Final answer:
To discern the author's purpose in writing 'The Hot Zone,' a reader should ask about the work's aim, central idea, and the genre's characteristics. Analyzing literary techniques and contextual elements also sheds light on the author's intent.
Step-by-step explanation:
To identify the author's purpose for writing The Hot Zone, a reader could ask several questions that delve into the text's deeper meaning and the writer's intent. Questions like "What is the purpose or aim of this work?" and "What does the author hope to achieve?" can reveal whether the author's goal is to inform, entertain, persuade, describe, or explain. Another insightful question would be "What is the central idea?" as this directly leads to understanding the main message the author wants to convey. Understanding the genre of the writing, as well as the cultural and historical context, can also offer significant insight into the author's intended message.
When considering how an author conveys their message, analyzing specific literary techniques is essential. This includes exploring how symbolism illustrates the theme or what the author is saying about relationships through character dialogues. Moreover, taking notes while reading and focusing on repeated statements, genre characteristics, and language features such as metaphors or dialogue can strengthen comprehension of the author's purpose, and how effectively it is communicated to the reader.