Read Mary Antin’s biography from "The Promised Land." Mary Antin (1881-1949), immigration rights activist, came to the United States during the third great wave of immigration (1881-1920), when more than 23 million immigrants came to America. These new arrivals were largely from eastern and southern Europe. Although born into poverty, Antin rose out of it through education and eventually attended Columbia University.

What is the most likely reason why this biography was included before the main text?

to entertain the reader with exciting details about the author’s life
to persuade the reader to feel sympathy for the author
to inform the reader that the author's education was very unusual
to help the reader understand the author's purpose for writing the story