááąáŹááşáĄáŹá¸ááŻáśá¸á áĄáá˝áąá¸ááťáŹá¸ááᯠááááźááşáááşá The author is outside the story, looking in. (Most common on the GED).
Pronouns used: he, she, it, they, them, or character names.
Limited: The narrator knows the thoughts/feelings of only ONE character.
Omniscient: The narrator is “all-knowing” and knows the thoughts/feelings of ALL characters.
đľď¸ââď¸ Author’s Viewpoint or Perspective
POV áĄááźááş ááąáŹááşáááş áĄááąá¸ááźáŽá¸áᏠáá áşááŻáááąáŹáˇ Author’s Perspective (á áŹááąá¸áá°áá˛áˇ áááŻááşáááŻááş áĄááźááş/áááąáŹááŹá¸) ááŤá ááŤá á áŹááąá¸áá°áá˛áˇ ááŻáśááźááşááťááşá ááąáŹááşááśáĄááźáąáĄááąá áááŻáˇáááŻááş á áááşááśá áŹá¸ááťááşáĄááąáŤáş áá°áááşááźáŽá¸ áĄááźáąáŹááşá¸áĄáᏠáá áşááŻáĄááąáŤáş áááşááᯠáááąáŹááŹá¸ááᲠáááŻááŹááᯠáááŻáááŻááŤáááşá “Tone” (ááąááś) áážááˇáş “Word Choice” (á ááŹá¸ááŻáśá¸ áá˝áąá¸ááťááşáážáŻ) ááᯠááźááˇáşááźáŽá¸ á áŹááąá¸áá° ááąáŹááşááśáááŹá¸á áááˇáşáá˝ááşáááŹá¸ áááˇáşáážááşá¸áááŻááşááŤáááşá
Beyond POV, Author’s Perspective is crucial. This is how the author feels about the subject based on their beliefs, background, or emotions. By analyzing their “Word Choice” and “Tone” (Positive e.g., beneficial vs Negative e.g., disastrous), you can predict if the author supports or opposes the topic.
đ Interactive Quiz: áááşáá˝áąáˇ á ááşá¸áááşááźááˇáşááĄáąáŹááş đ Interactive Quiz: Let’s Practice
đ GED ááźáąáááŻáááŻáˇ ááźááşáááşááąáá˛áˇ ááťáąáŹááşá¸áá°/ááťáąáŹááşá¸ááŹá¸áá˝áąáĄáá˝ááş NGIS áážáŹ áĄáá˝áąáˇáĄááźáŻáśáážá ááŤáááˇáş áááŹáážááş áááŹáááŹááá˝áą áááşááźáŹá¸ááąá¸áá˛áˇ Pre-GED áá˛áˇ GED áááşáááşá¸áá˝áą áá˝ááˇáşáážá áşááŹá¸ááŤáááşááąáŹáşá đ
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