ShmoopTube

Where Monty Python meets your 10th grade teacher.

Search Thousands of Shmoop Videos

Author's Use of Language Videos


TSI Reading: What's the Purpose of This Passage?

An earth-sheltered house is built below grade or completely underground. These homes are less susceptible to the impact of extreme outdoor air temperatures than a conventional house. Earth-sheltered houses also require less outside maintenance, and the earth surrounding the house provides soundproofing. In addition, plans for most earth-sheltered houses "blend" the building into the landscape more harmoniously than a conventional home. Finally, earth-sheltered houses can cost less to insure because they offer extra protection against high winds, hailstorms, and natural disasters such as tornados and hurricanes.

The purpose of this passage is to

(A)persuade the reader against earth-sheltered houses
(B)discuss the construction of earth-sheltered houses
(C)explain the benefits of earth-sheltered houses
(D)describe the aesthetics of earth-sheltered houses


Meaning of Words in Context Videos 4 videos

TSI Reading: Defining "Isolation" in Context
8 Views

Which word is closest in meaning to the word "isolation" as it is used in the passage?(A)inclusion(B)solitary(C)massive(D)separation

TSI Reading: Defining "Edition" in Context
1 Views

Which of the following phrases best represents the tone of the passage?(A)Four hundred gallons(B)Is it any wonder(C)conservation through innovation...

TSI Reading: Defining "Nepotism" in Context
10 Views

The Bernoulli family, with eight world-famous mathematicians spanning three generations, has left a permanent mark on the fields of math and physic...

See All

Organization, Rhetorical Strategies, and Use of Evidence Videos 6 videos

TSI Reading: Which Detail Shows the Author's Bias?
9 Views

Which detail best shows the author's bias?(A)The inspiration came to her while she was vacationing with some writer friends.(B)Her story centered o...

TSI Reading: Drawing Conclusions about the Conclusion of WW2
9 Views

The author's purpose for writing this passage is most likely(A)to explain how to install MagnaLatch(B)to inform readers about toddler drownings(C)t...

TSI Reading: Understanding Rhetorical Strategies for an Introduction
18 Views

What is the most likely reason the author opens the passage with an interesting fact?(A)The author wants to grab the audience's attention.(B)An int...

See All

Purpose Videos 6 videos

TSI Reading: What's the Purpose of This Passage?
29 Views

An earth-sheltered house is built below grade or completely underground. These homes are less susceptible to the impact of extreme outdoor air temp...

TSI Reading: Why Was This Passage Most Likely Written?
3 Views

The Landsat Program provides the longest continuous space-based record of Earth's land in existence. Since 1972, Landsat satellites have collected...

TSI Reading: Identifying the Author's Purpose
56 Views

Dogs have the ability to "read" human emotions. For example, dogs have been shown to discriminate between humans who approach in a friendly manner...

See All

Tone Videos 4 videos

TSI Reading: Which Detail Reveals an Objective Tone?
6 Views

Which of the following details from the story reveal an objective tone?(A)at the amazingly young age of 18(B)when science and mortality collide(C)s...

TSI Reading: Identifying the Author's Tone
11 Views

A good night's sleep consists of four to five sleep cycles. Each cycle includes periods of both deep sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. As t...

TSI Reading: What's the Tone of this Passage?
13 Views

Stephen Mitchell suffered from allergies. A thirty-five-year-old professor at Syracuse University, he found sanctuary in the temperature-controlled...

See All