Question

determining the author’s purpose
this excerpt was written by olaudah equiano, an enslaved african man who was taken to barbados. the effect of an author’s choices can change over time. for example, equiano includes the phrase “poor creatures” to appeal to the reader’s emotions. however, by today’s standards this is considered dehumanizing.
read the passage, then answer the question.
their huts, which ought to be well covered, and the place dry where they take their little repose, are often open sheds, built in damp places; so that when the poor creatures return tired from the toils of the field, they contract many disorders, from being exposed to the damp air in this uncomfortable state.
—sugar changed the world, marc aronson and marina budhos
what is the primary purpose of this passage?
○ to create sympathy for enslaved workers
○ to demonstrate a typical day of labor on a plantation
○ to compare the living conditions of plantation owners and enslaved workers
○ to show ways housing on plantations could have been improved

Explanation:

The passage describes the harsh living - conditions of enslaved workers, using phrases like "poor creatures" and details about their huts being in damp places and making them sick. This is likely to evoke sympathy for the enslaved workers.

Answer:

to create sympathy for enslaved workers