Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumDetermining Writer Intent and Attitude

Read the following letter written by Mariana Solís, a parent, to Dr. Hugo Benítez, the director of the Bilingual Youth Program:

Dear Dr. Benítez,

I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for the wonderful experiences my daughter has had in the Bilingual Youth Program. Her confidence in speaking Spanish has improved tremendously. However, I was concerned to learn about the plan to reduce conversational practice hours next term to accommodate more standardized grammar drills. While grammar is certainly essential, the interactive and spontaneous communication in your program is what truly sets it apart. I kindly ask you to reconsider this change and maintain the current balance of instruction.

Sincerely,

Mariana Solís

What is Mariana Solís’s primary purpose in writing this letter?

  1. A
    To argue that grammar drills are completely ineffective for language acquisition.
  2. B
    To express gratitude for the program's new emphasis on standardized grammar drills.
  3. To persuade the director to maintain the current balance of conversational practice in the curriculum.Answer
  4. D
    To request that the director enroll her daughter in an advanced speaking class next semester.

Answer

To persuade the director to maintain the current balance of conversational practice in the curriculum.
The correct option is correct because the writer explicitly details her concern about the reduction in speaking hours and directly asks the director to reconsider the curriculum change to preserve the conversational balance.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the transition word 'However' in the letter.
This indicates a shift from the introductory polite expressions of gratitude to the main point of concern regarding the reduction of conversational hours.
Recognizing structural transitions allows readers to distinguish formal boilerplate greetings from the letter's core message.
2
Analyze the writer's final request in the letter.
The writer asks the director to 'reconsider this change and maintain the current balance of instruction.'
Direct requests at the end of correspondence usually specify the writer's ultimate intent.
3
Synthesize the intent and match it with the correct description.
The intent is to persuade the director to preserve the conversational practice, which aligns with the correct option.
This confirms the primary objective of the letter.

Key Concept

Determining Writer Intent and Attitude
Rate this question

Topics

Determining Writer Intent and Attitude

More questions from this topic