Which term refers to the intended readers that influence the author's purpose?

• A. To Explain
• B. Textual Clues
• C. Audience
• D. To Describe

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is identifying the group the author has in mind—the audience—and how that shapes why and how the text is written. The audience refers to the intended readers, and knowing who they are influences the author’s purpose because content, tone, and structure are chosen to fit the readers’ needs and expectations. For example, writing to explain to learners invites clear definitions and examples, while writing to persuade a specific group aims to affect their views or actions. The other terms describe what the author does (explain or describe) or clues within the text, not who the writing is for, so they don’t capture the idea of who the text is aimed at.