Question

In this excerpt from the prologue of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot establishes her purpose for writing. How does the author use elements of informational text, such as a thesis, evidence, examples, and a conclusion, to help the reader understand the purpose of the book she has written about Lacks?

A. The author uses a clear thesis statement to establish her purpose.
B. The author provides extensive evidence and examples to support her purpose.
C. The author concludes the passage with a summary of the purpose.
D. The author does not use informational text elements to establish her purpose.

Answer 1

The author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot, effectively uses elements of informational text to establish her purpose.

Step-by-step explanation:

The author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot, uses elements of informational text, such as a thesis, evidence, examples, and a conclusion, to help the reader understand the purpose of the book. Skloot establishes her purpose through a clear thesis statement, which is the main idea or argument of the book. She supports her purpose by providing extensive evidence and examples from her decade of research. Finally, Skloot concludes the passage with a summary of the purpose, helping to reinforce the main message of the book.

Answer 2

Rebecca Skloot uses a clear thesis statement, extensive evidence and examples, and a summary of the purpose in her prologue to establish her purpose for writing The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

Step-by-step explanation:

In her prologue to the nonfiction book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot effectively utilizes elements of informational text to establish her purpose for writing the book. She begins with a clear thesis statement that sets the stage for the exploration of Henrietta Lacks' contributions to medical research and her subsequent obscurity in history. Throughout the book, Skloot provides extensive evidence and examples, such as Lacks' medical breakthroughs, personal anecdotes, and the impact on her family, to reinforce the significance of Henrietta Lacks' story. Finally, the author concludes the book with a summary of the purpose that she has woven throughout the narrative, satisfyingly tying together the threads of Lacks' life story, scientific achievements, and the ethical considerations that have arisen from her immortal cell line, HeLa.