Author’s purpose

HESI A2
Reading Comprehension
Multiple choice
Difficulty 3 of 5

Question

Passage

At the neighborhood supper club, volunteers are planning a meal in a borrowed kitchen. A coordinator draws a line down a preparation table and sets raw ingredients on one side. Ready-to-eat ingredients have their own space on the other. The coordinator explains that germs can travel between foods, so separating raw ingredients from other foods helps interrupt that movement. The volunteers then discuss how to arrange their work without crowding one another. They decide that one person will manage the raw ingredients while another prepares the foods that will be served without further cooking. Their written plan includes the table arrangement so that a volunteer arriving later can understand it. The passage describes the arrangement as a practical response to a food safety concern; it does not evaluate the club’s menu or compare the cost of kitchen equipment.

Why does the author describe the division of the preparation table?

To illustrate a way to limit the spread of germs between foods✓ Correct

The division demonstrates separation as a response to germ transfer.
To argue that the club should buy a larger kitchen table✗ Incorrect

No purchase is proposed.
To compare the prices of ingredients for the meal✗ Incorrect

The passage gives no ingredient prices.
To explain how the club chooses its menu✗ Incorrect

Menu selection is not the focus.

Answer

A. To illustrate a way to limit the spread of germs between foods

Rationale

The table is divided because germs can move between foods. The example illustrates how the volunteers respond to that concern.

RememberUse the passage’s own details to interpret its language and design.

Sources

Food Safety (MedlinePlus health topic) MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine · License: US government work (public domain) · Retrieved November 2, 2026 · Summary: Food Safety

Last verified: November 5, 2026 2 independent automated checks Question teas-rcs-00317, version 1

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