What is the primary purpose of a trade book?

A trade book is primarily designed to provide general reading material intended for a wide audience, which distinguishes it from more specialized texts. Trade books encompass a broad range of genres, including fiction, non-fiction, biographies, and more. They are typically published for commercial sale and aim to entertain, inform, or engage readers broadly rather than serve a specific educational agenda.

The other options focus on more specialized purposes. For instance, textbooks are designed specifically for educational settings, making them unsuitable as general reading materials. Likewise, a book that acts solely as a guide for teachers would have a targeted audience, limiting its appeal to the general public. Finally, a collection of research articles is typically formatted for academic or professional audiences, again straying from the general readership that trade books aim to attract. Thus, the primary purpose of trade books as general reading material is what sets them apart from these other types of publications.