Mia is doing research for a paper on the social classes of the Roman Empire. She is just learning about the topic, so she does not have a lot of background knowledge on the subject. Which text would best match her reading purpose?

a dramatic play set in ancient Rome
an article about society in ancient Rome
an atlas with maps of the Roman Empire
a biography of a famous Roman emperor

b. an article about society in ancient Rome.

active voice: my father cut the tree.

passive voice: the tree was cut by my father.

active voice: people buy newspapers every day.

passive voice: newspapers are bought (by people) every day.

active voice: people have been using movies as political propaganda since world war ii.

passive voice: movies have been used as political propaganda since world war ii.

active voice: donna gave me my birthday present.

passive voice: i was given my birthday present (by donna). / my birthday present was given to me (by donna).

active voice: mom will leave the keys on the counter.

passive voice: the keys will be left (by mom) on the counter.

the words in parentheses are the agent of the passive voice and can be omitted when obvious, generic, or simply unnecessary.