Question

our school recently installed \state-of-the-art\ vending machines, which sounded impressive until we discovered they were powered by motion sensors with the attention span of a goldfish. for example, yesterday i waved my hands for a full minute like i was trying to land a plane, but the machine still refused to acknowledge my existence. meanwhile, my friend mia simply blinked at it from across the hallway, and it immediately sprang to life, offering her three snack options and a cheerful electronic jingle. students have begun forming theories. some believe the machines respond only to calm, wise individuals—like vending-machine monks. others think the machines are secretly judging our snack choices and refusing service to anyone who selects the lime-flavored chips. the principal insists the issue is \a minor technical glitch,\ but considering one machine tried to give a granola bar to a passing janitor’s mop, i suspect the problem may be slightly more dramatic. 1. what is the author’s primary purpose in this excerpt?

Explanation:

The excerpt uses humorous anecdotes (like the vending machine's erratic motion sensor responses, the principal's claim vs. the mop incident) and student theories to entertain. The author's tone is playful, describing the vending machine issues in a comedic way (e.g., "attention span of a goldfish," "vending - machine monks") to amuse readers, so the primary purpose is to entertain.

Answer:

The author's primary purpose is to entertain readers by humorously describing the erratic behavior of the school's new vending machines and the amusing theories students (and the author) have about them.