Question

read the excerpt from \tools of the spymaster.\

washington, a spymaster with a sharp eye for details, gave exact instructions on how an agent should use invisible ink: \he should occasionally write his information on the blank leaves of a pamphlet... a common pocket book, or on the blank leaves at each end of registers, almanacs, or any new publication or book of small value.\ he also told his agents that a \much better way\ is to write a letter \with some mixture of family matters\ and the secret message, which would be invisible, \between the lines and on the remaining part of the sheet.\

what is the authors main purpose in the excerpt?

• to inform readers about george washingtons stealth and creativity
• to persuade readers that spying during wartime is heroic
• to teach readers about the dangers of being a spy
• to compare various methods of writing secret messages

Explanation:

Analyze the excerpt's details

The text describes George Washington as a "spymaster with a sharp eye for details" and provides specific, creative instructions he gave to his agents. These instructions include writing invisible ink messages on the blank leaves of pamphlets, pocket books, or almanacs, as well as writing secret messages between the lines of letters containing ordinary "family matters." This highlights Washington's stealthy and creative methods of communication.

Evaluate the author's purpose

Using Informational Text Analysis, we look at what the author intends to achieve by sharing these details. The passage focuses entirely on Washington's clever, detailed, and stealthy instructions for using invisible ink. This aligns with the purpose of informing readers about his stealth and creativity as a spymaster.

Assess the incorrect options

• "to persuade readers that spying during wartime is heroic": The text is informative and objective, not persuasive or focused on heroism.
• "to teach readers about the dangers of being a spy": The text does not mention any dangers or risks associated with spying.
• "to compare various methods of writing secret messages": The text only discusses invisible ink methods directed by Washington, rather than comparing different types of secret writing systems.

Determine the correct choice

Using Authors Purpose, we conclude that the primary goal of the excerpt is to inform readers about George Washington's stealth and creativity in managing his spy network. This directly matches the first option.

Answer:

• (A) to inform readers about George Washington's stealth and creativity (Correct answer)
• (B) to persuade readers that spying during wartime is heroic
• (C) to teach readers about the dangers of being a spy
• (D) to compare various methods of writing secret messages