Extract:
Fat for Fitness
After years of bad publicity it may sound absurd, but many dietitians are now extolling the virtues of consuming fat. According to Laurie Tansman, a nutritionist at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York, fat “not only plays a vital role in the health of the membrane of every cell in our body, it also helps protect us from a number of key health threats.” Fat is a critical part of your necessary food intake, and it is generally recommended that 30 percent of your daily calories should come from fat. Without it, your body would not be able to absorb or transport vitamins A, D, E, and K. Body temperature, hair follicles, and skin cells are all reliant upon the consumption of fats to function properly.
There is near-universal agreement that the healthiest fats are unsaturated fats. This list of healthy fats includes olive oil, sesame oil, walnut oil, avocado oil, and omega-3 fatty acids. These fats, when eaten in moderation, can lower cholesterol levels, thereby reducing your risk for heart disease.
Saturated fats are considered less healthy than unsaturated fats and should be consumed more sparingly. Most saturated fats are found in animal products, such as beef, pork, and chicken. The least healthy of all fats are trans-fatty acids, or trans fats. These fats can occur in small amounts naturally in animal products, but they are more commonly found as artificially produced oils used for frying foods or softening prepackaged snacks. These fats will increase your risk for heart disease; the U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that you consume as few trans fats as possible.
What is the author’s primary purpose in writing this essay?
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A
To entertain
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B
To analyze
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C
To reflect
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D
To persuade
The author's primary purpose is to persuade readers to reconsider negative attitudes toward dietary fat by presenting evidence of its essential functions and health benefits.
A) To entertain
No narrative elements, humor, or engaging anecdotes appear. The tone remains factual yet advocacy-oriented, designed to shift perspective rather than amuse.
B) To analyze
While nutritional information is presented, the author doesn't dissect fat metabolism mechanisms or maintain analytical neutrality, they advocate for balanced fat consumption through selective evidence presentation and value-laden language ("virtues," "critical," "healthiest").
C) To reflect
No personal experiences or introspective musings appear. The writing maintains external focus on fat's attributes rather than the author's contemplative response to dietary trends.
D) To persuade
The opening directly challenges prevailing attitudes ("after years of bad publicity it may sound absurd, but many dietitians are now extolling the virtues"), then builds a persuasive case through: essential physiological functions, specific health benefits of unsaturated fats, and risk comparisons between fat types, all structured to influence reader behavior toward balanced fat consumption.
Conclusion
Persuasive writing combines problem identification (negative fat perceptions), evidence presentation, and implicit behavioral recommendation. This passage's structure, challenging misconceptions, cataloging benefits, and ranking fat types by health impact, exemplifies persuasive intent through systematic advocacy for informed fat consumption.