Author's Purpose and Point of View

Grade 5 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

NameDate

Circle the answer.

Read this first
Every Park Needs a Water Fountain
Last July, the soccer field at Riverside Park was packed with kids. The sun was hot, and the games went on for hours. Yet there was not a single water fountain in the whole park. Players had to walk six blocks to a store to buy a bottle of water. Our city should put a working water fountain in every public park.
First, fountains keep people healthy. Doctors say children need plenty of water, especially when they run and play outside. A child who gets thirsty in the middle of a game may feel dizzy or tired. A fountain close by makes it easy to take a quick drink and get back to playing.
Second, fountains save money for families. A bottle of water at the corner store costs about two dollars. A family with three children could spend six dollars in a single afternoon. A fountain gives water to everyone for free, every single day.
Third, fountains help the planet. Every plastic bottle has to be made, shipped and thrown away. Many of these bottles end up in rivers and on beaches. When people can refill their own bottles, far less plastic is wasted.
Some people say fountains cost too much to build. It is true that a new fountain costs a few thousand dollars. However, one fountain can serve thousands of visitors each summer. That is a small price for healthier kids and a cleaner city.
Please write to the city council before its meeting on May 3. Ask the members to vote yes on the Park Fountain Plan. Every park should have water for everyone who plays there.
1.
What is the author's main purpose in this text?
- to explain how water fountains are built and repaired
- to persuade readers that every park needs a water fountain
- to tell a story about one soccer game at Riverside Park
2.
Why does the author begin with the story about the soccer field?
- to report the final score of the summer games
- to show the problem that fountains would solve
- to describe the store that is six blocks away
3.
Which sentence best shows the author's point of view?
- The sun was hot, and the games went on for hours.
- Our city should put a working water fountain in every public park.
- A bottle of water at the corner store costs about two dollars.
4.
How does the author organize the reasons in the middle of the text?
- from the newest park to the oldest park
- with the words First, Second and Third
- in the order the fountains were built
5.
Why does the author include the price of a bottle of water?
- to show that stores should lower their prices
- to show that bottled water is healthier
- to show that fountains save families money
6.
What does the author do in the fifth paragraph?
- admits that parks do not need fountains after all
- lists every park that already has a fountain
- answers people who think fountains cost too much

Author's Purpose and Point of View

Answer Key - Grade 5 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the answer.

Read this first
Every Park Needs a Water Fountain
Last July, the soccer field at Riverside Park was packed with kids. The sun was hot, and the games went on for hours. Yet there was not a single water fountain in the whole park. Players had to walk six blocks to a store to buy a bottle of water. Our city should put a working water fountain in every public park.
First, fountains keep people healthy. Doctors say children need plenty of water, especially when they run and play outside. A child who gets thirsty in the middle of a game may feel dizzy or tired. A fountain close by makes it easy to take a quick drink and get back to playing.
Second, fountains save money for families. A bottle of water at the corner store costs about two dollars. A family with three children could spend six dollars in a single afternoon. A fountain gives water to everyone for free, every single day.
Third, fountains help the planet. Every plastic bottle has to be made, shipped and thrown away. Many of these bottles end up in rivers and on beaches. When people can refill their own bottles, far less plastic is wasted.
Some people say fountains cost too much to build. It is true that a new fountain costs a few thousand dollars. However, one fountain can serve thousands of visitors each summer. That is a small price for healthier kids and a cleaner city.
Please write to the city council before its meeting on May 3. Ask the members to vote yes on the Park Fountain Plan. Every park should have water for everyone who plays there.
1.
What is the author's main purpose in this text?
- to explain how water fountains are built and repaired
- to persuade readers that every park needs a water fountain
- to tell a story about one soccer game at Riverside Park
2.
Why does the author begin with the story about the soccer field?
- to report the final score of the summer games
- to show the problem that fountains would solve
- to describe the store that is six blocks away
3.
Which sentence best shows the author's point of view?
- The sun was hot, and the games went on for hours.
- Our city should put a working water fountain in every public park.
- A bottle of water at the corner store costs about two dollars.
4.
How does the author organize the reasons in the middle of the text?
- from the newest park to the oldest park
- with the words First, Second and Third
- in the order the fountains were built
5.
Why does the author include the price of a bottle of water?
- to show that stores should lower their prices
- to show that bottled water is healthier
- to show that fountains save families money
6.
What does the author do in the fifth paragraph?
- admits that parks do not need fountains after all
- lists every park that already has a fountain
- answers people who think fountains cost too much

Every Park Needs a Water Fountain

Every Park Needs a Water Fountain