The purpose of this essay is to

Question

(1) In the United States today, despite the warnings, an estimated 25.9 million men and 22.8 million women are smokers. Every day, about 3,000 people under the age of eighteen become smokers. Still, though, four out of every five smokers wish they could quit. For a number of reasons, every individual who smokes should try very hard to kick the habit.
(2) One obvious reason to stop smoking is to save money—quite a lot of it, as a matter of fact. The cost of a pack of cigarettes is now about $6, so a two-packs-a-day smoker will pay $360 per month and $4,320 per year to support his or her habit. This is money that could be stashed away in a savings account and spent on a home, a car, or a dream vacation. Americans often have inadequate savings accounts, and they could improve their finances by paying saved cash rather than charging the cost of purchases on credit cards.
(3) The most important reason to stop smoking, though, is to improve health. Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to suffer from colds, headaches, and insomnia. A third of smokers complain of debilitating fatigue, chronic bronchitis, and other respiratory disorders. Worst of all, though, smoking causes a host of deadly diseases; in fact, it is a major cause of heart attack, stroke, and cancer. Every year, 480,000 people die from tobacco-related diseases in the United States alone.
(4) Smoking causes bad breath and yellows teeth. It also leaves a foul odor in the hair, clothing, and surroundings of not only the person who smokes but also everyone in close proximity to the smoker. Smoking ages the skin, too, making smokers look older than their years.
(5) Because smoking harmful in all of these respects, the best thing smokers can do for themselves and their loved ones is quit. They should try all of options available, such as nicotine patches and smoking cessation programs. Quitting is a difficult thing to do, but it’s worth it.

A) inform readers about the differences between smokers and nonsmokers.
B) persuade readers to stop smoking.
C) explain how to quit smoking.

Answer 1

B) persuade readers to stop smoking.